Crawling out of bed in Nagasaki can be eerie for a moment. Thoughts drift through your curious mind about what it must have been like on that day of torment at 11:02 am when every clock either froze or melted and people turned into a pile of ash instantly as they went about their daily routine unsuspectingly in the sudden instance of the bomb.
1102 was also my room number at the hotel. It was a disturbing coincidence. If you leave your Nagasaki hotel by 10 am you will have time to see nearly every main attraction in about two days, but you may have to do so without an English speaking tour guide as they are nearly impossible to find in this city.
A visit to Oura Cathedral should not be missed, but it may be frustrating as nothing is in English. To fully understand the importance of the cathedral it should be researched before visited. The streets leading up to the Cathedral and Glover Garden are lined with shopping and ice creameries.
All the attractions are relatively close to each other, but perhaps the most interesting sites in Nagasaki are about a thirty to fifty minute walk in the opposite direction of Glover's property.
The atomic bomb museum should not be missed! Conveniently, there are English descriptions, and videos on the museum artifacts. It could take you several hours to browse through the things collected from this painful historical moment. Everything is meticulously organized and objective. There is an honest look at the atrocities committed, the reality and the pain of war and most importantly the commitment Japan has made before the world to advocate the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons.
Peace Park lay right outside and the majestic church is nearby. These are great places to go to learn about world history as the events that occurred during World War two affected the whole world.
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