Pearl Harbour, Friday

So today we visited Pearl Harbour. The bus picked us up nice and early, with a burst fire hydrent causing terrible traffic conditions in a city which already has bad traffic. The bus ride wasnt to friendly on our seedy stomachs, however we made it to the harbour well enough. The harbour itself is still full of active navy ships, and the surroundings is dedicated to the navy etc. Infact this whole place is heavy on the military stuff, with whole hotels used only by those who have served. Its a huge difference from Aus (like tonight at our Hawaiian dinner all those that have served USA were asked to stand up and were applauded - never seen that before!).

But back to the tour: At the site there is a museum (which in the process of being renovated so we didnt get to see much) and a cinema for a short film on the attack of the naval base situated at Pearl Harbour in December 1941. It was moving to watch the film when you are on site, but so sad aswell, as it is imposible to distance yourself from it. From the dark of the cinema, you expect to walk out into the surging smoke from the ruins of massive U.S. navy ships. It is hard to believe that over 2000 people had died in the small harbour we were looking out over.

We then get ferried out to the USS Arizona Memorial, which sits above the USS Arizona, still lying where it was sunk, lurking below the water. In some cases parts of the ship poke above the surfuce of the water and there is oil still seeping from a part of the ship, lining the water and giving off a stench. Next to the memorial in the water is the last U.S. battleship ever built, the USS Missouri, juxtaposed against its sucken sister in the water.

Its actually quite a peaceful place though, despite the wreckage. The memorial is lovely and birght white and people seem to generally respect the site and morn those that died. I suggest to you guys you google an above shot picture of the memorial and you can see the outline of the ship, its amazing.