Hiroshima

CND representative, Ben Folley, reports from Hiroshima on 6th August:

‘As the delegates pour into the city, a peace march of hundreds who have walked from Tokyo also arrives at the Memorial Peace Park. The Japanese anti-nuclear movement is growing – many are from amongst the hibakusha – the survivors of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But many others are young people – around 600 attended Saturday’s youth rally, calling for a nuclear free world.

On 6th August 1945, a nuclear weapon was used in war for the first time. Three days later, over Nagasaki, a nuclear weapon was to be used in war for what, so far, has been the last time.

The artist Isao Hashimoto made this film as a “bird’s eye view of the history”, a month per second. “The blinking light, sound and the numbers on the world map show when, where and how many experiments each country have conducted. I created this work for the means of an interface to the people who are yet to know of the extremely grave, but present problem of the world.” Isao Hashimoto was born in Kumamoto prefecture in Japan in 1959.

Edinburgh was wet yesterday

Stockbridge colonies flooded. The Meadows always get squelchy after rain, remembering their swampy origins. I wasn’t surprised to hear that Taste had to be cancelled, though sad for all the catering businesses involved. It amazes me that T in the Park managed to go ahead. Edinburgh City Bypass temporarily closed.

The weather station in the Botanics measured 39mm of rain in 24 hours. The weather in June was unusually wet. In the past week, more rain (66.5mm) has fallen than usually falls over an entire month in July. The River Esk in Musselburgh burst its banks.

This was the morning:

Music and coffee and cake

At Edinburgh Farmer’s Market sunny Saturday morning yesterday…

There was music.

Edinburgh Farmer’s Market from Edinburgh Castle

On Saturday I went to the farmer’s market.

Except first, I went to the Castle.

I’m a member of Historic Scotland, which means that I can get into Edinburgh Castle for free. And I’d noticed last time we were wandering round the Castle, that from the Western Esplanade, which you reach from the courtyard with the statue of General Haig on his horse (by the War Museum), you get a very good view of Castle Terrace.