After lunch we took off in little coaches each holding about 15 on a tour they call: 'Japanese Surrender Tour'. Apparently the Japanese were here from February 1942 till about 10 days after the formal surrender in Tokyo Bay. It is very difficult to get the real story as the guides with us have minimal guiding skills and do not really understand the questions. No complaints, just facts!
We stopped at three places of WW II interest and then the beach which was very refreshing and finally the market which was colourful but nothing of practical interest to us.
Back on board, a shower and a short time to rest before dinner.
Three sea days ahead of us as we head east to Indonesia.
We stopped at three places of WW II interest and then the beach which was very refreshing and finally the market which was colourful but nothing of practical interest to us.
Back on board, a shower and a short time to rest before dinner.
Three sea days ahead of us as we head east to Indonesia.
A memorial to all who died up in the hills on a missionary site. Built by a Japanese gentleman about 1970. Apparently the bones of dead Japanese were scattered in the undergrowth and he decided to make a memorial to all nationalities.
A more modern Catholic church on the grounds of the memorial.
These kids live in the village and are on summer holidays. They love playing around with visitors. That is a machine gun that is up there.
Can you find Fellette in the crowd?
Our Mini-Bus. Tight fit, must be made for tinier people!
There are five three inch guns aimed at the water below in the bay. This land is owned by a Japanese Gent who found the guns, reclaimed by the jungle, cleaned it up and made it available for visitors. Apparently there are a fair number of Japanese who come to see the memorials in PNG.
People take as many pictures of kids as they take of the guns!
These boys just sit there and us white folks cannot resist taking a photo!
The rusted remains of a Japanese vehicle that is gradually rusting into the earth. It has been there for about 75 years.
At the Cape Wom Memorial Park. A small gun of some sort, no rifling on the barrel which makes me think it was a mortar. This is the spot that the Japanese commander signed the surrender for New Guenea
Jim and Gail in the coach.
The memorial. The Australians did most of the hard work in PNG. There is a very simple and striking memorial for dead Australians in this park.
A change in pace and to a lovely beach where we could wade in, [not many did]. They offered us each a coconut to drink and or eat. Delicious and really we all needed it and the fresh sea air, it was like Hawaii!
Yum Yum!
Local purse and bag market.
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