American-ish Samoa
I was beginning to drift out of sleep as we were pulling into Pago Pago when my phone jolted me out of my haze. A phone call when I am in that half asleep state immediately puts me on alert. … Continue reading American-ish Samoa
Category: Cruises
Two Fists Full of Sea Days
We are two weeks into the cruise, at about the time most cruises are either over or ending and we just seem to be getting started. On our 14 days we have had 4 port days and 10 at sea, … Continue reading Two Fists Full of Sea Days
Snowbirds
Snowbirds leave northern winters for warmer climes. In Alaska if they never winter over, they are chechakos. When they winter over, they become sourdoughs. As they get older many sourdoughs decide to go south for the winter and become snowbirds. … Continue reading Snowbirds
Fire Refugees
In Maui we went whale watching. But because of the fire in 2023 that destroyed the historic whaling town on Lahaina we docked at an industrial port, Kahului Harbor, on the other side of the island. We took a bus, … Continue reading Fire Refugees
Black Sand, Green Turtles
The last time we drove Saddle Road across the Big Island of Hawaii it was 1979, unpaved and car rental companies didn’t allow you to take their cars on this road. We read the fine print after we drove it. … Continue reading Black Sand, Green Turtles
Fountain of Fire
We got up early to be on the first tender because our friend, Karen, who lives on the Kona Coast of the Island of Hawaii offered to take us on an excursion and we had limited time in port. We … Continue reading Fountain of Fire
Luggage Saga, or is it Soggy Luggage?
When we got in from our whale watch we saw two bags sitting in the entry to the ship. THEY WERE OUR BAGS! But only two? Security approached us as we were looking at the bags and asked, somewhat accusingly … Continue reading Luggage Saga, or is it Soggy Luggage?
Aloha Hawaii.
I rolled over I bed and saw a red glow where the curtains parted. I grabbed my phone and my pants and went out onto our balcony. The sun was rising behind me. As we turned into Honolulu Harbor the … Continue reading Aloha Hawaii.
Counting Dominos, Too Much Fun!
The explorations café is loaded with games. Suzi, our friends John and Pam, and I play Mexican Train Dominos. There were 6 sets. (Our set is who knows where but not here, we may find it in Hawaii). We picked … Continue reading Counting Dominos, Too Much Fun!
A Different but Familiar Universe.
It’s not Déjà vu, it’s a little different from that. We’re sailing on our third R class Holland America Ship, Zaandam. All R classes have nearly identical floor plans but different decors, and with each going into dry dock at … Continue reading A Different but Familiar Universe.
San Diego Sidebars
And they’ll all want lifts to Brown’s Hotel ‘Cause some of them’s been travelin’ for quite a spell. All the way from Phil-a-del-fi-a (sic)NB On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe The San Diego Santa Fe railway station is … Continue reading San Diego Sidebars
Homeport San Diego
My homeport is Sitka but Holland America considers three Pacific cities to be it’s homeports, Seattle (company HQ), Vancouver and San Diego Koningsdam, Niew Amsterdam and Zaandam are currently homeporting in San Diego, but with Zaandam being gone for 93 … Continue reading Homeport San Diego
Into the Mystic
I’m always nervous before traveling. I don’t relax until the plane rotates on takeoff and I watch Sitka glide by, catch a glimpse of my house, and fly into the mystic, the clouds that sometimes make Southeast Alaska Communities feel … Continue reading Into the Mystic
Prayers to St. Anthony
Our little red sutcase seems to have enjoyed its travels last cruise because it has convinced the rest of our baggage to go walkabout with it. FedEx, Contracted by Luggage Forward, picked up our bags on December 16th. According to … Continue reading Prayers to St. Anthony
The Beautiful and Elegant… A Coda
We took our first long cruise 10 years ago. We had been on cruises before our kids were born back in the 70s. In the 90s, after Pop died, Suzi and I took Mom on a couple of cruises. But … Continue reading The Beautiful and Elegant… A Coda
It Always Ends With the Milk Run
Saturday morning, I stepped onto the stateroom balcony for the last time and saw two huge ships as we docked in Fort Lauderdale, a Princess and a Disney. I didn’t get much sleep on Friday night. We were up packing … Continue reading It Always Ends With the Milk Run
Grannies’ Court of Honor
Back in the ‘90s after Pop died, we went on a couple of cruises with Mom. They had enjoyed cruising on Sagafjord and Vistafjord and we continued that tradition. On one cruise Mom got her Cunard 100 night pin. She … Continue reading Grannies’ Court of Honor
Duck Boat, Swan Boat. Boston.
I had only technically been in Boston before this trip. I’ve connected through the airport and changed trains at the station. That was it. I don’t know much about Boston past Revolutionary War History with three exceptions, the green monster, … Continue reading Duck Boat, Swan Boat. Boston.
Visiting Bud in Portland, Maine
I first met Bud Stiker in1998 at a European broadcasters’ meeting in Madrid. Bud helped invent commercial broadcasting in Eastern Europe at Juventus Radio in Budapest. He understood radio sales and the oddities of post-Communist Central Europe. I wanted him … Continue reading Visiting Bud in Portland, Maine
Two St. Johns in St. John’s
St John’s, the Capital of Newfoundland, has two cathedrals named for St. John the Baptist. One is a Catholic Cathedral that serves the city’s mostly Irish population, the other is an Anglican Cathedral. St. John’s has a large Irish population. … Continue reading Two St. Johns in St. John’s
Norse Not Vikings.
When most people think of the Norse ships from millennium ago they think of the Viking longship. But the backbone of Norse trade was the knarr, a freighter about 54 feet long. Knarr isn’t sleek, it’s broad and looks kind … Continue reading Norse Not Vikings.
Looking for the Norse and Finding Celts.
L’Anse Meadows, Newfoundland. The first tour I booked for this cruise was to L’Anse aux Meadows outside St. Anthony, Newfoundland. For years people speculated that the Norse had landed in and explored North America. It was written about in the … Continue reading Looking for the Norse and Finding Celts.
Carnival of The Animals
One of the beloved cruise traditions is animals made of towels and washcloths appearing on your bed, sofa, chair or hanging from a hanger every night. When I first encountered it it delighted me and still does. Since the pandemic … Continue reading Carnival of The Animals
I Didn’t Get Very Far in Halifax
Halifax has a lot to see and do but I didn’t do much of it, this time. Fortunately, we were there on vacation a few years ago. On that trip I got caught in probably the largest non-urban traffic jam … Continue reading I Didn’t Get Very Far in Halifax