Near the port of Hilo, where the ship docks, there are some formal Japanese Gardens. Their streams and ponds replenished twice daily by the tides that flow over the black lava rock beach. Queen Lili’uokani built the gardens in 1917 … Continue reading Hilo’s Lili’uokani Japanese Gardens.
The lecturers on the ship spoke about how the mainland became interested, perhaps even obsessed with Hawaii. They mention Elvis and the movie “Blue Hawaii” where Elvis wore Aloha shirts and a Lei while playing a Ukulele. Of course there … Continue reading Hawai’i Calling (Waikiki)
As an Alaskan I have been asked that question by visitors from cruise ships more times than I can remember. I tried hard not to eye roll, and at one point carried novelty 22-dollar bills printed by an Alaska character … Continue reading Do You Take American Dollars?
240418 19 Aloha Honululu (Hello/Good by) The Captain told us it would be an early sail in to Honolulu. I looked at the map and the sight I wanted to see was on the starboard, we are on port, so … Continue reading Aloha Honolulu
For being so different in climate, location, and population Alaska and Hawaii have a lot in common. After all, Hawaii is one of the most isolated island groups in the world and the closest land to Hawaii is Alaska. We … Continue reading Snowbirding Railway Cars.
The last time we were on the Kona Coast on the big island of Hawai’i, 45 years ago, most of the development was south of Kona airport. We rented a condo South of the airport and explored the coast with … Continue reading Pu’uhonua, Place of Refuge
After my eclipse post several people asked where we were when we took the pictures. I gave a general answer but yesterday the chief navigation officer came up to the “Crow’s Nest” and marked on a paper chart exactly where … Continue reading Eclipse Redux
Holland America calls it the Koningsdam Eclipse Cruise but I like to think of it as an elaborate repositioning cruise to get Koningsdam from San Diego where it did Hawaii and Mexico to Vancouver where it will originate Alaska Cruises. … Continue reading The Great Koningsdam Solar Eclipse and Repositioning Cruise.
Of course, we would have loved to finish the 2023 Grand World Voyage and not disembarked in Mauritius for medical reasons. We would have loved, to have visited the African ports, the Spanish and Portuguese Atlantic Islands and cruised Europe. … Continue reading OK, This is Really the Final Cruise Coda.
…actually it was two, but more on that later. Six years ago I had just completed major surgery in Seattle and was staying in a hotel waiting to be certified “fit to fly” back to Sitka. (This was not my … Continue reading Taking the Great Circle on a single heading.
… and tasting tea. Colored earth may not seem that exciting but it fascinated me. Between a million and three million years ago volcanic activity drove minerals to the surface, specifically iron and aluminum. The two minerals repel each other … Continue reading Getting Excited about Colored Dirt.
Wedged between the Indian Ocean and some impossible looking peaks, Port Louis (pronounced Louie by the locals) is Mauritius’s capital city. The town has about 150,000 residents. The Caudan waterfront, on a peninsula, is where Zuiderdam’s shuttle dropped off passengers. … Continue reading Port Louis, Mauritius
Mauritius has miles of clean and shaded beaches. Ian, Zuiderdam’s Cruise Director, suggested several beaches and told us that some of the beachfront hotels may offer a day pass. I called around and did not find one that was willing … Continue reading Mauritius Beaches
Holland America listed 6 tours of Mauritius in its shorex brochure. Ian, the Cruise Director suggested at least two other activities. One advantage we had, being let off the ship in Mauritius is that, in one way of the other, … Continue reading Mauritius, Our Final Port of Call
On Tuesday afternoon the Zuiderdam’s Staff Captain made an announcement asking for anyone with a blood donor card. A+ or O- who was willing to donate blood to help a critically ill passenger to come to the front desk. That … Continue reading Well, At Least This Time We Made It Past Fremantle
Several cruise mates who had been on the 2020 world cruise expressed strong feelings on leaving Fremantle. Some expressed a sense of closure, some that they felt that they were continuing their interrupted journey. I examined my feelings and realized … Continue reading Remembering 2020
Several folks who had been on past HAL Grand Voyages, couldn’t make this one, but are planning one in the future, have asked me “How is it post covid?,” or “Is the Grand Voyage any Less Grand?” This is a … Continue reading Jammin’
In Fremantle, “Freo” the port for Perth, we started looking for stamps for our postcards and the perfect beach and ended up looking for the tooth fairy. Along the way we found a delightful small city, some nice beaches, and … Continue reading Looking for the Tooth Fairy
The simple reason we wanted to go to Perth is to see what the city looked like with people in it. We had been in Perth in 2018 and it had people but was largely under massive reconstruction. In 2020 … Continue reading Perth with People!
A Dutch Sea Captain (Not Captain Friso of Zuiderdam) named Willem de Vlamingh “discovered” an island about 12 miles off the West Coast of Australia in 1696. He said it was infested by giant rats so named the island Rott-Nest … Continue reading Not a Rats’ Nest
The first ship built in South Australia flew the Stars and Stripes. She was the US Schooner Independence, built by American sailors from the brig Union in 1803 on American River, which is not actually a river but a long … Continue reading An American River on Kangeroo Island
In 1844 Doc Christopher Penfolds and his wife Mary arrived in South Australia on the ship Taglioni with some vine cuttings from the South of France. They bought some land outside Adelaide and named it “The Grange.” Doc Penfolds prescribed … Continue reading Suzi and I have a generous taste from a $1,000 bottle of wine!
I first learned about Hobart from Pop. During the Second World War he was on a troop ship, the George Washington, sailing from San Francisco to Calcutta (as it was then known). They zigged and zagged for weeks. The first … Continue reading Tall Ships and Long Memories
David Walsh has gifted Hobart and the world with a strange and wonderful institution. MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art, is dug into a sandstone headland that juts into Derwent River 12 kilometers from Hobart. You can reach … Continue reading MONA