With all travel it is the unexpected that delights, the deviations from plan that make a trip special. After transiting the Panama Canal (I will get to that post later when I have time to sort through 300 exposures) we … Continue reading Martyrs’ Night Out
February 27, 2020, Sailing between the Cook Islands and Tonga. “There’s a sign over a bar saying ‘It’s 5 o’clock somewhere.’ Well it’s Wednesday somewhere.” That’s how Father Lew opened the service. Pastor Bruce added “Welcome to Ash Thursday.” The … Continue reading Velvet waves on Ash Thursday
February 13, 2020, At Sea A few days ago, we got an email from a friend contemplating a cruise and asking us how we thought the 2020 Coronavirus would affect their leaving from Singapore. Suzi explained that we are the … Continue reading That BIG Elephant Over There*
February 11, 2020, Santiago, Chile. The shore lecturer said that there was not much to do in San Antonio, the container port for Chile’s capital Santiago, but there were a lot of tours that the cruise line offered to take … Continue reading Too Many Pisco Sours.
February 6, 2020 Punta Arenas, Chile Punta Arenas has seen better days. At least the Plaza Muñoz Gamero, has also seen better days. It’s the city’s main plaza with its statue of Ferdinand Magellan. In November a riot ran through … Continue reading The Joy of the Moment
February 4, 2020, Beagle Channel between Chile and Argentina I mean that literally. We actually sailed (motored, steamed) around Cape Horn Island allowing us to see the cape from every possible approach. I suspect that with the power of Amsterdam … Continue reading ‘Round the Horn.
When traveling I’m struck by how tied together we are and always have been. Three years ago on a trip up the Amazon we learned how rubber trees were smuggled out of Brazil to Kew Gardens in London, and from … Continue reading Hanging Gardens of Singapore
Bali was a McClear field trip rather than a vacation trip. During our two days we visited three temples, rice terraces, a coffee plantation, drove all around the island in a taxi, listen traditional music, seen traditional dance, been harassed … Continue reading Tying up loose ends in Bali
I’ve played Gamelan music on the radio often enough but had never heard it live until this week. I suppose it’s because I’ve chosen to live in mostly rural communities. The Gamelan is not one instrument but an ensemble from … Continue reading Gamelan,
I wished I could have seen more of Ulu Watu, the Cliff Temple on our second day in Bali. But I couldn’t because monkeys have opposable thumbs. Before getting out of the cab the driver told me to take off … Continue reading Bad Monkey – Ulu Watu
After visiting Pura Luhur Batukau we drove along a winding road through the Jatiouwith Ricce Fields and got a chance to get out and walk a little. As I mentioned in the last post, they, and the whole rice growing … Continue reading Jatiouwith Rice Fields