Tag Archives: travel

Where’s the Ship?

Posted on January 10, 2020 by

Boarding in Venice Trieste Venice Venice is Italy’s city of canals, built on a series of islands in a lagoon. The original lagoon dwellers were fishermen living on the then marshy islands. Others retreated there to avoid various armies after the … Continue reading →

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Hakata Cruise Port in Fukuoka, Japan

Posted on January 3, 2020 by

Fukuoka, Japan Fukuoka sits on the northern shore of Kyushu island in Japan, with the sea to the north and mountains surrounding the other 3 sides of the city. Fukuoka has a major industrial area and is one of Japan’s … Continue reading →

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Skechers Boot Review

Posted on January 1, 2020 by

Being partial to Skechers, as they tend to fit me more comfortably than most brands, I was happy to find some boots made by Skechers when looking for something for a European vacation by train and cruise ship that would … Continue reading →

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Flying to Zurich

Posted on December 27, 2019 by

Before our 20-day MSC Lirica cruise from Venice to Dubai, we decided to spend a bit of time exploring parts of Europe where we’ve never been. We left 10 days ahead of the cruise, but the flight didn’t arrive until … Continue reading →

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San Francisco Cruise Ship Port

Posted on December 13, 2019 by

Sailing into San Francisco is quite scenic. It’s like having harbor tour without ever leaving the ship. Besides all the scenery onshore, the ship sails under the Golden Gate Bridge. Quite a few people gathered on the upper outside decks … Continue reading →

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The Seven Hells of Beppu

Posted on November 29, 2019 by

Beppu, Japan, known as the city that steams, is home to numerous hot springs and other geothermal features. Steam rises from thermal pools, steam vents, and sometimes even storm drains. There are steam baths called Onsens (thermal spas) all throughout … Continue reading →

Posted in Holland America, Japan, Pacific Ocean & Islands, Port Cities, Ports of Call, Westerdam | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Cruising Gluten Free

Posted on November 22, 2019 by

Cruise ships have come a long way from the time people had to arrange for every gluten free item they might eat on a voyage in advance of the cruise. Now gluten free selections are often available to anyone at … Continue reading →

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Beppu Monkey Park

Posted on November 15, 2019 by

We started our port stop from Holland America Westerdam in Beppu, Japan with a visit to Takasakiyama Monkey Park. This park sits at the base of Mt. Takasaki, and is populated by wild macaque monkeys. A sign at the entrance … Continue reading →

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Beppu, Japan Cruise Port

Posted on November 1, 2019 by

Beppu, Japan is a city of steam, best known for its multitude of natural hot springs and thermal pools. Some are used as day spas or resorts. Some are even used to steam food. Its 8 major geothermal hot spots … Continue reading →

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San Diego Trolley Tour

Posted on October 25, 2019 by

Before our cruise on the Royal Princess we had a ship’s excursion booked in San Diego, California. It was supposed to be a ghosts and gravestones tour in San Diego’s old town area on a hop-on hop-off trolley. We never … Continue reading →

Posted in Port Cities, Ports of Call, Princess, Royal Princess, USA | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments