Sunday, July 14, 2013
The next journey...
Any suggestions? Currently enjoying Atlantic breezes in our new beach shack home in St Augustine, Florida...
Monday, January 28, 2013
Slightly overwhelmed
Dug through 6 boxes of accumulated mail today, 5 more boxes scheduled to arrive by the end of the week...
Seeking refreshment at Caffe Greco...updates to resume on Tuesday.
Seeking refreshment at Caffe Greco...updates to resume on Tuesday.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Leg 22 is complete
Leg 22 is complete, we have arrived in San Francisco. The last part of the leg, sailing from Long Beach to San Francisco was quick and easy.
We were happy to touch dry land on US soil for the first time in 5 months.
Details and mileage to follow, here's some photos.
We were happy to touch dry land on US soil for the first time in 5 months.
Details and mileage to follow, here's some photos.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Best museums of the journey
Here's our list of the best museums of the journey. Again, in no particular order:
Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo: special music exhibition was perfect, hope it tours
Kon Tiki Museum, Oslo: nice to see a non-flying adventure featured as a national treasure
Museum of Contemporary Art, Stockholm: Duchamp versus Picasso exhibit is perfect
Occupation Museum, Riga: extensive exhibition of Soviet and Nazi near destruction of Latvia
Pushkin Museum, Moscow: Le Corbesier exhibit is perfect, hope it travels
National Museum of China, Beijing: one of the few well known tourist sites to see in this city
The best of the bunch? Museum of Contemporary Art in Oslo for sure. Free on Sundays, the exhibits were perfectly designed and presented. Each one was completely unique. Perfect all around.
Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo: special music exhibition was perfect, hope it tours
Kon Tiki Museum, Oslo: nice to see a non-flying adventure featured as a national treasure
Museum of Contemporary Art, Stockholm: Duchamp versus Picasso exhibit is perfect
Occupation Museum, Riga: extensive exhibition of Soviet and Nazi near destruction of Latvia
Pushkin Museum, Moscow: Le Corbesier exhibit is perfect, hope it travels
National Museum of China, Beijing: one of the few well known tourist sites to see in this city
The best of the bunch? Museum of Contemporary Art in Oslo for sure. Free on Sundays, the exhibits were perfectly designed and presented. Each one was completely unique. Perfect all around.
Best-of lists
Over the next few days and week, we'll catch up on a number of blog posts we worked on while in China and Vietnam, and while we sailed across the Pacific.
We made a couple of best-of lists, here's the first, the best bars and taverns along the way.
In no particular order:
Metropolitan Hotel Bar, London: interesting concoctions some served in tea cups
Grand Hotel Lobby Bar, Oslo: wood paneled old school place where the theater people hang out
Bishop Arms Pub, Sundsvall, Sweden: yes it's a chain, but great burgers and beer
Pelikan Bar, Stockholm: as old school as it gets as in this place has been slinging beer for 500 years
Guaja Bar, Riga: converted living room with 2 turntables and rare unpasteurized beer
our room at Anna's, Zaube, Latvia: no fridge, so we used the snowy windowsill to chill the beer
Russian dining car, Trans-Siberian train: great place to hang out and try to talk over the blaring music
Malty Dog Brewery, Beijing: they nailed the high hop content ales, plus serve ceci and fave!
Kitty hutong bar, Beijing: no English name, but a quiet place to drink beer and visit the owners cats
Max Bar, Hong Kong: top floor of the Upper House, great views and great cocktails
Bamboo Bar, Hanoi: poolside at the Metropole Hotel, quiet and breezy respite from the city
Each of these places has a reason to say it was the best of the trip, so it is really difficult to pick the best.
But, if you want to spin your own records, play cards, talk with the locals, and drink an unusual beer and black balsam liquor, Guaja Bar is where you should head. Best of the best.
We made a couple of best-of lists, here's the first, the best bars and taverns along the way.
In no particular order:
Metropolitan Hotel Bar, London: interesting concoctions some served in tea cups
Grand Hotel Lobby Bar, Oslo: wood paneled old school place where the theater people hang out
Bishop Arms Pub, Sundsvall, Sweden: yes it's a chain, but great burgers and beer
Pelikan Bar, Stockholm: as old school as it gets as in this place has been slinging beer for 500 years
Guaja Bar, Riga: converted living room with 2 turntables and rare unpasteurized beer
our room at Anna's, Zaube, Latvia: no fridge, so we used the snowy windowsill to chill the beer
Russian dining car, Trans-Siberian train: great place to hang out and try to talk over the blaring music
Malty Dog Brewery, Beijing: they nailed the high hop content ales, plus serve ceci and fave!
Kitty hutong bar, Beijing: no English name, but a quiet place to drink beer and visit the owners cats
Max Bar, Hong Kong: top floor of the Upper House, great views and great cocktails
Bamboo Bar, Hanoi: poolside at the Metropole Hotel, quiet and breezy respite from the city
Each of these places has a reason to say it was the best of the trip, so it is really difficult to pick the best.
But, if you want to spin your own records, play cards, talk with the locals, and drink an unusual beer and black balsam liquor, Guaja Bar is where you should head. Best of the best.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Across the North Pacific
The longest part of the journey is done, we have arrived in Long Beach.
An amazing 10 or 11 days at sea, we're not quite sure as we had 2 Tuesdays when we crossed the International Date Line.
More details to follow, for now, here's some photos.
An amazing 10 or 11 days at sea, we're not quite sure as we had 2 Tuesdays when we crossed the International Date Line.
More details to follow, for now, here's some photos.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
So long South Korea, goodbye Asia
We have departed Busan, South Korea. Our last stop in Asia and the last country we'll travel through before arriving back in the United States.
Additional cargo has been loaded onto the freighter getting us closer to the 7000 container limit.
At departure, we were invited to the aft deck to watch the ropes pulled in and the shove off. It was like a bring your kids to work day, and we were the kids.
This last stop also marked the spot where our original Captain departed for his vacation and a new Captain joined on.
We'll be initially sailing northeast towards Japan crossing through the country at the Tsugaru Strait. We'll continue northeast until we reach our closest approach to the Aleutian Islands, passing 180 miles south of our first encounter with North America since August 28th.
At that point we turn southeast until we reach Long Beach. Weather may alter our course as we try to avoid storms.
This will be our last blog post until we reach Long Beach around January 21 or 22. More later...
Additional cargo has been loaded onto the freighter getting us closer to the 7000 container limit.
At departure, we were invited to the aft deck to watch the ropes pulled in and the shove off. It was like a bring your kids to work day, and we were the kids.
This last stop also marked the spot where our original Captain departed for his vacation and a new Captain joined on.
We'll be initially sailing northeast towards Japan crossing through the country at the Tsugaru Strait. We'll continue northeast until we reach our closest approach to the Aleutian Islands, passing 180 miles south of our first encounter with North America since August 28th.
At that point we turn southeast until we reach Long Beach. Weather may alter our course as we try to avoid storms.
This will be our last blog post until we reach Long Beach around January 21 or 22. More later...
Busan, South Korea
Arrived in Busan, South Korea early this morning.
Seas were calm, weather is clear and cold. The Captain has informed us that we should have calm seas at least for the next 3 days. Seas may get rough as we approach and pass the Aleutians, but weather conditions can change.
One last note: the Filipino chef really knows how to cook!
Seas were calm, weather is clear and cold. The Captain has informed us that we should have calm seas at least for the next 3 days. Seas may get rough as we approach and pass the Aleutians, but weather conditions can change.
One last note: the Filipino chef really knows how to cook!
Yellow Sea
Approaching Busan, North Korea last night, too many cargo ships and fishing boats to count...
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
First full day onboard
Ship supplies have been delivered, currently in the Yellow Sea headed north.
Somehow, we're close enough to land to pick up some 3G signal...this won't last though.
Somehow, we're close enough to land to pick up some 3G signal...this won't last though.
Leg 22 begins today
Leg 22 begins today. This is the longest leg by both time and distance. We'll be sailing across the Pacific from Shanghai to Oakland aboard the Hanjin Yantian, a container cargo freighter.
A local port agent arranged our transfer from the hotel, through immigration and delivered us port side to the ship.
The transfer is where the fun began. A driver picked us up at the hotel at 10 AM in his personal minivan. He didn't speak any English, the car was a bit disheveled on the inside, and the guy drove typically Chinese style: near collisions were frequent. Lisa white knuckled it for sure and Frank even yelled once: 'watch out'.
But, the guy knew what he was doing. As we approached the port, the streets were clogged with semis, scooters, and cars in our direction of travel. No problem, our driver just drove in the wrong lane, weaving in and out of oncoming traffic, for about a mile until we reached the immigration center.
At the immigration center, we were handed off to another crew who got us quickly through passport control and loaded us into their winter beater of a car. Seriously, it was barely road worthy by Midwest snow standards. But, they drove us quickly to the ship, not even stopping for guards at various checkpoints, and then handed us over to the crew--at the port right next to the ship as it sat against the dock. No cushy cruise line waiting rooms--we're on the dock next to the ship with our gear, ready to climb the ladder up and in. Yes, that's right, a ladder!
No problem though--the crew carried most of the gear, and 90 minutes after we left our hotel, we found ourselves safe and sound in a clean, comfortable, and roomy cabin aboard the ship. We have a view of the sea and the loading and unloading of the nearly 7000 containers this ship can hold--including a small load of fireworks destined for 4th of July celebrations. We are the only passengers.
After lunch, the Captain gave us a tour of the entire ship including the engine room and the bridge. Most of the officers are German, English is well spoken, and coffee is served to all in the afternoon.
Great start to this long journey. We'll be able to report just a few more times before arriving in California as the ship has no Internet or phone access while at sea.
A local port agent arranged our transfer from the hotel, through immigration and delivered us port side to the ship.
The transfer is where the fun began. A driver picked us up at the hotel at 10 AM in his personal minivan. He didn't speak any English, the car was a bit disheveled on the inside, and the guy drove typically Chinese style: near collisions were frequent. Lisa white knuckled it for sure and Frank even yelled once: 'watch out'.
But, the guy knew what he was doing. As we approached the port, the streets were clogged with semis, scooters, and cars in our direction of travel. No problem, our driver just drove in the wrong lane, weaving in and out of oncoming traffic, for about a mile until we reached the immigration center.
At the immigration center, we were handed off to another crew who got us quickly through passport control and loaded us into their winter beater of a car. Seriously, it was barely road worthy by Midwest snow standards. But, they drove us quickly to the ship, not even stopping for guards at various checkpoints, and then handed us over to the crew--at the port right next to the ship as it sat against the dock. No cushy cruise line waiting rooms--we're on the dock next to the ship with our gear, ready to climb the ladder up and in. Yes, that's right, a ladder!
No problem though--the crew carried most of the gear, and 90 minutes after we left our hotel, we found ourselves safe and sound in a clean, comfortable, and roomy cabin aboard the ship. We have a view of the sea and the loading and unloading of the nearly 7000 containers this ship can hold--including a small load of fireworks destined for 4th of July celebrations. We are the only passengers.
After lunch, the Captain gave us a tour of the entire ship including the engine room and the bridge. Most of the officers are German, English is well spoken, and coffee is served to all in the afternoon.
Great start to this long journey. We'll be able to report just a few more times before arriving in California as the ship has no Internet or phone access while at sea.
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