Just a quick update...

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Hi Everyone,

I know, I know, it has been a LONG time since I have written a blog entry! It is just that Marc and I have been so busy, and we’ve been traveling a lot. Marc has been very busy at work. No two days are the same for him, as he has meetings everyday in different places. I have been busy too… shopping, taking classes and just exploring our “new” home. Even though we have been here now 9 months, it still feels “new” because everything is so different and it still seems as if there is something new for us to see everywhere we look.

In June we traveled to Denmark and Norway for a cruise around the Norwegian fjords. Our cruise began and ended in Copenhagen. We met up there with a large group of our traveling / cruising friends for the 2 week cruise. We were only in Copenhagen 1 day, but we did a lot in that day. We took a canal tour and saw a lot of the city and the statue of the Little Mermaid from Han Christian Anderson’s fairytale. We also went to Tivoli Gardens in the evening. Tivoli is a small theme park along the lines of the old Elitch Gardens in Denver if any of you have been there. It was very crowded and they were had different rock bands playing (very loudly) at different venues in the park, so we did not stay that long.

Our cruise went to Hellesylt and Gerainger. Gerainger is absolutely beautiful. We had major camera problems the first day of the cruise, so I don’t have many pictures, but I will include here, the few that we have. We left the ship in Hellesylt and made a 6 mile hike to Gerainger to rejoin the ship. The scenery is so beautiful. It is so green and cool even in the summer. There are large waterfalls everywhere from the melting snow.

The next stop was Spitzbergen which is at 78 degrees north, well above the Artic Circle which is at 66 degrees north. Spitzbergen is very desolate, even in summer. It is the northern most year - round inhabited town in the world. Not a place I would like to live, though it was very interesting to visit.

Next we were off for the polar ice cap. Alas, we did not make it. We were within 15 miles when there was a medical emergency and we had to turn around. The passenger had had a major stroke and needed to be evacuated as soon as possible. They sent a helicopter from Spitzbergen and it took about an hour and a half to arrive. They evacuated the stroke victim and a traveling companion using the ropes and a gurney between the ship and the helicopter which was hovering just above and to the side of the ship. It was 1:30 in the morning when the helicopter arrived and almost 3 before the evacuation was complete. As we were so far north it was complete daylight outside so we all watched it fascinated. It was really something to see and quite dangerous, given we were in the artic circle, freezing cold and hundreds of miles from the nearest town of Spitzbergen. Marc was really amazed that the Captain allowed the passengers out on the deck to watch it all. Even though the ship and helicopter were attempting to stay stationary, the winds and waves were keeping us from staying sill. When Marc talked to the Captain later, he acknowledged that it was a dangerous situation, but he felt so bad that we did not make it to the polar ice cap, that he didn’t have the heart to keep the passengers below decks and not be able to watch such an extraordinary event.

Next we sailed past the North Cape which is the northern most point of Europe, and visited more cities and town in Norway: Honnigsvag and Tromsoe, which is absolutely breathtaking. We also went to Gudvangen, Flam and Bergen. We also stopped in Nevlunghavn which is the home town of the ship’s Captain. His wife was gracious enough to invite all the passengers up to their home for Champaign and pastries. This is one of the reasons we like the Regent Cruise line so much. Imagine any other cruise line inviting all the passengers to the Captain’s home!

Our last stop was in Oslo. I think Oslo is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. We were there on a Friday and it was quiet and peaceful which I didn’t expect for a city that size. We didn’t have that much time there, but we did see a museum and the gardens around the royal palace. A trip back to Norway when we can drive and take our time to stop when and where we want is high on my list of future travels.

We were back home in Tokyo for two weeks when we went to Guam for a long weekend. Marc had won this trip at a travel fair, and we enjoyed the resort we stayed at, as it was brand new having only opened in April. On the other hand, Guam is not a place I would probably visit again. The weather is very much like Hawaii, but there is not that much to do there, other than to relax by the pool. Still, it was nice to get away, just the two of us and relax.

In two weeks, I am off to the states, but without Marc. First I am stopping in LA to see Marc’s family. His dad Stan, and his wife April, his sister Judi and her husband Barry and step sister Donna and her husband Bruce. I will also be able to see some of cruising friends who live in the LA area one day for lunch. Then I am off to Colorado to see my sister Dee, Brother Rod and their families. I will also be able to see friends there and in Denver. Then I am off to Orlando to see my Mother and other sister, Marlene. This is all in less than two weeks so I will probably be exhausted…. But then I meet up with Marc in NY City (he will have been in Boston for a few days of meetings) and we are off for Germany and Holland. Marc has a conference in Maastricht, Holland and then we are going to spend a couple of days in Germany visiting Kaiserslautern, where I lived when I was in junior high and high school. When we fly home we have a long lay over in NY City so we will go into the city and see more of our cruising friends for dinner there.

Now, you all know why there have been so few bog entries, and probably not many for the next month or so…… we are both just busy and enjoying life, family and friends. We will keep in touch though so stay tuned…….

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