LE HAVRE TO BREUIL TO HONFLEUR, FRANCE The day was overcast with the threat of rain. I carried the Holland America provided umbrella with me, but I never needed it. The short ride to the first stop was through the countryside and fields of canola (for the oil) and livestock were abundant. Most intersections the bus navigated were roundabouts, very popular around here. The name of my tour was “A taste of Normandy: Cheese and Cider”. Normandy is famous for Calvados - its superb apple brandy. I visited the Chateau du Breuil for a tour of its distillery and a taste of its calvados and its aperitif Pommeau and some of its cheeses. The chateau was built in the 16th and 17th centuries and the former home of various noble families. The cider was especially good ... read more

ON THE PRINSENDAM TO ST. MALO, FRANCE Seven days on sea from Hamilton, Bermuda to St. Malo, France may seem like a long time, but the activities on board and the companionship of new acquaintances and friends along with well planned activities and entertainment make everything smooth and easy. St. Malo is on the English Channel and dates from the sixth century. It is the home of Jacques Cartier and others. It was also home to many privateers. When we went ashore this morning, everything was fouled up for a while because of the weather, but, after a delay of greater than an hour, transfer to shore on tenders went OK and I got on my scheduled bus. The adventure began. My first stop was Dinan, an amazing village with buildings dating back to the 1500’s. ... read more

OSAKA - SECOND FULL DAY - I awoke this morning undecided about my activities. One option was to spend the day at Universal Studios Japan. The other was to go downtown and experience the city center. I have been to Universal Los Angeles and Orlando before, I’m not a big movie fan, especially since I’m not in the target audience for the current crop, and I don’t do many thrill rides. So, I opted to go downtown, by train. I’m one of the few Caucasians on the trains and I haven’t heard any English in my wanderings. Needed help from the information desk about my fare and which track my train would be on. The fare was 160 yen, less than $2. US and I only had to wait about three minutes before it came in. ... read more

Well Murphy’s Law strikes again! I’m on a cruise ship between China and Korea; I get an email from American Express asking me to verify I bought gasoline in Canada. After a thirty-five minute satellite telephone call (which they said they will reimburse me for the charges), they issued me a new card making the one I was carrying invalid. Good thing I had another card. Moral: carry two. The final night dinner I spent with two people from Australia, one man from Vancouver and an American-Japanese lady from Los Angeles who kindly offered to show me around Kyoto and Osaka. Don’t know whether that will transpire, but a much appreciated offer. Disembarkation went smoothly and three buses of people from the cruise headed for a tour of Kobe before going to the airport. Nice city ... read more

BUSAN, KOREA - Yesterday was a sea day and I spent it going to lectures about our last two ports of call and organizing some of my pictures on the computer. Dinner dress was for the final formal night and I decided to wear my tux shirt and my black suit since I didn’t want to carry them all the way to Asia without using them. After dinner was the “Black and White Ball” where all the ships officers, male and female, dance with guests and, after each dance, an officer identifies their self as a “mystery officer” and the dance partner wins a prize. I’m sitting at the bar with my bar buddies when the last dance is announced and a beautiful, young lady officer (if I had a granddaughter, she would be that age) ... read more