We again find ourselves with an overnight port stay and two days to take in the local scene, this time in Panama. We were docked right in the center of the commercial port of Colón, a bustling hub of activity due to its proximity to the canal. On the first day we took a planned …
The MV Explorer had no trouble making the transit around Cuba with a day at sea in between. We queued up in the theatre waiting to be called for our various excursions. The shore leading to Playa Del Carmen has quite the shallow draft so we were forced to moor and tender ashore. Once on …
Back on a Boat We flew into the airport in Nassau and took a quick cab ride over to the port area to check-in with the MV Explorer for the Enrichment Cruise. We didn’t do any touring of the city itself, the urge to get our cabins confirmed and our luggage stowed was too strong. …
On my third day in Japan we took a bus back to Osaka from Hiroshima and on the way we stopped in a town called Himeji to see the beautiful castle there. It is the finest feudal fortress left from the Sengoku (warring states) period, and the architecture really does shine. Touring the grounds I …
Soaked In Sunlight Kodiak seemed diametrically opposed to our experience in Sitka. We woke with the ship nestled at a dock practically downtown with beautiful sunlight bathing the steep green hills. We ate breakfast on the pool deck as we waited for the ship to clear. It was so bright and we soaked in the …
Small Town Sitka We arrived in Sitka early on June 19th with was a misty reception. Many of us were present above decks to witness the ship drop anchor. There wasn’t really much to the town itself, but it exists amid a dramatic natural backdrop. Navigating through the protection islands to approach the harbor, a …
An Ancient City After our strange and tumultuous evening in Madrid, we took a bus trip to the nearby city of Toledo. This city has a very classic Italian feel to me, not that I knew it at the time. Its age and position on a hill over a river, just seems to afford it so …