Item	Updated
Insignia Current Location	Now
Photo Album	16 July 2022 4:30pm
Hyperlinked Excel Itinerary	7 July 2022 12:00pm
Google Map	16 July 2022 4:30pm
Google Earth KMZ File	16 July 2022 4:30pm
Daily Info	7 July 2022 12:00pm
Media Files	16 July 2022 4:30pm
Notes:

**** Post Cruise Updates *****
  -- 16 July 2022: More photo and video additions up to 25 January. Decided to make full day highlight videos for Lahaina, Kona and Nuku Hiva. Takes much longer, but much better than many short clips. Will need to do the same for all other days. Also added some placemarks to the maps for the same days and made and updated the GPS track slightly (there remain many small glitches that I'll fix over time)
  -- 9 July 2022: Uploaded more videos for days 0 through 19 (21 Dec 2021 to 8 Jan 2022) and cleaned up the albums a bit.

- 6 July 2022 First Day Post Cruise (Time Zone UTC-4):
...nobody came to clean our room or make us breakfast! We actually had to drive somewhere to get someone to make breakfast...then we actually had to pay for it!!! Quite an adjustment! We HAVE enjoyed the use of real TP since returning though...does not melt on your butt like the rice paper we used on the ship! Headed out on our shore excursion...first to WalMart, then to COSTCO (received a phone call from Pam Lathrop while shopping...glad to hear they made it back okay). By force of habit we bought souvenirs in each place, and it was fun sampling the local foods as we walked isles in COSTCO. Spent time slowly merging our travel items back into the house. Renee's brother Mike stopped by for a bit. Nice to be home! Tomorrow will upload more photos and update items on my world cruise web page, to include adding a special album just for the ship building competition and photos/videos Lonnie took of that event and our Around The World group photos.

********** END OF CRUISE!! ****************

- 5 July 2022 (Day 197) Disembarkation & Return Home (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/KBGGDK8Q8FuTDbQB6
Had to clear our stateroom by 8AM, so quick breakfast, final carry-on packing and room check, then departed stateroom 7021 for the final time. We headed out to the bus transfer to Laguardia, using a union porter to haul all 9 of our bags to the waiting area. Driver got us to the airport, but needed a little help finding the new Delta terminal. We breezed through check-in using Delta's First Class Sky Priority service. TSA Precheck made security transit a short process as well, so we were inside the terminal with plenty of time to spare. We did as we normally do, walking around to get a little exercise and to scope out potential eating places. Bumped into Herb & Helene. Their gate turned out to be right next to ours, so we hung out with them for a while and chatted. We then had a bite to eat and headed to our gate. Sky Priority got us onboard quickly, though it was only a CRJ, so not as nice as it might have been on a larger jet. Short 1-hour flight to Pittsburgh, and our "World's Best Neighbors", Nester and Kathy, were waiting for us at baggage claim. Luggage all arrived quickly, so we were off in their new car soon after. Traffic on the parkway was heavy, so we decided to stop to eat dinner at Walnut Grill in Robinson. Good food and great conversation, though actually having to pay for our food after 6.5 months not doing that was a "welcome back to reality" check! Got home to find out that everything was in good shape and functioning. Pulled the cover off of Renee's car, disconnected the trickle charger, and she fired it right up and drove it out of the garage. She later headed over to visit her mom and to pick up our mail there. We settled into a nice, relaxing evening, leaving a lot of the unpacking for tomorrow or the next day.

- 4 July 2022 (Day 196) New York City, NY, USA (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/QZLATt5xGuv5gDv66
Spectacular approach into NYC this morning. The sun was low, lighting up the buildings as we approached. Waived "hi" to the Statue of Liberty as we passed her. Cruised up the Hudson to our dock at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, Pier 90, Berth 4. First activity after breakfast was to clear all passengers through Customs and Immigration, so we did that and wandered into town a ways to a CVS for some cash from the ATM, then back to the ship. By the time we returned they were letting passengers back onto the ship. We then met up with our guide for a walking tour of the West Village. The guide was great...very enthusiastic, knowledgable, and happy to share his city with us. We walked from the port through Hell's Kitchen to several nearby sites, then boarded the subway to head South into Greenwich Village. Guy in an Uncle Sam costume entertained us on the ride. after exiting the subway we walked by many interesting buildings, some that famous people had used/visited, others used for TV and movie filming (e.g., the coffee shop from "Friends", an appartment rented by Taylor Swift (sent a selfie to our granddaughter Maddy, who is a fan), a place where Dilon penned the words to a song, etc.) We sampled made-on-demand canolis, a slice from Joe's Pizza on Carmine Street, filafals, and finally some gellato. We walked to and through Washington Park near NYU, filled with a wide variety of people doing all sorts of things. Passively smoked some joints as we walked, which really bothered me for a while, then didn't seem to matter anymore. Lots of vendors selling pot and teaching how to grow it. We made our way to a pickup point where a van took us back to the pier. We spent some time finishing up packing of our 5 checked bags, as we needed to have them outside the room by 8pm. We then went to the pool deck for a 4th of July BBQ, complete with grilled lobster, shrimp, ribs, corn, and much more. Chef Mario personally delivered a plate of corn to us as I'd asked if he had any more. Our outstanding Insignia Show Band played music for a while, prompting some to dance (just one slow dance with Renee for me). As the sun set they were followed by a local act called the "Jersey Boys", who sang a number of Billy Joel songs as we stood on the track to watch fireworks from the surrounding area. Did not get the big show, as it was on the East River and we were on the Hudson, but there were many, many fireworks around us in the distance.

- 3 July 2022 (Day 195) Cruising the Atlantic Ocean (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/oUZkQTtsG1f7BpaEA
Day for packing bags for the trip home. Luggage Forward bags are already in the hold. We'll need to clear customs when we arrive in NYC tomorrow morning, and all of our bags will be there with us. We'll have either one or two bags more than the 9 we came with;) Folks are swapping contact info and saying preliminary goodbyes. We've been in a thick fog most of the morning, so fog horn sounds every few minutes. We've all been watching the news the last few days to see the craziness with the airlines, wondering if we'll make it home without problems. Final dinner at Toscana tonight. Shared a table with 4 people we'd not yet met. Two were sisters and the other couple were New Yorkers transplanted to Las Vegas. Good conversation and good food.

- 2 July 2022 (Day 194) Cruising the Atlantic Ocean (Time Zone UTC-3):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/oUZkQTtsG1f7BpaEA
Today the ship held their end of cruise "White Elephant Sale", where all of the things passengers donated (getting rid of stuff to pack) are provided to the crew. Cruise Director Ray went into auctioneer mode/comedian, as he auctioned off many odd things. A pair of socks went for $200, and another pair for $450. All proceeds go to the crew, so a worthy cause. Renee spotted a humpback whale right outside of our stateroom. Not sure why he was hanging out there, so we told him to get back in the water;) We bit the bullet and pre-booked another cruise for February of 2024. It starts in Santiago, Chile, heads South along the West side of South America, across the Drake Passage to Antartica and back, up the East coast of South America, into the Amazon River, and on to Miami (see: https://www.oceaniacruises.com/grand-voyage-cruises/santiago-de-chile-to-miami-MNA240214B/) It's only 51 days, so will seem short after this 196 day cruise! I had my final deep tissue massage (gonna miss those!!) and Renee had a manicure/pedicure in the Aquamar Spa. Canceled our dinner in Polo Grill and dined instead with friends in Terrace Grill.

- 1 July 2022 (Day 193) St John's, Newfoundland, Canada (Time Zone UTC-2.5):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/dcDDpvRa2gqrG4tL9
Yes...that's right...half hour change last night. Crazy! Cruised into St John's this morning under some fog. Still could see the coastal landforms as we approached, which were awesome. Today marks a somber day in Newfoundland history. It's memorial day for the loss of 700 Newfoundlanders and Labradorans in WWI. It is also Canada Day, so the afternoon here has more celebration. We headed out with 20 other people on a bus ride through town, then to Signal Point. The location dates back to the 1700's as a defensive military point, but is also famous as the location where Marconi received the first Transatlantic radio frequency message. The views back to the port and to another small town out on a point were cloaked in fog blowing through, revealing themselves only long enough for quick photos. Next, a drive through of Petty Harbour and Maddox Cove, a small fishing village South of St John. On the way from there to Cape Spear our bus overheated, and we sat in a cell phone dead zone in the middle of nowhere. Renee came to the rescue by prompting author/publisher Nathan Levy, who was on our tour, to tell a couple of his "Stories With Holes" while we waited for the driver and guide to sort things out. That made it fun, and the fact that the bus had a toilet made it less stressful for all. With the help of a local, we were able to call for help and get back on the tour within about 45 minutes or so. We headed for the Cape Spear Lighthouse, an 1836 lighthouse and fortress site. Walked around there and went into the old lighthouse to look around. Fog horn was blowing, and the new light tower was in operation. From here we headed back to the ship. "End of the World Cruise" party on Deck 9. Took a photo with all Around The World guests. Chef Mario prepared a special lobster and Canada Day dinner in Terrace Cafe, so the Snort'n Norton crew met there for dinner and champaigne.

- 30 June 2022 (Day 192) Atlantic Ocean Crossing (Time Zone UTC-2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/CCAnANMNhMotAo7L6
Continually gaining time as we cruise West. Today was the big "Ship Building" contest float-off. Our team had uniforms, mock titles/names, and a nice storyline for our ship, the Snort'n Norton. We campaigned hard and had our own cheering section up on the track overlooking Deck 9 and the pool, where ships would be evaluated. Judges were from the Insignia bridge, to include the Chief Engineer. They stood up on the hot tub overlooking the pool, as we each launched our vessels into the pool with a load of 12 Sprite cans. Snort'n Norton took first in sea-worthiness and crowd response, but we came in second to a ship that went way beyond all others with level of detail, making it look very much like the Insignia. Our team was disappointed, but we were clearly out-classed in style. We did have many folks tell us that we should have won. A key feature that went over well was our use of a Bluetooth speaker on our ship over which I played the real, no-kidding ship's horn blasts, PA announcements from the Insignia Captain and Cruise Directory, and Don Ho's "Tiny Bubbles" (running joke on the ship). All had fun. We turned our attention to packing, and we packed all 4 bags that we'll send out with Luggage Forward on the 4th. Stewards took them to the hold after we labeled them, so now we just have our remaining bags to pack for the flight home. Had dinner in Polo Grill with Billie and Velma, who we've been wanting to dine with for quite a while. Had a great conversation and some good food. Fog horns have been blowing every couple of minutes as we approach New Foundland in a heavy fog. 

- 29 June 2022 (Day 191) Atlantic Ocean Crossing (Time Zone UTC-1):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/CCAnANMNhMotAo7L6
Much calmer sea today, but still cold, rainy and foggy. Another Snort'n Norton team meeting in the morning to finalize a number of things. Came up with an idea to do a pre-launch crew report, which should be fun. We'll video the event so we can share it with you. Printed up more flyers and circulated them. Saw, for the first time, one other team's ship. Could be some good competition, so we'll see how we do. Renee went to Sing Out Loud rehearsal, with the final performance late tonight in the Insignia Lounge. Nathan had another "Stories With Holes" session, so we attended. Social with Lonnie & friends, then dinner in Toscana. We dined with a woman who had been on the first segment of the cruise, then rejoined in Lisbon, and a couple who have cruised many, many times with Oceania. At 9:15 pm, prime time on the ship, Renee performed in the Insignia Lounge with the "Sing Out Loud" group. They crushed it, and many people came up to Renee after the performance, complementing her on her stage presence and animation. Complements came from Maria Belen, the ship's outstanding Tango dancer, and from a producer/director, and from people we'd not yet met, along with many we already knew. She was truly the star of the performance!

- 28 June 2022 (Day 190) Atlantic Ocean Crossing (Time Zone UTC):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/CCAnANMNhMotAo7L6
Worst sea state day of entire cruise last night and today. Dishes were falling in the dining rooms. Sea spray from ship's impact went the height of the ship. Many passengers and some crew were seasick. We managed okay, but walking around was very tricky. At 9:00 am we had a Snort'n Norton team meeting. More good progress. I finalized and passed out many promotional sheets to passengers and crew, with a storyline for our ship, special features list, and specifications (will be in daily info for event day on 30 June). We also came up with crew positions and names which I'll also post for the event day. We had received our Luggage Forward information, so we had our stateroom attended fetch our luggage and Renee started packing. Went to Nathan's "Stories With Holes" session in the ship's library. We later attended the Oceania Club Cocktail exclusively for Around The World travelers in the Insignia Lounge. Had drinks, finger food and some live entertainment. Cella shared some cruise stats and some of the ship's crew received awards. From there we went to dinner, then to the show, which was quite good.

- 27 June 2022 (Day 189) Atlantic Ocean Crossing (Time Zone UTC+1):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/CCAnANMNhMotAo7L6
First of 4 days crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Seas were rough, with cold and overcast conditions. We had a status meeting with Cruise Director Ray regarding team progress on the ship building activity. We're doing pretty well, as we've now had two successful tests in the Deck 9 hot tub. Remaining work is mostly decorative. We also met with a small group of people in the Insignia Library for a session of "Stories with Holes" led by author Nathan Levy. We bought a few of his books in the series and had him autograph them. More about that when we talk with you individually. In the evening we attended our exclusive Around The World dinner in the Grand Dining Room. Chef Mario prepared a special menu of items, and all were very good. We sat with Bill and wife Benji (very nice and interesting people) and with Nathan and Domenique Levy (author/publisher couple we've become friends with as well). The venue is in the aft section of the ship on Deck 5 (Main Deck). Following dinner we all moved to the forward section of the ship to Insignia Lounge, which is where all of the shows are performed. We were treated to a dramatic entry of Chef Mario and crew, carrying flaming Baked Alaska. As we had drinks and desert, various members of the crew from dinining, engineering, and other sections of the ship performed for us. Lots of fun. All are turning attention to packing, even though we're 6 days from end of cruise. We'll likely start tomorrow.

- 26 June 2022 (Day 188) Belfast, Ireland (Time Zone UTC+1):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/V8CLBuo9Qg342jLp7
Arrived in Belfast under clouds, wind and rain. Took transfer to town, then rode the Hop On, Hop Off around Belfast to see several areas we'd not previously seen. We were here back in September of 2018, but we did different things then. Saw areas where fighting with IRA was intense, and the Peace Walls that are still in place and somewhat in operation. Walls are painted with many murals. Passed the launch way where the Titanic was launched and the Titanic Experience museum. Stopped and browsed around at St George's Market, which has operated since 1604. Found our way back to White's Tavern, which claims to be the oldest in Belfast. We'd been there in 2018 on our pub crawl tour, but this time it was a bit more intimate and quiet. Bumped into Carolyn and Paul, the two Brits who have been our Around The World Hosts the whole cruise. Ate some wonderful Irish Stew that warmed our bellies, then shared a piece of Bailey's Cheesecake and an Irish Coffee. Picked up a Bluetooth speaker for use in our ship-building contest. The "Snort'n Norton" will now have a PA system (details of use will be posted on 30 June when the Captain and Chief Engineer perform evaluations of competing ships). On the shuttle ride back to the ship we called our son, Chris, and wished him a Happy 48th Birthday. We even had the folks on the bus sing "Happy Birthday" to him! The team met in Tom's cabin and did some mods to beef up floatation and appearance on our ship, then took it to Deck 9 for testing. Pool and hot tubs were closed, but we ignored the barriers and performed our testing anyway. All good. Team is feeling reasonably confident about the upcoming contest event on 30 June. As we departed Belfast we were treated to a very nice rainbow over Ireland. Could not have been more perfect!

- 25 June 2022 (Day 187) CANCELLED: Dublin, Ireland - Sea Day Instead (Time Zone UTC+1):
Rough sea states at port forced us to continue cruising toward Belfast in Northern Ireland and skipping Dublin as a port of call. We've got another day at sea!! Given that, we had an impromptu session with Nathan Levy in Terrace Cafe. About 10 or so of us participated in a few of Nathan's "Stories With Holes", and all had a good time. Recommend getting Nathan's series of these story puzzle books that were designed to help gifted children develop thinking skills. Slow day. Renee worked out. We met with Snort'n Norton team members individually to discuss how things are going. Pam & David made pinwheels. Jon's working on a concept for propulsion. Tom picked up a gallon can that might be used for additional bouyancy. I published an updated storyline for the ship, along with a specifications sheet and list of features. 

- 24 June 2022 (Day 186) Cobh, Ireland (Time Zone UTC+1):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/pMJ3JryYW6GVPqdN8
We were supposed to go to Waterford today, but sea states would not allow us to tender in as needed, so we went to Cobh instead. We docked in exactly the same place we docked when we came here on the Princess British Isles cruise in 2018. It was rainy, and our shore excursion to Kilkenny Castle and the Waterford Crystal factory was cancelled, so we stayed aboard Insignia until the rain cleared. After lunch, we ventured out and did a nearby geocache at a walking bridge, then walked into town. Bought some things at a gift shop near the ship, then hiked up the hill to the Colman Cathedral, where they had a temporary exhibit of a large, rotating Earth sphere suspended from the ceiling. It attracted a lot of visitors, so we worked our way through the church slowly. Renee lit a devotional candle near the altar. We took some photos of what they call the "deck of cards", a series of row houses, each colored differently and descending in elevation along a hill near the cathedral. We also made a couple of stops to check for ship building supplies, and found some polypropylene rope, garden netting, and two pool noodles that we picked up for potential use. Will check with the team to see what they've gathered and will do what we can to make Snort'n Norton float. Our room stewards also fetched us a styrofoam cooler to use if needed. If other options fail, we could break it up and bind the pieces for floatation around the hull. We met and attached the pool noodles around the crate...fit perfectly! We tested the craft in the hot tub on Deck 9, filled with 12 cans of soda. Even turned on the jets and moved cargo configuration around to check stability. Totally solid! Good start, but more to do.

- 23 June 2022 (Day 185) Cruising the_English_Channel_Atlantic_Ocean (Time Zone UTC+1):
Turned clocks back an hour again, and will continue to do so now as all ports are within this time zone or further West. Met with our ship-building team at 9 AM this morning. Some good ideas, and Tom had a solid option for the main hull and cargo hold. I drafted a storyline for the ship, based on a real ship that Tom had suggested. We then went to a special Around The World Breakfast in the Insignia Lounge. Sat with Dominique and her husband Nathan. Nathan, a writer/publisher, shared another one of his "Stories With Holes" thought puzzles with us and mentioned he'd like to get some people together to play some of his stories out. Renee went and worked out, and I got my hair cut. Lonnie had another 6 pm get together in the game room, but we only stayed for a half hour as we had Toscana dining at 6:30pm. We brought some smokey and year-old Edam cheese that we picked up the previous day. Dinner was good. Marina, one of our favorite dining service people, was our server. She spoils us! Should be in Waterford, Ireland by around 10am tomorrow, and all are a bit concerned about predicted sea states, as we'll need to tender in.

- 22 June 2022 (Day 184) Amsterdam, Netherlands (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/p2qTueJqpMJFzErP8
Took a tour to De Zaanse Schans, a small town with windmills, small shops and homes, then on to Edam, where we bought some 1-year and smokey flavored cheese. We then stopped at a farm and cheese place called Simonehoeve, where we were treated to a discription of the cheese making process and a demonstration of wooden shoe carving. I tried on some wooden shoes, but preferred the comfort of my Sketchers, so no sale. Felt like I was walking in...wooden shoes! On return, we did not go back to the ship, but instead hoofed it over to Amsterdam Central and bought some tickets for a canal ride, which brought back some memories from the late 1970s when we last did that. Watched from top deck as we turned the ship and headed back toward the sea.

- 21 June 2022 (Day 183) Amsterdam, Netherlands (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/p2qTueJqpMJFzErP8
Jumped forward an hour again, but did not pull into Amsterdam until around noon. Weather all day was fantastic. A small group of 9 of us picked up bikes just outside of the cruise terminal, then rode a short distance through busy traffic to and onto the ferry. Took no time to get to the other side and head out, now into the beautiful countryside. After riding for a while, we stopped across a small canal from a picturesque windmill for some photos. Then on to a country club where we sat for some Dutch Apple Pie and coffee or tea. Onward from there, we completed a large loop that brought us through some narrow back streets with quaint homes. We made a brief stop for the guide, Aldo, to show us a secret spot near a canal that he recently found. Back through countryside with cows, sheep, goats, horses, etc, then back into traffic at either end of the ferry. We had a 2-hour turn time to prep for our Around the World Special Event: An Evening at the National Maritime Museum. We took a canal boat over to the museum. We stepped off the canal boat to lively voices from a large assembly of men and women dressed as sailors, and other people in period costumes as we toured the area. We walked around an old sailing ship on our own, saw the king's canal boat covered in gold, and other artifacts at the museum. Renee posed with a couple of people, and a woman approached me to try to marry off her daughters. I politely declined, and we entered the main building and into the large courtyard in the center. It was filled with tables, and with live music and traditional dancing. We were served a large variety of cheeses and other dilectibles while listening to a 17-piece string ensemble. They were joined by an opera singer with a great voice, who made her entry by strolling among the tables. Everyone had a great time. We exited the venue with all entertainers lined up on either side outside of the exit, so we thanked them all, then watched a gorgeous sunset as we waited for our canal boats. Late night, and another tour in the morning, so ending here.

- 20 June 2022 (Day 182) Tilbury & Canterbury, England (Time Zone UTC+1):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/iv9XLLDZxoFV4ZxQ9
Beautiful weather today. Bus ride to Southeast part of England into Kent and Canterbury. Walked through the many walking streets filled with shops, restaurants, street vendors, street performers and mixed medieval and modern buildings. We headed to the Canterbury Cathedral where the Archbishop of Canterbury (also the Archbishop of England) would reside. The cathedral was massive and quite intricately designed, though comparable to many others we've seen in England. We were taken to the location where Thomas Becket was slain by knights believing they were carrying out King Henry's desires, but for which King Henry later repented and for which Becket made it into sainthood. We also saw many caskets within the church, and burials in the floor. We broke from the group and walked around the outside of the cathedral, where we came upon remnants of yet older walls, school children from the church in uniform walking about, and an art piece commemorating the "War Horse" (book and movie that we watched in our stateroom a few weeks ago). We then wandered about the many stone streets of Canterbury, past a concert venue and through an old stone gate. We found a great place for fish and chips, and our guide happened to be hanging out there too, so we ordered and ate. We had also found a CVS-like store to restock a few supplies we needed (especially some Zinc and D3 supplements), and wandered around a bit more until meeting at our specified location and time. Then a scenic walk back to the bus and ride back to the ship. We had about an hour to regroup before heading up to the Horizons Lounge (top forward of the ship with windows all around to see where we're heading). A friend was having her birthday, and we, along with many others, were invited. Her husband (who worked all of the NASA Apollo missions) threw a very nice party, with lots of champagne, live music from the Insignia Band, and some dancing. We stayed for an hour or so, then headed to the Terrace Cafe for dinner, where we sat with Mat and Joanne. When they left, Pam and David joined us for some more great conversation. I tried out Nathan Levy's story (a thought puzzle) on them and we enjoyed working through that. Nathan stopped by to tell us that he might be having a session with several guests to share more of his stories (see: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/108755.Nathan_Levy) All in all, a good day. Now we set clocks ahead once more as we cruise toward Amsterdam.

- 19 June 2022 (Day 181) Tilbury & Greenwich, England (Time Zone UTC+1):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/iv9XLLDZxoFV4ZxQ9
Gained an hour while here in England, but will lose it again when we head to Amsterdam. Tour started in the afternoon, and we had to do a face-to-face with British Customs officials as we headed out. Tour was to Greenwich. We walked through the Greenwich park, then to the Queen's House there in the park. Stood on what was the road that Queen Elizabeth crossed when Sir Walter Rayleigh tossed his cloak down to cover a puddle for her. Walked past the Maritime Museum, then over to the Cutty Sark (See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutty_Sark). Toured the Cutty Sark, then hoofed it on our own up to the Royal Observatory at the top of the hill in the park (see: https://www.rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory). Here we stood and walked along the Prime Meridian, and toured the facility to see the old telescope and many artifacts from long ago. Learned of how John Harrison, a simple carpenter, invented four different time pieces to solve finding longitude at sea in a £20,000 competition. The final version was the size of a large pocket watch. I calibrated my watch, and we walked back through the park, then through the Greenwich Market, to the Thames and our tour group meeting place. Nice day.

- 18 June 2022 (Day 180) Honfleur, Fecamp, and Etretat, Normandy, France (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/HTtGR6eEJ4r3TQA37
Arrived back in Honfleur for the second time this cruise. We enjoyed the visit last time, but did not visit town this time. Instead, we took a bus first to Fecamp along the Northern coast of Normandy and drove through town. We arrived at the pretty amazing Benedictine Palace, which houses a museum along with its Benedictine Liquor distillery in operation since 1863. Interesting place, and we were able to try a couple types of the drink. We left Fecamp for Etretat, which is a nice beach vacation spot for the French. We'd heard of it by watching a short series called "Lupin" on TV a while back, so it was fun to visit what we had previously seen. We even passed a home/museum for Arsene Lupin, which we checked out. We had a brief walking tour through the town to the beach, then we walked along the promenade to one end. The cliffs bracketing each end of the beach make it a spectacular view. Drive to and from each place took us through some nice Normandy countryside, and we crossed the Normandy bridge each way over the Seine.

- 17 June 2022 (Day 179) Cruising the Atlantic Ocean & English Channel (Time Zone UTC+2):
Sea day, so a bit relaxed. Renee went to Sing Out Loud, then to the Around The World ladies' special lunch in the Grand Dining Room. I had yet another deep tissue massage. We ate dinner in Polo Grill with a new couple who boarded in Lisbon, Tom and Marcia from Boise, Idaho. Interesting and lively conversation...we closed the restaurant.

- 16 June 2022 (Day 178) A Coruna, Spain (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/isc2Y75j1B8VPSsa7
Lost an hour again as we came East to A Coruna. Tour started at 9:30 though, so plenty of time for breakfast and prep. Bus ride through A Coruna, with a stop at the Tower of Hercules, a 2nd century Roman light house still being used. Drove through town a bit (not much to share other than new facades on many buildings). Drove out to Betanzos for a walking tour. Started with the market in the main plaza, which has been held every 1st and 16th of the month since the medieval times. Walked some of the old streets with the guide, then we stopped at a restaurant for tapas and drinks. A bit more exploring on our own...sampled some fresh churos and picked up some marcona almonds in the shell. Then back to the ship. Some nice things to see, but did not get the same positive energy vibes as we got in Portugal. Would not be a priority for me to return here.

- 15 June 2022 (Day 177) Oporto, Portugal (Time Zone UTC+1):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/yvpTeM5tsqw4LWjc8
So far, ship does not seem too different with double the passengers on board, but we've certainly noticed a lot of different faces. Headed out on a tour this morning that took us on either side of the Douro River here in Oporto (which the Portuguese call "Porto"). First stop was on the south side of the river to board a rabelo boat, which is not used anywhere else in the world. They were built to move barrels of wine and port, but now mainly are used for tours. Very scenic on either side of the river as we cruised up and down it. From there we toured a bit more, then stopped at a restaurant in Afurada for some tapas and wine. From there we headed over to Ribeira, which is the historic district of Oporto. We walked around for a bit, then headed back to the ship. We've met a couple from Miami who boarded yesterday, and a family (husband, wife, teenage boy, young girl, and grandmother). We've not seen kids the whole trip thus far, so this is definitely different. I asked the kids what their parents promised them to get them to cruise with a bunch of old people, and told them that they could have fun by running up and down the hallways knocking on doors at 4 am (this ship is not equipped to entertain kids!) 

- 14 June 2022 (Day 176) Lisbon & Fatima, Portugal (Time Zone UTC+1):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ehAyNNA9x2LjwnCXA
We took a 1.5 hour bus ride from the port in Lisbon out to Fatima. The story of the miracles at Fatima has always been captivating to me. It's so much more than the simple statues crying tears of blood or other so-called miracles. For three poor, young kids (7, 9 and 10 years old) to fabricate a story about being visited by an apparition not just once, but 6 times (once each month from May to October on the 13th of each month at noon (exception was August)), and for 70,000 people to have seen the phenomenal demonstration of the sun dancing around in the sky as the apparition promised, is quite a story! We walked around a plaza that riveled that of the Vatican in size. We saw a mass underway in the covered but open chapel that marks the very spot of the apparition, and we wandered through the old basilica where the remains of the three shepard children (Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta) are entombed. We walked down to the tree (a type of oak tree) that reportedly was the very one that the kids were under when the apparition appeared to them. We watched pilgrims approach the chapel from a hundred yards away...on their knees. They proceed into the chapel and circle the altar some number of times. Renee and I lit candles in the largest devotional candle station I've ever seen. We discussed, at length with our guide Paola, the three predictions, the predicted deaths of Francisco and Jacinta soon after the apparition (different dates, but within a couple of years...and they were telling people it would happen), and the later years of Lucia. After some shopping in the local surrounding shops, we headed back to the bus and returned to the Insignia. After a quick freshen up, we headed out on foot to explore Lisbon. We walked through various streets in the Alfama Old Quarter, starting below and hiking up along the street used by the trams and tuk-tuks. Found some nice lookout points and restaurant areas. After looking around a bit we headed downhill through some back alleyways for different views of the area. Back on board we're about to experience our first dinner with a full ship of passengers.

- 13 June 2022 (Day 175) Cruising the Atlantic Ocean (Time Zone UTC+1):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Exk8aF1jj6694RdDA
Gained an hour as we move West. Won't keep it too long, as we'll back-track a bit in a few days. Busy day at sea today, and seas were quite rough for the first half of the day. Started with an exclusive breakfast in the Insignia Lounge for Around The World Travelers. Chef Mario made a number of small finger food items and they served a variety of drinks. We left there and headed to get yet another antigen test, as tomorrow marks the end of this cruise segment and we'll have passengers and crew both leaving and joining. In fact, for the first time in 175 days, we'll have about double the number of passengers onboard for the last segment. Everyone is wondering how that will go, as we've had it very nice with so few people using any of the restaurants, the spa and gym, and participating in other activities. Renee and I both tested negative. We're one of the few couples on board who have always tested negative. There may be one more test when we hit Newfoundland, Canada, but otherwise we're good to go the rest of the cruise. I went to another "Herb Round Table" discussion. It was stimulating, as always. Good discussion on a variety of tough topics. Renee went to "Sing Out Loud" rehearsal. She said it was a small group this time. At 2PM I attended the last of Dr. Ed Friedman's lectures on space physics. It was pretty good, but he stumbled a bit in fielding my question on tachyons. Had to help him out;) Renee went to the "Big O" points exchange at 6pm. These are points that we've accrued through activities on board like team trivia, mensa quizzes, and other activities. Nothing else we were interested in, so she gave them to Diane and Barb, who were most appreciative. They were able to get a couple of shirts and nice jackets. We then went up to participate in another gettogether with several folks we've enjoyed the cruise with. We all bring things that we've picked up in various ports to eat and drink, then share them to try different things. Nice time. We went from there to dinner at Polo Grill with Diane and Barb. As always, we had a wonderful time talking with them and the food was good as usual. 

- 12 June 2022 (Day 174) Gijon & Aviles, Spain (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/QzDdSnzL36Gyb7iu9
Raining as we pulled into the port at Gijon this morning. Temperature was okay, but very humid. Had a quick breakfast, and planned to give one of our favorite food service gals, Marina, some gifts for her birthday today, but found out that she tested positive so was in quarantine...bad luck, but expecting she's okay as most folks who test positive on the ship have very mild symptoms or none at all. Renee brought the gifts to Reception to get to her. Marina is a great person with a big heart...she has many friends among the guests on board. We headed out around 9:30am on a bus to the town of Aviles. Only 12 of us in the group, which was nice. The tour started off a bit slow...hard to understand the guide's heavy accent through vehicle noise, and not too much to see in the countryside. Lots of industrial areas...the area used to be big in steel production. Not sure, but I heard the word Oreos used many times referring to a feature in some of the homes we passed. Later learned that they're "horreos", which sounds the same but much sturdier than cookies (see: https://tinyhouseblog.com/earthcob/spanish-horreos/). We visited a design center that was not too impressive, but certainly stood out for the area. We then walked into town and made a stop at a shop where we had coffee, tea and two kinds of traditional cakes. While it did not rain during our walking tour, it was cool and overcast...a bit gloomy...so I decided to liven things up a bit by joking with the guide. It seemed to help, and things got better as the tour progressed. We walked through a very nice park, through some great areas of the old town, and past a couple other tour groups from the ship. We ended up at a fun place called Tierra Astur, which serves/sells meats, cheeses, and a special kind of fermented cider called Asturian Sidra, of which we partook. To aerate the cider when poured, they hold the bottle way up high and the glass way down low, then pour the cider into the rim of the glass. It's imperative to immediately drink the cider before it recombines. We sampled about 6 different cheeses, to include a couple of blue cheese varieties and a goat cheese. Did not like those, but there were 2-3 that we liked and Renee picked up one of them on our way out. Neat place, and all had fun. By the end of the tour we were all pretty happy, so not sure if it was the cider or simply the company. Half-hour ride back to Insignia and we were back home.

- 11 June 2022 (Day 173) Cruising the Bay of Biscay (Time Zone UTC+2):
Itinerary change had us skipping Biarritz (Saint-Jean de Luz) due to predicted sea states. Instead, we left port in Bordeaux at 4:30 am and cruised back up the Garonne River and out into the Bay of Biscay. So today became a "sea day", and with it a more casual set of activities. We slept in to almost 8:00am, then had a relaxing breakfast with David, Pam and Herb. Some lively discussion, as usual. We caught up on some menial tasks, then Renee headed to Sing Out Loud rehearsal and I worked on photos and videos. The sea had large swells that we had to adjust to throughout the day. It made Renee's workout a bit more challenging. I went to the 2:00 talk by Dr. Ed Friedman on exotic objects in the universe. Interesting to catch up on things as I've not been tracking them in cosmology for a while. Still have some questions and concerns about apparent inconsistencies in statements about how the universe is expanding. We had dinner with Tom and Mimi in the Grand Dining Room. They boarded the cruise back in January in L.A., and I met Tom at the last round table discussion that Herb conducts. Tom was interested in my assertion that we should be able to apply Natural Language Processing techniques to objectively detect fallacies of logic in information content and flag them for readers to make them more aware of their use and suspect of content when they're used. The techniques and software tools exist to do this...just needs to be assembled. Tom expressed interest and says he wants to contact some colleagues to "make me a billionaire" if I can do it. I told him that "billionaire" was not in the cards for me, and that I'm enjoying having my brain back to think more freely and deeply these days, so don't want to go down a rabbit hole with anything that resembles work. That said, I'll likely explore developing a simplistic proof of concept Python script to show how it could be done.

- 10 June 2022 (Day 172) Bordeaux & Saint-Emilion, France (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/iTWtmXptdBgK3PMJ6
Surprisingly, we were able to get up easily, eat breakfast, and make it to our 8:15 AM showtime for the tour to Saint-Emilion. We had yet another bus ride through the countryside (vineyards as far as the eye could see) to another charming town, where we visited the Chateau Fombrauge for a lecture about their wine-growing and making, a tour of the cellar, and some "Grand Cru Classe" wine tasting. Left with a bottle of 2019 Merlot from the vineyard, then took a nice walking tour of the village of Saint-Emilion. We entered the 12th & 14th century Saint-Emilion monolithic church, carved from the local limestone bedrock, and browsed a number of little shops. Found a little art shop and bought an ink and watercolor rendering of the town, posing with the artist, as we like to do to complete the sale. We returned to the Insignia for lunch, rest and refresh, then headed out to walk around the old town center of Bordeaux

- 9 June 2022 (Day 171) Le Verdon, Bordeaux & Chateau Giscours, France (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/iTWtmXptdBgK3PMJ6
Interesting cruise day today, as we docked for a short while in Le Verdon, then cruised along the river to Bordeaux. We had options to disembark in Le Verdon and tour all day with an end stop in Bordeaux, but we opted to stay aboard for the river cruise. It was quiet and peaceful, with picturesque countryside. The rest helped with my knee recovery as well. On arrival in Bordeaux we had an exclusive "Around the World" Special Event at the Chateau Giscours (see: https://giscours.com/en/). The chateau was out in the country, so we had a scenic drive along the way. On arrival, we were greated by 3 men and one woman in traditional shepard's garb standing on stilts and holding long sticks. We then walked through the main chateau to an outdoor cocktail party like something out of a movie. Servants pouring wine, carving meat, shucking fresh oysters, and serving hors d'oeuvres. The stilt walkers stayed with us, with the woman kicking back on her stilts and knitting for a while. I guess they were there to keep an eye on us, their flock, and it certainly added to the atmosphere. There was a Frenchman in beret drawing caricatures of the guests. We had live music while we ate, drank and visited with each other. We then walked over to another location on the estate to a large tented area where we sat for dinner. Four different wines from the chateau were served along with the various courses. Again, we had live singing and music. It was a very special evening, and all seemed to have a wonderful time. We did not return to the ship until around 11:30 PM. 

- 8 June 2022 (Day 170) La Rochelle, France (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/xauvctDhaaZ5yqBZ7
Bus ride to La Garette and boarded small 6-8 person boats, then poled us along waterways in the marshlands of Poitou-Charentes, also known as "Green Venice". Serene and picturesque. We disembarked in another small town called Coulon, then walked around for a bit before heading back to the bus and the ship. After lunch we took the shuttle into La Rochelle. Walked around a lot...bigger than we expected. Went through some open air markets, along the port and Medieval structures, and along some of the various cobblestone streets, then headed back to the shuttle stop and back to the ship. Had dinner with Nathan and Dominique Levy. Nathan is a book publisher and former school principal. He has traveled and lectured many places around the world.

- 7 June 2022 (Day 169) Cruising the English Channel & Bay of Biscay (Time Zone UTC+2):
Rough seas today. Attended our sea day discussion group and Ed Friedman's talk on the cosmos. Chatted in the evening with Ed about black holes, magnetars, expansion of the universe and other topics.

- 6 June 2022 (Day 168) Honfleur & Rouen, France (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/LDCuev18baZgZS4RA
Nice to cruise into port in Normandy on the 78th anniversary of D-Day. While we did not visit the cemetery or beaches this trip, our memories are fresh from our 2018 trip to Omaha Beach, Arromanches, the memorial cemetery, and Pointe du Hoc. Nice that the people living in Normandy still remember and are grateful to the allied forces who liberated them at such a human cost. Today we went into the small harbor town of Honfleur on the southern bank of the estuary of the Seine across from le Havre (where we docked in 2018) and walked around a bit. Very scenic Medieval town, with many old structures still in place. Honfleur was decorated to celebrate Pentecost, which added yet more color to the town. Renee lit a candle at St Catherine's Church, and we strolled back through the shops and restaurants to our shuttle bus. After a quick lunch back at the Insignia, we headed out on our guided tour to Rouen, about an hour away. Much of the town had been destroyed in WWII, but some structures remain and some still show damage from shelling. We had a nice walking tour of the town, to include the Cathedral of Notre Dame and the memorial location and church at the spot where Joan of Arc was tried and burned alive on 30 May 1431. A few of us sat for some coffee, tea and Crepes at a nice little cafe, then we headed back to the bus to return to port. Weather forecast showed rain, but we had a beautiful, sunny day.

- 5 June 2022 (Day 167) Zeebrugge & Ghent, Belgium (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/pj8FexAiTMMVaLKX9
Rainy and cold this morning as we pulled into Zeebrugge, the port that is now part of Antwerp, Belgium. As we left the area, we saw several large parking lots with new cars that had arrived in port. Virtually all new car imports arrive through this port now. We took a bus to Ghent, about an hour away. Countryside was green and lush, with cows, windmills, old scenic farms and homes and other sights. We had a very nice walk and canal ride around Ghent. Beautiful place! Weather cooperated, so we did not get wet. Found a couple of nice chocolate shops and bought from each. One place had a variety of items made from Belgian chocolate, to include shoes, cars, a chocolate Yoda, and a full-size electric guitar! We bought an assortment of smaller things, so no Yoda, but we do have a little car in the mix. Wonderful smell of Belgian waffles as we walked around. Could definitely spend more time here.

- 4 June 2022 (Day 166) Rotterdam & Gouda, Holland, Netherlands (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/mwom98MUtoe58m7P9
Docked in Rotterdam, the largest port in Europe. They move 14 million containers per year here. The city is 6 feet below sea level, so lots of discussion about water control here in Netherlands. Further from Rotterdam the land is 6 meters below sea level, and dropping about a half inch per century. Guide told us that the whole area would be under water in 3 months if they stopped all of the pumping of water back out to the sea. Holland is the largest of 12 states in the Netherlands, with about 2/3 of the population. Heading out of town toward Gouda, we drove between two storm surge barriers, though guide told us of a much larger one that we may see when leaving port tonight. Drove through the beautiful countryside to Gouda (pronounced more like "khowda"), then did a nice walking tour. Revisited some places that we'd taken photos of back in 1979, like the town hall and the main weigh house there. Went upstairs in the weigh house (now a store) and tasted 4 different cheeses with some wine and water to condition our palates. On 19 July 2022 it will be 750 years ago that Gouda received its city rights. They've been celebrating that since April, and will continue through September of this year. Nice to be back in Holland and the Netherlands after so many years!

- 3 June 2022 (Day 165) Kiel Canal Transit, Germany (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/PHTbgFjYYtx212XUA
GoPro Time-Lapse Video at: https://worldcruise.dave-dev.net/media/Kiel Canal Transit - 3 June 2022_580p.mp4
Entered the Kiel Canal at 3:10 AM (so we were told, as we were sleeping!). I got up at 5:00AM to go check things out. By 5:30AM I had our GoPro clamped to the front of the ship outside of the spa, and was drinking a nice cup of tea the deck above it watching our progress from the Horizons Lounge with a few other people. Beautiful countryside, and lots of swans (some with cygnets) and ducks on the water. Foggy at first, which gave an eerie look to things, especially with giant wind turbines showing only above the low lying clouds. Turns out the Kiel Canal is the busiest canal on the planet, saving many, many vessels the time it would otherwise take to sail up and around Denmark. Finished in 1895 by the Germans (when the area was still Danish), the canal is 61 miles long. Nice quiet day. We ate some breakfast and Renee worked out. I spent a lot of time between forward and aft, with stops in the room to charge/replace batteries and to catch a quick snooze. We went through the lock at the Southern end of the canal at about 1:00PM and entered into the North Sea enroute to Rotterdam. Our World Cruise Hosts, Carolyn and Paul, arranged a few activities on the ship to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee. We didn't attend them due to other activities, but nice of them to do it. I booked a deep tissue massage for 5:00pm today which really helped with my knee and other sore, aching, body parts. We then we had dinner in Polo Grill with Pam and David Lathrop. Right after that, at 9:15PM, we attended the evening show in the Insignia Lounge. It was two performers who played a multitude of different instruments and music styles with the Insignia Show Band (also fantastic) as backup. Great performance. Two old guys with a lot of talent and energy! Everyone crawled off to bed after the show ;)

- 2 June 2022 (Day 164) Kiel & Hamburg, Germany (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/bmxV42JAzRo2BndY9
Long bus ride from the port town of Kiel down to Hamburg, and we continued a bit further to the SouthEast of Hamburg to the forced labor concentration camp at Neuengamme. While not an extermination camp, Neuengamme held up to 100,000 workers who were malnurished, sick, tortured and killed. 50,000 of them died there. Prisoners were political dissenters, sympathizers, Jews, homosexuals, and even simply those who were non-social. They came from many countries that Nazi Germany occupied during the war. While there is little there to tell the story, Germany has made sure that the autrocities are not forgotten through commemorative landmarks and through bringing classes of school children to see and hear what happened. As we looked through artifacts in the museum, it made me both sad and angry. The latter, as it's clear through things we see going on in the world today that we've still not learned the lessons from this horrible time and that we could well repeat those mistakes. Paint a broad class of people as subhuman and worthy of persecution, imprisonment, and even death. Strip them of their lives. Then look the other way when autrocities occur around us. We need to do better. We continued on for a bus tour through Hamburg (it's quite large, so walking tour was out). We passed an area where the Beatles performed in 1960 in Hamburg, prior to and leading to their fame. The area is marked with a big record album in the street, frames of the band members, and a "Beatles-Platz" street sign. We then spent an hour in a town square. They were setting up for an Iron Man competition. We bought brats and walked around a bit, then got back on the bus for more touring and the ride back to port. 

- 1 June 2022 (Day 163) Bornholm, Denmark (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/XFQsVBpRGcncgTjd8
Two big bus loads of us headed out on the same tour today, close to 60 people in all. We traveled from the port North along a scenic highway to the Hammershus Fortress remains, then scrambled up to walk around those ruins. There were school groups there. Our guide mentioned that they'll stay in a nearby hotel for a week and learn the history of the area. Also saw some kids dressed in medieval garb with wooden swords in a school group. Nice to see them having fun! Views around the ruins were nice, especially looking out along the coastline. We left there for the Round Church (Osterlars Kirke), which was quite unique. Pretty small, and not sure what a mass would be like there as there are huge support structures in a circle near the middle inside. Up a narrow stone stairway we found a second and third floor. Not much up there, but interesting. From here we headed to Gudhjem, a fishing town, where we had a light lunch at the Gudhjem Røgeri fish smokehouse. The day was mostly overcast while we were out, but only a few drops of rain during the tour. Nice visit here on this small Danish island.

- 31 May 2022 (Day 162) Visby, Gotland, Sweden (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/4AL4Bx4phVVv6J1c7
Cold and rainy day in Visby, but they said they needed the rain. We took a bus and walking tour around Gotland, visiting churches (they have 92 of them), a small fishing hamlet (they have 350 of them), and a cheese farm (they have 4 of them) where we sampled some of the cheeses. We returned to Visby and walked around the walled city, which had been the center of the Hanseatic League, but was attacked by pirates and other enemies. There are now 60,000 people in Gotland, with 6,000 of them employed by the government. We saw many swans...more here than in the other areas around the Baltic thus far. Also saw more bright yellow fields of rapeseed, used for canola and for fuel. It was nice to see more of the island than just Visby. Very laid back and scenic.

- 30 May 2022 (Day 161) Stockholm, Sweden (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/sMnDhVAhJ6vLqYGJ8
Slow day today. We relaxed this morning, then took the shuttle bus to the Royal Opera House in town. Took a casual stroll along the cobblestone streets of Gamla Stan again. This time we bought a replica rune stone and a very nice handmade Maleras (est. 1890) crystal piece from the Mats Jonasson concept store (see: https://malerasstockholm.se). Browsed the many Fika shops (Google it), restaurants, art shops, etc., then strolled along the lake back to the shuttle stop. Departure back through the archipelago was spectacular again, with the sun low in the sky and a different route back out through the islands. Hard to capture the beauty, and wanted to run a continuous capture. Probably should have set up the GoPro to do that.

- 29 May 2022 (Day 160) Stockholm, Sweden (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/sMnDhVAhJ6vLqYGJ8
Gained an hour as we turned clocks back heading West from Finland. Woke at 4AM to watch the spectacular approach through Stockholm's archipelagos of 24,000 islands. Tour did not start until 11AM, and it was a 7-hour tour. We started at a small town north of Stockholm called Sigtuna. Sigtuna is the oldest town in Sweden. We walked around the town with our guide sharing facts and background. He pointed out a rune stone incorporated into the side of a small building, which is apparently fairly common. We saw yet another rune stone free-standing in the nearby cemetery. We walked along the main street in old town Sigtuna, checking out some nice shops and restaurants, then headed down to the lake and walked the shoreline back to our meeting place for the tour. Renee picked up some treats from a small chocolate shop which I sampled as we headed back to Stockholm. We then started a walking tour of Gamla Stan, or the old town Stockholm. We started at the Royal Palace, then walked a lot of small, cobblestone, back streets. Saw another rune stone embedded in the bottom corner of a building, with a small cannon placed vertically at the corner to protect the rune stone from damage caused by passing vehicles (no longer needed, as it's a walking street). We did some quick window shopping in the various shops of old town, then met our tour again to continue on. We next headed to the Vasa Museum, where we explored the salvaged and restored sailing ship that sank only 1 kilometer into its maiden voyage. Apparently, the king at that time forced the Dutch ship builder to add a second level of cannons to the ship, making it top heavy. As the ship headed out it rocked and the ballast boulders in the bottom of the ship shifted, making it take on water and sink. Quite an embarrassment I'm sure. Very good excursion, but quite tiring, especially for my damaged knee. We made a quick stop back on the ship to clean up and eat, then headed out for an evening canal tour of Stockholm. It's always nice to see a place from the water as well as from land. The ride was pleasant, and we got some good photos.

- 28 May 2022 (Day 159) Mariehamn, Aland Islands, Finland (Time Zone UTC+3):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/yyqzwLYYb1SDg2hZ9
Overcast with light rain today, but the bus ride around Mariehamn and the main Aland Island was perfect. We visited the Sunds Church, the ruins of the Russian built Bomarsund's fortress, an open air museum and scenic countryside. Aland Islands are part of Finland, but nearly all here speak Swedish. Did not see much in the way of critters, but they have moose, deer, bear and many other animals similar to countries at this latitude. Still suffering some satellite link outages while in port, but not affecting WiFi today. Lonnie and Evelyn were back out and about today after being in quarantine for several days. Good to see them back out having fun. Got back to the ship and we had some lunch, then Renee went back out for a walk to town. Dinner in Toscana again tonight.

- 27 May 2022 (Day 158) Helsinki, Finland (Time Zone UTC+3):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/JAPazyWW1KChn16j7
No tours booked for today...we previously saw quite a lot via joppa bike and walking around back in 2013 during our Baltic Cruise. Relaxed morning instead. We took the short walk from the ship to Market Square. At a small foot bridge that crosses from the pier to the market place we found a geocache (see: https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC238FX) and we deposited our travel bug there (see: https://coord.info/TB9Z6Q6). Wandering through the tented market shops we found a few very interesting things, so did some shoppping. We love to buy items from local artists, and we found one stand with a husband and wife team who design and make jewelry from silver and Spectrolite (see: https://www.spectrolite.fi/, but jewelry we got is much nicer). Spectrolite is a hard and rare variety of labradorite only found and mined in Finland. She cuts the stone and he designs and makes the silver settings and the unique wood boxes, each custom made for the jewelry. Also got a cool fly swatter with reindeer antler handle and a hand made Viking bracelet with a symbol of the Son of Oden (they were out of Thor's hammers!) We strolled along the Esplanadi and had a nice lunch at a great cafe...salmon soup and some very good bread. We returned to the Insignia to spare my knee more abuse, but Renee headed back out to explore a bit more. At 60.19 degrees North, this location will be the furthest North that we go on this cruise. Forgot to mention yesterday that our internet and news station access has been very unreliable. Ship's personnel claim that it is due to Russian jamming of signals. May or may not be the case, but could very well be so, as they're very adept and liberal with the use of electronic warfare, and we're close enough that we could be affected intentionally or not. Dinner in Toscana tonight. We signed up for another "sharing" table, but attendance in Toscana has been low so we moved to a table by ourselves, next to Billie and Velma. They had just been released from their stateroom quarantine. Velma had tested positive but was asymptomatic the whole time, even after testing positive a second time after 5 days. Good to see them out and about!

- 26 May 2022 (Day 157) Tallinn, Estonia (Time Zone UTC+3):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Dp3GguhYdkkoaqkR8
Cruised quietly into port under a heavy fog. All were concerned that we might have a rainy day, so all dressed appropriately. Light rain, but day got continually better as time went on. 12 of us boarded a small black shuttle bus with our guide, Mart, and we drove for over an hour to a national park created by glaciers. We hiked 4 miles over marshland along wooden planks and through forrested areas. Very serene. Loved hearing a Cuckoo bird in the otherwise silent forest. Sounded just like our Black Forrest clock! Saw very few critters, but did see a white stork on the drive there and a few ducks. The hike was a wonderful break from pounding cobblestone streets in towns as we've been doing for days now. Estonia was just as beautiful as it was the last time we were here. On return from the tour we hopped on the shuttle into Tallinn and took a quick 1-hour walk through parts of town we'd remembered from before. Bought a small, but nice, water color painting of Tallinn from a local artist. 

- 25 May 2022 (Day 156) Riga, Latvia (Time Zone UTC+3):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/pDAuvYrZ2HXzo3Lo8
Nice day here in Riga. Tour was a mix of panoramic bus tour of the city and some walking around scenic areas and old town. Our tour had 3 guides in training along for the experience, so it was fun talking with them a bit along the way. A lot of focus was on the various architectural styles of the buildings, but also history and culture of Riga. Riga is yet another of the Hanseatic Leage ports, so that influenced the architecture a lot. At the end of the tour we did a bit of shopping. Amber is big here, so Renee picked up a few unique items with amber in them. We opted not to take the tour bus back to the ship, as it was only a 20-minute walk, and instead headed to a geocache in that same direction. Took a bit to find it...clever, but simple, hiding place. It was too small to drop our Travel Bug into, so we'll need to do that in a future port. Will post in these notes when and where we do that. Dinner in Polo Grill tonight. Hoping we meet some of the travelers who boarded at the beginning of this segment. We book our reservations as "Sharing" tables in hopes to meet new folks, but many of the last several dinners were with people we already knew.

- 24 May 2022 (Day 155) Klaipeda, Lithuania (Time Zone UTC+3):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/3anp6f7jBuuVuUw39
Lost an hour last night as we continue East. Had a fantastic day here today. Weather was very good, guide was very entertaining and enlightening. Young guy who had a great sense of humor and did some great impressions. We traveled across the beautiful countryside to Plateliai Lake for some great views and fresh air, then over to explore the very first underground Soviet nuclear missile site (now a museum). See: https://www.lithuania.travel/en/place/cold-war-museum. The construction of the site was kept very secret. They even brought in Estonian workers who could not speak the same language with the locals. The four silos were dug manually by shovel, 30 meters deep. We went down into the command center and visited inside one of the silos. Saw on display in one of the rooms the shirt from a U.S. Air Force Captain, with Strategic Air Command patch and a "pocket rocket" patch worn by missileers. Brought back many memories of my time in the SAC underground at Offutt AFB, Omaha NE. Also of my time at HQ AF Technical Applications Center, where we performed global nuclear treaty monitoring. On our way back we stopped at a nice farm-like restaurant with a thatched roof and had a wonderful Lithuanian meal, with pink beet soup, potatoes, cheesey garlic bread, some meatball-stuffed pasta-like things, and some Lithuanian beer. Saw lots of storks and stork nests along the way. The White Stork is the national bird, and the bison is the national animal. Really great tour and we really liked our brief visit to Lithuania!

- 23 May 2022 (Day 154) Gdansk, Poland (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/R4cQj6RKv7jjh1Lv5
Docked in Gdansk just as a morning fog rolled in. Took a short bus ride to town, then hoofed it over the Green Bridge into old town. Very scenic. Guide was very good. She shared a lot of history and cultural information with us. Interesting to hear her take on growing up under communism to start, and how appreciative she and others here are to be in NATO, especially these days. She also expressed the pride Polish people have for Lech Walesa, who is memorialized in many places around the town. We saw several groups of young school kids as we walked, learning about their city. After exploring a number of areas we had some free time to find a bakery and have Paczkis (Polish doughnuts), and Renee bought some amber jewelry. Our guide mentioned that the amber here is around 55 million years old, versus the 12 million year old amber found in the Caribbean. We then zipped over to Oliwa to a cathedral there that has an amazing pipe organ with over 7,000 pipes. We sat for a 20-minute performance that was outstanding. Driving around we saw a number of old appartment buildings built during the Soviet era that were very stark and apparently crammed a lot of people into tiny spaces (about 20 square meters or 215 square feet). One building was crazy long...had 3 bus stops!  It has 11 floors and is over a half mile long. Apparently it served as a road block location in an episode of the Amazing Race. Gdansk is a very interesting place...we'd like to explore it more in a future visit. Got back and I hit the hot tub to help with my knee, which did better today but still hurt from the walk. Renee took a short hike to the nearby Westerplatte monument that commemorates the first WWII invasion. 

- 22 May 2022 (Day 153) Cruising the Baltic Sea (Time Zone UTC+2):
Nice day at sea. Many are recouperating from back-to-back shore days and various minor illnesses. Had a great "Herb Talk" today, though only a few made it to the discussion group due to conflicting activities. It has been very nice to sit and talk with a group of rational thinkers with highly varied backgrounds, and all with plenty of practical life experience. Have gained many insights. Renee worked out and went to a talk about future ports of call. We sat later in the day and decided on some more shore excursions for upcoming ports, then Renee went to the Destination Services desk and booked them. Our preference would be to explore on our own as much as possible, but given time constraints in each port and the guarantee that the ship won't leave without us if we book through them makes us opt to provided excursion options. I spent some time updating files to include information about our newly added shore excursions. Also spent time working on some Python scripting...always looking for ways to optimize data processing to free up more of my time while getting a handle on all of our photos, videos, scanned items, and GPS track data files. I'm building a master reference dataset to enable quick and easy fetch of coordinates based on date and time or vice-versa. It will allow me to do many things, to include geotagging some photos that do not contain GPS coordinates (i.e., those not taken with smart phones). As I've mentioned before, Google Maps won't take my GPS track anymore because the file has too many points and is too large, so I've done a couple of things to compensate. I keep the GPS track in the Google Earth KMZ file that I post but I don't include it in the Google Maps version. Instead, I simply change the icons of the places we've visited to simple point icons for differentiation. Not fully gratifying...I pay for additional Google storage, but Google Maps seems to have some hard boundaries for file sizes. We're excited about visiting Poland tomorrow. First time we've been there. Should be fun.

- 21 May 2022 (Day 152) Warnemunde & Rostock, Germany (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/J17mexjcZBa3Dtqo8
Short bus trip from the port to Rostock. Our guide joked that the area has 280 days of rain and the rest are storm days. It was overcast and rained off and on, lightly, but really not a bad day for our walking tour through Rostock. We explored remnants of the medieval structures. Most buildings had been reconstructed after WWII, though Saint Mary's church was left standing. Many other structures were updated with facades about 30 years ago. Saw a very cool astronomical clock in St Mary's church. Walked the central market place...modest in size and offerings, but still scenic. We made a stop in a beer cellar with awsome ambience, where we had a pretzel and a half-liter pilsner. All in all a nice tour. On return we grabbed some lunch in Terrace Cafe, then Renee headed out to see what she could see of Warnemunde (sounds like "vana moon dah"). 

- 20 May 2022 (Day 151) Travemunde & Lubeck, Germany (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/zLRMJJ2NaXHedZHa9
Docked in Germany's Baltic port of Travemunde at around 6am this morning. Took a walking tour of nearby Lubeck, with its historic old town identified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lubeck had been bombed in WWII, but still retains many 15th century buildings. The town was heavy into trading and was a part of the Hanseatic League (See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanseatic_League). Very scenic. Stopped in at I. G. Niederreger, a world-renown place for marzipan, for tea, coffee and delicious marzipan cake. Apparently they've been making marzipan in Lubeck since the Middle Ages. Walked past old store houses along a canal where salt was stored, and saw a retrofitted bus being used in the canal like the WWII amphibious vehicles used for duck tours, but it was a no-kidding bus. Very charming town. When we returned to the ship Renee took a walk from the lighthouse down to the church in Travemunde. Though the Insignia is a small cruise ship, few must come here as it was quite a spectacle for the locals. Heard in the morning that Oceania had never used this port before, so kinda cool to be on this first for them.  
		 
- 19 May 2022 (Day 150) Copenhagen, Denmark (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/hRyo9tVmPKYxL2aN6
Took the shuttle into town with David & Pam, then explored around a bit. Wandered to Nyhavn where we had a very nice lunch (thanks Pam & David). David had an open faced sandwich with herring of three types, and Pam, Renee and I had the national dish of Crispy Pork, which was like a very thick looking bacon with pork rind on it. Good stuff. We then strolled along various pedestrian walkways back toward the shuttle stop, by way of the Round Tower and the Copenhagen Cathedral, where Renee lit a devotional candle as she often does in churches we visit. Renee guided us all skillfully using a paper map. Nice leisurely pace and a perfect way to wrap up our visit here in Copenhagen.

- 18 May 2022 (Day 149) Copenhagen, Denmark (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/hRyo9tVmPKYxL2aN6
Day 2 in Copenhagen. Good to see some familiar faces rejoin us at breakfast after their release from quarantine. Took way too long to get into town this morning, but once there we had a nice time. Had lunch in Nyhavn, then walked along the water to Amalien Palace, through the courtyard to Frederik Church (A.K.A., the Marble Church) for some photos inside, then down to Katellet where we walked the ramparts forming a 5-point star (see GPS track). Finally, we walked over to the Littel Mermaid statue for some photos and rode the shuttle back to the Insignia. At 9PM we and other Around the World travelers were driven to the "Blue Planet", Copenhagen's modern design aquarium, for a special "Dining Under the Sea" event. We had a brief cocktail social, then listened to an architecture talk on the aquarium and other Danish innovations. It was interesting, and certainly conveyed the nationalistic pride the Danes have for their Democratic Socialist (repeatedly mentioned)society and successes. After a somewhat rushed walk through the shark tunnel, we gathered at a viewing area into a huge aquarium tank filled with many species of sealife. We listened as a story-teller share info on Hans Christian Andersen and the Little Mermaid tale. We were then treated to an outstanding  mermaid performace by a free-diver who swam with the sharks, rays, and other marine creatures in the tank. Very cool...check out the photos and video clip in the associated album at the link above. We then moved to tables set up within the exhibit corridors and were treated to live music and traditional Danish food and drink. We left the venue after 11pm, so all were pretty wiped out by then. Nice evening, but there was virtually no ventilation in service and it was very warm during dinner, and dinner service seemed very slow and inefficient, making the evening seem to drag on.
- 17 May 2022 (Day 148) Copenhagen, Denmark (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/hRyo9tVmPKYxL2aN6
Pulled into port around 11am this morning, after many or most passengers repeated their antigen tests yet again. We did not hear anything prior to heading out on the shuttle bus from port to town. Later received "negative" results via email for both of us. Unfortunate that some of our friends turned up positive and will be locked down for a few days, but no one is seriously ill. Hop-on, Hop-off was great today! Reacquainted us with the lay of the land and provided a great platform for some good photos. Open top, and weather was beautiful, so clear view of all. We rode the entire circuit first, then exited in Nyhavn. Exchanged some currency (banks are robbing folks with fees), then bought a Danish hotdog with all the fixings...good stuff! Sat along the water, close to Hans Christian Andersen's house, and watched everyone simply enjoying the environment. Balanced that hotdog out with some Danish ice cream cones. Waffle cones made right there, so smelled and tasted great. Same place we hit last time we were here. Walked around a bit to take in the atmosphere, then headed back to the shuttle pickup point. Nice day!

- 16 May 2022 (Day 147) Oslo, Norway (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/LsUFBoQx3d8SeZF16
Down day for me...resting my knee. We hit many of the most popular places to visit last time we were here, so made sense to rest today. Renee walked around town a bit though and took some nice photos. I was able to snap photos of her on top of the opera house from the ship. We enjoyed our exit from Oslo through the many islands...very pretty. Antigen testing in the morning before we head out for our first of three days in Copenhagen.

- 15 May 2022 (Day 146) Kristiansand, Norway (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/AyrS8JMpPaanpgaZ9
Slipped into port this morning...very scenic approach. Six of us headed to our RIB and shot like a bullet out of the port once past the breakwater. Fun ride. Cold, but sunny, so we bundled up while underway. Slowed down as we passed through a quiet and quaint rocky island area with small, colorful homes, then sped up again toward our small island for a hike. The hike was only about a half mile, but had a reasonably steep slope. At the summit we were treated to some hot coffee and spectacular views out over small, scattered, rocky islands under a bright blue sky with light clouds for contrast. We hiked around an old German bunker, then back down to the boat. On return, we passed through some other scenic areas and made some fast, tight turns, including one right in front of the Insignia as we approached the port. Great fun, and a beautiful welcome to Norway. We exited the RIB and headed to town on foot, walking along a nice trail along the water. Stopped at a waterfront restaurant on the way back to have a plate of cured meats, cheese, and olives. Treated ourselves to some Norwegian soft serve ice cream that was great, then wandered back to the ship. Stayed light until about 10:30pm, and we were treated to a full moon low in the sky over the water as we sailed North to Oslo.

- 14 May 2022 (Day 145) Cruising The English Channel North Sea (Time Zone UTC+2):
Quiet day at sea. Renee did her walking inside hallways for morning exercise. Herb Talk at 11:00 on preserving investments during high inflation times. Talk on earthquakes at 2pm was interesting. Renee booked 4 more excursions (spreadsheet updated accordingly). Lots of interesting sights in the North Sea. Dinner with George & Roxanne and Liz & Joe. As always, some interesting conversation and good food.

- 13 May 2022 (Day 144) Saint Malo & Mont Saint Michel, France (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/2uEZf7p951TbfJxs8
Another beautiful day as we tendered ashore for a bus over to Mont Saint Michel. Amazing place! Said to have been built as a result of a miracle visitation, the location and construction alone make it look like a miracle. The tide around it can vary as much as ~50 feet, cutting it off from the mainland. Walking around the narrow stone streets and through the abbey and other structures was camera fodder for sure. Worried my knee might not hold out for the steps and ramps involved getting up there, in addition to the hike from/to the shuttle, was certainly a strain. Managed okay, but headed for the spa hot tub when we got back to help mitigate any additional damage I may have done.

- 12 May 2022 (Day 143) Brest & Quimper, France (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/5Ye8f2ig79xJor6HA
Cruised quietly into the port this morning. Learned today that Brest was once home to the French Fleet. Took a bus ride through the Brittany countryside to a town to the South called Quimper (pronounced "cam-PAIR"). "Charming Quimper" (tour title) is a small, walled city and is where Rene Laennec, the inventer of the stethescope, was born. We had a nice, casual guided tour through the city, then roamed around for a bit on our own. Beautiful weather. While walking the stone streets we were passed by a well-dressed French woman who complemented Renee on her jacket and wanted to know where she bought it. It's the very stylish and colorful Italian leather jacket that we bought in Kotor, Montenegro. Made Renee's day! Got back and I went for a massage. She worked my knee pretty well and used heat and some sort of poultice on it. Felt pretty good when done. Tomorrow's hike up Mont-Saint Michel should be a good test of how much it has healed.

- 11 May 2022 (Day 142) Cruising the Bisay Bay (Time Zone UTC+2):
Quiet day, though rough seas. It appears that illness and accidents have been on the rise. I've been surprised at how little of either we've had all these days, especially with a couple hundred senior citizens. Not all in quarantine are from positive SARS CoV-2 testing...there has been a cold of sorts circulating too. The indicator of sick folks in quarantine is a red, folding tray table positioned outside of the stateroom. Also had one woman with a stroke who had to be evacuated late day while at port yesterday. On our deck (deck 7), we have none on our starboard side but about 8 on the port side. Part of this may be from people moved to those rooms to afford them separation from spouse/partner or from interior staterooms (veranda allows them to get some fresh air while in quarantine). We had another "Herb Talk", and about 10 people showed. Topic was inflation...causes and potential solutions. Also had an interesting discussion with a guy at lunch who overheard us talking and joined the discussion. Our views differ a bit, but fun to talk with him as he is unusually civil and reasonable. Resting my knee to prepare for more abuse tomorrow (though only a 4-hour tour) and more the next day. 

- 10 May 2022 (Day 141) Vigo, Spain (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/a5TL1WS4ZTSvw47v9
Beautiful day in both Vigo and Santiago de Compostela. 1:15 hr bus ride both ways, but nice countryside and not too long. Walked around several areas in Santiago, watching many, many pilgrims finish their journeys. Went into the Cathedral of Santiago and saw where it is said the remains of Saint James are held. Had a very nice lunch at the premier hotel in the square, then headed back to the Insignia.

- 9 May 2022 (Day 140) Cruising the Atlantic Ocean (Time Zone UTC+2):
Lost an hour again. Casual morning and afternoon spent with chores, to include updating the most recent changes to the itinerary in my various files. Herb held another discussion session, with the topic of implications of legalization of all drugs and role of government (if any). Small group, but good discussion. Renee booked an excursion for us in Vigo tomorrow. Tonight's Oceania Club cocktail party was cancelled, citing health concerns given venue was indoors.

- 8 May 2022 (Day 139) Portimao, Portugal (Time Zone UTC+1):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/FRsPGVwSSpaAphZFA
Gained an hour today, but only for today! Back to UTC+2 tomorrow. A very peaceful and scenic cruise into Portimao this morning around 11 am. The waters were calm, the sun was warm, the beaches and old fortress looked great. The weather was perfect all day. Our tour was in two 4x4 vehicles up to nearby mountain tops for fantastic views. We traveled with Pam & David and Keith & Ilona. Our guide was very personable and informative. He stopped several times along the way to grab samples from various plants for us to smell (safron, lavender, bay leaves, others) just growing along the roadside. We stopped for a short talk in a stand of cork oak trees, as the guide told us about the trees and how the cork is harvested while preserving the trees. They live for a couple hundred years apparently, but only start giving cork after about 25 years. The trees were everywhere. Also saw a lot of eucalyptus trees. At the summit we took photos of the coastline of Portugal. Next we stopped at a small place that made moonshine called Alcacarias, where we sampled plain and honey versions. Didn't buy any of the hooch, but did buy some honey and pollen. We then headed for a small town where we found a store with many cork products. I bought a cork hat (might keep me afloat if I fall off the ship, but I'll have to hang onto it). Renee bought some jewelry and other items. Back at the ship we got cleaned up for our ATW (Around the World, but now All the Way) private deck party and dinner, with live entertainment from the band, dancing, and more. Sat with Tom and Sheena and exchanged some stories and thoughts on the cruise, travel, real estate, family and other things. Dinner was well done, with fresh goods from Seville in the mix. All in all, another nice day.

- 7 May 2022 (Day 138) Seville, Spain (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/VwL9DwbBHUreRCJd9
>>>>>> Freedom once again as the ship dropped mandatory mask wearing onboard today! 
Leisurely morning before we wandered off on our own across the bridge into a very nice park, then up to the Plaza de Espana. The plaza buildings are quite decorative, with brightly colored tiles in extensive use. We took a lot of photos there, including tiled sections dedicated to various locations around Spain (specifically Barcelona and Valencia, which we recently visited). The walked to the Seville Cathedral area and ate some Tapas at a nice restaurant, then walked around some more and found a store where we bought some castanets (though I was kidding?) and a couple of hand painted fans. We then hired a horse-drawn carriage which took us across town over to the fair, then rode up and down the streets of all the tent-like restaurants used by families during the fair for private events. Many photos of people in traditional Spanish dress, to include some of the kids. We then walked back across the bridge we'd watched from the ship to get back to the Insignia. Had another casual gettogether poolside on Deck 9 with Lonnie & Evelyn and many others. We brought some olive spread we bought in Sanary Sur Mer, France, and various candies we'd also picked up.

- 6 May 2022 (Day 137) Seville, Spain (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/VwL9DwbBHUreRCJd9
Down day for me...recovering from minor cold and strained MCL, which I keep aggravating each day with long hikes. I did get up early, however, to take some photos of our spectacular cruise about 55 miles up the Guadalquivir River to Seville. Beautiful countryside and vistas from the deck, and our first venture of this sort on this cruise. This is yet one more reason to like small cruise ships, as others cannot make this trip. After docking, Renee took a relatively ungratifying "Panoramic" tour (usually means bus drive-by), but did get a sense of Seville's layout and was impressed with the Plaza de Espana. Late evening we took a short tour to El Patio Sevillano, a bar famous for decades for its Flamenco dance shows. Outstanding performances. Very cool. Will be buying castanets tomorrow and start training as soon as my knee heals. The venue was right near a bull fighting ring that had just let out too, so interesting to see that. Seville holds an annual fair called the "Feria de Abril de Sevilla", which starts in April and ends tomorrow. It was cool to sit out on the aft deck in Terrace Cafe and watch people walking and in horse-drawn carriages cross the bridge to and from the fair. They were all dressed up in festive clothing, even the children.

- 5 May 2022 (Day 136) Gibraltar, United Kingdom (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/1BoqiXC1AsRbq1NP8
Beautiful day here in Gibraltar today. Pulled in around 8am and we were on our tour by around 9:30. We went to a cable car lift and rode it to the top of the rock, then walked around. Wonderful views, to include vistas from Europe to Africa on the other side of the strait, and Spain on the other side of the airport runway, which has a 4-lane highway running across the middle of it. Also saw some amusing Macaques. I was surprised at how well-behaved they were, relative to what we've seen in other places. They still had fun, bouncing off the head of one in our group and riding on the taxi vans shuttling people up and down the walkways. Decided not to schedule a grooming. We also walked on the glass walkway with views below our feet. Toured to St Michael's Cave, which was small, but nice. Finished the tour walking through the seige tunnels used 1782 and also during WWII. We left the tour at a point downtown, then walked through a square and along Main Street to a place called Tina's Takeout for some good Fish-n-Chips. Turns out that Tina's is a Phillipino takeout place, but highly ranked in Trip Advisor and a favorite of the ship's crew. Sat on a park bench a short walk away to eat lunch. Saw several people from the ship while walking, and returned to the Insignia with Helene. Nice day!

- 4 May 2022 (Day 135) Cartagena, Spain (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/An8rcfMKAvsxNQKWA
Walked into town this morning for some sights around Cartagena. It rained all day, but we still enjoyed it. At noon we joined our tour to the Conesa Family Andalusian Horse ranch. We learned about the horses, watched mares with their fole run around in the arena, then had a flamenco dancer perform while a rider displayed all of the fantastic moves of a beautiful Andalusian. Ride back took in a few sights around Cartagena, then back to the port. Had dinner in Polo Grill with a couple, Jack and Margie, who have been aboard since LA. 

- 3 May 2022 (Day 134) Valencia, Spain (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/2tWhcu8tM2MvF42J9
Rainy day in Valencia. Tour guide advised us that they've had more rain than in 250 years. Still had a nice tour. We first went to Segunto, Spain, where we walked some of the old streets, visited a small museum of Roman artifacts, then briefly explored a Roman theater. We then headed back to Valencia and walked through the old town center there. We had a nice lunch of Spanish Paella. Slowly walked off lunch and did a small bit of shopping as we made our way through more of the city. We then took a ride to the Art and Science Center (see: https://www.cac.es/3d/). Did not spend much time here, but one could clearly spend a full day or more. Overall, a nice day in Valencia, and we'd like to come back when we can spend more time. Note: a couple of days after we left Valencia we learned that the day we were there Valencia suffered the most intense flooding in a hundred years!

- 2 May 2022 (Day 133) Barcelona, Spain (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/TGjuxKNv2wJRFBFN7
Down day today. Decided not to book any tours today to rest and recouperate. Got some unconventional medical treatment on my right MCL, which I strained a few days ago and continued to aggravate it. Initial results are good, and curious to see how well it works. Already missing friends who left the cruise today.

- 1 May 2022 (Day 132) Barcelona, Spain (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/TGjuxKNv2wJRFBFN7
Started the day with another SARS CoV-2 antigen test, which came back negative for both of us. Emailed results came later in the day as we were out in the population here in Barcelona. Masks on buses, but otherwise no one wearing them here. We had a nice tour around Barcelona. Most remarkable was our visit to the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia. Very unusual structure with multiple eclectic facades. Also toured and ate lunch at the Poble Espanyol, a venue built for the 1929 World's Fair. The place is constructed with replicated homes from various locations around Spain, complete with the actual street addresses of the homes replicated. Capped off the day with a nice dinner in Polo Grill with David and Pam Lathrop to say goodbye to Jason and Priscilla Kahne, who will leave the cruise tomorrow. We've all become good friends, and we're excited and happy for the new and exciting things ahead for Jason and Priscilla, and wish them fun and safe travels home. The ship and the cruise will not be the same without them aboard, and we'll miss them.

- 30 Apr 2022 (Day 131) Toulon, France (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Qe1ZVnf1erfcWJKh8
Beautiful day as we pulled into Toulon. Relatively short tour today, taking in the small port town of Sanary Sur Mer and Le Castellet. At Sanary Sur Mer we strolled along an open air food market, then around the small, scenic port. Bought some olive spread, cookies, and chocolates. I was happy to learn that Jacques Cousteau spent time here and it was here that he coinvented the modern day regulator that enabled the sport of SCUBA. Next stop was in a feudal town of Le Castellet. Again, quite small, and situated high on a hill with fabulous views of the countryside. The town was alive with a small festival with children playing games and many small art and craft shops. We ate lunch with David and Pam at a wonderful crepe restaurant. Since we were back to the ship early and I was feeling sore from back-to-back shore excursions for several days, I grabbed a locker in the spa and went out to the secluded hot tub at the very front of the ship. I was all alone the whole time, with the exception of Renee checking on me a couple of times. Felt great, and I wondered why I'd not done it sooner and more often. Dinner in Terrace Grill with David & Pam and Herb and Helene. Good discussion, but topics to be continued.

- 29 Apr 2022 (Day 130) Florence, Italy (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/w7q7q6e5tT5mg7Yg7
Very nice day today in Florence. Our guide (see: samthetourguide.com) was great. He told us with pride of his private tour for Helen Muir and her sister back in October. Sam made a long day very easy for us all. We did not feel rushed or uncomfortable, and we covered a lot of ground and saw many things. Highlight was our first stop... the Accademia Gallery which houses the Michelangelo's statue of David. Lots of other interesting art there as well. We walked to and spent some time photographing the outside of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, which has the 28,000 ton double dome that we remembered seeing in the Medici series. Had a nice lunch in a restaurant in Piazza Santa Cruce. We walked off lunch as we toured the Santa Cruce church which holds the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, and other notable figures (Got a selfie with Galileo!). We walked to and crossed Ponte Vecchio, which often shown in photos and movies shot in Florence. We had some delicious gelato while I waited for the tailor to shorten the sleeves on a nice Italian leather jacket I bought. Overall a very nice day.

- 28 Apr 2022 (Day 129) Rome, Italy (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/EwmTQeQXSa9Sk6W3A
Long day in Rome today. Saw many sights about Rome and in the Vatican. Too exhausted to comment now, so will add more tomorrow, along with uploading some of the nearly 600 photos from the day. Our tour returned to the ship a half hour after it was supposed to leave, which is one of the reasons we take the ship excursions (ship won't leave without you if on a ship tour). Heard all the ships in the harbor blowing their horns repeatedly, and went topside to watch a procession of small boats slowing entering the harbor. Looked like a funeral procession, but it was marking a holiday for the patron saint of Civitavechia (the port). Our ship sounded off multiple times. My ears are still ringing.

- 27 Apr 2022 (Day 128) Salerno, Amalfi Coast and Sorrento, Italy (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/hcVwVvPMcgMcMvJJ6
Tour took us first by boat along the Amalfi Coast, which was beautiful. We stopped in Amalfi for some shopping and exploration. Took another boat back to port in Salerno, then boarded a bus to drive to Sorrento. Nice views of Mount Vesuvius and other scenery along the way. Had lunch in Sorrento, then attended a demo in a family owned wood inlay shop that has been in Sorrento since the 1800's. Walked stone streets and browsed decorative shops around Sorrento. Renee picked up a few things, including a simple yet nice cameo pendant. Took in the views of the coast. Nice day.

- 26 Apr 2022 (Day 127) Messina & Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/8YhUMeAMsyKXT7En9
Nice day today, back in Sicily, but at the Northeast end of the island this time. Cruised up through the strait to Messina, then took a tour to Mount Etna, where we ascended to about 9,000 feet by both cable car and large 4-wheel drive vehicles. Walked around a bit with a guide and had some great views. First time I recall seeing snow encased and peppered with black volcanic dust and gravel. The active rim was closed to all due to safety concerns, which was a bit of a disappointment, but still a nice visit. Was like walking on the moon. Ate lunch after descending the cable cars, then headed back to the ship. Departure took us North through the narrowest part of the strait and past the seven small islands North of Sicily, including Stromboli, which is an active volcano too. We were able to watch gases rise from the rim just after sundown, making for some very nice views. Gradually meeting some of the new passengers and crew who boarded back in Athens.

- 25 Apr 2022 (Day 126) Crotone & Santa Severina, Italy (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/nX1KQJmKZNkokQRz8
Back in Italy again! It was a beautiful day. Learned that Pythagorus lived here for some time, and that he was a vegetarian who believed that animals might have the spirits of our ancestors, and that killing animals made us more likely to kill other people. Ate some Pythagorian meat in his honor. We took a bus to Santa Severina, which is on top of a hill. Visited a fort and a church, then went to a local farm and restaurant for lunch. Food and wine were great. Very scenic and relaxing day!

- 24 Apr 2022 (Day 125) Tirana, Albania (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/SFggfKXmCwJeKFVQ7
Off the ship just after 8 am for a drive and walking tour through parts of Tirana, the capital of Albania. Saw and heard how Albania is still struggling to transition from the austere and controlling Communist rule mentality to one of freedom to say and do what one wants to do. Our guide was 14 years old in 1990 when Albania left Communist rule. Architectures and cultures show a mix of Ottoman, Russian, Greek, Turkish and other cultures. We had coffee and tea in a cafe near the main square, visited an Orthodox church (on Easter Sunday) and a mosque. Drove to a small town called Kruja high up in the hills. Had a wonderful lunch there while watching and listening to traditional dance and music. Renee and I even joined in on a circle dance with the performers. Left lunch and walked along a stone street with shops all along it, heading up to a fort and museum. Toured that, did some quick shopping on the walk back to the bus, then returned to the ship. Very nice day here. Met with about 20 people up on the pool deck for a gettogether, sharing foods and drinks all had gathered over the last few days. Good group of folks. Went to dinner with Diane & Barb and their friends Chuck & Debbie. It was Diane's birthday, so we had a nice meal, good conversation, and some birthday carrot cake.

- 23 Apr 2022 (Day 124) Kotor, Montenegro (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/6AeYxALgabcRFQPJ9
Began entering the passageways from the Adriatic Sea into Montenegro at around 8:30am. Views were spectacular as we made our way through bays and straits with towering mountains around us. Started our tour around noon, heading by bus to a small town called Lastva high up in the hills about 45 minutes away. We took some photos down to the sea and of a small church. We then walked to a small restaurant where locals served local foods and wines while 3 musicians played and sang as we ate. Outside, we bought a couple of handmade items made by the mother of our bus driver. Amazing how our driver managed to get that large bus up a small 1-car road with tight switchbacks. We returned to the Old City of Kotor for a walking tour, then met up with Jason and Priscilla and decided to ascend 1,092 steps up a steep hillside to a fort. Up and down took us about an hour and 45 minutes, including time exploring up top. We browsed some stores back down in the walled city, and Renee left Kotor with a very nice jacket among other things.

- 22 Apr 2022 (Day 123) Ancona, Italy (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/67Q5uMtjBd7RES3s5
Prior to arrival back in Italy we had to complete another online Personal Locator Form. Italy has some fairly onerous mandates relative to other places we've visited. Turns out we were never asked to show the forms that everyone jumped through hoops to complete...something we've experienced in other ports as well. We docked in Ancona at around 7:30 am. We left the port in Ancona and drove to the small town of Osimo about 40 minutes away. Built within Roman walls, the city has 5 levels of tunnels dug into the sandstone beneath it that served as part of the town's defenses. We walked through a small part of those tunnels, then went above to walk around Osimo. We ditched the guide, as she spent inordinate amounts of time standing in front of maps and posters talking about what we might see rather than allowing us to experience the real thing. Weather cooperated, and we got some great photos of the countryside below the town and the walking streets within it. We wandered into a bakery and bought some various goods to eat later, then stopped at a cafe for a cappuccino as we waited for the tour group at our meeting spot. On return to port, authorities would not let our van back into the port for several minutes, adding to the frustration of the 15 people on our tour. Overall, it was a good day, but only because we chose to disengage from the guided tour. Osimo is worth visiting, but perhaps with another guide or on one's own.

- 21 Apr 2022 (Day 122) Dubrovnik, Croatia (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/k3zxvJdwKaWgov9G9
Rainy and somewhat cold, but a great day here! Started on a tour, but punched out on our own part way through to walk the wall around the Old City. Great views from the wall, and a lot of steps! Walked several of the streets and alleys within the Old City. Made a couple of purchases and sampled a couple of treats from a bakery. Took lots of photos and video. There were many, many nice restaurants tucked away in back alleys. The Old City was used to film parts of Game of Thrones, so there were many shops with GOT gifts. Walked up and down the "Walk of Shame" steps. Guide mentioned locals loved the filming, as they were paid to close shop and do nothing.

- 20 Apr 2022 (Day 121) Cruising the Ionian Sea (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: 
Gained an hour back last night, which everyone loved. Should be a leisurely day at sea today. Sun is shining this morning after a couple of days of overcast, relatively cold, and somewhat rainy weather. Got my 5th massage at Aquamar Spa. Deep tissue. All 5 times have been with a different masseuse each time. Most were Phillipino, one India, and today she was from Thailand (which we were supposed to visit on this cruise!) Worked my shoulder really well and worked in some Chiropractic stretching, so perhaps best I've had on this cruise.

- 19 Apr 2022 (Day 120) Santorini, Greece (Time Zone UTC+3):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Y9eHwbVtEigvd147A
Loved our day in Santorini! It was as we remembered it from our visit 47 years ago. This time we spent more time exploring the wonders of Santorini. Our day started with a tender to port, then Renee and I with 5 others boarded a beautiful wooden sailing vessel that took us (under power) to the active volcanic island, Nea Kameni ("New Burnt") in the center of the cauldera. It is what remains of the volcano that tore the entire island apart, leaving it as a circular ring with shear cliffs. We hiked up and to the center of the island, passing seismic recording stations along the way and stopping every couple of steps for photos of the exceptional views all around us. Our guide, Joseph, made the tour fun with his jovial and informative persona. After the hike we reboarded the boat and cruised around the island to a second island named Palia Kameni, where the boat moored and 4 of us took a swim. Naturally, I chose the option to jump off of the boat rather than use the ladder as the other three did. The water was cold, but quickly started to warm as I swam to a small cove where the water was infused by geothermal feeds. The swim back was again cold, but did not seem as shocking. Fun stuff! We returned to the port, at which time Jason headed back to Insignia to prepare for a series of job interviews he would have and Priscilla joine Renee and me to ascend cliffs via cable car (gave the donkeys a break) to Thera. It was cold and rainy, with low visibility, but we found a nice quiet restaurant along the cliff where we ate some good Greek food and enjoyed the views we had. By the time we finished eating the sun was starting to come out and the views improved dramatically. We walked along the paved cliff edge trail, passing beautiful and mostly white homes, hotels, and churches. We turned back and wandered down another path that took us to a very cool and quaint art studio where Renee and Priscilla made some purchases. The old woman who ran the shop designed and made the unique items there, along with family members. Very cool atmosphere and would recommend anyone traveling to Santorini to check it out. It's right under a church with a clock tower (easy to find in Thera). We continued to wander back through shops until we returned to the cable car entrance, then we descended and tendered back to Insignia. That evening we gathered with several friends poolside on Deck 5 to share snacks and drinks all had collected over the last few days. Terrace Cafe had a large spread of Greek foods, so we feasted some more after that. Very nice day!

- 18 Apr 2022 (Day 119) Athens, Greece (Time Zone UTC+3):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/DQtfQdXdudXXPs7G6
Great time in Athens today! Decided not to trek on a long bus ride to Delphi, and instead revisit the Acropolis and Plaka, as we'd not seen it in 46 years. It was cold and a bit rainy off and on, but we enjoyed the day. Met up with Jason and Priscilla in Plaka, so had lunch at a nice restaurant and did some quick shopping before heading back to the ship. Also stopped by the Reception Desk to get our antigen test results as we'd not received them via email. Both negative again.

- 17 Apr 2022 (Day 118) Mytilini, Lesbos, Greece (Time Zone UTC+3):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/dSG3KJVBVPFBoCbR9
Started the day with another antigen test, which presumably was negative (have not received results yet, but no one hunted us down!) We tendered in to port where our morning tour went to a small town in the hills called Agiosos, where we visited the Kagiani Church of the Virgin Mary while Palm Sunday mass was underway (Greek Orthodox Easter is a week later than in the U.S.) It felt good to be back in Greece after 46 years, even though we'd never been to this island. Had Greek Coffee and a special spice tea with a piece of walnut honey cake at a quaint cafe, then did some shopping. Tour headed back the other way from Mytilini up into the hills to the Taxiarches Church of the Archangel Michael, where we toured the empty church and took in the views out over the port where the Insignia was anchored. Fun to make use of our limited, but well-received, Greek vocabularies. After the tour we tendered back to the ship to regroup and have some lunch, then back to port for some hiking around town. We hiked up to a castle for a quick exploration, then back down to town to look around. Ended the day exchanging stories of the day with friends.

- 16 Apr 2022 (Day 117) Istanbul, Turkey (Time Zone UTC+3):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/NSfmEWAzqLTwQ83P9
Another great day in Istanbul. We started by crossing the Bosphorus from the European side of Istanbul to the Asian side to tour the Beylerbeyi Palace and grounds. Had Turkish tea and coffee there before moving on. Then headed back to a mosque very close to the port to conclude the tour. Peeled off from the tour there with Jason & Priscilla to walk through the Jewish Quarter along the water, where we were entertained at an ice cream kiosk. We crossed over the bridge to the Spice Market, where we shopped for a while before strolling back to the ship. We would definitely return to Istanbul if the opportunity presents itself!

- 15 Apr 2022 (Day 116) Istanbul, Turkey (Time Zone UTC+3):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/NSfmEWAzqLTwQ83P9
Great first day in Istanbul! Spectacular views coming into the new port, which had just opened and was very modern. Did back-to-back tours, first to the Grand Bazaar, then toured the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia Mosque, and a huge underground cistern that is now used for gatherings and events. There are an estimated 18 million people in Istanbul, so venues were quite busy. Especially so as the Turkish President was visiting Hagia Sophia the same day. From an online source: "The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops on a total area of 30,700 sq meters, attracting between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. In 2014, it was listed No.1 among the world's most-visited tourist attractions with 91,250,000 annual visitors." We spent about an hour and a half there and saw just a small part of it. Second tour was Istanbul by Night, so left the port at 7:30pm to see the old city lit up, returning to the same mosques and park in that area. It was wonderful to see all the families picnicking in the park (only eat after sundown during Ramadan). Then headed to a great restaurant for good food, good ambiance, and live traditional Turkish music. Did not get back to the Insignia until nearly midnight.

- 14 Apr 2022 (Day 115) Izmir, Turkey (Time Zone UTC+3):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Z1WijPVbtBVVhHxB6
Great tour. Left the port of Izmir and Symerna and headed to Ephesus. First stop was Mary's home in later years atop a hill overlooking the town of Ephesus. Walked the grounds and through Mary's home, then drank water from a fountain stream that flowed through the home. Headed back down the hill to the ruins at Ephesus. Pretty impressive structures, with drainage and water flow systems, public latrines, a large library (with underground tunnel that led to a bordello). Wide walkways of marble. Explored the Greco-Roman amphitheater that reportedly held 24,000 people. Renee picked up a white Turkish tunic. Left there and went to a nice outdoor lunch at the grounds of the Oba Rugs & Kilims factory. Food was plentify and good. Watched how they manually extract silk from cocoons to make thread, and watched a woman working on a very detailed rug that will take her 2 years to finish. Saw rugs from $25,000 down, but restrained from buying anything (will consider coming back though). Then did a scenic drive through the town of Ephesus to see remnants of the temple of Artimis and the basilica of St John. Compared notes with fellow travelers over dinner in the Terrace Cafe as we pulled away from port enroute to Istanbul.

- 13 Apr 2022 (Day 114) Cruising the Mediterranean Sea (Time Zone UTC+3):
Photos at: 
Participated in Herb's Economics Roundtable discussion. Went to a reading of stories created by fellow passengers. Dinner at Polo Grill with Pam & David. Went to the 9:15pm show to watch a newly arrived ballroom dancer couple from the Ukraine...it was like Dancing with the Stars at sea! Hit the sack to prep for first day in Turkey

- 12 Apr 2022 (Day 113) Haifa, Israel (Time Zone UTC+3):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/LcbUuFtCvh3dHKnY9
Another early start, leaving the port by coach to visit Biblical sites around Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee. Visited the Church of the Beatitudes where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount, then to the small fishing village of Capharnaum where Jesus began his ministry. I failed to replicate walking on the water, but did wade into the Sea of Galilee reportedly close to where the Jesus performed that miracle. We saw the ruins of Saint Peter's home which has a church above it, and the co-located synagogue where Jesus taught. Next, on  to the Church of the Multiplication Miracle where Jesus fed thousands from 2 fish and 4 loaves of bread. Saw the stone reportedly used for the miracle. Breaking with the theme of the tour, we visited a diamond center...time that we'd have preferred to spend in a bazaar instead. Then on to Yardenit, believed to be the site of Christ's baptism by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. Renee and I waded into the river a bit, but opted not to do the full dip. We went to lunch at a nearby Kibbutz. Cool experience and good food. Watched several members of the community file in to eat and talk, to include a Druze family. Drove by the Church of the Wedding in Cana, where Christ's first miracle was to turn water into wine. Stopped and explored the Basilica of the Annunciation, which houses the home of the Virgin Mary, site of where the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to let her know of her impending pregnancy. Headed back to Insignia after this. A lot to take in for one day! Amazing how many significant locations are so close together (fortunate for Jesus, as he had to walk everywhere). While I make light a bit now, the entire day was very profound. Nothing like being at the places that many around the world talk about but have never seen!

- 11 Apr 2022 (Day 112) Haifa, Israel (Time Zone UTC+3):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/QF2XsJ6PvVJFZGJo9
Early start. 3-hour Bus ride East and then South to Masada, where we took a cable car up and over to King Herod's Palace ruins. Great views down to the Dead Sea from there. Hard to imagine how the Romans overtook the palace. Then headed to a hotel on the Dead Sea for lunch, and suited up for a float on the Dead Sea. Felt like our whole bodies were beach balls on the water. Very interesting experience. Long ride back with a quick restroom and shopping stop. Another early start and long day tomorrow, so keeping this short to get some sleep.

- 10 Apr 2022 (Day 111) Ashdod, Israel (Time Zone UTC+3):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/QfXHz2kuD6pe4djG6
Afternoon & Evening: Did not clear immigration until around 3pm, then a bus ride to Jerusalem's Old City, where we walked the stone streets through shops, the Via Dolorosa, into the Holy Sepulcher, and to the Wailing Wall. Quite special to be in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday! Given the abbreviated time allocation for the tour we actually saw quite alot. Arrived back to Insignia at 9pm and had a late dinner. Early start tomorrow morning in Haifa.
Morning: Pulled into port here at 6am. All passengers were processed through an additional PCR test administered by Israeli personnel in Insignia Lounge, where we also collected our passports. PVR test included tongue swab in addition to nasal swab. Once all testing is completed, we will leave the ship to clear immigration, bringing with us the two documents we previously filed for to permit entry. Then we'll reboarded the ship to await all test results. Shore excursions won't start until afternoon. Watched from our stateroom as men positioned containers to form a protected passageway from the ship to where we'll catch the shuttle bus. Google Maps complained that my KMZ file was too large again, so had to drop the GPS track from that version of the map data.

- 9 Apr 2022 (Day 110) Cruising the Mediterranean Sea (Time Zone UTC+3):
Photos at: 
Lost another hour as we continue eastward. Breakfast and laps, then went to Herb's 11am discussion group on economics. Discussion was a continuation of last session on the health care system. Didn't fix anything, but fun to explore academically. Also received a ship-wide announcement that all passengers and crew tested negative in the PCR test administered 2 days ago (requirement prior to arrival in Israel, though they'll do their own testing of us when we leave the ship.) That announcement was directly followed by the reminder to wear our masks at all times (no evidence of the virus, but somehow this will help;) Again, requirements are being dictated by the host countries of the ports we visit, so they change each place that we go. Renee had another women's luncheon today in the Grand Dining Room. I went for another massage at the Aquamar Spa. Good, but not the best I've had since aboard. Evening filled with an Oceania Club private cocktail party, followed by an informal gettogether with Lonnie & Evelyn and others, then dinner in Polo Grill with Mike & Billie. Nice sunny and tranquil sea today.

- 8 Apr 2022 (Day 109) Cruising the Mediterranean Sea (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: 
Sad today, as we wave to Crete from a distance, passing South of the island enroute to Israel. Would have been great to stop there, but guess we'll need to wait until 2024 when we celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary there with our kids and grandkids. Relatively quiet day. Learned of some people who have decided to call it quits when we get to Athens. Will be sad to see them go, but totally understand their reasoning. The character of the ship is forged by the people we have on it though, so things will be different when they leave. Renee and I did some laps after breakfast and then we booked some more shore excursions through the first day in Barcelona. I updated associated files with the info. Hoping that anyone coming to this page can get to the links for additional info as desired, and that they let me know if they can't. The Med is less rough today, and walking on the track was nice. Sunshine and not too cool out. Also became aware of some stowaways aboard the Insignia. They must have snuck aboard in Trapani. Have seen two doves and two sparrows flying around up on the top deck by the putting green. The doves fly out to sea when spooked, then back to the only land-like object that is the Insignia. I expect that they'll disembark in Israel. I hope they have their proof of vaccination documents in order;) Dinner in Polo Grill tonight with Barb & Diane. We always enjoy talking with them and have not dined together in a while, so we're looking forward to it. Also booked dinner tomorrow (again in Polo) with Mike & Billie. They're one of the couples leaving the ship in Athens. Tough decision, but the onerous mask rules imposed by Italy and the EU have made it very hard for Billie to understand anything going on, as she cannot hear. Will be sad to see them leave.

- 7 Apr 2022 (Day 108) Cruising the Mediterranean Sea (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: 
High winds forced cancellation of our docking in Valletta as planned, much to the dissappointment of all. We sadly waved to Malta as we cruised passed it along the coastline. On top of that we were notified that we needed to immediately complete a multipage health form (not a major thing with more notice, but a major problem given the horrible internet service and constraint of one device allowed in use at a time for each stateroom.) Much grumbling ensued throughout the day. We were invited by Pam & David to play dominoes, as were Priscilla and Jason, so we did. Had fun, and I lost by a spectacular margin;) At a bit after 4pm the Cruise Director made a ship-wide announcement that Israel issued a new requirement that we'd all need to be PCR tested 48 hours prior to arrival and that testing would start at 5pm. Note that we'll also be PCR tested by personnel in Israel after we leave the ship as well on arrival. Had our noses tickled yet again, then went to dinner in the Grand Dining room on invitation from the World Cruise Hosts, Carolyn and Paul. They also are the ones leading the "Sing Out Loud" chorus in which Renee has participated. A third couple, William and Lois, dined with us as well. We've seen and talked with them at various times on shore excursions but had not really learned much about each other, so it made for a nice evening of discussion. We closed the restaurant again, as we often do it seems.

- 6 Apr 2022 (Day 107) Trapani, Sicily, Italy (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Hfn4UCufWqbUcpmb7
Great tour to Marsala, where we walked some of the downtown streets, went to an archeological museum to see Phoenecian, Roman and Greek artifacts, toured the Flori Winery, then had lunch and wine tasting, then made a short stop to view and photograph sights at the Marsala salt pans. Tour guide was very informative and made it a fun tour. Learned that "Marsala" originated from Islamic "Marsh (sp) Alla". Did not realize that Sicilian was it's own official language that mixes terms from many different cultures that shaped the island over time. The Italian unification effort pulled the island into Italy.

- 5 Apr 2022 (Day 106) Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/rQChY41PBHM2Areb6
Had a great tour here in Sardinia, exploring a Bronze-age ruins called the Su Nuraxi Archeological Zone (see: http://www.fondazionebarumini.it/en/area-archeologica-nuraxi/). Came back to the ship, ate a quick lunch, then headed back into Cagliari to walk around and do a bit of shopping. Nice day overall. Had dinner with Pam & David in Toscana. Lively discussion and good food!

- 4 Apr 2022 (Day 105) Cruising the Mediterranean Sea (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/3so735ipijcnSNpR8
Baristas for 6:30 Americano, then quick workout, then walked Deck 7 inside with Renee as outter decks were closed due to rough seas. Skipped morning lecture and crawled back into bed...time changes had caught up with me! Went to the 11 am "Herb Talk". Today's topic was how to help poor countries. It stimulated some good discussion, though never enough time to discuss thoroughly. Finished two video clips (St Vincent Kayak & Snorkel and Funchal Tobagganing) and uploaded them to their respective Google Photos albums (see links for those days below). Tom & Alla invited us to dinner in Polo Grill with Jason & Priscilla. Once again...good food and good company. Lot's of wailing and gnashing of teeth over the fact that the EU countries were making us all go back to wearing masks at all times in public, and KN-95 masks, which the Insignia provided us with that night, would be required. I looked at the cases to death rates for Italy over the last 28 days. 0.2% per the Johns Hopkins data.

- 3 Apr 2022 (Day 104) Strait of Gibraltar & Mediterranean Sea (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/3so735ipijcnSNpR8
Woke at 4:00am to watch as we passed through the Strait of Gibraltar. Lit city areas on both the African and European sides. We went up to Horizons...only a couple of other folks there...to take some photos. Could see the rock, but not the best photos. Will be better when we return and dock there on 5 May. Crawled back into bed at around 5:30am and slept until about 9:00am. Leisurely morning, with Renee rehearsing and me attending the morning lecture (homer iliad and odyssey in context of the locations and times). Also participated in Herb's Economics talk at 11:00. Good discussion surrounding the IMF and international monetary policy and function. It appears that the grief all were subjected to in meeting Bermuda's entry requirements (which we never needed given itinerary change) apparently did not render enough pain, as we spent a grueling amount of time today fumbling through the process for Malta. Process involved downloading and installing app (could only use smart phones, so keep in mind the average age is likely high 70's to mid 80's), then creating an account, taking/uploading selfies, taking images of our COVID immunization cards and ensuring the files were no larger than 1 MB, then  uploading them for each traveler, going to yet another link to create and submit EU Personal Locator Forms for each traveler (repeating many of the same steps and info entry), then importing the returned QR code into the phone app and saving all returned approvals. All this using internet access constrained to one per stateroom (so only one device per room online at one time) at speeds only slightly better than the old dialup modem speeds (ok...a bit exagerated, but not by much!) One would not surmise from all of this that Malta desires tourism, but we'll be there (maybe...if itinerary holds!)

- 2 Apr 2022 (Day 103) Cruising the Atlantic Ocean (Time Zone UTC+2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/3so735ipijcnSNpR8
Quiet day at sea, with two more to follow given our recent itinerary change. Played dominoes with Pam, David, and Priscilla. Renee rehearsed with the Sing Out Loud choir. I went to the OLife lecture and then to Herb's economics discussion in Horizons. Both were quite engaging. Everyone slept in today and seemed to be moving slowly. Weather is churning up the seas a bit, and will get worse late tonight and as we pass through the Strait of Gibraltar. Attended the show tonight to listen to pianist Panos Karan. Pretty good stuff. (Do I sound tired?). Have shared with others over the past week or two my growing suspicion that we're all part of an evil psychology experiment to see just how much change old people can take before we crack. Imagine losing an hour a day for several days in a row and painstakingly making plans and arrangements repeatedly, only to find out that day or day prior that all had changed. Evil plot indeed! Yet we all continue on and are having fun ;)

- 1 Apr 2022 (Day 102) Funchal, Madeira, Portugal (Time Zone UTC+1):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/9qXFVkTztyhgPxnn9
Started the day with a notification after breakfast from the bridge that our itinerary had changed yet again. Now no stop at Gibraltar or Melilla. Instead straight to Cagliari, Sardinia. Apparently weather issues are the reason. Loved our day in port here in Funchal. Took a great tour that took us up the hill in a gondola, then we sledded down the street on tobaggans, walked through the Madeira Botanical Gardens, did some wine tasting and shopping at an embroidery shop, and worked in a small bit of shopping along the way. Renee picked up some interesting cork purses and some things at the embroidery shop. We invited Jason & Priscilla to join us with Tom & Alla who joined the cruise in Miami. Another great meal in Polo Grill, with great company and discussion.

- 31 Mar 2022 (Day 101) Cruising the Atlantic Ocean (Time Zone UTC+1):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/KoCWh1ePsfXiKviF8
Another late start to the day for all, given the hour loss again last night. Good news is that tomorrow we'll be in port at Funchal in Madeira (Hooray!!), so time changes will slow down from then on. Cooler yet today, so many folks are wearing pants and long sleeved shirts...many wearing jackets as well. Attending another of Herb's (our noted Economist on the cruise) unofficial discussion group meetings at 11:15 up in Horizons. Fairly lively discussion yesterday related to immigration issues. Will likely be a continuation of that discussion today, as seemed too short a time period we devoted to it yesterday. Had some additional discussion on this at breakfast with Herb & Helene and David and Pam.

- 30 Mar 2022 (Day 100) Cruising the Atlantic Ocean (Time Zone UTC):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/KoCWh1ePsfXiKviF8
Lost another hour, and one more to go before we reach Madeira. Odd, as Madeira is West of the Prime Meridian yet has a time zone of UTC+1. Casual day today, and travelers are beginning to wear warmer clothes as the temperature continues to drop. Still, a nice day overall today. Some have seen what may have been pilot whales, and we passed a couple of odd looking black boxes that some speculated may have contained some form of instrumentation. Attempted to complete our tax returns, and almost succeeded. May be able to resolve the issue tomorrow, but hard to make calls until we're in a port. Did Brain Teasers with Jason & Priscilla at 8:30pm in Horizons, then just sat and talked for a while.

- 29 Mar 2022 (Day 99) Cruising the Atlantic Ocean (Time Zone UTC-1):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/KoCWh1ePsfXiKviF8
Still losing time every day!! Two more time zones to pass in the next two days, so it makes for late mornings each morning! Breakfast, 30 laps, quick gym workout. Renee's heading for Sing Out Loud rehearsal, then we'll head up to the special Around the World (kinda) Luncheon at the Grand Dining Room. Have not been posting new photos as we've not taken many. Will post an album for this Atlantic Crossing at some point. Had dinner in the Polo Grill with Ila and . Watched a nice sunset from the aft window by our table. Jason and Priscilla were at the table next to us, celebrating their 3rd wedding anniversary. We helped them celebrate a bit more later with other friends up in Horizons Lounge, then attended Alan Kavanagh's second performance. We had lunch with this young vocalist and multi-instrumentalist the other day. The crowd had a good time, singing along to tunes from Queen, The Beatles, and Don McClean.

- 28 Mar 2022 (Day 98) Cruising the Atlantic Ocean (Time Zone UTC-2):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/KoCWh1ePsfXiKviF8
           *** Today marks the midpoint of our cruise days!!! ***
Lost another hour heading East. Ate breakfast, then walked 30 laps and hit the gym for a while. Renee went to rehearsal and I went to Herb's talk in Horizons. He initiated this discussion group on economics topics. Today's discussion was related to the often recited statement that "The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer". No right or wrong in the discussion...just prompting folks to explore the topic, so nicely done. Renee attended a ladies' pamper party at Aquamar Spa. I used my new script to reduce the GPS track data so that I can now post it on the Google Map again and updated files with itinerary changes.

- 27 Mar 2022 (Day 97) Cruising the Atlantic Ocean (Time Zone UTC-3):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/KoCWh1ePsfXiKviF8
Breakfast followed by a short walk, then Renee went to Sing Out Loud rehearsal and I went to a Creative Writing Workshop session. It was intriguing, and I was tempted to engage, but I'm carefully guarding my time, so will likely not pursue this activity. Sinus pain kept me from going to a special dinner in the Grand Dining Room. Renee and I ordered in and watched Raiders of the Lost Ark. Cruise Directory Leslie (replaced Ray in Miami) put together a big party in Insignia Lounge for folks to watch the Oscars, but not something we care anything about so did not go.

- 26 Mar 2022 (Day 96) Cruising the Atlantic Ocean (Time Zone UTC-3):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/KoCWh1ePsfXiKviF8
Quiet day at sea. I spent most of my time writing a Python script to reduce the number of data points in my GPX files so that the Google Earth KMZ file is smaller and so I can once again post the track as part of the Google Maps display. 

- 25 Mar 2022 (Day 95) Cruising the Atlantic Ocean (Time Zone UTC-3):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/KoCWh1ePsfXiKviF8
Another hour lost, as we changed time zones again heading East. Relaxed day, but rough seas. Had lunch with a newly boarded couple, Jeff & Nanette, from Melbourne Florida. Played dominoes with David & Pam. Another Team Trivia with the new Cruise Directory, Leslie John. New York or Bust took 2nd place (That's 4 Big O points we're talking about!!) Dinner at Polo Grill tonight at a shared table, so might meet more new arrivals.

- 24 Mar 2022 (Day 94) Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/kfw4CwJRmLy4X1NYA
Came here when Bermuda dropped off the itinerary. This is another key that Norwegian Cruise Lines purchased and renovated in 2017 to be a destination playground, so beautiful place. We decided not to swim with the pigs (popular attraction) and we just snorkeled on our own. Enjoyed the day, then cleaned up for dinner and the comedy show. Comedian was okay, but not great. Hit the sack right after the show.

- 23 Mar 2022 (Day 93) Miami, Florida, USA (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/1N1vdAv47gPprqAC9
All passengers had to exit the ship and clear customs, though those staying on the cruise did not need to clear luggage. 55 people left the cruise here and 90 new travelers joined us. We headed out as soon as we cleared customs at around 8:30. I had a personalized tour of a dentist's office (took a photo). Renee headed out via Uber to some shopping locations for supplies. We met back on the Insignia for lunch, then headed out again to mail things off at the post office and do some more light shopping. Bayside Marketplace was hopping and colorful, and the area was buzing with workers preparing for a big Spring fair in the area. We also got news that Bermuda was scratched from the itinerary (it would have been a couple of sea days away), and instead we're heading for Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas. The island is another destination theme resort owned by Norwegian Cruise Lines. We reviewed options for shore excursions and decided to skip kayaking and swimming with pigs in favor of simply bringing our snorkeling gear and snorkeling at our leisure. We're also now going to Funchal instead of the Azores. We'll see what tomorrow brings. 

- 22 Mar 2022 (Day 92) At Sea (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at:
Heading East, so lost another hour last night. Peaceful day at sea. Renee worked out, I worked on data manipulation and display (make it easier for folks to see the current/complete GPS track). Announcement prior to dinner that the passengers of the Insignia donated a total of $11,000 for the 11 Ukranian staff aboard. This was a grass roots effort...not affiliated with the cruise line or ship. Hope it helps them. Dinner with George and Roxanne in Toscana, then Renee met with Pam and Priscilla to plan activities in Miami tomorrow (hint: shopping and post office involved)

- 21 Mar 2022 (Day 91) Cozumel, Mexico (Time Zone UTC-5):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/WdjKPVQXCgwGT5Jx5
Took a 9-hour trip to see Tulum and only spent an hour there, rapidly moving through the ruins among hundreds of other tourists, but did manage to get a few decent photos. Stopped at a marine theme park for lunch, which was a waste of 2 hours that we could have used at Tulum. Let Destination Services know of our displeasure with the excursion. That said, still enjoyed our time with the folks we traveled with, and walked back to the Insignia through town to browse some shops. This was the last port before we hit Miami, which ends another segment of the cruise and starts the next. We'll lose some folks and pick some up for a net gain of about 60 or so.

- 20 Mar 2022 (Day 90) Costa Maya, Mexico (Time Zone UTC-5):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/mQYH3c7WGs2QUTE96
Expored the Kohunlich Mayan Ruins today. Very interesting. Saw a howler monkey on the way out. Stopped at the Los Rapidos Laguna de Bacalar restaurant (see: https://www.rapidosbacalar.com) for late lunch. Very nice resort setting on the Bacalar Lagoon. Then back to the port for some quick shopping and back aboard the Insignia.

- 19 Mar 2022 (Day 89) Harvest Caye, Belize (Time Zone UTC-6):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/9Es51dMRg3Qdjwmx7
Nice tour today out to the Nim Li Punit (Big Hat) Mayan Ruins. Nothing as grand as some of the others, but nice to have been there, learned a bit, and had a nice hike. Picked up a Mayan Calendar piece from a local vendor. Stopped at a restaurant/spice market on the way back. Port of Havest Caye was specially developed by NCL as a destination in itself, though we did not spend much time there. On return from the tour we walked around a bit, saw their butterfly exhibit, some tucans and other critters, then walked the shops a bit. We were supposed to snorkel the barrier reef, but that excursion was canceled the previous night.

- 18 Mar 2022 (Day 88) Santo Thomas, Guatemala (Time Zone UTC-6):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Eckyk3xsMc8kVXci9
Great shore excursion today with the Q'eqchi River Community, boat ride along the coast and river, lunch, jungle hike, and walking tour through Livingston. Guide was great. It was hot and humid, but a very nice day. Ended the tour with some shopping at the port. Renee got some jade jewelry and we picked up a good sized jade Tikal mask. Received a letter in our room from Destination Services at about 8 PM notifying us that sea conditions are forcing cancellation of snorkeling trips. Changed back to the Nim Li Punit with Lunch excursion.

- 17 Mar 2022 (Day 87) Roatan, Honduras (Port skipped due to winds and sea states) (Time Zone UTC-6):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/CTjoH7M36xJ8AhRMA
We arrived at our intended port, but could not dock due to expected sea states and high winds, so the Insignia Captain decided to skip this port. So...We did not have our planned Dolphin Encounter excursion (but see photo for today). Became another day at sea, and the ship headed North, then South again toward Guatemala.

- 16 Mar 2022 (Day 86) At Sea (Time Zone UTC-6):
Photos at: 
Time zone change again as we sail Westward. Quiet day for me, but Renee was busy with Sing Out Loud rehearsal and the women's luncheon. We did make a few more future shore excursion selections and booked them. Dinner was in Polo Grill. We sat with Joanna & Carolyn and George & Roxanne. Our paths have crossed a number of times, but this is the first time we'd spent time exchanging life stories. Interesting discussions, as always. George left the table for a bit and returned with a couple of manipulation puzzles they'd created with their 3-D printer in their room. They love puzzles and have a museum in Boca Roton, Florida. He demo'd how to reassemble the three identical pieces to place them back into their boxes, but did so in a way that made it difficult to see and replicate, so we'll be sorting that out over the next couple of days.

- 15 Mar 2022 (Day 85) Port Antonio, Jamaica (Time Zone UTC-5):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ze4Q1RGSbVZxotjj9
Had a great day here. Started with a bamboo raft float for 8 miles along the Rio Grand River, then took a private tour with Lonnie & Evelyn, David & Pam, and Jason & Priscilla. Stopped at the craft market, where mysteriously my hair grew into dreds. Then went to the Blue Lagoon of movie fame. Then stopped at the Folly Lighthouse for a few photos. Nice day.

- 14 Mar 2022 (Day 84) At Sea (Time Zone UTC-5):
Photos at: 
Slow day today...relaxation that all seemed to need and appreciate. Went to two talks by the current OLife Enrichment Speaker, Armando Flores Sanchez. He's a military historian, and the first 2 of his 6 lectures were on spying. Interesting, and prompted some lunchtime discussion. Renee worked out this morning and later met with her ladies' group to prep some favors for the upcoming luncheon.

- 13 Mar 2022 (Day 83) Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/JUM7znsFbYJTej2q9
Quiet day. Renee headed out with Diane Radewald to explore some of the places we did not hit yesterday, to include the Larimar Museum, Independence Park, and the market area in the Colonial City. I spent some time data wrangling and checking on investments. Some heavy discussion at dinner today with Herb & Helene, David & Pam, and Renee and me. Topics ranged from how research and science are stifled and/or funded based on popular or political direction to COVID, reasons for the declining life expectancy rate in the U.S., and other things. Went to the show at 9:15, as the full entertainment cast was performing. Nice show. They really put heart and soul into their performances.

- 12 Mar 2022 (Day 82) Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/JUM7znsFbYJTej2q9
**** Happy Birthday Renee!!!
Took the City Tour of Santo Domingo. Saw the Columbus Lighthouse (where Columbus may, or may not, rest in peace). Also saw Pope John II's Pope Mobile there. Walked around Diego Columbus' house (son of Christopher and Governor of the Indies). Saw other historic 16th century buildings and sites. Renee picked up some Larimar jewelry with amber in it. Larimar (named after a young girl named Larissa, who found the stone), is only found and mined here in the Dominican Republic. The amber from here is what was used in the movie Jurassic Park. Birthday party tonight in Polo Grill. We've invited 10 other friends to join us. There's also a deck party tonight, and there may be a party on shore just outside of our stateroom, so everyone here is celebrating Renee's birthday!!

- 11 Mar 2022 (Day 81) Isla Catalina, Dominican Republic (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/aKQCBvmCe62XV9uz9
Rough waters near Isla Catalina as we anchored and tendered to a pier, where we changed boats and motored to La Romana. There we boarded a bus and headed out to the Cave of Wonders. The grounds around the cave were scenic, with large iguanas running around everywhere. The cave was spectacular. We spent a fair amount of time walking through various portions of the cave, each lighting up as we entered. We then headed to Altos De Chavon, which is a late 1970s Hollywood re-creation of a 16th century Mediterranean–style village, located atop the Chavón River. While no movies were every filmed there, the setting is used for weddings and other occasions, and a wedding was about to start 45 minutes after we passed through the venue. Apocalypse Now and Rambo II were filmed on the Chavon River below the location. Another rough ride back to the ship, but all managed okay.

- 10 Mar 2022 (Day 80) St Thomas (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Pnw4981SKQdF6NLj8
Slow morning, with excursion at 12:30. Drove to South end of the island and took kayaks out through mangroves to a snorkeling spot on Cas Cay. Hiked it a bit, then snorkeled. Kayaked back (good workout)

- 9 Mar 2022 (Day 79) St Kitts (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/A7fK75vHodQFiryP9
Fun day riding ATVs on St Kitts today! First time for us both, and we had a great time. There were three other cruise ships in port, so island was hopping. Now to spend some more time updating files to include the itinerary and shore excursion changes!

- 8 Mar 2022 (Day 78) Dominica (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/D7BwEykCyAUQhAuk8
Quick breakfast, then off the ship with about 40 others from the insignia for our River Tubing and Emerald Pool excursion. Nice drive up the hills of this volcanic island...one of the less populated islands in the Caribbean. Stopped first at the Emerald Pool, a small water hole at the base of a waterfall. I was first to wade into, around and across the pool. Stacked some rocks on the far side. After hiking back up the hill to the vehicles, we headed to the Layou River, where we floated along, bouncing off rocks and each other, sometimes getting stuck on rocks, to the pull out point 1.3 miles down the river. Lots of fun...everyone got wet for sure.
Lots of itinerary and excursion changes. Have updated some in the above files, but more work to do to update all.

- 7 Mar 2022 (Day 77) St Johns Antigua (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/AERrD1opGq79TdbT9
Third day on a catamaran. No snorkeling on this one, but we cruised along a fair portion of the coastline and made a couple of beach stops to swim. Also had a very nice grilled lobster lunch. Enjoyed this day and the activity. All on board had a great time, and we rocked the port on arrival back (lots of music and dancing)

- 6 Mar 2022 (Day 76) Casteries, St. Lucia (Day 2) (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/SXNQJQYSWuHQBJJ67
Quick start to the morning. Boarded yet another catamaran and moto-sailed out to a location on the South-West side of the island. Pulled into a small cove with many other boats, and I'm thinking two things..."Why can't the fish swim to us?" (would save precious time), and "We're going to have more people in the water than fish!". The latter turned out to be false...it was a great snorkel and we saw a great variety of fish. Our boat was a bit less-kept than the one yesterday, but the crew were a lot more fun and they had a great DJ. On the way back they broke out the rum, and we had everyone jamming to the beats and moving their feet. (Do NOT believe any video you see of me...I maintain that it's a "deep fake", and never happened!) Also of note: Renee did not imbibe, but somehow seemed to start all of the fun, to include a conga line!. We had dinner at Toscana with 4 of the 21 folks who boarded yesterday in Barbados. Kathy (former teacher) & John (former real estate appraiser) are from north Tucson. Harry (Real Estate mogul) & Susie live in Laguna Beach and emphatically and repeatedly mentioned that's where they'll be staying. Good food and good discussion.

- 5 Mar 2022 (Day 75) Bridgetown, Barbados (Day 2) (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/FRmRGGZtG1NHQzrq9
Nice excursion today. Took a catamaran North along the coast of West Barbados to a couple of snorkeling spots. Saw a couple of turtles and some fish at the first stop, to include a couple of large tarpins. Had a nice lunch (Blue Marlin, beef, chicken, more), then snorkeled at a second reef location. Lots of nice fish. Did see another turtle too.

- 4 Mar 2022 (Day 74) Bridgetown, Barbados (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/RXSh7Dq7azPaSUUq6
Started today with yet another antigen test. We both passed (negative for SARS CoV-2). Ate a quick breakfast and headed out on our tame, but nice, "Best of Barbados" tour. Three main stops: Sugar cane plantation where we sampled rum and toured the plantation house, a tropical garden, and Gun Hill Signal Station. Guide was great, and many friends on the tour, so we enjoyed it. Got back and called our daughter to wish her a Happy Birthday. Spent the rest of the afternoon and evening selecting future port excursions, dining, and talking with friends.

- 3 Mar 2022 (Day 73) Kingstown, St. Vincent (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/7quLkXpbBgNu4g2RA
Afternoon & Evening: Trip went about as expected. We kayaked through a narrow cave filled with shrieking bats (fun!), then over to a cove where a cave scene was filmed in the Black Pearl. Snorkeling was okay, but not great. Kayaked back, then drove to a rum-tasking stop where we sampled some St Vincent rum (reportedly the strongest around). Back at the pier I stopped in to get my hair cut (only $5, but gave her $20). Quiet evening and off we go to Barbados.
Morning: Quick breakfast and uploading of photos and video clips from last night. Ray is having a gettogether with military veterans in Martinis Bar this morning at 10am, so will attend. Looking at some sailboats out on the water as we approach St. Vincent. Looking forward to our kayaking and snorkeling today. Will kayak to a cove used to film part of Pirates of the Caribbean.
		 
- 2 Mar 2022 (Day 72) Cruising the Caribbean Sea (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/si8VCcdFBiT2WtST9
Afternoon & Evening: The day went very well. Renee's performance was great. Dinner at Polo Grill was very nice. Surprised Renee with a little bling at desert time. Desert was a little cake they made for us, which we brought up to Horizons to share with a dozen friends, along with some wine and champaigne. We stopped by our stateroom at one point, only to find it decorated with balloons, towel swans kissing, lots of chocolate, and a nice sign over the bed with our wedding photo! All in all, a very nice evening. Was great to hear from our kids as well. Wish they could all be here with us.
Morning: Today marks our 48th wedding anniversary. Had a nice, leasurely breakfast on the verdanda. Beautiful sunny day out on the sea, with gannets escorting along side of the ship, flying close to the veranda as if they're checking us out. As we sat there, reminiscing about the things we've done and where, we also reflected on how fortunate we've been to have a life filled with so many good times and memories with friends and family. For all the good, we're also mindful of the hardships faced by the people of the Ukraine at this time, so our hopes and prayers are with them and their country, as well as with any/all who engage in this crazy aggression by people and ideas whose time should have passed. Today's activities: laps on the track, Renee's Sing Out Loud rehearsal, team trivia, the Sing Out Loud performance, private dinner at the Polo Grill, then meeting with friends poolside at around 8pm for drinks and discussion.

- 1 Mar 2022 (Day 71) Oranjestad, Aruba - Day 2 (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/9bEhvMeuuJp6n9k38
*** "Fleeeeedom!!!" ***
Afternoon and Evening: SeaTrek shore excursion (see: https://www.sea-trek.com) was great! We were shuttled over to de Palm island (see: https://depalmisland.com), an all-inclusive activity park (like Wet n Wild meets sea-side resort). We got into the water and they lifted the heavy helmet over our heads in onto our shoulders. They continuously pump air into the helmet, making it very comfortable to breath with fog-free visibility of the fish and other sights. We walked down to about 15' below the surface and posed for several photos and videos (see the album for today) with objects and sealife. Turns out that Renee and I were the only ones from the Insignia to book this tour, but we had two other couples and a guy from perhaps the other cruise ships that were in port today. After we were done we joined others from the ship who were snorkeling and doing other activities. Prior to leaving, Jason and I decided that we needed to do the death-drop water slide, so did that. All-in-all, a nice day and a nice two days in Aruba.
Morning: Today is the 1st day of non-compulsory mask wearing on the ship! Felt wierd walking around certain places without our masks on. We carried them, ready to whip them out should we see a stray Coronavirus wandering about, but none in sight! Yesterday was very quiet in Aruba, but today there will be 2-3 other cruise ships here, all larger than ours, so should be a busy day. We're booked on the Sea Trek adventure (walk the sea floor wearing a helmet), so should be interesting.
One bit of bad news today from Destination Services. Turns out that we're too old to ride the ATVs on St Kitts (tour operator's insurance doesn't cover riders over 65 year of age). Ouch!! Wonder if they have a Hoveround powered wheel chair tour we can book!
Okay...just booked an ATV tour on St Kitts using Viator. Called and spoke with Elvis, who assures us that we're not too old and that we'll have a good time.

- 28 Feb 2022 (Day 70) Oranjestad, Aruba (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/UUoQBe1gwjuLQivi7
Took a very nice, casual, and scenic tour around the island. Stopped at the California Lighthouse at the north end of Aruba, explored a rock formation where there are some ancient cave paintings, visited the collapsed natural bridge (where we accidentally sacrificed Renee's Panama hat to the natural bridge gods), saw some great beaches and shops, and toured an ostrich farm. Came back to the Insignia for lunch and to freshen up, then took a nice stroll from the port to shops nearby. Many were closed as a result of Carnivale, but several were open, so we did some shopping. 

- 27 Feb 2022 (Day 69) Kralendijk, Bonaire (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/q1HHHQ3KHGpgWN8S6
Arrived port right around 7:00am. Calm waters, but raining a bit. Nice excursion on the Samur (see: https://www.facebook.com/Samur-Sailing-Snorkeling-1287268268020696), built in 1968 by a former CIA agent assigned to Siam (Thailand). Did a drift snorkel along the edge of a shallow reef with a deep dropoff. Lots of fish. Will post some photos and video once I've had time to go through it. Second tour was a bust. The Eco Tuk-Tuk trip provided us a tour of parking lots and any place devoid of camera-worthy views. Fortunately it was short and inexpensive. Allowed us time to window shop all of the closed stores (Sunday and pandemic closures, so little to see or do). Tried to get a taxi to see the salt hills and flats (which we were misinformed we'd see on the Tuk-Tuk tour), but our cab driver refused to take us there. Had ice cream instead. It was good.

- 26 Feb 2022 (Day 68) Cruising the Caribbean Sea (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: 
Afternoon & Evening: Quiet day at sea. Did typical sea day activities, tuned in to the news to monitor how things are going with the Ukraine (sad thing). Had another Oceania Club Cocktail party in the Insignia Lounge, so enjoyed seeing folks there and listening to some of the stats about fellow cruisers (some with 60+ cruises under their belts) and how much we're consuming (185 pounds of ice cream and 13,000 pounds of vegetables per week). Dined with Jason & Priscilla and Jack & Shiela. Great food and great company. Went to trivia in Horizons Cafe, then to the quickly assembled show. Sea day threw things off, so all performers got together and put on a great show. Ray had the audience howling with his sock "Three Amigos Sock Puppet" sneak peak.
Morning: At sea again today, as rough seas slowed our progress and we had to skip Willemstad, Curacau today. Unfortunate, as Willemstad is very scenic and we'll miss out on a nice snorkeling opportunity, but more snorkeling planned in future ports. Did a quick workout and laps (track is reopened as seas have calmed down), then breakfast. Did not stick around to talk with folks as wanted to get back and finish filing our business tax return, which we did. Still need to do personal taxes, but might file for extension.

- 25 Feb 2022 (Day 67) Cruising the Caribbean Sea (Time Zone UTC-4):
Photos at: 
Lost yet another hour in our day. Now on Atlantic time. Seas were rough all night and all day today. Many passengers had problems sleeping last night, as the ship has been rocking and rolling a fair amount and often there's a pounding of the ship upon against the waves making a fair amount of noise. Late breakfast, leisurely day. Renee had Sing Out Loud rehearsal. Our team took 2nd place in trivia today and got Big O points for the Mensa quiz as well. Saving them up to wallpaper our new home in AZ some day. Sat in on a presentation by a guest violinist on a topic totally unrelated to his music. He's been working to "decode" symbolism found in a variety of sources, to include paintings by da Vinci. Clever and passionate presentation, so it was entertaining, but many aspects that require more scrutiny and I found his repeated assertions of sameness, levels of certainty, and originality of discovery suspect. Ship's doctor called to let me know that she was able to arrange for a dentist and transportation in Aruba, but I was able to book an appointment at a Miami dental office so opted for that instead, even though it means waiting longer to get the work done. Watching news on the Ukrainian situation. Very sad, and hard to believe that such a thing would happen in the year 2022.

- 24 Feb 2022 (Day 66) Panama Canal Transit (Time Zone UTC-5):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/8HxtF7DNXH9voRVWA
Afternoon & Evening: Full day of taking photos and enjoying the canal transit. We told Cella that we were not going to take the option for the 2024 world cruise. Ships passengers and crew were very sad to hear the news about Russia in the Ukraine. We have several Ukrainian crew members, to include 3 of the 4 string quartet musicians. Very unfortunate and sad. Oceania made the decision for us to eliminate St Petersburg from our itinerary, of course, and we're waiting to see what the change will be. Had dinner in Toscana with Lonnie & Evelyn. It was Evelyn's birthday, so the staff brought her a nice cake after dinner, which she shared with us. Nice evening, though somewhat somber with the news about Russia.
Morning: Lined up for our entrance into the canal at about 7:30am. Lot's of cargo ships waiting to enter. Not a quick thing getting through here! We're currently (noon local time) through the first two sets of locks and heading for Lake Gatun. Scenic passing through the cut and looking out our veranda door into the Panamania jungle as it passes by.

- 23 Feb 2022 (Day 65) Panama City, Panama (Time Zone UTC-5):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/AoMiJiq9TbazXNpP9
Insignia docked at Panama's new pier that is not quite open for business, so drive out and back from the pier was through construction and rough dirt roads. We headed out soon after breakfast on a tour of Panama City. There were 3 bus loads of passengers. Ours had Ulga (real name withheld), the Panamanian prison warden turned tour guide. We learned a lot about what we cannot do, and were held captive for long spells of difficult to understand narration, while scenery screamed for us to break free every minute. I proposed we make a run for it, but we struggled through the tour. Hit a museum and ruins of Old Panama City, then went for a captive march from place to place for a while. Caught Ulga's ire when I dared to glance at some handmade crafts in a town square at an unprescribed time. "I will let you have some time to shop when we're done!", Ulga shrieked as she whisked us away. She made good on her promise, and we had a full 45 minutes to shop after another captive and painful droning for a half hour or so. Jason and Priscilla, who were with one of the other groups, tapped out some code to organize a freedom break at the end of the tour. We advised our guides that we would not be returning with our respective buses, and instead we wandered around the city on our own, discovering even more thrilling sights and places than we saw on our tour. Had lunch in a cool old car museum/restaurant. All enjoyed their food, though I feared that my choice of "El Kraken" (an octopus dish) might want to exit my body with force later in the day. Enjoyed our leisurely (and FREE) walk around town, then took a shuttle back to the port and reboarded the Insignia. All met and ate dinner in the Terrace Cafe later, exchanging stories of our travels. Renee and I dined with Herb (notable economist) and Helen (accomplished doctor), and had some very interesting discussions about Helen's remarkable ability to relieve chronic backpain (papers are published, and some interesting anecdotes related to her presentations in various places). Also learned about a pain and itch-relieving cream she co-developed with a pharmacist. I'll be trying it out...sounds interesting (see: https://qrcream.com). Herb and Helen visited a former President of Panama at his residence today and had some interesting stories and photos to share of the event.

- 22 Feb 2022 (Day 64) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone UTC-5):
Photos at: 
Afternoon & Evening: After Renee returned from her activities we discussed options for pursuing the 2024 world cruise or turning it down and pressing on with original plans. Pretty much resolved the latter, but will see how we feel about this over the next day or so before we let Cella know our decision. Went and played some bean bag toss and shuffleboard before going to Team Trivia. No Big O points for trivia today, but picked up another 6 for our Mensa quiz answers. Ship's doctor called to advise that the port agent was not able to book me a dental appointment in Panama City, so we'll push it to Curacao and try again. Had dinner with Jason & Priscilla and Ray and Lois who we met in Toscana on 17 Feb. Fun joking around with the wait staff, especially Jeffrey. They like having fun, so they roll with it well. Getting to the point where we know many of the others eating in a restaurant when we go now.
Morning: Lost yet another hour last night, so now on U.S. Eastern time again. As a result, we got up a bit later than usual and simply headed for breakfast. Sat with David & Pam, with Jason & Priscilla at a table next to us. Fun conversation, as usual. Talked about how "busy" our days are...need to go for a walk on the track, have a luncheon to attend, singing rehearsal, etc. Today is "busy" for Renee. After breakfast we did a few laps, then Renee showered up and got ready for Singing Outloud rehearsal, after which she'll attend a ladies' luncheon that she helped organize. I'm just enjoying not having to do anything!

- 21 Feb 2022 (Day 63) Puntarenas Costa Rica (Time Zone UTC-6):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/vq5DTH5Mpu9abrRb7
Arrived early, so quick breakfast and then off the ship. Hour-plus bus ride to get to the mountains for the aerial tram through the rain forest, which was quiet (except for the continuous din of cicadas), peaceful and scenic. Took a hike and discovered where Fruit Loops were made (Toucans sitting in one of the trees), walked through a butterfly park, and then had a nice Costa Rican lunch.

- 20 Feb 2022 (Day 62) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone UTC-6):
Photos at: 
Afternoon & Evening: Relaxing day. Stimulating discussion on a variety of topics after lunch in Terrace Cafe with Herb and Jason. Seas were rough again today (though not as bad as some previous days), so the upper decks were closed. Received a letter from Nasra, one of the girls that we sponsor in Tanzania, so we wrote back to both Nasra and our other sponsored child, Ashura. Always nice to hear what's going on with them. We had champaigne reception for Around The World guests in the library, then dinner in Toscana. We sat with Dick and Dorothy and with Earl and (forgot his wife's name). More discussion...we closed the restaurant. Now to prep for early start in Puntarenas tomorrow and a good night's sleep.
Morning: Made a quick visit to the Medical Center on Insignia to coordinate a dental appointment in Panama City...need to get a veneer reattached. They will coordinate with the port agent to get me transportation and an appointment, but not sure how much it all will cost. Should be an adventure! Might affect our shore excursion that day. Also spent significant time updating our itinerary planner, Google Earth KMZ, and resolving how to deal with Google's limit of 5MB for Google Maps. On the latter, I've left out the GPS track and instead changed the appearance of all point markers for days/places in the past. Renee worked out and went to Sing Outloud rehearsal, now we're heading to lunch.

- 19 Feb 2022 (Day 61) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone UTC-6):
Photos at: 
Rough seas today. Captain gave us all a heads' up yesterday, so expected it, but it was a bit of rocking and rolling most of the day. Still made it to the gym to work out and did laps on the track. Pool water was splashing up onto the track above, so they drained the pool. Quiet day activity-wise. Went to a presentation on the 2024 World Cruise, which we've pre-booked, which preserves us the option without obligation until 24 Feb. Many good reasons to do this, but we've not definitively decided that we'll go yet. Our cruise got a sneek peek and first right of refusal. Not even travel agents will be able to see and book the cruise until 2 March. Also spent time selecting and booking shore excursions for the cruise segment between Barbados and Miami. Feeling a bit lazy today, so not updating any data above. Will catch up tomorrow.

- 18 Feb 2022 (Day 60) Acapulco Mexico (Central Time Zone UTC-6):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/mVN6zraJLGNivY6j9
Morning: Early start, so quick breakfast, then out to our bus. First stop was to see the cliff divers. Much closer viewing than I expected. Fist-bumped the divers as they passed me, climbed the wall where I was standing, then down the cliff, then dove in to swim to the larger cliff on the other side which they free-climbed. Pretty spectacular show. Had to get a teeshirt autographed by the divers, of course. Then to our glass bottomed boat for a short ride to La Roqueta island, where we hiked to the top and took photos at the lighthouse there. After returning, we rode through the city and into a traffic jam (teachers were striking about something), but did make it to our restaurant at Tabasco beach where we were treated to some lunch and marguaritas. Took a walk along the beach before the bus ride back to the ship. It was nice to do the excursion with a few of our Insignia friends. Spent most of the time with Jason and Priscilla...always fun time with them! Felt a bit sad for Acapulco, as it has clearly seen better times decades ago, but not since. Shops, streets and homes were dirty and in significant states of disrepair. Lots of rumors about visitors getting robbed, which likely explained all of the armed military escorts we had as we traveled around, though they were happy to pose with and for us!

- 17 Feb 2022 (Day 59) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Central Time Zone UTC-6):
Photos at: 
Afternoon & Evening: Renee went to her Sing Outloud rehearsal for their next show. She also helped Sheila coordinate a women's luncheon for the 22nd and representated us at Team Trivia. She also secured additional shore excursion info from Destination Services for upcoming ports of call. I spent a good part of the day working on videos we've taken. I wrote a script to auto-reduce them so that I can upload them using our less-than-adequate WiFi bandwidth. Also put a couple of videos together for Caitlin and for Anna (from Reception) who were with us on the ziplining tour yesterday. We had dinner at Toscana with two other couples we'd not yet met. Mary and Jim from Melbourne Florida and Ray & Lois from Knoxville Tennessee. Some interesting conversation, mostly about places everyone has been and suggestions on things to do at certain ports.
Morning: Lost yet another hour last night. Now on Central Time. Heading for Acapulco. Quiet morning. Renee is working out and I'm wrangling data. Google Maps will no longer update for me, as I've reached their limit of 5 MB for the map. Will need to drop some data from what I'm mapping there to continue to use it. Google Earth KMZ file updates are no problem, but harder for others to use unless they've got Google Earth loaded. Also working on videos. Wrote a Python script to reduce all video file sizes for files found in a directory. Still needs some touching up, but should help with uploading videos using this absolutely terrible wifi. The cruise industry really needs a better solution than what they can seem to manage.

- 16 Feb 2022 (Day 58) Mazatlan, Mexico (Time Zone UTC-7):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/DrqV5fcRphZhFeNF6
Drove up to the mountains in a van with 8 people, including a crew member from Destination Services on the ship. Did some fun ziplining (literally used our gloved hand to break speed), ate some homemade quesadillas, then toured a blue agave distillery and sampled 4 types of Tequila. Back to port where we did a bit of shopping, then back to the ship. Ate dinner in the Grand Dining Room with Barb & Diane and Nancy & Mark from San Juan Island, Washington. Great food and great company.

- 15 Feb 2022 (Day 57) Cabo San Lucas, Mexico (Time Zone UTC-7):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/MF2p2SDhYM3T9oHGA
Afternoon & Evening: Nice ride out to sea on our fishing boat. Only one other couple with us. Lots of sun. No fish. Did see dolphins and whales though. Scenic as we headed out around the point at Land's End, with Lover's Beach, the natural arch, and cool rock formations. Came back and kicked around Cabo near the port a bit, then tendered back to the Insignia. Had a quick dinner in Terrace Cafe.
Morning: Quick workout, breakfast, and some laps as we approach our anchor spot off Cabo. Saw some whales at a distance, and something (marlin perhaps?) leaping high into the air several times at a distance behind the ship. Too far out to get good photos or video though. Sat with Steve and Dorothy at breakfast. Bumped into the lady who I administered first aid to back in Kona and her husband as we were leaving Terrace Cafe. Finally got their names (Toby & Bob Riesman (sp?)). Her wound was healing, but they did not suture it at all, so it's a pretty big scar area. She was walking though, and they seemed to be doing okay. Was very happy to see them and to learn that she's okay. Back to the stateroom to prep for our sport fishing excursion.

- 14 Feb 2022 (Day 56) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Mountain Time, Time Zone UTC-7):
Photos at: 
******* Valentine's Day! ***********
Afternoon & Evening: Saw more flying fish and dolphins. One dolphin swam right along with us off our veranda, so got a bit of video of that. A large pod of dolphins rappidly approached the Insignia from a good distance off, but it was great to see them leaping out of the water as they approached. Had dinner in the Polo Grill with Jason & Priscilla. Nice visit and some good conversation. Maria & Juan were celebrating their 7th wedding anniversary, seated at a table next to us with Cruise Director Ray. They renewed their vows up in Horizons Lounge later in the evening. Went to the show at 9:15. Comedian magician and his wife, a singer he met on a cruise some years prior. They were good...enjoyed their performance.
Morning: Quiet morning off the coast of Baja California. Ordered room service for a quiet breakfast on our veranda. Looking forward to Cabo San Lucas and sport fishing tomorrow, but today will be looking for more whales, as they are often seen in this area.

- 13 Feb 2022 (Day 55) San Diego, California (Time Zone UTC-8):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/aABHQe9byFMFvJUV6
Evening: Watched Super Bowl LVI in the Insignia Lounge as we pulled away from port in San Diego and set sail South toward Cabo San Lucas. Nice affair. The wait staff were serving food and drinks. We sat with David and Pam, who really had no favorite, but Pam pulled for Cincinnati as a jab at another friend. At Renee's prompting (trouble-maker!), I hopped up in front of the crowd during a commercial to try to get a wave going. Mediocre response, but some had fun. Then I realized...I was asking a crowd of old people to repeatedly get up and sit down quickly...not going to happen! Had dinner in Terrace Cafe after the game. Joined Jason and Priscilla for some enjoyable conversation, as always.
Afternoon: Walked to Balboa Park and kicked around a bit. Watched aircraft pass right above us on final approach to the airport. Listened to someone rehearsing on the giant Spreckels pipe organ in  (see: https://www.balboapark.org/performing-arts/spreckels-organ). Walked back to the Insignia for a relaxing lunch on the Terrace Cafe deck, watching the sailboats on a nice, sunny day.
Morning: Arrived San Diego about 6:30am. Nice sunny day. Quick workout, breakfast, then explore ashore.

- 12 Feb 2022 (Day 54) Los Angeles, California (Time Zone UTC-8):
Evening: Sail-away party on the pool deck as we left LA enroute to San Diego.
Morning: Cleared immigration check onboard, the had breakfast. Uber'd to a mall in Torrence with David & Pam Lathrop, then walked to a couple of other stores. No site-seeing here...just resupply for next segment. Uber'd back to the ship for lunch, then played dominoes with David & Pam and another couple.

- 11 Feb 2022 (Day 53) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone UTC-8):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Sa2effuy4gNT9SGQ6
Afternoon & Evening: Report from Cruise Director Ray is that the entire ship tested negative. Renee performed, along with several other passengers, in the Insignia "Sing Out Loud" choir in front of the rest of the passengers. Nicely done! Had dinner in Terrace Cafe with Jason & Priscilla and Caitlin and her mom Verna.
Morning: Beautiful sunrise on a tranquil ocean. Quick workout and laps, then breakfast, then to Tuscana to get our brains tickled again (antigen testing before LA arrival) Reviewed shore excursion selections and Renee made some changes with Destination Services.

- 10 Feb 2022 (Day 52) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone UTC-8):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Sa2effuy4gNT9SGQ6
Afternoon & Evening: Renee had "Sing Out Loud" rehearsal. "Big O" points at Trivia. Terrace Cafe had a "Red Ginger" night, with lots of interesting dishes from Asia. Renee helped Sheila organize invitations to form a lady's group for various activities to come. Somehow I got roped into some of the legwork. Found that the itinerary had changed again for the next cruise segment, so updated files accordingly. Antigen testing for all tomorrow morning - "hooray!!"
Morning: Lost another hour last night, so a bit of a late start today. Had breakfast in Terrace Cafe (indoors as is getting a bit chilly outside). Ended up joining David and Pam and Jason and Priscilla for some fun conversation, as always. Did some laps to walk off breakfast and prepare for lunch ;) Renee has her "Sing Out Loud" rehearsal at 11:00, so I'm catching up on data updates.

- 9 Feb 2022 (Day 51) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone UTC-9):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Sa2effuy4gNT9SGQ6
Afternoon & Evening: Renee went to the sari/saree wrapping demo by the two Polynesian Cultural Ambassadors. Learned how the guys do it too, so I dared Jason to do it and said I'd wear one too if he did. Not happening. Enough adult diapers on this cruise already! Went to the Oceania Club Member Loyalty cocktail party in the Insignia Lounge. We were provided stats on some of the serious cruisers (4 of the top 5 cruisers in all of Oceania are on this cruise). Only 312 passengers and just over 400 crew members. Also learned that this crowd is burning through 1800 bottles of wine per week! (we're not contributing!) Sat with Diane and Barb, so fun talking with them as well. Had a nice dinner in Polo Grill with Canadian couple Jen and Alan from our trivia team. They showed us the Penthouse Suite that they were moved to recently because of a problem in their stateroom. Much more room...especially in the shower!
Morning: Just getting started. Ocean is much more tranquil this morning. Was so rough yesterday they had to drain the swimming pool on the main deck.

- 8 Feb 2022 (Day 50) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone UTC-9):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Sa2effuy4gNT9SGQ6
Afternoon & Evening: Dinner with David & Pam in Tuscana. Learned a lot about their time living and working in Norway. Fun conversations. Went to the show at 9:15 in the Insignia Lounge. Hungarian Violinist Bernadett Nyari performed (see: https://www.bernadettnyari.com). Very entertaining. Watched her burn through several strings on her bow as she feverishly played.
Morning: Workout and laps, then breakfast. A bit more rainy and overcast. Seas have remained rough, but it only affects our walking. Main deck pool was a serious wave pool until they drained it. We received shore excursion offerings for the next segment of the cruise (to Barbados), so we booked some excursions. I've pulled all excursion options from Oceania's pages for the ports we'll visit, so we can get an advanced look but can't book those yet.

- 7 Feb 2022 (Day 49) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone UTC-9):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Sa2effuy4gNT9SGQ6
Afternoon & Evening: Renee made a palm bracelet and rehearsed with "Sing Out Loud". We were entertained, once again, by the fairies of the sea (flying fish) from our veranda. Dined in Terrace Cafe by ourselves, but were joined by David and Pam, then Jason and Priscilla. Great and fun conversation with some good people.
Morning: Workout and laps, then breakfast with Jason & Priscilla. Renee and Priscilla left to join another jewelry-making workshop. David and Pam invited us to join them for dinner in Tuscana tomorrow night. Less chop today, but still some decent sized swells. Doesn't really bother us much anymore, but all have fun walking around like drunken sailors!

- 6 Feb 2022 (Day 48) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone UTC-9):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Sa2effuy4gNT9SGQ6
Evening: Quick workout and 13 laps, then cleaned up for dinner at Terrace Cafe with Lonnie & Evelyn and David & Pam.
Afternoon: Renee went to her "Sing Out Loud" rehearsal and to Team Trivia. Saw groups of flying fish from our veranda, and rainbows from the ocean spray created as the Insignia pitched up and down on the swells. Use the new "Media Files" link top-left to view/download a video of the flying fish. 
Morning: Nice, sunny day on the Ocean. Recorded and sent a Happy Birthday wish to our lovely Daughter-In-Law Rebecca. Renee went for a quick workout. I'm wrangling photos, videos and data, but will join her for breakfast in a bit.

- 5 Feb 2022 (Day 47) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Sa2effuy4gNT9SGQ6
Evening: Had a Swedish massage. How can such a small Phillipino woman inflict so much pain? Offered to pay her extra to forget about the knots she seemed so focused on for so long. Had dinner with David and Pam in Terrace Cafe aft deck. International night, so some nice displays of food, especially things made of bread. Found Equator Crossing certificates from King Neptune on our bed when we returned to our cabin. Scanned them and added them to the Currents file for today.
Afternoon: Cruise Director Ray had a fun announcement when we crossed the Equator at 1:59:10 PM local time (UTC-10). I recorded it and uploaded the .wav file for access by others (Use the new "Media Files" link top-left to listen/download). No one aboard is a "Wog"...all "Shellbacks", so ceremony will likely be pretty tame. Captain will announce the crossing. Booked a Swedish massage for 5:30 today.
Morning: Intended to work out, but instead we hit Terrace Cafe aft deck and chatted with David & Pam, Lonnie & Evelyn, and Keith & Ilona as we had breakfast. Saw Jason and Priscilla on the way out, and Renee snagged Priscilla to check out the Polynesian Ambassador shell jewelry making class/demo. I planned to do some shuffleboard at 10:00, but no one there and upper deck closed (perhaps for wind), so back in the room until 11:00am, when I'll meet Renee in Insignia for Cella's presentation on future cruise options. All are waiting for the 2024 World Cruise release. We'll get a sneek peak late Feb, and bookings start 2 March (our anniversary). 

- 4 Feb 2022 (Day 46) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Sa2effuy4gNT9SGQ6
Quiet Day. Did some Polynesian dancing with the Polynesian Ambassadors. Guys do something called "Pa'Ote" (Scissors), which involves rapid knee-knocking. In my mind I moved exactly like the ladies who demonstrated, but would not want to see it on video! Did okay at Team Trivia...more "Big O" points. Dinner at Tuscana with Jason and Priscilla. Enjoyed our discussions, and of course the food. We've become friends with many of the servers, so it's always fun to see where they show up during the day and they're always happy to see us it seems.

- 3, then 4, then 3 Feb 2022 (Day 45) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Sa2effuy4gNT9SGQ6
Quiet Sea Day, but we did cross the oddly-shaped section of the International Date Line twice! First at 12:02pm (just after noon, local time), which pushed us ahead to 4 Feb at the same time, then again at 10:22pm, which switched us back from 4 Feb to 3 Feb. Nice sunny day. Happy that our friends Jason and Priscilla are back with us after being locked in their stateroom for 10 days. We celebrated with a champaign get together poolside at 8pm with David and Pam, Lonnie and Evelyn, and Kayla. Renee also attended a "Sing Out Loud" ensemble with Paul and Carolyn (World Cruise Hosts). They'll be singing "Bali Ha'i" and "Sunrise, Sunset" for the entire ship sometime in the future.

- 2 Feb 2022 (Day 44) Bora Bora, French Polynesia (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ADC5Z7o8PW5qby7r8
Early breakfast and tender to the pier where we met our guide, Cy, native born Bora Boran, and another couple (Steve & Dell from Hawaii) who road with us in the back of Cy's 4WD vehicle. Great fun, with cab and back fully open so we could talk with Cy as he drove. Passed "Bloody Mary's", which is famous and was a popular stop for many of our cruise mates, and went off-road to a couple of beautiful view points on the island, along with a stop at one of the 8 cannons (made by Bethlehem Steel Co.) placed by the U.S. during WWII to protect this refueling location. Also stopped at the Bora Bora Masson Art Gallery, which was at a beautiful location that had an historic Maoea temple and a view down to the water. We never appreciated what "lagoon" really meant with respect to these islands, but you can see it in the Google Earth views. The islands in each will eventually lower into the sea (sinking a few millimeters each year), leaving the coral ring and making them atolls. Learned a lot from Cy, to include how his ancestors found their way from here to other islands, to include Hawaii, using sea turtles, pigs, and other methods to help find land (too long to describe here, but facinating and clever!). Also learned about their human sacrifices, and the practice of eating their enemies. Cy assured us he'd had breakfast and was good 'till lunchtime. We're sad to leave the South Pacific paradise. The people are so relaxed, friendly, and fun-loving. The views (water especially) are really stunning, more than can be captured in photos. So now we start our long sail back to LA (9 full days at sea!!!)

- 1 Feb 2022 (Day 43) Bora Bora, French Polynesia (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/WGRs5Ygw4HpdxLt59
Slow morning, as shore excursion had been moved to the afternoon. Did the Shark and Stingray snorkel, which was good but not as good as in Moorea. Also snorkeled in a nice coral garden. Crew was very entertaining and fun. Followed that up directly with a sundown cruise which was also entertaing and nice. Drum and ukulele music, fresh local fruit.

- 31 Jan 2022 (Day 42) Raiatea, French Polynesia (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Rp5FSzzNL7eiDRWE6
Afternoon & Evening: Excursion was great! Rode in a powered outrigger to the sister island of Taha'a (both are in the same lagoon) and went to another pearl farm (Renee scored again!), then to a nice lookout point high on the island where we ate fresh coconut and papaya and danced to ukulele music from our guide. Then headed to a vanilla plantation for a tour and talk. Bought some Tahitian vanilla, of course! Back on the boat for a short stop on a nice motu. Walked all the way around it in 10 minutes! Then back to the ship where we got cleaned up and dined with Diane and Barb in Polo Grill. Interesting fact about Raiatea is that the Maori culture and people are believed to have originated here. We experienced Maori culture in New Zealand, but this is apparently the island where they originated.
Morning: Quiet arrival and docking in Raiatea. Nice to watch us slip into the lagoon formed by the barrier reef surrounding the island. Quick workout and laps, then breakfast with Clive and Dawn. Some great conversation. Dawn effectively originated and shaped the hair salon industry in New Zealand, starting when she was 14 years old. Our shore excursion was booked for the morning, but has been moved to the afternoon. We'll head into town and browse a bit, the return to ship to prep for the excursion.

- 30 Jan 2022 (Day 41) Moorea, French Polynesia (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/gneXGKB7VNMCzt4AA
Arrived Moorea around 7:30 am. Beautiful view in the bay. Island has only 16,000 residents, with no major towns. Took a boat to a reef to walk and snorkel among large stingrays and several black tip sharks. Water was crystal clear. Continued on to a small island (motu) and had a nice BBQ lunch that included fresh caught grilled marlin. Did some more snorkeling. Very casual and nice time. Did not feel rushed and the water and temperature were awesome! Guide Ernie fed stingrays at the motu. Shopped a bit at some vendor tables at the tender pier.

- 29 Jan 2022 (Day 40) Papeete (Tahiti), French Polynesia (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ciPYoBthEz32RQhH8
Quick workout and breakfast, then on to our catamaran (https://www.poecharter.pf) with Pam & David and several others from our cruise. Sailed out around a barrier reef, then found a spot inside of it to snorkel. Discovered while trying to dive that I'm more boyant than I used to be...I'm thinking it must be increased salinity in the water vs my time at the buffet. Came back and got our noses swabbed again. I tested positive for sea weed, but we were both negative for SARS CoV-2. Today marks the end of our second cruise segment and the start of our next one. Found yet another bottle of champaigne in our room, perhaps to mark the occasion.

- 28 Jan 2022 (Day 39) Papeete (Tahiti), French Polynesia (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Bh9sxULyAeG4XmfU6
Evening: Quiet evening. Suset was beautiful from the aft Terrace Cafe deck. Walked along a nice trail following the water and returned to ship.
Afternoon: Tour was good...definitely some off-road into the interior. Got a free Tahitian Shower and Butt Massage during the drive. Rains a lot and potholes were epic. Got back and had lunch with Diane and Barb. Renee and Diane went back out to scope out the local market area, leaving me some time to wrangle photos and data.
Morning: Quick shower and prep for our jeep tour of the interior today. Will grab breakfast and head topside to watch arrival.

- 27 Jan 2022 (Day 38) Rangiroa, French Polynesia (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/FTBcqLTaBsDfyVB48
Afternoon & Evening: Nice snorkel. Used a blue filter for first time with GoPro...results turned out great! Lots of fish, including pipe fish and black tipped sharks. Also saw some moray eels. Scrambled back to the ship for a quick shower and change, then a quick bite to eat, then tender back to shore for our pearl discovery tour. Stopped at Gaugin Pearl Farm (see: https://www.gauguinspearl.com/). We were taught about how the oysters are cultivated (takes 5 years!), using a Japanese nucleus and mussel shell pieces from the Mississippi River! Each oyster can be used up to 3 times and lives for about 12 years. They have 400,000 oysters in the water, and generate about 100,000 pearls per year. Renee opted for her usual natural looking items in a nice bracelet. Back at the pier we checked out some vendor tables and Renee found a nice shell necklace that she bought on condition that we take a photo of her with it and the artist, so we did. Two rainbows today. Got back aboard just before a rainstorm hit, so great timing. Invited to Polo Grill to dine with David and Pam...had a great time with them and then went to the vocalist/impressionist show.
Morning: Quick workout as we approached the opening into the Rangiroa atoll. Very cool to cruise into the atoll through the somewhat narrow opening. Now anchored, and we're sunscreen covered and in bathing suits for our snorkeling trip, then we'll hit the Pearl Discovery tour to see how black pearls are harvested.


- 26 Jan 2022 (Day 37) Cruising the South Pacific (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: 
Back on Hawaii time! Caught up with some photos uploads and hope to have Nuku Hiva loaded today, but still way behind on editing and posting videos. Chatted with a Canadian couple at breakfast, but did not get their names. They've cruised with Oceania a lot, as have many we've met. Saw servers Wowie, Cheryl, and Jeffrey in Terrace Cafe, along with Lonnie & Evelyn, and David & Pam. Will need to start reviewing shore excursion options for the new itinerary.

!!!!!!! Google Earth and Google Map Show New Itinerary !!!!!

- 25 Jan 2022 (Day 36) Nuku Hiva (Time Zone Marquesas Islands UTC-9.5):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/MBBWZeAp6SGfr8FT6
Enjoyed our arrival into Nuku Hiva...very scenic! Had breakfast, then tendered in for the only ship-offered tour of the island. Caravan of 14 small pickup trucks with driver and 4 passengers in each. Not our favorite way to go sightseeing, but we did stop at some scenic places. Bought a couple of small trinkets at our lunch stop. Hiked up to a park that overlooks the bay where there are statues, including the very large "Tu Hiva" statue. Tendered back to the ship, showered up, and went to listen to Jack play the trumpet with the band. He's a retired performer, but is invited to play whenever he travels. Jack and Sheila invited us to dine with them at Tuscana, so we had a very nice evening talking with them over some great food. Wowie and Cheryl were our servers. We turn our clocks back a half hour to Hawaii time again tonight as we leave the Marquesas Islands.

- 24 Jan 2022 (Day 35) At Sea (Time Zone Marquesas Islands UTC-9.5):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/DE6JvLNbbkE7TUx79
Afternoon & Evening: Midday workout and laps. Renee attended the daily tea time at 4:00pm, then we went to our trivia session (poor showing today). Fortunate in not hearing of positive PCR test results, though a few were not so lucky. Feel badly for them, as friends we know were asymptomatic and they'll miss our ports of call here in the French Polynesian Islands. Had dinner at Polo Grill and met two new couples. Keith and Ilona (sp?) from Vancouver and Jerry and Jen from Iowa. Great conversation. Both couples plan to continue through to New York with us. Went to the show (comedian and great guitarist), then to Horizons for a surprise birthday party for the Oceania Ambassador (books new cruises).
Morning: Had to set our clocks ahead a half hour for this unusual time zone. Had breakfast with David and Pam, then went to Tuscana to get PCR tested. Interesting that the test kits were from China;) Longest line we've been in on this cruise to date, but everyone was in good spirits and having fun with it. Hope to have the Google Earth KMZ and map updated with the new itinerary today. Itinerary spreadsheet is updated, but don't have our shore excursions picked yet for the new ports.

- 23 Jan 2022 (Day 34) At Sea (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/DE6JvLNbbkE7TUx79
Another relaxing day at sea. Chatted with friends throughout the day. Did more updating of files related to our changed itinerary. Added port locations for all new ports on the itinerary. Our trivia team, "NY or Bust", tied for first place today, and we answered all Mensa questions correctly, so scored 12 Big O points...whoopee!! Attended Oceania Club Captain's Cocktail party in the evening, then dined with Diane and Barb in the Grand Dining Room. Crossed the equator at 9:16 PM at longitude -145.397921 degrees.

!!!!!!! UPDATED ITINERARY POSTED !!!!!
- 22 Jan 2022 (Day 33) At Sea (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/DE6JvLNbbkE7TUx79
Afternoon & Evening: More data updates, lunch at Waves Grill, dinner at Tuscana with Jason and Priscilla.
Morning: Another At Sea day, so worked out, had some breakfast, then walked it off a bit. Took an oceanspray shower on the track, as we ploughed through rough seas and clouds. Spoke with David and Pam from Prescott AZ at breakfast. They're staying aboard with the new itinerary. Rickie and Dan are disembarking in LA, as are Jason and Priscilla. We're thinking we'll stay aboard for the whole trip, even with the changes and likely future missed ports. Many places that we've not seen yet and many that we've not been to in a while, so should be fun regardless. Really nice to be away from the craziness, though we still get some news and conversations often relate to the madness we seem to be experiencing around the world...wondering when people will truly wake up to reality. Already considering options for next cruise, which we may book while aboard this one.

- 21 Jan 2022 (Day 32) At Sea (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/DE6JvLNbbkE7TUx79
Easy morning. Nice to slow it down a bit. Had breakfast at Terrace Cafe aft deck with Lonnie and Evelyn, then did our 30 laps on the track. Will start the major update to our itinerary today and catch up on posting photos. Hard to do that given the low bandwidth of ship wifi, but managing. We've been talking with many of our fellow travelers to see what they've decided to do with respect to continuing the cruise. Reactions are mixed, but many are continuing. For us, we're resolved that it makes sense to at least stay on until we get back to Miami, but we'll likely continue for the full cruise. Renee counted 60 new places that we'd visit and we'll return to some places we've not seen since the 1970's. We'll enjoy it, but it's still disappointing not to complete the trip around the world and we're saying goodbye to some very interesting places we really wanted to visit. Just means we're not done cruising I guess.

- 20 Jan 2022 (Day 31) Kailua-Kona, Island of Hawai'i (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/YkP6VfaatZ4AuEda7
Early start and long shore excursion. Nearly 7 hours long, most of it driving. Visited a coffee farm, the Painted Church, Black Sand Beach, and Volcano National Park. Also stopped at a bakery and ordered some doughnut-like pastries similar to Polish Paczkis. Had to administer some first aid to a lady who gashed her lower leg on the step while entering the van. She had some arterial bleeding, so needed to put a pressure bandage on her quickly, get her leg elevated, and get her to a hospital. Guides were of little help, which was a bit distressing, but reports were that she made it to the hospital okay and is back aboard the Insignia. Had we had more time it would have been more productive for us to rent a car and go sightseeing on our own, but still got a few nice photos. Will use the next few days at sea to do photo and itinerary updates. Heading to Nuka Hiva now!!

!!!!!!! MAJOR CRUISE ITINERARY CHANGE !!!!!
We were notified this morning that we'll no longer be
doing the segments West of Bora Bora. Instead we'll
head back East, and will cross the Atlantic to do the
Med and Baltic instead of Asia and Africa. Will post
the changes as soon as I can.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- 19 Jan 2022 (Day 30) Lahaina, Maui, Hawai'i (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/2H5wM5VsgiFZyhG57
Anchored on the quiet waters just off the coast from Lahaina. Humpback whales all around us, so ordered room service and just watched them from our balcony. Thinking of Nancy and her connections to this place. Took the tender ashore a strolled around Lahaina. Did some shopping and visited Nancy's friend Heidi who works the Reefdancer tour there in Lahaina. She was excited to see us, so we took a photo together and sent it to Nancy then called her. Still processing the news about the itinerary change, but thinking we'll likely continue through to the end as planned. Oceania is doing all that they can to make this a good cruise, though we're certainly disappointed that it won't complete the trip around the world as planned. Guess we'll need to plan another world cruise!!!

- 18 Jan 2022 (Day 29) Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hawai'i (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/YJSyGYvX3QpyfLnS8
Arrived around 8:00am. Took a 6 hour tour that included a few scenic viewpoints, a river cruise, a fern grotto walk, a couple of beaches and return. Saw two large male humpback whales in competitive breaching off of Kilauea Point. Driver/guide was entertaining and very opinionated. He played the Ukulele and sang while we had a picnic lunch at a beach. Not as much fun as the mudbug trip we had scheduled, but a glimpse of the island, its history, customs, folklore, stories of all the movies made here (to include Blue Hawaii, Avatar, Jurassic Park, Outbreak and several others), and other things made it a nice tour. Had dinner at Polo Grill with Diane and Barb to celebrate Barb's 90th birthday. Had a great time.

- 17 Jan 2022 (Day 28) Kahului, Maui, Hawai'i (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/hAs8FZdp4spEc38J6
Slipped into Kahalui port as a full moon was setting...very cool! Spent the morning catching up with T.S. Kelso, a friend and colleague from my Space Operations days. Enjoyed visiting with T.S. in his beautiful foothills home and property, with views of lush green mountains on one side and toward the sea on the other. Thanks T.S.! Saw many humpback whales during our Zodiac ride out from Maalea (see GPS track for details). Breaching events too numerous to count. Saw mother/baby pairs and some large males breaching and tail thumping. Quite spectacular!

- 16 Jan 2022 (Day 27) Honolulu, Oahu, Hawai'i (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/VSuYffb7aiNeVrdX8
First activity was a submarine ride off of South end of Waikiki. Better than I'd expected. Got to about 113 ft depth at times and passed a number of artificial reefs teaming with fish. Also saw a sea turtle and dolphins. Met Pam and David, a couple from Prescott Arizona. Took a leisurely walk along Waikiki Beach, then caught our bus back to the ship. Party on the pool deck later this evening, and we leave Honolulu at 9:30pm for Maui.

- 15 Jan 2022 (Day 26) Honolulu, Oahu, Hawai'i (Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/B8Xefm58Bda9e35q7
Pulled into port around 7:45am. Set out on our shore excursion around 8:30. Several people we've met were on our excursion. Went first to the Pearl Harbor Memorial park, and out to the Arizona Memorial. Very Sobering experience. Headed then to Punch Bowl Crater, then to Nu'Uanu Pali Lookout for some great views and photos. Returned to the ship to freshen up and eat, then walked to a WalMart about a mile away to buy some snorkeling gear (did not bring ours), and had a nice, scenic walk back to the ship past the Hawaii Pacific University shops. Nice day. Ordering room service for dinner.

- 14 Jan 2022 (Day 25) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Hawai'i Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/e3W4LY2DmswWZDzH9
Afternoon & Evening: Casual time. Renee went to her craft class. I exchanged emails with USAF Col (Ret.) T.S. Kelso, a friend from my Space days, who lives on Maui. We'll get together either 17 or 19 Jan when we hit Maui. Trivia team scarfed up a few more "Big O" points today, added to points from our daily Mensa puzzles. Cruise Director Ray sure comes up with wild trivia questions!
Morning: Leisurely morning. Renee worked our daily Mensa puzzles while drinking tea on the balcony...smoother seas today. I had tea as well while updating investment and cruise info. Renee now off to the daily 10:00 talk by the oceanographer in Insignia Lounge.

- 13 Jan 2022 (Day 24) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Hawai'i Time Zone UTC-10):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/e3W4LY2DmswWZDzH9
Afternoon & Evening: Had lunch with June Teruya, who teaches crafts up in the Artist's Loft. Renee went to two of June's classes and made a bracelet and a lei of ribbon. Learned that she's a native Hawaiian (family has been there since the 1800's). Nice lady. "NYC or Bust" took second place in trivia today...more "Big O" points! Dinner in Polo Grill with two couples that we'd eaten dinner with separately our previous two nights. Some passionate discussions about life and politics, but all left as friends. Went to the late show with Viviana, a flutist from Chile who played a variety of flute-like instruments with the Insignia Band as backup. Nice performance, and thought our grandkids (esp. Clara!) would get a kick out of it. See info at: http://viviana.org/
Morning: Americano at Barista's, updated GPS track on Google Earth KMZ file and in Google Map, then a workout and 30 laps. Met Rick and Christine from Toronto while up on the track. Nice folks. Talked with Marty Fenver too...quite a character. Has over 3,700 days on cruise ships.

- 12 Jan 2022 (Day 23) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone UTC-9):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/e3W4LY2DmswWZDzH9
Evening: Mediocre performance by our trivia team. Internet connectivity was effectively nill most of the day, so hampered updates. Invited to join a private tour on Kona, so considering that. Quiet dinner at Terrace Cafe, then watched Clint Eastwood's Cry Macho and called it a night.
Morning: Did some information wrangling in the morning, then worked out at the gym, walked 30 laps, and had breakfast at Terrace Cafe aft deck.

- 11 Jan 2022 (Day 22) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone UTC-9):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/e3W4LY2DmswWZDzH9
Evening: Trivia team took second place today..."Big O" points...woohoo! Renee attended a jewelry making session and made a natural materials necklace. Had dinner at Tuscana with Dan and Rickie (from San Diego, led standup of CSC from GD) and Ila (8th world cruise). Interesting discussion, as usual. Went to a performance by Jason Lyle Black, a young (34 year old) pianist who was really good (see: https://www.jasonlyleblack.com/). Does medeley arrangements that have earned him some fame. Also played the piano backwards, crossed hands, and while lying on his back.
Morning: Americano at Barista's, quick workout in the gym, 30 laps (2.65 miles) topside (walking like a drunken sailor given 12 foot wave swells), then breakfast at Terrace Cafe outside aft deck. Invited Dorothy and Dick to sit with us. Dick had been quarantined in his cabin after Christmas. Had a cough and tested positive for the coronavirus, so he and Dorothy (who tested negative) were quarantined. He said he had a slight cough and mild chest congestion but did not get very sick. Doctor prescribed Robitussin which helped. They got on in Miami as well and will travel the full world cruise with us. Dorothy was a paralegal, and Dick a civil engineer. Dick spent some time in a WWII submarine back in the '60s. Nice couple. Left breakfast and went to the oceanographer's talk (have attended all three to date). Science-based, so some good data but also well presented. Talked about life at depths here in the North Pacific Ocean.

*** Timezone change from UTC-8 to UTC-9 at 2022-01-11T09:09:24Z, Lat: 29.806506 Lon: -127.499985

- 10 Jan 2022 (Day 21) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone PST UTC-8):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/e3W4LY2DmswWZDzH9
Today marks 1 year since my mother passed away. Missing her a lot, and thinking of how she would have loved talking with all of the interesting people on this cruise. I like to think that she's with us and enjoying things right along with us. RIP Mom.
Evening: Trivia team did not fair well, but we had a good time. Watched the Alabama/Georgia game...so unfair that our granddaughter's team lost! Next year, Tide! Letter from the ship's GM, Damien, advised that our planned exclusive world cruise event aboard the Battleship Missouri in Pearl Harbor has been cancelled due to COVID concerns.
Morning: Breakfast, workout and laps on the track. Met 69 y/o Marty Fenver on the track. He has done world cruises every year since 2014 and will soon be living on a residence ship. Interesting guy. At sea all day today (and the next 5 after)

- 9 Jan 2022 (Day 20) San Diego (Time Zone PST UTC-8):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/QwDtrnqcA3k5VZ6aA
Relaxing day. Took a 4 mile stroll along the Embarcadero and into the Gas Lamp Quarter. Went to the "Shades of Buble" performance (3 guys harmonizing in tribute to the singer). Nicely done.
Left San Diego enroute to Honolulu...FINALLY!!!

- 8 Jan 2022 (Day 19) San Diego (Time Zone PST UTC-8):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/QwDtrnqcA3k5VZ6aA
Evening: Invited to dine with our World Cruise Hosts, Paul and Carolyn. Great conversation...we closed the restaurant!
Morning: Had an Americano in Barista's to start my day, then to the gym for a quick workout as we arrived back in San Diego. Did another 30 laps on the track. A bit overcast and cool, but otherwise a nice day. Cruised aboard a sailing ship on a whale watching trip with Jason and Priscilla. Check here later for special link to the video, but some photos posted in the album. Make sure to check the comments for links to the full albums for each day in the main album.

- 7 Jan 2022 (Day 18) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone PST UTC-8):
~ MAJOR ITINERARY CHANGE!!!! ~
We added two overland excursions to our cruise, both in April, so check the revised itinerary out for details. One is to Angkor Wat, the other takes us to Kathmandu, Mount Everest, and the Taj Mahal!
Evening: Met 6 new people as we formed a new trivia team, "NYC or Bust". We did pretty well for our first session. Met another couple (Jim and Elizabeth) at our Tuscana dinner table. Went to the late show to watch/hear an outstanding pianist.
Slow morning. Left LA just after 7:00am. New passengers are still settling in. Met a couple that have been on the cruise from the start. Lonnie and Evelyn from a place west of Memphis TN. Lonnie is retired Army. Saw some dolphins while having breakfast. Full day at sea enroute to San Diego (Deja Vu!). Attended talk by an oceanographer about ocean currents in the Pacific and how they affect sea life.

- 6 Jan 2022 (Day 17) Los Angeles California (Time Zone PST UTC-8):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/w3kvoFgcVHSNZL4E6
Evening: Captain advised that we'll be skipping San Franscisco and will head back to San Diego in the morning, then down to Hawaii after that. I'll update all once we have the details. Morning: Solo customer at Barista's this morning. Had my Americano, then headed for the gym, where again it was just me. Folks were hunkered down getting ready to leave the ship I suppose, but the 85 world cruisers had a relaxing morning. Did my 30 laps topside in the fog. Insignia was shrouded in thick fog, making it like a ghost ship. Met up with Renee for breakfast. Zoom call with Michelle this morning. Talia and Yeshe were out playing in the snow.

- 5 Jan 2022 (Day 16) Los Angeles California (Time Zone PST UTC-8):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/w3kvoFgcVHSNZL4E6
Antigen tests were negative this morning (needed to start next segment of the cruise). Nothing planned for shore excursions, as we've been to LA many times, but we do have some resupply shopping to do. This is where the first segment of our cruise ends, and people leave and join the cruise here, so we'll be saying some goodbyes and hellos. Shore excursion today was an Uber ride to WalMart, walk to Target, then Uber back to the Insignia. Likely didn't need to get more stuff, but nice to have the consumables we like. Hit slow traffic right near the port on return...many, many container trucks. Striking how many containers are stacked on the docks here! Ate dinner with Ben (93) and Marilyn who is turning 90. Crew brought her a small cake and we sang Happy Birthday to her. Also met/sat with Liz and Joe. Joe is originally from Croatia, but became a US citizen and served in the Navy on aircraft carriers. Liz is from Kansas and worked for Verizon. They live in Silver Spring MD, have traveled a fair amount, and will be with us for the full world cruise. Nice phone call with Finny and Neveah, then a Zoom call with Chris, Maddie, Clara, Peyton and their new pup Zelda.

- 4 Jan 2022 (Day 15 San Diego California) (Time Zone PST UTC-8):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/wfwN6kCVKPX8yLhx5
Customs (CBP OFO) came aboard to check everyone before we departed the ship. Took a trolley tour around the area, to include over to Coronado. Diane and Barb joined us. Came back to the ship for lunch, then we headed out on foot with Diane to check out the MSS Midway. Very nice tour...lots of photos. Did the obligatory sailor kissing statue reenactment, then walked along the Embarcadero to Seaport Village and beyond, then back to the ship.

- 3 Jan 2022 (Day 14) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone PST UTC-8):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/1BpFsBJD25weNr1R9
Calmer seas this morning. On Pacific Time now. Started the day at Barista's for coffee with Ray and another couple (Lynn and Marty), then did our 30-lap walk on the track. Had breakfast with Jason & Priscilla on the aft deck of Terrace Cafe. Nice talking with them about how they met and their plans. Went to the fitness center a bit later on for a quick workout, then spent some time talking with a couple who are on our trivia team. They're from England, outside of London. They're Aston Martin owners, so we told them we'll be visiting and expect a ride in it. Took in Jeana Rogers' talk on San Diego this afternoon. Julio and Carol invited us to dine with them, so we did so in the Grand Dining Room. Julio brought a bottle of wine given to him by the General Manager which we shared. Great conversation. Great people. We'll be in San Diego from 0800 - 2200 tomorrow.

- 2 Jan 2022 (Day 13) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone PST UTC-8):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/1BpFsBJD25weNr1R9
Rougher seas this morning, and getting colder as we head North along the Pacific coast. More gannets and flying fish...fun to watch from our balcony. Passed Cabo San Lucas, where we were supposed to have gone sport fishing, so some lamenting that port loss. Dave had coffee at Baristas again, where a small group of folks gather to talk, including Ray the Cruise Director. Left there and did 30 laps around the track...everyone looked like drunken sailors as the seas wobbled us around. Joined Renee for short workout in the Fitness Center, then went to lunch at Terrace Cafe, where we met and spoke with Pam, who has been cruising since she was 12. This is Pam's 4th world cruise, all with Oceania.Caught the third of Jeana Rogers' 3-part series on Hollywood. Jeana does a great job informing and entertaining. Saw a large pod of dolphins playing off the starboard bow while in Horizons Lounge.

*** Timezone change from UTC-7 to UTC-8 at 2022-01-02T21:44:22Z, Lat: 24.052680 Lon: -112.500000

- 1 Jan 2022 (Day 12) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone MST UTC-7):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/1BpFsBJD25weNr1R9
Slow, easy day. Water is a bit rougher and it's a bit cooler out today. Saw flying fish off our balcony in the morning. Nice breakfast at Terrace Cafe...sat outside. Played some shuffleboard (Renee won). Our trivia team actually did okay today. Chatted with Ben and Marilyn in Baristas over coffee. Did shots of Highland Park with Jason and Priscilla at the poolside bar. Exchanged travel stories, of course. Check out their travel blog at: https://www.tacticaltrippers.com. Relaxing evening.

- 31 Dec (Day 11) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone MST UTC-7):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/1BpFsBJD25weNr1R9
New Year's Eve. Water is very calm and it's beautiful outside again. Dave had early coffee at Barista's with a few folks (Lynn and Marty and another guy) and the cruise director Ray. Met with Renee topside to walk the track a bit, then to the stateroom for room service breakfast on our balcony again.  Bumped into Lynn (guy) and Marty (wife) again in the fitness center working out when we went in later in the morning. Nice couple and seemed somewhat like minded on many things. Played Trivia again...fun people and activity. Lunch with Julio and Carol in the Terrace Cafe, then dinner at Polo Grill with Tom and Anita and Jack and Bina. Music and dancing on pool deck from 11:00pm to 1:00am to bring in the new year.

*** Timezone change from UTC-6 to UTC-7 at 2021-12-31T05:27:06Z, Lat: 14.738979 Lon: -97.500016

- 30 Dec (Day 10) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone CST UTC-6):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/1BpFsBJD25weNr1R9
Another peaceful day at sea. Weather was great. Breakfast at Terrace Cafe, then worked out at the fitness center and walked 30 laps. Chatted with Jason and Priscilla for a bit. Played some shuffle board. Joined trivia team that plays each day. Not sure if we helped them or not. Were asked to dinner by Mary and Stan who we met the night prior, so dined with them in the Grand Dining Room. Went to the string quartet show (musicians from Poland and the Ukraine). Very good performace, with added treat of an Argentinian couple performing a tango.

- 29 Dec (Day 9) Cruising the Pacific Ocean (Time Zone CST UTC-6):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/1BpFsBJD25weNr1R9
Quiet day at sea. Breakfast on the balcony, workouts in the fitness center, walks on the track. Renee went to a lecture on the history of chocolate (Central and South America's gift to the world). Had dinner at Tuscana and met Jack and Sheila from Miami. They used to put together shows for cruise industry and Jack is a well-known musician (plays trumpet). Met Jackie and Judith who are college friends traveling together. Judith now lives in Mexico. Jackie lives in Northern California. Judith has been on more than 90 cruises. Jack and Sheila will be making the full world cruise with us and have done at least one before.

- 28 Dec (Day 8) Puntarenas Costa Rica (Time Zone CST UTC-6):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/BsePWHhsadkuweAC8
*** Ports now dropped from itinerary: Georgetown, San Juan del Sur, Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas, San Francisco
Breakfast on our veranda again. Great weather. "Walk in the Clouds" excursion was nice. Captain advised of a few COVID passengers now in quarantine and that we'll be skipping Guatemala as a result. Listened to the string quartet...they're really good!

- 27 Dec (Day 7) Cruising the Pacific (Time Zone EST UTC-5):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/AaGhVapJMGKbDHMTA
Had a Welcome Breakfast in the Insignia Lounge for the Around the World travelers. Met Rudie and Astrid from Austria. Astrid is a travel agent. Nice couple. Kicked around the ship all day. Had lunch on the back deck of Terrace Cafe, and dinner in the Grand Dining Room, just the two of us.

- 26 Dec (Day 6) Panama Canal Transit (Time Zone EST UTC-5):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/YcQTRC92My95S4BD8
Very cool to do this again, though this time we're going through the old locks. In December 2019 we went from Pacific to Atlantic through the new, larger locks. The old locks use small train engines called "mules" to keep guidelines tight on the ship as it passes through into and out of each lock. The scenery is spectacular! Makes the long transit seem not as long.

- 25 Dec (Day 5) Cartagena Colombia (Time Zone COT UTC-5):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/fjnVLnjEWzBmDmac7
Christmas Day in Cartagena! Had breakfast in the Grand Dining Room, then walked into town from the ship. We've been here before, so exploring on our own. Decided to hike to the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas. Gained a self-appointed tour guide after we refused his offer for a taxi. He walked all the way there with us! Explored the fort, then got a ride back from our "guide". Nice to see Cartagena again!

- 24 Dec (Day 4) Cruising the Caribbean Sea (Time Zone UTC-5):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/bftrgVQP4mhs7pi78
Christmas Eve. Attended a lecture on Panama Canal. Listened to some live Christmas music up in the Horizons Lounge. Found Around The World hats, jackets, pins, and backpack in our room on return from dinner. Also got an engraved silver serving plate.

- 23 Dec (Day 3) Cruising the Caribbean Sea (Time Zone America/Havana UTC-5):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/fHyJBF4KXRKDxSDM6
Had Room Service bring us breakfast, which we ate out on the veranda...very tranquil and nice! Easy day...did a few activities, then had dinner with Diane and Barb in the Grand Dining Room.

- 22 Dec (Day 2) Key West, Florida (Time Zone EST UTC-5):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/2wN9MXkH78QSpK8K7
Walked around Key West on our own. Passed some areas we visited years ago with the kids. Booked a parasail ride...lots of fun! Very nice eating meals out on the Terrace Cafe back deck.

- 21 Dec (Day 1) Embarkation & Cruise to Key west (Time Zone EST UTC-5):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/PpuZWa4dRup4JKcM7
Some confusion related to catching the shuttle and how baggage will get to the right ship (no Oceania baggage tags). Met Diane & Barb Radewald in shuttle ride from airport to hotel. Tested negative for coronavirus, so we boarded and toured around the ship a bit, then unpacked out luggage and sent bags to cargo hold. Had a bottle of champagne and snacks in the room waiting for us. Insignia is decorated for Christmas...very nice! Got our ship ID cards and Around the World pins. Had our first meal up in Terrace Cafe. Very excited to have made it aboard and looking forward to the cruise! Sail away from Miami was awesome!

- 20 Dec (Day 0) Travel Pittsburgh to Miami (Time Zone EST UTC-5):
Photos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/XT5PEsNvsrVhXww68
Easy flight. Walked into town to get some things. Nice hotel.