April 16, 2026 For years Yokohama’s Osanbashi cruise terminal has been the primary port for cruises calling on Tokyo. Ships reach it first and pay less for pilot services. And until recently Tokyo’s original cruise terminals were blocked by a bridge too low for today’s cruise ships to pass under. From the Yokohama pier, it… Read more

April 15, 2026 Today we docked in Shimizu, Japan, a beautiful port considered the gateway to Mount Fuji. I think Shimizu must be the friendliest city in Japan. As soon as we left the ship, a large group of Japanese volunteers helped us with directions. Crossing guards were ready to stop the non-existent traffic when… Read more

April 13, 2026 Osaka is Japan’s third largest city (after Tokyo and Yokohama) with almost 3 million people. Osaka is also a great starting point to visit Kyoto, Japan. The cruise terminal is next to the Tempozan Ferris Wheel, which at 369 feet was the world’s tallest from 1997-1999. Now there are 23 taller observation… Read more

April 12, 2026 Bragging rights to the largest cities by population in the world can depend on just how you define a city (city proper, urban area, metropolitan area, etc.) Regardless, Tokyo one of our upcoming ports is likely to top the list, with an estimated 37 million people in its metropolitan area, which includes Yokohama. Osaka,… Read more

April 11, 2026 What is it that brings a community together and why do residents remain in a community? The answer to both questions is often the same: adversity. In 2023, Chongae and I spent time in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan two cities where on August 6, 1945, atomic bombs were dropped killing tens of… Read more

April 10, 2026 One of the many things we like about this segment of our World Tour is its extensive Asian itinerary. We will now be visiting 9 Japanese ports before passing through The International Dateline and beginning our long crossing to Alaska. Japan remarkably has 100 ports, some like the ones that we will… Read more

April 9, 2026 Unique to Jeju Island women divers Haenyeo (해녀), meaning “sea women” are one of the most unique and respected cultural traditions in Korea. Haenyeo are free divers, they dive without oxygen tanks to depths of 65 feet holding their breath up to 3 minutes at a time. Although a long-standing tradition, because… Read more

April 7, 2026 After 93 days at sea we had our first day of rain. Not just rain, but treacherous rains with umbrella crushing winds. We had planned to visit Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. This one-hundred-year-old bustling city in the East China Sea is situated 18 miles west of Keelung. The driving time to… Read more

April 5, 2026 Sunday we were in Hong Kong, and it was Easter Sunday. This is a day of reflection and thanksgiving for Chongae and I. Many believe that Christmas is the most important celebration in Christianity, but Easter Sunday is the most important day for Christians because it celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.… Read more

April 5, 2026 Below is a blog I wrote on March 21, 2024. It received so many comments that I thought I would repost it for your consideration. Happy Easter… March 31, 2024 In People of the Lie, Psychiatrist M. Scott Peck, M.D., wrote evil people suffer from an extreme form of “self-protectiveness…Their “goodness” is… Read more