Brisbane, Australia

After one day at sea we today arrived to Brisbane. I left the ship when I could, and took a free shuttle to the city. It took 45 minutes to the commercial center. The day was sunny 26C, ideal to stroll on the streets and to stop for some drinks at the street bars. I liked the city very much, and the time (5 hours)went very quickly before I had to be back on board again,

Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Day before yesterday I finally could realize my dream for over 40 years. I was snorkeling at Great Barrier Reef. Corals, fishes and one Green Turtle even it's colour was brown. Parrot fishes, bright blue, about 70cm and fat, were most beautiful even ugly. All different shapes and colours were to see in fishes, but not so much in corals. But anyhow a wonderful experience.

Rabaul, Papua New Guinea

We passed five days at sea before arriving this morning to this beautiful natural harbour. After Japan we first had a couple of cool days, but then over night we were in soft tropical climat around the time we passed Guam Islands. Yesterday we crossed eqvator with some festivities.
Today we drove here around with small busses of 10 passengers for four hours and did visit some war memorial places of WWII. Ship's guide named Papua New Guinea "not to be a third world but a fourth world country". Rabaul was last time destroyed year 1994 by the neighbouring vulcan but has been partly rebuilt. Friendly smiling and laughing people, who live in most simple huts and eat bananas in different forms.

Nagasaki and Kyoto, Japan

I really did not know if I should visit Nagasaki. Even I was only 4 years old I somehow remember the news of atomic bombs to Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
I am sure that my generation all over the world have had difficulties in many ways to understand what was going on in late 30's and early 40's in the whole world.
Anyhow I was now in Nagasaki, almost in Southern tip of Japan. I stand at the Hypocenter of the explosion only 500 meter above the place, and visited the Atom Bomb Museum, where you could see all kind of pieces left behind of excisting life before the explosion.
The Peace Park nearby with artworks of many sculptors from all over the world was very effective.
Nagasaki city itselves was very nice and sympatethic.
A couple a days later we arrived to Osaka, but I did not stay there but participaid on whole day bus trip to Kyoto. This historical city was over 1000 years the capital of Japan and had still something left from the past. I was a part of the group but went alone my routes. I saw Kinkaku [the Golden Pavilion},Nijo Castle and Heian Jingu Shrine with their most beautiful Japanise Gardens.
Today we have had our first sunny day after Shanghai but much warmer, +25C.
We are on the way the way to Papua New Guinea. Now about 1000 sea miles south of Japan.

Shanghai

After Hongkong we spent two days at the sea before arriving to Shanghai. It was a cool but sunny Sunday when I walked along the Yangtse river banks looking at the architecture of the early 20th century on the other and early 21st century on the other side of the river. Maybe the whole population of Eastern China did the same because the streets were crowded. I had the earphones on listening my own jazzy music from my newest iPOD Classic, when a young Chinese lady stopped me, asking politely, what kind of music I am listening to. After having listened a while she said this is very nice, what is it? Then she introduced herself, being a University student studying English, and her name was Zhi Zhi, 22 years young. She was very funny and talkative and we walked together maybe an hour before I decided to walk back to world famous Peace Hotel for a drink or two. There I then met a nice couple
from Edinborough,who I already knew from the ship, and we then later took taxi together back to the ship's shuttle.

Following old memories in Hong Kong

Yesterday morning brought us to Ocean Terminal of Hongkong. The weather was lousy, almost raining and foggy. But it did not disturb me because I was going to walk and look for places and bars, where I had spent unforgetable moments during my over 60 visits since 1972 to Hongkong.
I left the ship at 10am and was strolling trough the city to East Tsimshatsui. Especially Mody Road had changed almost totally, new luxory skycrapers instead of old rotten houses. I ended to "Bulldog" bar, where I sat for a while with a glas of red wine. Then I decided to go to German restaurant "Schnurrbart" to have my lunch.
There I sat in 1989 with German business friends when Berlin wall came tumbling down. After a huge portion of "Frikadellen mit Kartoffelsalat", I decided to go with MTR to Wanchai to visit those lady bars, where Suzie Wong once lived. I spent some US$40 for ladies drinks, and had a company of four Pilippina beauties for a while.
I then walked to Central to " Mandarin Oriental". In this hotel I always stayed between the years 1972-1986. The "Capten's Bar had practically changed at all from my days there, and it was as lively and fun likje in the old days. So many beautiful memories came vividly into my mind. Around 8.30pm I wanted to take a Star Ferry to Shimshatsui but could not find the terminal because it had been removed. I then took a taxi to "Ned Kelly's last stand" , a famous Jazz local since 1972. During the years I spent a lot of times with friends down there and had a lot of fun.
Yesterday I found a place at the table of a bunch of men, who accidentally happened to be our crew members, partly musicians from ship's orchestra. They then later joined to play together with house band, and we all had a great time.
I was back onboard after midnight exhausted but happy, having made during the day 21155 steps.

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Day before yesterday, on Tuesday Feb.15, our cruiser m\v "Arcadia" anchored at Ha Long Bay. We were transported ashore by ships tenders,where a group of us hired a junk to get to those famous, spectacular and steeply-rising limestone islands, UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994. Those islands often have names given depending their shapes like tortoise, walloving buffalo etc. The name Ha Long means, where the dragon descends into the sea. Local fishermen still believe that a giant dragonlike creature, called Tarasque lives in the bay. Our trip took 3 hours, costed US$20 for each, plus $1,5 for any can of beer consumed. Even partly foggy weather it was very enjoyable to be with and also to follow the lifes of the people living on their floating villages.
Later I walked with my new friends John and Ann along the coastside to a nice garden cafe to have late lunch with some good Australian wine.