This blog was originally planned to be a photo album and trip reports for my friends and family who are all over the different continents and interested in finding out what we did on our many trips. I figured that they can access these photos any time they want and the reports would explain what had happened on our trips. This blog mainly covers some of our trips in recent years.
As this is a public blog, readers from around the world have been visiting here. I am humbled and honored. As the number of readers grew, I decided to put in more information that will benefit future travelers who maybe taking similar trips. The truth is, I am pretty new to blogging and am still learning. Therefore, you can see that I even did it all wrong when I started out on the first few posts. As for the readers, having the blog archives help in locating posts, but some find it hard to go through the list. I should come up with a better solution. A more organized index with links to the appropriate posts would make it easier for readers to find the right posts they are interested in. After a few days trying out the tools, finding the 'New Page' function was a great discovery and here it is, a list with links to the posts. I am hoping that this will work at least for the time being.
As a 'senior citizen' I am trying as hard as I can to learn these new technology that some of you find natural. I know there could be better ways to do this but here is what I can figure out on my own at this time. Enjoy, and thank you for visiting! If there are any specific questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.
Please also visit us on our YouTube channel Taste of Retirement that I started around October 2020 during the pandemic. It's a new adventure for myself which turned out to be both fun and challenging. Please "Like", "Subscribe", and "Share". Thank you!
Cruises: Cruising is our favorite mode of traveling. Visiting the different ports of call while enjoying the comfort of a floating hotel is just amazing! Our first cruise was in 1993 and since then we have been on more than 30 cruises. Below are just some of the recent cruises that we were on.
Carnival Splendor Pre-Inaugural Cruise Genoa to Dover July 2008
Carnival Splendor Post-Inaugural Cruise-Baltics July 2008
Norwegian Gem B2B Greek Isles and Adriatic Sea June 2010
Diamond Princess Alaska Cruisetour August 2011
MSC Splendida Western Mediterranean November 2012
NCL Jade Eastern Mediterranean November 2012
Carnival Inspiration 4-Day Baja Cruise January 2014
Radiance of the Seas--Roundtrip Sydney to New Zealand April 2014
Carnival Inspiration Baja Round Trip Long Beach January 2015
NCL Jade Western Mediterranean Round Trip Rome February 2015
NCL Jade Eastern Mediterranean Round Trip Rome February 2015
Crown Princess Wine Country Coastal Cruise Los Angeles to Vancouver April 2015
Diamond Princess Grand Japan Round Trip Yokohama July 2015
Sinorama Gold 8 Yangtze River Cruise November 2015
HAL Volendam Far East Discovery Singapore to Hong Kong November 2016
NCL Getaway 16-Day Transatlantic Miami to Copenhagen April 30 ~ May 16, 2017
HAL Zuiderdam 12-Day Fjords and Highlands Cruise Round-trip Copenhagen May 17~29, 2017
Birthday Cruise on Carnival Inspiration, January 2018
NCL Jewel 21-Day Transpacific Tokyo to Seattle, May 2018
Family Reunion Cruise Diamond Princess 8-Day Round-trip Keelung to Japan, November 2018
12-Day Southeast Asia Cruise on Diamond Princess, December 2018
9-Day Best of Japan Cruise on Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas, July 2019
Transpacific Cruise -- 26-Day Majestic Princess South Pacific Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia October 2023
Cruises: Cruising is our favorite mode of traveling. Visiting the different ports of call while enjoying the comfort of a floating hotel is just amazing! Our first cruise was in 1993 and since then we have been on more than 30 cruises. Below are just some of the recent cruises that we were on.
Our very first cruise on NCL Southward December 1993.
Carnival Splendor Pre-Inaugural Cruise Genoa to Dover July 2008
St. Petersburg Day 1
St. Petersburg Day 2
Pre-cruise land tour Fairbanks Bear Lodge
Post-cruise Vienna to Tokyo
Pre-Cruise Star Alliance Lounge LAX
Post-cruise Full Day in Sydney
Vancouver and Amtrak
Diamond Princess Grand Japan Round Trip Yokohama July 2015
Pre-cruise Los Angeles to Yokohama
Osaka to Haneda to LAX
HAL Volendam Asian Adventure Round Trip Singapore February 2016 
Pre-cruise LAX to HKG
HAL Volendam Far East Discovery Singapore to Hong Kong November 2016
Pre-cruise Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
Infinity Pool and Sail Away, Singapore
Sea Day
Koh Samui, Thailand
Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand
Pattaya, Thailand
Sihanoukville, Cambodia
Sea Day
Phu My, Vietnam
Nha Trang, Vietnam
Sea Day
Da Nang (Hoi An), Vietnam
Sea Day
Halong Bay, Vietnam
Sea Day
Post cruise-Hong Kong
Infinity Pool and Sail Away, Singapore
Sea Day
Koh Samui, Thailand
Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand
Pattaya, Thailand
Sihanoukville, Cambodia
Sea Day
Phu My, Vietnam
Nha Trang, Vietnam
Sea Day
Da Nang (Hoi An), Vietnam
Sea Day
Halong Bay, Vietnam
Sea Day
Post cruise-Hong Kong
NCL Getaway 16-Day Transatlantic Miami to Copenhagen April 30 ~ May 16, 2017
Zeebruge, Belgium (missed port but arrived early and overnight in Rotterdam)
Rotterdam, the Netherland
HAL Zuiderdam 12-Day Fjords and Highlands Cruise Round-trip Copenhagen May 17~29, 2017
Stavanger, Norway
Birthday Cruise on Carnival Inspiration, January 2018
Family Reunion Cruise Diamond Princess 8-Day Round-trip Keelung to Japan, November 2018
Pre-cruise: Another trip to Taiwan
12-Day Southeast Asia Cruise on Diamond Princess, December 2018
(Photo by SC)
Pre-Cruise: LAX-Xiamen-Narita
Phu My Port to Ho Chi Minh City
Final Sea Day to Singapore
Singapore Debarkation
From Singapore to Los Angeles
Final Sea Day to Singapore
Singapore Debarkation
From Singapore to Los Angeles
9-Day Best of Japan Cruise on Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas, July 2019
Post cruise: Kam's Roast Goose and Cheung Chau Island YouTube Video here
New Territories YouTube Video here
(The rest of this trip will be listed under 2019 Summer Trip in Taiwan)
Back-to-back MSC Cruises--Mediterranean/Transatlantic/Caribbean, October~November 2019
Pandemic Cruise on NCL Encore Round-Trip Seattle Alaska Tour, September 18, 2021
Boarding NCL Encore in Seattle YouTube video here
First Day at Sea after Seattle on Encore YouTube video here
Return to Icy Strait Point YouTube video here
Glacier Bay YouTube video here
Very Quiet Juneau YouTube video here
Ward Cove, Ketchikan YouTube video here
Last Sea Day Before Returning to Seattle YouTube video here
Alaska Cruise on HAL Eurodam, Round-trip Seattle September 2022
Sail Away Video here
Sea Day Ship Tour Video here
Juneau Video here
Glacier Bay Video here
Icy Strait Point Video here
Sitka Video here
Ketchikan Video here
Victoria at Night Video here
Seattle to Vancouver by Quick Bus Video here
Pacific Coastal Vancouver to Los Angeles on RCCL Serenade of the Seas September 2022
Embarkation Day in Vancouver Video here
Beautiful Butchart Gardens, Victoria, Canada Video here
More on Victoria Video here
Sea Day Ship Tour
Sailing into San Francisco
San Francisco
Catalina Island
Back in San Pedro
Spring Asia Cruises I HAL Westerdam, 14-Day Singapore to Yokohama February 2023
Los Angeles to Singapore YouTube video here
A Day in Singapore YouTube video here
Boarding HAL Westerdam in Singapore YouTube video here
Puerto Princesa, Philippines YouTube video here
Manila, Philippines YouTube video here
Kaohsiung, Taiwan YouTube video here
Keelung, Taiwan YouTube video here
Ishigaki, Japan YouTube video here
Naha, Okinawa, Japan YouTube video here
Kochi, Japan YouTube video here
Spring Asia Cruises II Diamond Princess, 9-Day Kyushu Cherry Blossom R/T Yokohama March 15~24, 2023
Embarkation at Daikoku Pier, Yokohama, Japan YouTube video here
Beppu, Japan YouTube video here
Kagoshima, Japan YouTube video here
Seogwipo, Jeju, South Korea YouTube video here
Miyasaki (Aburatsu) YouTube video here
Transpacific Cruise -- and 29-Day Cunard Queen Elizabeth Yokohama to Vancouver (and Alaska) May 2023
Yokohama Pre-Cruise YouTube video here
Embarkation Day at Daikoku Pier YouTube video here
Aomori, Japan YouTube video here
Otaru and Sapporo, Japan YouTube video here
Seward, Alaska YouTube video here
Sitka, Alaska YouTube video here
Victoria, BC, Canada YouTube video here
Alaska Glaciers YouTube video here
Half Day in Vancouver YouTube video here
Icy Strait Point YouTube video here
Sitka, Alaska Again YouTube video here
Haines, Alaska YouTube video here
Juneau, Alaska YouTube video here
Ketchikan, Alaska YouTube video here
Victoria, Canada Complete Tour of Butchard Gardens YouTube video here
Cunard Queen Elizabeth Full Ship Tour YouTube video here
Debarkation Day and Amtrak from Vancouver to Seattle YouTube video here
Embarkation Day YouTube video here
Honolulu, Hawaii YouTube video here Pearl Harbor
Honolulu, Hawaii YouTube video here Waikiki
Moorea, French Polynesia YouTube video here
Tahiti Island Tour YouTube video here
Papeete, Tahiti YouTube video here
Devonport, New Zealand YouTube video here
Auckland, New Zealand YouTube video here
Bay of Isles, New Zealand YouTube video here
Fun Activities on Board Majestic Princess YouTube video here
Sailing into Sydney YouTube video here
Sydney Debarkation and Weekend Market YouTube video here
Hidden Gem, Inexpensive Hotel in Sydney YouTube video here
Sydney by Ferry YouTube video here
Perfect Ending YouTube video here
Round Trip Keelung, Taiwan -- 6-Day Okinawa MSC Bellissima January 2024
Ontario to Taiwan Pre-Cruise YouTube video here
Unusual Embarkation YouTube video here
One-Day Tour of Ishigaki YouTube video here
Overnight in Naha, Okinawa YouTube video here
2nd Day Naha YouTube video here
Miyakojima YouTube video here
Keelung Debarkation
Southern Taiwan YouTube video here
Northern Taiwan YouTube video here
Jet Blue Economy and Cathay Pacific First Class March 2012
Cathay Pacific First Class Inflight Experience--March 2012
Cathay Pacific Business (TPE to HKG) and First Class (HKG to LAX)--April 2012
Luthansa Business (SEA to FRA)--October 2012
Austrian Business (FCO to VIE)--November 2012
Austrian Business (VIE to NRT)--November 2012
ANA Business (HND to LAX)--November 2012
ANA Business (LAX to HND)--April 2013
OZ Business (HND to ICN)--April 2013
OZ Business (ICN to TPE)--April 2013
CA Business (TPE to PEK)--April 2013
Air China Lounge and Beijing International Airport
CA Business (PEK to ICN)--May 2013
ICN OZ Lounge and OZ Business (ICN to LAX)--May 2013
TK Comfort Class (LAX to IST)--November 2013
Star Alliance Lounge LAX--March 2014
LAX to Incheon Asiana 201 Business--March 2014
Incheon to Sydney Asiana 601 Business--March 2014
Sydney to Incheon Asiana 602 Business and Air New Zealand Lounge--April 2014
Incheon to Taipei Asiana 711 Business and Asiana Lounge ICN--April 2014
EVA Lounge Taipei --April 2014
LAX to ICN Asiana 201 Economy Upper Deck A-380--November 2014
One World Lounge LAX--February 2016
LAX to HKG Cathay Pacific 897 Business--February 2016
HKG to TPE Cathay Pacific 470 Business--February 2016
TPE to HKG Cathay Pacific 469 Business and CX Lounge TPE--February 2016
QF Lounge HKIA and HKG to SIN Cathay Pacific 735 Business--February 2016
CX 690 SIN to HKG, CX470 HKG to TPE Business--March 2016
JAL 816 TPE to KIX, Legend Lounge TPE, JAL 60 KIX to LAX Business--March 2016
Hotels: Pictures of some hotels that we have stayed at. There are more pictures of other hotels on this blog but some are embedded in photos of the trips and probably with only a few pictures of the hotel.
Bear Lodge, Wedgewood Resort, Fairbanks, Alaska--August 2011
Novotel Airport Hotel, Taipei, Taiwan--April 2012
Radisson, Chatsworth, California--June 2012
Country Inn, Ontario Mills, California--July 2012
Radisson, Portland Airport, Oregon--June 2012
Radisson, Santa Maria, California--July 2012
Rome Airport Hilton--November 2012
Park Inn, Vienna, Austria--November 2012
Hilton Tokyo--November 2012
Intercontinental Tokyo Bay--November 2012
Guanfang Hotel (Garden Villa) Lijiang, China--April 2013
Crown Plaza Beijing International Airport--April 2013
Pine Bay Resort, Kusadasi, Turkey--November 2013
Yelken Hotel, Antalya, Turkey--November 2013
Freshfields Hotel, Taichung, Taiwan--April 2014
Astor House Hotel, Shanghai, China--November 2014
Crowne Plaza LAX--February 2016
Grand Hyatt, Singapore--February 2016
Grand Hyatt, Taipei--March 2016
Sea Breeze Court, Cannon Beach, Oregon--June 2016
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore--November 2016
Land Tours: As much as we like cruising, when we see a land tour that fits our budget, and with places where cruises can't get to, we join in.
China Jiangjiajie with XO Tours (新聯華), October 2011
$99 Land Tour of Yunnan, China April 2013 and a Visit to Taiwan before tour
Stone Mountain,Kunming
Cultural Tour of Turkey with the Controversial American European Travel, November 2013
$99 China Tour-Guongzhou, Foshan, Zhongshan, etc. November 2014
$99 China Land Tour with Ctourus --Jiuzaigou, Szechuen -- August 2016
Jinli and Chengdu Research Base of Giant Pandas
Ctourus (盛世假期) -- Tour of Zhangjiajie, November 2017
Ctourus (盛世假期) -- Tour of Tianjin, Chengde, Beijing, November 2017
Road Trips: When we are at home, we love taking road trips to visit family and friends and enjoying the many great sights of this country.
Los Angeles to Seattle -- June 2012
Los Angeles to Seattle North Bound Oregon Coast, August 2013
Seattle to Los Angeles South Bound Oregon Coast, August 2013
Eclipse Road Trip, August 2017
A Weekend in San Jose
Christmas Family Reunion - 2019
Motorhome Trips During the Pandemic Videos (with English Subtitles)of the trips available on YouTube, please "subscribe".
August 2020
Pismo Beach, California Video here
October 2020
December 2020
Death Valley, Furnace Creek Campground Video here
Badwater, Golden Canyon, Furnace Creek Unique Scenery Video here
Zabriskie Point, Lakeside Casino RV Park in Pahrump, NV Video here
Lakeside Casino RV Park, NV Video here
May 2021
California Highway 395
September 2021
RVing Through San Francisco and Golden Gate Bridge Video here
We got a Flat Tire Video here
Florence: Port of Siuslaw, Novelli's, Mo's Video here
Heceta Head Lighthouse Video here
Rockaway Beach Kelly's Brighton Marina Sunset and Oysters Video here
Fort Stevens Skeleton Video here
Bird Watching and Beach Combing at Fort Stevens State Park Video here
Learning US History at Fort Clapsop National Park Video here
Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park Video here
Family Time Video here
Surprises on the Road, Washington to Oregon Video here
Back in California from Oregon Video here
April~May 2022
Between Phoenix and Tucson Video Pinal Airpark here
Tombstone, Arizona and 5-Star Rest Area in Las Cruces Video Tombstone here
Historic Mesilla and Billy the Kid Video Mesilla here
Fredericksburg, Texas-German Town Fredericksburg Video here
City Park, Welsh, Louisiana Video here
Houmas House Garden Tour Video here
Harvest Hosts by Mississippi River Video here
Train Trips--Amtrak Coast Starlight Los Angeles to Tacoma 2022 Video here
RV Campgrounds--a list of campgrounds that we have visited since the pandemic started in 2020. This list included basic information of the campgrounds, brief reviews if any, and the prices of a per night stay that we paid for at the time.
USA
California--Calabasas and Oxnard
LAX Appreciation Day June 2013
San Diego Zoo Safari Park before the Safer-at-Home Order February 2020
Nevada--Lake Las Vegas
Los Angeles--A Cheap Weekend on the Gold Line May 2016
Grand Canyon--A Short Trip to Grand Canyon April 2017
Asia
Hong Kong and Taiwan--2018
Taiwan--
Central Taiwan (Jiji, Sun Moon Lake, Nantou) April 2012
Taipei-Jiufen-Yehliu-Shilin April 2012
Shilin and Tamshui April 2012
Taipei-Taoyuen-and Novotel Airport Hotel April 2012
2019 Summer Trip in Taiwan
(This trip report continues on in the China section below)
2020 Lunar New Year Trip to Taiwan
Tarogo Gorge, Taitung, and Wanluan
Sichao Green Tunnel, Salt Fields and More
Beimen, South Taiwan
Celebrating Lunar New Year
Lantern Festival, Teresa Teng and Preparing for the Worst
Grand Hotel and Fuzhoushan Park, Taipei
Return Visit to Yilan, Taiwan
Last Days in Taipei and the Big Surprise
Sichao Green Tunnel, Salt Fields and More
Beimen, South Taiwan
Celebrating Lunar New Year
Lantern Festival, Teresa Teng and Preparing for the Worst
Grand Hotel and Fuzhoushan Park, Taipei
Return Visit to Yilan, Taiwan
Last Days in Taipei and the Big Surprise
China--
Churches in China November 2014
2019 Summer Trip in Asia (China)
From Taiwan to Xiamen
Day Tour of Xiamen
Wonderful Wuyishan
Xiamen to Qingdao
Qingdao and Jinan, Shandong
Jinan and Qufu, Shandong
Up on Taishan
Last Full Day of Touring Shandong
Pullman Hotel, Intercontinental Hotel and Light Show in Qingdao
Day Tour of Xiamen
Wonderful Wuyishan
Xiamen to Qingdao
Qingdao and Jinan, Shandong
Jinan and Qufu, Shandong
Up on Taishan
Last Full Day of Touring Shandong
Pullman Hotel, Intercontinental Hotel and Light Show in Qingdao
Go Away, COVID-19!
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