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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Sep 29, 2013 04:00 PM Memories of Japan - at sea
We have another day at sea today. But I am still impressed by yesterday's stay on Hokkaido island.
Most my of my fellows bought expensive excursion to Sapporo. Not me! Since I know Sapporo I decided to take 12-kms coastal walk to enjoy the nature: they have here great cliffs and isolated beaches. I saw Golden Cliff and Chikyo Lighthouse built on the rock 120 m above sea level.
And I did not spent any single yen :)
In the late afternoon at the pier the big band of the local high school (mostly young ladies) were playing for us. And then the young kids in the costumes (about 100 of them)were dancing the national dance. They are like a little charming dolls - I loved it!
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Sep 28, 2013 04:00 PM In Japan again!
Is was sunny morning with few clouds only when we docked in Muroran port on the island of Hokkaido.
Our hosts are very well prepared and ornanized.
Free shuttle bus took me from the port to the town where
they offer presentation of the costumes, tea ceremony,
origami making and much more.
Everybody here is very polite.
And at least I have the access tothe free internet.
I plan to take a long walk along the coast...
Greetings from hospitable Japan!
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Sep 26, 2013 04:00 PM Land on the horizon!
Today, after 5 days of sailing in the open ocean at least I was able to see a piece of land
on the horizon. But this was not Japan!
Once we came closer I was able to see more small islands with the gentle, conic
volcanoes on them. These were Russian Kuril Islands! Do you remember my voyage to Hokkaido?
From there I already saw them - from the western side.
Kuril Islands are still on the list of my dreams. When I was on the Russian Sakhalin I studied
possibility to visit beautiful Kurils, but it was early spring and they did not start
sailings yet. Perhaps someday I will land there...
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Sep 25, 2013 04:00 PM Teaching Russian on the cruise ship...
Heather - our charming and knowledgeable port lecturer is giving daily lectures about
the ports we are going to visit. Talking with me about Vladivostok she soon recognized that
I speak Russian and asked me to teach the audience basic Russian words. I agreed - why not?
Can you imagine me in the Princess Theatre in front of 700-800 fellow travelers explaining
how to say good morning, thank you, excuse me, where is the toilet? and so on...
They were repeating patiently many times after me: dobroye utro, spasiba, prastitie, gdie
nakhoditsa tualyet?... I had a fun! And I hope that they memorized something.
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Sep 24, 2013 04:00 PM No Wednesday this week!
I went to the bed on Tuesday and when I woke up in the morning it was already Thursday, 26th
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Sep 23, 2013 04:00 PM Crossing the Date Line - I lost one day again!
Today we are crossing meridian 180 deg = the Date Line. I will loose again one day - for the
first time sailing on the ship. Yesterday when I was going to my bed it was already
next day morning in Europe.
But since tomorrow on each day I will wake up 12 hours earlier then you!
For some reason Neptune became very angry and Pacific Ocean is very rough again.
Our captain
just announced that were we experience 8-m high waves and strong wind from the north.
I am writing in the library on the deck 5 and from time to time the panoramic windows
here are gently washed up by the high waves. Thanks God the glass is strong enough :)
The highlight of today was Dixeland concert (you know that I prefere rather
dixieland than heavy matal :).
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Sep 22, 2013 04:00 PM The Pacific is little calmer today
I met an interesting couple from Texas: Kirk and Alessandra. Traveling with "Princess" many
times they achieved platinium membership level and this gives they 500 minutes of the free
internet connection from the ship. They were so kind let me use some of their credit to send
my "waiting" messages from the ship. And that's why you can read them now.
Thanks a lot, my new friends!
Foggy morning. We passed Aleutian Islands and the Pacific is a bit calmer today.
The outside decks are open again so I can take a walk on the open air.
If you manage to make 2,5 rounds around the ship it means that you walked 1 mile!
They change the ship's time every night - we sleep longer.
I hope that the weather will be better as we will be closer to the Date Line.
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Sep 21, 2013 04:00 PM Through the rough North Pacific
Our first day in the open ocean. Surprisely the sun is shinning, but the waves are 6 to 7 meters
high. All open decks are of course closed and only through the panoramic windows we can see
how the ship is rocking and rolling. The waves and sprays are very spectacular.
Last time I saw such a spectacle coming back from the Bouvet Island in the Antarctic.
They gave me a bow (forward) cabin - and as you know it is
not the best choice for the passenger if the ship is crossing the rough seas - I feel more rocking
then the others. Every few minutes extra big wave hits the bow - and I hear that!
I never suffer the seasick, but many fellow passengers do. They stay in their cabins.
Fewer people go to the restaurants for the meals. In the evening we are sailing along the
Aleutian Islands (they belong to the USA) known as "the islands of the hurricanes and mist".
No mist so far, sun only, but we experience very strong forward wind.
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Sep 20, 2013 04:00 PM Whittier - Bye=bye America!
Our last day in America... We sailed from Vancouver = Canada already more then 3000 kms.
Whittier is a little port with just few houses, located deep in the
bay and surrounded by the high mountains. The only land access to Whittier is
via the famous tunnel (they charge 12 USD tunnel toll fee per small car)
Unfortunately it is cloudy again today. Some passengers are disembarking here, the other parties
embark the ship for the 6-days long voyage through the North Pacific.
Apart from the little museum in the grocery building there is nothing to see in Whittier.
If you have a choice I suggest that you should plan to start your trip in Anchorage
rather then in Whittier!
For me the wi-fi network in the Whittier' port cafe was the last opportunity to send
something via internet from America. But today I managed to send only 3 e-mails
in the morning and then this communication channel was broken.
Since onboard internet connection on my ship is extremely expensive
(they offer today a "special rate": 9 USD per 15 minutes of the very weak connection)
the next message from this voyage will be probably send 6 days later from Japan.
I do hope that there will be no storm in the North Pacific.
Please keep your fingers crossed dear Friends!
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Sep 19, 2013 04:00 PM College Fjord in the sun!!
Weather is very changeable in Alaska. I was very surprised when in the morning I switched on
the monitor in my inside cabin and I recognized that there is strong sun outside!
And a strong wind - I recognized this soon walking on the deck.
We were sailing Prince William Sound to reach in the afternoon the College Fjord.
It is also accessible only from the sea.
It is not as long as Glacier Bay but even more picturesque. We were sailing in the full sun
and wonderful scenery passing hanging and tidewater glaciers - to the end of the fjord
where imposing Harward Glacier is sliding down to the water. Our captain was brave
enough to sail very close to Harward - it was possible to hear from the deck
the sounds of breaking ice.
Regarding the views this was (so far) the best day of my expedition. I hope to show you great
pictures.
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