The Next Port Was The Ancient City of Utaru

On Japan's northern island of Hakaido sits the small old port town of Utaru. It's a fun little town to visit for a day. We got there two sea days after Petro, and I really enjoyed it, thought I got some good pix.

Past the break wall at dawn, a tug ready to assist

Vending machine ad, the machines are everywhere

Lot's of junky stuff in a cool old building

Plastic food in the window, real stuff inside.

The colonel's got a deal for you.

The Japanese revere pefect melon, 6 for a hundred bucks.

This bad boy was going for 86 bucks!

On Board the Celebrity Millennium, Day Eight

Our first port of call is tomorrow Petropavlovsk, Russia. Eight sea days may seem like a lot, but in reality they fly by even at 16 to 18 knots. The captain just made his daily 10 am report, we've covered 2700 nautical miles since Vancouver, with 270 to sail till we anchor in Petropavlovsk Bay at 4 am tomorrow. ( A nautical mile equals 1.15 land miles),  The first five days we crossed the Gulf of Alaska, cutting between two islands of the Aleutians to enter the Bering Sea. The ship has altered course twice to avoid rough seas, so the trip has been a little disappointingly calm, darn it! Yesterday not a cloud in the sky, today low heavy clouds and it's moisturizing, temp is 50. Wearing layers so not too bad. The clock has moved back an hour a day for five days in a row, resulting in 25 hour days, and the calendar skipped Thurs the 18th, Wednesday turning into Friday the 19th. You wouldn't think adding an hour a day would mess things up, but it does a bit, the result being that you start waking up at five or six am, I've never seen the breakfast buffet crowded at 6 am, but it is on this ship. Losing a day has every one befuddled. We all got a date line crossing certificate on our pillow last night!

Sunday, 8/21.  Yesterday's grey skies turned into a good storm, we plowed through rough seas all day long. I had lots of fun! This morning by four am we were in the shelter of Petropavlovsk Bay, which as it turns out is one of the most magnificent natural harbors in the world. Home to Russia's largest submarine base, it is ringed by mountain ranges and three snow covered volcanoes, one of which is venting away. It is located right on the ring of fire. We were cleared to go ashore by Russian authorities by 11:30 and wandered around this small city for a few hours. Being Sunday it was pretty quiet, but picturesque and friendly. We are about to weigh anchor and head out through the harbor's narrow entry and head out for two sea days to our first port in Japan, Oturu.

Happy Russian Immigration official.

Note the steam venting from the volcano on the left.

A Russian bear met us

Millennium in the bay

It was Sunday, light a candle in an 18th century Orthodox church.

Happy Russian family.

That's how to write hot dog in Russian

Made It To Tokyo!

Finally back to wifi! I didn't even bother with the internet on the ship, too slow and expensive. We are here in Tokyo now for two nights with fast internet so I'll try to get caught up. first off up next a post on Petropavlovsk, Russia.

More Pix Of Portland

Portland is certainly a fun and friendly city. As a visitor it is so easy to get around, streetcars crisscross the the city, an all day pass is five bucks, tons of restaurants and pubs. Prices are reasonable, craft beers are $4.50. We stayed at the Northwest Portland Hostel, private double rooms are $80, dorms are $26, highly recommended! Great time. Leaving on Amtrak this pm for Vancouver, board the ship tomorrow for Tokyo,first port Petropavlosk, Russia,eight sea days across the Bering Sea, slicing through the Aleutian Islands. Anchors away!

Shiny happy people on the streetcar

These bubblers all over town, no water shortage here

Lunch here at the Huckleberry Pub, ribeye cheesesteak was omg good, travel friend Ron in the pic

Portland skyline from the tram

The hostel

Portlandia Is A Statue, Not a TV Series

Well, it is, both. The statue was installed in 1989 over the entrance of The Portland Building,  designed by Michael Graves (who designed the Denver Central Public Library). It's the second largest copper sculpture in the nation, after Lady Liberty, and is meant to convey the spirit of this cool city.

Great transept criss crosses this compact city, here a tram.

Lot's of bicycles

Lots of bars and restaurants

Meanwhile, Back In Denver, It's Snowman Time

Snowmen in Denver drink Coors tallboys

Tipsy mini snowmen

Views, NYC, Christmas Time

All Shades Of Grey And White At The World Trade Center 9/11 Memorial

It was a cold drizzly day, appropriate enough for a visit to the 9/11 Memorial in NYC.  The visit is marred by the somewhat harsh entry conditions, the line snaking through construction fencing and plywood, airport style security-needed of course, no less than 4 ticket checks, but once in it's quite the sight  The memorial is a beautifully crafted tribute to those who perished. It's simple and monumental, reverential and inspirational, the crowds are quiet, the rushing water drowns the sorrow.

One World Trade Center disappears into the clouds, construction cranes at the transit center.

Sunset, Dead Ahead

Back On Terra Firma, A Few Parting Shots