June 25, 2024

My German vocabulary!

Anyone who knows me can attest that I have no aptitude for foreign languages. The other night, while half heartly watching the German commentators after Game 3, I remarked to Tom and Stephan how many times they used English words while speaking. This lead to a whole conversation about how many words in the English language are copied from German. The first one they took credit for was Kindergarten, I never thought about that one. Gesundheit, I agreed was more common but I had no idea how to spell and don't hear it used all that often these days. Noodle,  was also claimed by Stephan, but I thought he was stretching things now. Foods that are German origin like Bratwurst, Strudel, Gingerbread, Schnitzel, Sauerkraut and Pilsner Lager I wouldn't count in the list. But I didn't think Hamburger ( even though I am in Hamburg, where it was supposedly invented) and now that I think about, is a major item on most menus I have seen here, was of German descent. Other's that are have German roots are Frankfurter, Weiner, Pumpernickel, Bundt Cake, Delicatessen, Pretzel, Foosball and they are even claiming Seltzer and Gummy Bears! 

DILI, TIMOR LESTE

By Pat Patrick • April 23, 2026
We met up with the Ship in Timor Leste or East Timor, one of the youngest countries in the World . This sovereign state just gained their independence on May 20, 2002 from prior Portuguese rule (1515 until 1975) and Indonesian occupation (1975 until 1999). The Ship was anchored off the coastal town of Dili, the capital city with a population of roughly 1.4 million.

FAREWELL TO YEBEN ISLANDS, RAJA AMPAT, INDONESIA

By Pat Patrick • April 23, 2026
I know people laugh when I say we took a vacation from the Ship , they view this whole amazing voyage as a vacation! But the reality is the Ship is my home now, and almost everybody loves a vacation away from home, to unwind and recharge! So my life on the Odyssey, is not that different. I really appreciated my two weeks away at Eco Cove Resort , on Yeben Island in Raja Ampat, Indonesia !

RAJA AMPAT - FINAL DIVES FOR NOW!

By Pat Patrick • April 19, 2026
I got to do 14 dives and 5 snorkel trips over our two weeks at Eco Cove Resort. I feel much more confident and comfortable diving, practice does truly help! Eco has these t-shirts that list all their Resort excursions - we made a nice dent in all of them and it's hard to pick a favorite!