October 21, 2024

Group shot of 13 residents I toured the Blue City, MOROCCO with, on Friday 10/18/24

Dear readers - Not sure if you noticed, but I often go back into posted blogs and clean up some grammar or spelling and sometimes add a picture I may have overlooked at initial posting. I haven't found a way to alert you to these changes, and I am disappointed that my platform does not support a comment section where I can hear from you instantly. I DO LOVE WHEN YOU SEND ME PRIVATE NOTES AND QUESTIONS - so please keep them coming - so I just don't hear crickets!! My email is ocbeach@comcast.net or whatsapp or text me. All 3 work great. I had thought about coping some post to Facebook - but honestly it is so much work to get these blogs up promptly, that idea may have to wait until we get a stretch of sea days - which isn't often and those get filled with pickleball and spa time and movies and all kinds of other ship activities! Socializing and game playing - you no what a wall flower I am!! Oh, and remember I am still working!!! Logging 10 to 13 hours weekly to date.

Above is a group, shot not on my camera, that I just got of the fun people I went to the Blue City with on Friday 10/18/24. From the front to the back, and from the Left to the right - we are: Cris and Shirene; Andy and Paul ( who attempted to herd the group together), Amy, Karen, Myself & Joy ( who was celebrating her 47 birthday) , tucked behind myself and Joy is Cindy; then back row is Maura, Basia & Alicia ( married to Gary) and Jim is last one, all the way in the back. All of us, except Andy and Alicia are solo travelers. I know 5 or 6 are mom's and divorced, but not sure about rest. Still getting to know everybody's stories! Mix of owners and segment buyers, but most on for a full circumnavigation. Ages range from 47 to mid seventies ? Believe Cris oldest here.

MARBLE HILLS, DA NANG, VIETNAM

By Pat Patrick • August 23, 2026
Just about a half hour outside downtown Da Nang are Marble Hills .These five stone hills produce a huge amount of various colored marble that have been made into all kinds of statues, furniture, jewelry and knick knacks. Inside the cavernous spaces of the Hills, lots of temples and shrines have developed. Before getting to the base of the Hills, our driver asked us if we wanted to stop at a Marble Shop, bearing the wares of this marble. The place was huge - with soo many choices! And guess what their prices all have an option to ship to the USA! or I figure any where else in the world! A sales person escorted us through out the spaces. No heavy stones for me despite how pretty!

DA NANG, VIETNAM

By Pat Patrick • August 23, 2026
On our fourth port day in Nha Trang , Bosco, Terri and I took a quick 50 minute flight north to Da Nang, Vietnam to do some deeper exploring inland. Downtown Da Nang spans the Hans River, that opens out to the Da Nang Bay and the East Vietnam Sea. Today, Da Nang is one of the quickest growing cities in Vietnam, known for it's youth (median age is just 35) and dynamic environment.

NHA TRANG, VIETNAM

By Pat Patrick • August 23, 2026
Nha Trang was our first port in Vietnam , back on the 12th of August. My first impression, was OMG it's HOT here! I have been saying that a lot in Southeast Asia, but it was over 100 degrees that first afternoon. NhaTrang does not get many cruise ship visitors, because they have no docking facilites, we had to tender into a resort marina, about 15km, North of the City. It is however, a popular beach town, and was bustling with tons of Russian visitors. The beaches and cheap prices are probably the biggest appeal, besides the fact that Vietnam is also a communist country. There are flags and communist markings all around.