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.

WAT BANG KUNG & TRAIN MARKET - Bangkok ,Thailand

By Pat Patrick • July 21, 2026
Wat Bang Kung Temple was a quick stop along the way to the Train Markets . What makes this unique is the Temple is completely enclosed by roots of four giant trees (a banyan, bodhi and others). From the outside, it looks like nature has swallowed the building. Inside the chapel is a golden Buddha image, that locals still visit to pray. It was quite active during our short visit there. The Temple dates back over 250 years and survived the Burmese invasion.

BANGKOK, Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

By Pat Patrick • July 21, 2026
We picked Sunday, hoping for less traffic, to explore two famous Markets. First we traveled about 1.5 hours to the Floating Markets at Damnoen Saduak . We hired a driver with a van for the day, to take the group of us. Below is some of the interesting architecture along the way.

BANGKOK, TALAD NOI Neighborhood, THAILAND

By Pat Patrick • July 21, 2026
I was looking for a neighborhood to walk around in Bangkok , hoping to escape all the thousands of people and shady sex elements, that were all over the area ( Nana, Sukhumvit ), unfortunately where we booked our hotel, for supposed transit connivence. Shame on me for trusting others recommendations and not doing more research on my own, lesson learned! Thankfully Talad or Talat Noi provided that escape for me, for one night. Sadly we didn't make it there till after sunset, when a lot was closed. But I still enjoyed the quiet and chatting with Sherrie, as we explored the neighborhood's knooks and crannies.