The Living Journey
Welcome to The Living Journey – a collection of journal entries and photographs by our own Residents that offers an exclusive glimpse into their adventures at sea. Experience The World through their eyes as they share personal and authentic stories of what it’s like to travel the globe from the comfort of home on this luxurious ship. These posts capture their once-in-a-lifetime experiences not found anywhere else on earth. This blog is continually updated so we invite you to come back and visit often.
Remarkable Castles and Powerful Messages of Peace in Gdansk, Poland
This morning we arrived in Gdansk, Poland on a cool, dreary and chilly day. There were many locals out and about despite the rain to welcome us to their country…a hearty group.
Outside the harbor entrance there is a huge memorial known as the Westerplatte Monument.
Wismar, Germany – A charming village untouched by time
This morning we arrived in Wismar, Germany which is located on the Baltic Sea. It is a small city of about 45,000 and we were last here with the Ship in 2016.
Wismar retains much of its charm and many reminders of its days as a member of the Hanseatic League and over more than 250 years of Swedish control (1648-1903).
Navigating the waters and rock formations of La Digue
Madagascar & Aldabra Expedition: Island Music & Beachside Barbeque on the Barren Islands
Today we visited the Barren Islands which are a small group of 9 coral islands about 15 miles off the coast of mainland Madagascar. We specifically visited Nosy (Island) Andrano (water).
Today the sea was a bit calmer,
Madagascar & Aldabra Expedition: Our First Day In Toliara, Madagascar
This morning we arrived at Toliara located on the Southwest portion of Madagascar. It is the capital of the Atsimo-Andrefana region founded in 1895. They have a reef barrier offshore, which provides one of the few natural bays in the southern part of Madagascar.
Exploring Wine Country in Cartagena, Spain
Because of its strategic location and safe harbor, Cartagena has been a major seaport throughout history, being occupied by Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Moors, and Barbary Coast pirates. Today the population is about 220,000 and the city, along with the rest of Spain,
Discovering Natal, Brazil: The City of Sun and Sand Dunes
We were at sea for part of the day arriving in Natal around 1:00 pm. The sail-in was beautiful with a magnificent bridge, beautiful skyline, and simply incredible sand dunes.
Magnificent bridge at the entrance to the port in Natal.
A “Muy Caliente” Day in Cabo Frio, Brazil
Early in the morning, we weighed anchor and headed back in the direction of Rio de Janeiro to Cabo Frio, a resort community of about 200,000. This town is less than 100 miles from Rio and is a mecca for those who want to escape the big city for the beach.
Back on the Ship in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
We had an uneventful but long journey to Rio. The time difference to California was 5 hours, now 4 since the US changed to Daylight Savings time. Not too challenging for jetlag, but still present.
We arrived and were shocked by the difference from our last visit in Rio two years ago.
At Sea to Vancouver, British Columbia
We spent a day and a half traveling from Port Townsend to Vancouver due to some local environmental duties – so we headed out the Strait of Juan De Fuca and into the Pacific. This was fine with us as it was a good chance to get caught up on the day to day responsibilities of life plus a little rest.
Exploring Local Culture in Hualien, Taiwan
Hualien (pronounced Who Lane) is located on the Eastern side of Taiwan and the largest city on this Pacific Coast. The population is about 275,000. The eastern side of the country is far more scenic than the western side.
Laser Lights in Hong Kong
We arrived in Hong Kong on April 29, 2017. It’s a National Holiday weekend in Hong Kong so the city is super busy with Monday a Holiday making for a nice long weekend for the city’s inhabitants, but a really busy city.
Private Tour and Concert at St. Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum and Theater
After our first day of exploration in St. Petersburg, we arrived back to the Ship about 4:30 pm, rushed an early dinner as we had to meet again at 6 pm for an evening at the Hermitage Museum for an after-hours tour and a concert in Catherine the Great’s private theater.
Fabulous Mosaics and Magnificent Architecture of St. Petersburg’s Churches
We arrived to the entrance of the Dam of St. Petersburg around 7:30 this morning. This is a fantastic 16 mile long harbor wall capable of holding back the storm surge in inclement weather. It was intended to protect St.
The World celebrates its inaugural visit to Wismar
We docked in Wismar about 9 am to a warm welcome from this community of around 45,000 people. Their fireboat saluted us with their water cannons shooting powerful streams of water in a traditional maritime salute.
Wismar retains much of its charm and many reminders of its days as a member of the Hanseatic League and over more than 250 years of Swedish control (1648-1903).