Live from Solstice: ALASKA Dawes Glacier May 12-19, 2023 (First Sailing ex SEA)

[JintyGirl]

Loved reading your posts.

Can you stay on and do a live review of Tokyo please 😃 Going there next October pre-cruise and looking for tips 😆

[Fly and Sail]

1 hour ago, JintyGirl said:

Loved reading your posts.

Can you stay on and do a live review of Tokyo please 😃 Going there next October pre-cruise and looking for tips 😆

 

I will stay home this week and then go on to Bangkok on Thursday, where I'll remain until the end of July, My gf will have her graduation in Switzerland, and then we're off on the APEX through the Norwegian Fjords.

 

Aside from Park Hyatt Tokyo and the Centric Ginza, I hardly use any Tokyo hotels these days as we mostly just stay in the apartment to not let it go totally unutilized.

 

But I think Tokyo is one city where there's no shortage of good content and tips. 😁

[DaKahuna]

4 hours ago, Fly and Sail said:

 

I will stay home this week and then go on to Bangkok on Thursday, where I'll remain until the end of July, My gf will have her graduation in Switzerland, and then we're off on the APEX through the Norwegian Fjords.

 

Aside from Park Hyatt Tokyo and the Centric Ginza, I hardly use any Tokyo hotels these days as we mostly just stay in the apartment to not let it go totally unutilized.

 

But I think Tokyo is one city where there's no shortage of good content and tips. 😁

 

 Congratulations to your GF on her graduation.  Does she live in Tokyo with you or are you guys doing the long distance romance thing?  

 

Thailand is a beautiful countrul and parts of Bangkok are beautiful.  Have you ever traveled up to the highlands, like Chang Mai before?  It's beautiful up there. 

 

 I found Tokyo, in the 1970's and 1980's, to be a wonderful place to visit.  We would take a train up from Yokosuka / Yokohama and just spend the day wandering around the various areas.  The fact that you maintain an apartment there witch as much travel as you do amazes me.  Maybe I am just a bit jealous. 

 

 I am sure you will have a wonderful time this summer with what you have planned. 

 

[Fly and Sail]

5 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 Congratulations to your GF on her graduation.  Does she live in Tokyo with you or are you guys doing the long distance romance thing?  

 

Thailand is a beautiful countrul and parts of Bangkok are beautiful.  Have you ever traveled up to the highlands, like Chang Mai before?  It's beautiful up there. 

 

 I found Tokyo, in the 1970's and 1980's, to be a wonderful place to visit.  We would take a train up from Yokosuka / Yokohama and just spend the day wandering around the various areas.  The fact that you maintain an apartment there witch as much travel as you do amazes me.  Maybe I am just a bit jealous. 

 

 I am sure you will have a wonderful time this summer with what you have planned. 

 

 

I'm staying part time in Bangkok at least half the year, most recently, we were up in Chiang Mai back in early February. Since Thailand has semi-legalized Marihuana, it attracted entirely the wrong crowd, not really an attractive place anymore to visit.

 

We might just as well go back to Japan after everything is done now. However, living permanently on 43sqm in Tokyo isn't exactly an easy and comfortable prospect. But as you know Japanese are special when it comes to habits and my gf would frequently fly to Tokyo for her haircut and doctor's appointments as she doesn't trust non-Japanese to do it properly. 😁

[DaKahuna]

29 minutes ago, Fly and Sail said:

 

I'm staying part time in Bangkok at least half the year, most recently, we were up in Chiang Mai back in early February. Since Thailand has semi-legalized Marihuana, it attracted entirely the wrong crowd, not really an attractive place anymore to visit.

 

We might just as well go back to Japan after everything is done now. However, living permanently on 43sqm in Tokyo isn't exactly an easy and comfortable prospect. But as you know Japanese are special when it comes to habits and my gf would frequently fly to Tokyo for her haircut and doctor's appointments as she doesn't trust non-Japanese to do it properly. 😁

 

I am glad that my memories of my times in Thailand will go unspoiled.  I understand completely what you mean about Thailand attracting the wrong crowd.  We are seeing it more and more.  Even Japan does not appear to be exempt. 

 

I can't help but laugh about your comment on your Japanese GF.  My wife is the same way -- no body does this or that as good as it's done in Japan, this dish or that dish does not taste as good as it does in Japan, etc..  Fortunately, she does not travel there very often. 

 

 

[Fly and Sail]

27 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

I can't help but laugh about your comment on your Japanese GF.  My wife is the same way -- no body does this or that as good as it's done in Japan, this dish or that dish does not taste as good as it does in Japan, etc..  Fortunately, she does not travel there very often.

 

I have become the same way, though. Japan and Korea are now the standard bearers for service and quality. Anything below is subpar and unacceptable.

 

Talking about it, I still haven't received my final invoice from Solstice via email. There was nothing on there, however except $34 for the airport transfer. Gratuities were settled with cash so I don't have to drag USD with me for the next year.

[mahdnc]

Thank you for writing your live review, Fly and Sail.  It was enjoyable to read.  Glad you got home safe.

[highway180]

On 5/19/2023 at 11:25 AM, DaKahuna said:

 

I know they are some very delicious oysters to be had up in that area but still -- if the month does not contain the letter "R", I'll pass on oysters. 

 

And why is that????

they do not go bad during certain months.

Locally we can harvest them except during the summer. However the commercial oyster farms ship them year round.

[kayehall]

19 hours ago, Fly and Sail said:

 

I have become the same way, though. Japan and Korea are now the standard bearers for service and quality. Anything below is subpar and unacceptable.

 

Talking about it, I still haven't received my final invoice from Solstice via email. There was nothing on there, however except $34 for the airport transfer. Gratuities were settled with cash so I don't have to drag USD with me for the next year.

 

19 hours ago, Fly and Sail said:

 

I have become the same way, though. Japan and Korea are now the standard bearers for service and quality. Anything below is subpar and unacceptable.

 

Talking about it, I still haven't received my final invoice from Solstice via email. There was nothing on there, however except $34 for the airport transfer. Gratuities were settled with cash so I don't have to drag USD with me for the next year.

Opps, I think I copied this twice.  My question ...Is Korea a safe place to visit?  Meaning South Korea, of course. Thanks

[Fly and Sail]

1 minute ago, kayehall said:

 

Opps, I think I copied this twice.  My question ...Is Korea a safe place to visit?  Meaning South Korea, of course. Thanks

 

I leave my full wallet or phone on the table to reserve it while going to order food at the counter or go to the washroom. No safety concerns whatsoever.

[DaKahuna]

6 hours ago, highway180 said:

And why is that????

they do not go bad during certain months.

Locally we can harvest them except during the summer. However the commercial oyster farms ship them year round.

 

Just grew up hearing that you did not eat oysters in the summer, months without an R (May, June, July, & August) because that was when they had a higher bacteria count and also when they breed.  It is most likely and 'old wives tail' but that what I grew up with. 

 

 

[Fly and Sail]

7 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

Just grew up hearing that you did not eat oysters in the summer, months without an R (May, June, July, & August) because that was when they had a higher bacteria count and also when they breed.  It is most likely and 'old wives tail' but that what I grew up with. 

 

 

 

The Pacific Northwest is usually cold enough in May (and even our summer isn't worth much to write home about).

[eyecantwait]

41 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

Just grew up hearing that you did not eat oysters in the summer, months without an R (May, June, July, & August) because that was when they had a higher bacteria count and also when they breed.  It is most likely and 'old wives tail' but that what I grew up with. 

 

 

I grew up in NJ and remember hearing the same thing.

[highway180]

Most if not all of the oysters sold are farm raised.

[Fly and Sail]

Points posted to my account today WITHOUT GREEN CHOICE.

 

This company is really hopeless. Not that it makes any difference in terms of status.