So, let’s call it “⅓ of “the Big One” - we’re back on World-Cruise-Sojourn!

[shark b8]

The tape holding the plastic barricade over the outgoing Keller Grill entrance is coming off.  Your intrepid reporter got a super-secret pic of the new logo over the reception area.  There’s talk of a Pulitzer.  😎

 

 

 

 

 

[shark b8]

So, we’ve disembarked at Busan, South Korea, and taken a bullet train to Seoul, for an overnighter off the ship.  2½ hours, just the right amount of time to watch the ball game.  ⚾

 

 

 

 

[shark b8]

(Actually, the train moves considerably faster than the above video.  😜)

Edited April 4 by shark b8

[shark b8]

And now, they’ve had the ribbon-cutting ceremony, and Solis is now open for business.  They’ve kept the warm glossy wood look that was near the ceiling, and expanded on it.  New carpeting too.  A mostly blue and white theme.  Quite nice.

 

 

 

[shark b8]

I made once-a-week Keller reservations well before we sailed, so the one a few days from now was automatically switched over to Solis.  Will happily give a food review.

[shark b8]

I’m told “Gangnam Style” is a huge hit among the young ‘uns in these parts.

 

 

 

[shark b8]

Bulgogi beef, cooked at the table.  And ordering your ice cream cone from a touch screen.

 

 

 

 

[shark b8]

Never seen a library quite like this before.

 

 

[shark b8]

Here’s tomorrow’s Solis menu, according to tonight’s Herald.  Looks wonderful but occurs to me - this seems to be a very, very large menu selection for a smallish room.  Certainly hope they can pull it off.  If this jpg is too small or unreadable, let me know and I’ll see about doing multiple smaller pix.

 

[lincslady]

Love  the fresh look of the room, but honestly that is an enormous menu, to me quite off putting. I am surprised anyone in the catering department thought it a good idea.  It could be better if it had been divided up in a better way, perhaps.

[skybluewaters]

8 hours ago, shark b8 said:

Will happily give a food review.

 

Are we allowed to choose what you get to eat?

If so, I'd be interested in your opinion of the branzino 🐟

[shark b8]

8 hours ago, skybluewaters said:

Are we allowed to choose what you get to eat?

 

Hahahaha, ever since my religious conversion to Sushi-anity, I’ve pretty much waved away any cooked fish.  But the First Mate loves it, so….we’ll see.  🐟

Edited April 5 by shark b8

[shark b8]

That menu was on one side of the printed “Dining Guide” we get each night, along with the Herald (which is now printed for all rather than on the app, I think we already mentioned that).  But if you do use the app and go to “tonight’s dinner menu”, you only get the logo).  There will be growing pains, no doubt.

 

 

————

 

 

 

[shark b8]

The view from the Seoul Sky building really is spectacular, even though that day’s air quality wasn’t great. 

 

 

 

Edited April 5 by shark b8

[shark b8]

The Bongeunsa Buddhist temple.

 

 

 

[shark b8]

That small boxy Japanese car design I posted a week or so back?  Korea’s version, a Kia. 

 

[shark b8]

Gyeongbokgung Palace, dating back to Joseon dynasty, 1395.

 

 

 

 

 

[shark b8]

Again with the cutting-edge reporting -  Mr Keller has left the building, however the nightly chocolate offering….

 

[highplanesdrifters]

11 hours ago, shark b8 said:

That small boxy Japanese car design I posted a week or so back?  Korea’s version, a Kia. 

 

 

Those wheels.  😅

[shark b8]

Yeah, and they look like they’re about 14” in diameter.  

[JPH814]

On 2/23/2024 at 8:52 PM, shark b8 said:

If this unreadably small or light I’ll try to split it up into multiple more readable pages.

 

Does it really say "Creamy Butternut Squach Soup"?

[shark b8]

In Seoul it looked like our guide might be taking us to this place for lunch.  uh oh.    But then we ended up at second-pic place.  Now yer talkin’.

 

 

Edited April 6 by shark b8

[shark b8]

Back on the bullet train.  And the ball game again.  (hey folks, it’s DODGERS/GIANTS!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shark b8]

(Besides, I’m afraid I must report that the countryside going by, for the 2½ hour trip between Busan & Seoul, is not….picturesque.   The most interesting thing might be the mile-after-mile of enormous apartment buildings)

 

 

 

Edited April 6 by shark b8

[shark b8]

the monitor in the train car was fun. This first one is the train equivalent of the airline “fasten your seat belt and put up your tray tables” speech - they’re identifying what you can and can’t do .  (one guide explained to us that the crossed hands/arms means “don’t do that”).   The second one was about unagi, I hope.