Aloha! Almost Back Home

We reluctantly left Asia and began our Pacific crossing from Taiwan to Hawaii, a journey that would last 11 days. What a culture shock after so many ports in the last five weeks. Happily settled down into shipboard routines and times as our world adventure began to wind down.



Steven and Alla joined us for dinner

Sunsets Galore!

Our "extended family" Leah, Medea, Caryn, Genevieve, Natalie, Ricky, Mandy, Us, Kristin, David and Grace.

2 am aboard the MV Explorer

 

Sarge visits the Bridge

The Usual Suspects: Liz, John, Tamara, Todd

Allessandro, Victor, Michael

Same, Same, Only Different

US soil ... Honolulu for a few hours ... fire up the cell phone

Then it was off to our stop on the Big Island. First off we headed for Volcanos National Park and the newly active Kilauea crater. We were here four years ago and the difference now is striking. Looked more like high plains desert in July 2007 and now the steam was everywhere. No active flows however since there was a major event just last month that relieved the magma pressure below. 

Steam pits and fissures

Sarge loves Kilauea

Lava tubes

Hilo Port

Southern Food?

Lava Fields everywhere on the southern and western coast

"almost" as far south as yoiu can go in the US

 

Kona condo view. BEautiful setting for our last night in a port during the voyage.

Thanks Tamara for arranging this!

Sea turtle in the tidal pools right outside our condo ....cool!!! 

Taipei, Taiwan ... Japan was too dangerous

 Due to the devastating Tokyo earthquake and tsunami, SAS replaced or Japanese landing with a visit to Taiwan. Our visit to Taipei was highlighted by a trip to Taipei 101, until lately, the tallest building in the World (Dubai built one taller in 2008).

The elevator reaches 1010 meters/minute in lift speed

Sarge with the 101 mascot, Damper Baby

Beautiful coral sculptures

We rode the HSR -- High Speed Railway -- up to 300 km/hr !!

Visited the Shinlin Night Market. Wow the crowds were off the charts. And the stinky tofu (yes that's what they call it) was really stinky!

Xi'an, Beijing, and Shanghai China

We arrived in Hong Kong and immediately went to the airport to fly to Xi'an, China. We begand a five-night whirlwing tour of the best sites in this country



Bell Tower in the center city viewed through the entrance in the City Wall.




This city wall is the only one left in the country that is still complete. It rings around the old city center.



Of course I became an expert in calligraphy

Out in the farmland outside Xi'an, a farmer digging a well in 1974 discovered the below treasure trove of terracotta soldiers which were buried to protect the tomb of the Chin Dynasty emporer. The site is an active archaeological dig several jet hangars in size.

The Terracotta Warriors



After an evening flight to Beijing, next morning it was off to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.

 

And of course what visit to Beijing would be complete without visiting the Cube and the Birdsnest olympic sites.

Jackie Chan eat your Kung Fu heart out!

Finally, our long anticipated visit to the Great Wall!  Below we have placed a few of our hundred-plus photos!  We hiked a couple of kilometers along the wall and rode down on a toboggan slide.

Next stop was beautiful, bustling Shaghai. Alas, only had one evening and a half-day there. The port area and waterfront (called The Bund) was breathtaking.



Just couldn't resist !!!!!!!!