September 12, 2025

BeiJing, used to be Peking - so we had to have the famous Peking Duck!

There are several well known Peking Duck specialty restaurants, we went to Siji Minfu. They bring you appetizers of spicy cucumbers, grapes and baked bran with mushrooms and peanuts - tasty! Then comes the roast duck carved table side with it crispy skin. You put duck in super thin pancakes with slices of cucumber, scallions, melon and sprinkle of sugar with plum sauce. Wrap like small burrito and SO YUMMY !! We also enjoyed a side of crispy baby eggplant.

When we got back to hotel we got to witness another type of dinner. Robot delivery - most of the hotels use this service for takeout deliveries to the rooms. It's so cute and sometimes they chat to you if you ride elevator with them! Love how they park themselves right infant of doors, must be tied into elevator system because they always get next one down and go right to their floor. Want to order something just so we can receive delivery. Very Jetsons! Finally ! I really want flying cars next!

2nd YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF SAILING THE WORLD

By Pat Patrick • October 1, 2026
WOW!! I can't believe it has been two years of sailing around the World already for me and my fellow shipmates on the Villa Vie Odyssey! We left Belfast, Ireland back on September 30, 2024 and it has been such a great adventure to date! We have been to 201 different ports, some more than once, during those two years, with much more to come!

APOPO, SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA

By Pat Patrick • September 29, 2026
Before coming to Cambodia , I sadly have to admit I was unaware of the landmine problems they face. On our first night in Siem Reap, where we hiked up the hill to try and see the sunset views, there was a small band of men playing instruments and our tuk tuk driver explained to me they were victims of landmine explosions who had lost limbs or their sight and were trying to make money via donations to support their families.

Ta Prohm Temple ( AKA Lara Croft: Tomb Raider), CAMBODIA

By Pat Patrick • September 28, 2026
I rallied for our last temple of the morning, because I heard this one was unique and I think it was my favorite. Ta Prohm was built starting in 1186 by King Jayavarman VII as a Buddhist monastery and university dedicated to the king's mother. It was left mostly un-restored so that huge banyan and silk cotton trees grow directly over and through the walls. In 2001, the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider movie was filmed here.