September 11, 2025

Day 3 - we were up and on the road to the GREAT WALL at 6 am! We wanted to beat the heat and the crowds.

There are two entry point to the GREAT WALL close to BeiJing. We went to Mutlanyu which is further out, but has gondola and lift chair options along with a toboggan option down. You walk thru a plaza that has a bunch of amenities and then along a road with tons of vendors selling all kinds of must have items! I liked a lot of the art installations along the way, we enjoyed these after, we beelined for the Lift Chair to get to the top ASAP. WOW those first views are amazing - it was truly a pinch me moment for me to be here!

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Sadly I was not allowed to ride the toboggan down from the Wall - they had an age limit - no one 60 and above. The operator would not budge for me, however several of my 60 + year old friends got to go, I was sad and it's the first time anyone has believed me to be that age on this trip. He never even asked to see my passport! RUDE!  I did take picks of my friends enjoying as I took the Chair lift back down.

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.