June 3, 2024
Cork catch up!
So I have been chilly in Cork at my friend Edel's house, while we wait on the update of the Ship Inspections by the DNV ( DNV is somewhat like European Coast Guard). Sunday, after Mass, we went to Edel's nephew Brian's house to visit with his family. Lori, his wife and their first born Mia, came to OCNJ, along with Edel, her 2 kids and her brother Colm, for a 2 week vacation about 6 years ago. It was great to catch up with them and reunite with Colm (granddad), Lori and Mia again and to meet Brian and new additions Ava and Jax. All the kids were in great form, full of laughs and smiles! Below is their whole family at Jax's christening - he is now 6 months old. I forgot to get a picture when we were there, so Lori kindly sent me these. Mia is so grown up now at 8 and a lucky duck because her granddad scored them a lottery place for Taylor Swift tickets, for Dublin shows, and she and Lori are going to Sunday June 30th show!
So excited to get out and explore this huge city. Our Port is attached to a huge shopping mall - so it is a bit of a hike before we even get outside. When we do the heat hits us like a brick wall! There are typhoons, in the area and according to a local, when the storms come in, they first bring a wave of fog, heat and humidity to Hong Kong .
On Saturday August 29, 2026 we achieved another historic milestone on this circumnavigation of the World , we cruised into Hong Kong Harbor. Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. The land encompassed by Hong Kong is confusing. It includes part of the southern coast of mainland China, just below Shenzhen, Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories . Looking at a map helps, but the rules changed so many times! I asked my buddy Chat several times, to tell me if what I was looking at was the Hong Kong that the British had owned for years. The answer was never straight forward!
Ha Long Bay in Vietnam is one of those bucket list places I have had in my sights for years. It's the iconic picture in my mind's eye, whenever I think of Vietnam . We had made plans to go with 8 others on a brand new, swanky Red Dragon Junk boat for a harbor cruise and overnight stay, but sadly the weather did not cooperate the whole 4 days we were in port. No ships were permitted to sail, per the local government. Many of us were bummed! This is typhoon session and there was a lot of rain and high winds our first couple of days - we were hoping it would blow out the last day and we could at least do a day trip but no luck!