August 28, 2025

EXPO 2025 - WORLD'S FAIR OSAKA, JAPAN

Resident Fran  from Australia, a 77 year old former novice nun, school teacher, mom, librarian, assistant director of VVR Players group and All-Around Major Ship Personality, kindly offered me her extra priority ticket as a companion to her Handicap, easy accessibility access, to the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan on August 19, 2025.  This meant we could go to the front of the lines, for the none reserved Pavilions, in front of the long cues! This was key to us accessing about 6 of the Pavilions shown below.

Singapore Pavillion was first one we went into.

Next we went atop the massive wood structure that rings the entire EXPO 2025.I thought this was one of most impressive things in the park, as far as interesting architecture.After sweating massively on the upper ring line we made a beeline for Bulgaria purely to find some AC and seats for a bit.

Next we hit a Commons Hall - which housed several smaller countries that didn't have the opportunity or resources for their own stand alone Pavillion & in there we visit Bhutan, Palestine and Cuba. Next we sought out some lunch and a shady spot to sit in the center of the exhibit area in an area called tranquility forest. Here they created a dense tree area for shade and several countries had food trucks and little eateries with common area tables and benches. We had some shrimp, rice and veggie dishes and large waters!

After Lunch we went to Spain's Pavillion which was my favorite interior spaces.

Next was a Japanese cultural exhibit, again just to get out of the heat . And we had to go to Australia, Fran's home, where she was delighted to find properly made Lamington's,at food stall on way out of pavilion, (it's a sponge cake w strawberry jams filling, rolled in chocolate & coconut). It was very tasty.

We then made one final push to see the USA Pavilion. Full of Trump photos and highlighted our space program. By then it was 5:00 pm and we were exhausted, so we called it a day and walked out to find a subway and then an uber out of there and back to our Ship!

By Patricia Patrick January 19, 2026
I threw together an impromptu Bachelorette party for Angie tonight! Angie and Gian are getting married for a third time in Hawaii next week.They will be alone this time and it turns out she never had a Shower or Bachelorette to celebrate her first 2 marriages on the Ship, last May! Our girl deserved a fun night to celebrate her! So we took over a section the outdoor seating at Les 3 Brassuers, and their great band had us all up dancing! It's amazing what you can do with a bunch of WhatsApp messages to fellow ladies, some tulle, sparkles and always handy flower lei's ! One of the ladies even went and bought her some lingerie! I love our supportive community!
By Patricia Patrick January 19, 2026
I got to go Sailing Again! We were supposed to head to the COOK ISLANDS after the lovely Rangiroa and the Tuamotu Archipelago, but due to stormy weather there, with all unprotected tender ports, they made the decision to head us southwest, back to the protected port in Papeeta (Tahiti). We got lucky and Holly ( pictured below) found us a sailboat available for charter.
By Patricia Patrick January 14, 2026
Since Janette Emerich is generous enough to share her drone photos with all of us on board the Ship, I have to share them with you all. This beauty is why I said we felt like we were in a screen saver the whole day in Rangiroa! I love the height perspective in the photos it really captures so much more. Blue Lagoon below: