September 23, 2025

Our first Port in the Philippines! The lovely people of Subic Bay still showed up to greet us in the wind and rain this morning!

We are in the PHILIPPINES until the beginning of October, exploring just a few of the 7,641Islands. If you have been matching up our SHIP'S ITINERARY to my BLOG - you will see I am officially caught up! Or at least Current as of Today!!! We will see how long that last as I am disembarking the Ship tomorrow and going on a little beach holiday, to another island for 5 days and come back to the partying for our 1 year of sailing Anniversary!!! I am attaching the link to the latest Ship's Itinerary because I truly hope some of you will do some serious planning and come and join me for part of this great adventure!! My Philly Condo went to closing today and I now have no formal ties the USA, other than my family and friends! I also have no plans for any visits to the USA, but can always be tempted!

THE ART OF COCONUT CREAM - AMERICAN SAMOA

By Patricia Patrick • December 18, 2025
Making coconut cream is such a big part of the Samoan culture I feel compelled to share the 4 step process we were so nicely shown. Every Samoan young and old takes part in this tradition, it is an intrigue part of their everyday lives.

PAGO PAGO, TUTUILA ISLAND, AMERICAN SAMOA

By Patricia Patrick • December 17, 2025
The tour today was focused on the National Park but we also got a lot of insight into American Samoa's history and current day life. Our guide was Nini and she is a college student studying accounting and finance and works as a part-time guide.

NATIONAL PARK OF AMERICA SAMOA, TUTUILA ISLAND

By Patricia Patrick • December 17, 2025
Today we took the National Park of American Samoa Tour. It's a unique park - the only one south of the equator and where the U.S. Government doesn't own the land. Efforts to establish the Park go back to mid 1980 over concern about the decline of fruit bats and wanting to protect the tropical rainforests. On October 31, 1988 Congress established the NP of American Samoa. In 1993, a complex arrangement for a 50 year land lease years with seven villages and the Samoa government was signed. We got lucky with our tour - we were expecting an open air bus, but because we were a small group, we got a plush air conditioned van!