AMSTERDAM TO VIKING TIR TO COLOGNE, GERMANY

Today, a series of photos taking us from our Marriott Hotel in Amsterdam to the Viking Tir, and our doings on board. Our final brunch at the Marriott. The place has been packed. Noticed the cost. With sparkling wine, $63/person.

Excellent breakfast, but expensive. We get it free. Executive Club below later in the day.

Not much, but enough, and free drinks. Can't believe I only walked 179 steps today, but our room is adjacent to the elevator, which is close to the executive club and restaurant. So, maybe, for I didn't do anything all day.

At 1PM caught a taxi to the Viking Tir. It was snowing!

Viking Tir.

Lunch.

Stateroom 223 with veranda.

View from our veranda.

Tir, incidentally, is the Norse God of Heroic Glory, the son on Hymir.

View from our veranda at night.

You can have for free, beer and wine with lunch and dinner.

Lunch. Two soups and salads.

Then dinner. We have captured this end table by showing up early. Soup and salad, followed by pork balls of some kind.

Then spaghetti carbonara and salad.

The next day, a mandatory life-jacket exercise. Just show up...and that was about it.

2152 steps on first day on ship.

Pre-dinner drinks of Kir and champagne, then dinner.

Dancing.

2033 steps today.

We have arrived in Cologne. Tomorrow, photos, etc.

Okay, the most popular songs in the Netherlands, from 1960 to 2020. Begins with an Edith Piaff song, Milord, sung by Corry Brokken of the Netherlands, and has Americans in this list, like Simon and Garfunkel. The Beatles, of course, but also We Are the World. Only a very few Dutch songs made the list.

Comments

DAY 1 on the DIAMOND PRINCESS

But first, Sheraton Yokohama Bay highlights of our Sheraton Club eats/drinks and breakfasts. Breakfast stations. Then taxi off to the Diamond Princess. Fall colors. Approaching from the rear of the Diamond Princess. Departure of Diamond Princess from Yokohama, Departure snack of lamb, beef, penne pasta, Johnny Walker Gold and champagne. Leaving Yokohama. We then went to Kai Sushi for dinner, Sushi and sake dinner, Then, off to Fun Dance Class. That followed by karaoke. The night continued into some old time disco. Finally, after midnight, back to our stateroom. Walked 4127 steps today. -

DAY 4 IN SEOUL: Most popular Korean Songs from the 1950's to the Present

Korean music was almost totally missing, growing up in Hawaii. The exception was Arirang . Today, BTS and BLACKPINK resonate around the world. In addition to the 600 year-old Arirang, what is the all-time #1? My favorites are: Baby Shark , released by Pinkfong in 2016. For one, it is the most-viewed You Tube video ever, hitting 7 billion views and surpassing Despacito in 2022. Is now up to 16.47 billion views, with Despacito at 9 billion. Top 10 music videos, based on data from Kworb and Wikipedia : Note that most are nursery songs. "Baby Shark Dance" – Pinkfong Kids' Songs & Stories (16.47 billion) "Despacito" – Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee (8.91 billion) "Wheels on the Bus" – Cocomelon Nursery Rhymes (8.29 billion) "Bath Song" – Cocomelon Nursery Rhymes (7.31 billion) "Johny Johny Yes Papa" – LooLoo Kids (7.13 billion) "See You Again" –...

HOW TO WATCH NETFLIX SHOWS

But first, maybe President Donald Trump's 20-point Gaza Peace Plan is showing some progress . No one expects the Hamas to accept all of them, but they did agree to release all captives and the act of handing over administration to Palestinian technocrats. So far, in the Gaza Strip, 66,288 have been killed and 169,165 wounded. On 7October2023, almost two years ago, 1139 were killed in the initial Hamas-led attack. About my topic of the day, I've long been lamenting the overflow of watchable films and series available on Netflix and Prime. Why expand into the plethora of other streaming options when I can't keep up with what I have, which costs me around $30/month. And, of course, why venture out to a movie theater to end up watching a film that will cost me around that amount of money, when you add the popcorn, drink, gasoline cost, time it takes to get there and back, and the risk of a car accident or worse. Oh, also getting infected with ...

Search This Blog