I've been ignoring Donald Trump and world events, so will start with the  latest poll showing Americans venting disappointment with The Donald on today, his 100th day in office .  Also showing no progress on those wars in the Ukraine and Gaza Strip.  About tariffs and China, here is a graphic from the   New York Times . This is Day 14 of our trip.  Some background about  Hakodate . Was originally populated by the Ainu. Founded in 1454 by Kono Masamichi, but the family was driven out of Hakodate during the Ainu rebellion in 1512. There was another uprising around 1670, led by Ainu warrior Shakushain.  Note that the Ainu look Eurasian. It was on 8July1853 that American Commodore Matthew Perry led his four warships into Tokyo Bay, seeking re-establish for the first time in 200 years, regular trade between Japan and the western world.  The first two ports to open were Hakodate and Shimoda (67 miles south of Tokyo).  Yokohama Port did not o...

The Shinkansen takes around 3 hours to get from Sendai to Shin-Hakodate.  A car, perhaps 8.5 hours.  Our cruise ship leaves Sendai at 3PM and is expected to arrive in the Port of Hakodate at 7AM, or 16 hours later.  Our ship would need to cruise at 22 MPH.  The Riviera's top speed is 23 MPH. The largest cruise ship today is the Icon of the Seas.  She has a top speed of 28 MPH.  The Titanic could just about reach that speed. The Oceania Riviera was supposed to depart at 3PM, but instead left at 2:50.  So this is the only photo I took. Sendai is a special place for me.  I have stayed at the Sendai Westin at least ten times.  Photo to the left, sunset from the Executive Club.  The room price now is around $350/night.  I remember a few months after the 11March2011 Great Tohoku cataclysm, with the Fukushima damaged nuclear reactors only 50 miles away, I only paid $45/night. 2012 :  In April, 13 months after the Great Tohoku disaster...