I've divided our 5-week trip into three phases: Part 1:  Iceland and the Azamara Journey cruise to watch the Total Solar Eclipse. Part 2:  Our stops in Montreal and Vancouver. Part 3:  Silverseas Silver Whisper cruise from Vancouver to Honolulu. But before I finish with Part 3, some news of the day. The war between the U.S. and Iran: The estimate, which covers the war’s direct costs through Aug. 1, is in line with the Pentagon’s most recent public accounting from July, when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Congress that the war had cost $37.5 billion. A later report from the Defense Department's inspector general determined that the conflict cost an estimated $33.4 billion between February 28 and June 30.   But the new CBO analysis finds that the price of the war is continuing to rise, estimating that the government will spend another $2 billion to $3 billion each month the conflict continues. It also notes that the war has significantly depleted U.S. munition...

Nice to be home after our 5-week trip.  Here was our sunset view in Honolulu last night from where I am composing this posting. This morning. And towards Punchbowl Crater. Meanwhile, the price of oil jumped today . Adding to investors’ worries, a meeting set for today between Iran and Gulf countries regarding Hormuz was postponed “in the interests of consensus,” Oman’s foreign minister wrote on X. The international oil benchmark, Brent crude, rose as high as $108, while U.S. crude oil touched $103 per barrel. The bad news about Tropical Storm Norbert still at 40 MPH is that he is not turning more southward, once on a path taking him south of the Big Island.  Now, Norbert is heading straight for the middle of the Hawaiian Islands.  However, environmental conditions are such that the system is expected to degenerate into a post-tropical remnant low tomorrow, then dissipate by Wednesday.  It should be rainy and not so windy on Thursday. We in Hawaii are now paranoid ...