The Osaka Expo had private opening ceremonies  yesterday afternoon, with Emperor Naruhito and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba participating.   Watch the entire 2-hour show .   Here,  PM Ishiba chatting with Myaku-Myaku,  the official mascot, who represents cell and water. Entrance of Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko . Actually, the  site of the Expo was opened to 50,000 visitors last week  to test out the venue.  Food was sold and some pavilions could be explored.... with very long lines.  As many as 227,000 visitors/day are expected.  As would be expected, Japan is ready. Planning to go?   Here is a video of some must see pavilions . All to know before you go . Visitors guide to the 2025 Osaka Expo. From April 13 to October 13.  13 is not a bad luck number in Japan.  Our 13 is their 4. Theme:  Designing Future Society for Our Lives. Located on Yumeshima isla...

I'm getting old, with only a very few trips left in my life.  I've flown close to 3 million miles and taken more than a dozen cruises.  Took around the world trips at least ten times.  Been to every World Expo since 1962 ( they occur every 5 years ), except the one in Dubai, which was delayed a year.  We were on track to be there, but the pandemic and other factors got in the way. I was perusing  Condé Nast 's  Traveler  2024 Reader's Choice Awards , and saw that I had not stayed at most of the best hotels. This was their 27th edition of their globetrotting annual event. I learned that they uncoupled their voters and now only use the input from their UK readers, and maybe that is why I'm not familiar with some results. Never been to these best hotels. #1 in Europe:  Paris, Hotel de Crillon, a Rosewood hotel.  But I don't stay there because I looked at their  daily rates , which seem to average around $2200 this month and $1600 next month...

  I've noticed that reading of my blog peaks during my travels.  We earlier this year had an around the world journey I called   OMGA for Our Memorable Global Adventure .   So today, an alert as to when you can return for three future trips. In a little more than a month, we leave for Europe to catch a European River Christmas Cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest.  Most people just take a long flight east to Europe.  Ours will be a cruise from Seattle, through the Panama Canal, to Southampton, England. Then in the Spring of 2025, we fly to Osaka for the World Expo. During the Winter of 2025, we are contemplating the following extravaganza, I call Our Monumental Epic Global Adventure, OMEGA. We would like to catch the Queen Mary 2's around the world trip.  We might need to leave the ship in Los Angeles.  It's possible that we won't be able to disembark in Honolulu.  However, we can fly back to Hawaii.  So three truly monumental trips, t...