This will be Part 3 of our 53-day around the world trip, which I named Our Monumental Global Adventure, or OMGA.  My final circumnavigation will be called OMEGA, Our Memorably Extraordinary Global Adventure.  No plans for this final journey yet.  I'll also work on that acronym. I left you yesterday in Copenhagen.  The next stop was Amsterdam, for the first of three back-to-back cruises.  We boarded the Tauck Esprit for a tulip river cruise to Brussels.   Forbes  lists their  best European River Cruises : Best Overall:   Viking,   Viking Egdir Best High-End:   Uniworld,   S.S. La Venezia Best For Families:   A-Rosa,   A-Rosa Sena Best For Couples:   Scenic,   Scenic Azure Best For History Lovers:   Tauck River Cruising,   MS Sapphire Best Value:   Emerald Cruises,   Emerald Luna Best For Foodies:   Riverside Luxury Cruises, Riverside Ravel Best For Active Travelers:   AmaWaterways,   AmaMagna Certainly looks like they went out of their way to name all the active companies in this bu

You think the current Royal Family has problems?  Well, British history shows a lot worse.   Let me start with three King Charles. Charles I was born in 1600 and king from 1625 to 1649...when he was executed.  The monarchy was also abolished. His son Charles II was born in 1630, became king of Scotland in 1649, then when the monarchy was restored, became king of England, Scotland and Ireland in 1660.  Reigned until 1685. Of course Charles III is now the King, I now jump to Queen Mary II, because the ship I'm on is named after her. Was born in 1662 as the niece of King Charles II. The eldest daughter, a younger sister Anne, was born in 1665.  Both became queens. Mary 2 at the age of 15 married her cousin William of Orange in 1677. They jointly became King and Queen of Great Britain in 1689. Mary 2 endowed the formation of William and Mary College in Virginia. But she died of smallpox at the age of 32, and William III ruled until 1702. Next Anne. She married Prince George of Denmark,

To catch a Christmas European River cruise in 2024, I made two itineraries involving cruises, sailing east from Honolulu to Europe and west from Europe back to Honolulu. Unfortunately, couldn't find a cruise to the West Coast from Honolulu.  Something to do with the Jones Act.  Possible to sail to Vancouver, but no options coming or going during these two itineraries for the Fall and Winter of 2024.  Also, no cruises from the West Coast of North America to Honolulu during this period.  Well, there is one loophole that comes at the end of this posting. So we start with a flight from Honolulu, and the only cruise heading south, then east, was on the Holland America, from Vancouver to Fort Lauderdale on the Nieuw Amsterdam.  Thus, beginning in September of 2024. Fly from Honolulu to Vancouver on September 26.  Stay a couple of days at the Marriott Pinnacle Downtown. Board the  Nieuw Amsterdam on September 29 for a 21-day cruise . Verandah cabins start at $5509/person with beverage pac