Swimming in the Sea of Japan.
We spent this entire day at sea, transiting the Sea of Japan to the east-northeast across blissfully calm seas. Indeed, the weather was so calm that the crew stopped the ship, shortly after lunch, and deployed the Zodiacs – allowing those who might be interested in a swim to motor away a safe distance from the ship and swim in the open ocean. What a treat! [Photo gallery]
A brief visit to South Korea.
Due to some legalistic rules about cruise operators in the Sea of Japan – the strategically important sea between Japan and the Asian mainland, bordered by Russia and Korea – we sailed overnight to South Korea and docked in Busan just before dawn. We boarded buses in the pouring rain – the first real rain we’d encountered in our travels. The 90-minute drive through the bustling port city of Busan, and then the countryside to the north, was visually interesting as our local tour guides filled us in on Korean history and culture. Read on!
The start of our next adventure.
We’re embarking today on the National Geographic Resolution, an arctic-class cruise ship identical to the ship (the Endurance) we sailed to South Georgia in March 2023. On this trip, Coastal Japan: Imperial Dynasties and Modern Culture, run by National Geographic on a ship managed by Lindblad Expeditions, Pam and I and my parents will be cruising along the southern coasts of Japan, and make a brief stop in South Korea, exploring many of the natural and cultural highlights of this beautiful region of the world. More to come, and you can be sure I’ll bring back lots of photographs!
I spent a delightful week in Seoul, South Korea, to attend the MobiSys annual conference. In the process I explored the city, took two hikes, and captured a nice gallery of photos. After the break, a few highlights and observations.
David Kotz 