University of North Dakota Graduate – May 11, 2024
Bachelors of Science Aviation Safety & Operations / Minor in Spanish
The journey so far….
Congratulations Mathieu
All posts by Jonathan
Costa Rica – April 2024
Join us for a quick 3 minute video of our trip to Costa Rica.
Enjoy the show!
Mathieu 2023 Year In Review
Video
Summary: Lots of planes and hockey!
Hong Kong
Not a lot to report here. Just a quick stop and drive through the city.
Jonathan’s 50th Country
Today marks Jonathan’s travel milestone of 50 countries visited.
Mathieu gets an honorable mention as this is his 45th country.
Around The Ship
This one will be a bit long, but mostly all pictures and a few videos. Also, rather than post a bunch of blogs we saved everything until the end.
Thank you for joining us on this holiday journey. Mathieu – Congratulations on your upcoming graduation from UND. While we have begged you to join us on future trips we know you want us to spend less money on you. We will respect your wishes (he actually never said that but this is the cut the apron strings trip – Mathieu will always be our favorite Sherpa)!
Celebrity Solstice
Our Stateroom
Decorated for Christmas
Glass Blowing
Around the Ship
Re-Decorated for New Years Eve
Park West Art
Helipad Send Off
Just Some of Us
Thank you for joining us!
Ha Long Bay
Ha Long Bay’s breathtaking beauty lies in its enchanting blend of emerald waters, towering limestone karsts, and lush greenery. The ethereal landscape creates a mesmerizing harmony that captivates visitors, offering a unique and serene escape into nature’s grandeur.
The Arrival
Flight Sightseeing Tour
Our only excursion was a sightseeing plane trip around Ha Long Bay. From take off to landing we received a whole new perspective of this natural masterpiece. From the vantage point of the sky, we witnessed the majestic karst formations rising dramatically from the turquoise waters, painting a surreal panorama that words struggle to capture. Every turn revealed a new facet of Ha Long’s unparalleled beauty, leaving us with an indelible imprint of this UNESCO World Heritage site from above.
And yes, we took all of these pictures and videos.
Happy New Year
We are a bit ahead of everyone else this year.
Central Vietnam
Da Nang
A quick pass through this historic city where a significant portion of the US military was based during the war.
Hoi An
Bike Tour – Hoi An
This was a lot of fun. We took about an hour long, 5 mile bike ride through the rice fields and back streets of this beautiful little village.
Hoi An – Lunch & Shopping
Nha Trang, Vietnam
Today was a quick day for us. No tours, just a hop off of the boat, via a tender, a little shopping and then back. It ended up being a good plan given this was really the only hot day of the trip.
Waikiki of Vietnam
Nha Trang is mostly a vacation destination and is often referred to as the Honolulu of Vietnam. With massive hotels and beaches it is no surprise people flock here during the summer. For us, it was a quiet time to visit.
Do you want to be a millionaire?
What you see below is approximately 5 millions Vietnamese Dong (the local currency).
Ho Chi Minh (aka Saigon), Vietnam
Today was a long day as we were in a bus for over 4 hours going to and from Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam is nothing like what most people imagine. In the last 40 years this war torn country has re-invented itself into a regional financial, agricultural, and commerce center of the Far East.
Ba Thien Hau Temple
Presidential Palace
Until Saigon fell in 1975 this was where the country was governed from. After 1975 the capital moved to Hanoi and now the old Presidential Palace is a museum.
Central Post Office
A great example of French Colonial architecture that has survived.
Lacquerware Factory
BAO TANG LICH SU Museum
Milestone: 60 Countries
Thailand
Merry Christmas from Thailand. However, given the International Date Line and so many timezone differences it felt like Christmas was almost 3 days long.
Our first port was outside of Bangkok, near Pattaya (which I am sure helps everyone know better where we landed).
Christmas morning
Nongnoch Tropical Garden
Google this place. It is amazing. Also, Mathieu got a lot of love from some elephants.
VIDEO – An amazing Thai culture show.
And then for the strange part. During Covid the owner wanted to keep his employees employed. So he had a wild idea to add sculptured dinosaurs to the garden. Sort of his own Jurassic Park, just less bloodshed. I guess Covid lasted longer than planned as they went a bit overboard.
Bangkok: Christmas Dinner Cruise
Flower Market
ICONSiam – Shopping
This is Mr. Chob’s company. We highly recommend his help when you come to Bangkok. https://www.thaitourguide.com/
Merry Christmas everyone!
Next stop – Vietnam!