Where in the World are Bill and Bob?

Oceania Insignia’s 2023 Around the World (ATW) In 180 Days cruise was divided into 8 segments. The roughly 650 passengers were served by about 400 crew members, making it one of the smaller ships in Oceania’s fleet, allowing us to enter smaller ports and cruise through smaller channels (e.g. in Antarctica for example). About 400 of the 650 passengers were ATW stalwarts; the other 250 joined at and for various segments. The segments were: 1.Pacific Panorama (from San Francisco to Santiago de Chile) 2. Antarctic Explorer (from Santiago to Rio de Janeiro) 3. Atlantic Expedition (from Rio to Cape Town, South Africa) 4. Safaris and Global Gems (from Cape Town to Dubai) 5. Far East Legends (from Dubai to Singapore) 6. Southeast Asia Array (from Singapore to Bangkok) 7. Spiritual Shrines (from Bangkok to Tokyo), and 8. Aleutian Bridgeway (from Tokyo to San Francisco). The first book covers the first four segments (from San Francisco to Dubai). The second book covers the last four (from Dubai

 These certificates were more expensive than our college degrees!  Lol  But well worth it.  An amazing adventure.

We cruised under the Golden Gate Bridge in fog that hid the top, but shortly thereafter it cleared into a glorious day. It seemed strange that we had circumnavigated the globe and we’re now back where we started. (I guess the same for any trip, but more pronounced after 6 months away!) We walked to Ghirardelli Square for a hot fudge sundae (Bob), then back to the ship for lunch (Bill,…Bob was full) and to finish packing (and a nap, of course!). Walked again (oh the hills!!!!) to meet friends for dinner at their beautiful apartment, then back to ship (uBered!) for one last night on board. Our Great Adventure was over leaving us with incredible memories, and a blog with your comments. Thank you all for following our journey!

Astoria, established in 1811, is the oldest US settlement west of the Rockies. Strategically located at the mouth of the Columbia River, it has been an important Pacific port ever since Lewis and Clark arrived in 1805 and John Jacob Astor made it a point of departure for his fur trade. Often compared to San Francisco because of its Victorian houses dotting the hills, Astoria has been a Mecca for film makers, with over 300 filmed nearby. We found Astoria to be both funky and charming, filled with brew pubs, vintage clothing stores, and art galleries. Town was about 1.5 miles from the port, past the old BumbleBee Tuna cannery (now a brewery). Fishing and tourism are the major industries. And we supplemented our river walk with a $1 ride on the trolley!  

Victoria, capital of British Columbia, is one of Canada’s most beautiful cities. Located at the southern tip of Vancouver Island just across the Salish Sea from Port Washington, Washington, USA, the  Inner Harbour with Parliament House, the Fairmont Empress Hotel, and the Royal BC Museum make an impressive site (sight!). A few blocks north is Chinatown, one of the oldest in the country. A few blocks west is Fisherman’s Wharf, with colorful restaurants and floating residences. And you can see Mt. Olympus in Washington. We arrived on Gay Pride Day and watched the entire city celebrate with a big parade and festival. Every Saturday and Sunday, a “water taxi ballet” takes place in the inner harbor, choreographed to classical music with the cute little water taxis doing pirouettes and synchronized routines. And the weather was a perfect 70 degrees with bright sunshine and beautiful flowers everywhere.  

Cruising the Inside Passage heading from Prince Rupert to Victoria. It’s stunningly gorgeous!

Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada, a port on the Inside Passage, blossomed in the early 20th century when it was selected to be the terminus of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, part of Canada’s transcontinental system. Named for the grandson of English King James I, Prince Rupert was a founder of the Hudson Bay Company and it’s first Governor. The city now is home to about 13,000. As with other coastal cities we’ve visited, fishing and tourism are major industries. We had a “tour free” day, and wandered the city and seaside hiking trail, and enjoyed excellent fish and chips. Prince Rupert has one of only two Canadian Art Deco city halls, as well as numerous totem poles from the indigenous Coast Tsimshian tribes. The local museum has some remarkable pieces.