May 30, 2014 - Crew Cruise!

Pete sent an email with details about the "crew only" cruise on the way to pick up passengers in Baoshan, Shanghai, China. There was a 50% off sale in all of the shops and the arcade was opened for the crew. In the evening, there was a Voyager Music Festival which featured two rock bands plus the orchestra. Afterwards, there was a dancing/music show with special lighting effects called a "Glow Party," which Pete attended with his friends Nick, Holbrook, Ryan, Suzanna, Sabrina, Mihee, Ley and many other people. After the Glow Party, Pete and...

May 30, 2014 - Chiufen

We docked in Keelung where most of our fellow passengers boarded coaches to travel to Taipei. There they would see the National Palace Museum, Chiang Kai Chek’s Memorial Hall, Taipei 101 (the 2nd tallest building in the world), and swing past the Grand Palace Hotel. We have been to Taipei twice before and found the Memorial Hall ominously militaristic and museum a bit of a snooze. It contains many treasures that would be greatly appreciated by folks who are not rubes like us. It exhibits all manner of historic jewels, statues, pots, etc....

May 29, 2014 - Keelung, Taiwan

Pete checked in from Keelung and things are going well. They have had several changes of musicians over the past week so they have had some extra rehearsals. The music director has started his 2 month vacation so the assistant director has taken over and a new tenor sax player has arrived, as well as a new guitar player. Those players are in addition to the new trumpet, bass, and piano players they have recently acquired. Before long, Pete will be the most senior member of the band, although he is still one of the youngest! The ship will be...

May 29, 2014 - Kaohsiung

Kaohsiung is Taiwan’s second largest city and main port. It looked like a city where it would be a nice place to live if only the temperatures weren’t in the high ’80’s with 95% humidity ten months a year. Although it has a decent metro and bus system, most folks prefer to get around on scooters, wearing helmets with a maximum of two people on one scooter, unlike India. Our tour started at the National Soccer Stadium, built for the 2009 World Games in the over the top architecture style that typified the Beijing Olympics. It’s shape is...

May 28, 2014 - Taroko Gorge

Hualien, on the eastern side of Taiwan, is separated from the rest of the country by a steep mountain chain. After World War II when Chiang Kai Chek retreated to Taiwan after being defeated by Mao, he decided that a highway needed to be built to the east coast so it could be more easily defended. The Central Cross Island Highway took the military veterans who built the road four years since they worked primarily with hand tools and dynamite. The land was totally wild and undeveloped. Over 200 of them lost their lives in the process and they...

May 23, 2014 - Keelung, Taiwan

Pete checked in from Keelung where he spent a good day eating out and doing a little shopping with his friends Chris and Gabriel. They had a parade to do when they got back on the ship but that was the only performance for that day. Today was a turn-around day and Pete explained that this was a charter cruise for the Amway Company, which is one of Asia's leading businesses. The company brought its own agenda and entertainment on the cruise so Pete's band will probably only play once this week! He and Nick, the trombone player from DePauw,...

May 18, 2014 - Keelung, Taiwan

Pete called from Keelung. This was a turnaround day on the ship, with a new group of passengers coming aboard. He had a rehearsal scheduled, plus a Welcome Aboard show in the evening, and a parade (he didn't mention which costume he would be wearing for the parade!). He talked about some changes coming up in the band in the next few weeks. In the near future, 5 members of the band will be finishing their contracts, including the Music Director. Pete's current room mate, who is the fill-in bass player, will be leaving as the permanent player...

May 16, 2014 - Keelung, Taiwan

Pete checked in from his day in Keelung, Taiwan. He had a pretty quiet day but finally did buy some running shoes. He also enjoyed the fast wifi service that he always appreciates at a cafe in Keelung. Check out his new pictures from Nagasaki, Beppu, and Kobe from earlier this week. This is a turnaround day on the ship so they will be getting a new batch of passengers. As of today, Pete has traveled 31,709 miles since he left Indianapolis 10 weeks ago.

May 9, 2014 - Keelung, Taiwan

Pete enjoyed his third day in Keelung. He did a little shopping and enjoyed the fast wifi. His room mate, Michel, the bass player, finished his contract and left the ship. Pete was able to move to the lower bunk in the room, leaving the upper bunk for the "new guy," a replacement who will fill in for a couple of weeks before the next long-term musician arrives. This is the first day of a new cruise with all new passengers. This also starts a period of 5 short (5 - 8 days) cruises starting and ending in Keelung. The cruises do include some...

Apr 30, 2014 - Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Pete checked in from his second visit to Kaohsiung, Taiwan and was anticipating a quiet day on the ship. He said the port at Kaohsiung was not great so he was just planning to stay on the ship, anticipating an more exciting visit to Hong Kong the next day. Things with the band are going just fine.

Apr 29, 2014 - Keelung/Taipei, Taiwan

Pete checked in from his second visit to Taipei/Keelung and things are fine. He and a friend were visiting Taipei 101, a skyscraper formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center. It was the tallest building in the world from 2004 until 2010, when a taller building opened in Dubai. The folks on this charter cruise are part of some kind of Royal Caribbean reunion cruise group - folks who have cruised before and were specially scheduled for a reunion cruise, almost entirely from Japan. Pete wasn't too sure about the criteria but he did...

Apr 16, 2014 - Keelung, Taiwan

Peter called from the port at Keelung, which is near the city of Taipei, Taiwan. He was planning to take a tour to see the huge Taipei Tower skyscraper. Instead, he and one of the guys from the band walked around Keelung to see the sights. They picked and purchased fresh shrimp from a dealer and then took them to a restaurant where they were cooked and served to them with fried rice with mini shrimp. Pete said it was one of the most delicious meals he has ever eaten! After lunch they went to a cafe where they couldn't read the menu but...