FALL TRAVEL AND CAVIAR

Today, no pandemic, no Trump coup attempt, no gun rights...only pure joy.  I'll start with planning for our Fall trip.  We need to be in Okinawa at the end of October.

• Our initial thought was to begin on October 3 to catch the Celebrity Eclipse in Honolulu for an 18-night cruise to Singapore.  Then find a way to Okinawa and return home,

• 
  Well, our current plan now is to go first to the Okinawa festival, then on November 3 fly to Tokyo, where we will have a home base at the Tokyo Westin.
• Do a one week Japan Rail Pass from November 6 to Nagoya, Hiroshima, Miyazaki, Kyoto, Nagoya, Sendai and back to Tokyo on November 13.
• Fly to Singapore on November 15.
• Fly to Dubai on November 18.
• 
  21-night cruise from Dubai to Singapore on the Regent Seven Seas Explorer.
• Cost.  Expensive, but a good deal is being offered.
• Interesting stops.
• Doha, Qatar:  went there 12 years ago, and one of my postings while there stands as my most popular ever:  THE WONDER OF QATAR.
• 
  Abu Dhabi:  Want to visit Masdar City.
• A $20 billion solar/renewable/sustainable energy development for full function in 2030.
• This is the ultimate environmentally progressive update  to Tsukuba Science City in Japan.

• 
  Muscat, Oman:  Every Arab country I've visited has been unique and worthy of experience.
• Goa, India:  Highest per capita income in India, 7000 bars, rare birds, nearly 2000 feet tall waterfall.

• 
  Male, Maldives:  The sea level is rising and the country, the lowest in the world, is being swallowed.  You can swim with whale sharks.
• Phuket, Thailand:  Was there two years ago.

• 
  Penang, Malaysia:  Birthplace of Jimmy Choo, who made his first shoe here at the age of 11.  His shoes now typically sell for $1000, and can go up to $4.3 million.
• Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia:  I visited the city when their twin Petronas Towers with 88 floors (1483 feet) were the tallest in the world.  Dubai since 2010 has had the highest with Burj Khalifa at 2727 feet.
• Singapore to Honolulu by air on December 15.

What has caviar to do with the above?  Well, no doubt the Seven Seas Explorer will offer this option.  To practice, we began experimenting yesterday.

Rather than than follow the standard formula, we were creative with various options to blini for the trimmings.  The nachos with jalapenos worked well.  Never before had a triple-caviar sandwich.

A few more dishes this week:  steak and ahi sashimi, chicken katsu and hamachi sashimi, then spaghetti with meatballs / salad.

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