​

April 27, 2025

Greetings!

Hello from the Pacific Ocean on a hazy sea day as we make our way from Kagoshima to Shimizu, Japan. We’ve been in southern Japan, primarily in the Okinawa Prefecture and the Amami Islands, enjoying tropical weather and all kinds of sights and sounds and good things to eat!

I loved visiting the colorful Makishi Market in Naha — so many colors, textures, noises, and smells! Green garlic was in season and I really enjoyed all of the ways they parlayed this into delicious side dishes and condiments!

I needed to get a ton of work done on the day we visited Kagoshima, but I was able to get it done while sitting on the veranda of Seabourn Square with a lovely view of the volcano and beautiful bay. As I often say, sometimes the best view is from the ship!

Another highlight was Dejima in Nagasaki, the “foreigners’ island” where Portuguese and later Dutch merchants were confined to keep them from mixing with the Japanese and continuing to spread Christianity to the locals. Extensive restorations have brought this district back to life with fascinating displays.

Onboard, we've been enjoying amazing performances — I was particularly delighted to see Janine Johnson again — she is a phenomenal singer. We’ve also been spoiled with some signature Seabourn Signature events: the Caviar Sail away, which is always a highlight, accompanied by Dustin and Kate singing arias.

We also enjoyed the Galley Market Luncheon, when the Food & Beverage Staff invite guests into the galley for a sumptuous buffet. This is always fun, and it is a great opportunity to say “thank you” to all of the people who work hard, but whom we don’t always see. I’ve uploaded a ton of videos and photos of these events to my Facebook page and Instagram account — visit for a look behind the scenes on board Seabourn Quest.

I turned 59 last week. This looks ancient on paper, but I feel pretty good and certainly young-at-heart. My fifties have been pretty challenging: having to leave Russia suddenly and without warning, legal issues, coping with COVID-19, moving back to Latvia (which has been the best part), as well as a lot of health issues, which I’m slowly but surely getting under control.

When I turned 50, we were still living in Moscow, and I was not at all clear about where I wanted to go professionally. Back then, I could not have imagined getting back into the travel business as an enrichment speaker on cruise ships and pivoting to writing about travel, food, and history in this newsletter and on my website.

It has been hard work to get here, but so worth it; each day I wake up with a full to-do list, but filled with things I enjoy doing in places I am excited to discover and explore. Throughout this decade, I've decluttered: physically and mentally, jettisoning the toxic stuff, and today I feel much better about my life's direction and choices. In the past decade, both Dmitry and I have found more meaningful and intentional work that we care about, living in a place we enjoy, and exploring outstanding parts of the world.

So — bring on the sixties! And by the way, I can highly recommend having a birthday on a cruise ship. The Quest staff spoiled me rotten, and most of the crew seemed to know it was my birthday, which made me feel very special. This kind of attention to detail is very typical of Seabourn.

Spotlight on: The Taiwan National Palace Museum

A big highlight of the past two weeks was our visit to Taipei. I had little time to spend exploring, but it was very easy to select what I wanted to do: Taiwan’s National Palace Museum had long been on my bucket list, so Mom and I hopped in a taxi and headed right there as soon as the shipped docked in Keelung.

The National Palace Museum in Taipei houses one of the world's larger collections of Chinese art and artifacts, spanning over 8,000 years of Chinese history. The collection's journey to Taiwan itself is a tale of preservation during turbulent times. As the Chinese Civil War intensified in 1949, the Nationalist government evacuated the most precious pieces from the Forbidden City's collection to Taiwan, protecting them from potential destruction during the conflict.

Today, the museum safeguards over 700,000 artifacts, with only a small percentage on display at any one time. The collection's crown jewels include the famous Jadeite Cabbage, a piece of jade carved to resemble a Chinese cabbage head with insects perched on its leaves, and the Meat-shaped Stone, a piece of jasper carved and dyed to resemble a piece of braised pork belly. These pieces exemplify the extraordinary craftsmanship of Chinese artisans.

Other highlights include rare books, imperial seals, paintings from the Song and Yuan dynasties, and an extensive collection of Qing Dynasty porcelain and ancient Chinese Bronzes.

The museum rotates its displays regularly because of the delicate nature of many items and the vast size of the collection. The building itself, perched on a hillside in Taipei's Shilin District, is designed in the style of a Northern Chinese palace, making it an architectural attraction in its own right.

​I’ve uploaded highlights to my website, along with a more detailed history of the museum and its collection, along with practical information on how to plan your own visit.

Read more in my latest article, with lots of photos: Visit The Taiwan National Palace Museum in Taipei​

Being in Taiwan was a very rewarding experience, which was made more relevant by my colleague Dr. David Horner’s excellent Conversations on board about modern Japanese history and the complicated history of Taiwan. These provided the context we needed to better understand the island’s place in history.

Taiwan has passed through many hands and endured numerous custodians. To visit during its independence was a privilege and I’m looking forward to my next visit, when I hope to have more time to explore the island and the dynamic city of Taipei.

New Additions to the Destination Curation Resources

David’s talks on board inspired me to learn more about the history of Taiwan. I’m about four chapters in to Jonathan Clement’s excellent Rebel Island: the incredible history of Taiwan, which I’m enjoying very much. There is so much complicated history, and so many intriguing characters involved in it!

Mom’s regard for David Mitchell’s novel, The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, which is set in Dejima and Nagasaki, inspired our visit to Dejima. She’s been bugging me to read this for a few years now, so I cashed in an audible credit and am enjoying the book immensely. Mom is always right…

You can enjoy a free 30-day trial membership to Audible.com via this link. Audiobooks are a great way to enjoy superb fiction and non-fiction when you are on the go!

I got a flurry of emails from many of you regarding the death of Pope Francis and what might happen next. Obviously, if you haven’t watched Conclave, you need to do that right away. After this, consider sinking into the wonderful Absolute Monarchs by John Julius Norwich, which I feel I recommend fairly regularly, but it is just that good. This is another superb book to enjoy on Audible.

I've got a lengthy section on Vatican history on the extensive Western Mediterranean Reading List and my more recently curated list of exceptional books about Italy, The Best Books to Read Before a Trip to Italy | 2025. If you are interested in even more esoteric papal information, check out my article on Who Makes Liturgical and Clerical Vestments in Rome? This is one of my favorite out-of-the-box experiences in Rome.

New & Noteworthy

If you adore luxurious jewelry, there is only one place for you: The Cartier Exhibition at the V&A in London, celebrating the magic and majesty of Cartier’s unique designs with over 350 iconic pieces. Book early — this one is going to be madly popular. Through 16 November, 2025. Learn more.​

Across the pond at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is the must-see Sargent in Paris exhibit, examining John Singer Sargent’s time in Paris from 1874 through the mid-1880s. Sargent’s memorable and scandalous Madame X has returned to its home in the Met after being on tour with the wonderful Sargent exhibit at the Tate Modern last year. I caught that exhibit, which paired portraits with the actual clothing worn by the sitters, and I loved it. Sargent’s use of color and light are phenomenal. I hope I can hop over to the Met on my quick turnaround in New York next month. Learn more.

I’m intrigued by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts current exhibit: Bad Girls Only: Women and the Seven Deadly Sins, which examines the relationship between women and sin through paintings from the Museum’s collection of 15th - 17th century Dutch and Flemish paintings and drawings, including works by Albrecht Dürer, Hendrick Goltzius, Jacob Matham and Hieronymus Wierix. Through 10 August 2025. Learn more.

Sales (and Sails) Abound!

This is a great time to save money on a future cruise.

​Seabourn is offering to 15% savings and major onboard credit.

​Oceania just announced a spectacular fleet-wide sale.

​Regent Seven Seas is offering up to 45% on European voyages in 2025.

​Viking’s spring sale offers a wide range of savings, including free airfare.

Crystal Cruises is offering their signature “Sensational Savings” on selected voyages.

Until 30 April, get excellent deals on Cunard Sailings.

Window Shopping

Spring is in full throttle here in Japan, though it is taking its time to bloom in Riga. I’m already thinking about evenings al fresco, barbecuing, and filling the air with lovely scents, so I’m eyeing this pair of Diptyque Candles in Narguilé & Genévrier.

I’m going to stuff as many bottles of TRUFF’s new Jalapeno Lime Hot Sauce into my suitcase when I head back to Riga on the Queen Mary 2: I love anything TRUFF puts in a bottle, and I can think of about a million ways to use this delectable sauce: combined with mayonnaise in a sandwich, smeared on burgers, added to a tart yogurt marinade for chicken, or drizzled on top of a bowl of labneh. And I’m just getting started…

This next item is not so much a recommendation as a public service announcement: I see far too many people trying to navigate cruise terminals, train stations, and airports with a tote bag that doesn’t have a sleeve, perched on top of a wheeled carry-on. This always ends in tears, and particularly for fans of the Longchamp iconic Le Pliage totes, which (and this baffles the mind) don’t have sleeves!

There is a quick fix for this: the Cincha Travel Belt, which slips over the handle of your wheeled luggage, so it doesn't wobble and let your tote flop about, with a strong belt that cinches your bag securely to the wheeled luggage. This has changed Dmitry’s life (he has a TUMI knapsack he cannot leave the house without, but it too is sleeveless) — I got him a Cinacha Travel Belt and life improved 100%. This is an easy fix. Get one.

Creative Corner

Greetings, Creatives!

I hope your work is progressing well! I’m looking forward to teaching my creative workshop modules over the next 19 days as our ship makes its way up to the north of Japan and over the Pacific to Alaska.

I’ve received several emails from you, asking about how to create a newsletter, and whether this is a good way to channel your creative drive. I've received so many in fact that I’m thinking we may need an additional module to introduce this form of content creation.

Running a newsletter has become an integral part of my creative process, offering multiple benefits that extend beyond just sharing my passion for the intersection of culture, history, and cuisine in major cruise ports with you.

First, it provides a regular cadence for creation; knowing I need to produce content every other week, is part of the way I remain accountable to myself — I’m very good about keeping OPDs (other people’s deadlines) but in the past, I haven’t been as good at keeping to my own. Having a newsletter, and an appreciative audience that provides feedback, helps to establish that consistent practice, which is essential to the creative life.

Writing this Destination Curation Newsletter keeps me curious — about books, exhibits, topics, and other aspects of travel I believe may be interesting for you.

Perhaps most importantly, newsletters serve as an excellent thinking tool. The process of curating content, synthesizing ideas, and presenting them coherently helps crystallize thoughts and often leads to unexpected creative insights.

We are certainly living in the age of the newsletter. It’s a great way to share a passion with like-minded people, build a community and connection at a time when we desperately need both.

If you are interested in learning more about creating a newsletter, hit the reply button and let me know -- I'd love to talk to you about ways you can bring your passion to a wider audience. If we have enough interest, I’ll put together a Zoom event where we can talk about the basics and then have some time for your questions.

Here are some recent articles to enjoy:

• ​Visit The Taiwan National Palace Museum in Taipei​
• ​What is Japanese Cuisine? | History and Travel Guide​
• ​Japan’s Imperial Family: The World’s Oldest Royal House​
• ​A Guide to Sicily’s Cruise Ports: What to Do on Shore​
• ​A Guide to Baltic and Scandinavian Cruise Ports​

What's on the Horizon?

I’m gearing up to roll out several new 8 Hour Guides to Norway and Iceland, and I will send quick updates as these come on line. It’s always a little funny to be hyper focused on one part of the world as I sail through a quite different one. But that’s the job, and I’m sticking to it.

We will head north into Hokkaido over the next few days, and I’m excited to share our explorations on Japan's most northernly island, before we begin our Pacific crossing to Alaska, where a highlight will be the Inside Passage. This is a voyage of firsts for me, which keeps the creative juices flowing!

As a subscriber to the Destination Curation Newsletter, you have access to my cruise schedule, which you can visit here. If any of these voyages align with your travel plans, I'd love to share the journey with you!

Thank You!

I’ve so appreciated meeting new subscribers that you’ve sent my way. Thank you! Your help in building this community means the world to me, and it supports my work. If you feel inclined, send this newsletter on to a friend, or several friends, you think may have wanderlust with this easy link: https://jennifer-eremeeva.kit.com. You can also share the link on your social media, which helps build an even larger community! I really appreciate your support!

I always enjoy hearing from you, so write and let me know what you are up to, where you are traveling, and what you are reading! And let me know what destinations you'd like me to cover in future 8-hour Guides and this newsletter! My mission is to make your travel meaningful, so let me know!!

Safe onward travels!

​

​​​​​

More Links

​My books: ​

​My podcasts:​

​My published work​

You received this email because you interacted with my website, jennifereremeeva.com, where I curate and share destination enrichment information, recipes, and book recommendations. You are free to unsubscribe at any time, using the link at the bottom of this page.

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This newsletter contains Amazon and other affiliate links, and by clicking them I may earn a commission, but never at any additional charge to you. I use the revenue to support the development and maintenance of my website and this newsletter. If you do choose to buy through one of my links, thank you for your support.

​Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions​

​Travel| Books | Cuisine | Podcasts | Contact​

​

1029 North Road PMB 135, Westfield, MA 01085
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​