Live from Insignia

Although we were originally meant to dock in Halong Bay it had turned into a tender port and we were concerned because tendering at Koh Samui had been slow and we had a private tour booked and a lot to fit in. We really appreciated Captain Brajcic getting us anchored in good time and the tendering running smoothly so that we were ready to meet our guide promptly.

We boarded another bus for the drive straight to Hanoi, where we were to overnight. This was to be our longest bus journey at around 4 hours and in fact we spent a bit longer on the bus as we arrived in Hanoi during rush hour. I think all the scooters from Saigon had followed us there, plus there were far more cars around.

Night had fallen by the time we got off the bus but we decided to take our cyclo tour anyway. We were offered an electric car as an alternative but we were an intrepid bunch, by now well practised at "breathing in". Well it was hair raising, no more so than when OH persuaded his driver to let him pedal the cyclo. It can be startling to watch one's husband go pedalling past in downtown Hanoi, especially when he hasn't quite got the hang of braking! Nevertheless it was yet another highlight -and we're still talking about it now. Our cyclo tour ended at the restaurant where we were to have dinner. This was the most authentic of our food stops in Vietnam, even though it still provided a set meal, as there were plenty of Vietnamese there.

After dinner we were dropped off at our hotel and our guide arranged for us to have an early breakfast the next morning. (Whoopee!). Since OH and I weren't particularly sleepy and were very excited to be in Hanoi we decided to go for a walk ..... without a map.

Even though it was late evening the heat and humidity were still a force to be reckoned with and I was soon "gently glowing" once more. We stopped to buy some batteries for my camera and enjoyed watching life on the street. There were scooters everywhere of course, both in the road and parked on the pavement. People would be sitting alongside them, chatting, cooking a meal or having a cup of coffee. We saw children doing homework and having bedtime stories all out on the pavement. With the cars, the scooters, the music and the chat the noise was tremendous but it all added to the atmosphere.

I had seen our hotel on a map when I'd booked it some months previously and noticed it was only a couple of blocks from Hoan Kiem Lake. We'd passed the lake in the bus and it looked interesting. OH, confident but mapless, was trying to lead us there based on the route the bus had travelled to the hotel. I think the bus had taken the scenic route and we soon had no idea where we were so were traced our steps back towards the hotel. On the way there I stepped into a shop to buy a lovely silk scarf (of excellent quality which I'm wearing as I type). We had an amusing and friendly exchange with the shopkeeper and her daughters who spoke good enough English and were interested in talking to us. Revived by this spot of retail therapy we decided to try walking in the opposite direction to the one we'd chosen and lo and behold there was the lake!

There was a freshening breeze blowing round the lake so we strolled on, only to be stopped by a young girl who wanted her photo taken with me. There were groups of young girls out strolling arm and arm and families with young children as well as young men out to see and be seen. It was a pleasant and lively scene for 11pm. OH noticed that the young people in the bars were drinking coffee rather than alcohol. The lights of the city were reflected in the inky water adding an air of magic and romance to the place.

As the shops were starting to close we headed back to the hotel where I spent an absolute fortune paying for our accommodation. It cost over a million ..... Vietnamese dong. Or $49.20 US. I've never felt like a millionaire before. After a quick shower it was lights out and a sound sleep for me before our next early start.

Just like everyone we met in Vietnam the hotel staff were friendly and accommodating and provided us with an early breakfast the next morning. This included the usual fare plus omelette cooked to order and pho, the noodle soup that we'd had for dinner in Saigon. We were told that this popular Vietnamese staple is often eaten out as it's time consuming to make the broth at home. We'd also had it at a Vietnamese restaurant in Singapore - I think it's Vietnamese comfort food, like chicken soup for us.

Our guide joined us for breakfast then we were off on our tour. In daylight we got a good look at the street where our hotel was situated and it was a fascinating mix of shops, apartments, some of which looked rather ramshackle, and our rather smart looking hotel.

We'd made such an early start that we reached the Temple of Literature before it was even open. We thought our guide had had to bribe the guard to let us in but it later turned out that he'd given the guard our entry fees and when we left these were returned to the guide so that he could purchase tickets from the now open booth.

It was lovely to have this beautiful spot to ourselves and be able to take photographs unobstructed. As we were leaving, groups of young people, dressed as if for graduation, were arriving. The girls wore long white dresses with red sashes and the boys wore dark trousers, white shirts and ties. The entrance area was starting to fill up with tourists and I could imagined it being really busy later.

From there we went to Ba Dinh Square. This vast complex had IMO a European feel to it. Prime position on the square was given over to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum but since we were there on a Friday it was closed. This meant we couldn't line up for hours and file silently past Ho Chi Minh's embalmed body. Having discovered that the man himself wished to be cremated and his ashes scattered throughout Vietnam I was happy we missed it. We were able to see the house where he chose to live in simple style set in lovely gardens, and also the one pillar pagoda.

Back once more on the bus, we began our return trip to Halong Bay. Our guide pointed out the many tall, thin houses we passed en route. Since land was expensive plots were narrow but quite deep so the houses went back further than I was used to seeing. If a son got married a new floor was simply added to the existing house to accommodate the young couple and any subsequent grandchildren. Unhampered by planning regulations we saw a variety of styles from the whimsical to the gothic with the odd castle thrown in for good measure. I don't know where the owners found their inspiration but inspired they certainly were.

The road surface made for a bumpy ride and some people said they wouldn't make the trip again as it played havoc with their backs. I think we made a wise choice spending the night in Hanoi as it split the journey and also allowed us to wander around the city on our own.

We stopped for lunch at what I can only describe as an emporium. There was a vast choice of statues, including the Happy Buddha, in both marble and onyx; lacquer ware, jewellery, silk garments, fans paintings and embroidered pictures. There was a factory set-up where one could watch young people working on these pictures. We'd had a comfort break at an almost identical outlet on the journey to Hanoi and in the interest of fairness I managed to buy a silk blouse in both places. OH was simply relieved that I wasn't going to be trying to cram an onyx statue into our already scarily heavy luggage. Silk is so easy to pack!

Had I only thought to travel to SE Asia by pantechnicon I could have made full use of the shopping opportunities this cruise provided!

Images of Halong Bay had lured me to SE Asia and I'd been researching itineraries from Windstar and Azamara when an email from Oceania had pinged into my inbox offering world cruise segments. The Singapore to Shanghai cruise provided the perfect itinerary at an ideal time of year for us and since it included Halong Bay it was soon a done deal.

Sailing or cruising is my favourite form of travel so I was delighted to abandon the bus from Hanoi in favour of the junk boat that was to take us into the bay.

We'd already had an wonderful introduction to what was to come when Insignia sailed into Halong Bay the previous day. Our morning journey then had taken us through the mist shrouded karsts that give the area it's distinctive topography. It was such an atmospheric arrival. Now on day 2 we were to experience that thrill all over again, this time as the light faded at the end of our 4 hour trip and the sunset played on the water.

Our guide had secured a new boat for us with excellent "facilities" and refreshments available so we could relax and enjoy the journey. We had lots of space both in the salon and on the top deck as there were only 12 of us on board. Soon we were well away from the crowded quayside and on our way to Dong Thien Cung, the celestial palace cave. This is a popular spot and there were a lot of boats already there. Access to the cave is challenging with very many steep, damp and uneven steps and not everyone in our group chose to visit since the boat was a perfectly comfortable place to wait and indeed they went off on a short sail as space to tie up is limited. Because of the number of steps tourist groups naturally started to open out according to pace, so there were never too many people in one location. Inside the cave was amazing and well worth the challenge especially when I thought of it as a calorie burning opportunity! Shafts of sunlight fall into the cave and in other spots coloured lights have been used to enhance the atmosphere. It is simply stunning with only the occasional drip of cold water down the back of one's neck.

Climbing down from the cave was even trickier than the ascent and I was glad there was a one way system and some scenic spots to rest at along the way. Fortunately the boat was designed for easy access so once down we were quickly back on board. Although we were offered the chance to transfer to small boats to sail through a cave into a lagoon we were all in the mood for chilling out so we remained on board our handsome junk for our sunset sail around the beautiful bay. We were overtaken by a party boat with lots of youngsters enjoying quite a different atmosphere but they were soon gone and we finished our day in peace. It was a lovely restful end to a day that had started in the busy city of Hanoi.

For our final sea day I spent a very restful morning at Coffee, Chat and Needlepoint in Horizons. I'd checked British Airways' website and discovered that provided I had blunt ended scissors with blades less that 6cm long I could take them on board so I was keen to start a second project. (Needlepoint and headphones proved to be a sanity saving combination on our return flight to London.)

OH went to a talk about Shanghai then repaired to Horizons to read his Kindle, so for a while we sat back to back each absorbed in our own activity.

Lunch was followed by Mah Jong but as that was another sitting activity I topped it off with Latin Line Dancing back in Horizons. OH was once again ensconced here reading but he nipped down to the cabin for his camera when he saw me dancing. I'm sure that's grounds for divorce because my Latin dancing is a triumph of enthusiasm over technique :o. I should have stuck to amo, amas, amat when Latin was mentioned.

The highlight of the afternoon was the Gala Tea Time in the Insignia lounge. The string quartet joined the band to create the Insignia Orchestra, the room was full and the presentation was fantastic. I could hardly tear myself away fro the spectacle in order to sit down and have tea. This was my first Gala Tea and there was a great atmosphere in the room as most people had made the effort to attend.

The festive atmosphere was maintained that evening when, after the show, we had the Salute from the Crew. It was great to see them getting the applause they deserved, even if it did mean that our segment was coming to an end.

SellaVee for taking us on your journey from start to fantastic finish. Would love to see a few pictures of Latin line dancing - am only familiar with the American kind! :D

Findacruise, I could show you, but then I'd have to kill you :D:D!

It's not so much boot scootin' boogie as booty shakin' salsa. Trouble is, when the music stops, bits of me keep on shakin' and a wobblin'. Not a pretty sight!

Sellavee,

Thanks for your wonderful posts. i especially enjoyed the ones about Vietnam as we are doing a land/river cruise in November.

Sellavee,

Thanks for your wonderful posts. i especially enjoyed the ones about Vietnam as we are doing a land/river cruise in November.

That sounds wonderful. We're considering doing that too so I'd be interested to hear how you get on.

Sella

We woke early enough to enjoy one last al fresco breakfast at the Terrace Cafe and say goodbye to the friends we'd made then we waited in Horizons so that we didn't reach our hotel too early.

CD Andy Heath was on deck 4 bidding everyone farewell which was a nice touch.

We'd checked that taxis would be available, Oceania transfers being so expensive, since we hadn't noticed any hanging about but because it was disembarkation there were several waiting and as soon as we reached the foot of the gangplank a dispatcher found us a taxi. Since only the segmenters were disembarking there wasn't the usual vast sea of suitcases in a hall to search through. Hooray!

After a short but confusing taxi ride - one way systems meant I was never quite sure where I was - we were at our hotel where we were to stay for 2 more days. The cost was 29RMB, around £3.

I'd chosen the Renaissance Yu Gardens because it was near the old town and we were very well looked after during our stay. When I booked they were offering a free upgrade from a premier to a club room and this proved to be a reall bonus offering complimentary breakfast, evening drinks and snacks, computers plus scanner and printer, great views - and a lovely spot to run into a fellow departee from Insignia.

A charming young woman greeted our taxi, taking care of our luggage and escorting us up in the lift to check in. There an equally charming young man apologised for not being able to give us our room key immediately as the hotel was full (it was the weekend of the Chinese Grand Prix) and our room needed to be cleaned. This was at 9am and the hotel was busy so I wasn't at all surprised. We were invited to return in 1 hour when the room would be ready so we grabbed a receipt for our luggage and headed off to begin our independent exploration of Shanghai.

Findacruise, I could show you, but then I'd have to kill you :D:D!

 

It's not so much boot scootin' boogie as booty shakin' salsa. Trouble is, when the music stops, bits of me keep on shakin' and a wobblin'. Not a pretty sight!

Sella,

I have truly enjoyed your "blog" and your great sense of humor.

I hope that we do get to sail together one day and I get to enjoy "the real thing" :D

Paul

Sella,

I have truly enjoyed your "blog" and your great sense of humor.

I hope that we do get to sail together one day and I get to enjoy "the real thing" :D

Paul

Thank you, Paul, for those kind words.

Sella

The old town is so quaint and stands side by side with the ultra modern only a short distance away. We must have looked like typical tourist types as we took photographs of buildings that everyone else was just walking past. We found ourselves at the City God Temple where the patrons took to the burning of incense with great enthusiasm, lighting the sticks in one of several braziers in the open courtyard while the breeze fanned the flames. All around the place there were signs warning people against "entering the halls with fire". We really had to concentrate on where we were going to avoid immolation!

Inside the temple were some very interesting large carved figures and the doors at the far end of the courtyard were adorned with full size paintings of more figures. Many prayer flags were strung across the courtyard fluttering in the breeze. Just as we were about to leave there was an announcement in Chinese and a band started playing in the minstrels' gallery. We stood and watched for a while then carried on our way.

We stumbled upon Gucheng Park which was a bit of a gem. At the place where we entered couples of all ages were dancing in the open air. We bought a drink and sat and watched them for quite a while. Although everyone was dancing with a partner the partnerships often changed. It was not uncommon for two women "of a certain age" to be dancing together and I christened one pair "Aunty Peggy and Aunty Ina" after two of my widowed aunts who like to dance and didn't mind who they danced with. I was reminded of the Joyce Grenfell song "Old Tyme Dancing", aka "Stately As A Galleon".

Leaving the dancers we strolled through the park past the tea house and on to a wide paved plateau with a marvellous view towards the Bund and lots of young families enjoying a day out. This open area was quite a contrast to the gate where we'd entered as it faced the modern part of the city.

After lunch we visited the Yuyuan Gardens, begun during the Ming Dynasty. This walled garden, full of nooks and crannies, was a popular spot for tourists. It had ponds with fabulous fish and lots of pavilions. Just outside was the zigzag bridge and the popular tourist market.

We thoroughly enjoyed our glimpse of old Shanghai, and we still had new Shanghai to look forward to the next day when OH and I would separate and each do our own thing.

Have very much enjoyed your postings, they paint such a vivid picture, thanks for taking us along! :)

Thanks for the review.

Helps us plan a similar one

The old town is so quaint and stands side by side with the ultra modern only a short distance away. We must have looked like typical tourist types as we took photographs of buildings that everyone else was just walking past. We found ourselves at the City God Temple where the patrons took to the burning of incense with great enthusiasm, lighting the sticks in one of several braziers in the open courtyard while the breeze fanned the flames. All around the place there were signs warning people against "entering the halls with fire". We really had to concentrate on where we were going to avoid immolation!

 

Inside the temple were some very interesting large carved figures and the doors at the far end of the courtyard were adorned with full size paintings of more figures. Many prayer flags were strung across the courtyard fluttering in the breeze. Just as we were about to leave there was an announcement in Chinese and a band started playing in the minstrels' gallery. We stood and watched for a while then carried on our way.

 

We stumbled upon Gucheng Park which was a bit of a gem. At the place where we entered couples of all ages were dancing in the open air. We bought a drink and sat and watched them for quite a while. Although everyone was dancing with a partner the partnerships often changed. It was not uncommon for two women "of a certain age" to be dancing together and I christened one pair "Aunty Peggy and Aunty Ina" after two of my widowed aunts who like to dance and didn't mind who they danced with. I was reminded of the Joyce Grenfell song "Old Tyme Dancing", aka "Stately As A Galleon".

 

Leaving the dancers we strolled through the park past the tea house and on to a wide paved plateau with a marvellous view towards the Bund and lots of young families enjoying a day out. This open area was quite a contrast to the gate where we'd entered as it faced the modern part of the city.

 

After lunch we visited the Yuyuan Gardens, begun during the Ming Dynasty. This walled garden, full of nooks and crannies, was a popular spot for tourists. It had ponds with fabulous fish and lots of pavilions. Just outside was the zigzag bridge and the popular tourist market.

 

We thoroughly enjoyed our glimpse of old Shanghai, and we still had new Shanghai to look forward to the next day when OH and I would separate and each do our own thing.

Each and every post has been a "gem"...and I printed this one as we will be in Shanghai in spring '17!! And I printed other ones as well...hey...you could "do this for a living" you know??? :cool: LuAnn

Really nice postings, you can tell you really enjoyed your trip---and so did I.

thanks for taking the time.

Rick

Sellavee an absolute cracking review, just spent the best part of an hour Sunday morning here in Melbourne reading your whole review, oh what a great Sunday morning read, I thank you for taking the time to post the review, gives me some ideas what I need to be doing this time next year maybe!

I am not sure people who take the time posting reviews really know how much they mean to others who are not cruising at the moment, makes us keen to just get on board and enjoy, as you are doing.

Once again thank you for such an entertaining review .....cheers V:)

Thanks, everyone for the positive feed back. I've been away in rural Wales for the weekend - in an internet free zone!

It was lovely to come back and read such enthusiastic comments. It has taken me a very long time to write this review and I didn't quite manage it all "Live from Insignia" but it's given me a record of my trip that I can look back on and enjoy, and I'm delighted that people have found it helpful.

I mentioned Little India in one of my earlier posts and feel it deserves further mention. While Insignia was docked in Singapore we used the MRT to visit Little India, which I'd read about in a travel book from my local library before I left home. It was my most successful shopping day on the whole trip.

We started at the Tekka Centre which had a wet market downstairs and an upstairs floor containing an array of garment stalls that created a great explosion of colour and sparkle. The clothes looked so beautiful that I was tempted to take a closer look. I was taken under the wing of one women who said I reminded her of her mother (who must also be short and fat) whom she didn't see very often. I was looking to buy a tunic but I ended up with a complete shalwar kameez with matching chiffon shawl which, to my astonishment, fitted me very well and cost me about £12.50! I later wore it to the Captain's Cocktail Party where it was much admired.

At another small market arcade we saw a "crocodile" of small children leaving having had their hands painted with henna tattoos. Another group arrived shortly afterwards and took out their sketch books to learn about the costumes. They would have their henna tattoos later.

The "salon" in the market was offering manicures and pedicures too. Although I wasn't interested in a tattoo I was badly in need of a pedicure having failed to make time for one before I left home. Trouble was I was wearing trainers. There was only one thing for it - I needed to buy some flip flops!

My long suffering OH made it his mission to find me a pair but in the end my heart was captured by a gorgeous pair of jewelled flat sandals that were perfect to wear after a pedicure. I wore them almost every evening on the ship and I'm still in love with them. After a bit of haggling they cost £11 and the saleswoman put lotion on my feet and gave me a tip for reducing ankle and foot swelling (drink green tea).

OH found a stall selling beer while I had my pedicure. Although the therapist couldn't speak much English we got by. She noticed I was rather hot and brought me an electric fan and I sat back and relaxed for 45 blissful minutes. I was very happy with the colour I chose (and even happier when, much to my surprise, the polish lasted for the whole duration of the cruise).

During our outing I also picked up a hard camera case for my little point and shoot, and OH had a couple of beers. Those, together with my new tunic, trousers, shawl, sandals and pedicure came to less than £50.

We found the area interesting and saw a beautiful temple. It was quite different from the manicured rest of Singapore - it gave an impression of India but was, I imagine, much more fragrant :). (I haven't yet visited India - the nearest I've been is Sparkhill in Birmingham.) I went back to the ship a very happy bunny.

Serendipitously the date of the Chinese Grand Prix was announced after we'd booked our flights home. OH, being a great fan of Formula 1, was thrilled to discover that it was to take place while we were still in Shanghai. He bought his ticket online before we left the UK. So that was his Sunday sorted.

I wanted to have a cookery lesson and managed to find a class that took place in someone's own home, an apartment in the French Concession. The school also offered classes in paper cutting and Chinese calligraphy but these weren't offered on a Sunday. However I was able to book a private lesson and I chose calligraphy.

And so it was that OH saw me off in a taxi to Helen's apartment while he headed off to the Grand Prix circuit on the Metro.

I spent the morning learning about calligraphy in Helen's study and creating my own work of art that she framed for me to take home. I had 2 hours to fill before the afternoon cookery class so Helen directed me to Tianzifang, a fascinating area of lanes and alleyways, containing old warehouses and factories that have been turned into an arts and crafts precinct, with lots of places to eat and drink and bijou shops. It was a lovely day to be out and about and an easy walk there and back.

Although the cookery class was a public session, I was the only student who had booked that day so I ended up having another private lesson. We started with a shopping list and a few key phrases in Chinese then I was given a shopping basket and off we went on foot to the wet market. This was most definitely not a tourist market but one where the locals shopped. We passed a bucket of sleepy frogs on the way in - the French influence at work perhaps? I was beginning to wish I'd said I was a vegetarian!

We bought smoked tofu, a new ingredient for me, and pork, fortunately a piece of lean meat. I say fortunately because every single bit of the pig is used and there were some bits like the pig's face or stomach that I just didn't fancy that day. I successfully bought 1RMB worth of spring onions. The stall holder said my Chinese was very good - at least that's what Helen told me she said. Itwas yet another amazing experience as the market was like an Aladdin's cave of provisions and I was the only European there.

Back at Helen's apartment we enjoyed traditional tea and some melon and strawberries that Helen had bought at the market, then we set to preparing the tofu and vegetable filling for the steamed buns I was to make. Chef Lee arrived to teach me how to make the dough for the buns and fill and fold them which was an art in itself. Helen helped too and I felt very privileged to have 2 teachers to myself. We put them into a bamboo steamer and while they were cooking we made a different dough, this time for hand pulled noodles. Lee made it look so easy. My first attempt was like something from The Generation Game but I improved with practice and I was delighted with my final effort. We made 3 toppings for the noodles then Helen and I sat down for a feast while Lee cleaned up - my kind of chap! We had tea and rice wine with the meal and spent a long time chatting.

When it was time to go we went downstairs together and Helen flagged down a taxi to take me back to the hotel. I had enjoyed very aspect of my day especially visiting the apartment - I even found the neighbours very friendly on my way in and out. It was a real slice of local life.

OH and I had so much to talk about when we met up again. We met in the Club Lounge at the hotel for drinks and snacks - and a fabulous view of Shanghai - and spent hours telling each other about our day, for he had enjoyed his as much as I had enjoyed mine.

A taxi took us to the airport the next morning and soon we were winging our way home after probably our most memorable trip ever.

Thank you for encouraging me to record and share it.

Sella

Sella - what a delightful way to end your trip. Great that you had a no smog day. Thank you again for taking us along. My DH would be so jealous - a Formula 1 race.

What a great way to finish a wonderful trip. I can't help but feel happy for you both and look forward to your next "live" blog.

Paul

I enjoyed your trip report very much.

SellaVee aka- 'that's life' and what a fortunate one.

Merci, a la prochaine!

This trip has sounded wonderful! What has the evening entertainment been? We get on in LA and are wondering how this works..

A typical evening would start with Vlad at the Piano in Martinis from 5pm and the Ocean string quartet in the Upper Hall from 6.45pm. Each of these would play 30-45 minute sets providing background music.

From 6.15 - 7 pm Cocktails and Dancing with the Insignia Orchestra sometimes took place in Horizons. On other nights there would be Pre-Showtime Dancing in the Insignia Lounge instead.

There was usually Brainteaser Trivia at 8.15 in Horizons.

The show, which took place in the Insignia Lounge, was moved to a 9pm start in the hope that more people would attend. Most of us having flown long haul to Singapore were pretty tired in the evenings but things picked up as the cruise went on. It usually lasted 40-45 minutes. Very occasionally there was After Show Dancing with the Insignia Orchestra which I felt worked better than sending everyone up 5 decks to Horizons for Juke Box Hits which was a bit nothing.

After the show there would be something in Horizons or Martinis between 10 and 11pm but these were not well supported, almost everyone having turned in.

I've written a bit more about entertainment in a review of the ship which I've yet to post. Hope this helps and you have a great trip.

Sella