Come Along with Bill & Mary Ann Going Full Circle on the 2015 World Cruise -114 days+

Report # 60 Benoa, Bali, Indonesia February 27, 2015 Friday Chance of rain & 85 degrees

It looked like we were in for another hot and humid day, and perhaps a chance of rain. Judging from the fact that we could not see any of the mountain peaks, we could assume it was raining up there already. Of course, we do remember our guide telling us that we are visiting Bali during the rainy season. Chances of rain up high is 100% from our experience.

Initially, we had planned on taking a taxi to the Kuta Beach area, and having lunch at the Hard Rock Café there. However, after listening to our guide yesterday, Barbara’s talk on Bali, and the traffic situation, we thought it better to stick closer to the ship instead. When we were returning from our tour yesterday, the driver took us through the Kuta area, and we were not overly impressed with what we saw. Later today, after spending some time with our younger friends on the ship (we call them the “kids”), we discovered that we had made the correct choice.

So this gave us the chance to sleep in a bit later than usual, and have a proper breakfast in the dining room. This morning the dining room was practically empty, since this was supposed to be the one and only full day here in Bali. There were several tours offered to different parts of the island, most of which we have already done, some more than once. We definitely good service, as always.

There were hundreds of guests on board today, but we seemed to have missed seeing most of them. We ended up spending the best part of the morning working on the computer. Some days you just have to catch up with business. By the afternoon, we did take some time to go to shore and check out the make-shift shops set up by the pier. They were outside the gate, and so willing to sell us anything. We did end up bargaining for fabric, which is “batik”, but not the real thing. For a 2 yard by 45 inch remnant, they wanted $5.00. Some were asking $10.00 for the same thing. If you were willing to buy in bulk, we are sure the price would have dropped further. We came away with four of them. Then we were chased by fellows selling carved bone candleholders, fancy boxes of chopsticks, watches, jewelry, and wooden carvings. The only thing that really bothered one of us was the way the women vendors grab the arms of the women tourists. It is intimidating when they do that, and they know it. These same women vendors would NEVER do that to a man. So we left the scene, because it was getting worse by the minute. One lady passenger from the ship was being covered in sarongs, so much so, that we could hardly see her. Shopping on your own can be dicey, especially for the elderly ladies in our group of travelers.

Then you had to dodge the taxi drivers who were pushing their services. You could get any type of tour you wanted for a cheap price. To do this on a day where the ship is overnighting is probably OK, but not today when all aboard is 5:30pm.

We went back on the ship and enjoyed a small lunch. Dinner tonight was in the Pinnacle Grill and we did not want to overload at lunchtime. We found that many guests did not leave the ship today. Visiting with our usual friends on the promenade deck, they said one day of touring was enough. We heard stories about some folks on a tour to Tenganan and the water palace. Somewhere along the way, a huge tree came down across the highway, and the visit to Tirta Gengga, the water palace, had to be cancelled. Since they had already visited the ancient village at Tenganan, the guests got a 50% refund on the shore excursion. The bad news is that by the time they got the traffic turned around, they had lost several hours. Glad we did not book that one.

Another story we heard was from two couples that decided to take a taxi to a nice hotel resort, and eat lunch and perhaps use their pool. Their driver took them to three hotels, where they were turned away, since they had no reservations or did not have a room there. During one of these attempts, the hotel staff had the driver pull over, and everyone was security checked, and their taxi was mirrored underneath. At the last resort stop, they were allowed to eat lunch, but not use their pool. Too bad they did not try the Pan Pacific, because we know for a fact we could have gone there today. Their taxi driver should have known that.

Before the ship left, we made one last swoop to the shops. Not intending on buying anything, we went to the cyclone fencing to look at the souvenirs. Suddenly a hidden gate opened, and the end vendor summoned us inside. So much for only looking. Since one of us had a dead Rolex, or Rorex, as we jokingly call the knock-off, we were looking for a replacement. For less than the cost of a battery, we had brand new highend Dior and Breitling watches. Almost real. Then back in the terminal, we found a loose knit royal blue sweater that dresses up all tank tops or t-shirts. Good deal again. And both vendors were happy to take Australian dollars. We did steer away from the wooden products, since Barbara H. reminded us that little critters can live inside of them, especially anything made from balsa wood. Her trick is to freeze the wooden items and keep them oiled once at home.

Sail away was held on the lower promenade deck. The staff had set up food and beverage stalls to sell drinks at the sail away. We went up to deck 8, aft pool, because of the heat and the fact that we could get much better pictures from up there. Last time we were here, many of the families and friends of the Indonesian crew were on the dock to say goodbye. Today, all of them were gone. Or many of them were onboard, sailing with us to the next two ports in Indonesia. Right before the gangway was removed, a lady in a wheelchair and her husband were medically disembarked. We do not know who they were, but obviously due to some illness, their trip has been interrupted or suspended. Too bad.

The sunset was at 6:41pm, and it was not one bit disappointing tonight. Many of the guests headed off for dinner at 5:30pm, but we stayed, talking to many friends, knowing the sun would go down soon. The sky had just the right amount of clouds to bring out the colors of the sunset, including more shades of blue and green we seldom see. Since we are closer to the Equator, we think that makes the difference as well. It was a big WOW.

Dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill at 8pm. Since there were only eight other guests in there, we had great service. We each ordered a different type of steak….one a filet and one a New York strip. The filet was tender, but the strip steak was surprisingly tough. That usually never happens in this restaurant, but we have heard many folks complaining about the food here. Guess we will not order that one again. The rest of the meal was fine, especially the desserts of cheesecake and lemon brulee.

Taking a walk after dinner found the breeze had cooled off the decks. There were many lights from fishing boats as we headed towards the island of Java, our next port of call.

The clocks went back one hour tonight….a very welcomed hour back too.

Bill & Mary Ann

What are we going to do when your trip ends? Living vicariously thanks to you makes a Chicago winter marginally ok.

Report # 61 Sailing Towards Semarang, Java, Indonesia February 28, 2015 Saturday Partly cloudy & 85 degrees

It was sure nice getting that extra hour of sleep last night. We have earned it after two full days in Bali. The weather alone is an energy zapper. Looking out our window this morning, we noticed that the ship was leaving ribbon-like waves in the wake. The seas have turned flat and almost smooth as silk. With the filmy clouds, the sea water and the sky has taken on the hue of soft baby blue. There is little difference between the sky and the horizon. All throughout the day, we passed many small fishing boats, a few tankers, and some natural gas platforms imbedded into the sea floor. We are sailing fairly close to the northern top of Java, we believe, heading primarily west.

It was warm, but not overly hot on the promenade deck while we took the first of our daily walks. At least the blazing sun was not going to be rising and setting on the starboard or the port sides of the ship. That does make sitting in the lounges about impossible. Today there was somewhat of a breeze, and the regulars were setting up their perches for the day. While we were strolling along, we noticed a small dark thing on the ceiling. Getting closer, we saw it was a tiny bat hanging upside down. Not wanting to disturb it, we left it alone. Later on in the afternoon and into the evening, we found that the little creature had not moved. More than likely, it was dead, stuck in the small holes of the ceiling grid. No way would we test our theory by touching it. We will see if it is gone tomorrow when we dock in Semarang.

Also while we were doing laps, there was a “bright star” call for the medical staff to go to deck nine. That usually means that someone is in dire trouble, and needs immediate medical assistance. We did not hear that it was a drill, but were told later that it was. Wish that was true with the medical disembarks. We learned that there were two people and their spouses that went off yesterday due to health problems.

As we approach another Indonesian island, we thought we would explain the Kecak Fire Dance. This was a tour offered on the first evening we were in Bali. Having seen the dance way back in 2005, we found it to be very interesting. At the time, we were taken to a sandy beach at a resort in Bali, where dozens of plastic chairs had been placed where we sat with our backs to the surf. As soon as it was dark, costumed dancers entered the center ring, where a drama proceeded to take place. It was the monkey or kecak dance with musical chanting from many men sitting in concentric circles. They swayed back and forth, urging the monkey on by saying kecak over and over. Our friends and us kept hearing Chucky, Chucky, to the point we laughed and wondered when they would find Chucky. Oh, we were bad back then, but had so much fun. As it turned out, the fire dance part of the show never happened. That particular group was performing at a nearby resort instead. Still was a magical evening.

There was a silent auction today for Smile Education and Development of Myanmar. Many services and items had been made available from every department on the ship. You just had to bid on it, and pay cash after the silent auction was over. In case you were short on cash, you had the opportunity to get a cash advance from the front office with a 3% service charge.

Barbara H. gave her lecture on the upcoming ports of Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, and Penang, Malaysia. At this very moment, one of us is trying to pick it up on the TV. It is 11pm, and it is still not being broadcasted. Better yet, is George Sranko’s talk about the mysteries of coral reefs. Great info on the richest ecosystems on the earth. Anything to do with animals and nature is up our alley.

We lucked out today at the aft pool. It was warm, but still comfortable with a nice breeze blowing. We like to sit near the back railing, because the best breeze is back there. It also gives you the chance to watch the wake of the ship, as well as keep an eye out for ships passing by. We spotted a huge shoal of fish jumping in a large circle. Birds flew over the school, while we waited and watched for something bigger to appear from underneath them. Although nothing ever did surface, we are certain that something bigger was there. There were many small fishing boats in these coastal waters too. Wonder what they were catching?

There was a cocktail party, hosted by our travel agency, in the Explorers Lounge at 7pm. They also had an earlier party to accommodate the early diners. There were over 120 people at that one. Our group was much smaller, but more social, because most of us know each other. It was also nice getting to know some of the younger folks in our group. It’s always fun to be able to share some info with the new folks. We can also learn from them, such as the stories they came back with about the hotel rejections yesterday.

We noticed there was a little bit of decorations in the entrance to the lower dining room this morning. Guess this was for the 3pm Indonesian tea. The chefs had prepared some unique delicacies with traditional Indonesian music to entertain all. We heard that there was an Indonesian dinner in the Pinnacle Grill this evening with wines for $79.00 per person. Perhaps all of the decorations went there, because the only décor we saw in the La Fontaine dining room were table runners made with batik. It was Maureen’s colors in brown and gold, so at the end of our dinner, Ruud rolled it up, and presented to her as a gift to take back to her cabin. Oh, we still do have fun at our table.

The entertainment was the group Metro, four fellows from the USA. They are an a cappella quartet singing pop, doo-wop, classic rock, barbershop, R&B, Broadway, and jazz. Guess they cover it all. We are not sure who is going from our table, because most of us have early tours tomorrow. Bob, for instance, is going to Borobudur on a 9 hour excursion. He needs to be in the queens Lounge by 6:15am. The rest of us follow him by 7 and 7:20am. We are off with our travel group for our very first tour with them.

Bill & Mary Ann

Enjoying all your reports, thank you.

Thanks for keeping us updated on your WC progress.

Report # 62 Semarang, Java, Indonesia March 1, 2015 Sunday Chance of rain & 87 degrees

The Amsterdam was docked well before we got up this morning. With an all aboard time at 3:30pm, and a few tours that would take about 9 hours to complete, it was a good thing we were here early. One of the most famous sites in Java is fairly close to here…..Borobudur Temple. Uncovered after being hidden by jungle overgrowth, Borobudur has been named a UNESCO Heritage Site in the 1980’s. On past cruises, we have toured this temple at least three different times. There are ten massive stone terraces with each one representing stages of enlightenment. Many stupas are placed up high, and one of them has a Buddha that legend has it, that you touch his hand, and you will have good luck always. We have been there, and done that. And as luck has it, we are back in Semarang once again.

But this time, we chose to see the city for a change. Our meeting time in the Ocean Bar was at 7:20am with our travel group. The time we were to go down to the buses was 7:30am. But when we got there on time, everyone was already stickered and running down stairs to board the buses. Lucia, our host, said these folks had started congregating at 6:45am. Guess we have an energetic group this year.

Our excursion was a 5 ½ hour ride to see the San Po Kong Chinese Temple, about an hour’s ride across the downtown area. We are not sure how many people live in Semarang, but we are certain it must be millions. And they were all out in their cars and motorbikes today since it was a Sunday. The traffic was terrible, even at this time of the day. Eventually, we arrived to this temple, which was just opening. It was great to be the first group there, except we were also the first ones to get hounded by street vendors outside the temple. These locals had postcards, batik cards, puppet dolls, fans, batik bags, except no batik fabrics. They did have t-shirts and short and long sleeve shirts for men. We said we would look later.

Our guide was a nice, giggly elderly lady, who did not speak English really clearly. By reading the signs at this temple complex, we learned that this temple was originally built to honor Sam Po Thay Jin, a Chinese emissary who landed here in 1401 This temple shows a combination of Chinese and Muslim cultures. There was also a huge statue of Admiral Zheng, who docked his ship in the 15th century. Lots of history associated with him, but had little time to read it all. There was supposed to be a fortune teller here to read our palms (for a small tip). But because it was a Sunday, he was not here. Probably would have done that anyway, but it is fun watching others do it.

Outside the gate, we ended up with some postcards and some more batik cards. Very useful. Continuing on, we drove out to the Sanggar Semarang Workshop of Batik. There was a narrow road leading over the top of the hills that brought us here. There was barely enough room for two motorcycles to pass on this road. So when two large buses come along, the traffic has to stop for us to carefully drive down the hill. The bus got so close to the outside edge, that we could see trash covered the steep terrain. Chickens of all sizes were rooting through all this garbage, which was heading down towards the creek below. We can see that if a heavy rain came along, it would wash all of this trash down the river to the harbor. Too bad little kids are not being taught to clean their city up. They need to be educated at the earliest age to beautify their city.

At the batik factory, we saw how cloth was made on looms that were operated by fellows. Then we saw each step that was taken to make the real batik cloth. One young artist was sitting at a small table penning a design on a pareo size piece of cloth. It was done totally free hand. Then the cloth would go to the waxers, who sat in a circle putting the wax on the pre-printed designs. That wax preserves the designs while the unwaxed areas take on the color. After the wax has dried, it is dipped into tubs of natural dye. Then it is dried. Some of the prints that were being sold in the shop, were not extremely attractive.

There was a pavilion where we sat and had coffee, tea, and some special homey sweet treats. As well as a nice store that sold all types of batik clothing. It was not cheap, but guaranteed to be the authentic dyed products.

The following stop was at Jamu Nyonya Meneer Museum. Jamu is another word for traditional medicine. Although the factory was closed today, we did get to see some of their products. Some of it looked really strange. And we are fairly sure that few people bought anything of the medicines. One of the guides that had much better English, said that Indonesian people have a lot of stomach problems. He added that many of them have high cholesterol, and they depend on herbal medicine to bring those numbers down. They did serve a glass of hot ginger tea, which was good. Hope the water for this tea was boiled well………

One last stop was at a church. Turned out that the same vendor had followed us from the last stop. We did end up with a large batik bag, only because we were able to get it for $5.00.

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Taking our time going back to the ship, our guide pointed out the many monuments, colonial buildings, hotels, and shopping malls on the way back to the ship. We were back by 2pm. Passing the main mall, Simpang Lima Mall, we did spot some of our friends there waiting for the free shuttle bus. That had to be where the complimentary bus ride took the ship folks.

Going up to the Lido for a sandwich, we noticed that many of the Indonesian families had come onboard today. There was extra food everywhere. We heard the little kids had really enjoyed the ice cream bar. The rest of the afternoon was used to download pictures, and take notes for tonight’s report.

There was another complimentary sailaway with free wine, beer, or soft drinks. It was held on the promenade deck again. We did peek out there briefly, but found it way too crowded and too hot. We never made it to the drink table, but you would be surprised what the folks will resort to get the free glass of wine. Not our thing.

We headed up to deck eight, to check things out. Most of the regular sailaway people were there. It took about another ½ hour to get going. A group of family and friends had gathered at the closed port gates. We all waved goodbye to them as the ship pushed away from the terminal, knowing it was a bittersweet time for some of the crew who were leaving their families behind for several more months.

Dinner was another night in the Pinnacle Grill. This time we both ordered the grilled lamb chops, and they were excellent. Half of a baked potato with grilled mushrooms was plenty. But we did save room for the same desserts we had last time…..cheesecake and lemon brulee. We should be walking off these calories tomorrow, but we booked a last minute tour in Jakarta instead. Since we don’t want to spend a lot of time in a modern mall, we chose to see the countryside instead.

Bill & Mary Ann

Thanks so much for the daily updates. They always brighten my day!

Thanks so much for all your posts -- I really am enjoying "tagging along" with you!! :)

Thanks so much for all your posts -- I really am enjoying "tagging along" with you!! :)

it is keeping the winter blues away.:):)

Report # 63 Jakarta, Java, Indonesia (Tanjung Priok) Part One March 2 2015 Monday Chance of rain & 88 degrees

Today’s port of call was a new one for us – the city of Jakarta on the island of Java. Can you believe it is home to over 13 million people? And from the looks of the incredible amount of traffic, we think at least ½ of the 13 million drive a vehicle. Usually when we are in a new place, we take an organized tour to get the lay of the land. It was not a difficult choice to make, because out of the five excursions offered, only one was perfect for us. We definitely knew we would enjoy getting out of the city for a 9 hour day in the countryside.

So at the very last minute, like yesterday, we booked the Safari Park, Bogor Botanical Gardens, and the countryside tour, which included a stop at a tea plantation. Our meeting place was the Queens Lounge at 8:05am, where Leslie, the assistant shore ex manager, continued keeping us laughing with his orders to sit, wait, and be kind to each other. When he announced tour #2 (us), about 100 or so people jumped up and ran to get stickered, exactly the opposite of what Leslie suggested. It’s like herding cats, or kindergarteners – you take your pick.

On our way out of the lounge, we were each handed a large cardboard box containing our lunch. We would eat it in route to one of our destinations, or whenever we got hungry. For some, that would be as soon as we got on the bus. Obviously, these boxes had been prepared last night then refrigerated. A bottle of water had been added to the bottle, which added to the weight. Add the fact that the cardboard got damp overnight, some of the boxes broke apart, spilling the contents on the floor in the middle of the stampede. We had to laugh, because you just cannot make this stuff up. Our handles broke on the stairwell, but we were quick enough to catch it from spilling out.

We managed to find bus # 2, then picked seats on the right side of the bus…..which turned out to be the wrong side of the bus. One good thing to remember when traffic is opposite directions of home (USA), you do not want to sit on the driver’s side, which is right. We forgot that you will not have an unobstructed view to take photos along the way. You end of looking at the opposite traffic with cars and buses blocking views. Then, chances are that the right side of the bus has sun all of the way. Don’t know why, it’s simply the luck of the draw.

Well, our very nice guide was Daniel from Java, who spoke acceptable English. We also had a team of police as escorts. There was a lead motorcycle cop, who cleared the way for the police car with light and sirens going. They literally drove down the center of the narrow side streets, causing traffic to divide in half, and go around our three coaches. Daniel said they hire the police for VIP’s like us. Nice, we guess.

Our first stop was going to be Taman Safari Park, located 1000 feet in the mountainside. It was a long ride of about 1 hour on the freeway, then another 45 minutes climbing a steep hillside road. There was lots to see in the way with hotels, restaurants, and souvenir shops. Many fruit and vegetable stands were set up near the Safari Park, where locals buy the veggie, especially carrots, the feed some of the animals in the zoo. Daniel talked about Jakarta all the way, giving us facts about the Dutch, Portuguese, and Chinese influences on Java. Going way back in time, wooden boats, called Phinisi boats were used for trade between the islands. Built in Makassar, these vessels were made from ironwood, and are the last of the true sailing ships, as they still use sails to use wind power. Typically they would send mahogany and teakwood between Java and Borneo, to trade for rice, sugar, plastic, and motorcycles for instance. We have seen these vessels while touring in Makassar, and can say they are really rustic, but functional. Would not want to do a world cruise on one of them, however.

Most all of Javanese are Muslim. We must have seen a mosque with minarets every other mile to the top of these mountains. You could also hear the call for prayers during several different hours of the day. Did you know that there is a tiny mosque on the Amsterdam for crew members? We discovered it by accident while waiting to get off of the ship today. It was located behind a curtain on deck A right near the xray equipment. Very interesting.

Daniel spoke about the many volcano eruptions over the centuries, which helped create the over 17,000 Indonesian islands. He also said that many of these volcanoes are still active, erupting as recently as the 1990’s. He also added that three weeks ago they were having floods here due to excessive rain. Wish we could say the same for northern California, where we are having a drought. We did suspect we could be in for a shower when our guide handed out plastic ponchos to everyone. He also gave us Jakarta pins and towelettes to make us happy.

We arrived at the safari park around 10:30am. As most everyone that knows us, we love animals. We did not expect to see anything like what we saw today at this untraditional zoo. The tour description mentioned that the animals roam freely in the park enclosure. Some of the species mentioned were Sumatran tigers, rhinos, hippos, lions, bears, and leopards. Most all meateaters or dangerous. What we found out was that we would be viewing these wild creatures from the safety and comfort of the bus. Good thing.

Once we got the restroom stop completed (1/2 hour), we drove through the gated safari park and immediately spotted wildlife. Many of these animals had been imported from Africa, such as the zebra, hippo, rhino, camels, giraffe, lions, cheetah, and some exotic birds. There were many types of deer, antelope, kudu, and sheep. By the time we got to the big cat area, the rain started. It always come with a few drops, but then the sky opens up, and the deluge begins……much like going through a car wash. The lions slept right through the storm, as did some of the tigers. We saw both the Sumatran tigers and the albino ones. They seemed to be agitated by the rain, as they paced back in forth in the moated displays. We saw why, when we turned the corner, when we saw a glassed in area full of small cubs with their moms. In the wild, the cubs would be hidden from the males, who often kill them.

Part of the tour included a walk through the Baby Animal Park. So we put on the green plastic ponchos, and took our umbrellas which we remembered to bring with us. The rain was coming down so hard, the streets were filling up rapidly. There goes the shoes. Oh well, we would dry off later. The walk through this park was really neat, because we got to see their baby orangutan. She was under an overhang and in a walled circle where she takes photos with tourists holding her. Something caught her eye with Bill, and she came over when her trainer was not watching. She proceeded to take Bill’s hand and try to lift his poncho. The handler came and got her, but she must have been so excited, she had an accident….a wet one. The handler took her to a water fountain, washed her off, and took her to the waiting tourist to hold. Poor baby, she hung her head down, like she knew she had done something wrong.

We left the park by 12:30pm, joining the bus where many folks were already halfway through eating their lunches. We had 2 sandwiches, fruit, a muffin, and some cookies to eat, and it really did hit the spot. Keeping our boxes in the overhead bin had kept them ice cold because of the buses air-conditioning. Our next stop was at the Gunung Mas Tea Plantation, about ½ hour away from the zoo. Unfortunately, the rain had not stopped, so our time here was shorter than expected. There were a handful of lady tea leaf pickers who stood out in the deluge, showing how they picked the leaves. They did invite us to get closer, but the ground was saturated and muddy. Slipping in the mud was not a good idea. These little ladies had large woven baskets on their backs, and wore oversize Chinese hats to protect them from the blazing sun. We had to admit, at this elevation, the weather was much cooler.

Right across the road was the tea tasting house, where we were invited to drink a cup of black or green tea. They also served pissig goring, or bananas coated with a crispy batter deep fried. Too bad we could not do some souvenir shopping at the stands set up across the road. Some vendors came over to us, and offered some different types of batik cards with envelopes. They were a bargain at 5 for $2.00. We gladly bought some, making the vendor quite happy. We left the plantation by 1:30pm.

The final stop was at the Bogor Botanical Gardens, located 38 miles from the port in Jakarta. The good thing was that the rain had stopped, and would hold off for the rest of the day. Our group was turned over to a nice Muslim gal, who walked us through a small part of the garden. She described the history and some of the flora we were seeing in the manicured gardens. To see the entire park of 214 acres would take up to three hours, which we did not have. So therefore, we could only see a small part of it.

Driving into the grounds, we must have seen 1000 small deer grazing on the green pastures surrounding the colonial palace. Daniel said these were given as gifts from Mahatma Gandhi, but only 3 pairs at the time. They have flourished over the years, over running the place. Dozens of fawns were among the herd, and we understand they only live up to 10 years.

An interesting part of the gardens had a cemetery with monuments from the colonial days. They were relatives of the Dutch biologists and plant scientists that worked here. They had succumbed to malaria, some at the young age of 6 months old. Near here was the President’s palace, or the colonial home where Sir Stamford Raffles resided at times in the 1800’s when the British occupied Java. There is a monument dedicated to his wife, Olivia Marianne, who died here. She was known fondly as Lady Raffles.

The garden has 17,000 species of plants, but we saw only a few of the famous ones. The one we had hoped to see was the famed rafflesia, which has a bloom of over 30 inches across, the largest flower in the world. We never did see one. After an hour’s walk, we left the park by 3:30pm. But we had to fight our way back to the bus through the many vendors who were selling puppets, fans, cards, and trinkets. At these tourist sites, the vendors try to charge twice too much.

Despite the traffic, we were back to the ship around 4:30pm. Our tour ended up being 7 ½ hours instead of 9 hours. But that was due to the help of the police escorts and traffic moving OK.

All aboard was at 5:30pm, and another sail away was held on the promenade deck……no free drinks today however. We chose to go up to deck 8, to see the Iranian naval ships docked behind us. They were small in comparison to the Amsterdam, but threatening enough with their large guns mounted in the forward bow and the aft decks. The Captain said that this was the tightest docking he had done in many, many years.

To be continued………..

Bill & Mary Ann

Thanks for the report, sounds like an interesting tour even with the rain.

Thank-you for the running report. Too bad you were unable to see a Rafflesia would have loved to see a picture and read your impression. :)

Thx for the uodate. Very interesting.

Report # 63 Jakarta, Java, Indonesia Part Two March 2, 2015 Monday

Continuing on, we went to the aft deck to watch the sailing out of the port. The ship was squeezed in between a cargo ship and an Iranian warship. During his talk before leaving the pier, Captain Jonathon mentioned that he has never had to dock between two ships with so little space. We never heard any scraping of metal, so we guess the team in the navigation deck did OK. The ship docked behind us was interesting with the weaponry on deck.

When we finally left the pier, two or three tugs helped us out. It was not a really long sail out, but a tight one. This city must have a gazillion ships, either docked, or in the harbor at anchor. For an hour, we passed many vessels of all kinds. Most all of them were lit up in the darkness, and really looked like they were part of the shoreline.

We caught up with what everyone did while in Jakarta today. Some folks took tours, while others took advantage of the free shuttle to the Artha Gading Mall. Worse- case scenario, the ride would take one hour each way. Originally, the shuttle buses were not allowed to come through the port gate, a mile away. They were going to have to shuttle people one mile to get to the gate, then take another bus to town. As it turned out, the mile ride to the gate did not happen. The free buses came to the ship instead, saving time.

Bob and Martha had taken an all day tour to see the Phinisi boats and visit a museum. They also took in Indonesia Miniature Park, where each area of Indonesia is represented by buildings. They really enjoyed their day as well. Ruud had taken the shopping tour because it was short, but reported that it was not the best tour he has ever been on.

Dinner was good as usual, but we are getting more creative to mix things up. One of us had the lamb shank, and the other combined a Caesar salad with a grilled chicken breast on top. Delicious. Barb and Maureen had dined elsewhere, so with only five of us at the table, we were out of there by 9:30pm. It was interesting watching the many strikes of lightening all throughout dinner time. Bet we are in for rain tonight.

While in Semarang yesterday, a nice young fellow offered to give us a choice of two tours in Jakarta in a private car for four persons. His Jakarta City Tour took in the Indonesian Park Garden, Old Town, Batavia, the Phinisi boats, and the shopping mall for a total of $120.00 US dollars. His second choice was a drive to Bogor City to the Botanic Gardens, The Monas Monument, and Old Town for $150.00 US dollars. Same deal – private car for four people. Very reasonable, but you needed a cell phone to reach him to set it up. A good price, we doubt we would be that brave to try it.

Looking forward to a day at sea tomorrow, hoping for blue skies and smooth seas.

Bill & Mary Ann

PS Thought we would add our 2 cents concerning tour bus etiquette. The rules are to save the front seats for disabled persons. Not a problem. Couples are asked to sit together, since most all of the seats are usually sold. Good rule. And please do not use the seat next to you for your private belongings. If needed, you may have to share your seat with another single person. Fine, also. Taking this a step further, we found some other behaviors worth mentioning. Take the people on the bus that insisted on taking photos from one end of the bus to the other while in the safari park. Do these folks really think everybody can see through them? Blocking others views to us is rude. We are talking about getting pictures in a moving bus going uphill and downhill and around sharp turns. In this park, the drivers are not allowed to stop long….perhaps 10 seconds. We were in a convoy with other vans and cars and buses. At one point, this lady almost fell down when the bus suddenly lurched. If we had not caught her arm, she would have rolled down the aisle, perhaps breaking something. Did she even thank us? NO. She simply kept taking pictures. Good grief. There were many animals that neither of us saw, because they were on the other side of the bus, or too close to see from the aisle seats. If you were patient, when the bus turned a corner, you got to see them. We think the other two buses had some of the same rude people, because we heard the grumbling from other passengers while we waited to get back on the ship.

There are so many dense people in this world. To bad you didn't let that woman fall. Maybe it would have knocked some sense into her. Thx for the report.

Great reports - thanks for sharing!! Your 2 cents worth is priceless - I totally concur!!

Maybe they should add another rule, stay in your seats.

Report # 64 Crossing The Equator & Sailing Towards Singapore March 3, 2015 Tuesday Partly cloudy & 85 degrees

Well, we got our wish………the sun was out with a few scattered clouds, and the temps were a pleasant 85 degrees tops. A strong wind was blowing across the decks as well, helping to keep us cooler.

Even though we have already crossed the Equator in the beginning of the trip, we crossed it once again today. That called for a ceremony this time….the King Neptune Ceremony. We were all invited to the Lido Pool midship to watch as the King and his Queen conducted the initiation of pollywogs to shellbacks. No passengers were involved, as the crew seems to have all of the fun now. Or not. They get slathered with tinted egg whites and thrown in the pool. It is quite a mess, but all in good fun. Being a good sport, the Captain went in the pool with some of his crew, almost fully dressed (no shoes or hat). During the 45 minute melee, complimentary Equator Slings were served to the folks. At the end, we were all assured to have a safe passage by King Neptune.

Today happened to be the last one for those who sailed ½ of the world cruise, or the last couple of segments. There was a special Mariner’s Brunch for this group, where awards and tiles were presented. Our tablemate Bob will be leaving us tomorrow, although we get to keep Martha with us until Dubai. We have enjoyed his company these past weeks, and hope he makes it back next year. Since he did not attend the disembarkation talk, he did not know how many folks are leaving the ship tomorrow. We will ask someone at breakfast in the morning.

We have gotten back logged on photos and reports. Taking a short break from 11am to 2pm to relax at the pool, we worked in the room the rest of the afternoon. Around 4pm, the passports could be picked up at the front desk. Good time to get some Singapore money too. While in Singapore, we are required to pack our passports with us at all times. A landing card that we filled out weeks ago was included in our passports. There was a strong message on that card - the penalty for drug traffikers is DEATH. They do not fool around in Singapore. We will be overnighting in Singapore, but the all aboard time will be early the second day at 3pm.

We plan to hit the MRT transit system, and see as much as we can in these two days. Singapore is undoubtedly, one of our most favorite ports.

The sunset was a bust tonight. You would think it would be great as we had just crossed the Equator, but once again, the sun dropped behind clouds and was gone.

Dinner was fun. And it was also different in the fact that it was advertised as “formal optional”. This is the very first time ever that we have seen this as an option. It was dubbed as Chinese Lantern Dinner, an Asian theme that we missed back on Chinese New Year. Then we remembered that many folks will be leaving tomorrow, and might have wanted to pack the fancy clothes. For the most part, most people we saw were dressed for the occasion. Some never dress, so they didn’t tonight either. Wonder if the staff is testing the waters, so to speak, to see how the optional thing goes? Is this the start of the end of formal nights? We sure hope not.

Bill & Mary Ann

PS There are rumors flying around that the tours to Cairo may not happen. At this point, it is just rumors, but we’ll let you all know if it comes true. Would not be a total surprise, because of the unrest in that city. It also would not be the first time ports in Egypt had to be cancelled.

Thx for the update.

Report # 65 Singapore, Singapore March 4, 2015 Wednesday Partly sunny & 85 degrees

By the time we woke up, the Amsterdam had docked at The Singapore Cruise Center at Harbourfront Center, across from the island of Sentosa. As many times as we have been here, it is always a pleasure. The only downside, is that there is so much to do and see here, but so little time to do it. With a full day today, and little more than a half day tomorrow, we would have to budget our time wisely.

Anyway, here are a few quick facts about this civilized part of the world. The island of Singapore is small compared to other countries in the world. With only 269 square miles to reside, the population is 4,657,542 people. The capital is Singapore, and the official languages are Chinese and English. The cultures include Indian, Chinese, and Malay, as well as many other nationalities from all around the world. Most locals rave about the food and even more so….the shopping. There are world class museums, historic temples, incense and spices. Malls are so numerous it would take months to stroll through them And these malls are not just high rises, but underground mazes that connect to each other. Taking photos along the way is a good idea to make your way back. They would frown on leaving a string or crumbs to mark the path. Then there is the Hindu Temple in Little India, Chinatown, the Singapore Zoological Gardens, the Night Safari Park, and Sentosa Island to name of few of the highlights. Folks like to visit the historical Raffles Hotel, where the Singapore Sling was invented back in 1915. It may set you back around 29. Singapore dollars though. What do the locals eat here? Try hawker food, and plenty of Chinese and Indian cuisine, and some of the most expensive alcoholic drinks ever. (Sin tax). Tiger beer is number one, while the sweet tea they drink is called Teh Tarik. The fruit, durian, is illegal to sell, and it is illegal to litter, smoke, spit, or you get fined. Sell drugs? You die. Period. The laws may be Draconian, but they are appreciate by the law abiding citizens. As tourists, we like the fact that everywhere you go, it is clean and relatively safe. Lastly, a random fact about Singapore is that it is the world’s largest exporter of exotic tropical fish. Who knew?

Our day began with a light breakfast in the dining room. We were informed that about 67 people were leaving this morning, with 68 new passengers joining. Many of our guests were being called off by numbers as early as 8am. Our tablemate Bob, would be debarking later, then staying overnight with Martha near Clarke Quay. He flies home to Boston tomorrow and hopes to find nothing broken from the freezing weather they have been experiencing. He will be missed.

We headed off for a day of exploring around 10:30am. We figured by then most of the people had gotten off on their tours, and it would be quicker going through customs onshore. We were right……..no one was lined up, and the checkpoint was done very fast. Security is strict and thorough in Singapore. All of our things have to go through the xray when we get off of the ship as well as when we come back on. And we are required to have our passports with us at all times while off the boat.

Our first stop after walking through the Harbourfront Mall was to the MRT, the underground transit system. Hands down, it is the most modern and efficient way to get around this city rather quickly. We purchased a 2 day Singapore Tourist Pass for $26 Singapore dollars. After using it as much as we want for 2 days, we can turn it in and get a $10 deposit returned. Armed with pocket maps of the system, we navigated all the stops we planned to make today. It does require a fair amount of walking, and going up and down miles of escalators, but it was fine. We needed the exercise.

Our first stop was at Chinatown, where we took photos of the massive food court. Many of the locals were eating breakfast that consisted of noodles and a red sauce. Crispy ducks were already roasted and ready for lunch. Freshly baked pastries and bread smelled so good, it was hard to just take photos and not try some. Next to this court was a huge shopping mall. They had four floors of bargains that rivaled the Night Market in Hong Kong. What we were looking for was an optical shop to have a pair of glasses fixed. There were none anywhere that we saw.

Next on our list was Little India, where one of us loves to shop for fabrics. Most of the bolts contained light silky prints that are very difficult to work with. Already have a stash of those at home. What we did find was a sari length of heavy silk in the color of purple and gold. Tiny diamonds were in the gold pattern. It was even on sale at 70% off, so we bought it. Always nice to have something new to wear on formal evenings.

From there, we walked through the vegetable and meat/fish market on the way to the MRT. It is also bustling with shoppers, and is a very interesting place for photos. There were a few jewelry shops on the way too, but we had little luck finding earrings to go with purple.

Back on the MRT, we headed for the Singapore Botanic Gardens, taking a different line to get there. This beautiful garden, established in 1859, covers a large area (which cannot be located at this moment). It takes a map to navigate it, which we picked up as we entered the gate right outside the MRT station. We paid a visit here last year, as did 4 million other tourists. It is the most visited botanical garden in the world, as a matter of fact. It has also been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Singapore’s first. Anyway, the gardens were suffering from a drought last year, with the grounds dry and the lakes and ponds even lower than usual. It was much greener looking today, but we did notice that gardeners were irrigating and watering by hand. That could be because from February to October, it is the dry season. You would think that being so near the Equator, it would rain all of the time, but from the way the ground looked, it was dry.

We made our way to the highlight of this park, the National Orchid Garden. We paid a total of $2 dollars to get in (nice to be seniors). The orchid breeding program began in 1928, and now the area consists of 1000 species and 2000 hybrids, making it one of the largest displays of orchids in the world. What was really nice, was the special red decorations for Chinese New Year, the year of the goat. They added a splash of vibrant color to the pinks, mauves, blues, oranges, and yellows of the flowering plants. We even spotted a small squirrel munching on an orchid blossom. The absolute best place to stroll through is the Cool House. It is an enclosure where a mountain tropical jungle has been established. It is highly realistic with plants that exist in the high elevations. The best part is that it is way cooler in there, even if it only last for a few minutes.

We really needed something to drink, since it was so hot and humid, we were sweating bullets. Back at the Information center, we found a small shop selling drinks in cans and bottles. A lemon ice tea was just right. The sky began to get cloudy and much darker. Even though rain was not predicted, it sure felt like it would start any time. We did want to check out the new Healing Garden, which was located near the exit gate. Finding it was not a problem, but just about when we got into the middle of this garden, thunder broke out directly overhead with a loud clap. Thought we were dead for a few seconds. Deciding we had better get back to the MRT, we discovered that we were trapped in this fenced area, and had a fine time trying to get out. It was just about then, we came upon a sign that warned about leaving the park during a sudden storm. It could be dangerous being under these tall trees. Following the directions of our map, we exited the park where we had entered earlier. Only now it was nearing 4pm, and we still had to get to lunch somewhere.

Heading back down the subway, we took the train to Orchard to find the Hard Rock Café. Last year, we took pictures of the route we needed to take through Wheelock Place, another massive mall, to locate Orchard Road. If you come up from the MRT in a different exit, you will never find your way. Today, we did it right. Gosh, it felt SO good to sit down and dine on a chicken salad with lots of ice cold soda. Usually, we have beer, but here in Singapore, there is a big tax on liquor. The beers were $12.50 a bottle, and we knew that being thirsty, we may drink four of them. Coke was so much better. On our way out, we stopped to pick up the new Singapore Hard Rock t-shirt to add to the collection.

It was 5pm, and we still wanted to make one more stop at Clarke Quay on the river. The trains were getting very crowded now with commuters and school kids. Since we did not have far to go, we stood hanging on to the bars. We popped up at the river, and found our way to an ice cream shop where we had a cup of maple vanilla and chocolate macadamia. We walked across the bridge, and strolled through the maze of cafes on the other side of the river. It was time to head back, since the sun was already going down.

The train took us to the end of the line where we had started this morning. But before we went back, we took the time to search for an optometry shop in this mall. As luck would have it, we found one on level two. The fellow said, no problem, will fix the eye rest in three minutes for $3 Singapore dollars. Best deal of the day. Also scoped out their Watson’s drug store for suntan lotion. No luck there. Yes, they did have some, but not the type we use. Reminder: bring more from home next time.

We caught the sun setting like a huge orange ball on the horizon. Although there were no clouds, there was that strange smoggy haze that gave rich hues to the sky. At least it was better than most sunsets the last few days.

Now we had to do things in reverse with going through the xray and customs check on the way back to the ship. We got back to our nice and cool room with only enough time to clean up and go to dinner. There were only three of us this evening, since Barb and Maureen were eating onshore. It was really nice to visit with Ruud, who has been a bit shy and reserved since he joined our table back in Sydney. With only the two of us to talk to, he had no problem hearing us and understanding our English. We all ordered the veal cordon bleu, and it was the best choice we all agreed. The nice thing was that we were done by 9:30pm, and happy to turn in a bit earlier. It had been a marathon day, and we will need to rest up for another one tomorrow.

Bill & Mary Ann

Report # 66 Singapore, Singapore Day Two March 5, 2015 Thursday Partly cloudy & 95 degrees

Well, they got the temperature right today, but not necessarily the partly cloudy forecast. It sure felt like rain. In fact it would feel good if it rained. We would find out later on how much it does rain here.

We did not book a tour today, since we have already done most of them over the years. And since we had bought a 2 day pass on the MRT, we mapped out our own itinerary for this shorter day. An important customs notice was printed on the daily newsletter yesterday as well as today. We touched on the few things that were not permitted yesterday, but in addition to not spitting or littering, you cannot bring chewing gum, chewing tobacco, or imitation tobacco. Pistol or revolver shaped cigarette lighters, controlled drugs, psychotropic substances, endangered species and their by-products are not allowed. Firecrackers, obscene articles or videos, and reproductions of copyrighted materials are also not allowed. Severe fines and or incarceration could be levied. Very strict.

We left the ship right after breakfast, and were on the train by 9am. But first, we had to pass through the customs check once again. The official asked Bill if he was Hulk Hogan from the old TV show. I could hear him laughing quite loudly several stalls away from where he was. This was not the first time this has happened. Must be the mustache. Or the official had a good sense of humor, which they seldom do in this type of work.

Today would be plagued with wrong turns or incorrect exits more than a few times. Wanting to stop at Raffles Hotel first, we took the obvious exit off of the metro at Raffle Place. When we got out to the street, nothing looked familiar. Turning the wrong way, we walked close to the Fullerton Hotel, trying to find the street Raffles was located on. It was nice to discover this part of town, but the walk to find Raffles would have taken us too long. Did we mention that it was at least 1000 degrees this morning? So we went back down to the MRT, and rode the train to City Hall, where we exited at Raffles City, a shopping mall. OK, now this stop looked much more familiar to us, as we took the right exit to walk to the Raffles Hotel. Named after the founder of Singapore, Sir Stamford Raffles, this hotel is one of the finest examples of colonial architecture, reflecting the era of British rule from 1819 to 1963. Usually, we have a beer or two there at the outdoor bar, but since it was early, nothing was even open yet. Just as well, because a Tiger beer could set you back $18. A Singapore Sling, which was created here in Raffle’s Long Bar, could cost as much as $28. As for us, we simply took photos of the property and the Indian-garbed doorman at the front entrance.

By now, it was 10:30am, and getting hotter by the minute. We bailed back down the MRT escalator, where it was much cooler, by the way. In order to get to our next stop at Marina Bay Sands, we had to find the red line and the train that would take us to Marina Bay. What we should have remembered was that the exit stop should have been further to Bayfront. We had gotten on a train that ended two very long blocks away from the hotel. Now in order to get to the hotel and shopping mall, we would need to take another train or walk. It would not have been so bad if it wasn’t for the extremely hot weather. We were melting to the pavement.

Eventually, we did find the Marina Bay Sand’s Hotel and Expo & Convention Center, a large Casino, theaters, and a massive luxury shopping arena. Since our time was limited, we opted from going to the top or the observation deck where at 650 feet above the ground, you can have a fabulous view of the harbor. We found that the photos taken from down below are much better than from the top.

Very near this hotel, is the newly opened Gardens by the Bay. Since we did not see the entrance to this mall until we talked to a mall guide, who pointed the way out. Eventually, we did find our way to the West Gate, walking into the far end of the park. Wish we had more time. We would have paid $28 each to enter the flower, cloud forest, and garden domes. There just was not enough time. Walking through the flowering displays, we were glad to have had enough time to see most of it.

Before we knew it, lunchtime had arrived. There was a very nice Italian Restaurant in The Shoppes, the luxury shopping mall at Marina Bay. Following a bridge that crossed two highways, we ended up right in the middle of the big fancy hotel. Actually, we were several feet high above the lobby of the hotel. Continuing on, we got to the shopping mall by noontime.

We found Pizzeria Mozza on the second level. Knowing it was good since we have been here before, we found the service and the pizza was excellent. Of course, we ordered the margherita pizza, wood-fired, and done crispy. Instead of beer, we had Coke Light. They had interesting place mats on the high tables by the window. The title was, You Can Thank Italians For: liposuction 1974, the espresso machine 1946, The battery 1800, the piano 1709. The nuclear reactor was invented by 1942, the parachute in 1483, and the thermometer in 1593. Who would have guessed that scissors were discovered by Ancient Romans in AD 100, the ice cream cone 1896, and finally eyeglasses in 1280. Who knew about all of that? By the time we read the entire placemat, our pizza was served. We were done by 12:30pm, and decided we better head back.

When we found the exit to go to the MRT, we thought we had to retrace our steps to get back. We must have attracted the attention of an MRT guide, because he suggested we take the blue line. He explained that we could go back to Chinatown, and thus avoid the busier intersection of the Dhoby Ghaut stop. We could transfer to the purple line at Chinatown, and go straight back to Harbourfront. Perfect.

Sitting on the train, we both agreed that we were among the minority of passengers without all of the “toys”. You know, the electronic stuff like the cell phones, iPads, music and earphones, etc., etc. Every single person sitting along the row of seats in every car, was talking, texting, watching, or playing with some kind of toy. We felt left out. We probably could have fit in by taking out our pink and green calculators, and pretend to text or even take a picture. All these other folks would never even look up to see this. But we would look really cool, right? Someday, people might realize how much they are missing in life by being a slave to these contraptions. Sure, they are useful, educational, and entertaining. But do you need it 24 hours a day/7 days a week? Hope not.

We got back earlier than expected, but it was a good thing, because there was a line at the ticket office to get our refund of $20. Only one window was opened and manned, and it appeared they had run out of money. We had about a 20 minute wait, but we did get our refund. Stopping by the drugstore, we failed to find any suntan lotion that was right for us. The sizes of the tubes were so small, like for a child. And they cost about $18 to $22. Remember, buy this stuff before you leave home. We did pick up some favorite bags of chips and a dip. To use up the coins, we added a few $2. bills, and purchased a waterproof foldable shopping bag in a pouch. These come in handy with drink bottles or sodas that may sweat in this hot weather.

When we went to get on the Amsterdam, our passports were collected once again. It was good to have them taken, because it makes us nervous packing them everywhere with us. If we lost them, we could be up a creek. It was sure nice to get onboard to the air-conditioning once again. Our room had remained cool as well. Taking advantage of the time before the sailaway, we worked on the computer until 4:30pm. Gene had announced that it was time for the sailaway, but due to the sudden rain, it would be moved to the Crows Nest. Rain? Sure enough, looking out our window, we found that the rain was coming down in buckets. The good thing was it cooled the air off, and it had stopped by the time we left the pier. Visiting with many new friends, we finally came back to the room by 7pm. Every one of them had had a great time in Singapore, and were sorry to be leaving. We have to totally agree……..

Bill & Mary Ann

PS Just a word about dinnertime interruptions. Specifically, the game type entertainment with Debby Bacon at 9:15pm many evenings. Don’t get us wrong, we like Debby, but she does not get to choose her timeslot either. Everyone at our table feels the same way about the earlier events taking place during our dinner time. Do they schedule these things during the first seating? No. If we do not voice our opinion, we go ignored. We’re just asking for a more suitable time to start the song game show, like 9:30pm. That way the guests who like to participate do not feel they have to dine elsewhere for that night

Report # 67 Port Klang (Kuala Lumpur), Malaysia March 6, 2015 Friday Chance of rain & 93 degrees

Today began with news about changes….some small, and some big. This is not new news, but due to tidal restrictions in Myanmar, we will now be overnighting an extra evening, leaving the port at noon on March 12th. Guess we will still arrive to Sri Lanka on time a few days later. This extra time in port gave the shore ex staff a chance to add another tour for that morning. It’s Local Life in Thanlyin Village for 3 ½ hours for about $80 per person. But after two long days of touring Yangon, we will not be wanting to get up early to do another one.

The following news was not a welcome one. During the last couple of days, the ship’s personnel have seen an increase in the numbers of reported gastrointestinal illness. This means full service in the Lido during all meal times, and no sharing of anything at the dinner table such as salt, pepper, butter, and rolls. We suspected there was a problem four days ago, when we spotted our room stewards wiping down the railings and walls of the hallway. After the late seating dinner, the waiters were preparing the dining room for spraying. And we have noticed a much stronger smell of chlorine after our bathroom is cleaned every morning. So this announcement was not a surprise. We certainly hope this is not the H1N1 virus, which could drive us into the red zone, heaven forbid. Been there and done that 5 years ago, while sailing on the Grand South America trip. At the time, that virus stayed on the ship, plaguing the guests and staff from Ft. Lauderdale to Valpariso, Chile. Since the letter they sent us did not mention this specific illness, we can assume it may be food related. In the meantime, we wash our hands and generously use Purell, as we have done since day one.

Now the most unwanted news concerning the upcoming ports in Egypt. They have all been cancelled. The rumor we heard has come true. This letter we got mentioned that the areas in Egypt we planned to stop Safaga (for Luxor), Sharm El Sheikh, and Alexandria (for Cairo) are politically uncertain. Yes, we understand some bombs have gone off in Cairo recently as well as other continuing unrest. The safety of the guests and crew come first, and we completely understand.

The itinerary had to be rearranged to accommodate some new ports. We are still stopping in Jordan, but then after transiting the Suez Canal, we head for Israel, and stops in Ashdod and Haifa. Kusadasi, Turkey and Athens, Greece have stayed the same, but the days have changed. Finally, Messina Sicily has been added, but only for a 6 hour stop. Better than nothing. And we are sure that new tours will be available any day soon.

And they finally announced that Stein Kruse CEO of the HAL Group, the new HAL president, Orlando Ashford, and Gerald Bernhoft, the Mariner Society Director will be joining us on April 6th. A special evening will be planned for us in Kusadasi…..invitations will be coming soon.

By the way, the segment ending in Singapore marked the beginning of a new segment to Dubai. Since leaving Florida last January, we have sailed 18, 070 miles. Guess we are about ½ way around the world.

OK, on with today’s port in Malaysia…..Kuala Lumpur. It is the capital of Malaysia with over 1 million people. The population of Malaysia is 25,715,819 residents, living in an area of 127,321 square miles. The official language is Bahasa Malaysia. The country spreads from East Malaysia to Peninsular Malaysia, to the northern half of Borneo. There are sprawling cities, forested highlands, islands, and dense rainforests. The most famous of the animals are orangutans and proboscis monkeys. There are still indigenous tribes in Borneo, who have never seen modern man, let alone a computer or a cell phone.

Malaysia is a melting pot of Malay, Indian, and Chinese culture. A strong colonial air still hangs around cities like Penang and Kuala Lumpur, while Borneo is a playground for divers, trekkers, and modern day explorers. The best time for clear weather is May through September. Things to see are the Petronas Towers, with 66 stories and 1483 feet high, with a walkway between the two. There are tea plantation and the view from Mt. Kinabalu, southeast Asia’s highest mountain. There are dragon-tiled temples in Penang.

What do they eat here? Try fried flat bread with a rich curry dipping sauce. They also drink the tea called teh Tarik with condensed milk. Also, rice wine is made in Borneo. Here’s a random fact: Malaysia has the largest flower on earth called the Rafflesia. It is foul smelling to attract flies, which it eats. It can be up to three feet in diameter.

We have traveled into Kuala Lumpur several times and have seen their museums, lakes, gardens, bird park, cathedrals, palaces, Hindu shrines, and the mosques. Also there is the KL Tower, at 1381 feet, and built in 1995. Back in the mid 19th century, the British made this city a base for all Malay colonies, utilizing Chinese and Indian workers.

What did we do today? Well, we stayed onboard, working on the computer until most of the crowd had left the ship. The local port authority offered a shuttle to the Bukit Tinggi Mall and back. Although it was printed that the ride would take 40 minutes, it only took 20 or 25 minutes. What a surprise we had to find a huge, modern mall with all the high end stores you see worldwide. This mall was located in Klang, about 10 miles from the pier at Port Klang. Our bus left at 11am, and we were to the mall with little traffic by 11:30am. Truthfully, we had not intended on staying out for lunch, but once we saw the numerous restaurants, we changed our minds, and went in search of a money changer. We needed their money, which is ringgit. Currently, there are 3.6 ringgits to one US dollar. Asking directions at the information desk, we got ringitts with some Singapore dollars as well as some US dollars. Strolling around the lowest level, we passed by restaurants like Papa John’s Pizza, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, and many others we recognized. After window shopping for an hour, we went to lunch at a place called Vivo, next to Papa John’s. We ordered a beef pepperoni pizza, 14 inches round, and two Coke Lights. The bill was a bit over the equivalent of $13.11. What a difference from the prices in Singapore. We also noticed that the prices in the stores seemed reasonable.

We did a little shopping in the grocery store, but still struck out with finding suntan lotion. What we did find was bleaching face cream, which does the opposite of tanning. It’s funny how we stay out in the sun, while other folks in some countries avoid it like a plague. Maybe they are smarter.

We left the mall at 2pm, and were back to the ship by 2:30pm. On the bus, we chatted with Jim and Jessica, who told us that they had problems using their credit card in one restaurant. Apparently it did not have the new chip imbedded in it, so they could not accept it. Luckily, he had cash. Funny to realize that countries like Malaysia can be more advanced with their technology than ours in the USA. Either that, or there are more incidents of credit card fraud here. Who knows?

In the cruise terminal, we ran into friends that joined the ship in Singapore. They live very close to us in northern California, and they told us about the continuing drought we are having. Temperatures have been in the high 70’s and 80’s, quite unseasonably warm. We have a bad feeling that our water is going to be rationed, much like what happened back in the late 1970’s. If you had a nice lawn, which we did, you can forget about it. That is one of the main reasons we never included lawns on our current property. Besides that, we did not want to have the job of mowing it. A win/win situation.

We cooled off in our room for a spell, then went out to the sailaway on the aft deck. It was still hot and sticky, but at least a breeze had cropped up. And, there was a band and singer back there for a change, which we like. We have missed the Anchors Away song, which the band played. Drinks were not complimentary, but the small breaded and fried shrimp were given freely. This is always the best place to catch up with our younger set of friends. Two of them had taken a good tour in Kuala Lumpur, while Joe and Roxanne rode their bikes off of the ship. The security team on the ship sort of frowned when they did this, because we are basically in the middle of nowhere docked here. It is a long ride through some abandoned apartment buildings on one side, and a fenced complex on the other. The streets are pitted and empty of traffic and people. Joe mentioned that the abandoned apartments had been under water, due to massive flooding recently. Now it has the looks of a homeless encampment. Both of them said they had no encounters and the locals seemed friendly enough. They did have the sense to pick up some pieces of barbed wire laying on the ground, in case a stray dog came near them. Joe did not want a repeat biting incident again. They rode for an hour, then came back to the ship, took the shuttle, and ended up at the same mall we went to. Great exercise, despite the oppressive heat and humidity.

We stayed until the sun almost went down. There was little promise of a good sunset, and we needed to freshen up before dinner. Tonight, we had reservations in the Pinnacle Grill restaurant with Shiv, the head housekeeping director. He has been so gracious with making sure we have everything we need to be at home here on the ship, we wanted to do something nice for him. And the fact that he is a native of India was a huge help for us to fill in some information on our upcoming overland trip. Two hours flew by as we discussed ship business and finally the excursion we will be doing. Great evening.

Tomorrow, we will be in Penang, but without a tour, we shall get off later in the morning, much like what we did today.

Bill & Mary Ann

PS We had two ballistic nylon carry on travel bags waiting for us in our room. These are made differently than the usual bags, in the fact that they are foldable duffel bags with wheels. Plan to use them soon.

Report # 68 Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia March 7, 2015 Saturday Chance of rain & 92 degrees

According to the Portuguese sailors that arrived here centuries ago, they called Penang an island of the betel nut. If the natives actually chewed this nut, then it must have been a custom that has changed over the years. Penang became a trading point for Indian, Chinese, Dutch, even Danish, and the French. Located on the Straits of Malacca, it is in the perfect spot for trading. Back in 1786, the local sultan sold this island to the British in return for protection from Burma and Thailand. Eventually, the economy boomed with the products of rubber, tin, spices, and the settlers that were brought here from India and China for the labor force.

Today, the city of Georgetown in Penang, has 100,000 people. It also has temples, modern malls, mosques, cheap food, and lively markets. Outside the hustle and bustle of the city are lush forests, exotic animals, and butterflies. We have toured the outsides of this area a few times in the past.

What do they eat here? Seafood, rice, meat, and anything spicy. Their favorites are nasi lemak, rice in coconut milk with chicken, lamb, or beef. Curry seasons it, and an egg is served on the side. Nasi dating is coconut milk over rice with a fish curry. The Chinese will serve flat noodles in an egg broth with prawns. BBQ pork can be served with roti canai, or flat bread.

What is there to see? There are the Buddhist Temple, Thai and Buddhist museums, the Chinese temple, and the Fort. Also popular are the historical stilt houses called clan jetties. And that is just to name a few of the highlights. We would see those and a whole lot more today.

We arrived to the bay right across from the pier by 7:30am. Since the Aidasol was docked in our spot, we dropped anchor and proceeded to drop some tender boats. We would have to tender over to shore, but should be able to board pierside in the early afternoon. The Aida would trade places with us about 1 pm. Then she could tender her passengers to shore for the rest of the day. The Aidasol is a ship that was built in 2011, and carries up to 2200 passengers. She is 71,304 gross tons, bigger than us at 62,735 gross tons. We have read that she appeals to the German speaking people with families.

There is a permanent haze over the entire area, resembling fog, but it is not. Must be part pollution, smog, and humidity in the air…..and we are breathing it. Despite a breeze blowing across the straits, this heavy haze never leaves. It was like this several years ago, and has not changed.

Anyway, we could have gotten off ahead of the crowd with our President’s Club privileges, but we chose to go over to shore later in the morning. It was blazing hot even at 9am, so we caught up on photo work, and went over when the tickets for the tender boat were no longer needed. Leaving at 10:30am was just right. The only map we had was the one from our booklet. It did point out the information stop in town, but somehow we missed the street. The ship maps are not the best, since not all of the streets are marked. In hind sight, we should have taken the time to get the local info, which was excellent by the way.

Following the crowd from the tender boat, we wandered up what looked like a busy street. What we did not realize was that this part of town was an UNESCO World Heritage City. There are 1700 historical buildings in this core zone. The buffer zone borders the sea and surrounds the city. We did not know it, but there was a free shuttle, called the CAT, which took you through the core and also the buffer zone. It has 19 places of interest where it stops to let you off or join the bus. A bus runs every 15 minutes and is available to locals as well as tourists.

We ended up walking through most of the area, passing through Little India, and Chinatown. We did look in a few shops, such as the sari store. But we figured we had just enough ringgit to buy lunch, so passed by any bargains there. They more than likely would have accepted US dollars, but we did not find anything we liked. As we passed the old church, we ran into a fellow passenger we knew. She informed us of the free CAT bus and also where to find free wifi and good beer. That would be at the Eastern and Oriental Hotel on the shoreline. Following the ship’s map, we found our way to the hotel. Running into more friends, they told us about the free shuttle and also gave us the shuttle map and schedule.

As long as we were at the hotel, we decided it was not too early for lunch. And it is never too early for ice cold beer, especially today with the oppressive heat. Walking into the back entrance of the hotel, we found the main dining room. However, it was a buffet, and we did not want to go that route. Way too much food. So the kind greeter showed us the way to the casual restaurant. Along the way there, we passed a wedding group taking professional photographs and getting ready for the wedding party later. Both bride and groom already looked tired, although the day was just beginning. Certainly the heat and humidity was getting to them dressed in a beautifully flowing wedding gown and tuxedo with tails.

Finding the beachside restaurant, we were seated by a window, and had Tiger beers in our hands shortly thereafter. You have no idea how good they were….medicinal. Ha-ha. No pizza today, however, but we ordered a chicken lettuce wrap and one smoked chicken club sandwich. Both came with hot, crispy skinny French fries with catsup. Sharing the sandwiches, we relaxed for an hour, watching the surf and the ship traffic of the Straits of Malacca. This particular hotel is not your usual highrise, but a colonial-style structure with some history, we are sure. Time was getting away from us, so we had to move on by 1:30pm.

Since some friends had given us the free bus map, we went in search of the stop across the street. Crossing streets here is dicey. Traffic simply does not stop, or even slow down. Since a lot of the traffic is motorcycles, you have to take a chance they will weave around you as you cross. Of course, we missed the bus by seconds, so we walked up the very crowded street full of souvenir shops. A convenience store caught our eye, and we soon had a Nestle Drumstick to munch on, while waiting for the coach. It came within 15 minutes as promised.

This bus drove around the perimeter of the designated UNESCO World Heritage City, which we had just partially walked. Now we had the layout of the area, and if we come here in the future, we will know how to get around. This historical city is a beehive of activity, crowded, bustling, and a bit scary if you are not careful. The last stop was at the waterfront where the ship had finally docked. But we were not ready to board just yet. Now we decided to make that stop at the Information center, and pick up maps and info to aide us with reports.

From there, we crossed the street to walk around the old fort, Cornwallis. If we had time, we could have paid the fee and toured the property. They had some serious cannons. Maybe next time. The seawall was behind the fort, so we strolled that, enjoying a most perfect breeze. We could hear music nearby, and it was obviously that something was going on near the Town Hall and City Hall. There was a park or Esplanade, Padang Kota Lama, where a stage had been constructed. There was a competition happening with young teenage girls. Some were singing, playing a guitar and trying to sing, and dance teams. One group was dressed in silk doing a silk fan dance. They were good, but the last group was the best. Totally opposite, these young gals were dressed like rappers, and did a modern rap dance to cool music. They got the biggest applause from the crowd. We did not have the time to see who won, but our money was on the rappers. Even the three local cops standing near us watching the crowd were tapping their feet to the music. Looked rather funny with their guns in their side pockets.

On the way back, we stopped to spend the last of our ringgits. We only had 13 ringgit left, which was the equivalent of $3.60 US. This went a long way, however, with 2 more drumsticks (they were small), and 10 cans of ice tea from a vending machine. What a deal.

It was great getting back to the cool ship, and our even cooler room. The sail away time was from 4:30 to 5:30pm on the aft deck. Once again, we had the band and singer back there to entertain us with good, modern music. This time Raymond, the Assistant Beverage Manager, was present, so we told him how much we appreciated the change in the type of music they were playing. It’s about time they moved the tunes out of the 30’s and 40’s. Passengers were actually dancing again. We ended up staying back there until almost 7pm, catching up with the doings of the day with our buddies. Everyone did something different, so we got a full report of what was good and what was not. The only disappointment we heard was that the local beaches were not the best for sunning and swimming…..too much garbage and litter.

We were all back to the table at dinner tonight, except Bob, of course, who flew home a few days ago. All went well and so did his property in and out of Boston. We also had company….Don, who is a friend to many of us old timers. He is also a President’s Club member, having sailed with HAL for many years now. We all had a good time, while enjoying the tasty veal piccata with spaghetti. They don’t serve this often enough in our opinion.

Wish we could report on the entertainment, but for the most part, no one we know has been going. Maureen had checked out the Aussie team of Pearson and Harvey, a Martin and Lewis act, but said she only stayed 10 minutes. So far, she stated that this was the worst act of the cruise so far. She just didn’t get it. Oh well, we did get one hour back on the clock tonight, and boy, do we need the extra sleep. Tomorrow is another port day, with a stop at Phuket, Thailand. Will be another long, hot day. But as our friend, Richard, says……it’s hard work (traveling), but someone has to do it.

Bill & Mary Ann

Thanks for keeping us updated on your world travels.

Thanks for your interesting reports.

Maybe your guide to Tour Bus Etiquette should be issued with each tour ticket.