Circumnavigate The Globe in 123 days with Bill & Mary Ann - 2011 World Cruise

[DFD1]

Your report # 60, on Manila, is one of the best reports I have ever read on CC.

 

Thank you for taking the time to write such a fascinating report about such a fascinating place!

 

I hope you're both feeling well.

[WCB]

Report # 61 March 5, 2011 Saturday Manila, Philippines Day 2

 

This morning we woke up to rainy skies, which unfortunately, lasted most of the day. Usually, the rain comes in heavy downpours, then leaves, we were told. Not so today. It just lingered, getting heavy at times, then sprinkling. Oh well, that's what umbrelllas are for.

 

We had booked a tour called The Charms of Old Manila with our travel agency. Noticing that the description and price were identical to the tour HAL was offering, we had hoped our small group of 2 buses would have a better go of it. But in a city that is as crowded as this one is, our paths crossed many times with the numerous buses HAL had for this excursion.

 

There is no nice way to describe traffic in Manila, except to say it is horrendous. If it was safe to do so, you could walk twice as fast as the cars and buses go. According to our tour description, we were supposed to be on a walking tour, but that did not happen. Perhaps it was due to the rainy weather, all of the tour operators drove people from one stop to the next, even if it was just one block away. One block in traffic could take 20 minutes to drive. We figured that an assessment was made that too many people were unable to walk, so therefore, no one was allowed to walk.

 

Anyway, our tour commenced at the 52 hectare park, Rizal National Park, named after Dr.Jose Rizal. was the He was a national hero who was executed at this site for his libertarian ideals in 1896. We only had enough time to take a few photos of the monument and the Quirino Grandstands opposite the park. It was raining rather good by now, so many people chose not to leave the bus.

 

The next site we toured was the "Walled City" called Intramuros. Built in 1571, Intramuros was the heart of the original site of Manila or Maynilad, as it was called back then. We entered this area through Ft. Santiago, where we were greeted with a mardi gras style group of male dancers stomping and shouting to the beat of hypnotic drummers. You would hardly expect we were walking into a complex that had such a troubled past. This citadel was the seat of the trade center for Asian goods, until the Spaniards took over in 1571. They ruled for over 300 years.

 

With further threats from the Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, and Portuguese invaders, higher stone walls were erected with a moat surrounding 64 hectares of the settlement. It was not enough to hold off the British in 1762 who ruled for only 2 years. They gave it back to Spain. The darkest history came when during World War 2, the Japanese occupied this area, turning the ammunitions stash into dungeons of torture and death.

 

After the war, Intramuros was reduced the walls and buildings to ashes. It was not until 1979, that this wasteland occupied by squatters and warehouses was restored to become a principal tourist destination. It was difficult to stay with our guide, who tried to take us through this fort as a group. With other HAL buses arriving at the same time, it was next to impossible to keep us together. We had been given a meeting time to gather at the nearby gift shop, and by the looks of it, everyone was in there, plus more, dozens more. The usual items that are sold here are South Sea pearls, embroidered fabrics, terra cotta and porcelain, coral and mother -of-pearl housewares. The items in this handicraft store must have been priced right, because most everyone on our bus came on the bus with several packages.

 

Who know what we noticed? There was no sign of any bird life, with the one exception of one lonely duck in the moat. In the inner park of the fort, we saw one cat, and at the pier, there was one police dog. Other than that, we saw no other animal life you would expect in a large city.

 

We loaded ourselves into the bus to be driven a block away to the Manila Cathedral. Our guide gave us 10 minutes to see the inside, however, it took almost 10 minutes just to get off of the bus. Once inside this cathedral, we discovered it was way too dark to even take photos or appreciate the architecture and statuary.

 

Our next stop was better. We drove another block to San Agustin Church, the oldest church in Manila, built in 1571. After entering this church, we could see why it earned the distinction of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. The convent section of the complex houses the most priceless articles of religious art and relics. Several silver and brass clad wagons sat inside the cloister. These carts would be used in religious parades that were held during Holy Week.

 

The final stop was at Casa Manila, and we did walk there, since it was across the street. Casa Manila, now owned by the government, once belonged to a most wealthy family in the 19th century. It was built with a center courtyard, which was visible to every room in the house. Each level of the mansion housed furniture belonging to that period. The most interesting was the kitchen, which consisted of a large rectangular work table, an open fire pit, and a stovetop that was made out of ash and water. All of the floors were covered with wide wooden planks, which held up better during frequent earthquakes. The banisters and floors were stained a dark walnut shade, giving the house a rich tone to it. of course, a restaurant and gift shop were on the lowest level.

 

On the return trip back to the ship, we drove through the oldest part of town where the locals shopped. This area was really congested with food stands, cheap clothing stores, and souvenier shops. Under the Quiapo Bridge, was their authentic handicraft market. We had hoped to stop here, but our guide said absolutely NO. Besides not having a place to stop the bus, our guide said this was a very dangerous place for tourists to go walking. The intent was always to just drive through here in the sfaety of the bus, which we might add, with a police escort. One Asian couple in our group asked to be let out anyway. The guide repeated her warning, saying that they may have a hard time getting a taxi back to the ship. They laughed, and got off despite the scare tactics. Good news.......they did arrive back to the ship on time.

 

Since all of us were grumpy about not stopping in this market, it was decided that we had enough spare time to visit the Manila Hotel. We wish we could remember all the details about this lovely hotel, but all we could say was that it was built at the turn of the 20th century, and re-modeled in recent years. From the outside, it did not look like much, but once inside the lobby, it was beautiful. What a contrast from the area we had just come from. It was like stepping back in time, once we entered through the metal detector. The massive chandeliers cast a golden shadow around the rectangular-shaped lobby. We ran into friends who were relaxing in the over-sized chairs, waiting for the lunch hour to begin. They had made a good choice to enjoy lunch here, after what we found once onboard the ship.

 

When we got back to the ship, the party for the Filipino families was in full swing. It was taking place on the pier, as well as the public areas of the ship. What we did not expect was the onslaught of passengers getting back from tours at the same time, mixed with guests that were there for the day. The Lido was "stressed" to say the least. Even if you could get your food, there was no place to sit. We tried the grill by the Lido pool, and even though the area was trashed, we did get good cheeseburgers to go. Since it was raining, the overhead enclosure was closed, making the pool area an uncomfortable sauna. We figured that a better idea would have been to open the dining room for an extended lunch, but it was closed today. Later, we found out that large groups of travel agents had been served a luncheon in there. Yes, it was a special day for the Filipino crew, so most everyone chose to overlook the inconveniences.

 

We made one last sweep through the souvenier stands on the pier. Of course, it started to rain heavily again. There was only one item that caught our eye......carved stacking boxes, three in one. The price was right, with little bargaining. The shipwould be leaving in a matter of a couple hours now.

 

We ran into our friends that had lunched at the Manila Hotel, only to hear their unbelievable story that they had been robbed. Remember they were sitting in those large chairs? Well, when they got up to greet fellow cruisers, one of their handbags disappeared. Just that fast. Someone must have been watching them, and hit quickly when the chance came. They saw nothing. And we could swear that we saw absolutely no suspicious characters hanging around that lobby, which was full of security people. Too bad, but another reminder that we need to be careful.

 

Around 4:30pm, we found a good spot on the lower promenade deck to watch the sailaway. In no time, we were surrounded with passengers doing the same thing. Our friend Martha stopped to chat about her great tour out of Manila to Tagaytay Resort. From her description, we know that would be the perfect tour for us the next time we ever visit here.

 

Four separate groups were on the pier for our entertainment. The marching band had returned with the four dancing girls, and a troop of guards were in formation, standing still it seemed, for hours. Every now and then, they fell into place and marched across the pier. The large group of green-jacketed guys and girls that helped us get to our buses assembled in a group with balloons. When we finally left, they released them. The cutest group were the kids from the orphanage, who had put on a performance in the Queens Lounge at 4pm. When the band played, these kids got out there and danced their little hearts out. They drew the biggest applause from the crowd on the ship. Captain Olaf, Bruce, and Henk also joined in the fanfare with the locals. They posed for many photos with all those who wished to have this occassion remembered forever.

 

We are sure there were some very sad families who had to say goodbye to their husbands or wives that worked on the ship. With all of the world cruises we have done, this had to be the largest affair we have ever seen for the Filipino crew members.

 

There will be nly one sea day to rest before we arrive in the fabulous city of Hong Kong.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[WCB]

Report # 62 March 6, 2011 Sunday Day at Sea

 

Well, today shiplife was back to normal after two days of fun and frolic in Manila. Our biggest job this morning was a mandatory temperature check for the upcoming port of Hong Kong. It was held from 9 to 10am in the Hudson Room. We had been given a simple form to fill out, which we brought with us to the checkpoint. Our temperatures were recorded with a sensor gun, and noted on our forms. Again, it was quick and easy. Guess we also passed the test.

 

The weather remained cloudy, but since we left Manila, we have been sailing in a low, warm fog. It makes the water blend with the skies with many shades of grey. We are now sailing northwest in the South China Sea on our way to Hong Kong. It was still warm enough to spend some time at the aft pool, but not warm enough for swimming. We have been hearing on CNN that Hong Kong has been experiencing cooler than normal temperatures, so it's hard to predict how it will be there tomorrow. It seems to always rain when we have visited there in the past. And Hong Kong can also have the most impressive thunder and lightening storms that hit in an instant. Very exciting, as long as you have umbrellas.

 

A unique type of jewelry creator has joined the ship. His name is Sidney Mobell, and is famous for making one-of-a-kind creations such as a golden toilet seat and a diamond hourglass. Yes, you heard that right....he made the Guiness Book Of Records by making the world's most expensive Monopoly board (valued over 2 million dollars). He is promoting his book which he would sign after his 2pm talk in the Queens Lounge.

 

The was another Mongolian cookout in the Lido pool area for lunch today. The crew must have worked overtime cleaning that area from yesterday's party. Now they will have to do it again after the cookout. These guys are tireless.

 

Yesterday, several of the bar staff went home for their scheduled vacation time, and about 8 new bar staff joined the ship. Among them was one of our favorite bartenders, Gil, who we had the pleasure of meeting on the 2005 world cruise and while on last year's Prinsendam's Grand South America voyage. While walking to the back deck yesterday before the sailaway, we heard our names being called. What a nice surprise to see Gil in the Sea View Bar. He says he will be on this ship until next January. His family had accompanied him to the ship from their home outside of Manila, but they were not allowed to board like most of the other families did. His young kids were very disappointed not to see the ship their dad worked on. He said maybe next time, he will request this privilege way ahead of time.

 

We were invited to an early birthday dinner for Jim M., who will turn 90 at the end of March. Unfortunately, he has had ongoing problems with his one good eye, and the ship's doctor felt at some point, he would need an operation. Not wanting to risk losing his sight, he decided to go home when we reach Hong Kong. He hates to fly, but he will be able to do it in comfort, since he upgraded to first class. We will miss his witty humor and positive outlook on life. He is the only passenger we know that needs his two cocktails at night to be able to walk straight on a rolling ship. Like we said, a funny guy. We had to laugh when his birthday cake arrived.......it was a chocolate layer cake with fruit on the top. However, the fruit was chunks of melon instead of berries, because we have run out of strawberries and blueberries. We all wished him well and hope to see him on another cruise in the near future.

 

The Filipino Crew Show was held this evening at 10pm in the Queens Lounge. This works much better having the show at 10pm. Usually, it is after the regular show at 11pm and attendance is minimal.

 

We are scheduled to arrive in Hong Kong at 7am, so we called it a night once again.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Aussie Gal]

Mary Ann and Bill,

 

Wonderful descriptions of Manilla which has brought back many memories of our time there. It hasn't changed, dreadful traffic, the huge different between the poor and the well off and there are still the pickpockets and bag snatchers. We were very much aware of this back in 1976, our first time abroad and our first Asian country. We have been very lucky over the years and nothing has been taken whilst out and about but one does need to keep their wits about them.

 

The Manilla Hotel is beautiful and well worth visiting. My mother in law used to love to sit in those chairs and just watch the people each time she visited Manilla.

 

Jennie

[kazu]

Truly wonderful reports. thank you again.

 

Glad you passed the temperature test - at least it was scheduled for a more reasonable time. Sorry to hear about your friend having to leave.

what a shame.

 

thanks for letting us cruise vicariously through you.:)

[DeepWaterMariner]

Great description of your visit to Manila. It certainly reminds us of why so many Filipinos work on the ships.

[Floridiana]

Great report!

 

To all who are reading here: never, never, ever leave your bag on a chair or behind your back, below a table or anywhere else unattended. That's how my friend's daughter lost her bag in a fancy Boston bar.

[MMDown Under]

Great report!

 

To all who are reading here: never, never, ever leave your bag on a chair or behind your back, below a table or anywhere else unattended. That's how my friend's daughter lost her bag in a fancy Boston bar.

 

and how my cousin had her purse stolen from, between her feet, on the floor of a theatre in London.

 

Thanks for reminding us that you have to remain alert even in fancy locations.

[WCB]

Report # 63 March 7, 2011 Monday Hong Kong, People's Republic of China Day 1

 

The Amsterdam arrived to one of the largest and busiest container ports in the world.........Hong Kong. We slowly sailed into Victoria Harbour in the early hours of the morning, with our port lecturer, Barbara, giving an informative narration, which was broadcasted to the outer decks as well as on our room TV's. "Star Ferry Rolls" were even served on the outside decks from 5:30am to our arrival. Orange juice and coffee must have been good with these rolls, which are the very same ones we had while transisting the Panama Canal and cruising in the New Zealand fiords. Did we get up that early to watch the sail in? The answer is no, since we have been here too many times to count. We were content watching the lights of the buildings right from the comfort of our bed, and listening to Barbara give her commentary. We are going to spend two days here, so there will be plenty of time to see the night time views, which are stunning.

 

Hong Kong......where to start? Their history is peppered with farmers, fishermen, and pirates, silk, tea, and opium. The British took control of Hong Kong in 1841, after the Opium Wars, when the drug use and trade was finally ended. In order for the British to protect their hold on this area, a 99 year lease was signed in 1898. As you know, Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997 as a Special Administrative Region. We do not need to have a Chinese visa to enter Hong Kong and Kowloon, but if we ventured out of the area, we would need to take our passports and have obtained the expensive Chinese visas.

 

To say that Hong Kong is a forest of skyscrapers is an understatement. Since the total land is 422 square miles, which consists of 235 islands as well as some of the mainland, the city had to built up in order to house the gazillion people that live in Hong Kong. It was the area of Kowloon that we would explore today.

 

As far as the weather was concerned, today started off in a hazy light fog, but ended up being one of the nicest and sunniest days that we have ever seen. Boy, did it remind us of San Francisco once we left the Ocean Terminal building and headed out towards Nathan Road, one of the biggest avenues in Kowloon. It helped that we were accustomed to large shopping crowds, being native born San Franciscans. The many buses, taxis, and cars on the roads were overwhelming, not to mention the working force that were on their way to work or school.

 

Our first destination was at the Jade Market, right off of Nathan and Jordan Roads. This multi-complex of stalls sells many styles and varieties of questionable quality jade jewelry and artifacts. Questionable, because bargaining is a must here, and sometimes the bargains are too good to be true. After a quick walk between all of the stalls, we purchased a dark green set of carved jade earrings. Considering the persistance of the vendors to buy from their collection, going in and out of there in 15 minutes was quite a feat.

 

Across the way from the Jade Market were the closed-off to traffic streets where the locals shop for fresh food. Here we browsed through the veggie and fruit stalls, dry goods, and meat, fish, and chicken butcheries. Live fish and freshly-caught seafood were being sold rapidly by the vendors. There were no signs of modern day scales to measure weight or the presence of computerized registers. Nope, just cash and carry. We noted that there were absolutely no flies or other insects in this open-air market, even with the meat and poultry hanging from hooks and laying on the counters. Yes, it was a little aromatic, but not much more than we would smell going into a regular supermarket. If in doubt, it always helps to stuff some minty gum in your mouth to stifle the bad odors if they are present. Inside one of the veggie markets. a cat was sitting on the produce. He caught our eye, as he caught ours. It was eerie to see him staring us down, as if we were aliens.

 

The next two spots of interest for us were the Flower and Bird Markets. The only problem was we had a really long ways to go up Nathan Road to get there. Sure, we could have taken the Metro, but we did feel the need for some quality exercise. The large shopping complexes on Nathan Road that housed the exquisite gold and jade jewelry and high-end watches, turned into smaller mom and pop style stores the further up the road we hiked. Also along the way were hundreds of small Chinese restaurants, located in between McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Burger Kings. No pizza to be found. But there were several Spaghetti Houses, which we're not sure if they are Italian or Chinese noodles.

 

At the Bird Market, we found a variety of songbirds for sale as well as their food. Some of the bird treats included live crickets. Those were the only insects we saw in Hong Kong. Crafted bird cages were also sold here, and we could not resist the temptation to buy a small one. Naturally, we bought 2 stuffed finches to put inside. It will remind us of our bird collection at home which includes an assortment of chickens, ducks, pigeons, parakeets, and peacocks.

 

Adjacent to the Bird Market was the Flower Market, a two block area of small garden items and fresh flowers. We did buy one small orchid plant that would hang from the light fixture in front of the window in our room. Two years ago, we did the same thing and that little orchid bloomed until we disembarked in Florida. At least we had some live flowers in our room now, since only the veranda suites get them.

 

Well, we knew it was a long hike back, so we walked down Nathan Road, checking out the store windows along the way. Some of the jewelry stores had prices with their gold and jade pieces, selling for thousands of HK dollars. The opulent gold necklaces and bracelets are made with 24 carat gold, which gives off an orange/gold glow. This is the same type of gold you can find in India and Dubai. It is usually sold by the weight, not the piece.

 

Most of the restaurants were filed to the gills with locals, so our best bet was a stop at McDonalds for a quick lunch. It was worth the stop just to sit down for a while. This place was remarkably clean, just as any other restaurant in Hong Kong is. Soon after we left here, we ran into Ellen and Barb, who had both been successful in finding dancing shoes in the mall. We find it successful just finding our way out of the Harbour City Mall! Anyway, they were heading out for a long walk like we just did.

 

We got back to the ship, surviving the outslaught of Indian vendors pushing their tailors that are located very near the ship. The Night Market would be open for business around 5pm, so we relaxed a while before heading out again.

 

It only took 20 minutes to walk back to Jordan Road and left to Temple Street. At this time of day, Temple Street is blocked to traffic, and the vendors set up dozens of stalls to sell stuff. We picked up two Jimmy Choo clutches and two fancy clamp bracelets. But the best buy, was a parrot, that sang three songs with a motion sensor. The vendor threw in a package of batteries with the sale....all for about $6. It will be fun to see what our room steward thinks when the bird starts singing suddenly. It was surprising to see how much the street traffic swelled by the time it was turning dark. At least three times more locals were out and about. The city became fluorescent with signage on every building. People were eating all types of food from street stands, since dinnertime here is more on the run for many folks. Bowls of soup, noodles, and chopped fish or meat with rice is commonly eaten on the streets. Not only did it look good, it was cheap. And guess who we ran into again? Yes, Barb and Ellen, both hunting for treasures in the Night Market too.

 

Making it back by dinner time, we were joined by two tablemates. Most passengers had gone out to dinner tonight or taken tours. It was really nice to be able to look out the back windows and watch some of the light show that started after 8pm. What was even nicer was the fact that we finished dinner early. We were beat!

 

Tomorrow will be another busy day, so we called it a night.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[kazu]

Wow - what tremendous descriptions - I can just visualize it all so clearly.

 

Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful experience :)

[waverley7]

Awesome writing.......you are my lunchtime reading material and I look forward to it each day!!

[Aussie Gal]

Hi Mary Ann and Bill,

 

Loved your description of Hong Kong and the markets. I could picture all the steps you took to get to those markets. Hong Kong is such a fun place to be and you are lucky as the weather is still cool. It is much harder to walk up to Jordan Road and the markets when it is hot and humid in July, August and September when we are usually there.

 

Jennie.

[Himself]

Thanks for sharing your world cruise with us back home. In my opinion you are on a wonderful ship.

[bet410]

Thanks for sharing your world cruise with us back home. In my opinion you are on a wonderful ship.

 

Agree wholeheartedly, Himself (from a New Lenox neighbor)! I love reading this! It's absolutely fascinating, and it makes me anxious for the 2012 WC.

[WCB]

Report # 64 March 8, 2011 Tuesday Hong Kong, PRC Day 2

 

Today marked the halfway portion of our cruise, as well as the end of another segment of the world cruise. We found out that 92 passengers were leaving, and 117 were boarding. Some travelers in our group were not leaving happily, since they were going home due to health problems. Even though we do not like paying for travel insurance, we are sure that those who find the need to use it are grateful for the coverage. As for us, we are feeling fine, with the cold symtoms finally getting better.

 

The weather today was disappointing, because we never saw the sun like yesterday. It could have been much worse. The skies were overcast, but there was no thunder, lightening, or rain. It should be a good day for walking again, so that's what we did.

 

Today, our plan was to walk the waterfront of Kowloon, passing the Star Ferry terminal, the Clock Tower, HK Museum of Art, the Space Museum, and the Avenue of the Stars. This last venue is created on a stretch of the waterfront where plaques of the handprints of Chinese stars are embedded in the sidewalk. Just like in Beverly Hills. The most famous were Jet Li, Bruce Lee, the famous kung-fu action star, and Jackie Chan, who lives in a fabulous seaside mansion on Hong Kong Island.

 

We followed Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade for a bit, watching a local fisherman and his wife in their old-style boat dropping their baited crab pots. From the look of the containers on the deck, they had some success with many live critters filling their buckets. It was actually cold standing on this walkway, so we made our way across a walking bridge over Salisbury Road. We found ourselves in a jungle of highrise elegant hotels, such as the Shangri-La, the Intercontinental, and the Sheraton. One very large building was being erected, held up with bamboo scaffolding. Hard to believe bamboo tied with plastic wraps could be that durable, but you see it everywhere throughout the city, as well as many other places in the world.

 

In between the buildings, was a series of patios with gardens and fountains. What made this different, was the fact they were created on rooftops. We came upon a well-maintained playground for young kids, nicer than we have at home. And another plus, is that there are numerous public bathrooms everywhere you go. They are well maintained and sanitary. You can even find Purell dispensers in most places. It's like being on the ship with the constant reminders to wash your hands frequently. Since SARS was once a terrible scare in Asia, the warnings have remained in place ever since.

 

We had some Hong Kong dollars to spend, so what a better way to do it than going to lunch. We were close to Nathan Road, so we knew we could find a good place there. Seeing an Outback Steakhouse sign, we followed the arrows, which took us up several floors of a building to the restaurant. Again, it was wonderful to sit down and enjoy the mushroom swiss burgers and sodas. We do like Chinese food, but since one of us has a shellfish allergy, we did not want to chance that oyster juice could be used in their cooking. The locals do speak some English, but not always good enough to answer all questions. better safe, than sorry.

 

Spending the rest of the afternoon walking through the many shopping malls near the pier, we found a few fun items to use the rest of our money. We were trying to figure out how to find a certain store, when we noticed an information screen on the wall. Earlier, we had noticed some people talking to this screen, getting directions. So we had to try it to see how it worked. When we touched the screen, it rang a person who answered. His face appeared on the screen, and we asked directions, which he gladly gave to us. How clever is that? No need to go from one end of a mall to the other looking for directions. These screens were placed everywhere in the attached malls.

 

We always like to visit a supermarkets that are in all of these malls. There is one called City Super and it can be compared to Whole Foods at home. Much of their food is organic, so that means expensive. It is the total opposite of what we saw in the outdoor food markets we saw yesterday. Here, very large apples cost about $10. each. That's US dollars. Organic eggs were the equivalent of $1. an egg. The meat was wrapped in packages that we are accustomed to. It was twice the price of what we pay. Despite the high prices, the market was crowded.

 

Finding our way back through small side streets, we happened upon an open warehouse where flowers were being sold. Checking it out, we also spotted a butchery, where they were selling lamb or mutton parts....all of the parts of a lamb including all organ meats. It did not look too appealing.

 

Before going to dinner, we went to the promenade deck to watch the 8pm Symphony of Lights in Victoria Harbour. More than 40 buildings on both sides of the harbor, flash their building's lights and signage to music that comes from the nearby waterfront. It is the world's largest permanent light and sound show, earning it a place in the Guiness Book of World Records. Even though we could not hear the music, watching the dancing lights was mesmerizing.

 

Since today was Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, it was declared Mardi Gras time. Usually that means that the dining room is decorated with green, purple, and gold decorations. And strands of beads of the same colors are given to all of the ladies. How disappointing it was to see nothing special in the dining room tonight. Even though most of us dressed for the occassion, the festivites were done in the Crows Nest between 10 and 12am this evening. We we asked our dining room head waiter about it, he said the celebration could not be done since we were in a port. We see that as another tradition that has bit the dust with HAL. Hopefully not, because this has always been a fun night for most folks. And besides, how many people can the Crows Nest hold??? Certainly not everybody.

 

All but two of us were back to the dinner table tonight. It was nice hearing what everyone did during the two day stay in this marvelous city. We all had different stories. And thank goodness, no one had any bad experiences with robberies like in our last port. There is so much more we need to see in this city, so if all goes well, we shall continue our explorations in Hong Kong on next year's world cruise.

 

We also received two more gifts tonight......the durable and stylish HAL Duffel Bag with the 2011 logo on them. Hopefully most of the seasoned travelers realized we were getting these, or else they may have bought extra bags at the Night Market yesterday. The color is green, which matches the shoulder bags already gifted to us.

 

The show this evening was at 7pm featuring the Hong Kong Cultural Arts Show. Traditional musicians and dancers entertained all with their traditional Chinese music and ribbon dances.....very colorful and exotic.

 

The ship left shortly after 10pm, and we watched the sail away from the promenade deck for one full hour, wrapped in the deck blankets. Once we exited the harbor, we hit swells that kept us rolling all evening. Really liked rocking to sleep.

 

The next two days will be at sea, and boy, do we need the rest!

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[kazu]

Sounds like a marvelous day to me! Glad you weren't one of the ones forced to leave due to health reasons. thank you again for a great post:)

[superoma]

I am enjoying your posts and truly feel like I am along for the ride. We were in Fort Lauderdale in January and I was able to watch the ships leave the port so I am sure I saw you leaving. Now I can follow along - your post is where I go first thing in the morning. thanks again.

[WCB]

.

Report # 65 March 9, 2011 Wednesday Day at Sea

 

The Amsterdam is now headed southwest, following the coast of North Vietnam in the South China Sea. The morning started out cloudy and overcast, but later on, the sun peaked out becoming very warm and humid. We could tell that we are heading into the tropical belt the further south we go.

 

At 10:30am this morning, another mandatory muster drill was held for everyone on the lower promenade deck. According to Captain Olaf, Maritime Law mandates this exercise to be done on a monthly basis, and also a good idea due to the fact we have embarked 117 new passengers. We could spot most of these newbies, because they always have trouble finding their assigned muster stations. Each lifeboat station is manned by trained crewmembers, who proceed to take a name and cabin number roll call. They are much more thorough on this ship compared to sailing on the Prinsendam last year. We only recall having 2 safety briefings on our 70 day cruise.

 

 

A new exploration speaker, Bill Harris, gave a talk in the Queens Lounge this morning about everything Hollywood. He has been associated with the Hollywood scene for many years based on the fact he worked on shows like the Johnny Carson show for instance. Today, he shared video clips from Tom Hanks to Julie Roberts, Christopher Reeves to Barbra Steisand.

 

We spent a short time at the aft pool, readng and enjoying what sun was out there. Surprisingly, we did get a little toasted, so it's back to using the sunscreen again. It should be getting warmer now as we sail west towards India, the Middle East, and the Suez Canal. That is, if we are still taking that route. So far, the subject of our future itinerary has not been addressed. We are scheduled to be in Dubai on March 24 and Oman shortly after that. From watching the news, there are problems in Oman as well. If we rely on the news coverage, we will be going into a hornet's nest. Again, time will tell whether we go to these turbulent countries or not.

 

We noticed that the Lido Buffet service was waiter-served again, since we have embarked the newbies. Gosh, if we all survived our overwhelming day in Manila, these few passengers should not affect anybody. That should have been a mandatory waiter-served lunch too, in our humble opinion.

 

The dining room was brightly decorated for a formal Oriental night. It has to be one of the most festively decorated occassions on the ship so far. Red Chinese lanterns and mobiles were hanging from the ceiling every two feet, and the wait staff was dressed in silk Chinese jackets and hats. They looked sharper than most guests. Especially one passenger/guest chef, who chose to come to dinner under-dressed. By that, we mean, not wearing a tie with a jacket. In the past, the head dining room stewards would stop anyone not garbed in accordance to the dress code. In fact, the dress code is always printed at the beginning of every segment for the new folks to read. Formal nights: For ladies, gowns, cocktail dresses, or elegant pant suits are appropriate. For Gentlemen, tuxedo, dark suit and tie, or jacket and tie. In our opinion, a rumpled jacket with an equally rumpled open shirt is not formal, and he should have known better, being a special guest. OK, enough said, but we all made sure that our comments, as well as our tablemates, were noted.

 

We had a very nicely dressed fellow, Shafi Saboowala, join us from the Merabella Luxury Jewelry Shop onboard. Since we have not had two more people assigned to our table since our Aussie buddies left, we usually have two empty seats. Told you they were irreplacable! Unless one of us has invited guests, we have requested for the two chairs to be removed, to give us more elbow space and close the circle up. Last night, with one guest, we had nine chairs and that was perfect. Shafi seemed to enjoy himself, but did sit with tablemates he knew better.

 

Since we did not attend the Mardi Gras celebration in the Crows Nest last night, we got a report that the room was bursting with party-goers who chose to watch the sailaway from the comfort of the lounge. Barb said it was a rowdy time with lots of wine and cocktails flowing for hours. Some of the party people were staff members, who also over-do the cocktails we have heard. We can say for a fact that we have never noticed this behavior with staff on past world cruises. But then, several of these event staffers are new to the world cruise. Perhaps the rules have changed for them this year.

 

The entertainer this evening was Preston Coe, a singer that did rock and roll, opera, blues, and country to Broadway songs.

 

Even though this was formal evening, we did not receive gifts. Guess the rolled duffel bags given yesterday were meant for today. However, we did get the gift of one hour back on the clock tonight. And we gladly appreciated that.

 

We have one more lazy day at sea before we arrive to Phu My in Vietnam.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[kazu]

Another fabulous report Bill and Mary Ann :) The decorations on the ship sound absolutely fabulous. What a formal night :D

 

A shame that the guest chef didn't dress appropriately - and kind of surprising. Surprised about the staff too, but perhaps it was their 'off' night? I've never heard of this before either.

 

Very, very interesting reports. So enjoying them:D

[Aussie Gal]

Mary Ann & Bill,

 

We have done quite a few cruises and we have never seen the staff "under the weather" so to speak. I thought that was a rule on all ships that the Staff could have a drink and enjoy themselves but not over indulge. Such a shame on a World Cruise where you would imagine the behaviour to be exemplary.

 

It is nice that the dress code is kept up on the cruise as nowadays so many come to the dining room in what I consider not appropriate for a formal evening. Perhaps the Guest Chef didn't bring anything suitable for a formal evening and that was the best he had to wear!

 

Jennie

[jtl513]

Well, we saw one really interesting demo with a portable 2 burner cooktop. What made this different was the fact that a pot of water could be brought to a boil in one minute. Not only that, but the cooktop never got hot, and the salesgirl actually put her hand on the cooktop after taking the pot away. To add to the magic, she placed a pot holder, as well as a book on the burner, then placed the pot with the water on top of that. It still came to a boil in one minute. Go figure?

This sounds like the induction stoves that are used in all HAL Culinary Arts Centers, and I believe in the galleys. But in the CAC's, if the pan is lifted off the surface the heating ceases. Maybe a stronger magnetic field is used in the little one.

[watermom3]

Hoping you guys are ok....

[kazu]

Hoping you guys are ok....

 

me too - stay safe....please

[BoardwalkBabe]

I hope you are both okay and look forward to reading your next installment.

[WCB]

Report # 66 March 10, 2011 Thursday Day at Sea

 

It was a gloomy morning when we looked outside our window at daybreak. We assumed that since it had cleared up yesterday, we would have a warmer, sunnier day as we head further south. Obviously, there is a large system on the coast of Vietnam, dropping rain off and on most of the day. No pool today. It remained warm and very humid outside. When we walked the promenade deck, we noticed there were no birds flying around the waves made by the ship like we saw yesterday. And there were no fishing boats either that Captain Olaf said we may see today. Perhaps we are sailing further off of the coastline than we think. No boats, no ships, no nothing.......just gray clouds.

 

It was a good time to go to the dining room for lunch at around 12:30pm. Many other passengers had the same idea, because it was more crowded than usual. We ordered the appetizers of a chicken and cheese quesadilla with guacamole, tomato salsa, and sour cream on the side. Wish they served Mexican cuisine more often, since we love it and they do it well here. Makes us a bit homesick too. Mexican food is big in California. We had entrees of a steak salad and linguini with meat sauce. We have decided that Italian is not one of their strong offerings. For that reason, we have not tried the Canaletto Restaurant for dinner. There have not been many glowing reports coming from that sectioned off part of the Lido.

 

Two talks were delivered in the Queens Lounge this morning. One was from Barbara who gave us the tips for Singapore, and the other was given by Bill Harris about MGM, the greatest movie studio in Hollywood.

 

The third kitchen tour took place at 10:30am, and we missed it again. Chef Bernie and Adele, the hostess, created a Vietnam dish called Bo Xao Mang, beef tenderloin strips, fried with bamboo shoots, mint leaves, and spring onions. It is served over a bed of pea pods, bell pepper, and steamed sticky black rice. We might be brave enough to try it someday.

 

A special wine tasting ($35.) was given in the Pinnacle Grill by Cellar Master, Jacques. It was titled Wines of the New World. It is part of a series of tastings in the Windows on the Wine World.

 

It was a perfect day for movie-watching. We had to be content with choosing between old and older movies that we have seen, probably more than once. Actually, some of the older ones on TCM are pretty darn good. At least we have gotten all of the satellite channels back on our room TVs. If nothing else works, there are always cartoons!

 

We finally made it to the Crows Nest, after spotty visits, due to illness, which is much better by the way. Some of our good friends can only be found in the lounge at this time of day, and it was great to catch up on their comings and goings while in Hong Kong. Speaking of sharing information, we attended the third Cruise critic meeting yesterday. Several members went home on the second day in Hong Kong, while a few new ones boarded. It was nice to discover that some of the new arrivals have been keeping up with our reports and already felt like they knew a lot of passengers and the staff. Sometimes when strangers ask if we are indeed Bill & Mary Ann, we are apprehensive about identifying ourselves. So far, their comments have been quite positive. And we have to admit, it is nice to hear. And when we read the nice comments after we post the daily blog, it really does make our day. So, thanks again!

 

This evening, we had a romantic table for two.....at our table for eight. All of our tablemates attended the third murder mystery dinner in the Pinnacle Grill. We have never gone to one of these special meals before, but from our friend Susie's reports, we see that they can be a hoot. At this point of the cruise, we will have to wait until next year to book a spot, because the last murder mystery dinner is booked solid, with a full waitlist.

 

The plus side of having a table for two, is that our courses were served promptly, the food was hot, and we were out of there by 9:15pm. That worked out perfectly, because tomorrow's all day tour begins very early, and we can get some quality sleep tonight.

 

A super ventriloquist, Ronn Lucas, was the entertainer in the Queens Lounge this evening. We will report on the comments on his show tomorrow.

 

Mary Ann & Bill