Discover 7 Continents with Bill & Mary Ann as we sail on the 2012 World Cruise

[bcnvcanada]

Enjoying your reports. Thank you for taking your time and minutes to post your daily reports. We look forward to reading them. Hong Kong is one of the places that we enjoy the sail in and sail out. It never gets old. Enjoy your time there.

[WCB]

Report # 71 March 10, 2012 Saturday Day at Sea

 

Our final day at sea was a dreary and very windy one. We had a short window of opportunity to get some sun, but it was a fight to keep our towels and ourselves on the lounges at the back pool. That is probably why there were few of us back there. The best part of sitting at the back railing was watching the flock of masked boobys that happened to find our ship early this morning. They found us because we are stirring up the flying fish once again, the first sign of sealife we have seen in days. It is amazing how many hours these birds tirelessly glide above the breaking waves as the ship cuts through the water. Every so often, a bird or two dives into the sea and gets the prize.

 

When we checked the statistics on channel 40 of our room TV, we noted that the winds were 40 knots, a 7 on the Beaufort scale, which we believe is considered a gale. No wonder we were blowing overboard at the pool. The wind was strong enough to move the empty chaise lounges back to the railing. If we stayed long enough, we could have had baseball caps, blouses, plastic lemonade glasses, and towels.

 

We found it necessary to re-do our window garden in our room. The plants had been doing well, then suddenly, the marigolds began to die back. Obviously, a dry room with the plants sitting in the bright windowsill was not the natural conditions for those plants. The nasturtiums needed trimming, and look a little better. The best looking plants are the narcissus bulbs, which have green leaves, but no blooms yet. On a positive note, we have no weeds!

 

There was another Mongolian cookout in the Lido pool area. In the past, we know these special cookouts are a popular venue, where people eat like they are starving. Being that most of the ingredients are vegetables, a full plate is probably very healthy. By the time we made our way to the forward elevators, the cookout was long over. The staff sure goes to a lot of planning and work to put one of these meals on. It does last from 11:30am to 2pm. Maybe one day we will try some of the stirfry.

 

Jellyfish invasion world wide was the subject of the Sranko lecture. Extraterrestrial life was discussed by Greg O. We suspect these smart fellows will be leaving us tomorrow in Hong Kong. Speaking of leaving, Hong Kong is the end of another segment of this world cruise. Since leaving Sydney, we have sailed a total of 5706 nautical miles. The total miles so far since January is 23,112 nautical miles.

 

We must be in a rush to get to Hong Kong, because we have picked up speed and are going almost 22 knots. The seas have turned rough, the rain has been falling, and the winds are fierce. Sure hope the weather is decent for our two day stay in that fabulous city. It was difficult walking to dinner tonight, since we are rocking and rolling pretty good. Our Aussie friend Ron needed help getting to his seat, because of a recent knee injury. He needs to use a cane, which is normally hard enough on land, not a rolling ship.

 

We also had the company of three ladies, also part of our travel group. Ellen always like to keep our table as full as she can. This evening, Martha, Marion, Lloyd, and Terry went to the Pinnacle Grill for dinner. This has to be the first night that Terry has missed eating at our table, except for when she was ill. Hope she had a good time.

 

Looking forward to our first day in Hong Kong, as we have a tour with Ellen and our travel group. An added bonus is that Barb will also be going. Now we know we will have a good time.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[mister exec]

Mary Ann & Bill - I have been enjoying your fascinating posts as a "lurker" since I will be in Komodo in about two weeks on Azamara. Thanks for sharing your cruise log with us - I could almost feel and "see" what you were describing.

 

Regarding your game with the wine corks... I often have fun with corks at our dinner table while cruising. I push a cork all of the way into an empty wine bottle. Then I take my cloth napkin and push it partly inside the bottle and nest the cork on the napkin. Then I slowly pull out the napkin until the cork is tight against the inner neck of the bottle. At this point I either have a fellow diner or a waiter hold the bottle as I pull very hard and out comes the cork. I usually get applause rather than sneers.

 

Try it, you'll like it!

[WCB]

Report # 72 March 11, 2012 Sunday Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region PRC Day One

 

The sail into Hong Kong harbor had been bumped back to 6 am, which was too bad, because the sun had not yet come up, and most of the city lights were off. We had to be docked by 8am, and that was that. It was already going to be a very long day, and now we had to get up at 5am to watch this sail in. One of us chose to go up to the bow, while the other watched from the comfort of the room. Barbara Haenni was giving a narrative, and by tuning on channel 44 on the TV, it could be heard in our room. Yes, we have been here many times, but never tire of the scenic harbor. And an added bonus were the two Star Ferry Rolls that appeared in our room after photo-taking.

 

Get this....seven million people live in Hong Kong, and over 38 million tourists visit here every year. The best way to describe the living areas is by calling the landscape a forest of skyscrapers. The total land area of Hong Kong is 422 square miles. It consists of Kowloon (part of the mainland) and 235 islands, one of which is Hong Kong Island, right across the harbor from Kowloon. Lantau Island also belongs to Hong Kong, where a giant statue of the Buddha faces the sea. Monks run the island and it is a destination in itself for a day visit.

 

Hong Kong was a British dependency from 1840 until July 1, 1997, when Chinese sovereignty took over. All Hong Kong citizens need a visa to go inland into China, as we do. There is no visa to buy to visit Hong Kong, however, those who went overland to Beijing to see the Great Wall, the Imperial City, Tiannamen Square, and the Terra Cotta Warriors, visas were required before we joined the ship in Ft. Lauderdale.

 

Our tour was with our travel agency, Ellen leading the group of 31. We were glad to be doing this with with our group. HAL had a total of 8 buses doing the same tour. Our guide was a young Chinese gal who had a wicked sense of humor. She kept us laughing all day.

 

The coach headed under Victoria Harbour, via a tunnel. Our guide mentioned that the fares for this tunnel brought in a total of 2 million dollars a day. Our first stop was at the bottom of Victoria Peak, where we boarded The Peak Tram built in 1888, for an 8 minute ride up to the peak, over 500 meters high. Terry was chicken at first, but since she had the two of us and Barb to goad her on, she changed her mind and stayed with us. Heights are not her thing, and we know for a fact that she closed her eyes all the way up. Once we got out, we found that there was absolutely no view, because the fog was thick as pea soup. At least we were lucky to have been here today, because tomorrow the tram is shut down all day for maintenance. It only happens once a year. We have been lucky to see this view more than once, so we continued to follow our group inside the multi-story building. It was mostly a bathroom stop, which they call "Happy Rooms" here. Our guide warned us not to shop here, saying everything was way too expensive. And our next stop would be at Stanley Market....bargains galore.

 

Here is a little bit of info our guide gave us along the ride. A nice house in Hong Long costs 20 million US dollars. The natives live long.....79 for the men, and 86 for the women. They live in tiny apartments like 400 square feet, and may share that space with other family members, such as married children. They eat little meat, but love rice and noodles and fish of any kind. There are 3 girls to every 2 men. Kindergarten starts at age 2 1/2 years old, and a private school for that age group may cost 400 to 2800 US dollars for one year. It just gets more expensive after that, but the folks have the money here. Common cars bought are Lamborginis and Porsches (sp?).

 

We arrived at Stanley Market when it was opening for the day. They are famous for affordable clothing, furniture, souveniers, and knock-off designer goods. We picked up a couple of bargains which would be useful, such as nifty little nylon bags that fold up into as tiny pouch...good for packing groceries or whatever. God thing we only had an hour, because you could do a lot of damage here. Some did, and got back to the bus late. There are always a few that do not listen no matter where you go. We try to never be one of them....... so rude.

 

Next, the driver took us on the narrow road past Repulse Bay with panoramic views of the water and beaches. There were a couple of wind surfers out there, and it sure looked cold to us. Kids do not feel a thing, we guess. We went by a neat hotel that was the setting for many Hollywood movies. And there was a huge highrise that has a hole in the middle. Our guide says it is good, because the dragon can fly through the building, bringing all good luck.

 

The following stop was at Aberdeen, where we boarded a sampan for a 25 minute ride among the boats and old Chinese junks. The days are numbered for those who live on these old vessels, since when the owner dies, their license is not extended. For that reason, many of the junks are gone, and can no longer pollute the waters.

 

Our sampan took us directly to the Jumbo Restaurant for a delicious dim sum lunch. So many plates of food were put on the large round table, we had little space for our plates. Maybe that was why they were small plates. They served sticky BBQ pork buns, spring rolls,shrimp wontons, prok shumai, rice with chicken, and two types of noodles with beef strips and mushrooms. Tea was served, and then our guide said one drink was allowed for each of us. A small square of a white jello-like dessert was served.

 

We then took turns sitting in the Emperor's Chair at the end of the restaurant for photos, something we did over 10 years ago while on a Princess cruise. Nothing has changed here, except the prices we expect. Since lunch was included with our tour, we have no idea how much the feast was. It was sure worth it though.

 

The final stop was unexpected, but not really. The guides always find some time to stop at a jewelry factory on the way back to Kowloon. Even though it was a Sunday, a few of the factory workers were there demonstrating their jewelry skills. And of course, we were led through the showroom, where the really, really expensive jewelry was being sold. A few bought some pieces, because you can be certain the purchase here was the real deal. Especially with the jade. It is difficult to tell fake from real, so you need to go where the good stuff is sold by professionals.

 

We got back to the ship after 3pm, after thoroughly enjoying the day. However, we were not done. After checking out the tux order with the Prinseton Tailors, which turned out almost perfect, we headed out again to walk to the Temple Street Night Market. Even though we were told it did not open until 7pm, it was already being put together at 4:30pm. By the time we started at one end, the entire set of tents with their treasures were set up. Perhaps the food stalls were not ready until later, but that would be something we would never do....that is, eat off of the street stalls. Many do, but with shellfish allergies, it is not a good idea. We did find a few good buys, then walked back down the busy streets to the ship. Just navigating through the attached shopping mall can be daunting with all of the people out today. Since it was Sunday, and the weather was drizzly, many families and teenagers crowded the malls.

 

All but two of our group were at dinner this evening. Ellen and Barb must have found a group that might have gone to Ned Kelly's, a popular jazz club. Marion and Lloyd were not happy campers, because they had decided to cancel a tour for tomorrow. Not realizing that two long tours two days in a row would be too much for them, they sacrificed the second day with no refund. If they had decided to cancel a few days ago, they would have gotten 90% of the price refunded. By missing the cutoff day, they lost it all. So therefore, they asked all of us if we wanted the tour for free, they would be happy to give them away. Terry and Martha took them up on the offer. So we hoped it worked for them.

 

One more day in Hong Kong!

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[rallydave]

Hi Bill and Mary Ann,

 

My DW and I will be joining you on next years World Cruise and I am interested in a Tux like you are getting in Hong Kong. When you first wrote about Princiton Tailers being on board I wrote to them and asked for an idea of their pricing. Received an acknowledgement of my message but, no further e-mails. Was hoping you could give me a range of pricing for Tuxedos. You can post it here or if you prefer send me a private e-mail at rallydave at pobox dot com .

 

Looking forward to meeting you in January and just want to see if it would be better to buy a Tux before we leave or in Hong Kong.

 

Thanks so much,

 

Dave & Paige

[WCB]

Report # 73 March 12, 2012 Monday Hong Kong, PRC Day Two

 

The weather today was dreary as could be, but it was not raining yet. We heard from friends Mel and Helen, that they had gotten soaked while riding the HOHO bus yesterday while touring the city. They never thought that perhaps they should not ride on the open-air top level. During past visits, we have had a bit of everything weatherwise. One year, we froze, with temps in the 30's, while the sun was out last time we were here. It can rain at any time, like the evening we decided to take a walk up Nathan Road. Thunder and lightening struck without notice, and the rain was torrential. If we are lucky, it will stay foggy.

 

We have the Harbour City Mall and Ocean Terminal figured out by now. It is so large with many levels that you have a hard time figuring how to get out of it. They do have excellent maps in the mall, so you can't get too lost. Several hotels also hook up with this mall, making it convenient for inclement weather.

 

We had a plan to walk uphill for an hour and one half all the way to the Flower and Bird Markets. Actually, since it was Monday and all the folks and kids were at work or school, the streets were not as crowded as yesterday. It was fun window shopping all the way up. Near the waterfront, the shops and stores are more highend. Up higher, you run into the real places the locals shop. Many small stores along Nathan Road sell traditional medicines made from herbs and things like ground deer horns. Gosh, with the collection we have at home, we could be rich, instead of them collecting spider webs.

 

Well, we found our way to the Flower Market and the nearby Bird Market. If we payed attention to the street signs, we realized that all the major sites were well marked with arrows. We need to remember to buy a street map of this area next time we visit. They are not available at the tourist info in the shopping mall, as far as we know.

 

The Flower Market consists of a few short blocks where several small shops offer plants, fresh cut flowers, orchids, roses, and the canes that grow with air roots that are decorated with Chinese red symbols and ribbons. We have bought these plants at home, but they do not like the dry and hot or freezing temperatures we have in Clayton. We searched for a small hanging orchid plant that could hang from our overhead window light in our room. But they did not have any this time. The orchids they had for sale were the larger ones, and would have worked. But there was no way to get one of those back to the ship in a plastic bag. The blooms would have broken off. So we ended up getting a small pot of grape hyacinths, hardy bulbs that will grow anywhere. Our windowsill has been a challenge, so this will be a test.

 

Next to the Flower Market, was the Bird Market, a small but fun place to visit. This is the only spot we saw any wild birds in the city. They are drawn here by the seed that falls out of the bird cages. Creatures of opportunity, the sparrows and pigeons clean up the grounds. Birds for sale were tiny warblers, parrots, cockatoos, parakeets, lorikeets, mynahs, and large brown birds that sang a beautiful song. It is not unusual to see elderly gentlemen who bring their caged birds to this market. While they visit with each other, the birds hear each other, and learn to sing. The old men are happy, and their birds are happy. We had heard that this market was scheduled to be moved and re-located, but so far this has not happened. It is a Hong Kong icon, the last of its kind. Since we already have two nice small bird cages from here, along with the fake songbirds, we did not buy another one today. We are getting better with purchases, really.

 

There is a Ladies Market nearby, where Barbara Haenni said that was a good place to find clothing. It's possible we got close to it, but got side-tracked by yet another outdoor market with tents set up along the way. These stalls were similar to the Night Market, but sold more practical things like baby clothes, kids tshirts, backpacks, and regular household items. Time was running short, so we will have to save the Ladies Market for next time.

 

Back-tracking, we found the Jade Market, but decided not to go there. It is way to easy to be drawn into buying something there, since the sales people are really forceful. Best to leave that to next year as well.

 

Across the street from the Jade Market is a bustling outdoor veggie and fruit market where the locals shop. We have never seen such huge apples, grapefruits, oranges, and red grapes. The produce is as fresh as can be, and we believe many folks buy their food daily. Most do not have kitchens like we do at home. Nor do they have refrigeration. Daily buying is necessary and perhaps better, since everything is fresh and consumed in one day.

 

The fish and meat market was inside a building. Again, everything is fresh and most of the fish are alive. We also saw slimy eels (ick), turtles, frogs, squid, small octopi, as well as typical small fish in styrofoam boxes filled with water. Large fish were being butchered right there, and sold by the pound. Funny thing, was there was no foul smell. This place must be hosed down and sterilized every day The meat stalls were set up along the street where we saw pigs and chickens being cut up. Again, there was no smell and no flies at all. None of this meat gets covered...it sits on the tables until it is sold. Incredible. Everything gets sold, and they start over the next day. Cooked ducks and chickens hang from hooks overhead.....so different from the way we shop at home for sure.

 

By the time we got back to the mall, it was 3pm and we were hungry. A good place to eat in the massive mall was on the way to the ship, BLT Burger, where we ate last year. The bacon cheeseburgers were hot and delicious with a side of coleslaw and a crisp pickle. We only had an hour to relax, which was much needed, before we were required to be back onboard. We made it back on time.

 

The ship was not due to leave until 6pm, but since this is a start of a 7 day segment (unadvertised) to Singapore, we had a required muster drill at 5pm. Last year, Captain Olav was allowed to have muster for only the newly embarked passengers. Not so on this trip. Things must have tightened up since the last accident of the Costa ship. Whatever, we all complied and attended the drill. We will be experts at this by the time the ship arrives back to Florida.

 

After the drill was over, we stayed at the railing for the crowd to thin. Good thing we did, because friends Lynn and Buddy appeared on the mall deck across from the ship. We met them when Buddy was the ship's dentist years ago. Since then, they have become hosts like Ellen and Tom, and are now sailing aboard the Crystal Serenity, also on a world cruise like us. However, they arrived to Hong Kong yesterday and anchored in the harbor miles away from us. They were unable to get to the Amsterdam to see their other numerous friends, but we promised to say hello to everyone for them. Funny, we have no idea what kept us from leaving right away after the decks were empty, but that's how things happen sometimes. We got lucky to see them and waved goodbye for everyone.

 

For the first time this cruise, the TV programming and the internet was shut down without notice. Had we known, we and many others would not have gone online around that time. Even the computer expert was taken by surprise. Next time,we will ask first before going online while something like this is going on.

 

The sailaway was moved to the Crows Nest. So we went to the promenade deck to try to get some photos as we left the harbour. As we left the pier, we got a good view of the Star gambling ship, that leaves the harbor every evening, only going about 15 minutes away from the land to make it legal. These ships fill up with gamblers every day for an overnight of fun and games. Like we said, people have lots of money here and they love to gamble, we are told.

 

We stayed taking photos until 7pm, then went to dinner. Since we had such good hamburgers for a late lunch, we kept dinner light. Ellen said this was the last chance she will have to share dinner with our current tablemates, since she will be leaving the ship in Phu My, Vietnam for an overland to Cambodia. Tomorrow is another special Murder Mystery Dinner, so several at our table will attend. That is fine with us, since sometimes a table for four is nice for a change too.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[WCB]

Report # 74 March 13, 2012 Tuesday Day at Sea

 

Thank goodness we had a day at sea after our marathon visit in Hong Kong. We really earned the extra hour we got back on the clock last night. And sleeping in was a plus as well, followed by a proper breakfast in the dining room. The morning waiters have been quite attendant and know everything we like by now. They also remember that we love hot coffee, and never let our cups run dry.

 

The weather warmed up nicely as we headed south from Hong Kong. Although, the seas were pretty rough last night once we left the mainland. Truthfully, we were so exhausted we slept through most of the rolling.

 

We learned that 50 passengers got off yesterday in Hong Kong, and 36 newbies boarded. Also, we found out that some of the crew members (waiters and room stewards) went home, and some new ones came on. And since our total population has dropped since we left Florida in January, we suspect the crew has been adjusted to a small number. HAL needs to keep that ratio the same to make their profit.

 

A few activities were going on today such as a talk on Singapore, a fishy future about marine reserves by George Sranko, and a new speaker, Danny Catt giving travel photo tips.

 

Sorry to say, we attended none of the above and just relaxed at the pool instead. One of us has come down with a pesty cold, so the heat from the sun should help cook it out. Guess we both needed a turn with something. But glad that something was not the Dreaded Virus. This time we were fully prepared with cold meds, and they are helping immensely.

 

A very good movie was on our room TV at 5pm called, Snow Flower and The Secret Fan. It was a film set in 19th century China about lifelong friends between two young girls. It was contrasted by a pair of modern-day friends, one related to the original friends, going through a tragic accident. The movie depicted the treatment of the young girls, especially the binding of their feet, and arranged marriages. Finally, an intelligent flick for a change.

 

We had a wonderful intimate dinner with new friends Marion and Lloyd, since the rest of our group attended another Murder Mystery Dinner in the Pinnacle Grill. Aussie Ron really did not want to go, but Martha had pre-purchased a ticket for him, and it was not refundable or transferable. First we ever heard of that rule. How awkward would that have been if Martha brought another guest in Ron's spot, and her guest would be turned away? Another kink in the armor, was what Barbie told us today while she visited us at the pool. Wine is part of the dinner package for this evening in the Pinnacle, which adds about an extra $30. to the meal. She heard that only a white wine will be served, which she hates. So, since she has a wine package with red wine, she will have her own wine served just to her, and will probably donate the white to her tablemates. After hearing all of that, we are glad we are going to the dining room, where we can order what food we like. Sometimes, the "fixed dinner menu" is not to everyone's liking. You get what they serve and that is that.

 

Of course, we missed the magician show by Phil Hitchcock last night. But we heard that he had several new tricks that no one ever saw before. That is nice to hear for a change. The entertainer this evening was Filip Wojciechowski, a pianist who will play Chopin to Gershwin. Bet that will be a good show, but with the sniffles, we doubt we will make it.

 

Tomorrow's port is Nha Trang, Vietnam, a port we have visited at least four times. It is a fun one, and we have booked a tour with our travel agency. Most all of our tablemates are going as well.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[WCB]

Report # 75 March 14, 2012 Wednesday Nha Trang, Vietnam

 

The Amsterdam was not alone when it docked here in Nha Trang, Vietnam this morning. Silversea's Silver Shadow slipped into the spot in front of us. While Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas anchored across the harbor from us. That is a whole lot of tourists for this small town, since we have been the only ship in port on previous trips. We sailed on the Shadow not long ago on a trip to Alaska with friends, and we can say that it is one fine vessel, with 5 star service, and beautiful suites. Pricey, but worth it for a treat every now and then. We had sailed on the Legend as well in 2000 from Auckland to Sydney, not quite 5 star, but fun anyway.

 

There was no lack of buses, vans, and coaches awaiting the tour groups. HAL offered only two short tours here, but there were independant passengers who had pre-arranged tours prior to sailing. Some of them were from the Cruise Critic crowd, which seemed to be well organized. As for us, we booked a "humanitarian" excursion that would take us to an orphanage and school, as well as see the local sites. Lunch was included too.

 

Hosts Tom and Ellen both went today, since we had two buses. Our first stop was at the Po Nagar Cham Towers, the remnants of an ancient civilization of Hindus. This complex was built between the 7th and 12th centuries and still is a place for Buddhists to pray. It was a long hike up many stairs with no hand railings to gain access to the top of the towers. Once up there, we walked around the many chapels, where you had to take off your shoes to go inside. They are very small, and could be viewed from the outside just as easily. It was so warm and humid, that many of our group chose to stay down below and shop at some nearby stalls. We joined them, picking up a tshirt for the whopping price of $3. The vendors gladly take the US dollars here, and are most happy to bargain with the tourists. This was the same place we bought a cobra with a scorpion in a bottle filled with some kind of alcohol a few years back. Locals actually drink that elixir for good health. Good grief. The unique bottle found a place in our house, somewhere in the back of other more suitable treasures. It's really a guy thing.

 

It was nice to climb back on our air-conditioned bus decorated with blue and white lace curtains and matching seat covers. From here, we drove to the nearby SOS Children's Village, a charity-run complex with 14 family houses, a nursery for 190 little ones, a 1000 children capacity school, 24 classrooms, a library and a cafeteria.

 

The small children had a dance performance planned for us in their gymnasium. We all sat in a u-shaped semi-circle, where the little kids served us bottles of much needed water. Then, some of the kids did a dance, dressed in fancy costumes. The boys really hammed it up, and the little girls were so very cute. After the performance, the director gave a short talk on how the place is operated, and how donations keep it going. From what she said, these children are among the poorest in the area, all with no fathers, and some with no mothers. Each house has a "mother", who may have one child there, but is expected to take care of a total of 10. Each family home had the first floor with a very tiny living room with a couch and a few chairs. In the back, was the kitchen and a bathroom (hole in the ground-style). The second story had four bedrooms, one for the mother and babies, and the rest for the older children. It was rather nice, considering the alternative of perhaps living in the streets. We doubt there is a welfare system in this country. If you do not work, you do not eat. The children raised here will have the opportunity to become trained in cottage industries or manual labor. A chosen few continue on to university, but they have to work for it and be capable to accomplish earning a degree. In this case only, these students can stay at this village until they are 22. We got the impression that most leave much earlier to make their own way in the world.

 

We enjoyed watching the kids, especially the kindergarten age ones that were busily helping the teacher clean up after lunch, which was a bowl of rice. All the children seemed so happy and excited that we were here. One young girl of 12 took Bill's hand and led him around to meet her many friends. The small children gave each of us cards they had made for the occassion, similar to the drawings we get from our own 8 year old granddaughter Julie. You know, the kind you love to put up on the refrigerator.

 

It was time for the children to finish lunch and take naps. Bet they will have a hard time getting them to calm down today, because many folks brought bagfuls of their pillow chocolates to hand out. The kids loved them, despite the fact they were getting very soft from the heat. We highly doubt that candy is on the list for these children. We all gathered at the waiting bus, glad to have had the chance to meet these kids. And we are happy to have participated in an activity where a portion of the tour proceeds were donated to this village.

 

Lunch at a seaside cafe was next. This open-air venue was located right on the beach of the South China Sea. Once seated, we were served drinks of soda, wine, and a choice of Tiger or 333 (local) beers. The served meal began with small servings of shrimp, fried fish with a lemon sauce, spring rolls, sliced strips of beef with veggies, chicken, and a fish soup with noodles. The best course was the servings of fresh pineapple and watermelon. Not everyone was happy with the meal, because most of the courses came just warm, except the soup. However, the sea breeze and watching the local vendors trying to sell their goods at the outside wall was entertaining. Litle by little, these people, some were kids, pushed their way inside with a policeman following them. If the guests were buying stuff, the vendors were not thrown out. And of course, we were all buying the trinkets like fun jewelry, whistles and fans. The super large bamboo fans were the best buy, so we added one more to our collection.

 

And interesting fact about the Vietnamese people that live here is they go to the beach to swim at 4:30am, when the sun is not up yet. This is to protect them, especially the ladies, from getting suntanned. Have a tan to them, means they could be farm workers, so they go to extremes to prevent it. The girls cover up head to toe with hats, surgical masks, long sleeves, and gloves to keep their skin fair. They must think we are a bunch of farmers with our tans! Oh well........at least they do not worry about using sunscreen lotions.

 

The next stop was at Long Son Pagoda, a 19th century complex that houses 10 monks. It is built on a hillside and decorated with mosaic dragons with glass and ceramic tiled walls. There were 152 steep stone steps to navigate to get to the top where the Giant White Buddha sits on a lotus blossom. Viewing it from the bottom was good enough for one of us, since we have been here and done that. Halfway up is the reclining Buddha, and a good spot to sit on the stairs to wait for the crowd coming back down. There were so many pesty vendors in the bottom square, that our guide cautioned us not to deal with them. Although, there were two fixed stalls in the entryway where the folks were selling plenty of unique souveniers for a very good price. We picked up another birdcage with singing cardinals. Now we have stereo singing birds in our room.

 

The final stop was at the XQ Embroidery Shop on the way back to the pier. It is a nice place to stop, not only for the works of beautiful silk embroidered pieces of art, but more for the excellent air-conditioning. A few guests bought some small items of the silk art, but it was dearly expensive. One portrait of poppies in a field cost around $4500. and must have taken the artist a year to complete. The more pop-ular shop here sold chiffon scarves, silk clothing, more jewelry, and even stone-studded slippers.

 

There was still more shopping once back to the pier. It was crowded because the Legend of the Seas guests were buying quickly. Looked like they were going to be leaving soon after 3pm, and were lined up to board their tenderboats for the ride back to their anchored vessel. The Silver Shadow was long gone, so their stay here was quite short, perhaps 8am to 2pm, hardly worth stopping.

 

We left the harbor around 5pm, and enjoyed another sail away party on the aft deck. At least, the waiters have begun passing the chicken tenders to the very appreciative passengers. The wind had picked up as we slowly left the harbor, and it felt good. There was a constant haze over this seaside resort town, which did not clear up even with the strong breezes. The smell of smoke is always strong, so that probably contributes to the haziness. Also the pollution from the thousands of motor bikes does not help. Of course, this is minor here. Wait until the folks go to Ho Chi Minh City tomorrow. It is a totally different atmosphere there, and we are glad that we are not going.

 

Dinner was intimate this evening with only Terry as our tablemate. And it was wonderful. Another Le Cirq meal was served in the Pinnacle Grill, and Martha was treating Ron, Marion, and Lloyd, tickets purchased at the beginning of the cruise. We think they were attending to be polite, because we had been on tour all day with them, and we know for a fact they were exhausted. Barbie and Ellen went to another table for a pre-birthday party for Woody. We will be attending his real party on Friday. Since host Ellen will be leaving the ship tomorrow for a four day overland to Cambodia, Susie wanted to include her in Woody's celebration even though it was 2 days too soon.

 

We could hear the whistles that were purchased in town today all around us during dinner. We swear, these trips can turn the clocks around for some, where they can become kids again. Isn't it great??

 

Tomorrow's port is Phu My, up the Saigon River. Should be a hot day and a long one with an 11pm sailing time.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[boaterette]

Very enjoyable. Thank you.

[WCB]

Report # 76 March 15, 2012 Thursday Phu My, Vietnam

 

Well, here we are in the riverside port of Phu My, Vietnam. The skies were heavily overcast and rain looked threatening. The air was thick with humidity and the temperature was already in the 80's when we got up at 7am. It is going to be another stressful day heatwise.

 

Boy, we were glad we did not book the all day tour to Ho Chi Minh City today. It is a two hour ride to get there, and since we have done it twice, we chose to take the shorter excursion to nearby Vung Tau.

 

Vung Tau was formerly called Cap St. Jacques, a French name because Vietnam was occupied by the French many years ago. Now it is a resort area for the Vietnamese people, who flock here on weekends for the beaches and nightlife. It was a 45 minute ride from the pier, on well-paved roads with little traffic. There are no freeways in this part of the world. Just 2 or 4 lane roads. Our guide, Hong, spoke English very well as he told us what we would see today.

 

Our first stop was a strange one at the Whale Temple. This small complex housed several shrines that resembled pinball machines. Maybe that was because there were money slots in boxes for donations at each shrine. Incense was thick in the air. In cases in back of the phony whale, were the bones of a whale. The reason for this stop was the fact there were decent bathroom facilities here. Yes, the happy room.

 

The next stop would have been better if we had more time here. It was a photo stop for the Jesus Statue, supposedly larger than the one in Rio at 100 feet tall. The funny thing was the only good photos of this statue were from the street down below. We were given a half hour to walk up the many flights of stairs, but our guide did not recommend it. Once you started the climb, the statue disappeared until you were halfway up. Most all of us either went partway or stayed down by the bus, a smarter idea. Except for one couple, who chose to ignore the guide's advice, and tried to climb to the top. They were 20 minutes late, and got in trouble with the guide and the rest of us when they finally stumbled on the bus. Lucky they did not have a stroke in this heat. Gosh, we have little patience with those type of guests.

 

Anyway, we continued on to the Buddha Temple, a 10 minute ride away from the statue. We noticed that many vendors were following our bus on their motorbikes. They packed all their souveniers to sell to us all day. We even spotted a girl packing a plastic bag of live ducks with their heads sticking out of holes in the bag. We highly doubt she was taking them for a joy ride.... Speaking of motorbikes, Hong said that once a boy turns 18, he tries to save money to buy his own. A Chinese-made motorcycle costs around $300 US dollars. But if you want the best, a Japanese-made one runs about $7500. US dollars. He said that if you save up for the Japanese bike, like he did, the fellows would have more girlfriends. Yes, he admitted he did have more girlfriends, and he must do quite well as a guide.

 

Another story he told us was about the proof of manhood with Vietnamese men. Those who can drink the most beers, are the heros. We say they are the ones with the worst hangovers and headaches the next day! The number of beers it takes for a young man to be a hero is 15. Bad idea..

 

Walking up two flights of stairs, we found the giant reclining Buddha indoors with shrines around him. Also present were the money boxes. Our guide should have cautioned everyone that you did not need to go higher, since not much was up higher except a view of the ocean. One of us stayed behind, sitting on a nice bench in the shade, watching the vendors pushing their goods on two more busloads of tourists coming up behind our group. We left after 15 minutes of seeing this temple, much to everyone's delight. It was so warm, and there was hardly a breeze blowing off of the nearby ocean. Also, the vendors were getting more and more pushy with everyone. Even though you say, no thanks, it means nothing to them. Eventually, we did buy a couple of things. A wooden motorcycle, a t shirt, and a ceramic wind chime found their way into our bags. One persistant gal kept trying to sell us a komono, but we declined several times. She would not give up with us, but sold a number of the robes to other ladies on our bus.

 

The highlite of this tour was a stop at the White Palace, the royal resident of Bach Dinh. It was built by the French, taking advantage of the strong breezes that blew down from the hillsides to the ocean below. We entered the gates at the plumeria-scented gardens, but the bus could only go halfway to a turnabout. Some folks were not too happy about the climb uphill to the house. When one lady questioned our guide as to why we could not be driven up there, another crabby guest said she needed the exercise, stop complaining! Too much heat as well as too much alcohol can bring out the worst in some folks.

 

The surrounding patios of this house were very nice with huge containers for plants, even water lilies. Standing water would be magnets for mosquitos, but these pots with the lilies were stocked with fresh water guppies. They were thriving. The lower level housed a variety of recovered Dutch and Chinese artifacts from a shipwreck centuries ago, proving that trade existed between the countries. Upstairs held the bedrooms, sitting and dining rooms, and probably bathrooms (which were not open to the public). Knowing this group of tourists, they would attempt to use them.

 

The view from the gazebo on the hillside was very nice of the South China Sea, even though the locals call this the Pacific Ocean. At least the haziness of the inland at Phu My was not here, and we could see a bit of blue sky through the cloud cover. The further up the river you went, the smoggier it got. With the refineries, factories, and burning, the skies remain gray all day. Not even a good rainshower will drive it away.

 

We joined the coach back down the tree-lined path, and headed for our last stop at a seaside park and the Bay of Boats. There was a good view of the fishing boats and the basket boats on the sand. These round bowl-shaped boats are propelled by two people rocking back and forth to make it go forward. They are used by the fishing boat people to get from their boat to the shore and visa versa. Some fellows even use them to fish, but not too far from shore. They would have a problem if the current took them away.

 

Our vendors had followed us here, and the one gal we dealt with briefly while looking at a kimono, came running with it. Another girl cut her off, trying to sell us her stack of robes. Well, we thought there was going to be a war the way they yelled at each other. Even though we did not need one, we felt obligated to buy from the first vendor that insisted on spending all her time with us. Like we said, "no" means nothing to these gals. Anyway, the robe is reversible light pink and dark pink, with dragons embroidered on both sides. All this for the whopping pricetag of $12., a really good deal made quickly, and one happy vendor at the end.

 

We arrived back at the ship by 2:30pm, just as it started raining. Great timing. We stashed our bags, then went back to check out the souvenier stands. These were not at all like the stuff they sold yesterday. The vendors were busy playing a card game, and paid little attention to us. Also, they were not interested in bargaining. The only items we were looking at were the silk fabric cards, which we purchased last year 20 cards for $3.00. These girls wanted $1 for one card. Period. No wonder their box was full of the cards, since these educated world cruisers know better than to spend that much.

 

We turned in our landing cards, which had to be stamped upon arrival in both Vietnamese ports. Once we decided not to leave the ship today, the cards had to be turned into the front office. Whether these are checked, we do not know. We just follow the rules.....sometimes!

 

There was a Lumpia Dinner and Satay BBQ on the Lido deck from 5:30 to 8pm. We strolled by the tables to check out the food. Many varieties of lumpia were being served. We hoped that some of these treats would be available as appetizers at dinner in the dining room. So we saved ourselves for later. Since the all day tours to Ho Chi Minh were coming back late for the early seating, we believe many of those guests chose to go to this BBQ. It was easy not to have to change clothes after a long day, and pick up food at the buffet.

 

Our table was almost complete, with just Ellen missing, since she is in Cambodia with a group. Tom M. even showed up, but this made sense, because he usually eats in the Lido. But it was closed tonight for the BBQ and Tom doesn't do BBQ outside alone. And besides, it was steaming hot in the Lido, even at sundown. It never cools off here. By the way, lumpia was NOT on the menu....darn.

 

The evening show was at 9:30pm, one showing of a local cultural song and dance. Some of our group went, but we were done in for the day, and headed for bed. We will have two days at sea now before our next busy port of Singapore.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[GitUpAndGoze]

I'm enjoying travelling vicariously with you. Your description of the vendors reminds me of China. I still believe our the word our guide taught us for "No. I don't want it" really meant "Maybe. Please tell me more!";)

[Seago2]

Loving your thread. I don't know if I could stand to be on a ship or seeing ports for as long as you are- I would be missing my cork forking sons;). I am absolutely loving your adventures and awaiting the next segment.

[WCB]

Report # 77 March 16, 2012 Friday Day at Sea

 

This morning brought hot temperatures and bright sun with it. It was already 80 degrees at 8am. Of course, we are heading back towards the Equator, and this heat is to be expected. We would not have minded if there were a few scattered showers this afternoon, but it never happened.

 

Breakfast in the dining room was most enjoyable. By going there around 8:30am, there is a lot of room and even more of waiters to take care of us. This is a luxury we will miss when we leave the ship. Can you believe we have been here for 70 days now? The time has flown.

 

We took advantage of the sun and spent some time at the aft pool. Not many passengers were out there, since the heat was intense......Equator intense. Slathering on sunscreen, we baked for about 15 minutes before going into the cooler water. The best place to spend the most time was in the water. And to make matters worse, the ship was only going at a rate of 11 knots. There was NO breeze at all, only suffocating humidity. Remember when it was so windy back here? Well today we could have used some of that.

 

Many small fishing boats as well as tankers and freighters crossed our path as we sailed south this afternoon. Land must be fairly closeby for these small boats to venture out here. One thing we have noticed is that we have seen no birds. There were some rather large dragonflies hovering around the aft pool. Wonder if that means they are eating bugs? Could be we picked up a few while up the river the last two days. If they are mosquitos, we hope the dragonflies pig out.

 

At 2pm, the clocks on the ship magically went ahead one hour. Not sure why we went forward, because we are not heading west that much. Maybe it has something to do with daylight savings time, which did not occur last Sunday like it did at home. Anyway, it was a good part of the day to eliminate an hour, instead of stealing it from the evening.

 

It was partytime tonight....Woody celebrated his 75th birthday with his wife Susie inviting eight of us to a cocktail party followed by dinner. We met this lovely couple in 2007, when we luckily ended up at their table. Greg and Barbie were also there, as well as a couple from Pleasant Hill, California. We have all kept in touch with each other, as well as sailing together on later cruises. Anyway, we met at the Ocean Bar, having been displaced from the Explorers Lounge due to the Captain hosting a get-together there. Singapore happens to be the end of a big segment of the world cruise, and we suspect his party was a farewell one.

 

Actually, the Ocean Bar was the perfect spot for our small group. This lounge used to be a smoking bar, but no more. As a result, there are fewer folks in here during the late cocktail hour. And the band that used to play here was more suitable for the dancing guests. The Station Band is now up in the Crows Nest, and so is the larger crowd. Hot hors d'oeuvres were served as we enjoyed our cocktails.

 

By 7:30pm, we walked down to deck four to the Pinnacle Grill Restaurant, where we filled the back room at the large table. The fresh centerpieces of flowers were already on the table for tomorrow's Captain's Dinner and St. Patrick's Day. No one will ever know that we enjoyed them first.

 

We all ordered from the regular menu, which we all love. In order to partake in this special meal, you cannot eat lunch. The portions are reasonable but when you get your entree, the steaks overflow the plate. The bone-in ribeye steak is our favorite and we both ordered one. Actually one would have been enough for two of us, but that is not really the proper thing to do in here. Too bad Ellen was away. She would have loved to take some of our meat in a roll back to her room for a morning meal in her room. Bet she is not dining like this in Cambodia.

 

The meal ended with a three-layer rum-soaked birthday cake filled with whipped cream and dark cherries. Most of us cancelled our dessert orders, since there was room for no more. We sang a very quiet "happy birthday" to Woody, so as not to disturb the remaining guests in the main restaurant. We need to book four more dinners in here to use our pre-booked dinners. With all of the special events planned in here, our days to eat in here are probably numbered.

 

We missed the show which was a combo act of the last two performers. Our other tablemates really have enjoyed these shows for a change, so someday we should make an effort to attend one or two.

 

One more day at sea, and we will be in Singapore.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[DFD1]

Sounds like a lovely dinner party. Keep up the good work. We all surely do enjoy hearing about it. All the best.

[bcnvcanada]

Reason for the time change --Singapore uses the same time as the PRC. We looking forward daily to your post. We are off tonight to Hong Kong. Enjoy Singapore--love the new Marina Hotel pool and bar at the top. It is well worth the price of a drink to enjoy the view.

[kazu]

Just a quick post to thank you for your wonderful blog. I am catching up now that I am back from the Maasdam and really enjoying your posts:) as always:D:D

[WCB]

Report # 78 March 17, 2012 Saturday Day at Sea

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!!

 

The day of shamrocks and leprechans began with high temperatures, slight breezes, and calm dead seas. A strange thing happened around 3am last night, as we were awakened by a sudden loud noise beneath us. It could not have been a dream, since we both heard it, and neither of us recognized the sound as something we have heard before. Since the ship wasn't sinking, we quickly fell back asleep.

 

Yesterday, we noticed that some of the new nasturium seeds we planted have begun to break the soil's surface. Suspecting that the window may work as a magnifyer, we placed our battery-operated alarm clock on the window sill. It has a temperature reading built into it. The early morning sun was shining bright, and just for the fun of it, we wondered how hot could it get there. The clock gave a reading of 112 degrees when we got back from breakfast! Now wonder the seeds sprouted so quickly, and now we know why the plants are struggling to survive. They are literally cooking in the window, no matter how much we water them. Even in our garden at home, we doubt these seedlings would survive those temps. As an experiment, we moved some of the pots to the coffee table, which is out of direct sun. Our room stewards probably think we are nuts! But we do have fun.

 

There were some important jobs to be done today. First, we decided to change our Marmagao, India tour from the Goa Churches and Lunch with a Beach Option. We were informed when we boarded in January that the beach part of the tour was cancelled, because the sand had been washed away by a typhoon. We had booked this tour specifically for the beach portion. The resort would not let any of us use their pool facilities, saying it was reserved for their guests only. So we switched to a city tour instead, cutting the time to 4 hours instead of 8, and saving us some money besides. As long as we re-booked another tour immediately, we got a full refund on the first one. If not, we would have been charged a 10% fee.

 

Next, we had to buy some Singapore money at the front desk. Most businesses in Singapore will not take US dollars, unlike Vietnam, that did. Yes, we could use a credit card, but we prefer not to. It is easier to use cash we think.

 

Then we thought we had better make the four reservations in the Pinnacle Grill for dinner before they are booked up. We got two in March, and two in April. We had hoped to be able to use one after the world cruise, but the manager, Kim, said they only applied to the grand voyage. And besides, so many nights are already reserved for the Captain's dinners and specialty meals, that few evenings are left for regular dinners. Our meals were so excellent there last night, that we look forward to our next four reservations.

 

After 1pm, we needed to pick up our passports with the Singapore landing cards in them. While in this port, we are required to keep our passports with us at all times when we leave the ship. This is something we hate to do, because if it is lost or stolen, it can be a nightmare to replace. On the plus side, Singapore is the safest city in the world. We always remark about the huge sign at the debarkation point in the terminal that says if you are caught with illegal drugs, it is punishable by death. They are not kidding. I even took the chewing gum out of my bag, because that is forbidden. Don't want to take any chances, ha-ha.

 

During our walk on the very hot and humid promenade deck, we noticed that two high-powered firehoses have been clamped onto the siderailings. The hoses have been stretched out, so the they can be used instantly. Now we know we are traveling in dangerous waters or will be soon. The Long Range Acoustical Devices, or LRADS for short, are usually brought out to the centers and back of the promenade deck, but so far, they have not appeared. They may have been permanently installed elsewhere, such as near the navigation deck, although, we have not spotted them yet. Reports of pirate activity have not reached our ears so far, but that does not mean they are not there. Historically speaking, large cruise ships are not on the menu for the pirates, but one never knows what motivates these violent people. The closest we ever got, or ever want to, was when we left the port of Mombasa in 2009, passing the captain-less Alabama Maersk, the container ship that had been boarded by Somalian pirates. At that time, the captain was taken hostage, but later rescued. It was all too real for us all to see that ship pass by us and take our berth.

 

Later on after noontime, we headed to the aft pool, only to find it was empty. Empty? What was this, April Fool's Day? The net was over it, and there was no sign of it being cleaned or filled. We asked Manny, our favorite bar server, if he knew why, on the hottest day of this cruise, did they decide to drain the pool. He apologized, but did not know why. The best we could do, was take a seat, and wait to see if the attendants would arrive, clean it, and fill it with cool, refreshing water. Well, it never happened that way. Yes, the fellows did come to clean the pool with scrub brushes and detergent. There was so much sand and debris in the deep end, it had to be swept up with a broom and a dustpan. Now we are wondering if this is the first time the pool has been so thoroughly cleaned since leaving Florida? The better time to have done this job, was last night after 9pm. And the fellows would not have had to subject themselves with this extreme heat. They were so hot, they emptied the mango juice from the nearby cooler, poor guys. As for us, we spent more time in the shower back there...at least 5 different times each. By 3pm, we gave it up, because the guys were done, but the water was not on. Even when the pool would be filled, the chemicals have to be added, then tested, before it would re-open. We would find out the "why" later on.

 

We spent the rest of the afternoon cooling off in our room, watching TV with the fan running. Emailing was also good this afternoon, since we are so close to Singapore. The ship has had to slow down to 10 knots in order not to get there too soon. We decided to check to see if the pool had opened by 6:30pm. Although it was full of water, the netting remained over it, while the fellows were using the heavy-duty electric floor scrubber to wash the phony teak decks. There was no doubt in our minds that this pool will not open up until tomorrow, when most everyone will be off and exploring the city. Go figure........

 

Dinnertime was formal for St. Patrick's Day, with almost all guests wearing something green for good luck. In case we had nothing green to wear, a lei of shiny green shamrocks was at each placesetting. The room sparkled with mobiles of shamrocks, and 8 foot green streamers hanging from the ceilings. The guys sure go to a lot of time and trouble to create these festive evenings, and we all appreciate it. The menu had lots of caviar, brie cheese in crispy phyllo dough, potato and pea soup, lobster, BBQ chicken, lamb stew, and corned beef and cabbage, of course. For some strange reason, the dining room was hot again. Every formal night has been hot, and we know the guys would love to take those jackets off. Only Lloyd did, but we gave him permission. He has earned the right because he is around 89, and can do whatever he wishes. That is, if his wife approves! Our young guest tonight was the Chief Engineer, a nice fellow named Peter, who will be replacing Jost, who goes home for his 3 month break soon. It was a nice evening, because Tom M also joined us. Ellen will be back tomorrow from her overland trip tomorrow. Bet it was just as hot ot hotter in Cambodia. We will soon find out.

 

By the way, Peter, the Chief Engineer, told us there had been an accident at the aft pool this morning, making it necessary to drain it and sanitize everything. We did not ask the details, but sort of figured out that someone got sick. Maybe, we do not want to know too much more. And Barbie heard that noise last night too. Peter knew nothing of that, claiming nothing woke him up that time of the morning. We joked that maybe the ship ran over a fishing boat, only to find out that a fishing boat had run into the Silver Shadow while on their way to Halong Bay in Vietnam. That must have happened shortly after the ship left Nha Trang a couple of days ago. See, you never know.......

 

Time for bed, as it is already 12:30am, and Singapore awaits our highly anticipated visit.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[cruz chic]

Thank you for your reports. I enjoy them so much:).

[NMLady]

THANK YOU for another fascinating report. I love reading all the details.

[SeminoleFan]

Thank you for sharing your journey with us. I look forward to each new installment. :)

[WCB]

Report # 79 March 18, 2012 Sunday Singapore, Republic of Singapore

 

Singapore, Republic of Singapore, was our destination today and tomorrow. This city is hands down, one of our favorite places to see and enjoy. Singapore is the smallest country in Southeast Asia, but one of the wealthiest. Singaporeans have the highest standard of living in Asia, and can boast about their cleanliness and safety for all. It has come a long way from the small Malay fishing village it once was. What we see today, began with the United Kingdom colonizing this island in the 19th century. The bustling port contributes to the export of electronics and manufacturing, giving the country the distinction of being the 22nd wealthiest one in the world. Singapore also has the most efficient MRT (mass transit system) we have seen, and that would be our mode of transportation today.

 

Due to congestion at the Singapore Cruise Terminal, the Amsterdam was forced to dock at the rather large and ugly container port. We had been bumped by the Zaandam, who had a turn around cruise today. So they were in our spot. Across from them, in the other slip, was a huge gambling ship, so we could not dock there either. The plan was to shuttle all of the guests to the regular cruise center, then move the ship at 4pm, once the Zaandam was gone. The ship was supposed to be docked by 5:30pm, then spend the night and next day until 11pm. Well, that did not happen as planned, but we will go into that a bit later.

 

Since we have seen all of the sites on the Singapore HAL tours in the past, we chose to do it on own own for the next two days. We had plenty of time to eat breakfast, then plan our day leaving around 10am. It is Sunday, and we know shops and stores do not open too early. It looked like it was going to be a hot day, in the low 90's with a chance of rain. It always rains here, and when it does, it pours. But more about that later too.

 

Many shuttle buses were lined up on the pier, and we would have made one of the waiting buses sooner, if one of us did not get stopped by the officials. Like we said yesterday, it is mandatory that we pack our passports with the stamped landing cards with us at all times. When the officials checked Bill's passport, they let him by. But when I presented mine, they could not find the entry stamp in my book. That was because it was not there, but in my old passport that I left on the ship. Assuming that they stamped the new passports, we only brought the new ones. Never assume anything, because I had to go back to the room, get my old book, and present it to the guys....all four of them now. Of course, we missed the full bus that left 5 minutes ago. Terry, bless her heart, who happened to be with us, said they harrassed me because of my blond hair, but Bill insisted that I have shifty eyes! No, it was their mistake, not mine. We were on our way in 15 minutes for a twenty minute ride to the right terminal. And NO, I do not have shifty eyes........

 

Finally, we knew where we were, and soon found our way to the underground transit system, the MRT. Armed with a pocket map, we had figured out this system a couple of years ago, realizing we could cover many miles with a day pass for tourists. This time we purchased a two day pass, giving us the freedom to ride the trains on four different lines all day if we chose. Each 2 day pass costs $26. Singapore dollars ($1. US = $1.25 Singapore). When we are done using these passes tomorrow, we get $10 back for each ticket. Compared to bus or taxi fares, this is a really good deal. It does involve a bit of walking to and from the stations, but we are game for it and find it rewarding to not get lost. Everything is well marked with signs everywhere, and if you look puzzled while studying the wall map, someone always stops to help. It happened today when a nice young gal wanted to direct us to the right station. How nice is that? We appreciated the kind thought. Those are the kind of things we always will remember.

 

Our first stop was at Little India (the purple line), a fascinating area teeming with shops and temples. It really is like stepping into downtown Mumbai, just smaller in scale. There are dozens of fabric shops here, specializing in saree lengths (over 6 yards) of colorful designs. We found two prints of chiffon-like fabric that will match the new Jimmy Choo purse purchased in Hong Kong. With that much yardage, two outfits can be made in either long dresses or Indian-style ponjabis. All that for the equivalent of $20. US dollars. Can't beat that.

 

On our way back to the MRT, we walked through the local meat, fish, and veggie market with an attached cafeteria. The market was full of customers buying supplies and food for the day. It was close to lunchtime, so many locals were already eating Indian food at the tables. It did smell good with all the unique spices they use in the dishes.

 

Our next stop involved a switch at Serangoon Station to go to the Botanic Gardens. This newly built line (the yellow line) was not complete last year, so we were happy to be able to try it out. Barbara Haenni's directions had mentioned a bus ride to get to this park. However, once we popped up from the underground, the gate to get into the park was right there. Good deal. This 74 hectare garden was started in 1859 by an agri-horticultural society that followed through with Sir Stamford Raffle's original development from 1822. It was handed over to the government, who oversees it today. The nice thing was that it was free. The day was still pleasant, and the sun looked like it would stay out long enough to explore the park.

 

It was quite a long hike to find the visitor's center, which is located in the center of the park. Once we found a map, we planned our walk accordingly. Passing dozens of fountains, streams, groves of trees, and lakes, we came upon the National Orchid Garden. We remembered being here before while on a tour many years ago. We are certain we paid a high price for this tour at the time, but today, the price for entering the orchid gardens was $1. Singapore dollar, the senior rate ( over 60 ). What a deal, even though the ticket seller did not ask for ID's. Love the perks of seniorhood!

 

We spent a considerable time following every pathway of planted orchids everywhere we looked. We were in orchid heaven with all the hybrids shown here. It is reported that over 60,000 are grown in this complex. We took photos of all of them! At one area, there is a fairly new refrigerated house, where special orchids grow in trees and vines. A waterfall pours under the bridge we walked on, like being in a huge tree house. It was so comfortably cool in here, we hated to go out the door back into the steamy garden. But the rewards of seeing even more colorful flowers was worth it. It was enjoyable just watching the locals with their small kids posing for pictures like we were.

 

There is a specially made type of jewelry sold here called Risis. A real orchid is dipped in liquid metals, such as nickel then gold leaf. It has several coatings, retaining the shape of the flower inside it. I already have a Risis necklace and earrings, so we were only checking prices, which have gone up significantly over the years. They are a wonderful keepsake and reminder of this lovely garden.

 

Since it was close to 2:30pm, we felt we needed to move on to get back to the gate and the MRT. The sky clouded up quickly when we heard the rumbling of thunder very close by. It wasn't more than two minutes before the giant raindrops started falling. First there were just a few drops, then the sky opened up, drowning all who could not run fast enough to the nearby gazebo. You cannot think about umbrellas, you just run with the crowd. It was exciting watching that downpour, knowing it would let up sooner or later. We did not wait forever, since we did pack the umbrellas, and the gate was only 100 feet away. We had gotten lucky that the storm held off for most of our stay there.

 

Now we had to transfer from the yellow line to the red line at Bishon Station. We rode the train until it stopped at Orchard Road, an area lined with western-style department stores and highend malls. It is the place to be seen, like Hollywood, we would say. The only thing was we had to navigate through a three story mall in order to find our way out to the streets. With the help of two mall direction fellows, we went up two flights of escalators, and came out at the end of the huge mall. We were on the right street, and just had to turn left for four blocks to find the Hard Rock Cafe. The rain had resumed, but was falling lightly at this point. It was going to be great sitting down for awhile. Guess who we ran into?? Barbie, Susie, Woody, Eloise, and Sky who had also dined in the HRC. They recommended the cheese nachos and pulled pork sandwiches. Gosh that sounded good, but we had our minds set on the Haystack salads with fried Tupelo chicken. At least in this HRC, the sodas were re-filled at no extra charge, unlike the HRC in Sydney. We paid as much for four sodas as we paid for one lunch entree there. Guess they are not all run the same.

 

By 4pm, we decided to leave the comfort of the cafe, and continue our journey. It could not have been a worse time to go, since the rain was coming down like cats and dogs. It was so dark, that it looked like dusk. Oh well, we got a bit wet, but it felt good, cooling us off. Our umbrellas, which we always pack, got a workout today. Now we had to re-board the train and find the purple line that would take us to the river at Clarke Quay. By now, we were running out of steam, and since it was raining, we decided to head back to HarbourFront, where we began our trip at the Singapore Cruise Terminal this morning. We have another full day to explore, so we saved that stop plus more for then. The ship was going to be docked there by 5:30pm, and that would be about the time we would get back to the terminal. Well, at least the Amsterdam was SUPPOSED to be there. Again, don't believe everything they tell you....it ain't always so.

 

Somehow we knew that the ship would not be docked on time. That seems to be the way things have gone on this trip so far. The cruise terminal was filled with at least 400 guests, sitting in chairs at least, running out of patience rapidly. The 5:30pm promised onboard time, eventually turned into after 7pm. We heard later that the fuel bunkering took an hour longer than expected at the container port, then the tanker would not move out of the ship's way. Whether or not the gambling ship had left prior to 5pm, we will never know. But it was obvious that we were not waiting for the Zaandam to move. She was 2 hours overdue, which we were told by a reliable source, would cost an extra $100,000. in late docking fees. The end result was that the first seating passengers missed their dinnertime, some folks missed their tour to the Night Safari Park, and a few even may have missed their connections to the airport for a flight out tonight, thus missing their plane. The rest of us were just plain tired and cranky.

 

One fun thing to come out of this grueling wait, was the chance to visit with other passengers we don't see too often. Ray, Grace, and "luscious" Rose, as Tom M. calls her, told us all about their upcoming tiger safari planned in northern India. They, along with our host Tom, will be leaving the ship in Sri Lanka for several days on their private excursion, coming back in Mumbai. If Tom feels it is suitable for a company tour, then maybe it will be offered through our travel agency in the future. Anyway, Tom is excited as a little kid and we're happy for him and his merry group.

 

Other stories emerged as we cooled our heels. One was about the Captain's wife saving seats for her several friends in the Queens Lounge for a show. Doesn't she know that is a big NO-NO! One longtime guest actually went directly to her and said as much, getting little reaction. That is not the way to gain popularity for your husband, who happens to be the Captain, duh..... Apparently, she and her group of friends also left on the first tenderboat in Lombok, where the boats were having problems that day. What did they care? They were off and gone on thier merry way. Perhaps that is what will happen to the Captain on next year's world cruise. Who knows? Captain Olav would have known better we believe.

 

By 7pm, there was a mad dash to get through the checkpoint, where our passports were viewed along with our room card for ID. Barbie had been taunting the officials, in a joking way, for the last hour. She and many others had to go to the "happy room", but did not want to chance missing her place in line. You never saw the people run so fast to get onboard.

 

Not a word of this fiasco was mentioned at dinner. Our waiter Firman said the early diners were turned away, and had to go to the Lido to eat. Bet they were not happy campers. Ellen was back from her Cambodia trip and had much to share about her adventures. Martha, Ron, Marion and Lloyd were sad, because they were leaving for home tomorrow. Marion and Lloyd had to leave the ship at 3am for a 6am flight, while Ron and Martha will leave at 9am for later flights. Martha even brought us a gift.....another singing bird! We will miss her, but not her camera. At least she kept the picture-taking to a minimum last night, and we were all thankful.

 

Tomorrow will be another full day, and we are looking forward to adding many more miles on our MRT tickets!

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Seago2]

Thank you again! You don't know how I look forward to my installments:). Shame about the rain, and the wait must have been horrible, but Singapore- how nice to visit a "safe" city.

[GoldenLover]

It has been a real pleasure to follow you on this grand tour. I told myself that I would not bother you with yet another "thank you," because I expect you've heard it all - over and over. However, I guess, like other CCers, I couldn't help myself. This is such a treat for all of us - and especially for those of us who may never have the world cruise opportunity, but have cruised enough to know the wonder. So, in the words of the "King," thank you thank . . . you very much. I wish you fair skies, calm waters, good health and good times for the remainder of your cruise. It's so kind of you to share.

[WCB]

Report # 80 March 19, 2012 Monday Singapore, Republic of Singapore

 

At breakfast this morning, we asked Presti how many guests left the ship, and how many joined. He said that 40 left and 60 boarded. For a change, we gained a few extras. He added that by the time we reach Barcelona, Spain, we will be down to only 800 guests for the trans-Atlantic portion of the cruise. We should have lots of elbow room for sure.

 

While we are "parked" in the Singapore Cruise Center, the ship is across from Sentosa Island, a popular resort with a nice beach for the locals and a historical fortification dating back to World War Two. It also houses a museum which we visited on a trip years ago. The most memorable thing we recall was the snake charmer, who sat neat this museum with his woven basket. Never in a million years did we think he had a real cobra in that basket, but he did. We can still see it in our minds, when he opened the top, and the snake slithered out and escaped into the shrubbery. Needless to say, we exited quickly, not looking back. Another fun thing to do after touring the history museum, which was packed full of fascinating WWTwo information, was a ride we took on the monorail. Monkeys were playing on the tracks all around the island. As it got dark out, the Merlion Statue, the trademark symbol for Singapore, was lit up with lasor lights. Really cool. Another neat ride to the island is by the gondolas that light up at night. They go right over the top of the ships docked underneath them.

 

We left the ship by 10:30am for another day of riding the rails underground. You feel like gophers after a day of riding. It is the best way to get around this city if you want to see the maximum sites in two days. A nice stop to make is at the legendary Raffles Hotel, which we reached from the City Hall stop (purple line, then transfer on the red line). We are adding this info for our own record of how we did this for future trips. Named after Sir Stamford Raffles, who founded this city for the British in the early 1800's, the hotel still retains its old world charm. It is only three stories high, small by today's towering monolithes, and built with the rooms surrounding tree-laden courtyards. You enter the hotel through impressive portals and are thrust into a formal-type past where everyone was stuffy and proper. Unless you are residents of the hotel, you are not allowed into the lobby anymore. It is understandable, since many guests are still lounging in the deep couches reading newspapers or smoking cigars with a drink. Very British, but none the less, very impressive.

 

Several highend shops surround the courtyard as well as cafes and restaurants. One popular place with the tourists is the Long Bar Steakhouse, where they still drink beer and throw the peanut shells on the floor. The outside bar serves the popular Singapore Slings, a very sweet beverage with several types of booze and fruit juices. The last time we had one it was about 25. Singapore dollars ($20.US). Since it was still very early, we passed on the beers and slings this time. We did buy an affordable t-shirt at the Raffles store, and enjoyed getting the bag as much as we did the shirt. Glenn and Judy said that packing the bag was part of the fun....you're the envy of all! Doesn't matter what is in the bag, only the "look" that goes with carrying it. They are very funny. We did check out one shop that had gorgeous silk jackets in the window. Real silk is over-the-top expensive, with their items starting at $500. We were not carrying a bag of those out of the store...........

 

A new line (yellow) has been added to this end of the transit system since we were here last year. We discovered that if we found the Esplanade Station, we could get a ride directly to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and Casino. We found it, and were advised to get off at Bayfront. It worked and when we exited the station, we walked right into the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. This unreal complex was recently built and has become Asia's most spectacular and versatile destination. We agree it will become a most recognizable icon of Singapoe's skyline. The hotel portion looks to us like a three-legged ironing board! There are three huge hotel towers that are connected on the top with a skypark that is in the shape of an ironing board.

 

Built in front of the hotel is the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, a three story massive mall housing the most highend designer stores in the world. It is a millionaire's paradise with Burberry, Cartier, Chanel, Dior, Fendi, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Hermes, Prada, Ralph Loen, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Yves Saint Laurent. to name a few. It would take days to see it all or eat at the many upscale restaurants or food courts. And the best part of staying inside the mall, is the air-conditioning. It was really hot outside today, and it never did rain, which cools things off somewhat. With all the massive fountains and even a canal with boats inside this complex, you still have the coolness of the water to keep you comfortable.

 

We had traveled to all the levels, and were on our way down to see the ice skating rink, when we spotted Heo and Greg. It is funny how your paths can cross in such a massive place. You could not have planned it so good. Anyway, they had just come from the hotel, and suggested how we could reach the top without paying the $20. fee they charged everyone to see it. That works for us, because we just wanted to get some photos. Since we were not hungry yet, we headed right for the hotel, a long walk which took us probably under the road and up into the lobby in the middle of the three towers. There are more than 2500 exquisitely decorated rooms and suites in this structure. They are accessed by elevators in each tower. Greg said to find elevator # One, and take the set of high speed lifts that go up to level 57 on the top. This is the Sands Skypark, 200 meters in the air, where the cantilevered part is gravity-defying. It is the largest of its kind in the world. You have a 360 degree view of the city and Marina Bay below. Lush gardens with full grown trees and palms dot the park with two infinity pools luring the guests to cool off there. We had exited the elevator at the restaurant, Sky on 57, where a small area was glassed off for photo-taking. Access to the rest of the park and pools was off limits to us, which was fine. It was a great place for a short visit, knowing we were up so high on an "ironing board" spanning the three towers.

 

Having worked up an a good appetite, we made our way back to the mall and soon found a nice restaurant for lunch. Pizza was on our minds today, and the only place to find it was at Pizzeria Mozza, a mall restaurant with wood-fired ovens and Italian food. We each ordered the tomato/oregano/oliveoil 10 inch pizza, and enjoyed every crispy, delicious bite. It did take about 30 minutes for it to cook, but well worth the chance to relax and watch the mall traffic go by. It had been four hours since we had left the ship, and relaxing for an hour was really fine with us.

 

While we were dining, we looked across to the third level of shops, where a place called Reflexology and Fish intrigued us. Wondering exactly what that was, we planned on going up there to see it after we ate. What we found was a first for us. Reflexology had to do with foot massage, which we already knew. The fish thing, was a floor-level tank containing one inch long fish. Now picture this.......tables with benches had computers on them, like a typical internet place. But while you used the computers, you sat with your bare feet in the trough of fish. These fish clean your feet while you surf the web! They literally nip away at the dead skin on your heels and toes, a tickling experience we have heard. How wild is that?

 

Time was running away from us, so we continued onward to the MRT and found our way back to the Dhoby Ghaut intersection. This time we stayed on the yellow line, transferring at the Promenade station on the intersecting yellow line to the purple line. From there, we traveled south one stop to the Clarke Quay station. Popping up here, we went up several escalators to the Singapore River and the Riverfront shops and cafes. At one time, this was a really nice area of Singapore, but has taken a backseat to the newer, more modern malls. Last year, we had visited this place on a Sunday, and the riverfront walkways were filled with vendors. Today being a Monday, all the fun bands and stalls were gone, leaving many empty spaces with no people. We did stop to purchase some cooling ice creams, strolled around the streets and bridges, then got back on the MRT.

 

Chinatown was closeby, but all that is there are major crowds, a lot of Chinese food buffets, and tons of cheap souveniers. We still had some grocery shopping to do at Harbourfront, so we rode to the end of the line. The ticket agent was not open, of course, with a sign saying they would be back at 5:10pm. Many other tourists were starting to line up to get their refunds as well. Since we had 20 minutes to spare, we wandered over to the nearby Vivo Mall, which is attached to the Harbourfront Mall. Gosh, you could easily get lost in there, like we did last year while on the hunt for Aleve for a very sore knee injury. So glad that wasn't repeated this year! Anyway, we watched a small food stall where the vendor was making hot waffles. Guess this is a type of snack, where peanut butter and nuts are added to the waffle, which is then folded and put in a waxed bag. They did smell wonderful, even if it was 5pm in the late afternoon.

 

The window did open on time, where we got $20 Singapore dollars back. We used that plus more purchasing chips, dips, and large bottles of Coke Zero. The prices were right, and this would be our last chance to buy the snack foods we like until we reach the Mediterranean. Heaven forbid, we may go hungry............not!

 

The passports had to be turned in to the front desk by 9pm, so the local officials could release us to leave at 11pm. In fact, the all aboard time was 9pm, even though we were not leaving until 11pm. We know that Greg and Heo were staying out for a local dinner and would not return until 10pm. Hope they will not be in late-returning prison!! At least, we did not have to go to another muster drill tonight.

 

We were down to the original five at our table......Barbie, Ellen, Terry, and us. It was really nice to have a small group, since we were all worn out from our 2 day stay here. Ellen always wants to fill the remaining seats, but she has been voted down many times by the majority. Sometimes, you just want easy instead of entertaining strangers. And meatloaf with mashed potatoes was on the menu, which was great. It doesn't take much to make us happy.

 

Barb and Ellen had a really good story about attempting to dine out with Martha, Ron, and Sky at Clarke Quay at lunchtime. Martha and Ron were departing Singapore for home, but not until later. She had gotten a room at the Swiissotel near the river. So the group went to meet them, and asked a local person where the best place to eat was. They were directed to a restaurant we would never have stepped foot in. And for good reason, they were hustled from the get-go and suspected that the bill would be tremendous. We would have walked out. However, they said to cancel their orders, and please bring the bill. When the bill finally arrived for the under-par food, they found charges like 50 cents each for glass usage (for the beer drinking). Get real........They paid the outrageous bill, then got the heck out of there. In hindsite, they should have stayed at the hotel, where there was a beautiful buffet for $33. per person. Oh well, 20/20 right?

 

One more day at sea, and we will be in one of our favorite countries.......Thailand!

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

PS We have sent a follow-up response to the insufficient reply we got from the HAL folks. This was regarding the abbreviated visit to the Great Barrier Reef. We'll keep you updated as to the response we get. Also, our travel agency is backing us up on this request.

[bcnvcanada]

Thanks so much for the information about Singapore, and since I will be there next month I will put it to good use. I enjoy your travels and helpful hints. Again, thanks and will continue to follow your travels around the world.