Live from my Slow Boat to China -- the Amsterdam

[arzz]

Slow Boat to China - Day 8 - September 28

 

We were in bed last night for a very long time since we did turn the clocks back two hours. During his report from the bridge today Captain Eversen advised that tonight we will go back another two hours. Long nights for all... oh, what will we do, what will we do with that time?

 

Today we are cruising in the Bering Sea - we have tucked ourselves north of the Aleutian Islands due to a large storm that is headed east. Our seas are almost flat and we are maintaining average speeds over 17 knots. The skies are partly sunny and the temperature outside is in the mid fifties. Standing next to our cabin window we feel warm coming in from the sunlight unlike yesterday's continual chill.

 

Since we now are on our way to Japan, the daily program is full of informative activities in preparation for Japan. Today you could learn Origami, understand the history of the Japanese Tea Ceremony, take a Japanese language class, learn Japanese folk dances or listen to our location guide, Barbara, talk about Kushiro. That is in addition to the normal lecture series, classic cruise games, trivia, fitness, arts and crafts, watercolors, etc. No excuse to be bored on board.

 

DH and I are now heaving a collective sigh of relief as our email now works well - well, it works well for cruise ship email - I can now go in and upload and download in just a few minutes. Hope it continues this way. Our vacation has finally really begun.

 

I know that I told you that the day of September 30 was going to disappear from my life experience according to the calendar that they published in the first edition of "today on Location" for this cruise - but this evening as I look at tomorrow's edition it seems that it is Monday, September 29 that is not going to be part of my life experience. Tonight, again, we set the clocks back by two hours -- so it is 11:15 pm Sunday now by today's time, but it will soon be 9:15 pm Sunday -- then at midnight it will be 12:01 am on Tuesday. Got that? I am not sure that I do.

 

Tonight's entertainer was Michael Menes who was billed as a juggler and he did juggle but he also did some mime and several very creative and rather unusual acts for us. It was fun.

 

Signing off from the Bering Sea headed to Japan and gaining on the Kamchatka Peninsula.

[arzz]

Slow Boat to China - Day 9 - Tuesday, September 30

 

PFFFT! Monday, September 29 --- all gone! Well, not quite. I stand corrected by Captain Eversen. We received personalized "Crossing the International Dateline Certificates", signed by the Captain, and it states that this morning we crossed the line at 52 degrees 42.1 minutes N latitude and 170 degrees 36.8 minutes E longitude. It says this happened at 10:30 am on the 30th of September -- so the query ... was it the 30th of September all day since midnight? Or was it the 29th of September then at 10:30 am it magically became the 30th?

 

Things like this are never celebrated and not even really mentioned when you fly -- this is so much more fun!

 

After our second two hour extended night I awoke to the Tuesday sunrise as we passed a rather large island (unnamed on the ship's TV chart - I will have to check the chart in the Crow's Nest later - and I did check -- I think it was Attor which is the western most island in the Aleutians) that was lined with craggy mountains and cliffs. We did not get close enough to see more. Temperatures are in the mid-fifties and it is sunny. We are headed somewhat back south (and closer to the originally planned course of the ship) so it should be getting a bit warmer. We have been told to expect the sixties in Kushiro. We are blessed with calm seas - at least for the moment but Captain Eversen in his mid-day report warned that in the next 24 hours we are to expect some storms. Bonine is at the ready but we are not there yet.

 

One difference that I have noticed on board - not sure if this is system wide or just for the Grands - but the nightly pre dinner snacks that are served in the bars are way different than they were in July on our Alaska cruise. There are three items each evening, elegantly presented, served on a rectangular, stylish, flat stone serving dish. One or two items are served on a tasting spoon, and one is usually served in a shot glass. For instance, this evening the shot glass contained a large bacon wrapped shrimp dipping into a fresh tomato salsa, there was a tasting spoon with a dollup of caviar surrounded by chopped eggs, onions, parsley (basically all of the trimmings), and the third item was a fried oyster sitting on a bed of sauce on a half shell. Actually, now that I look at what I just wrote, it does sound more Grand than routine. Tonight was not even a formal night.

 

I have seen (yes and eaten) the shot glass when filled with tomato gazpacho one night, cucumber gazpacho another night. The tasting spoon one night had a large, crispy bitteballen (actually just one ball, but I do not know the singular term) pierced with a fancy toothpick and sitting on a bed of yellow mustard. One night it was a crispy rice covered crab cake standing on the spoon like the bitteballen. On other nights there might be a slice of sushi on the stone dish, or a small salmon volcano roll standing in the shot glass. Very elegant and tasty.

 

Once again tonight, for the third night in a row we turn the clocks back two hours. We will then be 7 hours earlier than Seattle (8 hours earlier than Chicago) - and, of course, since 10:30 am this morning (or should I say "one morning or other") we are one full day ahead.

 

Sheesh!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Those pre-dinner appetizers are definitely made for the Grand Cruises.

They sound delicious.

[Copper10-8]

..........................After our second two hour extended night I awoke to the Tuesday sunrise as we passed a rather large island (unnamed on the ship's TV chart - I will have to check the chart in the Crow's Nest later - and I did check -- I think it was Attor which is the western most island in the Aleutians) that was lined with craggy mountains and cliffs..........................

 

 

Attu at

52°54′09″N 172°54′34″ E;)

[arzz]

Slow Boat to China - Day 10 - October 1

 

Thank you Copper 10-8 for correcting my senior moment - the western most island in the Aleutions is Attu, that is what I read on the chart in the Crow's Nest - it is just that my brain is not quite as good at retaining things as it used to be and it is also just a little high on bonine - or, then again, it might just be my automatic spell checker doing its evil deeds.

 

Today, after another VERY long night, I awoke early (no surprise there after three days of turning the clocks back two hours a day) - to a distinct feeling of motion and the sounds of waves and wind. Captain Eversen's promised storms are with us.

 

It is currently late afternoon and we are still rocking and rolling though the sun does occasionally peek out. Our speed has been between 17 and 18 knots, temperatures in the low to mid 40's, and we are currently dealing with apparent winds up to 64 knots with real winds around 50 knots (force 10 on the Beaufort scale). What a ride! I love watching the foam and hearing the spray on the cabin window. I am a little less thrilled, however, when having to choose between falling on the stairs (because that is what I would probably do) and riding in an elevator that creaks, groans and slams on invisible things in its secret shaft. I have been choosing the elevator.

 

Our day has been filled with all manner of forms of excitement.

 

We attended a lecture on the story of the Forty-seven Ronin, Barbara's talk on Tokyo, and Mel Foster's talk on Legends, Lore and Legacies of the Seven Seas - today he spoke of myths and mysteries in seafaring stories. They were all quite good and filled our time since today is definitely not the day to walk the promenade deck. I suspect we could go to the gym and exercise mystery muscles - you know, the muscle that you really used rather than the one you intended to use in the course of any movement. It was challenging enough to wash my face this morning without my head being plummeted into the faucet.

 

We are also excited as we received our ballots by email for the November elections today so that we can actually exercise our right to vote.

 

The other thing I did for a little while today was to go to the casino to donate some cash to the slot machines. This was my first trip to the casino this voyage - but I had to go because sitting at a slot machine is a time honored tradition for me during heavy seas. Since the beloved Garfield machine is no longer there I used the machine currently occupying the beloved Garfield Machine Memorial location in the casino.

 

Word on the street is that tonight we turn our clocks back only one hour - gosh we are being spoiled! So tomorrow morning our time will be 8 hours earlier than Seattle, 10 hours earlier than Chicago and one day later than the U.S. Time really does fly here at the date line. I must apologize that yesterday my bonine rattled brain screwed up Chicago's time relative to us. I think that now I am right - but then I am still high on bonine so who knows.

 

Goodnight from south of the Kamchatka Peninsula and about 700 nautical miles northeast of Kushiro, Japan.

[RMLincoln]

Glad you are riding the rough seas well. Loving your story as I begin packing for our trip in the opposite direction. Blessings, m--

[happicruzer]

Enjoying your blog. You should continue to experience high seas if the forecast is correct.

 

The weather forecast isn't looking good due to Typhoon Phanfone. Per the weather channel, it is poised to become a powerful typhoon in the days ahead, posing a threat to Japan this weekend.

 

We had a similar storm experience a few years ago. We were lucky that the storm stayed 'out to sea' and, while we had cloudy skies, still were able to dock and tour Japan. Of course, once out to sea was a whole different story.

[POA1]

I'm just now catching up with your adventures and I want to compliment you on your truly enjoyable writing. Great work!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Keep up the wonderful review.

[Tampa Girl]

Arzz,

 

Have you heard any hints as to why this is the last Pacific Grand Voyage? I understand that it is not being repeated next year.

[KirkNC]

Glad you finally got your ballots! I know it was weighing on you.

[madera1]

I am enjoying reading your daily report. Thank you for taking us along on this Grand voyage.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[arzz]

Slow Boat to China - Day 11 - October 2

 

Sometime during the night it almost seemed like the ship stopped - but it was the ocean, not the ship, that stopped moving. Today our skies were bright sunny, our seas were flat. It is still rather chilly and somewhat windy (about 50 degrees). No bonine needed today!

 

Another day at sea, another long night last night though only a one hour change. More lectures, more activities, more food.

 

Today, however, we completed our ballots and sent them to our election commission back home. How much simpler it was this year than in 2008. Our ballots arrived yesterday by email, we printed them out, completed them, and the front office faxed them back to our local election commission. We did have to sign a "waiver of secrecy" since the ballots were faxed and not delivered in sealed envelopes.

 

In 2008 when we did this voyage we had to jump through hoops to vote. Our local ballots were not printed before we left on the trip - so we had to enlist the help of a fellow cruise critic member (Foxpaw) who was joining the Amsterdam in Singapore. We had our ballots mailed to him, we met him bright and early in the morning at his Singapore hotel, we completed the ballots and then took a taxi to the American Embassy where we were able to have them added to the daily diplomatic pouch. From there they were sent to the U.S. and put in the U.S. mail.

 

Tonight was our second of only three formal nights that we will have on our 26 day cruise segment. It was also the Black and Silver Ball. I did not go to the gala, but I can attest to the fact that the floor outside the Queen's Lounge was covered with black and silver sprinkles when I went back to my cabin this evening.

 

Once again there were two Seattle Chocolates waiting for us inn our cabin -- and for the record we are still receiving Hersey's kisses daily instead of the gold wrapped square chocolates each evening - and for the record, I prefer the Hersey's kisses to the current HAL standard chocolate.

 

As I close this, it is 10:30 pm local time -- we are now in Japanese waters as the casino closed and the map shows us approaching the northern most island of Japan. I suspect we would see the lights of the island if we were on the starboard side of the ship and not the port side.

 

We must clear Japanese immigration at 9:00 am tomorrow (fingerprints and temperature taking) and at 10:00 ... Kushiro.

[Mtn2Sea]

Glad you got your ballots completed. We leave for our 36 day cruise one day before absentee ballots are available for delivery. We were told we might get an exception and get our ballots early if we appear at the elections office the day before we leave and explain our situation to the supervisor of elections. We hope this works because we were not given any other options other than the standard mailing out of an absentee ballot.

[arzz]

Slow Boat to China - Day 12 - October 3

Kushiro, Japan

 

Last night, in the dark, as we closed in on our first Japanese port, Kushiro the outside temperature slowly started to rise. At 6:30 am as we traveled the last couple of miles into port the reported temperature outside was 57 degrees. Warmer than we have seen in days.

 

During the night, every time I looked out the window, there were small groups of white birds who flew with us all night who were magically illuminated to a sharp, crisp white by the lights from the promenade one deck above us. They seemed to be enjoying flying in the air currents of our wake as they escorted us to Japan. This morning, at sunrise, they were gone.

 

As many of you have expected, Holland America has a vested interest in keeping its ships, and those aboard its ships, safe. Typhoon Phanfone is indeed headed for Tokyo to arrive at the same moment that the Amsterdam is scheduled to overnight in Tokyo - so we have been given a new itinerary. After our visit at Kushiro today, the ship will deviate course to go to the west side of Japan.

 

Saturday, October 4 will be a sea day

Sunday, October 5 we will visit Kanazawa

Monday, October 6 we will be at sea

Tuesday, October 7 we will visit Fukuoka

Wednesday, October 8 we will arrive at Nagasaki as scheduled but two hours earlier at 8 am

 

This is our third visit to Japan (our first was a land tour in 1977) though only our second visit to Tokyo - though we will miss not being able to have repeat time in Tokyo we are excited to see two ports that are new to us. I am sure by tomorrow Barbara, our location guide, will be ready to tell us all about the places that we can see in these two somewhat unusual ports. And we will certainly be happier not coming face to face with a typhoon, though I am certain that there are many folks on board who are very disappointed at missing Tokyo. And, if truth be told, so am I.

 

As compensation there will be free wine and soda at dinner tonight. Port taxes and shorex charges will, of course, be refunded.

 

At sea every day is an adventure and flexibility is an important quality for a good sailor.

 

At the stroke of 9 am Gene, our cruise director, started calling groups, by number, to proceed to deck 5 to clear immigration. First up was group 5. We were disappointed to discover that we were group 15. At a quarter to 11 they had proceeded only as far as group 10 or 11. I was feeling sorry for myself until I went to the ocean bar and met folks who were holding numbers 21, 24 and 28! Not sure why it took so long but we have no control over that. We were cleared by 11:30 yet there were still several groups behind us. At least we do not have to clear immigration again for the next three ports!

 

In the end, it wasn't particularly awful that the process took so long. We had chosen not to do a shore excursion here (which would have been out to the marshlands to see the cranes) in the hopes that if we walked around town we could get a taste of 2014 Japan and maybe a good Japanese lunch. We browsed the visitor's center (called the MOO), watched a group of primary school children share their bag lunches in the conservatory there, and then walked on down the water front which was lined with modern, well maintained fishing boats.

 

From there we walked into the town. The streets were lined with small restaurants, hotels and a few shops - but it was quiet and pretty much closed. Clearly this neighborhood is an evening entertainment district not a daytime one.

 

Back to the MOO to see if any of the Japanese fast food appealed. As we looked at the picture menu at one stand a small, somewhat curved old Japanese gentleman who had just ordered enthusiastically recommended one of the dishes - a rice bowl with fried fish and sauce and served with a side of oshinko (Japanese pickled white radish). So we ordered that and a Sapporo beer and sat down to feed. It was quite good but the flavor of the fish was a bit too strong for my personal taste. Many folks from the ship walked by and indicated that somehow we might be very brave to eat Japanese - but a few did stop to feed also. We should know by tomorrow if our choice was, in fact, too brave -- but I really think we are OK.

 

One thing somewhat worthy of mention is that the outside temperature today was in the mid sixties. We have been so thoroughly chilled this trip that DH and I wore our heavier jackets ashore - as did many others from the ship. The first hint, which we should have taken and returned to our cabin for proper clothing, was that as we approached the gangway the air coming in was very moist, but not cold. It was a pleasure to actually get sweaty - but one that I would prefer not to repeat. It is time for the lighter rain jacket as we will only be moving south from here.

[Krazy Kruizers]

This sounds like a fantastic cruise.

[hpf]

You are certainly brave trying local food. Good luck and I hope you stay well.

 

I am really enjoying all your posts. stay safe and warm.

 

Helen

[ger_77]

I hope you enjoy your return to Japan - too bad you weren't able to get back to Tokyo, though, it is a wonderful city. I wouldn't worry about eating Japanese "street food" - they are government regulated, and the "curved old Japanese gentleman" could very well have been an inspector! Our son lived there for 7 years and not once did he fall ill from street foods. When we visited, we loved trying new things - even though we had no idea what some were, it was always an adventure!

 

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

[pmd98052]

Love Japan and worked there frequently (Tokyo) as part of my job - feel like I know it as well as London where I grew up but I only scratched the surface I'm sure! However since the Fukushima catastrophe I would be very hesitant to return as 3-4 full meltdowns that are still not controlled and are still releasing large amounts of radiation into the ocean, environment and food supplies just 120 miles from Tokyo is a huge concern to me.

 

Absolutely love Tokyo and Japan though. Who would go there and not sample the local food? One of the best joys of travel in my opinion. I've eaten sashimi chicken, sashimi horse, live octopus, fresh from the shell uni (Sea Urchin) and all sorts while there and lived to tell the tale!

 

Highly recommend Shabu Shabu (hot pot style meal) if you get the chance.

 

Also in Tokyo visiting the fish market @4-5am is a must as is eating at one of the local breakfast sushi bars in the market - one of the best meals I've ever had.

 

Enjoy!!

Edited October 4, 2014 by pmd98052

[arzz]

Slow Boat to China - Day 13 - October 4

 

We are now cruising Japan's inland sea on our way to Kanazawa, Japan. It is sunny and mid 60's outside - the humidity has dropped from yesterday's 100% to 62%. We have no sense that a typhoon could be entering Japan soon. We are told that Kanazawa is on the west side of the island of Honshu virtually opposite to Tokyo which is on the east side - but a long 8 hour drive away with a large mountain range between the east and west sides of the island.

 

If anyone is still wondering - there were no ill effects from yesterday's meal - just good memories of an unusual experience. That is what traveling is all about.

 

According to Barbara both of our new ports may be new to Holland America but often receive visits from both Princess and Cunard and are therefore will able to accommodate us very well. This is in contrast to yesterday's visit to Kushiro which does not receive cruise ships regularly at all - that explains the visits to the pier by several bus loads of children as well as the lack of open restaurants and services other than the visitor's center nearby. We will also have shuttle buses at both ports between the pier and their downtowns.

 

Not much to report today ... just another sea day full of sunshine and glittering seas. Very bright, very windy but warming temperatures during our walk on the promenade deck. From my cabin this afternoon I noticed that the sun was perfectly positioned so that every time the ship caused a large bit of spray from the waves the foam caught the sun and produced a momentary rainbow. Moments like that are why I cruise.

 

Well, I can now say definitively that somebody from HAL, possibly Captain Eversen, does follow the HAL boards. My lack of anonymity can be blamed only on myself as a few days ago I mentioned in this blog that the Captain and his girlfriend eat at the table behind ours.

 

Today, after finishing his meal, Captain Eversen came over to our table and asked "OK, who is on the Slow Boat to China?" I am currently terribly red faced, but we did have a very pleasant chat. He is quite a charming man - and I have been officially outed.

 

We are actually doing a shore excursion tomorrow so I have to get to bed early.

[Mtn2Sea]

No need to be red faced. I think the Captain is enjoying your review as much as the rest of us!

[Krazy Kruizers]

I wouldn't worry about the captain finding out who is talking about him on this board.

I am enjoining your review.

[DrTee]

I'm having a similar challenge with voting here in Texas. I leave before early voting starts, and I'll be gone for over a month. I can't even get the folks at the elections office to understand the problem, so they keep mailing me the same thing, which is an application for a ballot. But the application requires you to give an address (address: middle of the Atlantic, on the Prinsendam?). So I've read this with interest and renewed hope that if I go down there I might be able to get some resolution. This is a very important election for my state, and we also have a local matter on fracking.

[sammygoose]

I am really enjoying your review, thanks.

[SilvertoGold]

Arzz

 

Captain Eversen is a super captain, exactly the kind that HAL should have more of.

We had him for 42 days on an Antarctic cruise and he presented us with our Silver Medallions. He passed by our little table for 2 on his way to dinner some evenings and would say hello. This was his private time and he certainly didn't need to do that: just an example of how good a sport he is.