Live from my Slow Boat to China -- the Amsterdam

[carri cruiser]

Slow Boat to China - Day 18 and 19 - October 10 and 11

Inchon, South Korea

 

Day 18

 

We arrived at Inchon this morning right on time. We have blue skies and temperatures hovering in the high sixties and low seventies. A beautiful day. We have an 8 hour tour this afternoon and evening so we have decided to conserve energy and stay on the ship until it is time for us to leave later.

 

After breakfast we took a short walk on the promenade deck and discovered a tiny stow away - probably waiting for Halloween - a little black, furry bat - asleep and clinging to the ceiling of the promenade on the starboard side, aft. We have photos - he is rather cute - but of course he is not awake or flying around. The first time I have ever seen a bat without a cage between me and it. I wonder how long he has been aboard. He should be able to help with the mosquito count.

 

On the dock outside our window there is a booth set up where there have been locals in brightly colored traditional dress playing music for us all morning. They are also dressing women who so choose in traditional robes and taking photos - I think using your own camera.

 

The port is a busy industrial port - though not the busiest in South Korea - I watched a white ore delivered and scooped out of one cargo ship, while the ship next to it was filled with a brown ore (the color of sand) from a VERY large pile stored at the port. Then there are the fields of cars waiting to be shipped. They seem to go on forever - we estimate that there are cars parked here numbering in the thousands - lined up in neat little rows - and those are the ones in view. There are also piles of containers and buildings labeled with names like Hanjin - the names we see on the container ships that go in and out of Seattle - but here we are on the other end of the journey.

 

Our 8 hour tour began at 3:15 pm and we went to Seoul to see a performance of traditional folk music, dance and stories at a place called Korea House. The tour took 8 hours because it takes a long time to get from Inchon to Seoul - lots of traffic - due to a population in the greater metropolitan area of 25 - 45 million depending on where you define your outlines. Seoul alone has a population of 10 million.

 

In addition to the dance program we also had two compulsory shopping stops. The first was in downtown Seoul at a market set up on the banks of a small river that had been buried under concrete in a modernization scheme and was recently unearthed and once again allowed to flow on the surface. The market was interesting with all sorts of nicknacks and souvenir baubles but the river was very unusual in that it flowed on concrete and was covered overhead by hundreds of pale green open umbrellas that were strung above on a wire grid to offer shade from the sun.

 

The second stop was on a street with mostly clothing shops - total waste of time for us.

 

Once at Korea House we were treated to a buffet dinner of local dishes from fruits and vegetables to sushi, tempura style fried fish and veggies, lots of dishes full of mystery fish and meat in the typical Korean red sauces, kimchee, traditional Korean sweets, etc. An interesting tasting experience.

 

The one hour show, however, was definitely the highlight and what made this long excursion worthwhile. The men and women who danced and played instruments as they acted out 8 different traditional folk art performances were dressed in colorful costumes. Along with the music and choreography it was all eye candy to watch - not only because it was beautiful but because the dancers so effectively portrayed things like a snow storm through their movements, costumes and fans. There was a "battle of the drums" between four young men playing traditional folk drums - all at the same time, each with a different rhythm.

 

During the finale all the dancers carried and used drums of one sort or another - but the most interesting part of this performance were the hats worn by the men. There was, for lack of a better term, a long antenna attached to the hat of each one with a flexible joint that allowed it to rotate in response to the movement of the dancer's head. At the other end of the antenna was a several foot long ribbon sash. The dancer's were able, through their head movements, to control the sashes to make and keep them rotating in circles and patterns that coordinated with each other. One dancer sported a hat that had a large group of feathers attached that formed a flower which he could control to bloom and then close at will.

 

Other than the length of this trip and the second shopping stop - the only serious negative was our guide. Again we had a guide who felt compelled to fill the air with constant noise - except that she did not speak loudly enough into the microphone for us to hear what she was saying. After the performance, on our way back to the bus, several of us discussed taking up a collection to pay her not to talk ....

 

Day 19

 

Even though the ship was docked and in port all night, I woke up feeling the "movement of the ship" - my inner ear refusing to accept that I was no longer at sea. Don't worry, it is better now, because we are at sea on our way to Xingang.

 

This morning we did a half day tour of Inchon. It started with a stop at the fish market. Now, in our travels we have been to fish markets in Egypt, the South Pacific, Europe, Japan ... but we were never at a fish market like this one. It seems that in Korea many people eat their sushi (they have a Korean name for it which I have forgotten) a little fresher than even the Japanese.

 

Our guide described being at a meal where she was served small crabs already covered in sauce that walked off of her plate - and a similar experience with octopus. Yeah, like it or not, some folks do that here. The fish market reflects the custom. Most of the fish is displayed and purchased alive. Rather than piles of dead fish on ice, there are clean, well circulated aquariums in the stalls full of swimming fish - tubs of crabs reaching for the ceiling, and clams looking dead but then squirting occasional spouts of water from their shells. All manner of seafood could be found there and it was quite the experience.

 

We also walked through a traditional Korean Garden - in Korea the traditional gardens are not carefully manicured. The grasses are allowed to grow tall, and the wildflowers follow suit. We saw a rice field that we could get up close and personal with. Since it is harvest season we were able to see the mature rice plants with the mature grains of rice still attached. A first for me.

 

Before we left the gardens they offered us cups of tea to which they had added a large spoonful of "citroen honey" - essentially a citroen marmalade. That, too, was quite good, especially the chunks of sweet candied citroen peel.

 

Our next stop was at the small Architecture Museum and a quick walk past Chinatown. Then it was on to a local market, full of food stalls and local "fast food" - where our guide fed those who were willing local pancakes with mung beans or fried chicken.

 

Impressions of Inchon and Seoul - Modern, busy cities - full of people and non-stop activity - Every other store is a coffee shop - Starbucks yes, Tully's no, more commonly some local coffee cafe.

 

In both South Korean ports we had interesting security - leaving the ship we had to have our belongings x-rayed by the local port security people who were on board using the ship's equipment.

 

Another interesting feature of this port is that it is totally walled in from the ocean. To enter or leave ships must pass through a lock which I believe serves the purpose of keeping the tides from raising and lowering the ships at the dock as well as allowing immigration to clear the ship while still in the lock, before it gets to the dock.

 

A note: The name of the port the city where we were docked is spelled Incheon everywhere we traveled these past two days - my spellchecker, however, prefers to spell it Inchon so much of the time in this document it has been spelled by the rules of my spellchecker rather than the preference of those who actually live there. For that I apologize.

 

Clocks back another hour tonight - tomorrow we are at sea.

 

perhaps you don't see any Tully's coffee shops, because Starbucks has bought them out, and maybe their signs now all say Starbucks, which is the case here in downtown Seattle!!

[arzz]

Slow Boat to China - Day 20 - October 12

 

We are at sea on the way to Xingang - (Beijing). Not much to report today. Sea day stuff. Two new speakers: David Smith on Travel Photography and Sandra Millikan who spoke on War Memorials. Barbara spoke about the upcoming port of Qingdao.

 

We did nice relaxing stuff. We did not attend the buffet brunch in the dining room but many did.

 

It has been cool today, low '60's and windy. This evening the seas are a bit bumpy - experiencing up to force 9 winds - we are only cruising at around 12 knots. It is good to be at sea. I love watching the swells and the spray - and listening to the wind and spray on the cabin window. Should be good for sleeping tonight. Sigh.

[arzz]

Slow Boat to China - Day 21 - October 13

 

Today the ship is at Xingang, China - our port for Beijing. It is clear, sunny and cool (temperatures in the mid 50's). There is a haze outside.

 

Most folks on board have gone out on tours of one sort or another. There is the very long one day tour to the Great Wall, and there are the overnight tours to Beijing which include the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and other sites.

 

We, on the other hand, have five nights in Beijing coming up on our Uniworld tour after we leave the ship in Shanghai - so no need to sit on a bus 3 hours each way to get to Beijing from here. Today we are enjoying the extreme bliss of an empty ship.

 

Almost everyone has gone somewhere. Many of the lounges are totally empty and completely quiet. Even at dining room breakfast this morning the quiet was remarkable. It is a pleasure to be at home when "the kids" are all out. My biggest plan for the day is a pedicure and massage.

 

Tomorrow we may avail ourselves of the complimentary shuttle bus to Tianjen and a shopping mall (about an hour's ride each way) ... or not ... we will see.

 

The realization that our part of this trip is fast coming to an end is both sad and exciting for us. The wonders of many days in China lie ahead but the comforts of being at home on the Amsterdam will come to an end. We are in the middle of much planning to get all of the laundry clean before we leave the ship, and decide what we need to leave behind to pare our suitcases to the required maximums of 44 lbs to check and 10 lbs to carry on for our six domestic China flights. Last night, as DH wore his old tuxedo - I took photos of its farewell performance. The tux will end its days on the Amsterdam, and give DH about 4 lbs more leeway in his suitcase. Men's clothing is heavy!

 

This evening the dining room was decked out in red and white streamers, the dining room stewards in white shirts with red vests or vice versa for Canada Day. There was also a large Canada Day cake on the lido at lunch time. Too bad that Canada Day was on our first night in Beijing - so many folks missed it.

 

There was only one performance of the show this evening, a group of entertainers who call themselves "China" came to perform for us - they had a long drive in and then spent four hours held up at port security so that by the time they arrived at the ship they had no time to even do a technical rehearsal. Yet, the show came off as totally professional. The first act was a group of young men who did a traditional Chinese Dragon Dance - the second act consisted of three women, elegantly dressed in Chinese brocades who played several songs on three traditional Chinese string instruments, and the last was a dance performed by a dozen identically clad women wearing metal extenders on their fingers who performed a dance in formations reminiscent of the tap dances from the old black and white movies where the camera would shift to a position from the ceiling to show off the design of their dance formations. Very colorful and fun. A pleasant way to end the day.

 

Tomorrow we are still in Beijing.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Slow Boat to China - Day 20 - October 12

 

We are at sea on the way to Xingang - (Beijing). Not much to report today. Sea day stuff. Two new speakers: David Smith on Travel Photography and Sandra Millikan who spoke on War Memorials. Barbara spoke about the upcoming port of Qingdao.

 

We did nice relaxing stuff. We did not attend the buffet brunch in the dining room but many did.

 

It has been cool today, low '60's and windy. This evening the seas are a bit bumpy - experiencing up to force 9 winds - we are only cruising at around 12 knots. It is good to be at sea. I love watching the swells and the spray - and listening to the wind and spray on the cabin window. Should be good for sleeping tonight. Sigh.

 

 

Was it a special buffet brunch?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Slow Boat to China - Day 21 - October 13

 

Today the ship is at Xingang, China - our port for Beijing. It is clear, sunny and cool (temperatures in the mid 50's). There is a haze outside.

 

Most folks on board have gone out on tours of one sort or another. There is the very long one day tour to the Great Wall, and there are the overnight tours to Beijing which include the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and other sites.

 

We, on the other hand, have five nights in Beijing coming up on our Uniworld tour after we leave the ship in Shanghai - so no need to sit on a bus 3 hours each way to get to Beijing from here. Today we are enjoying the extreme bliss of an empty ship.

 

Almost everyone has gone somewhere. Many of the lounges are totally empty and completely quiet. Even at dining room breakfast this morning the quiet was remarkable. It is a pleasure to be at home when "the kids" are all out. My biggest plan for the day is a pedicure and massage.

 

Tomorrow we may avail ourselves of the complimentary shuttle bus to Tianjen and a shopping mall (about an hour's ride each way) ... or not ... we will see.

 

The realization that our part of this trip is fast coming to an end is both sad and exciting for us. The wonders of many days in China lie ahead but the comforts of being at home on the Amsterdam will come to an end. We are in the middle of much planning to get all of the laundry clean before we leave the ship, and decide what we need to leave behind to pare our suitcases to the required maximums of 44 lbs to check and 10 lbs to carry on for our six domestic China flights. Last night, as DH wore his old tuxedo - I took photos of its farewell performance. The tux will end its days on the Amsterdam, and give DH about 4 lbs more leeway in his suitcase. Men's clothing is heavy!

 

This evening the dining room was decked out in red and white streamers, the dining room stewards in white shirts with red vests or vice versa for Canada Day. There was also a large Canada Day cake on the lido at lunch time. Too bad that Canada Day was on our first night in Beijing - so many folks missed it.

 

There was only one performance of the show this evening, a group of entertainers who call themselves "China" came to perform for us - they had a long drive in and then spent four hours held up at port security so that by the time they arrived at the ship they had no time to even do a technical rehearsal. Yet, the show came off as totally professional. The first act was a group of young men who did a traditional Chinese Dragon Dance - the second act consisted of three women, elegantly dressed in Chinese brocades who played several songs on three traditional Chinese string instruments, and the last was a dance performed by a dozen identically clad women wearing metal extenders on their fingers who performed a dance in formations reminiscent of the tap dances from the old black and white movies where the camera would shift to a position from the ceiling to show off the design of their dance formations. Very colorful and fun. A pleasant way to end the day.

 

Tomorrow we are still in Beijing.

 

 

 

We have been on a couple of cruises when most of the passengers were gone and the ship felt like it was totally ours.

[SilvertoGold]

The bus ride to Tianjen is interesting: lots of the real China on view.

 

The mall there is quite an interesting place and it is in an area of other mostly big-box stores. One shop in the mall has really beautiful dinnerware and and the like, very expensive, also.

 

We walked around the area and found it quite neat and tidy, wide streets, a pleasant afternoon.

 

 

Nice to hear that the ship celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving!

 

Love your reports!! Thanks.

Edited October 13, 2014 by SilvertoGold

[arzz]

Slow Boat to China - Day 22 - October 14

 

Our second day in Beijing. Awoke to a sunny but rather crisp 48 degrees that warmed into the sixties. Hazes still sit over the port and port city - industrial smog is what we expect it is.

 

Again, nothing too spectacular for us today as we will be in Beijing again on our tour starting on Sunday.

 

I realized that I forgot to mention one tidbit about South Korea. A couple of days before we arrived they celebrated the festival of "Alphabet Day" which commemorates the creation of the Korean alphabet. Before that time some centuries ago they had to use either the Chinese or Japanese alphabets for written communication - the advent of their own alphabet is still celebrated today and I think that is wonderful.

 

Yesterday we took a poll from folks that had ventured out on the ship's shuttle - some saying go do it - others saying it is not worth the trip at all - (and added to that the encouragement of fellow cruise critic members) and decided to venture forth from the ship. Turns out, as we see it, both camps are right.

 

The thirty minute shuttle ride left from our dock in Xingang to a mall in Tianjin. The port itself is a large, modern, industrial port full of container and cargo ships. Between there and here the roads and the landscape are totally, totally flat - we understand that much of this ground is reclaimed from the ocean which brings up the basic question of where all the fill to reclaim such a large area came from? The roads are well paved and wide (three to four lanes each way) but there is not a lot of traffic. I was trying to see what type of cars are driven here and there were not that many cars to look at. Most were Toyota or Lexus, but there were also some Nissan and others that I could not identify mixed in.

 

The streets are surrounded by green belts down the middle and on the sides. Lots of trees beginning to change colors from green to yellow and dark red. The first part of the half hour trip we passed by huge yards full of containers and scrubby flat land including a whole area engineered to be salt flats that were covered in white salt crystals. Farther down the road are many office buildings - electronics and other firms - not heavy industry. New shiny buildings reminiscent of suburban U.S. office parks.

 

The office parks morphed into residential areas that did not have houses, or even small apartment complexes - they had groups of modern looking high rises that tower thirty to forty some stories up (I actually counted to make sure I was right about how tall they are). There may be three or six or eight of these buildings clustered together surrounded by a green belt.

 

The mall itself is located across the road from one such set of buildings. Inside the mall we found high end clothing shops, and restaurants including McDonalds, Subway, KFC, Pizza Hut and Starbucks as well as many local places to dine. Several of the restaurants were "hot pot" style where each table has a pot of hot boiling broth to which they add meat, vegetables, noodles, etc. then fish out and eat the cooked food.

 

What we found as the star of the show was the other area of the mall, a big box store that included electronics, housewares, clothing, etc and a large supermarket. I enjoyed wandering the aisles (which were labeled in both Chinese and English) looking at the food available for purchase. The produce section has all manner of both familiar and unfamiliar fruits and vegetables. Some exotic ones that I remember from our last trip like dragon fruit as well as many more. One particular fruit came in large melon like spheres but on the outside it had large pointed knobs. One of them had been split open to show shoppers their insides - and then the store had left large padded gloves to use in case you wish to purchase one.

 

The aisles were marked with titles such as "puffed food" and "roll paper" - my personal favorite item - the bottle of cleaning solution with the drawing of a large, muscular Asian man labeled "Mr. Muscle" - the only English on the label.

 

There was also a section of fresh fish consisting of the more common iced dead fish that we are used to as well as the live shellfish and a couple of aquariums full of live fish. The meats were displayed in open coolers in large hunks - unfamiliar cuts - and, maybe, butchered to order? There was one open freezer full of frozen, unwrapped, chicken legs.

 

I found myself wondering - if I had to live in Shanghai could I learn how to shop here or would I starve? I was surprised at the amount of English in the labels - but when it came down to it most everything was in Chinese. For instance, the melons would display a number for price and below that was Chinese - so is the price for the melon or per kilogram? I would probably starve.

 

I am reminded of the time when we were in France many years ago (DH and I have no knowledge of French) and I stopped in a market to buy laundry detergent. It was only after completing several loads of family wash that I realized that I had just laundered all of our things in fabric softener.

 

Upon returning to the ship we learned that if you went through the mall to the right place at the rear there was a fascinating flea market. Oh, well - that will have to wait until our next trip to China.

 

In Japan we had to have our passports on our persons the whole trip. Here in China we are required to carry a Xerox copy of our passport I.D. page upon which the authorities have placed a red stamp the means that we were admitted and cleared. Each time on and off the ship that paper is examined. On our last stop in Shanghai these papers will need to be returned to the Chinese.

 

And for those of you who are interested - since Incheon we have begun, again, to receive the standard gold wrapped square chocolates that are the current HAL standard - still getting the Seattle chocolates on formal nights. I have to confess, however, that my preference is for the Hershey's kisses over the HAL chocolates, then the Seattle Chocolates (especially the ones that are dark chocolates) over the Hershey's kisses. Sorry HAL. But, then again, who am I to criticize a free chocolate? I am happy with anything.

 

Tonight we sail towards Qingdao.

[SilvertoGold]

Fabulous description! This is how I remember it : thanks for the trip down memory lane.

I love China and Tianjin was actually one of the more interesting places, an unexpected side trip without all the big-deal things to see.

 

Thanks a lot for such a detailed description.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Great description.

Hershey Kisses -- we only buy the dark chocolate ones. We take Dove dark chocolates with us on all cruises.

You are doing a great job on your review.

[marysb]

Loving your reports. I hope you will continue when you are on your land tour!

It's fascinating to hear about the travel experiences.

 

Mary

[Ocean Dancer]

Arzz, I am really enjoying your review of your cruise and also hope you continue with in on your land tour.

We will be cruising with you next Oct, also on the Amsterdam which will be our second looooog cruise. We did the circumnavigation of South America, and must talk about fish markets!

I also want to know all about the Amsterdam, you never mentioned enjoying the heated pool, or any special parties for crossing the date lines, or special deck parties/theme nights. Will we know about these in advance of sailing? You did mention silver and black. I like to be prepared and get in on the fun. My DH would NOT give up his tux!! He would pay the fine for extra weight or ship it home. I will catch up with you on our roll call for much info. Have a safe trip and looking forward to meeting you and yours.:)

[arzz]

Slow Boat to China - Day 23 .... OOPS! .... it is Day 24! - October 15

 

I made the mistake with the day count around Jeju, South Korea and I just caught it! Maintaining alertness to detail is not one of the virtues of cruising - quite the opposite. Cruising encourages relaxation and a tendency to let others do everything for you even if it is ridiculous - like putting your own napkin on your own lap!

 

Today we ply the Yellow Sea once more, gliding in quiet sparkling waters towards Qingdao. We are not alone in the shipping lanes - it continues to be hazy out so that the ships and fishing boats seem to suddenly appear about half way to the horizon - where there was nothing a moment earlier.

 

As we plan our escape onto mainland China I am occupied with the details of things like being sure that all of our laundry is clean when we leave the ship and that none of what we want is still in the laundry. Laundry turn around has been absolutely fantastic at less than 24 hours so far.

 

There will be a Mariner's Brunch on Friday at 11:30 - I suspect just for those of us leaving in Hong Kong and Shanghai - a rather small group.

 

Today has been so nice and calm - I will really miss this once we are getting up at dawn to put the suitcases out the door on our land tour.

 

To Ocean Dancer: Since this is a grand tour we all received a list of the on board special events before we sailed (such as kimono night). There have also been special barbecues on the deck at both lunch and dinner times - at dinner the pianist Debby Bacon plays her piano on deck (weather permitting). We have had wonderful sail away parties from every port. And, of course, the dining room gets decorated and the waiters costumed at almost any excuse. There was no date line crossing party - we all, however, received certificates from the Captain commemorating the occurrence. This ship will eventually cross the equator twice and there will be all of the appropriate festivities complete with "kissing the fish" and proper punishment of the polywogs at one of these crossings. We will not be on board for that or the Halloween party.

 

Next year on the Tales of the South Pacific - which is not currently being sold as a "Grand Tour" - I am still confident there will be many events but we may not receive the hard copy list of them in advance as we do for Grand cruises.

 

As to my blog - as I understand the rules of the Boards - once I leave the ship it is not appropriate for me to continue to post on the HAL board. I will continue to write each day and I am toying with how to post for the rest of the trip. Possibly on the River Cruise board since our tour is a Uniworld River Cruise tour - unlike their European tours only four of our 18 days will be on the Yangtze River - but I might be able to get away with that. If I do I will post a link to the page. Does anyone have any better ideas on how I can continue to post? When I get home I hope to add some pictures whether I continue to blog or not.

 

The bottom line, however, will also depend on whether or not I have ready access to the internet while in China. That is a big unknown.

 

Tomorrow - Qingdao

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sorry - I don't have any answers as to how you can continue your land portion on your review here.

You may want to contact one of the hosts and ask them before you get off the ship.

Loving your review.

[SilvertoGold]

Arzz

It would be super if you can continue posting ocne on your landtour.

 

I think the Uniworld board would make the most sense. Otherwise a blog site, but you might not be able to post the URL here. Please, please let us know. Your thread is so interesting. The first thing I read every morning!

[Ocean Dancer]

To Ocean Dancer: Since this is a grand tour we all received a list of the on board special events before we sailed (such as kimono night). There have also been special barbecues on the deck at both lunch and dinner times - at dinner the pianist Debby Bacon plays her piano on deck (weather permitting). We have had wonderful sail away parties from every port. And, of course, the dining room gets decorated and the waiters costumed at almost any excuse. There was no date line crossing party - we all, however, received certificates from the Captain commemorating the occurrence. This ship will eventually cross the equator twice and there will be all of the appropriate festivities complete with "kissing the fish" and proper punishment of the polywogs at one of these crossings. We will not be on board for that or the Halloween party.

 

Next year on the Tales of the South Pacific - which is not currently being sold as a "Grand Tour" - I am still confident there will be many events but we may not receive the hard copy list of them in advance as we do for Grand cruises.

 

Arzz, thank you for your reply. When you get back to reality and post on our roll call, all of us newbie Amsterdam cruisers want to know all about the ship too. She seems to be a "best seller":)

[arzz]

Slow Boat to China - Day 25 - October 16

 

Qingdao, China

 

Beautiful clear sunny skies - perfect temperature for touring - 60's.

 

Our space on the dock was just astern of the freighter Dia Yuan which is registered in Panama. They are loading many yellow bags of something on board. The something is a white powder and gets poured into the hold, and then the empty yellow bags are off loaded. Salt? Our view out the window of our cabin is of another cargo ship also receiving many loads of yellow bags from the large industrial cranes. That ship is docked in front of huge piles of coal. This port is not only an industrial port (and a military port - there are many military ships, including four submarines docked here) - it does not appear to have any passenger facilities at all.

 

This is a maiden call for the Amsterdam. Even though we traveled here straight from Xingang - apparently the officials here cleared everyone again - and took their time doing it. We were almost an hour late clearing the ship - then on the way out onto the dock the Chinese officials were on board x-raying our bags and checking our passport copies - one at a time. You have to give it to them - they are thorough.

 

Our tour today was chosen by DH and was called Qingdao's German Heritage. Apparently this city was captured and ruled by the Germans in the early 1900's - and then later by the Japanese. There were three stops on the tour today. The third stop was the highlight - the Tsingtao beer museum and factory. I think that most folks on the tour were there for one reason.

 

As we drove through town we passed through the industrial port area where the construction of a new road was fervently underway - then through some busy residential/business areas where the first floors of the building contained shops and stores, the upper floors residences. There were two types of buildings in town - the German style buildings from the last century, and the newer high rises. As we passed into the old sections of town around our first and second stops the streets were lined with trees including many evergreens sending their branches wildly skyward in pointy prickly looking curves. To look at this part of town if you did not know better you could believe you were in Germany.

 

Our first stop was at the German built Protestant church that is perched atop a hill - a mediocre stop at best and for the folks on board the bus it was something to tolerate until we could get to the main event. The church itself is well preserved - most of the original stain glass windows done in blue and white from the early 1900's are still there. There are also two colorful windows depicting bible scenes that were installed about 60 years ago. I prefer the originals even though they are abstract and not representational. I do not know if there is a current congregation, but the church building is definitely still used as a venue for things like the wedding that took place today. The bride and groom were having their pictures taken outside the church while we toured. DH climbed the bell tower and viewed not only the surrounding area, but the carefully maintained machinery that operates the carillon.

 

The second stop of the day was at the Governor's guest house - it too was perched atop a hill in a lovely wooded section of town. It was constructed in the German style - full of old wood paneling and woodwork that reflect excellent European craftsmanship. The woodwork was all imported. The home was filled with elegant furnishings and maintained in truly excellent condition. Historically this was the place that the German Governor, and later the Japanese Governor, worked and entertained. More recently in China's history Chairman Mao and other Chinese officials also stayed here. It is interesting to note that the German Governor's bed consisted of a locally purchased mattress which was a bit short for the Germans - with a specially constructed padded bed extender added to the foot of the bed. It is also interesting that the building that was used by conquerers to govern the local area was maintained so well.

 

Those on the bus were still just tolerating the appointed highlights. You could feel the tension and excitement mounting - almost as if there was an unspoken chant being recited by the group of passengers ... "beer, beer, beer, beer" ...

 

Finally it was time for the Tsingtao museum and factory - perky faces and new energy appeared among the tour participants ... this was the main event. But first we had to do the museum that communicated the history of Tsingtao beer. No samples until the tour is done (don't want anyone falling, drunk, into the mash ...)

 

The Germans started the factory and taught the Chinese to brew beer in 1903. The factory was taken over by the Japanese during their time governing Qingdao. Finally, since 1949 the Chinese have run the brewery - and expanded the product so that it is now sold all over the world.

 

We saw some of the original machinery built by Siemans that would still run today if they wished. We also saw the tanks and other machinery used in the original processing. Finally, as the silent chant reached crescendo proportion, we viewed the modern bottling and packaging machines rapidly churning out beer by the case. There were quality control men carefully watching the bottles of beer come down the line. Occasionally they removed a bottle, peered at it carefully, opened it and spilled it out.

 

We were finally there - and they poured each of us a small glass (6-8 ounces) of raw beer (unfiltered), served with a packet of sweet/salty peanuts. The raw beer was rather tasty and our guide pointed out that locals will stop by the brewery to purchase the raw product. The raw beer is poured into plastic carry bags (like the ones we get at the supermarket) and taken home that way. Who knew ... a bag of beer!

 

Leaving the tasting room we entered an area where Disney might meet Tsingtao. There was a narrow, stainless steel oval tube that we now walked through. On the sides were small portholes through which we could see a depiction of a yellow liquid with bubbles rising in it. Ahead was a large circular "window" - actually a screen that looked like a window into a 2/3 full vat of beer, complete with a foamy head, and the foamy head was rising and falling like the horizon on a cruise ship.

 

What followed was an area with "games" - including a bicycle in front of a large TV screen - if you got on the bicycle you could ride through a town via a synced virtual reality on the screen, including the ability to crash into objects. There was also a place they call the "drunken cabin" -- it was a small building - once you walk in the floor is tilted steeply and there are obstacles in your way so that you have to hold on tightly and you do appear drunk. While you are inside, those outside can watch you walk around "drunk" on a large video screen. Oooops ... when I entered I was not aware that there were eyes upon me. DH, who was outside, had a great time.

 

Then - at the end of the rainbow -- guess what -- there was more beer. We were seated at tables - glasses and pitchers were passed. This was the final beer product that I did not like as much as the raw beer - but then again I am not a beer drinker -- so what do I know?

 

Leaving port - we skipped the sail away party on the Lido deck and opted to watch from the promenade deck. It was a fascinating sail away as the gangway was dismantled and hoisted back onto the ship, then two of the large industrial cranes that were at our dock were driven to new positions on the track next to the ship. The crane operators had to climb up to the control room on the cranes on an open outside staircase that spiraled around the crane and went up to a height taller than the Amsterdam. Never seen that before up close and personal.

 

As we left port, the immigration officers that checked all of our passport copies both on and off the ship had been standing at full attention the whole time the ship was preparing to leave. Finally when we pulled away from the dock they relaxed, smiled and waved.

 

As the ship passed out of the harbor we passed the military ships and the submarines - and next the lighthouse. In the water on the other side of the lighthouse were hundreds of small dark birds. As we approached they were scattered haphazardly across the water - giving the impression that they may have been sitting on land. By the time we passed them, however, they had somehow organized themselves into coherent curved lines. Did the currents do that?

Another first for me.

 

And, to put a cherry on top of today, as we sailed down the coastline, against the now darkening sky, we could see what I presume were the high rises of Qingdao - the sides of the buildings lit up in a colorful light show (not unlike the larger light shows in Shanghai and Hong Kong).

 

At 10:30 tomorrow night we arrive in Shanghai.

[Krazy Kruizers]

With all your details, I feel that I am right there with you.

[arzz]

Slow Boat to China - Day 26 & 27 - October 17 &18, 2014

 

Boy, had I forgotten how busy HAL keeps you on the day you leave a Grand Cruise - especially if you only segment. And, it was arrival day in Shanghai - one of the most spectacular ports in the world to cruise in to. What a day.

 

We started with the standard breakfast, The Times Digest and the puzzle - oh, lets be honest about it - yesterday was Friday and though we tried the puzzle was really out of reach - then there were all sorts of small jobs to do, info to gather, etc.

 

At 11:30 the ship put on a Mariner's Brunch for the 37 of us leaving the ship in Shanghai - a copper medallion was awarded by Captain Eversen - then a huge meal and sparkling wine followed. After lunch I really did not care to eat again for the rest of the day.

 

Then, we had to organize and pack. This needed to be done early so we could watch our entrance to Shanghai. We picked up our Shanghai pilot at 2:30 pm for a 10 pm arrival at our dock. Even at breakfast we could see the difference in traffic as when I looked in any direction at all I could count at least 12 other vessels in sight and on the horizon.

 

After we picked up the pilot all the ships converged into one long, slow mob, and later a long slow line to cruise into the river and on to our port.

 

When the packing preliminaries were done we joined our fellow cruisers up in the crow's nest to watch the fun. As the mob of ships converged into a coherent stream there were ships that were unhappy where they were and seemingly, haphazardly, would decide to cross in front of the incoming traffic - everyone moving extremely slowly - and there were times when there was some fingernail biting in the Crow's Nest wondering if the ship crossing in front would clear in time for us to pass. They always did - but there were also always the uncertain moments which we watched intently for those of us not used to piloting large cruise ships through congested waters.

 

Then it was time for the special cocktail reception for the 37 of us disembarking the ship. We met in the Piano Bar which was curtained off from the rest of the lounge area - complimentary drinks and elegant appetizers were passed again and again. And I wasn't at all hungry as I had consumed steak and pecan pie for lunch. Crew and officers circulated and spoke with us, Debbie Bacon played.

 

After the reception there was a quick stop at the cabin before ... yes, you guessed it, dinner. Guess what was waiting for us in the cabin? Three tall, fancy, elegant chocolate truffles with a thank you card from more of the crew.

 

Somehow we made it through dinner (or should I say, in my case, some of the dinner). As we ate by the window and it was now dark we could watch the river traffic and city pass by - ever so slowly. As the river snaked into town we could see the high rises of downtown Shanghai lit up with their colorful light shows come and go, each time we were a little closer. We passed by many ships in the river - some moving, others tied up to buoys seemingly right in the middle of the traffic lanes - with no lights on at all. My impression of coming in to Shanghai is as a process of continually playing chicken. I am sure it is much more organized than that or there would be frequent incidents. Finally we passed under a bridge and shortly after that we were in downtown Shanghai with the brightly colored lights adorning the buildings and towers near our port. The ship docked.

 

We went back downstairs to complete the packing process. We weighed our bags. I think that they will pass muster at the airport. I have yet to confirm that as we are now waiting for it to be late enough to check in for our flight.

 

Back to last night. When the packing was complete we ran up to outside deck 9 to look briefly at the special event taking place on the Lido - a "Shanghai Night Market" - complimentary drinks, hot snacks, booths set up with games and trinkets - and the whole deck decorated in red lanterns. Though we did not attend it looked like one of the Grand, Grand Voyage affairs. What we waited for were the promised fireworks. For whatever reason they did not happen but we still enjoyed the fresh air and the bulls eye views of Shanghai. The ship will be in Shanghai for three nights - we will only be on board for this first night. Tomorrow night the Chinese Acrobats will perform in the Queen's Lounge on the ship - they also did that in 2008 and it was a spectacular performance.

 

This morning we needed to be out of our cabin at 8:00 - suitcases out last night. We could, however, stay on board until our scheduled 11 am HAL transfer to Pudong Airport. A leisurely dining room breakfast and some time in the Explorer's lounge ended our time on the Amsterdam.

 

Yesterday we had surrendered our xeroxed passport copies in exchange for the passports. However, this morning the Chinese authorities would not let us leave the ship without the Xerox copies - even though the same stamp that was on the copies was also on our passports. We don't question the Chinese - and we waited patiently at the gangway for someone from the front office to run down with our xerox copies. We received them, again, then surrendered them, again, and everyone was happy and we were ready to get on our way.

 

The end of the cruise did not disappoint. As we waited for our transfer Captain Eversen, dressed not in uniform but as a tourist on his way out - stopped to wish us a good rest of our trip.

 

Our transfer was a private car complete with driver and English speaking guide who was very interesting to talk to as we drove to Pudong. He then accompanied us into the terminal with our bags to be sure that we knew the correct time and place to check in. Once again HAL has produced a class act.

 

Both suitcases weighed in OK (a few pounds less than indicated on our travel baggage scale) noted sigh of relief - we enjoyed our first meal on our own in China and now we wait for our flight to Beijing.

[steve4031]

That description of your arrival into shanghai was cool as hell. Some day I'm going to do this.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[josumello]

That description of your arrival into shanghai was cool as hell. Some day I'm going to do this.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

Ditto

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Krazy Kruizers]

I just love all the details of your cruise.

[jbhcw]

That description of your arrival into shanghai was cool as hell. Some day I'm going to do this.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

Same opinion...your narrative was amazing...only exception.....I probably won't get to do it...but that's okay:)

[arzz]

Slow Boat in China - October 19

 

Well, we are no longer on our "Slow Boat" - we are at our hotel in Beijing. In the morning we begin our China tour - today we get to "change gears" - reflect on our cruise, and prepare for the upcoming tour.

 

Our time on the Amsterdam was Grand. There were no real issues that came up with the cruise, staff, accommodations or anything. Anything that did arise was handled expertly by the front office staff. When we needed to vote - they were there to fax our ballots which we had already printed out in the library on board. When, one day, our cabin smelled distinctly like someone on the floor nearby had been smoking - they got rid of the odor for us. Everyone on board was super!

 

Our dining room service this trip was excellent. Kudos to our waiter Yus who remembered all of our idiosyncrasies and preferences, and to Aris his assistant. Our wine steward Nestor was always there, our bottle of wine was always on the table when we arrived, and he came by to check on us several times during our meal.

 

Cabin service was also excellent - Yanto and Dwi provided everything that we needed - always with a smile.

 

We ate breakfast every morning in the dining room and Yohannes at the front door to the restaurant remembered our cabin number and our names immediately and always granted us that table for two that DH's morning somnambulistic state requires. Again, service was fantastic and the waiter with the sweet rolls not only remembered that DH prefers the cinnamon rolls, he always made sure that he had two on hand when we arrived.

 

The Grand Voyage events that we attended were, indeed, Grand. We were delighted, when on our last day on board, Yanto came by to give us another pillow gift - an oval shaped tile printed in orange with a world lmap that had the itinerary of the whole 2014 Asia/Pacific cruise marked on it.

 

After we left the ship we flew from Shanghai to Beijing - a two and a half hour flight - we sat in coach and had an in flight experience that we in the U.S. have forgotten ... pillows on every seat, newspapers handed out at the gate, blankets in sealed bags passed out in flight by the cabin attendants. There were free headsets for in flight entertainment controlled at every seat. We were offered cups of water before take off. We were fed a free in flight dinner - well, something that in another universe might pass for dinner - but it was free hot food on a short flight. The flight went fast.

 

Beijing this morning was extremely hazy and you can smell the smog everywhere - in fact we began to smell the smog as the plane came in yesterday on final approach. There was no visible sun today though there was no rain either.

 

We are going to be here another four nights - and we have spent much of this "day off" for us catching up on all sorts of internet business as we have free wifi that is not super fast, but it does work in real time.

 

So ... if you have any questions I might have a chance to get back to you.

 

Thank you for traveling with me this far.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Glad you have arrived safely in Beijing and resting up a day to begin the next part of your journey.

[TiogaCruiser]

Thank you for taking us along. I so looked forward to reading your blog each day.

 

Safe travels to you-

~TC

 

PS. I couldn't find a forum for Uniworld ( where you said you might blog). Anyone?

Edited October 19, 2014 by TiogaCruiser