Live from Insignia

[SellaVee]

We docked at Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon early yesterday morning. It had been announced that we'd be approaching Hong Kong around 6am and it would be worth seeing, so OH duly set his alarm. I was woken by the fog horn at 06.45. After a quick look out of the window at 6am OH had thought better of it and hopped back into bed. It was very foggy, but fortunately this had cleared by the time we were ready for breakfast. In the meantime we'd gotten up and gone to the Insignia Lounge for a short Easter Sunday service.

 

I'd chosen our cabin so that we'd have a view of Hong Kong from the verandah. Unfortunately Nautica had arrived before us and stolen the best spot :) . (This wasn't the only time Nautica was to cause me a problem). We were on the other side of the pier but we still had a great view from the back of the boat.

 

It was very busy at breakfast and we couldn't get an outside spot at the Terrace Cafe - a first on this cruise. The ship had a real buzz about it. Seems like lots of people love Hong Kong. It was very hot throughout our stay so we were happy to breakfast indoors.

 

We disembarked through a shopping mall - and BTW if you want to dress your toddler in Dolce and Gabbana or any other serious designer then this is the place - and emerged by the Star Ferry Terminal. If you needed coins to buy tokens from the machine there was a man at the barriers who would exchange high denomination notes.

 

Soon we were on the ferry, crossing over to Hong Kong Island. We'd visited Hong Kong with our children before the handover so this trip was already bringing back memories. We'd planned to visit the "Tiger Balm Garden" aka Aw Boon Haw Garden, which had been a big hit with our boys, but a quick check before we set off told us that the garden had been demolished for redevelopment in 2004 :( .

 

To be continued ......

[SellaVee]

On Hong Kong Island we decided to try the Big Bus, one of the HOHO services with 3 lines, red, green and blue. It seemed expensive at HK$500 for a 24 hour ticket (or HK$550 foe 48 hrs) but proved to be excellent value. From the ferry terminal we took the red line to the lower terminus of the tram car that would take us to The Peak. There was a very long queue and having been before we wondered whether to bother, but it turned out that our Big Bus ticket allowed us to skip the queue as it included a Peak Tram Sky Pass covering the return tram journey and also access to the Sky Terrace 428. The view from the top was spectacular and there is an audio guide to explain what you are seeing. We spotted the official Oceania tour while we were waiting to take the return trip. I don't know whether they took the tram or came by coach. The ride down was unusual as we travelled backwards.

 

Next we boarded the green line bus to the south of the island. We passed through Repulse Bay and on to Stanley where we stopped for lunch after a swift visit to the well known market. Then it was back on the bus to Aberdeen harbour where our Big Bus ticket included a sampan ride around the harbour including a photo stop at the Jumbo floating restaurant which we remembered from 1994!

 

Throughout the day we were treated to an interesting running commentary provided through headphones which you took with you whenever you left the bus. We could have gotten on and off at every stop had we so wished.

 

We took the bus back to the ferry terminal and returned to Insignia (once again courtesy of Big Bus which provided a return ferry ticket) for a siesta before commencing our evening adventures.

[SellaVee]

This is one of those "Is it just me, or ...?" posts.

 

OH and I have tried Francks mashed potato as a side dish in the main dining room and the word I can best use to describe it is gloop. It lies flat on the plate like a thick sauce. Now I've been assured that it is made with real potatoes so I'm wondering if this is the American way.

 

Now, I love my mashed potato, made with butter and milk, but I do expect to be able to stand my fork up in it, even if it then slowly descends. I don't expect to have to eat it with a spoon.

 

So the question is "is it just me?"

[cbb]

sellavee....thank you so much for posting. The information you're giving us is extremely valuable...especially to this RTW16 researcher!!!

 

I'd already found the information on the HK HOHO and your experiences confirms that it is a great value...a "price performer" as we say in our house!

 

We'll probably be using HOHOs in many of the cities we'll be visiting.

 

thanks again!!! c

[LuAnn]

We are on Riviera right now and I have LOOKED at the potatoes but not tried them yet! Thanks for the "heads up"...may just take a "smidge" and see what they are like...but must admit they didn't look that great to me either!! :)

[orchestrapal]

This is one of those "Is it just me, or ...?" posts.

 

OH and I have tried Francks mashed potato as a side dish in the main dining room and the word I can best use to describe it is gloop. It lies flat on the plate like a thick sauce. Now I've been assured that it is made with real potatoes so I'm wondering if this is the American way.

 

Now, I love my mashed potato, made with butter and milk, but I do expect to be able to stand my fork up in it, even if it then slowly descends. I don't expect to have to eat it with a spoon.

So the question is "is it just me?"

 

The French way is how finer American restaurants prepare their mashed potatoes with cream and butter. What you had was probably over mixed and the potatoes turn to glue.

[findacruise]

This is one of those "Is it just me, or ...?" posts.

 

OH and I have tried Francks mashed potato as a side dish in the main dining room and the word I can best use to describe it is gloop. It lies flat on the plate like a thick sauce. Now I've been assured that it is made with real potatoes so I'm wondering if this is the American way.

 

Now, I love my mashed potato, made with butter and milk, but I do expect to be able to stand my fork up in it, even if it then slowly descends. I don't expect to have to eat it with a spoon.

 

So the question is "is it just me?"

 

Have had those potatoes before and watched Franck make them in a demo. Yes, they were very creamy when I had them, but not sloppy, so I'd say whoever made them did not do exactly what should have been done. If they did not drain/dry them properly before mashing then the excess water/steam makes them runny or sloppy.

[SellaVee]

Included in our Big Bus ticket was the blue line night tour which started at 7pm behind the Peninsula Hotel. Be there early as it fills up and leaves very promptly. This gave us a tour of Kowloon at night which was as good as Blackpool Illuminations but rather more exotic!

 

We could have stopped at the Ladies' Market or Temple Street Night Market but we chose to continue to Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade in time for the light show. The Promenade has been turned into an Avenue of the Stars with Hollywood-style handprints on the pavement and a small selection of life size statues.

 

It was here, while waiting for the start of the light show, that I had my heart stopping moment. I saw our ship sailing out of Hong Kong!! Of course it wasn't our ship at all - it was Nautica. Phew, for a moment there .........

 

We enjoyed the light show then strolled back to the terminal where I was very relieved to see that Nautica's berth was empty and Insignia was still in port.

 

We went up to the Terrace Cafe for an al fresco dinner where we enjoyed the best view in town from the back of the ship. Hong Kong really has the wow factor in terms of views.

 

I must mention the staff here, for although we were cutting it fine in terms of time they acted so pleased to see us and made up a table by the rail. Nothing was too much trouble. We collected dessert along with our main course on the premise that life is short - eat dessert first! No, I tell a lie, we collected dessert first so that they could close that station and we could enjoy a leisurely meal and a glass or two of wine. Quite a few people were sitting out enjoying the view and the warm weather, and there was no pressure on us to leave.

[SellaVee]

For our second day in Hong Kong we took a morning stroll around Kowloon. Our Big Bus ticket included entry to the Maritime Museum but with All Aboard at 11.30am for a noon departure we decided to stay near the terminal.

 

We are a sad and forlorn little bunch of artists today because our wonderful Art Tutor, Kris Smith, has left the ship early due to a visa problem meaning we will miss 3 of our art classes. She had worked so hard to show us different techniques, and with her husband Frank's help did so much behind the scenes to make the classes run seamlessly. The last thing she did before she left was make sure our work was beautifully presented, but we had no "end if term" show unlike Riviera last year.

 

That 12 noon departure caused a problem as it was originally shown as 12am. Two people took that to mean midnight and missed the boat by about 5 hours. Oops! We heard their names bring called several times but in the end the ship left without them. Passports including Chinese visas were left with the port agent and they are expected to rejoin the ship in Xiamen. That's one of my big fears, not helped by mistaking Nautica for Insignia :eek:.

[SellaVee]

I think the suggestions that the potatoes for the mash may be overworked could be right. Also they may not be dried off sufficiently. Or perhaps the balance of spud to butter and cream may be wrong.

 

However the chips (French fries) are marvellous.

 

I haven't met a calorie I didn't like on this voyage :p.

[turnip eater]

Really enjoying your postings.:D

 

I wish 'people' would use the term Noon and Midnight to avoid any confusion over

 

12:00pm and 12:00am:(

[LHT28]

 

I wish 'people' would use the term Noon and Midnight to avoid any confusion over

 

12:00pm and 12:00am:(

 

Or use the 24hr clock

1200 hrs or 2400 hrs ;)

[turnip eater]

Or use the 24hr clock

1200 hrs or 2400 hrs ;)

 

Then you have the ones who think that 1200hrs is 2 O'Clock:eek:

 

Poor souls can't read train timetables!

Edited April 7, 2015 by turnip eater

[findacruise]

SellaVee - Thanks for your wonderful travelogue. I am very much enjoying traveling along with you!

[SellaVee]

Then you have the ones who think that 1200hrs is 2 O'Clock:eek:

 

Poor souls can't read train timetables!

 

I agree. I did think of the 24hour clock but decided it would cause more problems than it would solve.

[SellaVee]

SellaVee - Thanks for your wonderful travelogue. I am very much enjoying traveling along with you!

 

Thank you. I appreciate the feedback from everyone who has commented.

[Jancruz]

Thanks so much for your wonderful postings..I am loving every minute of your dialog!

Jancruz1

[wenjoyjack]

Thinking of joining the cruise in Sydney - is there room for us?

[SellaVee]

Thinking of joining the cruise in Sydney - is there room for us?

 

Well we're getting off in Shanghai - some of us have work to go to :(, but I understand there are more getting on than getting off. Even so, I think there will be more than enough room for you ;).

 

Talk to your travel agent, there were some good offers going on before we came away.

[SellaVee]

I have been told that while we were in Hong Kong, two Insignia passengers tried to board Nautica!

 

It's so much harder to sneak aboard now they have those world cards with bar codes :D :D :D.

[SellaVee]

After some extremely hot and humid weather in Vietnam and high temperatures in Hong Kong it was a bit of a shock to sail into a grey and rainy Xiamen, our first stop in China. The view from the dock was nothing special either and it was a lot cooler. In fact the weather here is a lot like the weather we left behind in the UK.

 

Before we came away I'd been trying to learn a little bit of Mandarin Chinese including how to pronounce Xiamen. OH went to the enrichment lecture on China, Hong Kong and Xiamen - the ancient story, and I caught the tail end of it. I was surprised to hear how Xiamen was pronounced but apparently the lecturer had said there were different ways of saying it. Anyway I was in the Terrace Cafe at the back of the boat when the cruise director announced the arrangements for going ashore in Xiamen. As soon as he said "Shee Ah Men" two of the Asian crew almost simultaneously said "Shamen", and one explained to me that the Xi made the Sh sound, which is what my Chinese teacher had told me. So now y'all know.

 

Well done again to Oceania for laying on a shuttle into town. We were even all helped across the road by the guide who came with the shuttle bus. If you ever visit SE Asia you will learn that crossing the road is a skill. By now we were becoming well practised.

 

We were taken to a traditional shopping street with shops below and homes above. The homes were built out a bit further than the shops to form a sort of loggia which kept us nicely dry until we had to cross the street. There were some smart department stores and in contrast to Hong Kong, which had been all about international brand names, Xiamen stores seemed to stock equally stylish clothing from brands I didn't recognise. There were lots of young people about and many seemed to speak some English though most of the signs were in a Chinese.

 

People were happy to talk to us, and whilst buying some sunglasses the vendor, a youngish woman, asked where we were from. When I said the UK I was astonished to discover that she knew about the vote on Scottish devolution! I only wish so many people in the UK were as up to date on foreign affairs.

 

There were all sorts of shops, many selling Chinese tea, some selling pearls, lots selling seafood - in fact I wasn't sure whether I was outside a wet fish shop or one that was aimed at stocking aquaria until I noticed that some had laminated menus with pictures.

 

The town was not geared up to Western tourists, (although I think it's a popular spot among the Chinese) which made a very refreshing change and we enjoyed seeing everyone going about their business. We'd have spent longer ashore but the weather was so inclement that we decided to get the shuttle back to the ship. We had a full day tour of Xiamen to look forward to the following day.

 

Back at the bus stop the guide or courier who had accompanied us from the port was waiting in the rain to make sure we found the right bus. I call that gold star service.

 

The afternoon on board was something of a disappointment with no art classes, no craft classes, and all sporting challenges rained off. After the hectic schedule I'd enjoyed on previous days it felt a bit flat so I did the sensible thing and had a nap, waking up in time for afternoon tea. Perfect.

[turnip eater]

It's just like being on the cruise with you....except we don't have the flight home:p

I'm really enjoying your postings...I'll miss them when you've finished.When is you next cruise?

I don't know where you are from in the UK, but here on the South coast (of England) the weather is beautiful. Rain is forecast for the weekend:)

[SellaVee]

It's just like being on the cruise with you....except we don't have the flight home:p

 

 

Very funny, turnip eater! But I bet you don't get your towels changed twice a day at home :p.

 

Talking of towels, does anyone know how often Oceania renews their towels? Although both the hand and bath towels seem to be a little on the skimpy side (I can't even get the hand towel to form a turban around my head) the quality is fabulous and I've never seen even a hint of wear and tear.

 

We live in the north of England, and that's the kind of weather we're having at the moment. In fact I expect to see a "dark satanic mill" bob by on the horizon any time now.

 

We've been confined to barracks since yesterday evening when the Captain announced that once we left the channel out of Xiamen we were in for a bumpy ride. He did not tell a lie. We're riding along on the crest of a wave then sliding right back down into the trough and there'a an occasional bit of slamming, which can be noisy. Fortunately the ship is only going up and down - it's not yawing much so far. I slept like a rock a bye baby.

 

Last night in Horizons was interesting - who wouldn't want to be high up at the bow of a ship in rough seas :D:D? Talk about the motion of the ocean. I was trying to get someone to sing "You Can't Stop the Beat" from Hairspray at the Karaoke. There were sick bags laid out around the ship and we were told to wear suitable shoes and hold on tight to the handrails. All the outside spaces are out of bounds.

 

We're proper sailors now, but I think you might be wise to stick to the south coast pro tem. Now, I'm off to breakfast.

[ronrick1943]

I also want to tell you how much I'm enjoying your post, one of the best ever. Good luck with the weather, at least it has to get better-or should get better.

Thanks again,

Rick

[Paulchili]

I am enjoying your trip report immensely along with others - please keep 'em coming.