Vietnam - Singapore

Riding the overhead cable car in Singapore

Nov 7 Nha Trang

     We went ashore about 0900 as a party of eight:  Ron and Ruth, Lyle and Chris, Ben and Virginia, Anh and myself.  The temperature was comfortable mid-seventies, and it began raining hard as we got onto the shuttle bus.  

     The rain continued all day.  The intensity abated shortly after it started but it drizzled all day long.  After the shuttle dropped us off, we had to walk a bit to find a beauty shop with capacity for our group.  I tried to go slow to minimize over-stressing the entourage.  People were nervous crossing the road (as I was my first time Vietnam).

Ruth and Ron Prosise at lunch in Nha Trang

     We descended on the beauty shop en mass.  We packed the place.  Some of us got haircuts, most got shampoo and facial massages.  Then some got manicures and/or pedicures.  I opted to add a foot massage which took much longer than expected.

     While I was getting my massage, Anh marched the group off for a bite to eat.  I followed her lame directions and then turned around and walked back to the beauty shop where I met Anh looking for me.  Her directions failed to include the critical turn that would have taken me past where the lunch was in progress.  The party was seated at the back of the place and not visible from the road.  As usual, finding them with her directions would have been something of a miracle.  They all seemed to enjoy the food and rustic cuisine.  She ordered a hot pot and noodles.

Put a Tiger in your tank

     It was a big hit.  I had a couple spring rolls and a few Tiger beers.

     After the meal, we all mounted up in two taxis and went to the market in search of bargains.  I bought a white Adidas ball cap to replace the one I had left behind in Hong Kong on the “Big Bus”.  Anh purchased a piece of luggage to facilitate dragging all our loot home at the end of the cruise.  Then we found the shuttle and rode back to our home away from home. 

     The first time I was in Nha Trang was 1995 and it has changed a lot.  They have high rise buildings, an amusement park and an elevated cable car to get you there.  I would not have recognized the city.  There were a couple sites I remember from the first visit: Cham temple, the bridge that had been bombed in the war, and the hospitality we enjoyed on our first visit.  

Nov 8 Phu My/Vung Tao. 

     It was a beautiful sunny day with a refreshing breeze.  Phu My is a shipping port with hugerific cranes for loading and unloading the ships.  I watched them transferring grain from a big ship to a little ship from the Lido deck before we left the ship.  Many from the ship are going to Saigon for the day.  It’s a long drive and we decided to go to Vung Tao instead.

Lunch in Vung Tao w/Judy, Tino, and Ron

     We were disappointed that Ruth didn’t feel up to going ashore with us, but it’s best to let each assess their own condition rather than cajoling.  So Ron, Anh and I took the shuttle to the main road.  We had a Cafe Sua beside the road while we waited for Judy to come and pick us up.  We have been to both in the past and it was nice to see Vung Tao again.  It’s a very nice city on the coast and much smaller than Saigon.  

     It was nice to see Judy again.  Her son (Tino) is thirteen now.  He was six the last time I saw him.  He was transfixed by his iPhone and iPad alternately and did not seem too interested in visiting.  He didn’t recognize me for want of the beard I used to have.  I was so glad that Ron was there to chat with.  Anh and Judy were clattering in VN the whole time.  

     They took Ron and me for a massage straightaway.  It was unusual.  They took us to a dark room where there was a row of massage chairs.  They handed each of us a pair of shorts to get into.  They were too small, but they indicated our skivvies would suffice.  I’m used to having a private room and a massage table, but this seemed okay.  It meant that Ron and I could talk.  The girls didn’t speak any English, but after twenty years I have enough VN to communicate numbers and very little more.  

Nov 9 At sea

     I always appreciate the time to recharge after a day of what seems like endless shopping and walking.  I like that we have a bible study every day at sea.

Nov 10-11 Singapore

    Day one we took the MRT (subway) to the Garden by the Sea.  It was very nice, although hot and humid.  We returned to the ship for a nap in the afternoon and then returned for the light show in the evening.

Garden by the Sea at night

The top of this hotel is a combo swimming pool, bar and observation deck

     Then the group had to have more Asian food before we returned to the ship.  It was almost 2200 by the time we got back onboard.  I was very tired.

     Day two we took Chris with us and rode the overhead tram.  After that Anh and Chris did some shopping in the air-conditioned mall next to the pier.  About 1330 Chris returned to the ship and Anh to her shopping.  I am sitting in the WIFI area trying to get an internet connection.

     I have more pics to share, but time is limited.  Stay tuned for updates as internet time becomes more available.
















     Singapore has a fast and (once learned) handy subway train system.  The city is very clean.  They have some rules that they take very seriously, such as, chewing gum and smoking.  Violate their laws and they will make you wish you hadn't.  I forgot momentarily that food and drink are not permitted in the MRT (subway).  Anh handed me a bottle of water and I drank without thinking.  A man quickly appeared to remind me that this is not allowed.  I apologized and was happy not to be cited for the infraction.

     Singapore has an interesting history and unique location for maritime navigation at a choke point between the Pacific and Indian Oceans.  Perhaps one of the busiest ports in the world.

Hong Kong - China (day2)

These ferries have been operating since the early 1900's.

We had fun and got some of Anh's "to do's" accomplished.  We started late and I had failed to advance my watch somehow.  So we took the ferry to Hong Kong from Kow Loon and then hopped the Green bus to Stanley.  The driver speaks no English so asking questions was a wasted effort.  Consequently, we missed the stop we had planned to get off at and continued all the way to Stanley.  It was a beautiful and scary ride.  Very steep terrain and narrow road at what seemed like high speed to me (I guess I really am getting old).  The damage to the trees is telltale of the damage from a recent storm.

There are several bus companies here in Hong Kong.  "Big Bus" is the one we were using.  There are several things that could improve their business.  The best thing they have going for them is the salespeople on the ground.  The advise and direct you to accomplish your objectives.  The problem is they can't be with you on the bus to tell you to get off.  There is no indication when you arrive at one of the points of interest on their little map.  The driver just drives and generally has little if any multilingual qualifications going for him.  The earphones they provide are obviously provided by the lowest bidder.  The prerecorded speel is rarely in sync with what you're looking at.

The taxi drivers are generally some of the boldest drivers I've seen.  Add to that the incredibly small places they thread their cars through.  Plus I think I'm more mindful of my mortality than they.  Today we got a sleeper though.  This guy looked like he should have been retired long ago.  He fell asleep at a traffic light and wandered from side to side in his lane at a relative snail's pace.  He scared me more the others.  I told Anh to fasten her seat belt and began praying specifically for a safe trip in his car.

When we returned from the bus ride, ferry crossing, and taxi ride with Gramps, we went to do some of Anh's shopping in Kwan Tong (pronounce Coon Tong).  Found much better prices than yesterday.  The tip was from Oliver (one of our taxi drivers yesterday).  It was there we met Wendy. 

Our new friend Wendy

 She was listening to Anh try to communicate and had mercy on us.  She took us by the hand and then walked us over to the place she recommended for Dim Sum.  We got her card so we can communicate again later.  Then tried ordering in a totally Chinese only restaurant.  What a hoot!  We both decided Ginger Bistro was better.  

So lunch in our tummies, we braved the taxis again and asked them to take us to the Cruise Terminal.  He kept calling it "Ferry Terminal", but he knew where we needed to be.  Now it's 1540 and I need to finish and get onboard.  Will post more pics later.

Hong Kong - China (day1)

The Princess on the ferry -  Does that make here a ferry Princess?

After breakfast, we made our way off the ship and onto the shuttle.  It deposited us near the MTR (subway system).  Giving clear direction is not Hong Kongs long suit as we found out as the day unfolded.

       Just like all tests are easy if you know the answers, so finding a particular place is easy if you know where it is.  Of course, we didn't know where anything was or how to get there,  We rode the MTR like pros, but from there it was a treasure hunt to find the "Hop on Hop off" terminal.  Nobody seemed to know what we were talking about.  But they were happy to send us off with vague directions.  We finally found it around 1400, but before that, the tummies had to be placated.  So after we couldn't find any Dim Sum to make muster, we settled for just having lunch.  I, of course, had more than I needed.  All I really needed was a beer, but that just wouldn't be right, so I had a bowl of noodles and some meat too.  It was a whopper of a beer; .65 liters. 
 










After lunch, we found the "Big Bus" line and got ourselves onboard.  Not long after the bus started moving the Princess fell asleep and missed most of it. 

At the end of their circuit, we met a sweet young lady who helped us plan the remainder of the bus tour, which included a ferry ride, a night bus ride to see the lights of Hong Kong.  Her name is Jessica and she's already sent Anh a friend request on FB. 



     I have to confess that my body was feeling some pain and it's with me still.  Between my sore feet and back, I just want to get horizontal.

Night bus ride - where I forgot my hat on the bus...

 


















   After the night bus ride, we just had to eat again.  I chose another beer.  They had some Asian dish.  The meal was eaten while sitting at a table in the middle of a road. 

One of the guys that tied off the ferry

Loan on the ferry ride

 Just clowning around with the artwork.

After the late night meal, we hailed a cab and returned to the ship.    It's 2200 and my eyes are trying to close as I type.  So I'll call it a night and try to get rested up for day two.

Be blessed.

Taipei Taiwan

Nov 1 - Took a taxi to Taipei today to see several points of interest.  The outing was arranged by I'm not sure who, but suspect Anh.  Our car carried Tom and Julie, Loan, my Princess and yours truly.  Having the longest legs in the car, I got to ride in the front.  Our driver played some of his music for us.  Aside from the language, it could have been something you'd hear in the states.

We started out together as a sort of caravan with others in our party but found it something like herding cats to stay together. 

Points of interest included: National Museum,  Taipei Martyrs shrine,  the grand hotel and Taipei 101.

Between 3 & 4 we stopped at a local market for an hour.  We were done in about five minutes because the market was tiny, but the driver came back (as agreed) one hour later.   

This afforded me the opportunity to have a local beer. Since it’s poor form to sit and drink a beer at the neighboring business’s table without buying something, and not wanting to be an ugly American, I ordered the #1.   It consisted of a fried wrapper for a soft taco with a scrambled egg on it.  Additionally, there were three ( count’em three) chicken nuggets and a prepackaged plastic cup of tea.  Price was  55 Taiwan Dollars about a buck and a half US (I think). The beer was 45 Taiwan bucks.  So with my beer and box lunch, I parked myself at their table on the sidewalk and consumed all but the tea.

The museum was impressive but had too many people in it.  Also, we didn’t have time to really spend time taking it all in.  PRC considers all these treasures stolen since Chang Kai-Shek brought them to Taiwan when he lost the war to Mao Tse Tung ca. 1949.

 The Grand Hotel was truly grand.  Awesome in its scale and very classy.  I’d love to stay there, or even just have dinner there.   

Taipei 101 is a skyscraper and very modern.  The bottom floor is a gigantic food court complete with a grocery store where Anh bought some fruit she had been looking for.

Our driver dropped us right at the gangway, so we didn't have to walk in the rain.  After depositing the Princess and my personal impedimenta onboard, I gathered my mac and headed for the free wifi. 

This has taken longer than expected and I have to go so I don't miss the ship.

Keelung Taiwan

     We arrived in Keelung this afternoon around 1300.  Weather is like Olympia in the fall; drizzling rain.  The temperature is comfortable but must have rain protection.  The seas were rough and windy.  I assume it was the weather that caused our course deviation.

     I have confidence and respect for our captain. Nevertheless, it seemed to me that we were entering the port faster than normal.  Docking went smoothly.

     I thought we'd stay aboard because of the weather, but I've been wrong about other things too.  We watched the movie of the day and then about 1600 the Princess wants to go ashore.

My understanding is that we shove off tomorrow afternoon.

There's a fair amount of Taiwan Navy tied up here.  They all look like old US equipment (I think they are).

Yesterday there was a display of towel art on the Lido all around the pool.  

Tomorrow we are planning a road trip.  Jim and Lillian (our Chinese friends) are setting it up.

Keep the faith.  Fight the good fight.  

Later

Shanghai - Naha Japan

 After Beijing, we had two days at sea to rest up for Shanghai.  The rest was appreciated as my feet are weary and this darned head cold is persisting.

MS Amsterdam from North side of Yangtze

     Shanghai (while I’m sure has plenty of its own history) is a fascinating mixture of old and new.  China’s largest seaport straddles the Yangtze river and would take a lot of time to explore.  It has an estimated population of twenty-one million.  

     It has areas of antiquity surrounded by a modern city of skyscrapers and high tech.  The river at night puts on a dazzling display of lights.  Two days is just not enough time to explore Shanghai.

     We were in Shanghai for two days.  Day one we had a friend and shipmate guide us.  He (Jim) and his wife (Lillian) are Chinese and the language advantage is massive

North shore by night

The Lido was decorated festively for the evening meal

Thu and I having a beer with lunch

Jim and Lillian at lunch

Clowning with art

October 30 - Naha Japan

     One day at sea sailing SE brings us to Naha Japan.  After breakfast went back to wake the Princess.  Then we had to clear customs again.  We took a cab to the nearest outlet mall.  This, of course, gives me loads of time to collect my thoughts (such as they are).  

Searching for bandwidth in Naha

     I’m very impressed with the cleanliness of Japanese restrooms.  No odors!  Clean high tech toilets that are so kind as to wash your bum.  There is even a menu for the type of spray desired.  One must appreciate such things if you travel in Asia as there is a wide variety ranging from a, bring your own paper, hole in the floor to the high-end comfort I just found. 

Taxi ride from outlet mall to downtown market

      Had my local beer and it's apparent that shopping is the order of the day.  I chose to return to the ship and update this blog.  Hope it's worth your time to read it.