January 28 2009
Up early this morning and off to IAH aka Houston Intercontinental Airport…wouldn’t that be HIA? These are some of the more weighty questions in LIFE! Anyhoo…
Check in went smoothly and we got great seats!! Business First and we’re off to Narita!
I watched 5 movies...couldn’t sleep. Relatively uneventful flight and a very pleasant 13 hours as Business First is wont to be. Whatever that means…
Our connections to Singapore went smoothly and we were off on United Flt 803. Marty, his usual social self, went up to the cockpit to say hello to the Captain and First Officer. About 5 minutes later, the Captain came back to Coach and invited us to come up and take the last row of First Class. Very sweet since we had another 7 hours of flight time to Singapore. This time I did sleep and got in about 4 hours.
So landing in Singapore at 12:30am on the 30th was actually not so bad and we had an informative ride to the Holiday Inn Atrium with the Mundles. Our cabbie was a talkative fellow! Into bed by 2am and ready to start fresh when we get up!!
Later on the 30th….
Up and about, we walked down the river and back…quite a lot to see. It is clean and actually very cool.
Tonight, the wife of a Jet Airways Captain, Jane Mellor, came to show us around Singapore at night and had dinner with us. Very fun!!
Day One: January 31….
Up and workout, big breakfast then to the ship!! Legend of the Seas, Royal Caribbean!
Marty decided to make it his mission to meet everyone on the ship at least once….that would be a little over 1500 people…and he’s off to a good start.
Relatively easy check in but we were assigned inside cabins…very nice but we were hoping for an upgrade to an outside cabin. We’ll see, since the cruise was such a great deal…I don’t think we can complain…but we can always hope ☺
At 7pm we set sail for Bangkok. Two days at sea…
Day 2: February 1…Day at Sea!
Well my intentions are great and I headed to the gym to workout. As usual, the first few days of the cruise, the gym is VERY crowded in the morning and then it supposedly clears out as the week goes on…we’ll see.
We attended a Thailand “briefing “ from a retired NYU professor, Chuck. Actually, it was quite informative. He did a presentation on Vietnam as well. This would be a great job for Marty…he loves to impart information to everyone…anytime… and he has a wealth of information, although sometimes not as much as he thinks...(just kidding).
I wandered around the boat/ship and got acquainted with everything…it’s a pretty big vessel. And wow! We got upgraded to an outside cabin…had to repack and then unpack again, but, it was worth it. Our cabin was on a lower deck and closer to the bow…very comfy.
Tonight was our first Formal Dinner so everyone got all spiffy and beautimus!!
Day 3: February 2…Bangkok!!
We were supposed to dock at Laem Chabang, but we ended up going further up the river to dock closer to Bangkok.
We got off the Ship early and hired a driver to take us to the city. Bob and Cheryl stayed on the ship so, we had another couple, Fred and Marie from Grand Junction Colorado, join us. They were great fun and really good sports.
First stop was a ride in a canal boat on the Bangkok River. We were in smaller canals and then ventured into the “grand canal”. It reminded me of the Grand Canal in Venice, only not as pretty. Very big and busy with lots of boat traffic. There were boat vendors that paddle by and sell everything... water, beer, doodads and gimmicks.
Interesting mix...check out the satellite dish...
Lunched at a restaurant on the Canal, some of the food looked a little sketchy but it all tasted pretty good and no one got sick. That’s a plus!! Also, the view of a Temple...a famous one, of which I can't remember the name...and lots of long tail boats zooming past...
Then, on to the Grand Palace. Such opulence!! Very beautiful but yikes!!
OH! and there is a dress code! I knew they had one for women...no shorts, no bare arms, etc...but apparently there is a no shorts rule for men as well. So, Marty and Bill "rented" some pants to wear...excuse me but who was wearing them before???
Here is one of the guards that protect you AND you spirit... a two-fer, what a deal!
I kinda like the disco theme of these guys!
One comment here on the state of the bathroom facilities in Bangkok…primitive and smelly…that about covers it. I could go into more descriptions but I fear I would lose you…it was THAT bad.
The Jade Buddha was breathtaking. Equally as breathtaking was the heat!! It had to be over 110 degrees at the palace.
Return to the ship and ate AGAIN! Then we pretty much crashed early…long day.
Day 4: February 3…Pattaya Beach
Worked out, the gym doesn’t seem to be getting less crowded, however, had a leisurely breakfast, read my book….
We took the shuttle bus at noon and had a quick trip! I had a 2 hour massage….hhhmmmm, heaven. Marty had a one hour massage and then went to the internet café and we met as we were running to the last shuttle to get to the ship.
Fun dinner with the group…Robert is our waiter and Minghao Wang is his assistant…what a cutie!
Day 5: February 4….Sihanoukville (Khampon Som), Cambodia
We are in Cambodia’s only deep-water port. It is in the SW corner near Vietnam and only 230 kilometers southwest of Phnom Penh.
We got a car and driver and drove across to Kam Pot and then to Kem, which is a beach resort. We went through town after town of poverty and squalor. We sure were blessed to have been born in the US of A.
The people were all friendly and anxious to sell you stuff.
Had lunch in Kem and the went to a Buddist temple and met a lot of kids…very cute but they have fine-tuned the art of begging…hard to resist. But, somehow I managed!
Last stop of the day was Outres Beach where we had a few beers and were surrounded by beach vendors who were about 10 years old. Very cagey little sales people but very cute.
Day 6: February 5…Day at Sea
Stayed in bed and read til 9am…heaven. Worked out, read, relaxed, got some sun by the pool…now this is what I call a vacation!!
Formal night at dinner but it is a terrific group. Marty and Cheryl started to bump heads again…annoying as ever but somehow Marty is unable to let things slide and I get so upset…put a damper on my evening. It is my bad for letting it bother me. The immaturity of the whole event is laughable.
Day 7: February 6…Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City aka HCMC, Vietnam
Up early to catch a view of the Mekong Delta as we headed up river to dock at an industrial container port, which was closer to Saigon. Originally, we were to dock nearer to Vung Tau, which was at the mouth of the Saigon River.
We docked about 0730 and were able to disembark at 0800. We all met and tried to hire a driver to take us to Saigon which was a 2 hour drive. We were successful but it was the most expensive yet.
Good ole Uncle Ho.....
Once in the city, the girls were dropped at the Rex Hotel. The boys continued on with the driver to try to get a glimpse of their old airbase at Than Son Nhut. It is now where the Saigon Airport is and they were not able to get out and walk around to see anything. There was an air museum that was closed and they got to see a few airplanes from the war.
The girls, Cheryl, Penny, Kathy and I went shopping and had a massage and met back at the Rex Hotel for the ride to the ship. Lots of shopping to be had and I did my part.
I’m looking forward to two more days in Vietnam for shopping deals!!
We made it back to the ship with time to spare and all met up on the top deck for the return run down the Mekong River to the South China Sea!
The Boys! Didn't find their old base but celebrating their time together!!
Dinner and back to the rooms to catch up on journaling, reading and pictures. I tried to Skype Paddy but no luck…he was out.
Day 8: February 7…Nha Trang, Vietnam
We docked at anchor in this lovely harbor. There is a cable car/tram that goes across the bay to another island. Apparently, there is some sort of an amusement park over there but it wasn’t something we wanted to do.
When we got off the Tender, we walked around the area near the harbor but then decided to go into the city center. We took a cab and went to the main market. Shopping was OK and Marty got some sandals.
As we were leaving the market, we were surrounded by cyclos and decided to take a ride to the beach. These are persistent drivers and wanted to stay with us but we finally got rid of them and walked along the beach for a while.
But, we were followed by some more cyclos and we relented. They took us to a massage place. One of the weirder experiences I had…I got the feeling my masseuse wanted me to have a “happy ending” massage but I kept saying, noooooooo. A tip of the day…don’t get a massage where they make you pay first…the masseuse barely lets you out of the room, demanding a higher tip than you paid for the massage…weird.
Then, our faithful cyclos drivers were waiting for us to take us back to the ship. We stopped at a market for some beers and off we went. They really worked hard…but we had a blast!
We were surrounded by vendors at the entry to return to the ship!! Had to buy a few more things!! Shucks!
Day 9: February 8….Danang, Vietnam
This is the sight of China Beach and Marble Mountain.
Our cabby took us to Marble Mountain first. Dozens of stores all selling sculptures of all different sizes. Beautiful! The marble originally came from the hills around the town, but now, it is brought in from China…go figure.
During the Vietnam War, called the American War over here, there was a radio tower at the top of Marble Mountain to aid the allied forces and it was defended by the Marines. Semper Fi!
Then on to China Beach where US servicemen had “in country” R&R. It was mostly for Vietnamese troops but also US troops. The TV series China Beach was named after of it. I loved that show!
It was pretty but, as with any beach, time and condos take its toll. There were, however, these cool round boats that some of the locals were using. I have no idea how they were able to steer them out through the surf…using only a paddle, but they did! Very Cool!
Then back to the ship and another great meal. Our dinner was delicious but marred by an immature outburst, reminiscent of a four year old.
Anger, such a useless waste of time…it is kind of like rocking in a rocking chair…it gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere.
I feel like walking out and never looking back. I am so weary of loss of temper and anger bursts. Meaningless and a waste of time! A certain level of maturity is needed…how can one be an adult for over a half a century and never attain that level. How can one have such an amazing capacity to make people smile and make new friends and then completely lose control and be unable to control their temper.
I don’t get it.
Perhaps I never will…
Do I want to wait and see? Perhaps…then again,
sometimes…perhaps not.
The frightening part is, when these temper tantrums occur, I detach and on one level, I don’t care.
On another level, I am embarrassed. Not only for me…but, for those involved. How can they be so childish and immature. So unaware how it affects those around them…not just those involved but all who witness the ridiculous outburst. And that is what it is.
Then again…fuel on the fire…all, I have to say is calm down and WHOOSH!! Flame up!! And, I suppose it did no good to say shut the fuck up!! Go figure.
I, once again will apologize for causing the flame up and never receive an apology for the behavior that preceded it….as I said, maturity and respect.
Day 10: February 9…Sanya , China
Short day in Port but we had fun nonetheless. We went to a Pearl Museum where we learned the difference between “real” pearls, cultured pearls, and fresh water pearls. Also, how to tell if a pearl is real or fake….very interesting. Also found out that cosmetics made with pearls are very good for your skin. Hhhmmmmm! I KNEW I liked those little suckers!!
Day 11: February 10…Hong Kong, China
What an amazing city! The pollution was off the charts. My eyes burned all the time.
We docked in Kowloon right next to the Ferry Station. The shopping and fancy hotels were all only a few blocks away. Dangerous!!
Went to the Penninsula Hotel. Very Schmancy!! Apparently, THE place to be and be seen in Hong Kong. We only stopped in for a viewing…a little too pricey for our pockets, but, worth the viewing!!
Went shopping and tried to find out about a lens for my camera….needed to talk to Paddy before I did anything…got ripped off but learned a costly lesson.
Headed to the Central Bus Terminal and caught a bus to Stanley Market…one more place to boost the Hong Kong economy. Very popular market with the tourist crowd but very cute nonetheless.
Had lunch at a local (tourist) café…lots of ambiance….the napkins were double damask!!NOT! Apparently, napkins are not part of a regular place setting…. Here is what we got when we asked for "serviettes"....
An interesting mix of the old and sparkling new Hong Kong.
An exciting bus ride back to Kowloon and a run to the Intercontinental Hotel. We didn’t want to miss the light show!
We arrived at the Intercontinental Hotel, in the nick of time, to watch the Laser Light Show on the Harbor. Pretty incredible…all the buildings on both sides of the water were involved and lights were flashing and pulsing and generally going wild. Very impressive!!
We dragged our tired butts back to the ship for dinner at the buffet and fell into bed.
Day 12: February 11…Hong Kong
Took the Ferry to Hong Kong Island and then a bus to Aberdeen. In Aberdeen, we took a Harbor Cruise and went to the Floating Restaurant for lunch. It is surrounded by local fishing boats with a smattering of sailboats and larger powerboats. Back in the post Viet Nam days, it was said you could cross the harbor by walking from boat to boat. There were a lot of people living on their boats…still are! The same was said about Hong Kong Harbor…LOTS of little boats!
Back to the ship by 1630 and we departed at 1800. We were all on deck to wave goodbye to Hong Kong and toast our fun times and good fortune!
Day 13: February 12…Xiamen, China
Xiamen has been a seaport critical to China’s trade and political activities since it’s founding 1387 during the Ming Dynasty. It’s name means “Remember the Ming” or some such thing…
Anyhoo…we departed the ship and took the ferry to a little Island across the water that had no cars…their own little Catalina, only smaller and called Piano Island, I think.
We walked around the quaint little streets…got chased down a hill by some locals that didn’t want us in their neighborhood, at least that’s what we surmised from all the chatter and arm waving. I mean hey! Everybody likes us…we’re fun.
We then got turned away from the Piano Museum because we just wanted to take a picture of the building and not pay to go INTO the museum. They were a little crabby about that, I mean REALLY! Mr. Crabbypants!!
We found the tour golf carts and decided to take a ride to the other side of the Island. After we loaded up with beer and got our cameras ready…we were off! Howsomeever, the golf cart girl got cranky when we asked her to stop for a picture, NO!…slow down?? NO!
These people must have low blood sugar or something…SHEESH!!
But there were lovely surprises on the other side…a hike to a fabulous viewing area…a tram to a cool aviary…more beer…just to name a few!
But the “piece de resistance” was that Marty and Bob went to get a haircut while the rest of us had…yes…ANOTHER beer…and other refreshments. Their “stylists” got a little carried away but they came back with both ears and fun stories!! No “happy ending massage” here, but almost...
Back to the ship by 1730 and dinner with the whole gang!!
Day 14: February 13…Day at Sea, last day at sea, sniff….
Well, this is a fit ending to a terrific cruise. Breakfast in the Dining Room with, almost the whole group.
We relaxed, packed, worked out, had a few cocktails, and generally enjoyed the day.
Tonight was our last “formal attire” dining event! As with the end of any cruise, there are extravaganzas galore and everyone rushing to get contact info so we can keep in touch and see each other on various continents at assigned times.
We have plans to go to France, Germany, England and Mexico. We’ll see what pans out, but it sure would be fun!
An amazing show in the Theater was a repeat performance from the first night on board that we missed. So glad we got to see it!
Then, we headed to the bar and pounded down a few…or was it just me?...hhhmmmmm.
Among the guests on board were a group of CAL Flight Attendants, we had a blast with them all. Also, a CAL Captain, Mike Lynch and his wife, Pat and parents, Herb and Ruth.
Day 14: February 15 Shanghai, China
We all met in line at the exit area at 0930. That was a feat in and of itself.
Got three cabs to the Broadway Mansion Hotel. It was only about 6 blocks from The Bund. So we dropped our stuff in the rooms, and took off for the Bund and points unknown.
We walked and saw the sights in questionable weather…as it started to rain, we looked for cabs…not an easy feat…and the girls ended up getting split up from the boys and the rest of the day was a “goat rope”. Marty gave the cabbie an address and Penny gave him a different one and we got dropped at the wrong place. After a few hours of wandering and trying to find them, we went back to the hotel. We found the boys, regrouped, and those who wanted to shop went out again.
We went to the shopping area that Marty found with the Jet Airways Crew and did some serious damage. Yay! Such great deals!
Then after showering and warming up, we went to dinner in the “red light district” and realized, once again, you NEVER order chicken in China.
Day 15: February 16 Shanghai, China
Bob and Cheryl went home today.
Gary, Kathy, Bill, Penny, Marty and I went out to explore the surrounding areas. We took the tram under the river to the other side of the Bund.
Walked to all the sights and went to the top of the newest tallest hot diggity building and took pictures and had coffee.
Unbelievable smog...
Interesting sign for an ATM...very apt...
Then back to the Hotel so Penny and Bill could catch their plane home.
The rest of us headed out to a Canal Town called Tzsingtzsing Tzou, or something. It was very cool and completely void of other tourists.
We walked to the river and looked for a restaurant. We found one. There was no name, no menu and at least no one spoke English. What a kick! We drew pictures on scraps of paper (they too didn’t have napkins) and somehow got our order across. However, trying to order wine was another story. Finally, Gary went down into the kitchen to point at what we wanted.
The room was FREEZING and luckily there was a heater on the wall. Unluckily, all the directions were in Chinese….luckily, the young girl could see my lips turning blue…unluckily, the heater kept shutting off…luckily, we ate fast…unluckily, we couldn’t find the person to get our bill…luckily, someone ran down the block and brought her back. All in all, it was quite an experience.
Our explorations through the town were aided by a young man who kept following us and if we turned the wrong way, would run ahead and jump up and down to make sure we went the right way. Well, that is a little bit of an exaggeration, but he was rather insistent that we go the right way.
Then Gary decided maybe he would do a few odds jobs to pick up a little cash for the trip home...
A good day but the ride back took about 2 hours. Rush hour in Shanghai is a bitch!...a whole new meaning of gridlock.
We didn’t want to miss any shopping so we headed back to Marty’s shopping mall and bought MORE stuff including golf clubs and ski jackets and Tiffany’s jewelry.
By the time we got back to the Hotel we were exhausted!! A trip to the corner store got us a bottle of wine, some noodle soup (just add water) and about a gallon of water.
We went to Tottens room to eat and then back to try and pack all our goodies.
About 11pm we realized we weren’t going to make it fit and called Kathy to see if we could buy her extra bag and pay for one for them since they were staying one more day. She turned over her bag and wouldn’t take money….God bless that girl! We finally fell into bed and were rudely awakened early for our trip to the airport!
Day 16: February 17 Shanghai to Narita to Houston to LA
What a day! But we made it home!! Yay!
