Wednesday, January 1 - SFO to Singapore
Had a special driver this morning! My son, Stephen, was there at 6:00 a.m. to pick me up and take me to the airport. How nice! Had decided to go to an airport hotel the afternoon before my flight (because of New Year's Eve!) so I wouldn't have to bother my usual driver early on New Year's Day. Stephen said "Nope"! He would take me in the morning.
Absolutely no one on the freeway, so had good thoughts about a quiet airport, but it was not to be. Tons of crazy people, just like me, were traveling on New Year's Day.
Plane left on time, smooth flight, well, sort of . . . announcements often heard to remain in our seats and keep out belts fastened. Singapore Airlines may be the most comfortable (so far) business class I've flown. Extremely roomy seats with lots of space for stowing purse, shoes, etc. Food was quite good, lots of Asian choices. Crew was exceptional!
The only glitch was that any time I wanted to get out of my seat, the seat belt would not disconnect. Others could do it for me, but I could not, so now I'm seat belt challenged!!
Sixteen and a half hours later we were on our approach to Singapore with some very interesting cloud formations visible.
Thursday, January 2 - Arrival Singapore - Ritz Carlton Millenia Hotel
After deplaning, it was a long, but easy walk to Immigration where passport was scanned electronically, photo taken and I was on my way. I'd applied for my Singapore Visa online and had been advised the day before that the "okay" for entry into the country had been attached to my passport records. Two bags were within the first dozen pieces to come out on the conveyor belt - would my good luck continue? I'd received a text that my Blacklane driver was waiting for me outside to take me to the Ritz Carlton. He was there and with a smile, took control of my two large bags and walked me to his van.
Within fifteen minutes I was at the Ritz Carlton, after an amazing ride viewing the exquisite modern architecture of high rise building in this beautiful city, perhaps made all the more beautiful in the dark by the glistening lights, with added sparkle for the Christmas holiday.
Met at the door of the hotel and escorted up to the Club floor (which my room included), and checked in there while I sipped a glass of wine. Nice! Decided to have a bite to eat there before going to my room, two down on the 30th floor. The lobster roll was not a roll but a retangular sandwich, cut into quarters, and not very good. Ate a small portion. Too tired to care. Had a second glass of wine and retired to my room.
Had I been here before . . . .? That bathroom window looked so familiar . . .
Friday, January 3 - Singapore
Awoke to a dramatic view of the water, buildings, a triple tower hotel that had a ship like structure at the top! WOW! Enjoyed breakfast on the Club floor, and then lazed in my room until it was time to meet Pete and Elin for our walking food tour. Wanted to save my energy for the four hour walk. For those of you who have followed my blog previously, you met Pete and Elin on a Silversea cruise to Antarctica. Cruised with them again last year in Australia and New Zealand, and here we are again! Great people to be with while travelling!!
We then met up with Joe and Rina. They will be with us until Hong Kong. Joe is a former law partner of Pete's. They are both delightful.
Weather is hot and muggy, very hot and muggy . . . perspiring all the while! . . . or should I say we were all glistening . . .
The food was very interesting, and our guide, Charlotte, was high energy, lots of fun and knowledgable. Our stops for food were not high end, but this made it all the more interesting for me because I believed we were enjoying food that lots of working class people in Singapore enjoyed. Everywhere we went there were huge colored photos of the food being offered, and for the most part when dishes arrived they were exactly as photos indicated.
One of my favorite items was the Chai tea (Pete holding bag of liquid in photo above). Warm, sweet and spicy. Delicious!! . . and a unique way to decrease the amount of stuff to recycle.
Along the way we found out about local fruits, vegetables and flowers for sale.
Am not certain what to call the items that we ate. They were tasty, lots were fried, and there were a ton of broth-based dishes. As we walked along after ingesting copious amounts of broth at several stops, I sloshed with each step!!
One of our last food stops we were encouraged to try the local coffee. That didn't appeal at all to me, so I declined. Suddenly, a very gregarious lady pushing the sale of Chinese beer approached the table, the other four declined the sale, but I raised my hand. It was the best choice - ice cold, served in very small frozen glasses and perfect at the moment, especially for me who almost never drinks beer. Everyone joined me and were happy to do so. In fact, we ordered a second bottle!
Along the way we saw the facades of the famous Shop Houses. Traditionally, businesses were on the first floor, and residences on the second and third floors. These shop houses now sell in the many millions of dollars and the average size per unit is 1,000 square feet. The facades are beautifully and originally decorated - each one unique - lots of detail and color.
Following the tour which ended after 7:00 p.m., we had reservations at Jigger and Pony, a famous world-class bar - our timing was difficult as we had to clean up and be at the bar by 8:30. I decided to be smart and bow out of the evening. Needed a shower and a comfortable bed. The others made the quick change and enjoyed the evening.
Saturday, January 4 - Singapore
Today I opted for a lazy day because this evening we are slated for dinner at a world-class, three Michelin Star restaurant - Odette. So I enjoyed a very light lunch at the hotel which was very tasty. A bruschetta with eggplant, and a slice of cheese for a little protein - YUM!
After lunch, investigated the hotel a bit, and indeed, this was the exact hotel in which Adolfo and I'd stayed when last in Singapore - perhaps twenty-five years ago! I recognized the beautiful Chihuly glass in the two halls at reception, though the glass pieces have been reformed from the original and the shapes were not as dramatic as the first time. Can't wait to get home to dig out the photos (before iPhone!) to compare. I do remember that the view from our room included the port and acres of containers waiting to be shipped. That port has now been developed to look like the opening photo of this blog. If I can transfer "then" photos into this blog to show comparisons, will do so when I get home. The port is now about a fifteen minute car ride further out of town, and I believe there are plans to build a huge mega port, even a little further away in order to accommodate all kinds of shipping. Daily, there are approximately 2000 ships that come through this waterway - a staggering amount of ships!
Finished reading a book, yet unpublished, authored by my Canadian friend, Zak. And then writing this blog a bit. Now it was time to meet Elin and Pete in the lobby and head out to Odette.
Here the menu:
Grignotages - (nibbles)
MARUKYO UNI
Red Sicilian Prawn / Mussel cloud / Dourikus caviar
SHIMA AJI "CRUDO"
Horseradish / Kohlrabi / Dill
ROSEMARY SMOKED ORGANIC EGG
Smoked potato syphon / Chorizo Iberico / Meuniere
JEJU ABALONE & FOIE GRAS DUO
Shitaki / Pork broth / Yuzu
HOKKAIDO KINKI
Yari ika / Chardonnay nage / Kobu
or was it this?
. . . or maybe it was this? I have more food photos than the list on the menu!!!
Somewhere in the line up was a delicious mushroom soup, served in a special container.
KAMPOT PEPPER CRUSTED PIGEON
Topinambour / Piedmont hazelnut / Black garlic
CITRUS TART
Bergamot / Buddha/s hand / Genmaicha
Douceurs
Food was enjoyed immensely, along with three fabulous bottles of wine.
And here we are - happy, replete, and just a little buzzy!!
Dining at Odette was a "never-to-be-forgotten" experience. Along with incredible food and wine to say nothing of the incomparable table mates, the staff at this restaurant had great joy in presenting the meal and visiting with us in between courses. Thanks to Elin for having the determination to get us reservations - it wasn't easy!!
Sunday, January 5 - Boarding Seabourn Encore
Today's the day we board Seabourn Encore! Am being picked up at 12:30, by a private car. Checkout at hotel is at noon, so the timing is perfect. Got everything repacked, made certain I'd not left anything behind in the room and off I went to await my driver.
Daniel was there even before his appointed time, and it took us about fifteen minutes to get to the port. Got a little history of Singapore from Daniel, and then we'd arrived.
Quite a few people had arrived to begin check-in at 12:30, the official start of boarding today. The line was a bit long to get two bags checked in, but suddenly everything was moving along. Except for the shouting Asian at the automatic passport check, the process was seamless. From leaving the hotel until I arrived in my suite was only forty minutes. That really was quite good!
Had a beautiful arrangement of roses welcoming me in my suite - nice. Watched the safety drill on the television, checked in to my muster station, had lunch in the Colonnade, but where was my luggage? It took over four hours for my luggage to arrive in my suite - thought that was a bit of a long time.
While unpacking there was a thunder and lightening demonstration from above, and then some really torrential rains. The photo does not show the strenth of this rain!
We met for drinks in the Observation Lounge and went on down to the main dining room - the Restaurant - for dinner. Everyone was happy with their choices, service was good, and the wine ordered (forgot to take a photo!) was delicious!
. . . and so to bed.
Monday, January 6 - At Sea
I love days at sea . . . so relaxed, although the swells of the sea did make for uncomfortable and awkward navigation around the ship. We had our first round of Trivia - most important - especially when traveling with Pete ad Elin. Our team name is "(Sea)Bourn To Be Wild". Clever, yes?
Only one glitch in the Seabourn way, thus far. I asked a bartender by the pool bar to please make me a rye old fashion cocktail. He said they were out of rye, which I took to mean on the entire ship. However, when I went to Observation Bar later and asked for the same drink, it came without question. Years ago, that first bartender would have found a bottle of rye at another bar and made that drink. Just sayin . . .
Here are some trivia questions. You can look for answers on the following day.
Which country borders the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal?
How many legs does a lobster have?
Which country developed Asahi lager?
What do initials HIIT stand for?
In which country is the money called "Zloty"?
In 1995 Pierre Omidyar developed which website?
What is the only word (anagram) that can be created from the word "english"?
What is the study of Mycology?
After drinks at The Club, we adjourned for a dinner once again in the Restaurant, and then an early evening for me . . well, not so early.
Tuesday, January 7 - At Sea
Another day at sea - YEA! No rush to get anywhere, just relax, play Trivia, eat and drink! Not a bad life!
This evening Pete, Rina, Joe and I are attending a special wine pairing dinner in the main dining room. Have been told there will be a table of ten at the dinner. Elin has bowed out of the evening as she has some business to transact for her job, and while traveling in this part of the world, that means Elin must be on the phone at night.
In fact, we were not at a table of ten, but at our own table of four. Wine pairing guests were scattered throughout the restaurant. Tonight was a formal night, therefore a special Signature Dinner from the chef. Everyone in the restaurant got the same menu, but those of us who paid for the special wine pairings had some treats in store!
Here's out menu listed together with the wine pairings:
Citrus & Dill Marinated Fresh Cured Salmon
salmon rillettes, poached lobster Medallion, blinis, tomato chutney
CASTON CHIQUET - Blanc de Blancs NV
Champagne - France
Sunchoke Cream Soup
smoked fish, horseradish
FRANCOIS CHIDAINE - Touraine sauvignon 2022
Loire Valley - France
Sauteed Scallop
carrot and cardomon pulp, herb oil
VINCENT LATOUR - Meursault 1er Cru "Poruzots" 2022
Burgundy - France
Pan Seared Sea Bass
mascarpone mash, tomato basil salsa, red wine butter sauce
RACINES WINE - Pinot Noir "Sanford & Benedict Vineyard" 2019
Santa Barbara, California
(Photo missing)
Meyer's Lemon Meringue Tart
strawberry granola, rasberry gel
CHATEAU SUDUIRAUT - Sauternes 1er Grand Cru Classe 2017
Bordeaux, France
Gelato Pralines
The menu above is what I enjoyed. There were also two other choices for the main course which were a Goat Cheese Tart Nicoise or a Whole, Pink-Roasted Slice of Beef Tenderloin. The wine offered with the beef entree was a delicious (I tasted it!) Vietti Barolo "Rocche di Castiglione" 2015 from Piedmont, Italy (where my Mama's family came from!)
The special dinner tonight was good and very beautifully presented, though I felt that each dish was missing something in the flavor that would have made it extraordinary - all rather bland. Of course, perhaps I'm jaded after two cruises on Explora Journeys where food is perhaps the best I've ever enjoyed at sea.
Answers to yesterday's trivia:
India
Ten Legs - often referred to as a decapod.
Japan
High Intensity Interval Training
Poland
eBay
Shingle
Mushrooms
Am trying to note significant changes that I spot on Seabourn, not because I'm complaining, but because I remember such superb service from this cruise line.
Today at lunch we sat at a table for six (There were five of us.) before seeing that the table had no wine glasses, and while we awaited the offer of wine and hopefully the waiter would notice, for ten minutes we waited.. Luckily, I know one of the wine sommeliers so I called over Sunimal (John and Sandi, do you remember Sunimal in the TK Grill?) and asked for wine glasses which he promptly supplied and also brought over a wine that we requested. Service in the Colonnade is not up to snuff and I believe it is because there seem to be one-third to one-half less in number attending to guests.
Today's Trivia questions:
1. What is epistaxis?
2. What is the loudest insect?
3. Who of the seven dwarves wear glasses?
4. What is the middle name of Elvin Presley?
Wednesday, January 8 - Laem Chabang (Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok, Thai Krung Thep, city, capital and chief port of Thailand. It is the only cosmopolitan city in the country of small towns and villages and is Thailand's cultural and commercial center.
Bangkok is located on the delta of the Chao Phraya River, about 25 miles from the Gulf of Thailand. It was formerly divided into two municipalities, Krung Thep on the east bank and Thon Buri on the west - connected by several bridges. In 1971 the two were united as a city-province with a single municipal government. In 1972 the city and the two surrounding provinces were merged into one province, called Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok Metropolis). It is a bustling, crowded city with temples, factories, shops and homes juxtaposed along its roads and canals. It is also a major tourist destination, noted for bountiful cultural attractions and nightlife.
Although the above description is about Bangkok, not about our port city of Laem Chabang, most passengers on our ship opted for the city of Bangkok tours which entailed a two and a half hour ride from the ship, and then another two and a half hours back to the ship. That's five hours out of your day on a bus. Having been to Bangkok many years ago, as had Pete and Elin in 2020, we opted for a private tour to Pattaya, only about thirty minutes from the ship. It was a great choice. Thank you, Elin, for arranging - with Elin along it's like traveling with your private travel agent!
Our tour included five stops with a very sweet driver, Joe.
Elephant Ride - what can I say? Have never ridden an elephant and this was great fun - something now off my bucket list. The trick is to relax with the movement of the animal and enjoy the ride.
The mahout (elephant driver) is the owner of his elephant. He lives on the park premises with his family (very basic conditions), loves his animal and family. Joyfully pointed out his three-year old son as we passed his hut.
Pattaya Floating Market - such fun!
Established since 2008, Pattaya Floating Market is a riverside attraction in Pattaya displaying and showcasing the beautiful ancient Thai riverside living community and authentic ways of life, including displays of culture and local products from four major regions of Thailand with absolutely affordable prices.
First a boat ride around the lagoon to view the market from the water and then a walk through the many stalls to where we would meet up with our driver. We meandered, touched, sniffed, drank fresh coconut milk out of the fruit, bought a few things and then were getting hungry, but not prior to my becoming the happy owner of some very beautiful scarves. Really great bargains! Scarves are awesome!
One more stop prior to lunch!
Big Golden Buddha - amazing!
An 18-metre (59-feet) high golden Buddha statue overlooking Pattaya and Jomtien Beaches from its vantage point at the peak of Pratamnak Hill. A gentle staircase flanked with dragon-inspired railings leads to the elevated platform, where 7 smaller Buddha statues are also located.
I took one look at the stairs and decided to wait in the car. Pete and Elin went to meet the Buddhas, where Pete put money in one Buddha's belly - tradition!
Pad Thai Lunch - at local eatery. Also went back to our ice cold Chang beer. Quite delicious and worked out to about $10 USD per person which I believe included the tip.
When driving around Pattaya, was fascinated with the wiring conducting electricity to and from telephone poles. Here is a photo that is not the best example, because I missed the most complicated wiring due to positioning of the car. Couldn't get the photos of the poles that were two to three times worse than the photo below!
The Sanctuary of Truth - don't know what to say about this one.
The Sanctuary of Truth in Thailand is the largest and arguably the most beautiful wood-carved structure in the world. This awe-inspiring 105-meter-tall building is built entirely of wood. Not a single nail has been used in its construction, making it a truly remarkable one-of-a-kind structure. Part temple, part museum, part workshop, part art gallery, the beauty of the intricately carved Sanctuary is almost impossible to describe. It is an amazing work of art – and has to be seen to be believed.
It's huge, it's dark. Think it might be Thailand's answer to Barcelona's Sagrada Familia because it has been years in the building and will no doubt continue for a long while. Main stays of the structure are wood pillars - actually gigantic tree trunks which are adorned with many carvings.
All through the temple, there are local artisans working on pieces (photo above) kneeling on the unfinished floor and when completed, those pieces will be lifted into place. Lots of scaffolding and work being done overhead, which demanded that we all wear hard hats while on the tour. I put mine on over my straw hat - made for a really interesting fashion statement! Each section of the temple honors a different god, i.e., Wind, Fire, Water, etc.
Having mentioned the Sagrada, have never visited there without coming away with an uplifted spirit, and a wish to have been able to know the creator, Antoni Gaudi. After this visit to the Sanctuary of Truth, I came away with heavy spirit from all of the darkness, the weight of the dark wood, and in all honesty, probably for two important reasons - first because I do not understand this religion, and second because I was getting very tired.
One very cool thing that happened to us at this visit, and am hoping that it was a nice perk for Elin and Pete to be traveling with the "old lady", is that they offered us a shuttle ride in a golf cart which eliminated a 25-minute walk to the temple. When we finished they were there to drive us back!
A really nice day. Back to the ship for a freshening up, and we met out on the pool deck at Earth and Ocean for dinner al fresco. Enjoyed a black cod dish that was superb! However, I missed that salad bar which, on past cruises, has often preceded one's dinner choices.
Another mark against Seabourn is the fact that when five people are seated at a table for six, they "might" remove the extra place setting (without our asking), but they never remove the extra chair - this leaves an awkward gap. Tonight at Earth and Ocean, I nicely requested that not only the place setting be removed but also the chair, which was done. We adjusted our settings so that we sat equally around the table. Conversation much better!
Yesterday's Trivia answers:
Epistaxis is the medical name for a nose bleed.
Loudest Insect is a Cicada.
Only one dwarf wears glasses - Doc.
Elvis' middle name was Aron.
Thursday, January 9 - Koh Kut, Thailand
Sometimes referred to as Ko Kood, Koh Kut is often feted as the perfect Thai island, and it is hard to argue with such an accolade. Perhaps that is why Seabourn chose today's stop for the Champagne and Caviar in the surf event, together with a huge barbecue on the beach. Am a bit fatigued from yesterday, so have chosen to stay on board. Had a very light lunch out on the pool deck, swam by myself for a while, and am now in my suite finishing up another segment of the blog so I can publish it.
Tonight will be our first visit to the new restaurant, Solis, which has replaced the former and popular Thomas Keller Grill (which I enjoyed). More to report later.
Very interesting cocktail menu in the Solis bar. All specialty drinks are named after celebrities like Gina Lollabrigida, Federico Fellini, Brigette Bardot, etc. We each enjoyed different choices and then it was time for dinner which was superb.
These two rascals below (Rina and Joe) kept us waiting at the cocktail hour because while we were all going to dine at Solis, Rina noticed that in the Colonnade, they offered Pad Thai, which she had missed when they went on a tour to Bangkok. So they tried to sneak in to the Colonnade for an "appetizer" prior to cocktails, only to be recognized and told that they had reservations in Solis! Rina pled her case and they were seated to try out the Pad Thai (delicious!) and while they were there might as well try out some of the beef curry (also delicious!) Lots of laughter at being caught out!
For our entree in the Solis restaurant, we chose two orders of 32-ounce steaks which were each supposed to feed two people. We were certain that with five people, two would be fine. Well, it was way too much. One order would have fed all of us amply. We ate until we couldn't eat any more and were sorry to send the remainder back to the kitchen. Oh, to have been able to have a way to take that home for sandwiches the next day!
Along with the beef, were two different sides of potatoes (one creamed and one roasted), asparagus and roasted cauliflower.
Desserts were beautiful and delicious. We will dine here again on January 14, so will want to try other choices.
We also enjoyed two wines.
Friday, January 10 - Sihanoukville, Cambodia
Kampong Saom, also spelled Kompong Som, also called Sihanoukville town, autonomous municipality, and the only deep water port in Cambodia, situated on a peninsula of the Gulf of Thailand. Not a pretty town, Sihanoukville. It would never win first prize in a pretty-town competition, and much of it is now dominated by casinos and commercial centers. Nevertheless, it has remained the jumping off point for the best of Cambodia’s white sand beaches and castaway cool southern islands.
Today Rina and Joe leave for Angkor Wat and will be away two nights. Pete, Elin and I are on a private tour again today.
Love this photo that Rina and Joe sent back. It was taken by a member of their travel group.
While Joe and Rina were discovering Angkor Wat, Pete, Elin and I were off on a private tour to Phenom Penh. It was a long three-hour ride from our port. Along the way we saw orchards of palms that produce palm oil, cashew and mango trees. Our driver told us that cobras live in the palm orchards, so no strolls through there!
We feel we have been lucky with the weather - though warm, not intolerable. Hope this good fortune continues.
First stop was the palace of the king whose name rhymes with "Harmony". Only way I can come close to his pronounciation. Because his flag was flying over the residence, we knew that he was home! This compound is quite beautiful. Everywhere one looks or points a camera is a memorable photograph. At this stop we met our guide for the afternoon. We were to address him as Silong (again, this is phonetic). He was a very nice young man, one of ten children, and because he was the last to be born in his family and during a time that Cambodia was on the upswing and away from the Khymer Rouge, he was educated - the only one of his siblings.
We then stopped at the statue of former King Sihanouk who lived to 90 years of age. Pictured in the distance is the memorial for Cambodian Independence.
The next part of our tour was very difficult for all of us. We toured S-21, one of the many Khymer Rouge secret prisons in Phenom Penh. At S-21 between 17,000 and 20,000 people were incarcerated. I believe this was during the period of 1975 to 1979. This facility had previously been an intermediary school, but under the Khymer Rouge, it was turned into an abomination. The history of this facility is a perfect example of Robert Burns' phrase "man's inhumanity to man". We took few photos - none inside. DIdn't seem the thing to do.
Some people were held while chained, in a cubicle perhaps 3 feet by 6 feet. Each cell had a small rectangular metal container for human waste, and if it overflowed the prisoner was beaten and tortured.
Throughout the rooms we walked, the walls were lined with photos of each numbered "guest". All ages from children to the aged, all had done something, or been born into something that was offensive to the ruling party. If not in this prison, or another like it, they were sent out into the rural areas to be worked to death in the fields . . . . or become a permanent resident in a mass grave in one of the many infamous killing fields of Cambodia.
There is so much more I can relate here with regard to stories of what happened to individuals under the Khmer Rouge, as told to us by our guide, but most are sad and awful, so have elected to remember them (can't forget!) without including them in this journal.
Here are photos in the courtyard.
The gentleman above is one of the survivors and has written a book on his stay at S-21. We each bought a copy, but it will be a while before I can read it.
There was one more stop, a temple. Lots of stairs, so you know what I did. Actually we hadn't eaten anything since a very early breakfast and it was almost 3:00 p.m., so the driver and I sought out something that we could eat on the way back to the ship, while Pete and Elin toured the temple. We'd thought something local in the way of food but the driver was so proud of himself for getting this Amerian to Pastamania that I didn't have the heart to tell him otherwise. Luckily, I could order burgers - they weren't half bad - and we were very hungry! Along with the burger I ordered watermelon juice which was awesome!
A little side story . . .When we'd entered the van back in Sihanoukville, our driver commented on my straw hat and said that I looked like a queen - not certain which one - perhaps Elizabeth? At any rate, there was magic as we entered each toll road and he would say "for the queen" as the gates lifted to let us through. Much laughter! As the guide, Pete and Elin got out of the van to view the last temple, and we were to go in search of food, he stepped on the gas and said, "My Queen, let's go!"
By the time we got back to Sihanoukville, I was exhausted, both physically and emotionally, so opted to have a snack in my suite. Ordered a chicken Caesar salad without croutons. The salad came without chicken!! Oh, well, had a lovely bottle of Duckhorn Paraduxx wine in my suite - all good!
Saturday, January 11 - At Sea
A quiet day at sea, with a bit of trivia, dinner somewhere - can't remember! Some preparation in packing for an overnight in the Mekong Delta the following day.
Oh yes, memory returning . . . we lunched at Sushi and I forgot to take a photo of the food, but here is the result and I believe we loved every bite.
In the evening, we ate dinner out on the pool deck at Earth and Ocean - another very good meal.
Almost got away with a fairly light dinner, but then ruined the effort as we opted to share a baked Brie. Asked for it to be really runny. When it arrived, it was so hot that it was pulsing to look like a beating heart.
Sunday, January 12 - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Viet Nam
Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. About a four hour sail up the river into the city, and a mishap once in the river when a small boat cut in front of the ship and we had to veer sharply - food and plates all over the floor in the Colonnade.
What an adventure we will have! An overnight in the Mekong Delta
We'd booked a tour from Seabourn, for an overnigh in a resort spa almost three hours from the port - Mekong Riverside Boutique Resort and Spa. We were very surprised to find that we were the only three who'd signed up so we virtually had a private tour - fine with us!
Left the ship at midday and were off, through the city of Saigon and into the city's rural villages. Most interesting. As I often find when traveling one can be in a city that shows wealth, business acumen and promise for a rising prosperity all 'round. Then, as you move out of the city, things begin to decline with everything except for the farming. Tons of farming in this area, not just the beautiful rice fields that are such a verdant green, but orchards and fields growing corn, bamboo, mango, breadfruit, jackfruit - lots of fruit!!
What I found particularly interesting were the tombs out in the middle of the rice fields. Owners of the property bury their relatives on the same land that they farm. Actually a sweet idea - like angels guarding the remaining family and helping the crops grow.
I really didn't know what to expect at the resort, especially as the area we were in seemed fairly depressed. I was in for a surprise. The resort is beautiful - flourishing natural plants, lots of flowering species combined for color, and the property built out over the widest part of the Mekong River. The tide fluctuates quite a bit but because vegetation is so heavy near the shore one can't really tell if the tide is in or out!
Mekong Riverside Resort has fifty self-contained rooms with private balconies overlooking the garden, the lake, and the Mekong River. It is fully equipped with a 4-stars standard. (quoted from their brochure)
Our rooms were spartan, but clean and more than adequate. The tub/shower was a challenge for me that I didn't face . . . and I forgot to take a photo. Two steep steps up, and then one HUGE step down into the tub where one can sit or stand to take a hand held shower. Had I tried this, would have maimed myself for certain. The mattress on the beautifully made bed was perhaps the hardest one I've ever slept on (all it needed was spikes!) - could not get comfortable!
We had a guided tour of the gardens, saw the beautiful swimming pool which is rimmed in Cararra marble, watched as a gardener worked land that the resort hopes will make them more sustainable, along with chickens they now raise. Staff here are so kind, anxious to please, and one young woman asked to give me a kiss - how do you say "no"?
After the tour we were served drinks out on the deck facing the river. Enjoyed a Mekong Mojito. Elin enjoyed a Margarita. Then in to dinner where we were not only served a fabulous meal, but entertained by musicians, and a male and female singer who sang and danced - then entertained us table side. We were the only three in this part of the restaurant. Very special!
Which country has the most penguin species?
What percentage of the world’s wildlife is found in the seas? 74%? 84%? 94%?
How tall is the Eiffel Tower in meters?
4. What is Billy Smart famous for?
Monday, January 13 - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Viet Nam
Up early this morning . . . breakfast at 7:00 a.m. - a really lovely breakfast, both Asian and western food (your choice at the buffet), and then a boat cruise on the Mekong at 8:00 a.m., a most interesting tour!
We were able to view the separation of rice from the hull, see how rice is popped (just like popcorn, crispy bars made out of the popped rice and something sweet, making coconut candy that has the consistency of salt water taffy. We tasted rice wine in three flavors - plain, banana and snake. The snake rice wine actually had a cobra marinating in the rice wine - I passed on that one!
Then I found some very beautiful scarves! Oh No, more scarves! These were cashmere and beautiful - already forgot the price, but ridiculously low. Found a couple that were wonderful.
Riding along the river I was astounded (not the first time) with the living conditions of so many locals. Some of the houses look like they wouldn't survive a strong wind. A memory I will carry with me is the negligence with which locals dispose of things they no longer need and often with high tides, these items are carried out into the river. Used plastic bags are everywhere, on the banks of the river and floating in the river. We were told by our guide that once a month, a boat combs the river for refuse. My personal thought is that the recovery of garbage on the river should occur more frequently.
In some areas along the river, especially in the city of Ho Chi Minh City, they have paid people to leave their ramshackle houses, torn down the empty houses, repaired the river bank and often developed a walkway or small road along that bank.
We also visited an old home built in 1938 (a good year!) that has housed seven generations of one family. Lovely gardens and courtyard. When I told the guide that I'd also been "built" (actually born) in 1938 he was astounded and had to take a photo! I was now an historical wonder!
After the river tour we were slated for lunch prior to our departure back to the ship. Eating again! Lunch was spectacular, and we did put a dent in it. Everything so delicious and way too much food.
Then it was time to gather our belongings, check out of the resort and drive back to the ship. We leave Saigon tonight.
The Fearless Fivesome will be back together again tonight Rina and Joe are back from Angkor Wat as of last night. Wonder if they will talk us into a "pre-dinner dinner?!?!?
1. New Zealand has the most penguin species! This includes Ross Island which is located in the Ross Dependency of Antarctica.
2. 94% of the world’s wildlife is found in the seas.
3. 330 meters.
4. Billy Smart is famous for being a circus performer and impresario.
Tuesday, January 14 - At Sea
Another quiet day at sea. Am enjoying the sea days interspersed with ports. Internet very spotty sometimes. Keeping up this blog has been a challenge.
1. For whom is St. Gabriel the patron?
2. If you are “mendicating”, what are you doing? **
3. Which country has the most caves?
4. What are the folds inside a cat’s ears called?
Good wine at dinner.
Wednesday, January 15 - Da Nang, Viet Nam
Da Nang, known as Tourane by the French, succeeded Hoi An as the most important port in central Vietnam during the 19th century. Today, Da Nang’s distance from other power centers, its natural endowments, (the port and proximity to Laos and Thailand), and its high degree of provincial autonomy allows for considerable local initiative. Da Nang is a coastal city in Central Vietnam, known for its sandy beaches and history as a French colonial port. It’s a popular base for visiting the inland Ba Na hills to the west of the city. Here the hillside Hai Van Pass has views of Da Nang Bay and the Marble Mountains. These five limestone outcrops are topped with pagodas and hiding caves containing Buddhist shrines.
1. Messengers
2. Begging**
3. France.
4. Henry’s Pockets.
** Just a note to document this event. I knew instantly that mendicating meant begging, Wrote it swiftly, but certainly. Peter was equally certain that it meant lying. So, the team went with lying . . . much to Peter’s sorrow!!!!!
This was some wet day!!! We left the ship in a private van (five of us), driving through the rain (lots of rain!) to Hoi An. Our planned day included a walking tour through the city of Hoi An, a cooking class and lunch.
Driving through Da Nang through the wet and rainy day, we still appreciated the beautiful sandy beaches along the roadside. Da Nang beach is approximately ten miles long – seemingly never-ending. Must be glorious on a sunny day.
Upon arrival in Hoi An, we were a bit early for the cooking class, so we sloshed through the slight drizzle and visited several places, both Japanese and Vietnamese, then went back to the restaurant to begin the food portion. We cooked and ate and cooked and ate some more!!
We spent about three hours at the restaurant, learning how to cook different dishes, trying out our western fingers on eastern cooking crafts. Not easy, but fun! Best of all, we ate, not only what we cooked but what the pros cooked! This was a most delicious day, and the photos show both our attempts and what was cooked for us. Really a fun and filling experience . . . until we began the latter portion of the walking tour.
By this time, it was raining steadily and medium in volume. My raincoat was more a sponge than anything else and I was soon drenched right through to my skin. Toward the end of the hour, shortly before we entered the van for our return, Joe offered a dry shirt from his backpack, which I gratefully donned and was almost dry for our return to the ship. So nice of him to make that offer!
Thursday, January 16 - At Sea
1. Which country is largest tea producer in the world?
2. What is Andophobia?
3. When was first iPod released?
4. Which country has a 478 kilometer “straight” railroad?
Arranged a fun pre-dinner gathering in my suite. A little chilly to use the veranda, so we enjoyed the wine and food inside.
Friday - January 17 - Halong Bay (Cai Lan), Viet Nam
Just off the coast of Vietnam, a myriad of karstic (type of landscape where the dissolving of the bedrock has created sinkholes, sinking streams caves, springs and other characteristic features) islands are clustered in this picturesque setting. Looming out of the sea, undercut by erosions into fantastic shapes, they reminded the Vietnamese of the looping back of a swimming dragon. Scattered among them, whole communities o\ fishing families live most of their lives on sampans, trading among themselves and periodically going into nearby towns such as Haiphong to sell their catch and buy supplies. Halong Bay in northeast Vietnam, is known for its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone islands topped by rainforests.
The only tour I was interested in was all day, which is too long for me, so elected to stay aboard. Pete, Elin, Rina and Joe did the tour, kayaked in Halong Bay and had a good day, except for Elin being given food with fish in it - she's allergic, but the waiter assured her they were "only small shrimp"!!!
The kayaks were tricky and to assure that guests were safe, a guide in his own kayak trailed behind. He could never have reached my friends should they get into trouble . . . . as it turned out he was struggling to get anywhere in the water BECAUSE he was paddling his kayak with the prow facing backward!!!
1. China
2. Fear of flowers.
3. 2001.
4. Australia.
Saturday, January 18 - At Sea
Many packing up today. Joe and Rina will be leaving us - we are sad. Getting to know them has been a real treat and I look forward to seeing them again later in the year.
One hundred sixty passengers will be leaving the ship tomorrow. Not certain how many new guests will be embarking.
Came back to my suite this evening to find that I'd been randomly selected to go through a passport check by Chinese officials at 7:30 tomorrow morning. No sleeping in for me tomorrow - darn!! It actually turned out that all in-transit guests had to go through the routine.
Sunday, January 19 - Hong Kong, China
Up early this morning for passport check. Some things never change. Chinese officials never smile, nor do they respond when greeted with "Good Morning". Held out his hand for my passport, checked the data against his sheet of data, handed me back my passport - all of this done without once meeting my eyes - curious!
Another curious thing were the two rows of crew, about a dozen, seated across the room from the passport official, all looking rather serious. Looked like an inquisition was about to begin!
Lots of ship's announcements today as immigration rules changed hourly for outgoing and incoming guests.
Have elected not to leave the ship today, but to take advantage of internet (hopefully) and bring the blog up to date. Well, that certainly didn't work, so I attended to photos and hopefully got some things ready to transfer over to the blog when the internet returns.
All attempts to bring the blog up to date proved futile. This would continue until we were out of range of China's on the ability to mess with Starlink which finally occurred on the evening of January 22.
Elin not feeling well so she opted to stay in this evening. Pete and I decided that this would be a good time for us to enjoy Sushi and it was pretty good, made more so because our window table allowed us to enjoy the passing colorful and flashing skyline of Hong Kong as we left China. The moving graphics on many buildings are extraordinary – don’t know how it is done, but it is amazing! Photo not great because they were taken because they were taken through a window, but pretty colors.
Continued in Part II.
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