Quartzsite Cruiser

I have a few more pictures from Bangkok. These were taken in 2003 during our two days in Bangkok before boarding the old Regal Princess for a 30 day cruise to Rome. That was the "mystery" cruise I've mentioned before. The cruise started less than a month after the US invaded Iraq and during the height of SARS. We had insurance, and debated up to the last minute, whether or not to go. We decided we'd take a chance, and we were very glad we did. That was the cruise that we only made six of the thirteen original ports. There was some good ports substituted though. It was adventure from the beginning. Our plane sat on the runway at DFW for more than a hour due to a ground stop caused by thunderstorms in the area. We arrived at LAX at the time our plane to Tokyo was supposed to leave, and in a different terminal. Thanks to a glitch, the plane was late leaving and we made our flight. The glitch was that every time they closed the door, the automatic announcement about putting on your oxygen masks came on even though the masks did not drop down. It took a while after we boarded before they had it fixed. We had seats in row 3 of a 747 by the window, and we were not popular with the two passengers who had to moved back to their seats in the middle. The adventure did not end when we landed in Tokyo. It was raining when we changed planes, and the luggage got wet, but fortunately not the contents. We arrived in Bangkok late, but did not go to the terminal. We were taken to a warehouse, where medical personnel took our temperature and looked at a form we filled out. They were checking people for SARS. We were then taken to the terminal, collected our luggage and boarded the bus to the Shangri-La Hotel. At the hotel, check in was easy, and we were told about a tour the next day to the floating markets. We said no since the tour left about 8 or 9 am, but the Princess representative said to book it because we'd be up in time. Surprisingly we were, and had a good tour. On our way to the floating market, we saw vast "fields" where they were gathering salt crystals. Some of the salt was sold in bags at the market. Flowers for sale at the market Our boat and going through the floating market. We stopped at one pavilion and walked around, but it was hot off the water. Our next stop was a furniture factory. They made heavy and ornately carved furniture. They also made carved gift items. This is one of the bigger carvings and the workshop. In the afternoon, we rested in our hotel room. We'd joined the hotel club and got a two room suite for $25 extra. That night, we took a taxi from the hotel to an area where there were many open air restaurants. I don't remember what the dish we had was called, but it was very good. Our mistake going back to the hotel was to get a taxi on the street and not at a nearby hotel. We agreed on a price, and halfway back, in a fairly deserted part of town, the driver raised the price by a factor of about 10. We made him stop, got out and paid the original price. Shortly afterwards, another taxi stopped, and took us to the hotel for the agreed upon price. He was not happy about what had happened to us as it made all the taxi drivers look bad. Moral of the story is to get a taxi at a hotel in Bangkok. The next morning, we took the sky train into the main part of Bangkok and later back to the hotel. There was a stop just a few blocks from the hotel. One of the main shopping streets A shrine on the same street. On the advice of someone we met, we visited the Jim Thompson House, which is set in an area of big buildings, but is a quiet oasis in the city. Jim Thompson, an American, was a self-made entrepreneur who worked in the silk trade after WWII. He mysteriously disappeared in Malaysia A relic of an older era, his house is a museum to that time and the silk industry in Thailand. Once back in the main part of town, we took a Tuk-Tuk to see another statue of Buddha. After two busy days, we decided to try the Chinese restaurant in the hotel where we shared appetizers. The next morning we set out bags outside the room before breakfast. Later that morning, we headed to Laem Chabang by bus and boarded the Regal Princess. Fortunately, we had a much better experience on the bus than Sandi @StLouisCruisers. Lenda

It looks like today may not be as productive as I had planned. We've been enjoying our comfortable weather this morning. Now if it would just stay this way all year, we'd be very happy campers. We just got back from a short (for us) ride in our Smart with the top down. I don't think we went where DH originally intended since there was construction on the road into town. Instead, we drove around some of the back roads near the lake. @HAL4NOW Thank for the good news about the Bolt Creek Fire. It's good to know there has been no loss of life and only minor property loss. With the lower wind and higher humidity, I hope they can get it under control soon. @dfish Debbie, I'm glad everything went well this morning and there is now a sign in front of the house. I am sending positive thoughts that your realtor is correct about an easy sell. 🤞 In 2000 on the world cruise on P&O Oriana, we spent a day touring Bangkok. We took a ship's tour since we had not been there before. After a driving tour of the city, we had a walking tour of the Grand Palace compound. The compound has many ornate buildings crowded into the site. Following the visit to the palace, we took a boat on the Chao Phraya River to a hotel for lunch. Pictures from our drive through Bangkok. I'm not sure if the first picture was in Laem Chabang or Bangkok. These next pictures are from the palace compound. There are many Wats or temples within the walls of the palace compound. There are also many statues around the buildings. Many of the buildings are covered in gold leaf, and this one had statues "holding up" part of the building. A close up of one of the faces The Temple of the Emerald Buddha Another Wat Wat Arun We did not go in any of the Wats, but just walked around the compound. This next picture is the traffic outside the palace grounds. The Grand Palace from the river On the way to the hotel for lunch, we passed some of the less nice areas of Bangkok. Our stay in Laem Chabang had a late departure. When we returned to the ship, we hire a taxi for a quick tour to Pattaya, which is south of Laem Chabang. Our driver took us through several of the streets. The Dailyites who served in Vietnam may be familiar with the town, as it was one of the places the GIs went for R&R. The beach in Pattaya We saw this familiar restaurant from home. Some of the places we saw on our walk around Pattaya. Lenda

Good morning from central Texas. It was very pleasant this morning when we took a golf cart ride around our little community. This is the last day our high will be in the mid-80sF. Beginning tomorrow, we'll be in the 90sF, but that sure beats the triple digit highs we had in June and July. Like many others, it's been too long since I had a chocolate milk shake. We have played video games, but not recently. In fact, we got the first one, Pong, way back when. Encouragement day is another that should be celebrated and practiced everyday. The Oscar Wilde quote is interesting, but I'm not sure how I feel about it. Roasted chickens is good comfort food, and I have a hen in the freezer, but it will wait for another day. Tonight we'll be having King Ranch chicken. We'll pass on the drink, but the wine sounds interesting. We have been to Laem Chabang and Bangkok twice. The first time was in 2000 on the world cruise on P&O Oriana. In 2003, we flew to Bangkok to spend two days before boarding the old Regal Princess for a 30 day cruise to Rome. I'll share pictures from both visits in later posts. @kazu Jacqui, thank you for the pictures of Jose's celebration of life. Your deck and gardens looked lovely for the occasion, as did the food. Everyone in the pictures seemed to be enjoying themselves. You can be proud of the hard work you did to honor Jose. @puppycanducruise HAPPY 85TH BIRTHDAY! to your mother. @cunnorl Charlene, I'm glad you are feeling better today. My second booster was also the first time I've ever had a reaction to a vaccine. I consider it a small price to pay for the protection I get. @dfish Debbie, I hope the pictures of your house turnout perfectly and help you get a quick sale. You deserve to rest today. Lenda

Good afternoon, which will a quiet one after a busy morning. We went to W-M to get a new battery for the golf cart. DH wanted to look at a RV community similar to ours that was close to the store. From there, we decided to take the long way home, and saw an area of our county we'd not seen. All the stories of what everyone was doing that fateful morning and afterwards have been interesting. I was in the car on the way to an doctors appointment when I heard the announcement about first plane hitting the twin towers on the radio. My first thought was a terror attack, but then I thought no, just a small plane had hit the building. When the second plane hit the other tower, I instantly knew it was terrorists. I kept the appointment, and a routine appointment turned into a two plus hour visit. I think I was the only patient that morning. The doctor, her husband and staff gathered in her office to watch the reports on tv. Every once in a while she'd come in and give me an update. Finally, she realized she needed to do the exam and let me leave. I had planned to run errands, but when I left the office, ai just wanted to go home. We were scheduled to fly to Barcelona on 9/13 to spend two weeks touring Spain before boarding the new Golden Princess for her ignaural TA. We flew to Spain a week later, through JFK. Flying into NYC was a surreal experience, as was the flight out of JFK. Like the people in the US and Canada, the people we met in Spain could not have been nicer and helpful. I wish we'd learned from those times and kept the spirit and helpfulness of those times alive. The stories we heard from passengers who were on the ship or boarded in Istanbul on 9/11 were very interesting. For those who did not want to fly home from Europe, Princess let them stay on board to Ft. Lauderdale at no charge. For those who had to get home, Princess chartered two large planes, one from Istanbul and one from Athens. The ship did not sail until the Captain knew the planes were in the air and would not be turning back. I hope they are getting the fire under control and that everyone is safe. Thank you for your kind words about the pictures. I know what you mean about some ports on Sundays. Jacqui, I glad everything went well, and that your sister and brother-in-law helped you today. Rest and recover. When you are ready, we'd enjoy seeing the pictures. Welcome home, and thanks for the pictures of the ship. Thanks for your kind words about the pictures. Debbie, thanks for posting the Clydesdales tribute. Thanks for the explanation of Revenna Arsenal. Sharon, I'm glad the girls made it up there yesterdsy. Safe travels home tomorrow. Thanks for the added information about the arsenal. I'm sorry the last three weeks have been so difficult, but I can understand why. I hope things are better soon. Lenda

Good morning from a clear, windy central Texas. September 11, 2001, is a day we should not forget. We should add our own @cruising singleand her late DH to the list of those we honor for their work at the site in the aftermath of 9/11. They both did and are dealing with the consequences of their time helping others. First responders, who risk their lives for us, deserve to be honored everyday, along with libraries who help us remember. I also honor the three grandparents who I knew growing up. They were always there for me when I needed them. I also was puzzled by today's quote. The "meal" looks good and refreshing. We'll pass on the drink, but the wine sounds nice. @Vict0riann Fingers crossed 🤞 the ferry runs today and BON VOYAGE! I know you will have a wonderful cruise. @lindaler Linda, wishing you a safe and worry free flight and a wonderful time on the Westerdam. BON VOYAGE! @marshhawk Annie, safe travels today to you and Chuck. BON VOYAGE! tomorrow for the start of a great cruise. Thanks for sharing your 9/11 story. @dfish Debbie, I can't imagine how hard it was to answer the student's questions when you had no answers. Good luck with the cleaning and leak repair. This is what I shared on October 7, 2001, about our two visits to Brest. The Prinsendam took us to Brest in 2011 and 2017. The first time was on a Sunday, and almost everything was closed. After looking at the town center until the shuttle returned, we stopped at the waterfront and then took the shuttle to an old fort that is now a maritime museum. In 2017, once in town, we road the tram to both ends, and took the gondola across the Penfeld River and back. Pictures of Brest The waterfront area. The restaurant caught our eye because of the name, but we did not go in. The maritime museum Views from the museum The gondola and views from the ride The Pont de Recouvrance from the gondola Lenda

I would also urge you to talk to the county offical in charge of elections. In 2018, we were on a 60 day cruise and arranged for our ballots to be emailed to us so we could vote absentee. We only filled out the application for an absentee ballot by mail, and did not need to worry about the FPCA. Our ballots had to be mailed, so we printed the ballots and the envelopes on the ship. I don't know what ports you will be visiting, but we went to the American Consulate in Shanghai. If you go to the American Citizen Services office at the consulate, you can mail your ballot for free. They will put the ballot in the consular pouch that is flown to DC each day, and from there, it will go by regular mail to your local election office. Since each state has different laws and regulations, you need to be sure to know what you state allows. We found going in person to see our Election Administrator was our best option as we learned more than if we'd done it by phone. If you can't get to a consulate, you can mail the ballot locally, or if your state allows it, you can fax the ballot. If you want to mail it from the ship, be sure to check how they handle the mail to the US before mailing it. If you go to a consulate office, take your passports. Just showing them at the door avoided any hassle for us. Sometimes the ACS is in a different location than the consulate, but you can find the address on line.

Bruce, thanks for the pictures of the Britannia. We enjoyed our visit to the ship in. 2017. I hope your foot is better and I hope you move up on the cancelation list for the dishwasher installation. Terry, I can't believe how much Camilla has grown. She I d dtill a cutie. Lenda

The UT v Alabama gwme was a very interesting game. Unfortunately, it did end as we would have liked. Alabama kicked a field goal at the end. UT got the ball with 10 seconds on the clock. Even with two good plays, they could not score, and lost 20-19. While we lost, it was a good game with a team not ranked in the top 25 to hold the number one team to a one point win is not bad, especially, since UT was a 20 point underdog. We even lead the game for quite a while. @smitty34877 Terry, congratulations to the teenager for making the JV team. @Cruising-along Carolyn, thank you. Yes, MS can take many forms. My next door neighbor, who I grew up with, was diagnosed with MS 20 years ago. Her stepdaughter and her son have also had the same diagnosis since then. So far, they are still able to lead normal lives. Lenda

Good afternoon from mostly sunny central Texas. Right now, we're watching the Texas v Alabama game. No offense to any Alabama fans here, but Go HORNS! 🤘 HOOK EM 🤘 It’s going to be an interesting game. A few minutes ago, I checked the weather forecast for St. John. It is sunny and in the low to mid 70sF with about an 8mph wind, so it is a good day for Jose's celebration of life. @kazu Jacqui, our thoughts and best wishes are with you today as your friends gather to remember and celebrate a life well lived. Chinese Moon Festival is an interesting day to celebrate. @marshhawk Annie, thank you for the explanation. I have a fancy sewing machine here that can do more than I'm capable of doing, and a basic one in Quartzsite that is also above my abilities. At least, both can do simple stitches so I can mend things. Swapping ideas is a daily occurrence here. Today's quote is interesting, but puzzling. The meal looks good, but I would use spinach. We'll pass on the drink. The wine looks good. We have not been to New Caledonia, bur hopefully we will get there sometime. @ottahand7 Safe travels tomorrow. @cunnorl Charlene, that's good news that your DH and DD did not have a reaction to the booster. I hope you fare as well with your booster today. @dfish Debbie, you've gotten a lot done, and I hope the water leak fix is quick and easy. The counter offer is a good sign, and I hope they accept your new offer. @ger_77 Gerry, I know yesterday was hard on both of you, but I know the family appreciated your being there to officate at Melodie's service and celebration of life. @Cruzin Terri Terri, having a more home like space where you can relax and don't have to go out for meals should make things a liitle easier to handle. @Cruising-along Carolyn. Please thank your DD and DSIL for going on the MS bike ride for me. My mother had the worse form of MS. Thanks to efforts of all who raise awareness and funds, there have been great strides in treatments for this terrible disease in the last 50 years. I hope the smoke and humidity don't cause them problems. @TiogaCruiser I'm glad southern California got some much needed rain. I hope the storm doesn't caause much damage. @summer slope Good news that you didn't have any side effects from the booster. @Vict0riann Ann, I hope the ferry not only runs tomorrow, but it is on time. BON VOYAGE and have a wonderful cruise. @lindaler Linda, have a safe, on time flight and a wonderful cruise. @marshhawk Annie, I hope you and Chuck have a lovely anniversary dinner. Safe travels tomorrow, and BON VOYAGE on Monday. Lenda

Terri, the condo sounds like a much better solution than a hotel. Glad the insurance adjustor made a through inspection of your house. I'm also happy the light cover missed you. Lenda

I know you are relieved. I remember for our last cruise, they told us we could print out test results from the web portal. When we did, they did not have our names on them. We had to go back to Parker to pick up the reports. I guess Murphy's Law is still at work. Lenda

Good afternoon. There's not much going on today, but I did get two things crossed off the to-do list. I just still haven't gotten to the one that I've been putting off for a few months. Maybe tomorrow, but then, maybe not. 🤣 Eva, I hope your DH's cataract surgery was successful and by now, he is safely home. Thank you for the pictures of today's port. That is a cute story about the Queen and the tourists. Ann, hope both tests are negative, but that should not be a problem. Thanks for the pictures of Agios Nikolaos. It looks like a place I'd like to wander around. Lenda

Good morning from central Texas. I have a couple of errands I want to get out of the way early; then, I don't know what will be happening the rest of the day. Always had a few Teddy bears growing up, but none now. I never got into sudoku, but enjoy crossword puzzles. Some people might call me a wierdo, especially since I don't generally follow the latest trends. I like the quote. We'll pass on the meal, although I like sardines. We'll also pass on the drink, but the wine sounds interesting if it's not too pricey. We have been to Crete three times on BHBs, but not to today's port. I hope someone has some pictures to share with us. @dfish Debbier, I glad you're getting help with the painting and decluttering. @jodi58 Our granddog started out as a foster, so who knows what will happen. @kazu Jacqui, I hope all the plans and preparations for Jose's celebration of life are going smoothly and that the weather cooperates. Lenda

🎉 🎊 HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! ANN AND CHUCK 🌹 💞

Terri, I'm glad you have a calmer place to stay while the housenis repaired. Lenda

No, we didn't attend that ptogram. Our daughter had joined us for the first 11 days and was disembarking that day. We were busy getting her off and to her hotel before we did a full day of touring.

We were also on the APEC cruise,and it was special. This was before the Grand Voyages, but Peter Harris and Hans Derison decided to treat it like the world cruise. Not only were there a lot of pillow gifts, but special dinners for all passengers doing the entire 64 days. A lot of great memories.

Graham, this tribute to the Queenbr brought tears to my eyes. She was always a very regal lady in public as befitted her position as Monarch. However, later in life, in some of the pictures, you could get a glimpse of her personality in her smile. She had a wonderful smile. I was 5 when she became Queen, although I don't remember that. I do remember driving 150 miles to Ft.Worth to my great aunt's to warch the coronation on tv when I was 6. Basically, as far as my being aware, she was the only Monarch I've known. Thank you so much for sharing the montage of pictures with us. Lenda

Graham, I thought about you and Pauline when I read the sad news. Our condolences to both of you on the passing of a remarkable lady, the Queen. Lenda

Good afternoon. There is a lull in the action as far as the yard work is concerned. Right now, I'm waiting for batteries (both for the mower and trimmer and mine) to recharge. After all our rain, the grass is growimg so fast and thick in places, the mower has to work harder, and then the batteries run down faster. It's not too bad outside with the breeze and a fan blowing on me. I have my tablet and my book, so will just enjoy some down time. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I hope you can reach the insurance adjustor and get coverage for a motel or short term rental. @marshhawk I hope your DH has some good results at the pain doctor. @kochleffel Good to know you are feeling better. Have you done a second test? @Heartgrove Jack, glad Sam is adapting to his condition, and I hope the coming cooler weather offers some improvement. @Cruising-along Carolyn, our condolences to you, your family, your DSIL, and his family on the loss of his grandmother. @fieldsofclover Welcome to the Fllet/Daily. I hope you will join our happy group often. @Vict0riann Ann, good to know you upgraded to a balcony. Now, you can enjoy the glaciers without worry. I also thought the Queen would live to 100 or 101. She has had an amazing life. @Sharon in AZ Sharon thank you for the anniversary wishes. Hope the rain holdsnoff and the girls can make it to the cabin. Sadly, I just saw breaking news that the Queen has died. May she Rest in Peace. She will be missed around the world, and the world is a better place because of her presence. Lenda

The news about the Queen is very concerning, especially in light of the fact her family is in Scotland or is heading there, including Prince Harry and his wife. I hope she can recover from this latest set back. The Queen, her family, and the Commonwealth are in my thoughts. I remember going to Ft.Worth to watch the coronation on television. Lenda

Good morning from cental Texas. This morning, I need to trim and mow the yard. I had planned to get out early while I could do a lot of the work in the shade, but according to the weather app the relative humidity is 91%. So it's either work in the humidity or wait an hour or so and work more in the sun. Neither is ideal. Decisions, decisions. Literacy is nery important and should be celebrated every day. Someone can have my date nut bread. The lowly & is often maligned, but it does have its uses. I like today’s quote. Sweet and sour sauce is also good with crab cakes for a change of pace. We'll pass on the drink, but the wine sounds interesting. We have not been to today's port, only to Manila. I'm looking forward to seeing pictures of the port. @dfish Debbie, I'm glad you gave yourself more time before the pictures of the house are taken. I was wondering how you were going to get the hall painted and the house decluttered in two days. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I hope Linda was transferred to rehab, and that someone got the dog out of the kennel. Lenda

Good evening. We enjoyed our belated anniversary dinner. The restaurant had more people at 2:40 than normal, but there was still enough room so it wasn't crowded. Gerry, thanks for the update about the capture of the second suspect. It finally made our news a little while ago. I know everyone is relieved. The effects of the smoke in the pictures makes for some very interesting photos. Vanessa, thanks for the information on the new boosters. It is good to know when deciding on which booster to get. Lenda

We also don't get door-to-door delivery. In Texas, we have a cluster box near the front of the community. In Quartzsite, since we own property, we get a free PO Box, but for the past serval years, the PO was a mess. That's why everyone in town was happy when a new Postmaster was appointed. From what I've read on FB, it already looks like things are improving there. Tina, I've read her first book and enjoyed it, but I keep forgetting to look for more of her books. Thanks for the reminder. Lenda

I thought that with all that is going on with the heat, fires, etc., we could use some smiles and maybe even some laughs. I fund thins just going though my FB news feed. They are better that a lot that was posted as serious posts. This is for all the retired teaches on the Daily. This is either for would be drummers or the parents of would be drummers. Naturally, I thought of all our cat lovers when I saw this. I guess this answers the question. It made be thing of National Lampoons "Vacation". If any of our knitters or those who crochet run out of projects, they might consider this. For all the Rolling Stones fana. No explanation needed. For those who are left a BHB in a port in Scotland for a day of touring.