drron29

The easiest way from the cruise Centre where the Muse is docked is by Taxi. our restaurant is a little bit further away than the Art gallery and the fare was $S12 there and $S10 back. It isn't as far if docked at the Marina Cruise terminal. There is an MRT station not far from the Art gallery -City Hall station on the Red or green line. A red line station is close to the Marina Cruise Terminal. There is also a MRT station very close to the cruise centre but you would have to change trains. The Art Gallery has free admission. There is also a Restaurant that has been number 1 in Asia and in the World's top 10 Restaurants - Odette. We have gone there and the food is exceptional, presentation fantastic and service excellent. However way too much food for us. Also much more expensive than Whitegrass. https://www.odetterestaurant.com/accolades/

Had a good talk to my butler this morning as to what they did. Another butler had told him a guest had taken down the sound bar to find a USB connection. They don't exist. They then asked the butler to help find the non existent USB port. He found they had put the sound bar back in back to front. So our butler and room attendant checked next door and found their sound bar was in the wrong way. As the speaker was directed towards our suite they couldn't hear the TV well so turned up the sound. So the problem was fixed by putting the sound bar in the right way and moving it closer to the balcony. Definitely butlers can make a big difference to your enjoyment of a cruise.

The next morning we were docked in Da Nang. Once again a magnificent view from the Cruise terminal. But all the busses and vans were there. Then I was off on the Exploring Cham Civilisation excursion. First of all through stacks of containers.

The next day was a sea day and lunch was on the pool deck. Rojaan had her usual Caesar salad with chicken and I had a variety from the buffet they do on sea days. Then Rojaan had the Eton Mess and I the cheesecake. Dinner was back in Atlantide. Rojaan started with the laced prawn and then had the lobster. I started with the curried cauliflower and then lobster salad both of which were nice. I then had the steak Rossini. Again a very good steak. When we got back to the suite just caught the last of the sunset.

That night it was Indochine for dinner. The menu. The welcome cocktail was based on orange. As she doesn't do spicy food Rojaan had 2 appetisers. The beef tataki and the foie gras and mushrooms. She liked both. I had the Tom yum soup which was ordinary and then the Osso buco Szechuan style. It was very tender and flavorsome. We both finished with their creme brulee which is fantastic. Then time to leave Halong Bay.

Wash your mouth out. Definitely a cut above Baileys. Plus the fermentation of the Amarillo fruit makes elephants tipsy. A sight that we witnessed in Botswana.

Lunch at Whitegrass, Singapore. Fay. The amusee bouche. Lobster, chestnut cake and 5 spice lettuce. All very flavourful. Lovely bread with French butter. Hokkaido scallop. Best scallop I’ve ever had. Than a lilybulb soup. The only let down as bland. Rojaan had the Waygu which just melted in her mouth. Not a great steak eater but she finished before me. I had the duck which was perfect. Then a lovely palate cleanser with apple, ginger and Japanese pineapple. Then desert. Fig on a rum biscuit and cream with lemon sorbet. Delicious. To finish A financier with honey and coconut mochi with a raspberry jelly. Had a bottle of an Italian Pinot Grigio rose. Then a visit to our table by Chef Takuya Yamashita. A great meal and a definite recommendation if you are visiting Singapore.

Though there may be some places where the coverage isn't great. I had reported before that the internet when using wifi was very patchy. I needed to do a back up of my iPhone. Couldn't really do it onboard when it suggested it would take an hour. On shore hooked up to wifi and done in 2 minutes. related this to the IT person on board who said there is a known problem with IOS devices and Starlink. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255053665 So if you want to do things such as do stuff for your business take a tablet not an iPad. I have no problems on my windows lap top.

https://www.thedrinkblog.com/amarula-cream/

I'm hoping JP that you and chris are having a few Amarulas as a nightcap. we got addicted to it in Africa.

Tonight Atlantide on the Muse is busier than we have ever seen it. Extra staff from everywhere including the Pool bar. Matre’Ds setting tables. Luckily we have Pablo as our waiter. Only on SS 2 months but is excellent.

Hasn't completely solved the problem but we have to actually concentrate to hear it.

I didn't go into any other suite to get the picture.

This is what they showed us was the object that they moved. I just accepted that it is the sound bar. Above the mirror.

Ah our butler and room attendant have excelled themselves. While our neighbours were in Bangkok they went into the next suite and moved the sound bar. Now we have to really strain to hear their TV. Amazing difference. So we have told the hotel director so that she doesn’t have to move any one else for this problem.

Unlike the Muse in the Gulf of thailand where the swell is a horrendous 7 inches!

An area of flower shops. Then eating areas. And finally hotels across the bay.

The last of the sun set and passing several miles of coal mines which our guide at the beginning of the excursion said were just small operations begun by the French. Then through the Halong Bay CBD.

Lots of new construction. Then turned on to the inland route as the sun was setting.

We visited an old couple and were served tea and steamed sweet potato. Also had a nip of his rice wine. basically alcohol. The fellow seemed to like his drinks. This fellow didn't seem worried 3 days before Thanksgiving. As we were leaving all the children appeared. There were 3 older girls who wanted to practice English. A young fellow approached me and asked me to say his name. From the reactions of all the others it obviously wasn't his name. Probably taught to swear in Vietnamese.

We arrive at the village. Those are Peach trees. Cobra wine. Not aged enough to drink yet. This bird already said hello so I taught it to say hello Ron.

Though in her Q&A on the Muse the CEO said that their target audience were the Boomers.

Now off to the village.

I was a total failure in Zen meditation. hard enough just to get down on the floor. the various aches and pains then prevented an open mind. So nothing more to do but look at the decorations. And back down the hill I go.