.......idle jottings

[ho-hum]

Photo (which is probably wrong way up again) is of a street scene in old Hoi An.

 

Once a major Southeast Asian trading post in the 16th and 17th centuries, the town Hoi An used to be served by a river before it silted up and is now basically a living museum featuring a unique mixture of East and West in the form of its old-town architecture.

 

Among the heritage architecture stand Chinese temples, a beautiful Japanese-designed bridge (which used to link former Japanese enclaves from the majority Chinese, business enclaves), pagodas, wooden shop-houses, French-colonial houses and old canals. Though large-scale trading had long moved to Da Nang where the vessel is moored, dwarfed by 4,000 passenger ships and containers, Hoi An has been successful in preserving and restoring its charming roots and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in December 1999.

 

Ate at the restaurant "Morning Glory" and had their vegetarian set menu (fantastic, Poppy).

 

The pedestrianised narrow streets are delightful with locals going about their daily life. Thriving markets for locals are wonderful. Eateries run by ladies squatting in front of beautiful displays of food. School children in their uniforms returning from school are delightful too. Older people more traditionally dressed going about on bicycles or selling beautifully crafted pop-up cards (bought 5, only to find "light of my life" also bought 5 ! So expect a card from ho hum anytime soon. Seriously they are unique and very good value).

 

Ho hum will try to send more photos but cannot guarantee.

[ho-hum]

Beautiful young lady in old shop doorway

[ho-hum]

Japanese bridge linking Chinese & Japanese districts

[ho-hum]

Lavish offerings to the Gods outside quite a modest shop

[ho-hum]

3 tours this fine morning (ok a bit cloudy first thing but usually that is burnt off round 9.0am);

1. Cultural tour: pagoda, Hindu tower, Buddhist temple, scenic promontory, market and embroidery workshop.

2. River cruise & countryside: a way of seeing locals (picked by yours truly)

3. Golf (do all golf clubs have such demanding dress codes and what on earth are fishnet tops and halter-tops: pictures please) anyway it's 18 hole and 6787 yds. long.

 

Jim

Spot on old chap ! (regarding The Bell at Outwood).

Might even bump into Dame Judy (Dench), she lives nearby on the Common (well not "on" the Common like in a tent but has a Victorian house on the Common) and is a regular at the pub.

 

Pub Website: http://belloutwood.co.uk/

 

17th century to original part (not saying Jim and the Commodore are old but they worked as barman there when it first opened. Ho hum was the glass washer: nothing really changes).

 

Check out the mini-UK TV series "As time goes by" co-starring Judy Dench (a firm favourite with a couple of Aussie friends).

She is gorgeous, bristling and funny. It is said this is akin to her real life character.

 

Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_B5zFhw7Hg

 

To viewers reading a thread requesting advice for a guide and driver in Rome to be subsequently advised of a pub to eat between airports near London must seem a tad confusing, n'est pas, mes petites choux !

Vraiment ho hum.

Eehon-eehon.

 

Pesonja

My pleasure frau/herr to send pics. Thanks for feedback. Was wondering about whether to continue at one point but Gyro & Poppy were helpful and encouraging. Thankyou dear ladies.

[Jim Avery]

Ho-Hum,

Thanks for another day's updates. Great news about the Bell. I knew my Cousin would recommend a good one. Their life's work has been searching out the perfect Pub.:eek: I have been fortunate to help on many occasions. Dame Judy is one of my very favourite actresses as well. That would be a trip to have a drink with her. Keep up the good work Mr. Hum.:D

[ho-hum]

As ho hum said recently before, the combination of life having a habit of not always going to plan and the interface between passengers and SD is the ground of the Club Director and now the Captain, when it comes to the matter of sea and weather conditions.

 

And due to said conditions, this time, it was Captain Willassen who addressed the assembled passengers at cocktails before dinner.

The Captain & Sean Heaney (a former Hotel Manager) were the main reason for ho hum repeating voyages on Sea Dream after initially being very reluctant "to go on any kind of cruise".

And dare one say, that may be the view of many returning passengers.

 

More about Captain Willassen for another time suffice to say his areas of concern let alone responsibility are extremely extensive and one respects him immensely.

 

In a few days, we were supposed to be visiting Can Dao Island (infamous for the extremely cruel "Tiger Cage" incarceration by the French of prisoners between 1940-55) however the authorities now required SD to moor two miles from the island due to sea conditions (yes a bit, "a life on the Ocean wave" at times).

So the Captain had to re-arrange the itinerary: now we are visiting a beautiful Malaysian island (which ho hum much prefers, as the vast majority of passengers also favoured actually, God was listening that day).

 

Well done (again) and thankyou, Captain.

 

Ho hum's point (if dear reader, you have'nt guessed by now) is the effect of candid communication (excluding company confidential information and issues of a financial nature) and how important it is, indeed it is expected by company clientele these days.

Ho hum firmly believes the Owner is a very fair man but this apparent mis-trust preventing communication is one of the single most handicaps to the company thus in turn creating justified annoyance by existing and future clients (and maybe even to management also).

Ho hum thanks those supporting the previous critique relating to communication.

 

The sermon next week will be on the importance of good, house, rose wine for the al fresco luncheon onboard.

Donations for the church roof have been diverted to the "rose (Provencal, naturallement) wine for ho hum at luncheon".

Please Commander Courageous, dumping off redundant Algerian currency, two bottle tops and a few sweet wrappers is not going to help this fine and noble cause.

 

JES

Yes you are right, a local company was arranged with two boats to tour Ha Long Islands but the mist was very heavy.

This naturally created a very slow (and cautious: quite rightly) tour.

Arriving at the caves, the man with the key did not arrive on time.

As mist further thickened, returning to SD was made difficult because it was out of view.

At no time was SD to blame. It was not too bad conditions to cancel. A difficult call?

In the circumstances, it was handled as best and as reasonably possible to do so.

[ho-hum]

Wooden bridge over river at Na Thrang

[ho-hum]

Cool cop on motorbike.

[ho-hum]

So the "jewel in the crown" has arrived. Slowly meandering up the Mekong into the city in late morning we arrived and disembarked at 12.30 on a very warm Sunday morning.

Shuttle buses took us to the Rex Hotel where we went for drinks and a snack of fried squid in pineapple with celery, on the open 5th floor roof terrace.

The short promenade outside the hotel has a nauseating sculpture of father Ho crouching to protect a child, decidedly yuk ! The plants, grasses and bonzai trees in pots are manicured to great precision worthy of the best of grand displays by Communist countries. Tourists meander around this area surrounded by designer shops. It could very well be the south of France.

 

So tonight old ho hum has been invited by the crew to a bar after service !

God help him ! Ho hum is old furthermore he is not the bravest at heights and it is (now get this) open to the night sky, under a helicopter pad on the zillionth floor !

Now this crew have earned their R&R and are already "pumped" about tonight.

Dare say they will be partaking of ghastly sweet but cool libations in a very hot atmosphere only equalled by the high noise volume of the psychedelic trance music being pumped out. Yikes ! Have mercy !

Now ho hum has been on a few nights out with these gallant crew and their behaviour has always been impeccable, caring and good clean fun but this is Saigon !

Even Mormon missionaries fervently believin' in the Lord Jesus have, well fallen from grace !

 

If ho hum survives the evening (he is planning an escape at no later than 2.0am) then he will going on a private tour later that day and will briefly report to you good people in colder climes (probably though ho hum hears spring has arrived in dear old Blighty).

 

Do you expect him to tell you about the night out ?

Sorry no, as the saying goes "what happens in .......stays in .........".

Too much respect for the crew forbids any reporting.....and anyway you would'nt ask ho hum anyways (right !).

[ho-hum]

It is 2.25am.

Note to SD, your staterooms are below acceptable standards.

The stateroom is spinning round and the sea conditions are so bad that ho hum can barely stand.

We are supposed to be in port.......we are in port.......but have you tied the yacht to the thingy-me-jib.

Yes

Ho hum doesnt understand.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Jim Avery]

It is 2.25am.

Note to SD, your staterooms are below acceptable standards.

The stateroom is spinning round and the sea conditions are so bad that ho hum can barely stand.

We are supposed to be in port.......we are in port.......but have you tied the yacht to the thingy-me-jib.

Yes

Ho hum doesnt understand.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

I have noted that peculiar failing of the cabins myself from time to time.:eek: It must be due to some failing of management.:D

[Poppy1966]

Ho Hum here's our sail in to Halong Bay in 2010. It was mid afternoon and the pic was taken with an IPhone. :)

[Poppy1966]

Aaarrrgggghhh . Its upside down. Sorry. It was beautiful at the time. Is this your hotel to the left in the pic?

[Poppy1966]

This one I mean.

[gyroscopic]

Bloody Mary for breakfast is my advice Ho-Hum ya big sook!

 

PS Power points in the state rooms…what config? USA?

[JES4845]

Ho Hum can confirm when the room spinning stops but SD state rooms have both USA and European outlets as I recall.

 

 

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Edited March 24, 2014 by JES4845

[ho-hum]

Well finally maintenance fixed the room spinning (probably when ho hum was sleeping).

On awakening ho hum swore he would never, never, never have a Jager bomb again, so help him God !

 

Now ho hums internal organs, that process fine wine, are so sophisticatedly tuned (unfortunately processing food is not as efficient) but when it comes to four portions of a spirit combined with an intensely caffeinated mixer, it is, well hopeless.

 

The morning tour which followed 6 hours earlier, the return to the vessel, well, was a tad muted. All parties still suffering, we headed off on a private tour to a local market which was generally absorbing until we passed into the meat market ! Queasiness quickly returned, so a visit to the rooftop bar of the Caravelle Hotel was expedited earlier than planned. The hotel was the hang out for war correspondents and senior military personnel during 'Nam. The selection of exotic cocktails was rejected for one Badoit (ho hum) and a San Pellegrino (for silent blonde behind sunglasses). We sat silently regaling to one another how awful each was feeling and repeated the drink round.

Somewhat revived we asked to visit the antique market.

We were taken to a junk market with what appeared to be the garish artefacts from madames boudoirs, bordellos and brothels !

What ho hum knows of these places is purely gleaned from acute observation from garish novels written by a minor Canadian writer living in the back woods of Quebec. It is sad to impart that he now spends his days criticising yours truly for the alleged poor writings appearing on this very thread. How sad.

 

And so another hastily ending adventure meant retiring to a booked restaurant. "The Best Vietnamese Food in Saigon". Err..no.

How is it the time we had with chums in Australia where we encountered Vietnamese food for the very first time, was enjoyed so much.

The reason: in Australia we eat "street food" (modified of course).

So hearing about a Vietnamese street food called Banh Mi, we asked to go to a street food outlet that the guide rated. So bemused, the guide took us from Saigon's best (and most expensive) restaurant to a street food outlet to have a Banh Mi. Now the ingredients vary but essentially it consists of a pate, vegetables chile, meat, etc.. all in a short baguette. And it was delicious. All for the princely sum of 15,000 dong or 70 cents !

 

And so now it's goodbye Saigon. C&CSplash begins in ten minutes. One thing for sure, no Jager Bombs ! Must try a few "Bushwhackers" and "Painkillers" instead. What could possibly go wrong !

 

Poppy

Haha your upside down photo. Yes it was at The Rex Hotel where we had an evening drink, to the left of your main shot.

 

Gyro

So no sympathy from you then ! JES is right: plug sockets American. See attached photo

[ho-hum]

Those maintenance guys did a lousy job !

The room began spinning again after waking from a nap following Champagne & Caviar Splash !

[gyroscopic]

I admire your resilience in the face of such hardship Ho-hum!

Thanks for the clarification regarding power points too.

[Poppy1966]

Those maintenance guys did a lousy job !

The room began spinning again after waking from a nap following Champagne & Caviar Splash !

 

.......you've picked up a virus on that ship, nothing to do with the cabin. Its prevalent on the luxury cruise lines. It's called Jereboamdipsosis. I've had this condition on so many cruises I should be immune by now. Symptoms include an excessive thirst especially for anything sparkling/fizzy, panic attacks when said liquid looks like it's evaporated from the glass, excessive chattering and an overwhelming feeling of happiness wanting it to go on and on and on. However, a few hours after contracting the virus advanced symptoms begin to kick in. These can include anything from a desire for food, talking nonsense or developing a strange gait. Some people even believe they can dance and others like yourself feel like a nap.

The Jereboamdipsosis virus symptoms seem to fade somewhat after a good nights sleep, a hearty breakfast, few Beroccas and an alka seltzer.

Usually around lunchtime the following day the virus awakens and symptoms begin to reappear. Don't worry once you disembark symptoms fade through 'lackofunlimitedchampersitis'.

Happy cruising:)

[ho-hum]

Moored off Redang Island, Malaysian for second C&C Splash !

This Nature Reserve was breathtaking.

 

 

So Gyro, tonight after a special dinner with six of the wonderful Philippine crew, Diana Krall: Live in Paris played in the Main Salon.

Wonderful.

Final song was Joni Mitchells, 1970 song "A Case of You"; played on piano un-accompanied.

Sheer heaven.

Some beautiful lines, like;

 

I remember that time you told me you said

"Love is touching souls"

Surely you touched mine

'Cause part of you pours out of me

In these lines from time to time

Oh, you're in my blood like holy wine

You taste so bitter and so sweet

 

Oh I could drink a case of you darling

And I would still be on my feet

I would still be on my feet

 

After a few intoxicating moments recently.

This was another intoxicating moment of a very different kind: dinner with the lovely, amazing crew.

 

Poppy !

Diagnosis spot on: you are a genius

(and a very funny genius - loved the posting - more please).

 

Next Edition:

Dont miss it !

Bigger than the Oscars !

Bigger than the Noble Peace Prize !

Its the........................End of Voyage Awards !

[JES4845]

Have you been off Redang one day or longer? Looks beautiful. Extra Splash is nice touch. Any water sports or swimming off marina platform this voyage? Seem to recall itinerary said Tioman Island off Malaysia too. When do you arrive in Singapore?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[gyroscopic]

Sounds great Ho-hum! What a night!

But what are the End of Voyage Awards?

[Jim Avery]

Sounds great Ho-hum! What a night!

But what are the End of Voyage Awards?

 

Bigger than the Oscars I will bet.:D