Journey with Bill & Mary Ann on the Amsterdam's 2016 Grand World Voyage - 114 days +

[WCB]

Report # 56 Semarang, Java, Indonesia February 25, 2016 Thursday Partly cloudy & 90 degrees 61 Pictures Part # 1 of 3

 

The Amsterdam arrived quite early to the port of Semarang, Java. Sometime around 6am, we understand. Unknown to anyone, a huge marching band was present with officials to present the Captain and Henk, the Hotel Director, special commemorative gifts at a formal ceremony on the pier. It is not the first time we have been here, but the locals seemed happy to have us. Thus, a parade.

 

The passengers that were located on the starboard side of the ship heard and saw this activity, while it remained totally quiet on the port side, where our room is. Doubt we would have jumped out of bed anyway, but we could have watched it from our window. Since the tours to Borobudur were leaving as early as 6:30am, many more folks were up and ready to go. Otherwise, the parade and pier show would have been missed.

 

We had excellent service for breakfast in the dining room, since not too many of us were in there. It was apparent that it was going to be a dreary, hot day, with all of the overcast. At least, it wasn’t raining. With a city of this magnitude, some of that overcast was probably smog pollution. It’s unavoidable in this part of the world with such a dense population. No matter what kind of winds that arise, it never blows it away.

 

Many families were coming onboard today. We watched from the lower promenade deck as the wives and kids trailed behind their dads or moms, following them to the gangway. There was a huge tent where the visitors could relax while being processed to come on the ship. You cannot simply walk onboard unless you have ID and/or passports that have been previously approved. Any and all boxes or suitcases that were going on or off of the ship had to be searched by the local authorities.

 

Most of the organized tours had gone by 9am, and since the complimentary shuttle began at 8:30am, we decided to leave the ship around 9:15am. Expecting there to be a short line, we found about 50 people waiting for the next bus to arrive. We were told that HAL had arranged for four buses to take the folks back and forth to the center of town at Simpang Lima Mall. The ride one way was advertised as taking up to 45 minutes.

 

So we loaded up on the bus, and got the last two seats at the back of the coach. People kept getting on and filled up the aisles, or squeezing three across the seats. One lady tried to sit at the back, making it six instead of five. That did not work well. Anyway, a local got on the bus and announced that the police would pull us over if anyone was standing. So with that said, all of the late-comers got off, and went right to the next bus that just pulled into the parking lot.

 

The ride was interesting, and we realized that we could not have walked out of the port very easily. It was not the best part of the city, mostly industrial with shanties along the shoreline. The actual drive time was about 25 minutes, not so bad, considering the amount of slow-moving traffic. The intended mall was only about 5 or 6 miles from the pier, as the “crow flies”. We did pass a few of the sites that we toured while here last year.

 

At the mall, we found a three to four story complex full of stores, restaurants, groceries, and pharmacies connected to the 5 star Ciputra Hotel. We watched a girl at a crepe stand make a large crepe in a special round pan, as her customer waited for his breakfast. While the thin pancake-like batter was cooking, she added what appeared to be sambal, a hot and spicy condiment, then something with chicken, and finally shredded lettuce. When the batter was set, she rolled it like an ice cream cone, and wrapped it in paper. The customer was a happy camper.

 

Continuing deeper into the lower level of the mall, we noticed that the center aisle was filled with small cars for sale. Very unusual, but a good way for folks to check out the new vehicles. The most interesting store was a grocery store, where we checked out the prices of recognizable food items. The exchange rate is 13,000 rupiahs to $1.00 US dollar. So when we saw items for 39,000 rupiahs, it seemed expensive, but in reality, it was only $3.00.

 

Most of the stores were clothing or shoe shops, but there were many cafes and restaurants as well. The big ones were KFC, Pizza Hut, and even McDonalds. Most of the other eateries served Indonesian food, of course. The mall was not busy yet, but we are sure when school gets out, it fills up. There were many things here for the young kids. We went up a series of escalators, then proceeded to get lost. It seems that the modern mall was connected to an older one, and it just kept going.

 

We had not gotten any rupiah, so there was nothing we could or needed to buy. We usually only buy souvenir-type keepsakes, and there was plenty of that at the pier. There we knew they would take US dollars.

 

After an hour of walking in the mall, we decided to go back to the ship. With the ride both ways, it wasn’t hard to get some good pictures along the way. In fact, some folks simply took the ride, and never got off of the bus. Actually, you could have taken the shuttle just to get to the city center, then negotiate a taxi ride to see the city sights. According to the maps we got at the terminal, there were a few sites that could be reached by walking. You could even hire a tricycle driver to pedal you around the city. The speed limit is slow enough here for even a slow bike ride.

 

We got back to the pier, worked on photos, and went to lunch around 2:20pm. The dining room had been closed, so there were plenty of customers eating in the Lido, which stayed open for full counter service until 3pm today. Our regular sandwich maker was there, and he made perfect sandwiches for us, as always.

 

All aboard was at 3:30pm, which is really early for those passengers that went to the famous temple today. Konnie happened to be among the group. Gosh, we hope we mentioned to her NOT to sit in the front seats of the bus. We remember that ride very well, as the driver sped all the way up the middle of the road with police escorts leading the way, sirens blaring. The drive back was worse, since we were always in a rush to get back on time.

 

The sail away was held on the aft deck from 3:30 to 4:30pm, but there were not a whole lot of people attending. We are certain that too many people were tired from the early start of the 9 hour day. We darn near blew off of the aft deck watching the Amsterdam maneuver out of the harbor in the strong winds. It was so bad, that once we cleared the pier, a tent almost blew away. We remember a few years ago that this pier was under water from a two week long monsoon rain, high tides, and much flooding. Wooden planks had to be added to the pier for us to access the gangway. That problem has been resolved with the addition of a concrete wall, blocking the waves that overflowed the pier.

 

We had hoped to see another fabulous sunset, but it was not to be. Too many rain clouds blocked whatever sun there was. Dinnertime came soon, as we all shared stories of the day. Tonight was Bob’s last evening on the ship, as he heads home from Jakarta tomorrow. He will be missed.

 

The show tonight was a night at the opera with Opera Interludes. Wonder how crowded that will be? We went to the ship’s store to check out the new world cruise t-shirts that recently came in. We were really disappointed, because the t-shirts were under-sized, as well as too short. All of the larger shirts were gone already. The salesgirl said to buy one anyway, but what’s the point? Maybe they will get more in, because very few folks are “small” on this trip.

 

Tomorrow we will be in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia….a huge city for sure.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[KirkNC]

That's a pet peeve of mine, they seem to never have XL shirts :mad:.

[MMDown Under]

That's a pet peeve of mine, they seem to never have XL shirts :mad:.

 

And, if you find a L or XL, it mightn't be a real L or XL sizing.

 

I understand your disappointment at not being able to buy a World Cruise Tshirt, as that would have been a special momento, Bill and Mary Ann. Hopefully they'll get more sizes in, with a new order.

 

Thanks once again for your most enjoyable blog.

[WCB]

Report # 57 Jakarta, Java, Indonesia February 26, 2016 Friday Chance of rain & 90 degrees Part # 1 of 3 63 Pictures

 

The ship arrived to the port of Tanjung Priok (Jakarta) very early in the morning. We were greeted with heavy rain, unfortunately. But then, that’s what we can expect this time of year. One good thing was that the rain cleaned the air and actually cooled everything off somewhat. Doubt we ever reach the predicted 90 degrees today.

 

Jakarta, the capital of all of Indonesia, has a total of 12 million residents that live in a 255 square mile area. That does not count the suburbs, or the commuters that work and go to school in this huge city. Head waiter Oscar, who happens to live here, said that the city can swell to 20 million people at any given time. The problem is that just about everybody drives a car or something, contributing to the gridlock that can occur here at times. But more about that later.

 

Once a Hindu kingdom in the 5th century, Jakarta developed as a vibrant city, thanks to its sea trade. The Portuguese, Dutch, and British maritime nations realized the potential of that trade, and became part of it. Much of the influence of the Dutch colonists is visible even today. A melting pot of cultures and people, Indonesia is an independent republic today.

 

Jakarta is famous for their world’s last wind-powered sea trading fleet. These vessels are called phinisi schooners, and are made with Sulawesi ironwood, built by Bugis boat builders. These boats are still in use today, and are used for inter-island trading. We saw them up close when we took a tour in Makassar, Sulawesi, a few years ago. These boats were being loaded with goods and produce to be delivered to the nearby islands.

 

Tours available in Jakarta included a 5 ½ hour excursion to drive through the city and boat harbor, and visit President Obama’s elementary school, where he spent 4 years of his schooltime. Martha happened to take this tour, and said she sat in Obama’s desk. Although she said the kids in the school were probably teasing her, she liked the idea.

 

The longest tour took the folks to the Taman Safari Zoo. It is tucked away many miles out of Jakarta, and is located higher in the interior mountains. It is also the breeding center for endangered species in the world. We took this tour last year, and really did like it. We would have liked it even better if everyone could have stayed in their seats, while driving through the middle of the animal park. One of the passengers ignored the rules of standing up in the bus, and blocked the view for all of us in the rear of the coach. She happened to be the girlfriend of the acupuncturist onboard. The rest of us sat, like the good kids we are. But we did not get the photo shots we would have liked.

 

The next stop was at a tea plantation, where it rained so hard, all we could do is hover in the snack area. We witnessed the tea leaf pickers as they stood out in the low-growing bushes getting drowned. They never flinched, but continued to pick. The best thing to come out of this visit, was being able to purchase the neatest hand-made cards. They had bamboo incorporated into their designs, and were well made. Yes, they did get a bit wet, but held up quite well. Cutting the visit short, we headed to the final stop at Bogor Botanic Gardens. It is one of the oldest parks in the country, and is located 38 miles south of Jakarta. There were 17000 species of plants, and is now an important center for scientific research in botany, agronomy, and forestry. There is a Presidential Palace in the middle, along with a manmade lake. Lunch that day was a bag of sandwiches, fruit, cookies, and a drink, which we ate in the bus after we toured the animal park.

 

There were the usual private vehicles available for rent. A private car for two could set you back $899. for 8 hours. A private minivan for 20 for 8 hours ran $1999. All of the fees were extra.

 

Since we have seen these sights, we opted to take the free shuttle to a nearby shopping mall. We were warned that the shuttle could take about one hour each way to the Mall Athra Gading (MAG). Guess we were lucky, since the bus we took was on time with a 25 minute ride.

 

Walking the multi-level mall took hours, and that is without buying anything. We did, however, check out the prices for cameras, TV’s, and photo equipment. They seemed to be quite reasonable. The exchange rate for the rupiah is 13000 to one US dollar. A bit scary seeing the price tag on high end stuff, but doing the math brought those prices way down.

 

We covered the entire mall within three hours, starting with the bottom level, and working our way up the escalators. Downstairs were the boutiques and stores, along with cafes and restaurants, and beauty shops. The further up you traveled, you ran into a hardware store, furniture stores, and more restaurants. At one end, there was a theater, with the parking lot nearby on the covered roof of the complex. We found the furniture to be quite unique, using heavy dense woods. Not sure if it was mahogany or teak.

 

There were a few places that may have been good for lunch, but it was too early, and we had eaten a good breakfast. Not hungry, we decided to go back to the ship by 12:30pm, and eat lunch later in the afternoon. The bus ride back took only 25 minutes. These free shuttles are indeed provided by HAL, but they make it clear that they are a non- HAL service. So therefore, scheduling and timing of the buses cannot be guaranteed. Translated, that means that if you get stuck in traffic, the ship may not wait for you. That can be intimidating enough to stop folks from attempting to take advantage of these transfers. And, the bottom line, is that they really prefer that you spend money and buy the tours instead. We suspect there may have been complaints about the scare tactics, so Barbara H, our port lecturer, had to back-pedal on the bus warning. In her final talk before we got to the last two ports in Indonesia, she promised that all of us would get back to the ship on time. Even though we had no problem with the transfer, other folks did get stuck in the port traffic later in the afternoon. The last shuttle was due to leave the mall at 4pm, so one of the last buses did not get to the mall until 3:30pm, leaving little time to explore it. Most of these passengers simply stayed on the bus and took the ride straight back to the pier. No shopping for them.

 

There was a complimentary sail away from Jakarta at 5:30pm. It would last until 7pm, and offer the folks delicious appetizers, complimentary wines, beer, or soft drinks (house selection only). Instead of setting up the tables and food tents at the aft pool area, they moved it to the Lido pool due to the rain showers we had earlier in the day.

 

We enjoy the sail away from the aft deck, no matter what. The fresh air and the fact that all of the best photos can be taken from there, kept us out of the Lido Pool party. Several of our buddies joined us such as Bill, Leta, Konnie, Barb, and dozens of others. The heat and humidity in the Lido Pool was unbearable, but that was where the food and drinks were. We asked for our drinks at the Seaview Bar, and the bar tenders were kind enough to oblige us all. One thing we did pay attention to were the dates on the bottles and cans. Most of them were still good, but one of us got a beer dated today. Good way to move drinks near their expiration dates, as most folks would not think to check that. We are still waiting for the replacement of 2- 12 packs of Coke Zero that were delivered complimentary to our room last week. Three of the four were dated January 11, 2016. That was well past the due dates. There is a difference with the taste and the amount of fizz in the cans.

 

Dinnertime found us short one person. Bob, Martha’s husband has left the ship today and headed home to Boston. His late evening flight would take him to Sydney, then on to Los Angeles, and finally Boston, where he will be home in two days. Don’t envy that flight. Anyway, he will be missed a lot.

 

The entertainment tonight involved a flautist by the name of Clare Langan. Doubt we go, since we had a really long day, and cannot stay up that late. We do have four days at sea now, as we eventually head north for Hong Kong. Can’t wait, as we love that city.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[cruz chic]

Thx for the update.

[alsas]

HK getting very close. Sad to leave Sydney excited to come home!!!!!

[Theredofshaw]

HK getting very close. Sad to leave Sydney excited to come home!!!!!

 

HK is by far my most favorite port while on Navy deployments. So much to do and see there and not enough time (and we spent 5 days/nights there).

[bcnvcanada]

The fruit you were not sure of in Jakarta was what we call dragon fruit.

or hybcerus undatus, it is consider a super fruit and you can find it in most

places in North America now, though the fruit there comes from Costa Rica.

[Lizzie68]

Just caught up with the amazing photos of Jakarta on your blog. Wow! Thanks so much for sharing your trip with us.

[WCB]

Report # 58 Sailing Towards Hong Kong February 27, 2016 Saturday Partly cloudy & 89 degrees Crossing the Equator 63 Pictures

 

Sometime during today, the Amsterdam will be crossing the Equator. And although we have already done this once back in January, we will celebrate it this time with a special event at 10am. A simple explanation of this King Neptune Ceremony is that it assures a safe voyage for all, so the tale goes. Those crossing for the first time (pollywogs) are subject to a process where they become indoctrinated to many time sailors (shellbacks). In this case, a select group of crew members (prisoners), get questioned by the magistrate (Gene, the CD), and King Neptune (officer Mark) with his queen (Jodie). The first disgusting act is to “kiss” the big, ugly, smelly fish. Then, they are “slimed “ with fluffy tinted egg whites by the surgeons (more crew members), and finally presented to the judges……..five of the top officers, including Captain Mercer. Thumbs up, they get saved, thumbs down, they get dunked in the pool. In this case, it’s better to get dunked, or you wear the egg whites for ½ hour in the hot sun. Anyway, it is in all good fun, and as always, we can be assured of a safe passage from here on out. Once the crew members were done with the skit, one officer was grabbed, de-shoed, and thrown almost head first into the pool….. uniform clothes and all. No wonder Captain Jonathon and his four officers left the scene the second the ceremony finished. We have been on previous cruises where the captain walked the plank, and was forced into the pool, obviously being a good sport about it. Want to bet we get certificates for this crossing?

 

Other activities of the day included an interesting lecture about Hong Kong’s history during the British Colonial times to the present day city. A new guest speaker has arrived by the name of Dr. Ping-Wing Kam. Speaker Andrew Johnson dealt with clippers from the east and their impact on the world economy regarding the trade with tea and opium. You can never learn enough about Hong Kong in our opinion. Makes the visit there even more intriguing.

 

We met Barb for lunch in the dining room, where all of us ordered the pepper jack cheese burgers. We think the lunches here are the best. Maybe it’s the company, as we are always among the last to leave the room. By the way, we learned from Pande that 200 passengers will be leaving the ship in Hong Kong, and only 90 will board. At least eight friends are among them.

 

We spent the afternoon catching up on photos and reports, walking, and visiting with some buddies. We also took note of the progress on the damaged tender boat. It still remains inoperable with only one new propeller and rudder attached. The opposite side of the boat’s prop and rudder are not accessible to repair. So we think that work will be completed once we get to Hong Kong. Other work being done on the promenade deck was grinding metal ceilings, sanding and painting thresholds, and railing work. It is understandable that they needed to block the traffic under the damaged tender boat, but they really over-did the other jobs. The dedicated walkers were not deterred that easily, as we all kept strolling anyway.

 

The sun set around 6:02pm, but it was not a stunner tonight. So far, nothing can compare to the Bali sunset. That is the winner so far.

 

Dinnertime was an intimate table for three of us. Barb got invited to Bill and Leta’s table with Tom M as her “date”. Bonnie and Paul were joining their friends , who are scheduled to leave in Hong Kong. And Bob, Martha’s husband, left for home yesterday. Actually, Martha had a story about Bob’s exit yesterday that left us glad we were not leaving the ship in Jakarta. Apparently, when he left the ship, he was required to put his suitcase and carry-ons through the exray machine shore side. We all had to do this when we left the ship yesterday. Well, the officials went through absolutely everything in his possession. They scrutinized every little item, especially his medications. They asked for every prescription form, and made sure it all matched what he had. Once he was cleared, they led him to a very expensive taxi, probably someone’s cousin or whatever. It cost him $50 US for the drive to the airport, which was not extremely far away. At this point, he did not question the fare or the fact that they made him pay for road tolls as well. Lucky he had some rupiahs with him. Due to the traffic, he got to the airport just in time to check in for his flight. He emailed Martha and said never again would he fly home from this port. Perhaps leaving in Bali would have been a better bet. Or stay onboard until Hong Kong, which is a dedicated segment end.

 

In between the story of Bob’s adventure, we all dined on the rib eye steak, that came about as big as the plate. Our waiters brought Martha the largest and thickest steak just to see if she could eat it. Of course, it would feed all three of us, so she could only eat part of it. After all, we had to save room for the jello. This always gets a laugh from our assistant waiter, Rudy, who teases us every time we order the old-fashioned dessert. Remember, there’s always room for jello.

 

The captain mentioned in his PM talk that we are heading for some gale winds and 15 foot deep swells in the following days. Rain too. Guess we don’t have to worry about sunburn for a while.

 

The clocks had to go forward one hour tonight as we sail northeasterly. Hate losing that hour, but we will get it back eventually.

 

Bill& Mary Ann

[bcummin]

Dr. Ping Wing Kam is absolutely wonderful, especially if he gets to teach tai chi, etc.

Thank you, Mary Ann & Bill for taking us along on another adventure with you. Your details are priceless.

 

Barbara

[jig]

I think you are friends with Greg and Heo. They are getting on in Hong Kong.

[WCB]

Report # 59 Sailing Towards Hong Kong February 28, 2016 Sunday Partly cloudy & 89 degrees

 

If it is Sunday, and we are at sea, it must be Sunday Brunch Day. This seems to be the pattern for brunches now, even though it has to be more work for the crew. Guess it is a trade-off since fewer people go to breakfast in the dining room, but will come at 11am to 1pm for the special brunch. Barb usually goes to this lunch and seems to always find something she likes. The only big difference is that she cannot sit at her regular table with waiters that she knows and be served. See how spoiled we get after eight weeks on the ship?

 

The seas continued to be rough with winds at gale force 7 during the day. You know when it is getting bad when the white bags come out at every elevator landing. Sometimes the suggestion of seasickness actually brings the malady on. During our morning walk, we noticed many folks laying on the teak lounges looking a tad bit green around the gills. Lucky for us, we are not bothered by the motion very much. It just makes it difficult to walk a straight line with the ship pitching and rolling. Watching the waves hit the sides of the ship is most impressive. If the swells are right, the waves will come up as far as deck three and be thrown several yards from the bow.

 

While we were outside enjoying the forces of nature, Barbara H was talking all about things to do and see while in Hong Kong. We will be there for three full days, which is nice, because last year, we did not stop here at all. First time on a world cruise that we can remember that we missed Hong Kong.

 

To add to our knowledge, guest speaker Dr. Ping-Wing Kam discussed the current issues that Hong Kong is facing dealing with mainland China. Mel Foster lectured on the time when ocean liners actually went to war during World War 2.

 

We had a gardening job this morning. Our little window garden was overdue for cleaning, and today was as good as any to tackle the job. It’s surprising how dusty things can get in these cabins. So while the plants were cleared from the window, we soaked them one at a time, in the sink until they were saturated. We cannot believe how well the sunflowers and the lilies have done. Flowers are set, and will probably be blooming within the next couple of weeks. At least that part of the room is spotless now. We need to follow up on getting the air filters replaced in the ceiling duct. Those get dirty quickly, and we have no idea when it was replaced last. Usually we ask for them to be done when we get onboard, but this year, we forgot.

 

The clouds cleared long enough for us to get some sun at the aft pool. The pool itself was in motion, with the ship rolling so much. It was entertaining watching the pool water flow out both ends. Good thing no one was in it. The deck crew was busy trying to sweep the water down the gutters, because the sitting puddles were dangerous with people coming outside to eat lunch and/or smoke on the starboard side of the deck.

 

Lunch for us was one hamburger and a hot dog from the Dive In Grill for a change. We ordered them “fry-less”, since we really don’t care for the double-coated fries they serve there. Too greasy, we’re afraid. Anyway, we packed them down to our room, and watched a movie while dining “at home”. The movie was one of the recent Hobbit movies, that was incredibly violent. No snoozing during that flick.

 

We made a visit to the Princeton Tailors, who are onboard to take orders for custom made clothing. They make it so easy to get beautifully made clothing, and although it may be a bit more expensive than ordering the clothing while in Hong Kong, it saves you the time and two or three trips to the tailor’s while in Hong Kong. One of us was looking for a tux vest and bowtie in a shade of blue. With all of his color swatches, it was easy to find a silk pattern we liked. The measurements are in their computer already, but just to make sure, the tailor took new measurements anyway. We had a tux with two jackets and several vests and bowties made on previous trips, so we know their work and trust their quality. And to make life easier, the charge is added to our shipboard account, which will not be due until we get back home after the entire trip.

 

We went to deck nine for the sunset, only to find that there barely was one. With the time change one hour forward last night, the sunset was at 6:57pm. What we did do, was almost blow overboard with the strong winds. Even on the promenade deck, the lounge cushions had been picked up and stored early in the day. Bet many of these could be lost overboard. More than a few passenger’s hats have gone that route.

 

Today we got two notices that are more than unnerving. They deal with avian influenza and the new virus, zika. The avian flu notice went into great detail about what it is, and how it can be dangerous to one’s health, especially if you are elderly. Obviously, this applies to lots of folks on this ship. This virus has hit Asian worse than most other places in the world. So this advisory was a mandatory one as dictated from the Hong Kong government. The notice tells us how to avoid transmission, and a reminder of the need to practice good hand washing techniques.

 

The zika health advisory dealt with the transfer of the disease by mosquitoes, and how to avoid getting bit. Not enough is known of the possible future effects of this malady, so some precaution on our end is necessary. It was stressed that using insecticide was a good idea. We brought plenty with as , as well as getting more from our gift packages in the beginning of the trip. This will be essential when we go overland in Sri Lanka next month.

 

Dinner was fun with a full table tonight. We had guests…..Eddy and Calista, our trusty florists onboard. They are really great kids, and we lucked out by having them host our table twice this cruise. Actually, they admitted that they were relieved to find out the dining room manager had assigned them to us. They never know who they are going to join, so our table is full of folks they know. Lucky for us too, as they will be leaving the ship in Singapore, to join the new Koningsdam a week later. It is a step up for them to be chosen to train the florists on the new ship, but they promised they will be back to the Amsterdam next September. Sure hope it works out for them.

 

Two more sea days, and we will be in fabulous Hong Kong. Hope they are not rough and rainy.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Scrapnana]

Report # 59 Sailing Towards Hong Kong

 

 

We made a visit to the Princeton Tailors, who are onboard to take orders for custom made clothing. They make it so easy to get beautifully made clothing, and although it may be a bit more expensive than ordering the clothing while in Hong Kong, it saves you the time and two or three trips to the tailor’s while in Hong Kong. One of us was looking for a tux vest and bowtie in a shade of blue. With all of his color swatches, it was easy to find a silk pattern we liked. The measurements are in their computer already, but just to make sure, the tailor took new measurements anyway. We had a tux with two jackets and several vests and bowties made on previous trips, so we know their work and trust their quality. And to make life easier, the charge is added to our shipboard account, which will not be due until we get back home after the entire trip.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

Is your shipboard account only paid once at the end of the entire cruise? (Just wondering because on my Cunard world cruise the account was settled at the end of each of the six segments.)

[WCB]

Report # 60 Sailing Towards Hong Kong February 29, 2016 Monday Partly cloudy & 89 degrees

 

During breakfast in the dining room this morning, we noticed that the waiters were stashing all the stemware, plates, and even the wine chillers on trays on the floor. Of course we asked what gives? One of the head waiters, Ade, told us that it was precautionary because of the rough seas. Most specific, the rolling and pitching caused by the deep swells were expected to get worse, and there could possibly be damage from it. They were simply thinking ahead. We told him about our experience with 55 foot seas on the 2002 Asia/Pacific trip while on the Volendam. That did cause lots of damage in the dining room, because the worst of it hit during our late-seating dinner. And far into the evening as well. We hope never to experience those extremes ever. Now a 13 foot swell…..we can handle that.

 

Unfortunately, not everyone can deal with seasickness. It happened to hit three young girls, daughters of Radi, a head waiter. They are here as visitors, having come onboard while we were in Indonesia. It should have been a fun holiday for his wife and kids, but the sickness had hit his youngest the worst. She has had no food for the last three days. We recommended a simple solution of giving her our favorite dessert…..jello. At least she would be getting some fluids that way. The doctor did dispense some meds for her to take. So she may be sleepy, which is better than sick any day.

 

Somehow we forgot to mention that last night was “White Night”, a gala dinner with the suggestion to wear all white. Maybe we forgot to mention it, because the decorations were minimal at best. On previous grand voyages, the dining room looked like a snow scene, with sparkling white snowflakes hung from the ceiling. It sparkled and was magical. The three tier white Chinese lanterns did not do it for us. The waiters looked nice in their white vests and top hats to match, but when they proceeded to climb on empty dining room chairs to pull the lanterns down towards the end of our meal, we felt rushed, like we needed to hurry up and leave. We are certain our hosts, Eddy and Calista, noticed it too, although would never say a word.

 

The “White After Party” took place in the Crows Nest from 9 to 11pm. They served appetizers like pizza (like we really need pizza after dinner?) and were offering special drinks for sale. Barb said it was crowded and noisy. That is probably because there was no show in the Queens Lounge. A comedian, Paul Adams, and a guitarist, Vincenzo, took to the stage for an early show at 7:15pm.

 

Anyway, back to today. The seas remained rough and rolling all day. As far as we know, it never did rain, and there is no way the temperatures were as high as they had predicted at 89 degrees. The skies were mostly cloudy, and one good thing, is that the humidity was down a lot from the previous days we spent in Indonesia.

 

Much work on the lower promenade deck continued with grinding, sanding, painting, and hosing. Seems like they save up this busy work for the decks A and B crew to take turns being outside for fresh air. There is a group of us that enjoy being outside as well, but when the dust is blowing or the paint smelling badly, it sends many of us back inside. Naturally, the ships need maintenance all of the time, but we wish they would pick better times to do this work. There are a lot of folks with rooms on deck three that we know that like to sleep in later, but cannot due to the noise on the deck. Their “do not disturb” signs don’t work on the window side of their rooms.

 

As we usually do on sea days, we met Barb for lunch in the dining room. We all ordered the cowboy hamburger with cheese and BBQ sauce. Oh yeah, and a small piece of flourless chocolate cake and a sliver of peanut butter pie. Both were too good. It will have to be jello again for dinner dessert. Once again, all of the tableware was placed on the floor in trays, covered with napkins after everyone left the room.

 

There was another Mongolian cookout in the Lido Pool today. That seems to be more popular than the Sunday brunch.

 

Taking a walk outside was a thrill in itself. The winds were blowing a gale force eight by then, making walking difficult. Very few people were able to stay out there long, except for Jack and Shirley, our British friends who have claimed their spots on the starboard side forward. We always know where we can find them on sea days from 10am to about 6pm or later. As well as being a great place to read, it is also the perfect spot for visiting.

 

There was a movie we watched called Suffragette, a story about the feminist movement in England in the early 1900’s. It dealt with women’s fight for the vote, which eventually led to every country changing their laws.

 

Dinnertime came quickly, but the choices for our meal were not the most desirable tonight. Sometimes it is hard to make a decision because there are too many options, or like tonight, there is not much for dinner. Good standbys are French onion soup and Caesar salad. Kentucky fried chicken appealed to one of us, while the other ordered a lamb shank. That actually looked better. We did keep the dessert light.

 

Once again, we noticed that the surrounding tables were being cleared of all items, leaving only tablecloths. Something was going on, so we asked Rudy, our assistant waiter. He said that there were two reasons. Rough seas meant the tableware had to be placed on the floor, but spraying with disinfectant was the other reason. Over seven cases of the gastrointestinal flu had been reported, so the crew has gone into the sanitizing mode just to be safe. And we are washing our hands at least 100 times a day. Can’t be too safe.

 

The waiters had a crew party to go to in the Crow Nest at 11pm. Usually, they are held outside, but due to the inclement weather, it was changed to a better location.

 

The show this evening was presented by the ship’s singers and dancers with a performance of Rock of the Opera. Not sure if it will be a go if the ship is moving too much.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[erewhon]

Thank you for all your interesting reports.

[WCB]

Report # 61 Sailing Towards Hong Kong March 1, 2016 Tuesday Partly cloudy & 82 degrees

 

The daily forecast and the current temperature that is written on the “On Location Today” newsletter has to be printed prior to the cruise. It seldom matches what is really going on. Today, for instance, it has been extremely cloudy, raining at times, and no way near 82 degrees. In fact, it has gotten almost chilly, especially if you are sitting on the outside deck with hopes of 82 degree weather. The winds increased to gale force 8 or 9 during the day, at times with waves so severe, they crashed against the bow of the ship with explosive force. If you were looking out the window on deck five or higher, you may think it was OK, not too rough. But once on an outside deck, you had to hang on to the railing at times. Exciting is what we find the spray from the pounding waves that sent water over and above the deck. A complete white-out.

 

A flock of birds has decided to entertain us with their high-diving skills, as the ship’s wake must be full of small fish. It is something to watch them dive and fight over the catch. At first we thought they were boobys, but at closer inspection, we believe they are gannets. They are not shy, as they will fly eye-to-eye with us when we watch from the lower promenade deck. We suspect we are sailing somewhere close to land, or else we would not be courting these flocks of birds. At least we don’t feel so all alone out here.

 

Since we are getting nearer to Hong Kong, here is a little of information about this fabulous city. The area of Hong Kong is relatively small at 426 square miles. But the population is big…..7,055,071 people that speak mostly Cantonese and/or English. According to Lonely Planet, Hong Kong was a former British colony that they describe as being the “Asian tiger with the biggest teeth”. Little has changed under the Chinese rule.

 

Modern day Hong Kong has a vibrant stock exchange, skyscrapers, and extravagant hotels. In the mix, you will also find much older areas that time has changed little, such as shopping districts with fish and meat markets, fresh veggie and fruit stands, street food, clothing, shoes, souvenirs, and a night market. The flower, bird, ladies, and jade markets have bargains unmatched anywhere. With three full days in port, we intend to hit each and every one of these. And not to be missed is the million dollar blast of nightly lights across Victoria Harbour, costing a cool million every single night we read.

 

The harbor traffic is always interesting to watch as the ferry traffic is constant. It is not unusual to see a Chinese junk or two bobbing in between the ferries with the old folks fishing from them. Taking one of these ferries can take you to nearby Hong Kong Island from Kowloon, where we will be docked.

 

The best time to visit Hong Kong is from October to December because there is less rain. If the Captain is right, he said there would be sunny days during our stay there. Hope he is right. We have seen and heard thunder and lightning hit with flooding monsoonal rains that followed in seconds.

 

Things to see in Hong Kong are numerous to say the least. Taking the tram up to Victoria Peak is a must. The views are stunning, if you have a good day to see it. Many times it is smoggy on the way up, or foggy at the top. Hope for a wind that keeps that view clear. A trip to Lantau Island is the place to visit the Po Lin Monastery to see the largest bronze Buddha in the world. We have done a lunch tour there, where we were served tofu made to taste like everything it was not. Close your eyes, and you are eating chicken, potatoes, bread, and even desserts…..all made with tofu, a bean curd. The monks from the monastery are vegetarians, so the tofu works for them.

 

Not to be missed is a dim sum feast in Kowloon. Dim sum are steamed dumplings with various fillings. Anything you like can be in them, and taste delicious with a soy-based dip. The local drink is green tea called “yum cha”.

 

Trademarks are skyscrapers, double-decker buses, shopping sprees, the famous skyline, the Peak Tram, Jackie Chen, the actor, and Chinese New Year. Too bad we missed that celebration, because when you are in Asia, it would be a daily activity to see the dragon (many men in costumes) weaving its way through the local streets and hotels.

 

Here is a random fact we have learned: In Hong Kong, wives are legally allowed to kill adulterous husbands, so long as they only use their bare hands. Cannot make this stuff up. Honest.

 

Some folks will undoubtedly take advantage of the two overland excursions that have been offered from the ship. One is a flight to Beijing and the Great Wall of China for 3 days and 2 nights. It is round trip Hong Kong, and will set you back $2300 per person. The other overland, also round trip Hong Kong, is to Xi’an and the Terra Cotta Warriors. That is a bit more affordable for 3 days and 2 nights for $2000 per person.

 

An example of private cars for two is $200 per person for 4 hours, or perhaps a minibus for 18 people for 8 hours for $78 per person.

 

Back to today, Barbara H gave a talk on Da Nang and Phu My. Both are in Vietnam, and finally, one is a new port for us. This will be the first time we stop at Da Nang, so we booked tours on both days we will be docked there. Actually, we had been given some generous credit from our travel agency to use on their excursions, which are separate from the HAL ones onboard.

 

The final lectures with Dr. Kam and Andrew Johnson took place at 11am and 2pm. Buddhism history and culture was discussed with the differences pointed out from Chinese folk religion and real Buddhism. A talk about festivals was the subject for Mr. Johnson. He talked about the dragon boat racing, bog snorkeling, and kite flying and baby jumping. Wish we could have listened to these talks on our room TV. Still cannot figure out why these lectures are not televised anymore.

 

Since 200 passengers will be disembarking soon, there was a farewell party for them in the Queens Lounge. It was not advertised because only those who are leaving were invited. Gene, our CD, sort of let it slip out about a cocktail party sometime today, or else we would not have known.

 

There was supposed to be a pool games contest outside by the pool, but due to the extremely windy weather, it was cancelled. Some kind of substitute game was held in the atrium on deck three instead. In fact, it was so windy that none of the pool lounges were out to use. They were all stacked and lashed to the railings. Bet tht ticked off some people, who go back to deck eight every single day, windy or not. We have been absent from that scene for the most part too. Now that the weather has cooled down so much, we doubt we will be back to the pool for a week or so.

 

It was a lunch with Barb, and an afternoon of movies for us. We did take two breaks, walking outside, but fighting the wind was too hard. One side of the deck (port) was so wet from the wave spray, it might as well have been raining. The starboard side was so blustery, you could blow overboard. Even half of the birds took a hike. So did all but four or six passengers.

 

We had 8 o’clock reservations in the Pinnacle Grill. Many other folks had the same idea, we guess, as the restaurant was crowded. Sometimes when the dining room menu is not too exciting, people make reservations here instead. We ordered appetizers of crab cakes and prawns with red cocktail sauce. We shared a Caesar salad, always excellent in here as it is made tableside according to our instructions. For our entrees, we ordered lamb chops and a New York strip steak. Both were really tasty. Dessert was Baked Alaska and one order of vanilla ice cream. Fancy chocolate candies topped off our ample meal. If that wasn’t enough, for some reason, our waitress brought us even more candies. Guess she was being sweet.

 

The entertainment this evening was Opera Interludes once again. It was great for those who love the music of Rossini, Bizet, Offenbach, Johana Strauss, Gilbert and Sullivan, and Lehar.

 

Tomorrow, we should arrive to Victoria Harbour around 7:30am with a slow sail to the StarFerry pier and our slip nearby. We are glad we are not scheduled to dock in the new terminal, which is far away from everything.

 

The other good thing about coming into Hong Kong, are the Star Ferry rolls that will be served on the outside decks, and hopefully, in the dining room. Yes, they are the same as the Panama rolls that we love.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[teamflames]

If you are overnighting in hk consider going to the night time racing at Happy Valley. It's great fun.

If you have done hk before you could consider doing a day on lamma island, there are 2 ferry stops and you can hike between the 2, there are nice seafood restaurants at one end

 

 

Sent from my iPod touch using Forums mobile app

[teamflames]

Also consider heading up to sai Kung and hiring a boat to tour the beautiful np

 

 

Sent from my iPod touch using Forums mobile app

[teamflames]

Oh and near da nang in Vietnam is the gorgeous Hoi an a pretty town and reasonable beach which has become a bit of a foodie place

 

 

Sent from my iPod touch using Forums mobile app

[WCB]

Report # 62 Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China March 2, 2016 Wednesday Partly sunny & 65 degrees Part # 1 of 2 59 Pictures

 

The Amsterdam sailed into Victoria Harbour around 8:30am this morning. It is where the fabulous city of Hong Kong is situated. With Location Guide, Barbara H giving a commentary, we all enjoyed her narration on the ship’s bow. To sweeten the deal, Star Ferry rolls (aka Panama rolls) and orange juice or coffee was served to everyone. In fact this service was available on all outside decks until the ship docked by the Star Ferry piers.

Early morning foggy haze shrouded the skyscrapers in the distance, but cleared somewhat the nearer we got. We could see Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island, a very promising sign that if the fog clears up, views from that mountaintop will be spectacular.

 

We thought it was odd that we had not been given instructions about a face-to-face passport inspection with the Chinese officials. We have always had to appear in the Kings Room to pick up our passports, then get our temperature taken before proceeding to an official to be cleared. Then we would turn in the passports to the front desk folks to keep onboard, unless you needed them to leave Hong Kong. This did not happen today. Only those passengers who were either going to Macau or going to mainland China had to go to an inspection. Two overland adventures went to the Great Wall and the Terra Cotta Warriors. These people were leaving first thing this morning, so they had to be inspected first. We’re not sure if they had to be cleared first in order for the rest of us to go ashore. At one point, Gene was calling the late-comers by cabin number and name. One thing we know for sure, is that you don’t want to mess with Chinese officials. One time many years ago, we almost pulled out of a port in China, because the officials insisted that the crew number did not match the crew that was onboard. They insisted on counting over and over, delaying some groups that had flights to overlands. Close to missing those flights, the captain gave them an ultimatum. One last count, and it was yes, we stay, or no, we go. Eventully, we stayed. And the folks got to their flights on time. Just barely.

 

Since this was not our first trip here, we were not in a big hurry to take off. We had not booked any organized tours here. Breakfast was great in the dining room, where we made our plans for the day. So by 10:30am, we wound our way through the Ocean Center and Harbour City. This multi-level shopping mall is huge and very upscale. Also quite easy to get lost. From memory, we knew to head in one direction, not taking any side lanes. The Royal Pacific Hotel is at the far end, and the exit where we cross the street to go up towards Nathan Road. That is where the main artery that cuts through Kowloon Island is located.

 

There is no other place in the world that we can think of that has so many jewelry stores, or electronics shops. With all that shopping, you will find crowds of locals unequal to any other place in the world as well. We slowly made our way to the Flower Market, which seemed like 100 miles uphill. Truthfully, it was more like three miles maybe. Yes, we could have taken a bus, but we needed the exercise.

 

The Flower Market is a block full of small shops that sell fresh cut bouquets of roses, bulbs, carnations, mums, and seasonal blossoms. Potted plants are also available. One of their biggest sellers is an assortment of orchids. Besides being beautiful, they are quite affordable, depending on how many bloom spikes they have. Funny story we recall on one tour a few years ago. One lady on our bus insisted on buying a rather large potted orchid with three long bloom spikes. Sitting in the front of the coach, she guarded her purchase, making sure no one touched her flowers. Well, the bus started going downhill, hitting some speed bumps, which caused the plant to bounce up and down. The flowers were going up and down, and of course, at one point snapped. Boy, was she mad. So we knew to stick to something smaller. We found three tiny pots with miniature orchid flowers that could be hung from our window light fixture. All we have to do is keep the air roots moist, and they will survive for the rest of the trip.

 

We also bought an extra-large bouquet of small carnations ($10 US), and a tropical calla lily that we can plant in soil or keep in water. This plant will be a test to see how it survives.

 

Right across from the Flower Market is the Bird Market. We had heard rumors that this property was going to be bought and the birds would be gone. Much to our delight, it was still there. Song birds, as well as parrots, finches, parakeets, love birds, lorikeets, and cockatiels are sold here. Many of the old Chinese retired folks bring their caged birds to this market to have their pets learn to sing. It is not uncommon to see a stack of 25 small cages of tiny birds chirping away. All different types of traditional cages are also sold here. We already have two of them at home, so really did not need another one. But we did purchase two “bugs”, a praying mantis and a cricket on wires to stick in our live plants.

 

From here, we carefully crossed the street to find the Ladies Market. We say “carefully” because this is not a place to cross against the red lights. Traffic comes in a direction that we are not used to, so looking both ways is a must. Even then, trucks and cars race, not slowing down for anything. The ladies market was a closed down street that went for blocks. It was full of clothing, shoes, linens, toys, jewelry, household items, and even As Seen on TV products. We bought five cloth shopping bags in pouches for about $1.29 each. They are so useful now that plastic bags have been removed from many stores. At the last block, many stands had fresh produce, much of it very Asian in origin.

 

Somehow, we came across a small fish and meat market where live fish and crustaceans were for sale. One area had cured pork items for sale. This is a much smaller version of the food market here, which we will probably tour tomorrow. This street happened to parallel Nathan Road, so the walk back was not as long. Downhill is also better.

 

We got back to the ship, put the flowers in water, and headed off for lunch. Guess what we had? Pizza of course, at a restaurant directly across from the ship in Harbour City. It is appropriately called Pizza Express, and has the best margherita pie in Hong Kong. Two beers were most welcome too.

 

On our way back to the ship, we ran right into our friend Maureen, our Art and Crafts Instructor from several previous world cruises. She was here visiting today, as she is staying here in Hong Kong to join the ship tomorrow. Although she will dine at an earlier time, she plans to join us for dessert some nights. Great to see her.

 

Barb and Martha had plans to eat out, probably dim sum, and Bonnie and Paul decided to go to the Night Market. So we had a quiet table for two tonight. Tomorrow, we will get friends joining for the rest of the cruise….Leslie and Handler. Our table will finally be full with eight of us. One more, Ruud, will make that number nine in Dubai.

 

We had breaded shrimp with a sweet chili sauce for appetizers, followed by pot roast and mashed potatoes for our entrees. We did see part of the nightly light show that takes place from the Avenue of the Stars, another place we plan to visit tomorrow. It was such a busy day, we needed to rest up for tomorrow. There was a good show in the Queens Lounge, actually a movie called The Forger with John Travolta. Hope it eventually comes to the TV line up, as we could never make it up too late tonight.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[cruz chic]

Thanks for the update.

[donamae]

We just finished reading your blog post on Hong Kong, and it is fabulous !!!! The photos are great, and love that you take the time to label every one. Nice to know what we are looking at, thank you so much! I have followed your travels for several years and have loved every minute.

dm.

[WCB]

Report # 63 Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China March 3, 2016 Thursday Partly sunny & 65 degrees Part # 1 of 2 81 Pictures

 

Day two in Hong Kong began with the nicest weather we have seen here. Bet it got in the 70’s today, with a pleasant breeze. Since today was going to be another walking one, we started off with a good breakfast as usual. Since few customers were in the dining room, we always get the chance to visit with Pande, Oscar, and Presti, three of the best head waiters. They keep us up to date with the crew news. Apparently some of the crew have left the ship, possibly not happy with their jobs. It is not always easy to replace them, as most are into their ten month contracts on other ships. So they do pick up new workers along the way, as they become available. We also learned that the singers and dancers left yesterday, replaced with a whole new group.

 

We left the ship at 10:30am, and took the same path we went yesterday. Out of the shopping mall, we turned left on Canton Road, across the street to Austin, and up the hill. Our destination was the Jade Market, accessed by Kansu Street. It is located a few short blocks from Nathan. You would never associate the one story old building as a jewelry stop. Inside this market, we found stall after stall of tables full of jade items…..necklaces, bracelets, earrings, figurines, etc. Each vendor is busy creating different designs, using a variety of colors that jade comes in. Not always green, you can find pink, gold, and minty green. Another popular type of jewelry they sell here is pearls. Not the kind they sold in the South Pacific, but regular white, creamy, pink, and silver pearls. We were looking for baroque pearls in silver. These are more of a teardrop shape, and covered in nacre that is uneven, and unusual shapes. We easily located a necklace with matching earrings, and discovered the vendor was quite happy to bargain deeply. We used Hong Kong dollars, with a one dollar US bill for good luck, or so she said.

 

Checking out some other stalls, we came across a matching necklace that could be used as a double-stranded bracelet. Once again, the vendor was happy to make a sale, taking US dollars. As always, they say they are making a good deal since you are the first customer of the day. Supposedly good luck. Whatever, we were happy with the purchases. Best to leave before we found something else we could not live without.

 

Right across the street from the Jade Market was a street market for mostly food. The street was closed off to traffic, and was full of tables of fresh produce. Locals buy food for the day, because we are not sure that everyone here owns refrigerators. Items are sold separately, like onions for instance. We saw some 30 pound bags of yellow onions and had to check where they came from. Guess what? They were imported from Oregon. We suppose that would be true for apples, cherries, or grapes.

 

Clothing was another popular choice for the street stalls. Since the sizes are small to smaller, we usually don’t even bother to look. Most all of the side shops sell household items and hardware-type stores.

 

The meats sold here are primarily pork, chicken, duck, and fish. Lots of fish. We went through the building that houses the largest fish and produce market. It was crowded with locals buying the fish. Watching the butchers cleaning and fileting the largest fish was interesting. They tend to use a mallet and a hatchet to make the slices in the big fish. Red ceiling lights seem to make the fish colors even more pink. Maybe it helps sell it. One vendor seemed to have the most customers. We guessed he had lowered his prices to get rid of his catch for the day.

 

The next stop for us was at Kowloon Park. Entering the park from Austin Road is the easiest, since there is a walkway (no stairs) that takes you to the swimming pool and sports area. Listening to the sounds of birds, we found our way to the aviary up high. This elaborate cage houses a variety of pigeons, parrots, hornbills, pheasants, and some unusual birds you would never see in the wild. Benches are placed around this aviary, as well as all around the park, making it a nice place to relax. Many folks were reading or visiti with friends up here. There was even a film being made here with an actor and an actress. Small production, but definitely a film.

 

Going up to the highest point, we took photos of the surrounding skyscrapers. Hard to believe we were in the middle of such a nice, peaceful park, but located in the hustle and bustle of such a vibrant huge city. It has to be one of our favorite spots in a big city, much like Golden Gate Park is to us in San Francisco.

 

We continued to walk down to the waterfall and ponds below. They were full of ducks, geese, herons, koi carp, and the best….flamingos, both the lesser and the great. Peacocks were here somewhere, because we heard them. Reminded us of home. Very near to the pond was a bridge that led out of the park. That is when we found that a footbridge led us to the end of the Harbour City complex, connecting to the Gateway complex and the Prince Hotel. A rooftop garden was there with a terrific view of the Victoria Harbour below. Ferries use this area to load passengers to go to Macau and mainland China.

 

Now the good thing about this exit from the park, was that we did not have to cross the streets on Canton Road, We simply took the elevator at the Prince Hotel to Canton Road, then enter the doors a few steps away at the Harbour City mall.

 

We went directly to lunch, once again, at the Pizza Express. Our waitress remembered us from yesterday, and repeated our order exactly. The pizza was every bit as good too.

 

Back on the ship, we took a rest while downloading pictures for an hour. Then off we went to the Night Market at 5:30pm. It did not seem as far this time, because we took a side street to access Jordan Road. We came out right across the street from the Temple Street Market, marked with a Chinese portal. And lots of neon signs, all beginning to come on now that the sun was going down. We are not really that big on shopping, but we did find a few bargains with handbags. They pack easily and are useful. At least for one of us.

 

We got back to the ship shortly before dinner, not wanting to be late, since we had new guests arriving. We were on time at 8pm, but no one was there yet. Our new additions, Leslie and Handler, arrived within minutes. It was sure great to see them again. Seems like almost like yesterday when we said good bye last year at the end of the 2015 world cruise. Bonnie and Paul arrived a bit later, because they had gone to deck nine to watch the Light Show. Then much to our surprise, friends Greg and Heo from Sydney came to say hello. They also boarded today, and we instantly asked them to join us. Martha was missing, and Barb had gone to the Night Market at the last minute.

 

It happened to be Paul’s birthday today, so they has pre-ordered a Snickers cake. Topped with fluffy whipped cream, it was decadent, especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. It was great fun when many waiters came to singHappy Birthday to him. So it turned out to be a wonderful evening after all. But then, all of the days and nights are good when you are on a ship.

Bonnie pointed out that today was “hump” day…..half of the cruise is over. Where did that time go?

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[jig]

Say hi to heo and Greg for me. Jeffrey.