Jan 2016 World Cruise live report

[Floridiana]

I love your report on Sihanoukville, would have loved to see the city. We were in Cambodia last month and yes, they prefer US $. Much of the country's infrastructure is still underdeveloped. I guess your driver can feed his family for a month with the money he made on your group. Good for him.

[Waynetor]

Today is warm and sunny with puffy white clouds on the horizon. With the nice breeze it was a near perfect day at sea.

 

Today we sailed the out of the Bay of Bengal, around the southern tip of Vietnam and northward into the South China Sea.

 

Re our tuk-tuk tour yesterday - we did overpay - he originally said $10 each for an hour then said $10 each for 2 hours. When we took 3 hours he wanted $30 each. We could have argued and made a fuss but we were happy with the trip, he did a good job, he was not one of the aggressive drivers and he needed the extra money more than we did.

 

Today we had a bonus show in the lounge - at 6pm the comedian did a show and at 9:15 we had a singer - both great 2nd shows for these entertainers. Tomorrow night there will be a deck party as long as the weather forecast holds.

 

At dinner tonight one gentleman was not eating much.* The waiter asked him if everything was alright.* He assured the waiter the food was fine, it was just his ulcer giving him problems and he did not feel like eating very much.* One of the other ladies piped in, “It could be worse, my ex never had ulcers but he was a carrier."

 

Today’s thought of the day - Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime. - Mark Twain

[Waynetor]

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula. With an estimated 90.3 million inhabitants as of 2012, it is the world's 13th most populous country, and the 8th most populous Asian country. The country is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to the east. Vietnam is located between the latitudes 8°S and 24°N, and the longitudes 102° and 110°E. It covers a total area of approximately 331,210sq km (127,881sq mi), making it almost the size of Germany. The combined length of the country's land boundaries is 4,639km (2,883mi), and its coastline is 3,444km (2,140mi) long. Vietnam's land is mostly hilly and densely forested, with level land covering no more than 20%.

Vietnam is major exporters of Black Pepper with 40% of the world’s supply. They are the number 2 exporter, behind Brazil of Coffee, and also are a major exporter of cashews.

 

Hanoi has been the capital since the 1976 reunification of North and South Vietnam. Vietnam was then unified under a Communist government, but was politically isolated and impoverished. In 1986, the government initiated a series of economic and political reforms, which began Vietnam's path towards integration into the world economy. By 2000, it had established diplomatic relations with most nations. Vietnam's economic growth has been among the highest in the world since 2000.

About 85% of Vietnamese identify with Buddhism and about 8% are Christians.

 

On 2 July 1976, Saigon merged with the surrounding province and was officially renamed Ho Chi Minh City after Vietnamese communist revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh yet the name SàiGòn is still commonly used. The metropolitan area has a population of over 9 million.

The average high temperature in March is 34C (94F

[Waynetor]

Good Morning Vietnam. – love that movie (very sad what happened to Robin Williams). This will be a very emotional visit for some passengers that spent some time here a few decades back that was anything but a vacation.* The Vietnam War as it’s known in the United States is referred to as the American War in Vietnam.

 

The city is now officially called Ho Chi Minh but most locals, including business signs use Saigon.* Another sunny day in SE Asia.* Today and tomorrow we are docked at the Nha Rong Port cruise terminal in the city.* The high today was around 31C (92F).*

 

We are docked nearly 60km (37mi) from the sea. To go ashore today we had to have a Vietnamese Landing Card.* These were filled out by Oceania and stamped by officials that got on with the pilot as we sailed up the Saigon River so we just picked them up after 8AM.* It was near low tide as we sailed in - the water is very muddy.* Land use along the river is very mixed, as we slowly sailed up this winding river we passed a mix of small houses, fishing huts, office towers and industrial buildings.* We found a good place to sit, had some breakfast and enjoyed the trip. Ship traffic in the river caused us some delay and it was near 10 by the time the first passengers got off the ship.

 

On our previous time here we were on the Ocean Princess a twin of Insignia as far as size.* At that time we docked at an industrial port in Phu My (pronounced "Foo Me"), the gateway to Saigon. There was no cruise terminal – you just stepped off to the buses or vans/taxis. Walking in the port was not allowed. That was another port where you spend a lot of your excursion just riding in a bus. It takes about an hour to reach the city border and another hour plus to reach the city core. We were told that the port in the city was for even smaller ship than ours such as the Yachts of Seaborn.

The route to the city is mostly 2 or 3 lane highway. Outside the city there are no lane markers but in the city there are but it makes no difference – everybody just drives where they want forcing themselves into spaces. There are a few traffic circles and a few traffic lights but for the most part it’s a matter of whoever is in a spot gets it until someone forces them to move.

 

Our tour then included the Reunification Palace and its underground bunkers used during the Vietnam War, the property has two tanks that burst through the gates at the end of the war. The main floor is accessible but you could not move around in a wheelchair in the basement.* We also stopped at a temple and the Ho Chi Minh Museum of History which has a lot of displays going back to the earliest recorded evidence of mankind in Vietnam. There was a Water Puppet show which is an art form that goes back quite awhile included. Several Princess tours ended up at the same hotel for a buffet lunch. Our last stop was at a Lacquer Factory where we could see products being manufactured and then shop for them (it seemed every tour bus stopped there).

 

This time we decided to just do our own tour.* I was going to make it a walking tour from the port but decided there would be too many problem areas for Freda's wheelchair so we hired a taxi for 2+hours.* ($50)* We wanted to be able to get a better look at places that we just saw from the bus window last time.*

 

We first went to the History Museum which I had forget we had been to.* It is a nice looking building but was closed at the time.* Next the driver parked near Notre Dame Cathedral.* Previously we only had a slow drive by one side of it.* Notre Dame was built by the French using French materials and was completed in 1880.* The 2 bell towers were added in 1895.* In Paris Square in front of the cathedral is a tall statue of the Virgin Mary surrounded by a small garden.* Across the road is the old Post Office.* It was designed and constructed in a neoclassical architectural style between 1886-91 by the famous architect Gustave Eiffel to be in harmony with Notre Dame. The area around here was wheelchair friendly but 4 steps stopped Freda from getting into the PO.* Just inside the PO on the walls are 2 large painted maps made in 1892 of Southern Vietnam and Saigon.***

 

From there we made a stop at the beautiful French colonial City Hall (it faces a wide elegant boulevard) as well as passing by several nice looking hotels and the French and US consulates - both offer not much more than a high wall to see.* I wanted to see the Botanical Garden but when we got there we found out it includes a zoo with an admission price.* As we were tight on time I just took a couple photos of what I could see out front.

 

We looped around a roundabout so I could get a photo of the very large statue of Ran Nguyen Han Monument of him riding on his horse.* From there we made our last stop - the very large Ben Thanh Market.* In this crowded market most aisles were too narrow for a wheelchair but the main aisles could handle a chair.* There were large areas for clothing - a lot of silk, sunglasses, shoes, household items, fruit and veg, and prepared foods.* Most of the stalls were packed with inventory, often the same as the next one over. I picked up a nice full length silk jacket for lounging around the house and 2 tops for Freda.*

 

Instead of a show in the lounge, tonight there is a party up on deck 9 called "HO Chi Minh Nights deck party.

 

Mr 22 Today’s thought for the day - "You know the difference between comedy and tragedy? Comedy is when the two of us are walking down the street and you fall into an open manhole. Tragedy is when we are walking down the street and I fall into an open manhole." paraphrased from Mel Brooks

[Floridiana]

 

and he needed the extra money more than we did.

 

 

That's what I have told myself quite often...

[Waynetor]

Last night the deck party went quite well - I guess close to 100 people showed up. They had snacks, 2 for 1 local beer, the band playing and a contest for those wearing local fashions.* I won a bottle of champagne for most original.* From the ship we saw several river boats going by that offered dinner cruise, some had cultural shows included.* Most were nicely lit up including one that looked like a floating fish.* Near the waterfront is the Vietcom Bank Building.* This modern skyscraper at night is all lit up in constantly changing colours and patterns - looked very nice.

 

Today the weather is basically a repeat of yesterday.

 

This morning I took the shuttle into the city.* The drop off point was by the Opera House, near the area with high end shopping and a few blocks from the main market.* Tthere is a large construction project right by where we were dropped off - looks like they are building a subway system.

 

I spent 2 hours walking around seeing new sights and others from new angles.* I eventually made my way back to the Siagon River and along it to the ship - a bit on the hot side but not as bad as some others days.* The area around the City Hall and the Opera House has mostly new sidewalks that are wheelchair friendly.* Along the waterfront would also not be too bad for a wheelchair - the big issue is trying to negotiate traffic when crossing roads - crosswalks have no meaning.*

 

Along the waterfront all the garbage cans were penguin shaped, not something one would expect here, looks like somebody had a clearance sale on garbage cans.

 

It is challenging with the photos to give a sense to the traffic situation in Siagon. On many of the streets you will see hundreds of motorcycles at any given time along with buses and trucks.* Like Singapore, there is a very high tax for those who own automobiles and they are out of reach for most Vietnamese.* Excluding buses, taxis and trucks, motorcycles easily makes up over 80% of the vehicles. Most are only 100cc, some 150cc but rarely bigger. Many have racks added to the side or back and are used for transporting just about anything that can be tied to it. I twice saw motorcycles with big screen TVs strapped on. As of 2007 all riders in Vietnam are required to wear helmets, a rule that is strongly enforced although I did see a couple passengers today without one - also saw a dog on lease on a motorcycle - it also did not have a helmet.

 

There did not seem to be a CBD.* There are several pockets of tall, very modern looking buildings with many more under construction. Like other countries in this part of the world, many areas here have all their hydro and other wires above ground making for some very tangled messes on poles.

 

Although the country is communist, the people seem happy and do have many freedoms. As our driver said, they are free to think and say what they want; they just can’t act on it.

 

Like other parts of South Asia, it can be very crowded here and appear dirty by North American standards.* Be prepared for people to be pumping into you, especially in markets – they are not being rude by their culture, just trying to get around. I did not find most of the vendors in the market yesterday or other places today to be aggressive.* I had several offers to clean my sandals today even tough they are on deaths door, just waiting for a shopping trip in Hong Kong. In Vietnam it is much easier to use US dollars than it will be in any other Asian country we are visiting.*

 

We also wanted to mention that on a World Cruise that travel truly becomes discovery and it allows us to see how others in the world live and in many cases in stark contrast to many of us on board.* For those who don't want to experience cultures that are quite different from their own, they would be better off to staying at home or to limit themselves to visiting places that are more close in lifestyle to their own.* As we visit diverse places we are reminded that based on our own respective backgrounds, that often people around the world have very different challenges from one another and also see things differently than one another.* In Vietnam, one will learn from the locals that prior to the start of this century the biggest challenge for most families was being able to provide food to eat each day.* While certainly not on the par with passengers on board are used to, food is more plentiful now and overall the standard of living here is improving.* It will be intersting to see with the changes already made this century where Vietnam will be in another 20 years.

 

It is challenging with the photos to give a sense to the traffic situation in Siagon. On many of the streets you will see hundreds of motorcycles at any given time along with buses and trucks.* There are not a lot of traffic lights and they are ignored for right turns.* At some lights the motorcycles were backed up 4 lanes wide and 30 - 40 bikes deep.* Some of those at the back would just ride up on the sidewalk and pass everyone and no one seems to care.* Like Singapore, there is a very high tax for those who own automobiles and they are out of reach for most Vietnamese.* There are no tuk-tuk here - all taxi are cars or vans.* In many cities you have to be constantly aware of what is around you due to pickpockets, here it is due to traffic coming from every direction.

 

I paseed one store that reall made me wish I still had my house with its 2 ponds. They had a patio set with 4 chairs, each chair was shaped like a large flower pot with insted a of soil in the middle it had a seat cushion and the pot had an exterior raised koi and water lily design. The set include a table with a glass top. Under the glass top was a view of a pond with lilies and koi swimiing. The set cost 115million dong. I checked later and taht is only $5,000 US. - with conversion and shipping, taxes I could of had it for around $10,000cdn.

 

Saigon's "Tourist Security" officers (guys in marked green uniforms) will happily help you across busy streets. A quicker way of getting across is to simply follow the lead of a local crossing the street. Some advise re crossing a road full of motrcycles I saw on CC and copied was:

Don't wait for a gap in the traffic to cross.....you'll wait all day

Looks daunting, but no worries if you:

- try to cross with other pedestrians, on the down-stream end.

- make it clear that you're about to step into the road, then walk across at a slow but steady pace, same as everyone else.

- Don't deviate or speed-up or, particularly, don't stop.

- And watch out for the traffic but don't make eye-contact with the riders.

- leave them to avoid you.

Doesn't work with cars, buses & taxis.

 

If you are planning to do a walk of Siagon,, most of the important sights are in District 1 - it would be good to have 2 or 3 maps as each highlights different sights - just make sure your map has street names clearly marked - they are easy to follow.

 

When the Insignia left the dock, river traffic came to a halt as the ship made a 180-degree turn to head back downriver. The river slowly got wider, but it was not until 8PM that we wer clearly out in the open sea.

 

We were talking to one of the fellow passengers today.* She mentioned how much she was enjoying the cruise.* She said they have over 1,000 days at sea but this would likely be their last cruise as her husband was showing signs of mental issues.* She told us that before leaving for the cruise he had ordered all the windows changed in their home one day while she was out.* It turned out he had a crack in his glasses.

 

Today’s thought for the day - Explore everything; discover what fate brings you. - Vietnamese proverb

[Floridiana]

Your vivid description took me back to Saigon. Thank you!

 

For those of you who want to experience Hanoi traffic which is like traffic in Saigon, my husband put together a video.

[2552phxcrzr]

I'm happy to hear the city is walkable since we prefer to explore in that manner ... whether we do so or not depends on how I handle the heat, though.

[Waynetor]

Winter has suddenly descended on us.* The high today was only 25C (77F) with a breeze and mostly cloudy.* Actually most people enjoyed the change during the day.* The clouds got thicker late afternoon and we had a downpour around sunset time. The wind really picked up then also with the ship rocking a lot this evening - the worst by far since we left Miami.* Tough night for those that took too much advantage of the free drinks at the Oceania Club party or for anyone that normally has trouble walking.

 

From 4AM to around 4PM there was no internet access - we were told it effected all Oceania, Regent and NCL ships and was due to a software issue.* Unlike the last time we had a long outage, this time they actually made an announcement at the noon update that it was being worked on.

 

The Terrace Cafe tonight featured a Vietnamese dinner buffet - but we had another nice dinner at Toscana. Just one request -if you are going to show up 15* minutes late, then study the menu as if your life depended on a test on it and then order 5 items, you might be better off getting a table for 2.*

 

Tonight we also had a new act in the lounge Luca Volpe, an Italian Mentalist.* I thought what he did was very good but he was not getting much positive feedback from the audience.

 

In talking to some that went on the overland tour to Angkor Wat the reports are all very positive. Between the 9th and 13th centuries, Angkor was the capital of the Khmer empire, a colossal city renowned for its superb architecture and sculptures, vast lakes and temples.* Hidden in the jungles of Cambodia until late in the 19th century, it’s one of the world’s greatest wonders, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

Today’s thought for the day - Learn to laugh at your troubles and you’ll never run out of things to laugh at. – Lyn Karol

[Floridiana]

Vietnamese Buffet - delicious.

[no fuss travel]

Spring rolls--Yummy:)

[Waynetor]

Ha Long Bay is in northern Vietnam 170km (105mi) east of Hanoi.* The bay is famous for its scenic ocean karst topography and is often included in lists of natural wonders of the world.* Karst is a distinctive topography in which the landscape is largely shaped by the dissolving action of water on carbonate bedrock.* Some 3,000 limestone islands make up a spectacular natural UNESCO World Heritage site.

"Ha Long" means "Bay of Descending Dragons".* The best time to visit Ha Long Bay is from March to June.* A day cruise will show you a glimpse of Ha Long Bay, but to get the most out of your trip allow at least 2 days in order to see the most stunning moments on Ha Long Bay.* A trip on the water of the bay is the kind of awe-inspiring experience that you crave as a traveler.* Most cruises use a Vietnamese junk (boat) and sail past the giant, craggy limestone formations.* The islands are mostly uninhabited and many form odd shapes. The sheer cliffs and otherworldly presence has inspired many writers, poets and artists.

Ha Long Bay is also the name of a small town on the bay that is the primary port for Hanoi.

 

Hanoi has a population of near 4 million.* The French took control in 1888 and modeled the city's architecture to their tastes, lending an important aesthetic to the city's rich stylistic heritage.* The city hosts more cultural sites than any city in Vietnam.* The city offers about 10 different museums (most closed on Mondays).

As the northern capital during the Vietnam War, Hanoi was heavily bombed during the war.* Still there are reminders of the past, including French colonial architecture and 1,000-year-old temples and pagodas.

The city is built on low land between rivers has many scenic lakes surrounded by parks and it is sometimes called "city of lakes".* The lake where John McCain was shot down during the war is now peppered with swan boats.* The Hoa Lo Prison or "Hanoi Hilton" where Sen. McCain was imprisoned as a POW is now the site of a high-rise.

[Waynetor]

It was raining* when we went to bed last night and the whole ship seemed to be full of honeymooners - we were really rocking overnight.* When I came out on deck this morning, the weather was terrible… It was a very overcast and wet morning.* The captain gave an early update saying the wind was at 40 knots and the sea swells were 5m (about 16ft) -"I don't know who named them swells. There's nothing swell about them. They should have named them awfuls." -Hugo Vihlen

 

The captain said due to the conditions here in the Gulf of Tonka we would be about an hour late arriving but was hoping that once we get into the protected waters of the bay, conditions would improve and sure enough the seas calmed down around noon, the rain stopped and visibility improved with the sun making an appearance.* We saw our first of the bay's famous islands around 12:30.* We had 2 and a half hours of great scenic sailing following*the Chanel through the islands. The islands come in any sizes but all have steep sides - some were quite close to the ship and had channel markers attached to the rock face. Even with the improved conditions, the high temp today was only 19C (67F).

 

The natural beauty of these waters is simply amazing. On our approach we didn't get to see the best parts of Ha Long Bay but we did see enough enjoy our afternoon of scenic cruising.

 

For the second time on this voyage Oceania is providing an overnight tour to Hanoi for those doing the full voyage.

 

The description is:

Departing the port at Halong Bay, drive through the peaceful countryside, catching glimpses of everyday rural life: seemingly endless rice fields dotted with colorful billboard advertisements, small villages bustling with activity, and farmers in cone-shaped hats. Upon arrival in Hanoi, check-in to the hotel with some time to freshen up.

Transfer to the old quarters of Ha Noi. Once known as the ancient merchants' quarter, you will have some time to explore the maze of narrow streets and back lanes, lined with colorful stalls and street vendors. Next walk past the Hoan Kiem Lake where you will see a tiny island in the middle of the lake on which is perched the Ngoc Son temple dedicated to Tran Hung Dao, a hero who fought against the Mongolian troops in the 13th century. The lake is also known as the Lake of the Restored Sword, and you will hear from your guide the legend that is the origin of this name.

Your evening continues at a local theater where you will be entertained by an engaging water puppet show accompanied by traditional string instruments. Created to amuse the kings of the Ly Dynasty in the 11th century, water puppets are an art form unique to Vietnam.

You will then be transferred to a local restaurant for dinner. Return to the hotel and overnight.

Day 2: Following breakfast at the hotel, begin your in-depth exploration of Hanoi with a drive to Ba Dinh Square and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Completed in 1975, the government positioned the massive, three-story structure with grey granite colonnades, on the historical site where President Ho Chi Minh declared independence for Vietnam in 1945. After a photo opportunity at the Soviet-style mausoleum, walk to the picturesque One Pillar Pagoda and Ho Chi Minh Stilt House where Ho Chi Minh lived between 1958 and 1969.

Next, visit the graceful Temple of Literature, built in 1070 to honor the Chinese philosopher Confucius. Surrounded by serene gardens, the temple is an excellent and well-preserved example of traditional Vietnamese architecture. Continuing on from the Temple of Literature, it's an interesting journey through the city's colorful side streets, glimpsing everyday life in Hanoi.

Leaving the temple, a short stop will be made at the infamous Hanoi Hilton (Hoa Lo Prison) built by the French in 1896, and where many US POWs were held during the Vietnam War.

After stopping for lunch at a local restaurant you will visit the Museum of Minority Ethnics with its extensive displays dedicated to Vietnam's 54 ethnic minority peoples.

Your trip concludes with the drive back to Halong Bay and the ship.***

 

Sounds great, but there are to many issues for Freda to do this trip so we did not go.

 

We anchored around 3 and started tendering at 3:30.* I took the 10 minute tender at 4:30 just to get a feel for the area around the port. Ha Long Bay is divided into 2 sections with the very large Bai Chay Bridge joining them.* From the ship, the tender dock is on the left side (Bai Chay tourism area) - there are lots of hotels here and a beach - it would be along walk to the beach - the big thing here is the waterfront development. There is a massive amusement park being built - for over a mile along the waterfront you can't see much due to the boarding around it but some bdlgs and rides are visible such as a very large, world class roller coaster - the frame is all up and the tracks are just started.* From this development there is a cable car going out over the water to a hill on the Ha Long city side.* At the top of the hill is a giant Ferris wheel in the appearance of the sun - The Ferris wheel looks complete as does the cable car except the bldgs were the ride stops and end - the whole project has about 2 years to go.* I walked around the area for about an hour seeing some small market where live fish for sale are kept in tanks or large pots.* I checked out doing a boat ride out to see the islands*tomorrow - I was offered a 4 hour ride at $40US as long as others joined starting at 8AM.* I think tomorrow I will just take the shuttle over to the city side and check things out over there.* At the tender station there were a few taxis.* We were warned on the ship to be careful of unlicensed taxis - I was approached by several motorcycles drivers offering rides.**

 

At night the bridge is all lit up and just like the bank bldg in Saigon, the lights keep changing patterns and colours.*

 

Like the Africa part of this voyage, we are now entering a stretch of all new ports for us.* We will not see a familiar sight until we hit Bali on April 26 (from then on it will switch to mostly ports we have been to).

 

At tonight’s dinner one of the elderly ladies excused herself.* While she was gone her husband apologized but he felt he must tell us a story about her visits to the ships doctor.* He told us that last week she went to the doctor and said, "Doctor I have this problem with gas, but it really doesn't bother me too much because they never smell and are always silent. As a matter of fact, I've farted at least 20 times since I've been here in your office."

The doctor said, "I see, take these pills and come back to see me next week."

Today she went back to his office. "Doctor," she said, "I don't know what you gave me, but now my farts, although still silent, stink terribly!"

The doctor said, "Good, Now that we've cleared up your sinuses, let's work on your hearing.

 

Today’s thought of the day – "A journey is best measured in friends rather than in miles." - Tim Cahill

[Waynetor]

xxx

Edited March 25, 2016 by Waynetor
duplicate post

[Lisette49]

Hi,

Thinking of doing this trip in 2018 and your daily posts have been wonderful!

[verycurlygirl]

Hi Wayne,

 

My husband and i are very well traveled but the only cruise we have taken was on a barge through Belgium. We are thinking of doing the 2018 ATW cruse you are doing now. We are following your blog and find your comments extremely helpful.

[verycurlygirl]

Hi Wayne,

 

I love birds. Do many of the ports you have visited thus far been within reach of natural settings where birds might be seen?(Given the short amount of time you often have in a port)

 

I appreciate your feedback.

Very Curly Girl

[Waynetor]

I love to look for unusual wildlife. While in most ports I have only been in the main city, even when out on tours there has not been as much as I had hope for. I've seen lots of sparrows, pigeons, egrets and others that I would see in North America but not much exotic. Places like Singapore have a zoo where birds and other animals can be seen but that is not the same. In South Africa there were a few places we saw wild Ostrich. In Belam Brazil there was a very large # of vultures around the area of the fishing boats. I've been to the east coast of Australia before and will expect to see some nice birds there again.

[Waynetor]

When we got up this morning we had been joined in the bay by a Chinese cruise ship.* They use the local Junk boat for tenders.

 

The weather today was one for leaving the sunglasses in the cabin - solid cloud all day and cool.* Not sure of actual high but around 16-17C or low 60'sF.* We have been warned to expect high wind and seas as we get to the open waters tonight - The ship is just starting to rock a bit as I post this.

 

I took the shuttle this morning.* They are supposed to run every half hour - I timed it to be on the 11am one and it arrived on time and then sat there for 20 minutes.* The sign on the bus said there would be no shuttle between 12 and 12:45 for lunch break but at the end as I made my way back to the pick up point* I saw one leave at 12:30 and the net did not come until almost 1:30.

 

The shuttle goes over the big bridge to an area in the city with 2 markets and a shopping center that are down by the waterfront.* One of the markets is a mostly covered spot with fresh fish, dried fish, fruit and veg and a small amount of meat.* There was also some prepared foods. The other market was 2 stories and was for a wide range of household products - each stall was cramped.***Some of the fish was still being unloaded when I was there. Much of the fish being sold were in tubs with a small oxygen stick to help keep them alive.* The strange thing to me was the lack of any birds around looking for free samples - there were not many flies either.* Both these points are very different than many of the similar markets I have been to.

 

While there were lots of boats in the harbour - it looked like many people live on them,* This is not the area to get tourist rides to view the islands in the bay - you need to take a taxi going left from the tender station - I talked to people that did it on their own and it cost them under $40 each for the taxi and 4 hour boat tour vs Oceania price of $99.* There are lots of boats operating at different times and length of cruises.***

 

The big, modern shopping centre was next to the markets. It had wide open aisles and nice marble floors but none of the stores here or outside along the streets were aimed primarily at tourist.* The streets outside were full of small shops and restaurants.* There was very little in English on any signs.

 

The city was verily clean.* The traffic was not too busy but that did not stop drivers from dog just about what ever they want including driving for long distances on sidewalks. Wheelchairs uses could mange here - there would be some inconvenience but better than most places.

 

I got a bit of a review from those that did the overnight to Hanoi.* There were late leaving the ship which made for a very rushed diner and then just time for the puppet show - some even missed part of that on the first night.* Today's visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum was very crowded and all you do is just take a short walk around where his body rest.* The whole day seemed rushed.* We should have sailed around 5pm giving a bit of time before sunset for scenic viewing but the group was late getting back and we did not pull anchor until around 7pm.

 

One of the passengers that went on the trip told us the road to Hanoi was only a single lane each way and quite bumpy in many places with a max of 80kph, around 45 mph. The trip to Hanoi was about 170km (110mi) taking around 3 hours each way. They passed through many little villages with small storefronts on each side of the two-lane road. Depending on who you talk to, the historical version of what happened here during the Vietnam War, especially who the heroes were and how the American POW were treated is night vs day in comparison to the American version.

 

The consensus was that while seeing Hanoi was a once in their lifetime tour, many would not have wanted to do it if it was a single day tour.* It seemed all the motorcycles from Saigon followed to Hanoi, plus there were far more cars around.* There were scooters/motorcycles everywhere, both on the road and parked on the pavement.

 

This passenger also told me about their guide telling them that his grandmother was the oldest person in the Hanoi area, she recently turned 104.* The passenger asked him if she had said what she thought the best thing about being 104 is.* "Yes", the guide said, "Grandma simply replied, No peer pressure."

 

Today’s thought of the day –Cruising isn't a competition; it's a holiday.

[Aussie Gal]

We have been to many parts of Vietnam especially Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi and it is such a pity that those who did the Oceania tour to Hanoi had such limited time there. It is a lovely city, the buildings are beautiful due to the French influence and it is not a city to see in a few hours. It is has such a lot of history and one needs to spend a few days there.

 

When we were there in November a few years ago, we visited Chairman Mao's mausoleum but unfortunately he wasn't there as either each year or every few years he is taken to Russia to be "freshened" up. It is a city of gardens which is such a contrast from busy and vibrant Ho Chi Minh city which has a lot more of our Western influence.

 

As for the Water Puppet Show, we could have given that a huge miss!!

 

Jennie

Edited March 26, 2016 by Aussie Gal

[Waynetor]

Sanya is the southernmost city of China. It’s located at the southern tip of the island of Hainan. Located at 18° 15' N latitude, it is about as far north of the Equator as the Island of Hawaii. Though the administrative area (Sanya City) has a rough topography, the city itself is generally flat, lying on a parcel of land between low-level mountains to the north and the South China Sea.

 

About 65% of the island is still forested.* There are over 2,700 plant varieties on the island including the Dragon Tree - the oldest plant species known in the world.

 

Popular exports here are chilly pepper, salt, sugar and rubber.

 

Sanya is renowned for its tropical climate and has emerged as a popular tourist destination.*

 

Sanya's history dates to the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC).* Japan occupied the area during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1941–1945) and renamed Sanya as Samah. The city then became a naval port for the Second Fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy and the main embarkation point for the Japanese Invasion of Malaya and Thailand.

 

The average high in March is 28.6C (83.5F).* There is a lot of rain here in the summer and early fall but March is verily dry. As of the 2010 census the population of Sanya was 685,408.

[Waynetor]

Last night was a bit bumpy but not as bad as had been predicted.

 

Sanya - what was to be:

Our stop in Sanya was cancelled this morning - the reason given was due to adverse weather.* At the time we were sailing around the tip of Hainan Island not too far from Sanya.* The weather outside the ship is solid cloud, sea swell of a meter or 2 and temp in the high teens C or mid 60s F.

I have googled todays' weather for Sanya and it shows partly cloudy, the temp at 11 am 71F with a high of 77F, precipitation forecast 0% with 51% humidity and wind at 7mph.* - real sounds very ominious -glad they were watching out for us and avoided such a miserable day.

 

The good news is we get 5 more hours in Hong Kong. Not sure where the other hours go as we miss 8 hours in Sanya, plus the time it takes to get in and out of port.

 

If we had stopped there, everyone would have had to get off the ship to go through immigration between 10:30 and 12:30 but no one would be allowed back on until the period of 12:30 until 1:30.* No one would be allowed on or off the ship between 1:30 and 2:30 so immigartion could enjoy their lunch.* After 2:30 we could come and go.

 

Notes for what we missed:

The cruise port here was opened in 2006 and is quite large.* It is on man-made Phoenix Island connected to the city via a 395m (1,300ft) bridge.* The island is about a kilometer (.6mi) long.* There was to be a shuttle available to the port gate for 10CYN (about $1.50us).* From there a free shuttle was available to Xia Ri store. Downtown is about a 10 minute walk. The island has a marina, conference centre, shopping complex, theme park, hotel, and luxury condos.* It was billed as China's Dubai: a cluster of sail-shaped skyscrapers on a man-made island surrounded by a tropical sea.* The project was to be finished in 2014 but is not quite done yet.* We were told prices for units here have dropped by at least 50% since they were purchased in 2010.* For tourist like us, they would make a dramatic site in the middle of the Bay.

 

There were only a few North American based cruise ships here in 2015 and we were the only ship scheduled for 2016.* The port is much more commonly used by Asian based cruise lines.

 

In recent years Sanya has become a popular tourist destination.* Russian and English signs can be seen throughout the city.* The bays and smaller islands in the area offer a nice range of water activities and are what draws many tourist in the winter months.* We were warned that with a lot of private tours you have to be very careful about what is included in order to avoid extra charges and that equipment may not always be the best.

 

One warning I read about was: “Traffic rules apparently do not exist. Cars and motorcycles drive on both sides of the road and careen down sidewalks as if they had right of way. Irritating honking is ever-present, even when driving on sidewalks. Tourists should NOT trust the green traffic light and zebra crossings, because changing lights sometimes encourage drivers to speed up. As elsewhere, do not trust drivers to avoid you; you should always avoid them.”**

 

Luhuitou Park is located on a high hill overlooking Sanya Bay, not too far south of the port. The park offers stunning views of Sanya and its surroundings. In the park there is a 12m (40ft) statue commemorating a local legend of a brave young hunter and a mountain deer that transformed into a beautiful young girl. To get there take a Special Tourist Bus from downtown. Opening hours are 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.

 

Pearls and coral jewelery are popular souvenirs to take home but you need to know difference in quality and value.

 

Like many others on this voyage, there is a local market with many veg., fruit and fish that are not seen in North American markets.

 

Revised schedule:

Soon after the announcement this morning a revised activity schedule was delivered to our cabins.* Additional activites included 2 lectures and bingo.

 

The easter bunny came to our cabins during dinner last night and left us all a very nice choclate treat.* In the Terrace Cafe there are lots of chocalate bunnies decorating the buffet area.

While Easter is strictly a Christian holiday - there was a Sunday morning service held by CD Ray Carr.* At the end one of the passengers in attendance approached him and shook his hand.* “Reverend” she exclaimed, “I do apologize for dozing off during your sermon.* But" she added succinctly, “I want you to know I did not miss a thing.”* ***

 

Thinking of a nice turkey dinner, I am reminded of a shopping trip I made near last Christmas.* A lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at the grocery store, but she couldn't find 1 big enough. She asked a stock boy, "Do these turkeys get any bigger?" The stock boy continued working and without looking up replied," No ma'am, they're dead."

 

Today’s thought for the day - “Fear less, hope more’ Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours.” – Swedish Proverb

[Floridiana]

Happy Easter and I wish you good weather for HongKong!

[Waynetor]

Hong Kong is one of the 2 Special Administrative Regions of the People’s Republic of China, the other being Macau. Hong Kong is located on China's south coast, 60km (37mi) east of Macau on the opposite side of the Pearl River Delta. It is surrounded by the South China Sea on the east, south, and west, and borders the city of Shenzhen to the north over the Shenzhen River. The territory's 1,104sq km (426sqmi) area consists of Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula, the New Territories, and over 200 offshore islands. It is known for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour. With a population of over 7 million people, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Hong Kong's population is 93.6% ethnic Chinese.

Hong Kong became a colony of the British Empire after the First Opium War (1839–42). Originally confined to Hong Kong Island, the colony's boundaries were extended in stages to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and then the New Territories in 1898. It was occupied by Japan during the Pacific War (1941–45), after which the British resumed control until 1997, when China resumed sovereignty officially ending 156 years of British colonial rule.

Under the principle of "one country, two systems", Hong Kong has a different political system from mainland China. Hong Kong's independent judiciary functions under the common framework. Hong Kong Basic Law, its constitutional document, which stipulates that Hong Kong shall have a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign relations and military defence, governs its political system.

As one of the world's leading international financial centres, Hong Kong has a major capitalist service economy characterized by low taxation and free trade, and the currency, Hong Kong dollar, is the eighth most traded currency in the world. It has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world. The lack of space caused demand for denser constructions, which developed the city to a centre for modern architecture and the world's most vertical city.* It has more buildings higher than 150m (500ft) than any other city. As of early 2014, 36 of the world's 100 tallest residential buildings are in Hong Kong. The dense space also led to a highly developed transportation network with the public transport travelling rate exceeding 90%, the highest in the world.

English according to a 2011 population census has approximately 3.1 million speakers, with 238,288 regarding English as their "usual" language.

Though it is situated just south of the Tropic of cancer, Hong Kong has a humid, subtropical climate. Summer is hot and humid with occasional showers and thunderstorms. Summer is when typhoons are most likely. The most temperate seasons are spring, which can be changeable, and autumn, which is generally sunny and dry.

 

If Oceania actually docks at Ocean Terminal, you are literally on the door step of Ocean Terminal-Ocean Centre- Harbor City Malls. It is all linked up and you can spend a whole day just checking out the stores. Once you get out to the street side you will be on Canton Road, which is full of designer shops it's like the whole of Rodeo drive on one street.* Ocean Terminal in Kowloon has been operating as a cruise boat terminal for years and able to handle boarding and alighting with two ships in port at the same time. The cruise terminal embarkations and disembarkations are both handled at wharf level and via the Upper most level of the shopping mall. If you are docked at Kai Tak, that's a completely separate issue. It is miles away from the central business areas and shops of TsimShaTsui.*

Edited March 28, 2016 by Waynetor

[Waynetor]

Oh Middle Ground Why Have You Deserted Us!!?? From the extreme heat we had up to south Vietnam we are now several days into a big chill - Where is the nice mid 20'sC or around 80F days?? Today was mostly cloudy, bit breezy and the temp had a hard time reaching 16C or 61F.

 

We are arrived in Hong Kong harbour early Easter Monday morning.* We started passing some of the outer islands around 9:30 and it did not too long to start passing islands with wall to wall high rise buildings. Sailing into Hong Kong was one of the most magnificent sail-ins we have experienced.* We arrived a bit early - it takes some time to get official ship clearance but that was done and the clearance to go ashore was given by noon.

 

We are docked at Kai Tak cruise terminal along with the cruise ship Artania.* I thought the lecturer said the other day that there was a lot of shopping here - more than at the other terminal but there was nothing in the terminal - we had the second berth and it was a very long walk to get out of the building.* Just like in Singapore, we exited the ship off deck 5 to a ramp so no stairs anywhere today for Freda to worry about. Based on the size of the buildings and the thought we could shop here we got off to do shopping.* Once we found out no shopping here, at the visitor booth we looked into where the shuttles would go (2 shuttles to 2 shopping areas not near downtown).* As Freda could not get on the shuttle bus we took the very accessible local bus to the APM shopping mall - the mall was very disappointing - seemed to have more food outlets than stores.

 

Inside the terminal there is a currency exchange - but not on the ship.* The roof of the terminal has the largest roof top garden in all of Asia - We went there when we returned and had nice views on all directions.* There were a lot of Hong Kong residents up there with friends and families enjoying the afternoon.* Just outside the terminal is a small amusement park - It was very busy today.* Several of the rides while not taking up a lot of space were definitely not for the faint of heart.* They also have various games of chance to win stuffed toys.

 

As we were not supposed to arrive until 5pm, there are evening excursions and many people doing their own thing so the ship was very quiet this evening - the show is only a movie and one that has been showing in the cabin for a few weeks (Trumbo).

 

Although Christianity is not big here, Easter Monday is a holiday so lots of people were out enjoying themselves and there families.

 

Today’s thought for the day - The world is a book and those who do not travel really only read one page – St. Augustine