Rare mysty Posted October 1, 2018 Author #126 Share Posted October 1, 2018 Thanks DCCruiser57! Very logical explanation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turtlemichael Posted October 1, 2018 #127 Share Posted October 1, 2018 (edited) Well noticed, mysty. I guess tours can change as we get closer but it does seem a little strange. Our plan is to do the full day Winelands tour on the last day in Cape Town. We have been to Paarl, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek several times but always driving ourselves so it will be good to have someone else drive us (hic!). Have no doubt that is one of the most impressive and beautiful part of the world and the wineries and towns are tremendous. On the middle day we'll probably revisit the National Gallery and several of the other museums in town and do lunch - they are small but good. I've got a couple of decent restaurants in Cape Town in mind if anyone wants to know. At least one is very hard to get a booking but we have eaten well in this great city each trip. I'm impressed that over 200 are on the whole cruise. That is a lot of people to get to know. The Christmas card list may grow! Roll on January 6! Edited October 1, 2018 by turtlemichael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mysty Posted October 1, 2018 Author #128 Share Posted October 1, 2018 Yes please Turtle (I hope that address is OK with you :))! Restaurant suggestions for Cape Town would be much appreciated! We are hoping to meet up with a wonderful pair of gents we met on the 2016 WC who are now calling Cape Town their home and now that we know that the 17th is free we are shooting for that date. We met some very lovely folk on that cruise and are looking forward to meeting several more on this go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turtlemichael Posted October 1, 2018 #129 Share Posted October 1, 2018 mysty, you can call me anything! Maybe on the ship we'll work with real names! I am thinking of the Test Kitchen in Cape Town which is probably the best meal I have ever had. That is high praise! April bookings (April 17 seems the only real date that works) will be available on March 1 at 8.00am South African time. That is the middle the night in Kyoto where we'll be so I am not hopeful! I got a booking the first time we were in Cape Town before it became popular but have failed on subsequent tries as it seems to instantly book out. But if we can get in we'll take it! We also ate at their sister restaurant, Shortmarket, which is in town and also very good. It was my second best food experience in Cape Town. We'll eat here more than happily on the 17th if we can't get into Test Kitchen. Here is the link to both those restaurants. http://www.thetestkitchen.co.za/ Third best was La Colombe at Constantia so I'll also keep that in mind too. It was also tremendous. https://www.lacolombe.co.za/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mysty Posted October 1, 2018 Author #130 Share Posted October 1, 2018 Turtle, I can call you anything just not late for dinner right? :) And yes I'm definitely hoping to meet up and exchange real names! Thanks so much for the recommendations! Pages have been bookmarked! It may be worth it to set the alarm for March 1 at tee off time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mysty Posted October 3, 2018 Author #131 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Further research on potential restaurants centered around Kaohsiung, Taiwan yesterday. I found two interesting options for Taiwanese food. These are not high end places but the food on offer sounds pretty good. Gang Yuan Beef Noodles (23 minute walk from the terminal) https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restaurant_Review-g13808557-d6139378-Reviews-Gang_Yuan_Beef_Noodles-Yancheng_Kaohsiung.html Duck Zhen (15 minute walk from the terminal) https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restaurant_Review-g13808557-d6136734-Reviews-Duck_Zhen-Yancheng_Kaohsiung.html My next quest is for a place that offers Jollof Rice. I read an interesting article in the magazine 1843 (put out by The Economist) about this dish and now I am intrigued. It is now regarded as a delicacy across west Africa. https://www.1843magazine.com/food-drink/food-fight/squaring-off-over-jollof-rice Stay tuned! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mysty Posted October 4, 2018 Author #132 Share Posted October 4, 2018 Success! I have found two places in Tema, Ghana that offer Joffof rice. We have no excursion booked for Tema (Accra) so this seemed like a good opportunity to explore this food option. Both places are located in hotels. One is in Tema and the other is closer to Accra. They both offer a delivery option. It seems that public transportation might not be too straightforward there. I'm hoping we can get advice from the local representative. In case anyone else is interested here are the two options I came up with: Atinka Restaurant & Bar, located inside Paloma Hotel (Spintex). This place is about 23 minutes from the pier (I think) https://food.jumia.com.gh/restaurant/g8pw/atinka-restaurant-bar The Page Restaurant is located inside the Page Hotel behind Vienna City Hotel, Community 8, Tema. This place is as about 12 minutes away by car from the pier (I think). https://food.jumia.com.gh/restaurant/g5rn/the-page-restaurant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mysty Posted October 7, 2018 Author #133 Share Posted October 7, 2018 Interesting article in The Times today with 10 Things To Do in Osaka. Some of them are a little quirky and sound like great fun. Here is the link for those interested.... https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/top-10-things-to-do-in-osaka-r2v939wrs?shareToken=baf29f68bb604bfd72633e966e202807 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turtlemichael Posted October 8, 2018 #134 Share Posted October 8, 2018 Thanks mysty. Some different and, as you say, quirky things there in Osaka. Just throwing a couple more options into the pot this time in Auckland. One of our favourite restaurants is called Euro and is on the next wharf (Princes Wharf) to where we are set to be docked (Queens Wharf)- Princes Wharf is the one that contains the Hilton. Euro features some of the best of New Zealand produce. Because of the late departure from Auckland lunch or dinner should work. For us, it will be a good alternative if the weather makes a trip to Waiheke Island look uncomfortable. Really, there are a number of decent bars and restaurants in easy walk of the Queens Wharf. Even Fish restaurant, in the Hilton, is top notch. A pleasant outing for a few hours is to get the ferry across to Devonport. It's a 10-15 minute ride and leaves from near our dock. Devonport is laid back and a nice place to wander around with a some decent cafes/restaurants and views back to the city. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruisinPashmina Posted October 8, 2018 #135 Share Posted October 8, 2018 I and two friends had a wonderful dinner at The Hilton’s restaurant; Fish. The restaurant has excellent food, service and lovely harbor views. It’s expensive, but everything in New Zealand is expensive. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mysty Posted October 8, 2018 Author #136 Share Posted October 8, 2018 Thanks so much Turtle and CruisinPashmina! It's good to have back-up plans in case the weather throws a wrench into things. The suggested dining options sound great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threeforthree Posted October 9, 2018 #137 Share Posted October 9, 2018 threeforthree....excursions are highly subjective. Hard to make recommendations when you don't know the person's interests. Myster and I have chosen some food adventures for ports we have visited previously: Hong Kong, China - Central Foodie Adventure HKG-M Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - Saigon Street Food Experience SGN-B Shanghai, China - Dumpling Revolution SHA-O Myster watched a Netflix series called Shaka Zulu. There is an excursion in Richards Bay, South Africa that was used in the filming: Shakaland Zulu Village RCB-E Pink Lake is one of the things we read about in Senegal so we chose an excursion there that includes a Village Feast: Pink Lake Retba & Village Feast DKR-B Musical Rocks situated in the 'Moon Landscape' in the rocky section of the Namib Desert is supposed to be very interesting so we booked: Treasures of Namib WVB-B Our splurge will be dinner at the Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte from the port of Bordeaux: DINNER AT THE CHÂTEAU SMITH LAFITTE BOD-Q Obviously these choices reflect our interests. Not necessarily things not to be missed. Just things we don't want to miss. There are many ports with Hop On Hop Off bus tours and we will use that option for some ports. Not sure if this helps you. Thanks for the list. I was off at a bridge tournament, and haven't checked back in a while. I see you like food...if so, consider the Balinese cooking tour; we took that in 2011, and loved it. We are looking to go to Goree as well. A little disconcerting that we might not make it back to the ship. Maybe if there is enough interest they will organize a tour. Getting excited! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mysty Posted October 9, 2018 Author #138 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Thanks for the Balinese cooking tour suggestion threeforthree! I'll investigate that option. Hope your bridge tournament went well! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruisinPashmina Posted October 16, 2018 #139 Share Posted October 16, 2018 I plan to take the Balinese cooking class while sailing on The Muse at Christmastime, I’ll report back. These cooking classes, sometimes available thru SS, are expensive but are great fun. Not sure how much I have learned, but it has always been jolly.....and worth the $$$! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mysty Posted October 16, 2018 Author #140 Share Posted October 16, 2018 CruisinPashmina.....it would be wonderful to have your take on the course. SS is not offering it on this upcoming cruise. Any helpful hints would be appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_90 Posted October 17, 2018 #141 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Mysty Why not arrange it yourself. I will order a large meal from your kitchen delivered Just thought it might get cold but never worry. You could also ask ship to make a evening meal of the culture you happen to be in today great fun, Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mysty Posted October 17, 2018 Author #142 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Hi Joe! I know you can do magic! 🙂 The special meal request is a good one! Another hint to put in my back pocket! Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mysty Posted October 17, 2018 Author #143 Share Posted October 17, 2018 We just got an email update on the schedule of events for this cruise. An interesting addition to the event list and it means changing some of our tour plans. No spoil alert. It does sound like it is worth making changes for. 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mysty Posted October 17, 2018 Author #144 Share Posted October 17, 2018 OK....small spoiler alert......it does explain the scanty excursion listings for April 17. 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_90 Posted October 17, 2018 #145 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Ok I give up does it involve food or drink? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mysty Posted October 17, 2018 Author #146 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Ha Ha Joe! Of course it does! 🙂 I think it will be awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turtlemichael Posted October 18, 2018 #147 Share Posted October 18, 2018 (edited) Thanks once more Mysty. I just did a search and found my email from Silversea had gone to junk! They are interesting changes and expansions and there are quite a few. We've had to cancel a tour too but it is all good. The Robben Island tour now looks like the standard half day event. We are very keen to do it again as it is very moving. It does also read as if the dinner on January 5 might be offsite from the Four Seasons? It is all too exciting! Edited October 18, 2018 by turtlemichael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mysty Posted October 18, 2018 Author #148 Share Posted October 18, 2018 Yes Turtle! If you do a google search on the image you will discover the location. It is quite interesting. I don't want to give away the venue here. A google search on the image from the email will provide the info though. 🙂 Unfortunately the message thing does not yet work on CC so I can't really help beyond the above hints. An additional hint is that it is not far from the pre-cruise hotel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turtlemichael Posted October 18, 2018 #149 Share Posted October 18, 2018 (edited) I should have known Inspector Clouseau would be on the job! Very exciting. We had also planned to pay a visit there while in San Francisco. I also note that while the full cruise is apparently still available in all categories many of the categories if booking individual segments are listed as full or waitlist now. Edited October 18, 2018 by turtlemichael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mysty Posted October 18, 2018 Author #150 Share Posted October 18, 2018 Turtle...you have found me out. 🙂 I've heard varying numbers for the full WC. Anywhere from 220 to 300. The venue seems to accommodate up to 300 in at least one of the spaces. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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