Cruising Grand on the Amsterdam Asia/Pacific

[arzz]

Ship’s Time: 9:00 pm, October 5, 2008

Chicago Time: 2:00 am, October 5, 2008

Ship’s location: 30 degrees 58.28’ N, 13 degrees 10.82’ E

Distance from Seattle: 5292.1 nautical miles

Distance to Shanghai, China : 459.0 nautical miles

 

Guess What? Today is Another 25 Hour Day! We are at sea. A welcome rest from the intense sight seeing in Japan. And, we are having another 25 hour day -- at 2:00 am clocks go back another hour. It has been a while. I am still intensely pondering this time thing. I come up with the following facts: We are have our mornings as you are having yesterday evening, our afternoon is your last night and our evening is your early morning -- is it clear yet? Not to me. And by tomorrow morning there will be one more hour of separation.

 

Extending this idea further -- if I were to call you during my morning, I would be talking to you yesterday evening, in my past. It seems to me there should be some way to cash in on this. If I figure it out I will let you know.

 

Other than some R and R and some laundry today has been just a restful day punctuated with the Captain’s Mariner Dinner. A gala affair with the dining room all decorated, waiters once again in costume and for those who love bugs of the ocean, lobster tails.

 

For those of you who ask about what is different on a Grand Voyage the mariners party is one place you may find them -- if you thought that the normal HAL cruise is full of mariners -- just try a Grand Cruise. Not only is virtually everyone a mariner, there were so many awards tonight that blue and red pins as well as copper and silver medallions were delivered directly to passenger cabins -- new recipients were asked to rise only very briefly. Those who wished photos with the Captain and Hotel Manager were asked to leave the party early and proceed aft where they Captain and Hotel Manager were waiting to do the photo thing. Only new Gold and Platinum awards were individually recognized at the party, and they did recognize one passenger who is a member of the “President’s Club” -- Bruce Scudder said that you had to be born on an HAL ship to get that honor. There were more than ample munchies available, you could order mixed drinks or just enjoy the champaign that was being generously served. The bar waiters were also pouring wine at the tables at dinner.

 

Our pillow gifts this evening were white Royal Goedewaagen charger plates with a Steven Card depiction of the Niew Amsterdam on them. Prinsendam, if you are reading this we are delighted to have these plates with your work on them.

 

Today at trivia we learned that in 1855 the U.S. congress approved $30,000 to purchase camels as experimental pack animals to be used in the West and Southwest. that the secret society referred to in the Sherlock Holmes tale the “Five Orange Pips” was the Ku Klux Klan and that the letters SOS replaced the original distress signal of CDQ.

[Kween Karen]

Thanks again for a wonderful description of your grand cruise. It helps me SO MUCH look forward to mine NEXT September!!

One question if you have time sometime.................is all dining on a Grand Cruise assigned times? What I mean is that I know most Hal cruises have the "any time" dining on the lower level of the dining room but someone thought this was not available on a Grand Cruise.

 

Keep enjoying and keep the wonderful reports coming.

[fann1sh]

Thank you Arzz...I really look forward to your posts, and have this thread bookmarked. I have to admit :o I'm following your journey on another travel blog, as well. But while that cruiser posts great pictures, I prefer the word pictures you create.

 

I'm an addicted trivia player who plays for blood, honour, and Dam mugs. Keep those questions coming!

[arzz]

Ship’s Time: 6:00 pm, Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Chicago Time: 5:00 am, Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Ship’s Position: Shanghai, China

 

Yesterday, Monday, October 6 we did not have internet service on board. In the morning we all presented ourselves to the Shanghai authorities who were on board and they matched our faces to our passports. We also filled out health cards for the Chinese with declarations of any health symptoms that we have experienced in the last several days -- for us that would be none.

 

Otherwise life on board was as usual -- we ate on, we played on, and we rested in preparation for an active day today.

 

At trivia we learned that Bib Label Lemon Lime Lithiated Soda was the original name for seven-up, that the recipient of the largest ticker tape parade in New York City history was General Douglas MacArthur and that the highest percent of lead used in lead crystal is 35%.

 

In the early hours of the morning our ship left the China Sea and started its journey down the Chang Jiang River to Shanghai Port. Looking out our cabin window reminded me of scenes from the old black and white movies where the actors would be portrayed on old steamers that made their way through hazey waterways down the crowded rivers of China. We, of course, were on a modern cruise ship, viewing the actionfrom the comfort of our bed .... but we shared our relatively narrow waterway with constant ship traffic -- ships of all sorts tied up on the river bank, and ships passing us, moving in both directions, with far less horizontal clearance between us and them than we are accustomed to enjoying. Sometimes it seemed as if the ships were sharing our cabin.

 

Our ship is docked right in downtown Shanghai, just steps from the Bund. The skies this morning were a bit hazey, the air a comfortable high 60’s to low 70’s. Our tour was independently arranged and our party of four were met at the dock promptly by our English speaking guide and her driver with his air conditioned van.

 

We enjoyed a quiet yet fascinating day away from the energy of Shanghai in the cool air and sunshine of the country side along with the smells and sights of ancient China.

 

We drove in early morning traffic through the streets of Shanghai with the ultra modern towers that this city is now known for on both sides of our route. We saw glass skyscrapers of virtually every imaginable shape -- there is one that looks like a tall package with a handle on the top, another that forms an elegant curve as if bending in the wind, another that seems to form a mobius strip of windows and living space at its top (a mobius strip is a single sided surface). Soon we left the city behind and headed past the suburbs and into the country side complete with old, traditional looking farmhouses that hinted at their modern interiors by the presence of solar panels on their roofs and air conditioners mounted on their sides. We saw farms with fields full of rice ready to harvest and orchards full of trees, many of them with fresh flowers.

 

After about an hour and a half we arrived at a traditional water town. Though the buildings and streets have been preserved on the outside, their function is now one for the tourists. The narrow streets were lined with shops selling all manner of goods from pearls and silk to chops (name stamps) that could be could be personalized in three minutes, small snuff bottles with delicate, detailed paintings on the inside surface of the glass (complete with a gentleman demonstrating the painting technique) to glass baubles hanging from necklaces that contained grains of rice upon which have been engraved several Chinese words.

 

There were food stalls all over town offering anything from simple snacks like roasted chestnuts and ginko nuts to local homemade candies to Chinese barbequed pork that by both smell and appearance make the typical barbeque spare ribs available at our Chinese restaurants at home look and smell like simple imitations.

 

The town was like a Chinese Venice complete with canals and canal boats. We walked across the canals on ancient stone bridges. We went to the local opera house where the opera had just completed but we were treated to the music of a traditional Chinese flute. We walked through a museum where we viewed typical costumes including those warn by traditional female warriors which were quite different than the costumes worn by the women who stayed home, and those of their men. We also walked through the ancient home of a wealthy family complete with furnishings from the era of the old Chinese dynasties.

 

The town also had a traditonal Buddhist temple complete with many picturesque buildings and a bronze Buddha. Apparently in China most Buddhas were wood making this Buddha very unusual.

 

Before returning to Shanghai we were taken to lunch at a local hotel just outside the water town. The meal was served family style with much more food than the four of us could consume. We passed dishes of chicken, beef, eggs, hot and spicy potatoes with peanuts, incredible barbequed park, vegetables and a fish broth soup made from local fish that contained some very unusual dumplings.

 

Tomorrow we will meet our wonderful guide again to experience some of what the city of Shanghai has to offer.

[arzz]

To put things into perspective, I was up yesterday at 5:30 am to watch our passage down the river to Shanghai. We then spent the day touring an ancient water town. The Chinese Acrobats from Shanghai did one show on the ship for us last night, at 10:00 pm. It was a long day but I plugged on, somehow kept myself awake, and I wasn’t disappointed.

 

I expected that the Chinese Acrobats would turn their bodies into jello and then turn themselves inside out -- they did not disappoint in that regard ... but simultaneous to their entry into the fourth dimension they balanced tiny objects on long poles from their noses while they were inside out, and they even did both of these things while positioned with their whole body resting upside down on just one point with the grip held in their teeth. They did things with what seemed like hundreds of hula hoops that I previously thought could only be imagined and then there was the young fellow with the very flat topped head who juggled objects while balancing others on his head while he rode a unicycle using only one foot -- he also jumped rope while on the unicycle. Honest, we were allowed to photograph and have pictures to prove my claims. We’ll post the pictures when we get home.

 

This morning we were once again met by our wonderful independent Chinese guide and our driver. Today was to be a shorter touring day with stops in Shanghai proper. We started the morning with a trip to the Jewish quarter where our guide described how 30,000 Jewish immigrants resided here during World War II. There were two previous Jewish immigrations, but the last one was the largest. We then went in to visit the former site of the Ohel Moshe Synagogue that has been restored, though somewhat simply, and to the attached museum that contains some artifacts and exhibits including a stunning three dimensional video presentation that tells the story of the Jewish community in Shanghai.

 

From there we were driven to the Bund, the famous river front street that sports many of Shanghai’s ultra modern buildings. Our ship, the Amsterdam, is berthed within easy walking distance of the Bund. We enjoyed a photographic opportunity in what is clearly the knock off watch district as we could not take a step without being offered one of the many $10 “Rolex” watches stored in the hands and on the arms of the Chinese entrepreneurs of the Bund.

 

From there we went to the ancient yu garden -- a beautifully maintained and restored elegant home and garden complex that dates back to the old Chinese dynasties and is hidden in the center of Old Shanghai. This, too, is a well touristed area and upon our arrival it was immediately obvious that we had left the “watch district” and had now entered the “ hand bag” district -- lots of knock off hand bags for sale -- being offered to us at every turn. The gardens and home were a beautiful diversion from the activity that is modern Shanghai and the Chinese tourist shops and Chinese eateries which somehow include the occasional McDonald’s, Starbuck’s or Dairy Queen -- seem to go on endlessly for blocks around the garden site.

 

From there it was on to the Pearl Factory. The showroom was tucked into a high rise building on a street that appeared to be off the beaten tourist path (we would never have found it on our own) but our Chinese guide assured us that this was the right place to buy pearls. As we entered, the fear of pending loss of cash overtook DH and he immediately asked me to take off my eyeglasses and give them to him. As the dutiful wife that I am ... I refused. Our visit started with a demonstration -- one of our party of six was allowed to select a fresh water oyster which they opened for us. It was chock full of cultured pearls which they gave us gratis -- so I now have a small plastic bag with about 6 small pearls -- one a double. We were then released to shop the pearl counters. Since it was lunch time in Shanghai we were the only shoppers in the show room and we were treated very well. And dutifully, it seems, our men all forked out the cash for the pearls selected by the ladies. I am now the proud owner of a square blue pearl mounted in a white gold pendant. Oh, fiddle dee dee.

 

Though late in the day in Shanghai terms, we were now ready for lunch. Our guide took us to her favorite restaurant in Shanghai (another place we would never have found on our own -- it was in a courtyard accessed by a narrow alley and we were the only westerners there) where the six of us treated her and our driver to a meal -- our guide ordered. We enjoyed a selection of the best Chinese food we have ever eaten -- our menu included dumplings, Shanghai noodles, some stir fries (shrimp, chicken and cashews, eggplant, sweet and sour pork) and some rice pancakes rolled with crispy vegetables and stir fried pork. The table was also graced with a selection of marinated peanuts, crispy beans, and a strange but crispy tasty fruit that seemed like a cross between a cumquat and a plum. We enjoyed Chinese tea served in what for us was a very unusual manner. Each place setting at the table included a tea cup with dry tea leaves in it -- a waiter came by with what looked like a watering can that was wearing a tea cozy -- it had a three foot or longer very narrow nozzle and our tea cups were deftly filled from a distance with hot water and then covered to allow time for the tea to steep. Our whole meal, including beer and cokes, came to under $10 per person. What a fantastic way for us to end our visit to Shanghai.

 

In general Shanghai is a very old city that is under construction everywhere. Except for the section called “old Shanghai” which is being preserved -- as far as the eye can see urban renewal seems to be tearing down the old and replacing it with the new. Traffic in town is brutal -- our fantastic driver was able to easily cope with traffic patterns that consist of cars, buses, motor bikes and large numbers of pedestrians who seem to be engaged in a perpetual game of “playing chicken for keeps”. One member of our group observed that “right of way” seems to be determined by whomever gets there first.

 

We are now back on board safely ensconced in our home away from home aboard the Amsterdam. All aboard is imminent. Holland America expects it to take about three hours between “all aboard” and receiving clearance to reenter the river and leave Shanghai. The river currents here are swift and our departure must necessarily be dictated not only by river traffic but the river current also. We have a narrow time window in which we must leave. We will now be two days in the China Sea before we dock at Hong Kong.

[wynkys]

Thank you again Roxanne for a wonderful report and you sure made the most of your time in Shanghai.

Continued safe sailing and visiting.

 

Wayne

[RuthC]

This was a most interesting post. I never would have imagined a Jewish district in Shanghai, but three in migrations astounds me!

Your post has made me want to see for myself. Thank you for your continued entries.

[Foxpaw]

Roxanne and Shipmates,

 

Only a week to go and I leave Virginia for the long 21-hour flight to Singapore. And, of course, in less than two weeks now, I will meet you all for the first time when the good ship Amsterdam picks me up in Singapore. Boy, this is getting exciting! :D :D :D

 

Now.....back to the packing frenzy. (You KNOW the drill!!!!) Enjoy Hong Kong.....as most of you know so well, it is absolutely fabulous in every way! I've visited Hong Kong 27 times over the past 45 years and it never ceases to amaze and inspire me.

 

Best Regards,

 

Nick

[arzz]

Last night at about 9 pm the Amsterdam left its berth in Shanghai and started the two day 880 nautical mile journey to Hong Kong. The river at Shanghai is a major throughway for ships, barges, ferries and all manner of vessels. Our waiter captain said that during the day he stood at the window and counted over 100 boats and ships pass the Amsterdam in less than an hour. We have never before experienced such crowded shipping lanes.

 

The Amsterdam backed out of her berth with the help of a pilot boat that hung very close to her stern. We traveled a short distance down the river backwards and then did a 180 degree turn and proceeded to leave Shanghai. The incredible part of this journey is that it was accomplished in the dark in a river full of traffic including small boats that seemed not at all phased by our presence in the river as they darted past us even while we turned. Then, of course, there were the boats and barges that run the river at night with no lights at all. My statement yesterday about “playing chicken for keeps” definitely applies to river traffic as well as ground vehicles. I can only guess what the experience must have been like on the bridge last night.

 

Leaving the incredible skyscrapers of Shanghai behind at night was a truly remarkable sight.

 

It is now Thursday evening at about 7:00 pm (and it is Thursday morning at about 6 am at home) as we prepare for our red and black, Chinese themed formal dinner. We have had a delightful day with sunshine, a reasonable temperature, slight seas and a doable daily crossword. We will cruise the China Sea one more day to reach Hong Kong. We have received notice to report tomorrow morning to have our temperatures taken as part of the Hong Kong government’s SARS prevention program. That will be another first for us.

 

The magazine that managed to sell a billion copies world wide in one year (1974) was “TV Guide”, Babe Ruth hit the first home run in the new Yankee Stadium in 1923, and Monopoly is the game based on 20th century Billionaire J.P. Morgan (called Rich Uncle Pennybags in the game). The fruit that is actually classified as a berry and is known in Indian cooking as the brinjal is the eggplant and an ostrich has two toes on each foot.

 

In answer to the question about dining room seating on the Grand Voyages -- there are only two seatings -- all dining is assigned. Early seating for both upper and lower dining rooms is at 5:30 and late seating for both upper and lower dining rooms is at 8:00. Casual dinner is also served nightly in the lido.

[Kween Karen]

I continue to enjoy taking your voyage with you........you make everything very visual!

Thank you, also, for answering my questions regarding your grand voyage on the Amsterdam. MINE is now sllightly less than a year away!

[jayzee99]

Unfortunately, do to pre booked cruises, we could not do this cruise this year. BUT ...all is not lost. Holland America will do it again and we will be on it at that time.

 

We will be monitoring this board for all your comments, both good and bad as well as all your suggestions and recommendations for tours and tour guides in all these wonderful ports.

 

Please keep us informed. Thanks and all of you have a WONDERFUL CRUISE!

 

Steve and Henny Zimmerman

 

Well, WE DID IT!! We are booked on the September 24, 2010 Amsterdam cruise to the Pacific Rim. We start in Seattle and end 69 days later in San Diego. I have to compare the itinerary to see what ports we visit on the extra 5 days. My agent got some great amenities including pre-paid gratuities, cabin upgrades, Free air to Seattle and home from San Diego, transfers, shipboard credits,and free luggage delivery from home to the ship and back home and a free bottle of champagne.

 

Now we are definitely following the cruise log posted by ARZZ.

After reading this cruise log, we just couldn't pass it up.

 

Steve and Henny Zimmerman

mrlndr@aol.com

[MightyQuinn]

We have received notice to report tomorrow morning to have our temperatures taken as part of the Hong Kong government’s SARS prevention program. That will be another first for us.

Arzz, I'm enjoying your journal very much & can't wait to hear about the on-board temperature taking for SARS prevention! :p:p

[Foxpaw]

Congratulations, Steve and Henny!

 

You've made a SUPERB choice!

 

I was on the first half of this journey last year (Seattle-Singapore)...and, in a few days, I fly back to Singapore to rejoin the Amsterdam and sail the Singapore-San Diego half.

 

(I have my "somewhat senior" Mom living with me....she won't travel much.....so I don't feel comfortable leaving her home alone for more than a few weeks.....thus, the cruise split over two years.) (I think of it as DOUBLE the fun!)

 

There is something especially and uniquely magical about this voyage each year.....some even say more so than the world cruises. Maybe it's because the total miles sailed is close to a round-the-world cruise.....but it's at a bit more leisurely a pace....and, possibly, a bit more intimate an atmosphere onboard. (I'll just have to take a world cruise someday soon to be able to discuss this with any authority or first-hand knowledge!)

 

The staff and crew aboard Amsterdam is without a doubt the finest I have encountered anywhere -- including many cruises on Cunard liners.

 

So, once again, CONGRATULATIONS! Enjoy and savor the sweet anticipation. And, here's wishing you Fair Winds and Following Seas.....

 

Nick Sabalos

CDR, USN (Ret)

[Foxpaw]

Arzz, I'm enjoying your journal very much & can't wait to hear about the on-board temperature taking for SARS prevention! :p:p

 

MightyQuinn,

 

We had a blast "anticipating" our SARS temperature-taking prior to arrival in Hong Kong aboard Amsterdam on last year's Asia/Pacific voyage! You can just imagine the jokes and imagery. (ie...."Please, bend over, Sir/M'am"!) :eek: :eek: :eek:

 

Lo and behold, was everyone surprised when it turned out to be nothing at all. We simply lined up in a short line (called by Deck).....there was a staff of about 5 or 6 people from the Amsterdam's Medical Center, each armed with a laser-thermometer.....they aimed it for a second at each forehead, recorded the temperature....and....outta there.

 

I suspect it will be a similar experience this year.

 

Best Regards,

 

Nick

[MightyQuinn]

We had a blast "anticipating" our SARS temperature-taking prior to arrival in Hong Kong aboard Amsterdam on last year's Asia/Pacific voyage! You can just imagine the jokes and imagery. (ie...."Please, bend over, Sir/M'am"!) :eek: :eek: :eek:

 

Lo and behold, was everyone surprised when it turned out to be nothing at all. We simply lined up in a short line (called by Deck).....there was a staff of about 5 or 6 people from the Amsterdam's Medical Center, each armed with a laser-thermometer.....they aimed it for a second at each forehead, recorded the temperature....and....outta there.

 

I suspect it will be a similar experience this year.

Well Nick, you're quite the spoil sport now, aren't you! :D:D

[shoshona2]

Dear Roxanne,

 

It's been wonderful reading your posts and following your journey. My cousins are aboard your ship and between your posts and their blog, I am reliving my cruise to Asia two years ago. When we left Shanghai we only got about one-half hour out and we were ordered to drop anchor and sit tight. The fog had rolled in and we couldn't make it to open sea that night. We were delayed fourteen hours. We had an aft cabin and I left the light lit on the veranda that night. I saw all those different boats going around us in the fog and wanted to make sure we didn't have anyone go bump in the night. We were on a 700 passenger ship and it made me feel better.

 

We also visited the Jewish sites in Shanghai. There are some wonderful books on the Jews of Shanghai. During WWII, the 30,000 Jewish people who were stranded there, mostly came from Europe to escape the ****s. China was the only country that didn't require a visa. The Allies were shocked when they liberated Shanghai from the Japanese to find 30,000 Europeans there. In 1951, when the Communists took over, they along with any other caucasians were ordered to leave China.

 

I look forward to reading all of your posts. Thanks.

 

Sheila

[arzz]

The Amsterdam is currently berthed at Ocean Terminal in Kowloon. Our starboard cabin faces out across the bay towards the high rises of Hong Kong. At ten o’clock in the evening, their lights are reminiscent of many large U.S. cities.

 

This morning we left the ship and walked the short distance through the terminal to the famous Star Ferry -- we paid 1.70 Hong Kong dollars (about 24 cents US) per person to ride this famous boat across Victoria Harbor to Hong Kong. Both the terminal on the Kowloon side and the streets on the Hong Kong side of the harbor are filled with modern buildings and western shops labeled with English signs. All things designer and western are available and the area could as easily be 5th Avenue, Wall Street, Paris, or Rodeo Drive as Hong Kong.

 

We walked through the winding streets, mostly in an uphill direction until we reached the terminal for the tram to Victoria Peak. This classic cable car rides 1800 feet up Victoria Peak at angles that seemed to be at least forty-five degrees. After exiting the tram we wound up several more escalators through a modern building that houses Starbucks, Jamba Juice and a Bubba Gump Shrimp restaurant in addition to endless souvenir shops until we reached a viewing terrace at the summit. The stifling heat and humidity of the Hong Kong streets was replaced with cooler, dryer air and a swift breeze. There were breathtaking views of the harbor, the ocean and much of Hong Kong.

 

After a short break for a cool beverage we rode the tram down and took a taxi to the beaches of Repulse Bay. Not only are the beaches here turquoise but there is also an oceanside temple complete with many colorful statues.

 

Our last stop of the day was the Stanley market -- endless rows of shops selling all manner of merchandise -- some exotic and some ordinary with bargaining part of the game. The shops of the Stanley market end at another stunning waterfront beach.

 

On the ride back to the Star Ferry we drove through the jungle forested hills over sharply curving roads and past many upscale Hong Kong neighborhoods. Another ride on the Star Ferry and we were back at the ship.

 

This evening as we ordered our dinner in the dining room we watched the nightly laser light show that zips across the high rises of Hong Kong. And so it was for our Day one in Hong Kong.

 

During yesterday’s trivia we learned that ophidiophobia is a fear of snakes, that it is illegal to pawn your dentures in Las Vegas and that your axilla is your armpit.

[GarySuzy]

ARZZ,

 

Thank you for your posts. You are helping my DW make up her mind to do this in reverse in 2010 for our 35th Anniversary. It has been almost 40 yrs since I was in Hong Kong and the Kowloon side was called the New Territories then.

 

Thanks again for the great posts.

[BettyPC]

I am enjoying your travels so much! For some reason the thought of visiting Japan never seemed appealing -but after reading your experiences I would love to go.

 

Thanks again for sharing

[blue whale]

I am really enjoying your blog. We are also following Orlin and Barbara's, whom we met on world 07. Your description of trivia is right-on! Is Bruce leading it each day? Keep the questions (and answers coming).

 

Thank you, blue whale

[arzz]

Of Malls and Pigeons

 

Day two in Hong Kong. This morning the sky was overcast - no rain, some breeze, great weather to walk. We were glad that we went to Victoria Peak yesterday when it was clear and sunny. Originally we had planned a tour to see the Buddha on Lantau Island -- traveling to Lantau on a Chinese Junk, vegetarian lunch at the Monastery, drive back -- sounded great to us but apparently not great enough to the rest of the ship and the tour was canceled for lack of interest. Maybe it was the 300 steps up to the Buddha that was the deterrent .....

 

So, we slept in a little with a personal plan to walk around the Kowloon side of the Harbor, find a Chinese lunch and whatever else we might stumble upon.

 

I think that it is possible that all of Kowloon is just one endless mall. We are docked so that when leaving the ship you enter the mall. In this area everything is connected by upscale, air conditioned hallways lined with endless numbers of specialty shops that sell virtually every brand name product from Bang and Olefsen to Brooks Brothers to Toys R Us. I cannot think of any product that I could have forgotten to bring that I couldn’t have found today in Kowloon. I could have purchased my favorite brand of athletic shoes, or, for that matter, virtually any brand of athletic shoes, a new formal gown, some designer bags (the real ones, not the knock offs), a whole new set of designer cosmetics, some diamond jewelry, some Chinese art, and then wrapped them all up and put them in a new Lexus. I do not know how I would get the Lexus home -- still, however, there is a Lexus showroom right in the mall. For those comfortable shopping in the U.S., you would just love this place that goes on in air conditioned indoor comfort for blocks and blocks.

 

Well, since this area was a little too western for us who spent a pretty penny to leave the western hemisphere -- we immediately exited at the Star Ferry docks -- we crossed the road and were relieved to see a large map of Kowloon -- we walked over to plan our attack for the day. Unfortunately we, apparently, were not the only ones who were relieved to see the map -- or should I phrase it this way -- who were about to be relieved near the map. Do I look like a target? Do I look like a pigeon toilet? It seems the answer is a resounding yes. And in one great “splat” the recently digested meal of some Chinese pigeon was now squishing in my hair and splatted on my shirt. That sure killed the moment for us.

 

After returning to the ship I enjoyed a long shower that included at least four shampoos. Ed prevented me from shaving my head, gargling with purell and burning my clothes -- as you can tell I am not a wilderness chick. I was once again ready to roll.

 

This time we stayed IN the mall for quite a while. I had had enough of the rugged out doors of Hong Kong. We found a delightful Chinese restaurant where we consumed pork and vegetable buns, greens and a noodle stir fry sharing our table with local folks and amusing them with our clumsy use of chop sticks and not quite appropriate table manners. They were very polite to us -- they did not laugh or make faces but we can only imagine what they were thinking.

 

After lunch we wandered for miles just looking for the door from the mall to the outside. Having finally found our way out we again wandered for miles trying to discover a Kowloon that was not part of the hive of shops, hotels and other businesses that are part of this huge mall. Eventually we just turned around and went back to the ship. After all, there was a trivia game at 3 pm.

 

At trivia we discovered that the strawberry can whiten your teeth.

 

It is now 5:45 pm, the sun is setting and the lights of Hong Kong are coming up on the endless high rises across Victoria Harbor. We leave this evening around 10:30 - 11 pm and we expect to dock at Da Nang, Viet Nam the day after tomorrow.

[GmaPajama]

Your description of the Pigeon Encounter is priceless! This is my first post on your thread here - but believe me when I say it's the first one I look for every morning. LOVE your style of writing!

[Love Cruises]

I am so enjoying your updates about your voyage. You have a real knack for writing.

 

Also, thanks for sharing some of the triva (even with the answers). We just love playing this when we are onboard a "dam" ship.

[arzz]

It is yet another 25 hour day. How can there be so many of them? We are now 12 hours ahead of Chicago. We reached this position by turning our clocks back over and over and over again -- and, of course, with a quick visit to the date line.

 

Today we are cruising the South China Sea on our way to Da Nang, Viet Nam. It is always lovely to have a day at sea to recover, regroup and do the %$@@*& laundry between ports.

 

The laundry room is an interesting place. When we have used the laundry room on short cruises everyone seems to be in a hurry -- (after all you have only a few days on the ship and here you are putting your unmentionables through the wash) -- People scurry in and out, they do not make small talk, they are all engaged in serious directed activity. Sometimes even impatient and inappropriate behavior can be observed.

 

On a long cruise like this one, however, everyone must deal with these details at one time or another. We also all know that we must coexist in a small space for many more days. A lot of folks send all of their laundry out but most use the self service laundry room for at least some of their clothing. This laundry room, I have found, is a place to meet people and even pick up good ship gossip. The atmosphere I have observed on this trip is one of politeness, sharing and helping each other. After all, we all wear clothes and we all need to wash them (or presumably we all wash them). :)

 

During our two day stay in Hong Kong we ate lunch out twice. Our two experiences were as different as night and day. On the first day we were hot, tired and hungry by the time that we arrived at the Stanley market. We were not aware that two blocks away, on the ocean front, was a whole row of tourist friendly restaurants and bars -- so we went into the first establishment that advertised Chinese food. The kitchen faced a storefront type of window and it was best not to ask what all the visible raw ingredients were. When we entered the restaurant proper we found ourselves in a room lit by dim fluorescent lights filled with tables and chairs all full of local folk who were munching away on various foods. One of the waiters saw us and brought the four of us to a table for eight -- the other four seats filled with four, eh, possibly construction workers? A bit of discomfort and panic went across their faces at first to see us share their table, yet they continued to munch and laugh. Each of them had a glass of water in front of them as well as a soda complete with a glass of ice.

 

After examining the menu we ordered. Our cokes arrived with straws and no glass, no ice (I certainly didn’t want any ice anyway) -- we were never even offered water (management must have been familiar either with the fears of foreign tourists or possibly the reality of their water -- we will never know which). After a while our table mates completed their meal and left. They were replaced with a Chinese family of three. One of them spoke English. She expressed surprise that we should choose to eat at this restaurant which was “really just for locals” but she assured us that the food was OK to eat. Though our meat dumplings contained shrimp and other unidentifiables (again, best not to ask), and our Singapore noodles were liberally sprinkled with a meat that we believe (by best estimate) to be spam -- our English speaking Chinese table mate was quite right -- the food was OK and none of us suffered any consequences and we did enjoy a colorful experience.

 

In contrast, on day two in Hong Kong, we went out to lunch just as I recovered from my close encounter of the bird poop kind. As we searched the Chinese restaurants in the huge mall that is Kowloon, the first place that we stopped not only had upscale prices but their menu listed many pigeon dishes along with shark fin, goose foot webbing, hairy crab, etc. It was far too soon for me to face a pigeon again -- and quite frankly, I doubt that I ever will be willing to knowingly face one on my lunch plate. So, we walked on and chose a very busy restaurant (we had to wait for a table) with an extensive Chinese menu. Again we were the only westerners there and the food that we received was excellent. We gratefully accepted the ice in the coke glasses (no ill after effects). Essentially we ate at a Chinese family restaurant at the mall -- possibly the local analog of a Ruby Tuesday or Olive Garden. Here, too, tables were shared -- this time we shared them with shoppers, families and business people on lunch break. Much better food, much less local atmosphere.

 

Not much new here on the ship -- the weather is muggy with a bit of rain this evening. It is now about 10 pm here, so it is about 10 am in Chicago and we are relieved to see, at least at this moment, that the Dow is nicely positive -- we sure hope the panic is over.

[blue whale]

Keep your reports coming! Great!