October 17, 2010
We spent the day in Bangkok. The city is a bit tired and buildings seemed to be streaked with mold. We toured the Grand Palace which was well, grand. Lots of gold, gems, mosaics, Buddhas and tons and tons of people. We also took a really crazy ride down the Grand Canal on some kind of flat bottom boat. We went quite fast spraying water as we went. At one point we stopped to feed the fish which were very large and evidently very hungry. We passed on riding the "tuk-tuk", sort of a motor bike with a passenger wagon attached. We also didn't see any "lady-boys", at least I don't think we did.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Singapore
We love Singapore! I actually went to the Fish Spa until it freaked me out. BT took photos so we have proof of little fish nibbling on my feet. Then we had an ice cream sandwich. That means they slice off a slab of ice cream and stick it between white bread. It is a "sandwich" and really tasty. The city is beautiful with wide boulevards, lined with trees and lush foliage, massive shopping centers, great architecture, stairs, escalators, sculptures, fountains, lots of people, etc. Really awesome.
We had a Singapore Sling at Raffles a great plantation type place where the drink was invented. We also went to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel which you should google to see the infinity pool on the roof. Pretty wild. We saw Merlion, the symbol of the city, the Esplanade, the Double Helix Bridge, etc. We were on the route of the Gran Prix and saw the Fullerton Hotel which is always visible during the race. We spent some time in Chinatown which was really great with pretty shop houses. It started to pour when we were there and Brian ducked into a weird little place for a beer where the owner told him "short rain, short rain". It actually lasted quite awhile so we headed for a taxi.
It is polluted here because the Indonesian farmers are burning the rain forest and the smoke headed to Singapore. Other than that, it is fantastic. We leave tomorrow and our next stop is La Paloma, via Hong Kong and LAX. This has been a trip of a lifetime.
We had a Singapore Sling at Raffles a great plantation type place where the drink was invented. We also went to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel which you should google to see the infinity pool on the roof. Pretty wild. We saw Merlion, the symbol of the city, the Esplanade, the Double Helix Bridge, etc. We were on the route of the Gran Prix and saw the Fullerton Hotel which is always visible during the race. We spent some time in Chinatown which was really great with pretty shop houses. It started to pour when we were there and Brian ducked into a weird little place for a beer where the owner told him "short rain, short rain". It actually lasted quite awhile so we headed for a taxi.
It is polluted here because the Indonesian farmers are burning the rain forest and the smoke headed to Singapore. Other than that, it is fantastic. We leave tomorrow and our next stop is La Paloma, via Hong Kong and LAX. This has been a trip of a lifetime.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Ko Samui
Ko Samui is a small island in Thailand where 25% of the population is European, mostly retirees. We headed to Cheweng Beach which was beautiful. Brian swam and I waded in the water which was shallow for a long ways, warm and full of fish. We had lunch at Tropical Murphy. Imagine that, Brian found an Irish Pub in Thailand! It was a really relaxing day and the weather was great though at times a bit hot. The humidity is high, about 85% but with a breeze it was super. Most of the homes had "spirit houses" in front of them which look like highly decorated bird houses but are used to keep evil spirits from entering their homes. They added a lot of color along the road. Tomorrow is our last sea day and then we head for Singapore for a couple of days. I'm really looking forward to going there because there is so much to see and do but my next blog will be from land and a computer internet system that works!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Bangkok
We spent the day in Bangkok. We toured the Grand Palace which was well, grand. We saw lots of gold, mosaic and buddhas. We also took a funky, fast, flat bottom boat down the Grand Canal. We did pass on the "tuk-tuk", a sort of motorcyle/wagon sort of thing. We also did not see any "lady-boys", at least I don't think we did. Another interesting day.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Hong Kong and Viet Nam
We were in Hong Kong on the 12th, but I haven't been able to blog because of this frustrating internet service on the ship which has not worked at all for the last few days. Anyway, Hong Kong was great. It is a beautiful, organized and dense city. The harbor is framed by another bridge which we barely cleared. We rode a tram straight up to Victoria Peak in Aberdeen for a great view of the city and harbor. We also rode on a sanpam to see how the boat people live, then another boat ride to a floating restaurant. How fun was that! The food was delicious and very familiar. It was Cantonese-Chinese which seems to be what we are served in the U.S (much lighter, less frying, less spice & no eyes). We shopped in Stanley Park, a fairly upscale area near the beach, though the shops were great for bargaining - oh oh. Then we took a harbor cruise, so lots of boats today. All in all a fun day.
On the 14th we went to Nha Trang, Viet Nam which was a beach resort for R&R for the U.S. servicemen during the Viet Nam war. It's rather bleak though some new resorts are being built. Brian took a tender to get a 333 Beer (recommendation of Joe's) and I went on a short city tour to the Dam Market and Silk Embroidery workshop. Watching people on the street was the most fun. We don't need to return here.
On the 15th we went to Saigon and I can't begin to describe it. It was about a 2 hour bus ride from the port and that was the highlight. Unbelievable how some people live. Everybody was on motorcyles, living and working right on the street, selling food from tiny pots, etc. etc. It was like a movie. I'll just have share to photos because I took a ton of them. I had an interesting Vietnamese lunch and toured the city. Brian ventured out to find some old Army spots. That was partly sucessful, but at least he survived the traffic to tell the tale. More 333 beer helped.
Now there is a problem with the anchor so we are going to be several hours late leaving the port. Still having fun.
On the 14th we went to Nha Trang, Viet Nam which was a beach resort for R&R for the U.S. servicemen during the Viet Nam war. It's rather bleak though some new resorts are being built. Brian took a tender to get a 333 Beer (recommendation of Joe's) and I went on a short city tour to the Dam Market and Silk Embroidery workshop. Watching people on the street was the most fun. We don't need to return here.
On the 15th we went to Saigon and I can't begin to describe it. It was about a 2 hour bus ride from the port and that was the highlight. Unbelievable how some people live. Everybody was on motorcyles, living and working right on the street, selling food from tiny pots, etc. etc. It was like a movie. I'll just have share to photos because I took a ton of them. I had an interesting Vietnamese lunch and toured the city. Brian ventured out to find some old Army spots. That was partly sucessful, but at least he survived the traffic to tell the tale. More 333 beer helped.
Now there is a problem with the anchor so we are going to be several hours late leaving the port. Still having fun.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Shanghai
What a fun day! Yesterday, the 9th, we were in Shanghai. We powered up the Huangpu River for 4 miles to the port, about 60 minutes from town. In about 25 more miles it joins the Yangtze River. It's full of fishing and cargo boats and our Captain said about 1000 ships are on the river each day.
Brian rode on the Maglev train (surprise!) which got up to 267 mph (180 on curves). According to him it was elevated so it was difficult to get a sense of speed except when they passed another train. It was a short ride to the airport and back (about 7 min. each way), but different as it rides on magnetic rails. Then he bussed through the financial district, the Wall Street of China, where there are many very tall, beautiful skyscrapers. He stopped at Jin Mao Towers, the tallest building in China, and rode to the 88th floor observation deck. The view wasn't that great because of the smog but the inside view down the open center to the lobby was spectacular. (Tom, keep up the good fight. The air in China has been super polluted and it is nasty.)
I really wanted to ride the Maglev train but finally decided to do something else. I headed to the town of Suzhou, through Shanghai and then villages for about 2 hours. I saw quite a lot of Shanghai from the Expressway, even a bit of the Expo. Our guide told us that the citizens are allowed to own one piece of property at a time and that all of the land is owned by the government, thus when they want to build something new it is easy to clear the land. The people are given "some money" for their property and then they are moved. Many villages are being demolished and replaced with high rise condos. Some of what is gone appears to have been interesting (but maybe slum-like) but they are losing a lot of character and charm. The guide said now the people are free to do as they like, but I wonder if the new Nobel winner thinks that. He said that the older people don't like the new system because they have to pay for eveything and they have small pensions but the younger people are happy.
Suzhou is a UNESCO heritage site and unchanged from the 8th century. It's full of canals and bridges which were built for commerce from Beijing. I rode some kind of funky boat for about 1 hour through the Grand Canal which was mostly lined with houses. It was very pretty and a lot of fun.
I toured the Embroidery Research Institute where we saw beautiful one-sided and two-sided embroideries being created all by hand. The thread (all vegetable dyed) is very fine. I don't know the thickness but we were shown one that looked finer than buttonhole thread and were told it would be divided into 48 strands. To create two-sided pieces they work with two needles of different threads and a mirror to see the backside. Then they create two different images on either side of sheer silk at the same time. This takes lots of patience, nimble fingers and good eyesight. (Linda, want to find a workshop?).
Next, we went to the Bamboo Grove Hotel for a Chinese style lunch which was pretty good except for a couple of dishes. They served a fish (KO, here's a suggestion for Carl's next catch) with it's head cut off. Both pieces were dipped in a batter and deep fat fried (sort of like tempura). The two pieces were served "jack-knifed" on a platter with the mouth gaping open like a hungry koi. It was gross. I also passed on the shrimp with heads attached. I don't like my food looking back at me. Others seemed to enjoy the meal, so I guess I'm not adventuresome. The rice and Snow beer were great, though.
Then, we went to the Humble Administrator's Garden. It was created in 1509 by "Mr.Wang", a Ming Dynasty administrator, thus the name. It is a classical garden with a lot of meaning and a story to each part. It could have been very peaceful but it was jammed with tourists, mostly Chinese, but I'm glad I got to see it. It became funny trying to keep up with such a fast paced tour in this maze.
We did some shopping and a lot of bartering. That turned out to be fun and I ended up with stuff at great prices because I bartered so well. Of course, this was stuff (Judy - more SS) I didn't intend buying, but what a deal! I'm not sure who won this contest but it was fun to haggle.
I learned that Saturday is laundry day so there was laundry hanging out of everyone's window. This was most noticeable in Shanghai high rises. I wonder how often a piece of clothing floats many stories down to the ground. It looked odd to see big beautiful skyscrapers with various styles of laundry poles and clothes out the windows.
Now, today and tomorrow are sea days and then we are on to Hong Kong.
Brian rode on the Maglev train (surprise!) which got up to 267 mph (180 on curves). According to him it was elevated so it was difficult to get a sense of speed except when they passed another train. It was a short ride to the airport and back (about 7 min. each way), but different as it rides on magnetic rails. Then he bussed through the financial district, the Wall Street of China, where there are many very tall, beautiful skyscrapers. He stopped at Jin Mao Towers, the tallest building in China, and rode to the 88th floor observation deck. The view wasn't that great because of the smog but the inside view down the open center to the lobby was spectacular. (Tom, keep up the good fight. The air in China has been super polluted and it is nasty.)
I really wanted to ride the Maglev train but finally decided to do something else. I headed to the town of Suzhou, through Shanghai and then villages for about 2 hours. I saw quite a lot of Shanghai from the Expressway, even a bit of the Expo. Our guide told us that the citizens are allowed to own one piece of property at a time and that all of the land is owned by the government, thus when they want to build something new it is easy to clear the land. The people are given "some money" for their property and then they are moved. Many villages are being demolished and replaced with high rise condos. Some of what is gone appears to have been interesting (but maybe slum-like) but they are losing a lot of character and charm. The guide said now the people are free to do as they like, but I wonder if the new Nobel winner thinks that. He said that the older people don't like the new system because they have to pay for eveything and they have small pensions but the younger people are happy.
Suzhou is a UNESCO heritage site and unchanged from the 8th century. It's full of canals and bridges which were built for commerce from Beijing. I rode some kind of funky boat for about 1 hour through the Grand Canal which was mostly lined with houses. It was very pretty and a lot of fun.
I toured the Embroidery Research Institute where we saw beautiful one-sided and two-sided embroideries being created all by hand. The thread (all vegetable dyed) is very fine. I don't know the thickness but we were shown one that looked finer than buttonhole thread and were told it would be divided into 48 strands. To create two-sided pieces they work with two needles of different threads and a mirror to see the backside. Then they create two different images on either side of sheer silk at the same time. This takes lots of patience, nimble fingers and good eyesight. (Linda, want to find a workshop?).
Next, we went to the Bamboo Grove Hotel for a Chinese style lunch which was pretty good except for a couple of dishes. They served a fish (KO, here's a suggestion for Carl's next catch) with it's head cut off. Both pieces were dipped in a batter and deep fat fried (sort of like tempura). The two pieces were served "jack-knifed" on a platter with the mouth gaping open like a hungry koi. It was gross. I also passed on the shrimp with heads attached. I don't like my food looking back at me. Others seemed to enjoy the meal, so I guess I'm not adventuresome. The rice and Snow beer were great, though.
Then, we went to the Humble Administrator's Garden. It was created in 1509 by "Mr.Wang", a Ming Dynasty administrator, thus the name. It is a classical garden with a lot of meaning and a story to each part. It could have been very peaceful but it was jammed with tourists, mostly Chinese, but I'm glad I got to see it. It became funny trying to keep up with such a fast paced tour in this maze.
We did some shopping and a lot of bartering. That turned out to be fun and I ended up with stuff at great prices because I bartered so well. Of course, this was stuff (Judy - more SS) I didn't intend buying, but what a deal! I'm not sure who won this contest but it was fun to haggle.
I learned that Saturday is laundry day so there was laundry hanging out of everyone's window. This was most noticeable in Shanghai high rises. I wonder how often a piece of clothing floats many stories down to the ground. It looked odd to see big beautiful skyscrapers with various styles of laundry poles and clothes out the windows.
Now, today and tomorrow are sea days and then we are on to Hong Kong.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Nagasaki
Yesterday, the 7th, we were in Nagasaki. It is a nice town. Not stunningly beautiful, but nice. It's quite hilly and the hills come right down to the water. This makes a pretty sight at early morning and at dark because the lights sparkle all over the hillsides. There is a large, dramatically lit bridge that spans the entrance to the harbor. We sailed under it and cleared it at about 30'. It felt odd and would have been interesting to watch from shore. The terminal is new and long with a swooping roof with grass growing on top. That has created a nice park which seems to be popular and is a good use of limited landspace, a problem for Japan.
We took a tour to Arita, known for ceramics. It was about an hour drive through dense forest and big lakes. Arita is quaint and looks like a movie set. We visited the Genemon Kilns where all the pottery is made by hand. It was interesting to watch the craftspeople. Their products are perfection and really expensive. The retail store was fun to look at though. They also had a museum with many pieces they bought back from England. The early business between 1650-1750 was all for export to England. We walked down the main street where most shops only sold wholesale, then along a Tonbai wall made from used kiln brick to the back alley where the workshops are located behind the stores. We couldn't see in the work areas but could hear them and it was a nice walk with interesting architeture. We visited another shop which also had a museum/showroom with pieces bought back from England. When we left everyone working in the shop, from clerks to the owner, lined up along the street and waved goodby to us. I've seen this done before in Japan. We later stopped for lunch and the workers there did the same.
Back in Nagasaki we visited the Peace Memorial Park where there are many peace sculptures from different countries and a large open area with pleasant gardens. Many school children visit and they were happy to practice their English on us so we heard lots of "hello, hello". They made paper cranes to hang in the garden and one group sang a song about peace. Our guide said that the Japanese aren't angry with the U.S. for dropping the A Bomb but are (or were) angry with their military for their "arrogance" and with their journalists for not printing the truth. They had won all previous wars and the military were warned not to go to war against the U.S. We happened upon a survivor who told much the same story. Interestingly, there was no mention of Pearl Harbor.
At the end of the day, preschoolers came on board and performed some traditional dances. They were adorable. Then some really talented high school students beat on a variety of drums (forgot the name, Michael) and their brass band played. Many townspeople were drawn to the pier by the ship and also the loud music. The Diamond Princess was made my Mitsubishi in Nagasaki so people were interested in welcoming it back to it's "home". We passed the shipyard but it was dark so their planned water show for us was cancelled. We were late leaving because each country handles immigration differently and their are so many non-English speakers on board that somebody always get confused even though announcements are made in several languages.
Today, the 8th, it rained but was still fairly warm. We just relaxed and went to one lecture. This morning, we had to walk through a room past a machine that recorded our temperature. The machine was several feet from us and we walked at a normal pace. The point was that China won't allow anyone to disembark tomorrow if they have a raised temperature. (The Captain just announced that he is swerving to avoid Chinese fishing boats that seem to want to sell him some fresh fish. I hope that is the story and they aren't pirates. We are weaving all over the place to avoid the boats and their fishing nets.) Tomorrow, we spend the day in Shanghai.
We took a tour to Arita, known for ceramics. It was about an hour drive through dense forest and big lakes. Arita is quaint and looks like a movie set. We visited the Genemon Kilns where all the pottery is made by hand. It was interesting to watch the craftspeople. Their products are perfection and really expensive. The retail store was fun to look at though. They also had a museum with many pieces they bought back from England. The early business between 1650-1750 was all for export to England. We walked down the main street where most shops only sold wholesale, then along a Tonbai wall made from used kiln brick to the back alley where the workshops are located behind the stores. We couldn't see in the work areas but could hear them and it was a nice walk with interesting architeture. We visited another shop which also had a museum/showroom with pieces bought back from England. When we left everyone working in the shop, from clerks to the owner, lined up along the street and waved goodby to us. I've seen this done before in Japan. We later stopped for lunch and the workers there did the same.
Back in Nagasaki we visited the Peace Memorial Park where there are many peace sculptures from different countries and a large open area with pleasant gardens. Many school children visit and they were happy to practice their English on us so we heard lots of "hello, hello". They made paper cranes to hang in the garden and one group sang a song about peace. Our guide said that the Japanese aren't angry with the U.S. for dropping the A Bomb but are (or were) angry with their military for their "arrogance" and with their journalists for not printing the truth. They had won all previous wars and the military were warned not to go to war against the U.S. We happened upon a survivor who told much the same story. Interestingly, there was no mention of Pearl Harbor.
At the end of the day, preschoolers came on board and performed some traditional dances. They were adorable. Then some really talented high school students beat on a variety of drums (forgot the name, Michael) and their brass band played. Many townspeople were drawn to the pier by the ship and also the loud music. The Diamond Princess was made my Mitsubishi in Nagasaki so people were interested in welcoming it back to it's "home". We passed the shipyard but it was dark so their planned water show for us was cancelled. We were late leaving because each country handles immigration differently and their are so many non-English speakers on board that somebody always get confused even though announcements are made in several languages.
Today, the 8th, it rained but was still fairly warm. We just relaxed and went to one lecture. This morning, we had to walk through a room past a machine that recorded our temperature. The machine was several feet from us and we walked at a normal pace. The point was that China won't allow anyone to disembark tomorrow if they have a raised temperature. (The Captain just announced that he is swerving to avoid Chinese fishing boats that seem to want to sell him some fresh fish. I hope that is the story and they aren't pirates. We are weaving all over the place to avoid the boats and their fishing nets.) Tomorrow, we spend the day in Shanghai.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Back to Busan
We're back in Busan, Korea today. This is the first stop for everyone who boarded in Beijing. There are only about 300 - 500 of us who were here on the previous tour. We are going into town on a shuttle and poke around on our own. Today it is clear and everything looks pretty. The town is pretty but there was a lot of smog last week. Although it didn't compare to Qingdao which was so gross with pollution. The singers and dancers greeted us and put on a beautiful welcome. It is interesting to see how differently we are received in the different countries.
Yesterday was beautiful. We sat out by the pool and Brian relaxed on our deck. It was the first day that it was warm enough to be outside for that long. I forgot to mention that Brian had a massage while I toured Dahlian so he had a nice day taking advantage of what the ship has to offer.
On our drive to the Great Wall I noticed some traffic signs on the expressway that were in Chinese and English. Some were: Do not drive tiredly; Car end collision. Keep space; and Change lanes. Look behind. I think there are many new drivers and many new roads so they need all the help they can get. We also saw people pull off toward the side of the roads rather haphazardly. We couldn't figure out what they were doing but it appeared they were visiting and having snacks. Can you imagine doing that on the 210?
Yesterday was beautiful. We sat out by the pool and Brian relaxed on our deck. It was the first day that it was warm enough to be outside for that long. I forgot to mention that Brian had a massage while I toured Dahlian so he had a nice day taking advantage of what the ship has to offer.
On our drive to the Great Wall I noticed some traffic signs on the expressway that were in Chinese and English. Some were: Do not drive tiredly; Car end collision. Keep space; and Change lanes. Look behind. I think there are many new drivers and many new roads so they need all the help they can get. We also saw people pull off toward the side of the roads rather haphazardly. We couldn't figure out what they were doing but it appeared they were visiting and having snacks. Can you imagine doing that on the 210?
Monday, October 4, 2010
The Great Wall
Well, we made it to The Great Wall and it is awesome to see and hard to imagine how difficult it was to construct. Many people were forced to work on the wall and many were entombed there (some alive) so it has an interesting and serious story. Now, it is a big tourist attraction. This is one of two 7-day national holidays for China and all are on vacation which adds to the congestion. We were at the Huangya Pass where there were people selling fruits and vegetables and arts and crafts, also pony rides for kids and a few amusement park rides. The natural scenery was beautiful and it was great to be there. The steps were very steep and with no hand rails, it was challenging to climb. It was a 3-hour bus ride to get there which was pretty exciting. The area by the port, Tianjin, is reclaimed land, formely salt flats is now being turned into an industrial area. The streets are very wide with wide green belts and thousands of newly planted trees. There are new buildings, expressways and bridges that go on for miles. The massive scale of this undertaking is hard to describe. The homes of the farmers were destroyed for all of this, but they were moved into new high rise condos for which they are required to pay fairly high rent. Our bus driver was pretty aggresive which helped (I guess) to get up the mountain. It was two lane except for when someone wanted to squeeze in a third lane. There was lots of honking and craziness. Farmers sold their crops along the roadway. Others waved bright flags trying to get people to stop at their houses to eat. We did have a nice lunch close to the Great Wall which was like American Chinese food. While it was served very traditionally, the food was recognizable, thank goodness. Earlier, I browsed in a shop and Brian waited by sitting on a small stool in the shade. A Chinese shop owner pulled up a stool and joined him. They couldn't talk to each other, but has a pleasant visit nevertheless. Brian introduced me to his "new Chinese friend". It was hilarious and I wish I had taken a picture of that.
Dalian, China
Using the ship's computers requires lots and lots of patience. I'll do two blogs today to avoid being on too long and loosing what I write. Other than this frustrating computer experience, everything is going well. Our English friends ended up being rather fun, but left the ship yesterday in Beijing. One, was a single lady who had the hots for the Italian captain, especially his little bum. This she described with her hands which was pretty funny.
A couple of days ago we were in Dalian, China. I went on a tour and saw an absolutely beautiful city. It is very European, somewhat like Paris. We stopped at some of the parks (someone said 45% of the city is parks). These parks are gigantic and beautiful. It was lightly raining and cloudy which was too bad because in the sunshine, I think they would have been stunning. One park, I think Xinghau, has a huge cement blank book with 3000 footsteps in brass leading up to it. They used actual people from Dalian to make the footprints and arranged them by age so the oldest were nearly 100 all the way to infants and then blank. The point is that life is an open book and no one knows what the future will bring. This is all very gigantic and if you walk on the book you get a beautiful view of the China Sea. I'm not sure I explained this very well, but maybe you can google it if you are interested. It was difficult to get photos because of the size. We also drove along the coast where people can walk along a beautiful path with pretty planting and great views of the coast. We walked on the Friendship Bridge, went to Tiger Beach where we saw tigers (carved), saw a gondola ride that looked really scary as it bounced in the wind, etc. Everywhere we went we saw more beautiful buildings. This is just a fabulous city. Brian has sworn off China, but decided to take a shuttle into town so he did make a quick loop and got to see some of how beautiful it is.
A couple of days ago we were in Dalian, China. I went on a tour and saw an absolutely beautiful city. It is very European, somewhat like Paris. We stopped at some of the parks (someone said 45% of the city is parks). These parks are gigantic and beautiful. It was lightly raining and cloudy which was too bad because in the sunshine, I think they would have been stunning. One park, I think Xinghau, has a huge cement blank book with 3000 footsteps in brass leading up to it. They used actual people from Dalian to make the footprints and arranged them by age so the oldest were nearly 100 all the way to infants and then blank. The point is that life is an open book and no one knows what the future will bring. This is all very gigantic and if you walk on the book you get a beautiful view of the China Sea. I'm not sure I explained this very well, but maybe you can google it if you are interested. It was difficult to get photos because of the size. We also drove along the coast where people can walk along a beautiful path with pretty planting and great views of the coast. We walked on the Friendship Bridge, went to Tiger Beach where we saw tigers (carved), saw a gondola ride that looked really scary as it bounced in the wind, etc. Everywhere we went we saw more beautiful buildings. This is just a fabulous city. Brian has sworn off China, but decided to take a shuttle into town so he did make a quick loop and got to see some of how beautiful it is.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Busan & Qingdao
The computers weren't working yesterday so I'll play catch up today. A couple of days ago, we were in Busan, South Korea. It was a delightful day. We had about an hour bus ride north of the city which took us through very nice countryside, then we toured the Tongdosa Temple. It consisted of several buildings in the foothills with a stream running through it. It is still used today and stores the oldest Buddha written artifacts. There were several "church ladies" polishing brass which reminded me of Bobbie A. and friends. It was very peaceful to walk around. Next, we visited the U.N.Memorial Cemetary commemorating those who died in the Korean War. There are 36 Americans buried there who I think represent the 37,000 who died in the war. Sixteen countries have flags and memorials there. It was beautiful but sad.
We'll be back to Busan in a week and plan to check out the city on our own. What we saw as we drove through looked very nice, with good roads, shiney cars and traffic under control. A big draw back is the smog which never went away. (Tom, you are needed here.) Brian was Dock Supervisor all afternoon as he overlooked the delivery of food and other supplies. Enthusiastic dancers and singers in beautiful native dress entertained us before we sailed, then the Captain sounded the horn and we were off on another sailaway.
Yesterday we hung out on the ship and went through Chinese immigration which wasn't too bad. We couldn't take any foreign written material with us when we went to see them, but it went rather smoothly. Today, we visited Qingdao, China. The smog was gross. Everything looked gray and it was difficult to see very far in the distance. We toured the Tsingtao Brewery which was built by the Germans. They provided lots of beer to sample and the tour was pretty organized and through. Next we went to the former German Governor's House and then to a German underground bunker. The Germans were a major influence on Qingdao even though they controlled it only from 1899 to about 1906.
Our English dinner friends are becoming more and more fun. We've checked out all of the bars and found a fantastic view from one that is very high up, called Skywalkers. We like to go there for sunsets. The food has been very good and we've liked some of the muscians. Tomorrow we'll be in Dalian, China. I'm doing that one on my own as Brian says he has seen enough of China. Ha! We have several more Chinese ports.
We'll be back to Busan in a week and plan to check out the city on our own. What we saw as we drove through looked very nice, with good roads, shiney cars and traffic under control. A big draw back is the smog which never went away. (Tom, you are needed here.) Brian was Dock Supervisor all afternoon as he overlooked the delivery of food and other supplies. Enthusiastic dancers and singers in beautiful native dress entertained us before we sailed, then the Captain sounded the horn and we were off on another sailaway.
Yesterday we hung out on the ship and went through Chinese immigration which wasn't too bad. We couldn't take any foreign written material with us when we went to see them, but it went rather smoothly. Today, we visited Qingdao, China. The smog was gross. Everything looked gray and it was difficult to see very far in the distance. We toured the Tsingtao Brewery which was built by the Germans. They provided lots of beer to sample and the tour was pretty organized and through. Next we went to the former German Governor's House and then to a German underground bunker. The Germans were a major influence on Qingdao even though they controlled it only from 1899 to about 1906.
Our English dinner friends are becoming more and more fun. We've checked out all of the bars and found a fantastic view from one that is very high up, called Skywalkers. We like to go there for sunsets. The food has been very good and we've liked some of the muscians. Tomorrow we'll be in Dalian, China. I'm doing that one on my own as Brian says he has seen enough of China. Ha! We have several more Chinese ports.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Vladivostok
There are about 300,000 people in Vladiovostok and 600,000 cars. Cars everywhere. Cars parked on streets, on sidewalks, anywhere a car could be squeezed, cars were stuck in traffic, there was gridlock, some played Russian roulette in traffic circles (breathtaking to watch), some actually followed in lanes and all of this was done with almost no signals. Crossing streets was a thrill.
The Russians have one expression - glum. At least the women don't have to worry about wrinkles as they never smile. It seems like a tough existance so maybe they don't have much to smile about. I need to learn more about the history of Vladiovostok but when artists, muscians, writers, etc were exiled to Siberia they ended up in this town and it flourished. After the Cultural Revolution it began to deteriorate and for about 50 years it was closed, even to Russians. It was re-opened in 1992 and has a lot of catching up to do. The buildings are in bad shape and sidewalks and stairs are crumbling. Everyone lives in government built apartments. They are very small, some have one room plus a bathroom yet cost @$1,000 a month.
Our tour bus had seen better days but it was really decorated! Each seat was covered with a white dish towel size fabric bordered with a blue folkloric design. Around the entire inside above the windows was a shaped brocade valance adorned with two scalloped rows of ball fringe. Pretty funky! Our first stop was Eagles Nest Hill for a nice view of the harbor. Brian asked our guide, Olga (perfect name), about the naval fleet and was told there was none here. I reworded his question and asked about submarines but no, they weren't here either. We could see several naval ships, many uniformed sailors and some kind of a navy headquarters so evidently the guides can not talk about the military. Our English dinner friends visited a school teacher's apartment where she had to sign in and out each time, so someone knew where she was at all times. Aren't we lucky to live in the U.S.?
We toured a submarine that we scrambled through which was fun. No signs were in English but I learned the submarine was famous for downing five ships during WWII and the Captain was awarded The Hero of the Soviet Union. We visited the "Square of the Fighters for Soviet Power in the Far East" (whew). This is a central square that was built for large celebrations which also include a military tank to oversee events. It looks like a gigantic parking lot with a couple of statues.
We went to the railroad station and got to see the Trans Siberian train leaving for Moscow, a 7-day trip. Brian loved that but after seeing the train we agreed we'd never want to take that trip. We walked to Gum Department Store which I was anxious to visit. It looked like a series of boutiques merchandised like a store from the 1950's. In the afternoon, Brian was relaxing on our deck when he was startled by a fly over of MIG fighter jets. They returned and I got a photo. It was exciting and creepy at the same time.
We were late leaving port due to a confused Chinese passenger hanging on to his passport. When we finally got clearance, 28 immigration officers marched off the ship in formation, down the pier and finally into some building. They are very serious about immigration here. Many people came to the pier to see the ship sail but only occasionally did someone wave. This has been a fascinating port.
The Russians have one expression - glum. At least the women don't have to worry about wrinkles as they never smile. It seems like a tough existance so maybe they don't have much to smile about. I need to learn more about the history of Vladiovostok but when artists, muscians, writers, etc were exiled to Siberia they ended up in this town and it flourished. After the Cultural Revolution it began to deteriorate and for about 50 years it was closed, even to Russians. It was re-opened in 1992 and has a lot of catching up to do. The buildings are in bad shape and sidewalks and stairs are crumbling. Everyone lives in government built apartments. They are very small, some have one room plus a bathroom yet cost @$1,000 a month.
Our tour bus had seen better days but it was really decorated! Each seat was covered with a white dish towel size fabric bordered with a blue folkloric design. Around the entire inside above the windows was a shaped brocade valance adorned with two scalloped rows of ball fringe. Pretty funky! Our first stop was Eagles Nest Hill for a nice view of the harbor. Brian asked our guide, Olga (perfect name), about the naval fleet and was told there was none here. I reworded his question and asked about submarines but no, they weren't here either. We could see several naval ships, many uniformed sailors and some kind of a navy headquarters so evidently the guides can not talk about the military. Our English dinner friends visited a school teacher's apartment where she had to sign in and out each time, so someone knew where she was at all times. Aren't we lucky to live in the U.S.?
We toured a submarine that we scrambled through which was fun. No signs were in English but I learned the submarine was famous for downing five ships during WWII and the Captain was awarded The Hero of the Soviet Union. We visited the "Square of the Fighters for Soviet Power in the Far East" (whew). This is a central square that was built for large celebrations which also include a military tank to oversee events. It looks like a gigantic parking lot with a couple of statues.
We went to the railroad station and got to see the Trans Siberian train leaving for Moscow, a 7-day trip. Brian loved that but after seeing the train we agreed we'd never want to take that trip. We walked to Gum Department Store which I was anxious to visit. It looked like a series of boutiques merchandised like a store from the 1950's. In the afternoon, Brian was relaxing on our deck when he was startled by a fly over of MIG fighter jets. They returned and I got a photo. It was exciting and creepy at the same time.
We were late leaving port due to a confused Chinese passenger hanging on to his passport. When we finally got clearance, 28 immigration officers marched off the ship in formation, down the pier and finally into some building. They are very serious about immigration here. Many people came to the pier to see the ship sail but only occasionally did someone wave. This has been a fascinating port.
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| Top Eagles Nest |
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| Square of the Fighters... |
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Sapporo
What a fabulous day! We took a nice bus ride through beautiful country for about 1 1/2 hrs to Sapporo. It was rolling hills, lots of trees and farmland with views of the coast. We had one potty stop with fairly normal toilets with lots of buttons. We were warned not to press the buttons, but who could resist a hot seat and a little music?
It clouded up and started to rain just before we got to Sapporo. We headed to a handcraft/fiber shop that was wonderful. I could have spent the day there. The website is Mariya.com. Such nice people, beautiful things, and great displays on two floors. I took lots of photos.
We headed to an underground mall when we left the shop because it was still raining. Because of so much snow here, there is a lot that goes on underground such as connected malls. The shops were very trendy and beautiful to see. Brian was ready for some Sapporo beer so we had lunch and beer. (Couldn't find the yakitori, Michael)
When we went back up to street level, the rain had stopped and we walked the full length of the park which I think is 1.5 miles. They were celebrating Autumn Fest so there was lots of food, beer and music. I finally found the yakitori (chicken on a skewer) and lots of varieties of ramen. Everyone was having lots of fun, including the teens doing their group dances in the park. It was a great place to people watch and see some funky outfits.
We finally headed back to Muroran and the ship. The local kids did a wonderful send off with dances and then there was a lot of back and forth yelling of sayonara. Great fun. (Our room steward brought us a bottle of champagne. We could get used to this.)
Today we are at sea. It is about 65, sunny and smooth. Perfect day for cruising. Tomorrow - Vladivostok.
Betty
It clouded up and started to rain just before we got to Sapporo. We headed to a handcraft/fiber shop that was wonderful. I could have spent the day there. The website is Mariya.com. Such nice people, beautiful things, and great displays on two floors. I took lots of photos.
We headed to an underground mall when we left the shop because it was still raining. Because of so much snow here, there is a lot that goes on underground such as connected malls. The shops were very trendy and beautiful to see. Brian was ready for some Sapporo beer so we had lunch and beer. (Couldn't find the yakitori, Michael)
When we went back up to street level, the rain had stopped and we walked the full length of the park which I think is 1.5 miles. They were celebrating Autumn Fest so there was lots of food, beer and music. I finally found the yakitori (chicken on a skewer) and lots of varieties of ramen. Everyone was having lots of fun, including the teens doing their group dances in the park. It was a great place to people watch and see some funky outfits.
We finally headed back to Muroran and the ship. The local kids did a wonderful send off with dances and then there was a lot of back and forth yelling of sayonara. Great fun. (Our room steward brought us a bottle of champagne. We could get used to this.)
Today we are at sea. It is about 65, sunny and smooth. Perfect day for cruising. Tomorrow - Vladivostok.
Betty
Friday, September 24, 2010
Konnichiwa
Tomorrow we land at Muroran and will take a 1-2 hour bus ride to Sapporo. We are going to Odori Park (gardens, shops, restaurants, underground mall, ski jump at one end, tv tower at the other, about 3 miles long). More on that later.
Today, our highlight was a tour of the Bridge! Brian's Goddaughter surprised us with this. Thanks KT! A group of 10 of us got a personal tour led by the Captain (the charming, Italian). It was fascinating and a fabulous view. I took lots of photos of various computers, gizmos and flags. Actually I learned too much to relate in this blog but it was super cool.
We are seeing land now and then which is exciting after nothing but water for several days. It has been overcast and cool (around 50) but now and then it clears and we see clouds and sunsets. The seas are still calm and we have been very lucky. We are going to get a few bumps in the night as we round Hokkaido. The Captain explained that he is going faster to avoid the typhon off of China so we will miss most of the effects of that and will arrive in port early. I love him. The smoother the better for me!!
Today there was a German buffet set up at lunch which was popular with the many Germans on board. We've had different specialty lunches: Japanese, Mexican, English, Indian, etc.
I went to a lecture on Russia and the Pacific which was very interesting. I learned about the history of where we are headed and that the population is greatly diminishing. If it is as dreary as it sounds, then it's no wonder everyone is packing it up. I've also been going to great talks about the upcoming ports. Today I popped into Easy Japanesy but after about 5 minutes I decided to rely on what Michael taught me. (Michael, some of it did stick with me.) We went through Japanese immigration where we had both index fingers printed and a photo of our retina done. We will need to do this again when we get to Nagasaki which seems a little redundant. There's a different routine to entering every country but we have been told to be zen about it.
By the way, konnichiwa means good afternoon. Sayonara. Betty
Today, our highlight was a tour of the Bridge! Brian's Goddaughter surprised us with this. Thanks KT! A group of 10 of us got a personal tour led by the Captain (the charming, Italian). It was fascinating and a fabulous view. I took lots of photos of various computers, gizmos and flags. Actually I learned too much to relate in this blog but it was super cool.
We are seeing land now and then which is exciting after nothing but water for several days. It has been overcast and cool (around 50) but now and then it clears and we see clouds and sunsets. The seas are still calm and we have been very lucky. We are going to get a few bumps in the night as we round Hokkaido. The Captain explained that he is going faster to avoid the typhon off of China so we will miss most of the effects of that and will arrive in port early. I love him. The smoother the better for me!!
Today there was a German buffet set up at lunch which was popular with the many Germans on board. We've had different specialty lunches: Japanese, Mexican, English, Indian, etc.
I went to a lecture on Russia and the Pacific which was very interesting. I learned about the history of where we are headed and that the population is greatly diminishing. If it is as dreary as it sounds, then it's no wonder everyone is packing it up. I've also been going to great talks about the upcoming ports. Today I popped into Easy Japanesy but after about 5 minutes I decided to rely on what Michael taught me. (Michael, some of it did stick with me.) We went through Japanese immigration where we had both index fingers printed and a photo of our retina done. We will need to do this again when we get to Nagasaki which seems a little redundant. There's a different routine to entering every country but we have been told to be zen about it.
By the way, konnichiwa means good afternoon. Sayonara. Betty
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Where's Wednesday?
I'm going to back up because Michael asked me what I liked about the Anchorage Museum and one was everything that was made out of animal intestines. That included the parka (sort of like a weather proof poncho). It was even adorned with a bit of beading - for my fashionista friends. Another was a quilted wall hanging by Marie Snell (?) called Flag Unfurled...as if Betsy Ross got into my stash. It was clever and colorful and I'll email a photo later to my quilting friends.
When we boarded in Whittier, we had flowers, champagne and chocolate covered strawberries in our cabin, sent by Brian's Goddaughter. Thanks KT. It was a fabulous send off.
We met our charming, Italian Captain who is doing an excellent job of steering us away from rough seas. He told us he was up at 4 am to find a different route. So, we cut north, above the Aleutian Islands to avoid 30' swells on the south side. We really appreciate that! Brian took some Dramine as a precaution and now he is a sleepyhead. The swells have been between 5-7' so the sea is quite calm.
Today's news is that it is Thursday! Yesterday it was Tuesday 9/21 and today it is Thursday 9/23. We crossed the International Date Line and lost a day. There's going to be a "What Happened to Wednesday?"party this afternoon.
The food has been quite good. Today there was a Mexican buffet for lunch so all the CA and AZ people were there getting their fix. Tonight is Margarita night :). We also found the soft serve ice cream bar. (They're looking for you, Rich.)
We've been attending informative lectures on upcoming ports. One included a hilarious discussion on how ladies should manage the toilets (ie. holes in the ground). Fun times ahead.
OK - since the internet is so slow:
Michael, let Ryo know that we are not going to Tokyo.
Kathi, email your brother. He is not sure his email is working correctly.
K.O. - I've been going to the gym. Just saying.
Hi to M,T,t & n.
Betty
When we boarded in Whittier, we had flowers, champagne and chocolate covered strawberries in our cabin, sent by Brian's Goddaughter. Thanks KT. It was a fabulous send off.
We met our charming, Italian Captain who is doing an excellent job of steering us away from rough seas. He told us he was up at 4 am to find a different route. So, we cut north, above the Aleutian Islands to avoid 30' swells on the south side. We really appreciate that! Brian took some Dramine as a precaution and now he is a sleepyhead. The swells have been between 5-7' so the sea is quite calm.
Today's news is that it is Thursday! Yesterday it was Tuesday 9/21 and today it is Thursday 9/23. We crossed the International Date Line and lost a day. There's going to be a "What Happened to Wednesday?"party this afternoon.
The food has been quite good. Today there was a Mexican buffet for lunch so all the CA and AZ people were there getting their fix. Tonight is Margarita night :). We also found the soft serve ice cream bar. (They're looking for you, Rich.)
We've been attending informative lectures on upcoming ports. One included a hilarious discussion on how ladies should manage the toilets (ie. holes in the ground). Fun times ahead.
OK - since the internet is so slow:
Michael, let Ryo know that we are not going to Tokyo.
Kathi, email your brother. He is not sure his email is working correctly.
K.O. - I've been going to the gym. Just saying.
Hi to M,T,t & n.
Betty
Monday, September 20, 2010
Sailing Away
We sailed from Whittier (pop. 250) on Saturday and the scenery was stunning. We passed tall mountains, glaciers, waterfalls, forests of thick healthy pine mixed with trees changing color - fabulous. It reminded me a bit of the coast of Norway. Then we traveled through the inland passage, between Kodiak and the mainland which I think has helped to give us smooth sailing so far. We passed Dutch Harbor, for all you Deadliest Catch fans, but it is calm. The weather is about 50 so it's a bit chilly to be outside. We are reading, going to talks, chatting with new friends and relaxing. We dine with three Brits but we need a couple of rowdy Americans to join us. I hope the waters remain smooth and all will be well.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Anchorage
Well, we landed in Anchorage. Actually that was lucky since the day before the airport was fogged in and all flights were diverted to Fairbanks. Today, we visited the Anchorage Museum which was fabulous and featured an exhibit from the Smithsonian. Our room overlooks the Anchorage train station so Brian is happy overseeing all the train action. I managed to find a quilt shop just around the corner. Tomorrow we have what we understand to be a very scenic 2-hour train ride to our ship. We're off to a good start.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Heading to Anchorage
Well, we're nearly off on our loooong cruise. I'll blog if the computers on board cooperate. And if we have smooth waters.
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