A FEW PICTURES

Our place in Tuscany

Santorini

Santorini

An Ass of Myself

Still Santorini

Istanbul

Grand Bazaar in Istanbul

And they had running water

Ephesus

And we bought one

Acropolis




Celebrity Equinox

Positano

Slightly worse for wear

FINAL STOPS OF CRUISE

ATHENS:  We had pre-arranged a bus tour of Athens, the highlight of which was climbing the many slippery steps up to the Acropolis.  Although quite amazing that this could have been built without any modern equipment, it was a bit of a letdown after the beauty of Ephesus.

Athens, as you all know, is in financial crisis.  What we saw were piles of garbage (a strike had just ended), lots of graffiti on public buildings; the graffiti being political in nature.  Supposedly every cloud has a silver lining.  In this case the crisis has apparently solved the famous Athens traffic congestion.  Many Greeks can no longer afford to drive their cars.  On the other hand, the crisis has done nothing to improve the dreadful nature of Greek wine.

MYKONOS:  This windswept Greek island is famous for its beaches and acceptance of tourists with alternate lifestyles.   Although some were swimming it was a little late in the season for us to venture into the sea.  The main town was crammed with shops loaded with junk so after a pleasant meal of fried sardines we made an early return to the ship.

NAPOLI:  The day started very early as we left the ship to join 6 others for a tour of the Naples area.  Our first stop was Pompeii which you all know was buried in lava ash after Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD.  Pompeii is very interesting but our visit was marred when Betty took a nasty tumble.  Although nothing appears to be broken she has many bruises and a badly sprained thumb.  Perhaps if I put on a “wife beater shirt” we go as a couple to a costume party.

After Pompeii we had a compulsory visit to an olive oil place before visiting Sorrento where our group had a very nice lunch (I think at our driver’s cousin’s place, who may also be in the olive oil business).

After lunch we drove down the absolutely spectacular Amalfi coastline to the town of Postitano where we had a short stop before returning to the ship.

GOING HOME:  The day is not over as we will go to part of the early closing show in the theatre before my choir has a short performance in the grand foyer.  After that our last of the wonderful onboard dinners before catching a few hours of sleep and then starting the journey back to Antigonish.

BLOGGING:  I hope you found these blogs a little interesting.  I learned a few things on this trip:  (1) zipper pocket shirts are a great place to keep one’s passport and a credit card or two; (2) while driving in Tuscany is possible, never try the Naples area; (3) offer your wife anything if she will take 20 lbs. out of her suitcase before leaving home.

TALES FROM TURKEY

ISTANBUL:  We awoke to find ourselves anchored next to the Queen Elizabeth (smaller than our ship) on the Golden Horn in central Istanbul   It was a gorgeous day and we rushed through breakfast in order to join our brief introductory tour of the city.

Although Turkey is officially a secular country there are more than 10,000 mosques serving Istanbul’s 14 million citizens.  Fortunately, our tour guide took us through only one.  After visiting several of the standard tourist spots we were dropped at a carpet shop for a demonstration and a sales pitch.  I finally got Betty away before she spent next year’s savings (see below).

At this point we left the tour and went to the Grand Bazaar.  This should not be missed as there are over 4,000 shops crowded together under one roof.  There are so many jewellery stores that I think if every woman in the world bought one item there would be no noticeable drop in inventory.

We ate a delicious lunch ordered at random down some back street and then proceeded to get quite lost as we explored the labyrinth of streets in the old part of the city.  Eventually an English speaking policeman gave us directions toward a bridge we knew we needed to cross in order to find the ship.

Istanbul seems to be a Mecca of retail, and some of the merchants are quite aggressive.  Betty enjoyed the merchant who offered to show her “something she did not need.”   I think, however that the pitch of the day came from a restaurateur who assured me that his fish was filled with natural Viagra. 

Istanbul is on three land masses, two of which are Europe and are separated by the Golden Horn.  The newer part (suburbs) is in Asia across the Straits of Bosphorus.  As our second day was only a half day we decided to explore an area nearer the ship.  We were seeking Taksim Square as well as the Galata Tower.  We found the first but got quite lost and never did find the tower.   The area we explored was obviously a low rent district containing store after store selling used furniture.  Eventually we kept working our way downhill until we came out to the water and thus were able to find our ship.

HIGHLIGHT SO FAR:  On our third morning in Turkey we docked in the beautiful port of Kusadasi in Asia Minor.  This small resort city is the jumping off point for Ephesus.  Ephesus, once the largest city in Asia, was buried in silt in the 7 century and only discovered in the 19^th.  It is the major archeological dig in Asia ever since. 

Our tour bus took us the 20 km to Ephesus, and there we were truly amazed at the beauty of the partially restored city and the advanced nature of what was built by the Greeks, after Alexander the Great conquered Asia Minor,  and then subsequently by the Romans.  We sat in the 25,000 seat amphitheatre where Saint Paul preached to the Ephesians (no bad puns about epistles forthcoming).  The weather (21C) was perfect, but one should never come here in high tourist season as temperatures frequently reach 120F.

COUNTRY RUBES:  Our tour dropped us back in Kusadasi where I hoped to have lunch.  However, Betty suggested 20 minutes of shopping.  I never did get lunch.  Going into a shop in Kusadasi is very high risk as one is first given a glass of very fine wine, served in a perfectly matching glass, and a small pastry.  After the third glass of wine they get around to discussing prices.

After purchasing a Turkish carpet, a leather jacket for Betty and an Antelope skin jacket for Ron, Betty’s credit card maxed out and we had to switch to mine.  I suppose I did save a few Turkish Lira by involuntarily skipping lunch.

LEAVING TURKEY:  Tonight we set sail for Athens; but, despite facing debtor’s prison, I am sorry to be leaving.  Turkey was never very high up on my bucket list but the past three days have been great and I recommend this country as a place everyone should visit; after all a country that has 13,000 registered tour guides must have much to offer.  My only advice is that you should feel very secure in your relationship with your significant other before venturing into a shopping area.

ROME TO SANTORINI

 

LIFE ABOARD THE CELEBRITY EQUINOX:  Although our ship is far from the world’s largest it is a goodly size.  Its length is greater than the length of the street (Wedgewood Dr.) on which we live.  To be found on its 16 decks are 3 pools, a lawn club (with natural grass for lawn bowling, etc.), 10 restaurants and 15 bar/lounges.  The main theatre/concert hall seats 1150 and has two levels of balconies.  There are two shopping areas, but so far I have managed to mostly avoid the many high-end shops.  The disappointment for some, perhaps, is that the basketball court is actually only ½ size.

On the day we boarded we went to an early floor show followed by a late dinner.  After the meal we bar hopped (not drinking, just sitting) to check out the entertainment.  Within a short time we had managed to catch snippets of a classical guitarist, a dance band, a hard rock singer, a jazz quartet, a classical string trio, and a wonderful a cappella quartet.

The second day was a “sea day”, as we were sailing directly from Rome to Santorini.  We started the day with coffee on our balcony as we sailed through the Straits of Messina (between the mainland and Sicily).  We lingered long enough to miss the served breakfast and had to make do with the smoked salmon eggs benedict in the buffet.  After breakfast one of Betty’s internet groups had a brief social.  That was followed  by a no-charge wine tasting (Wine 101) which took us up to lunch.

In the afternoon we had a quick swim before I headed off to choir practice (yes, that’s what I said). This left time for a quick glass of wine on the balcony before we dressed for our first formal dinner;  preceded by another performance of the a cappella group, and followed by the evening floor show.

Food on the ship is very good.  Dinner was crispy frogs legs, corn soup, sorbet, rack of lamb, and tart tartin, all with an excellent cabernet from Washington State.  The first day I purchased more than a few  bottles of dinner wine to be drunk with each night’s meal, thus getting a small discount.

BACKSTAGE BODY ODOR:  We were fortunate enough to be invited to join a small group for a very interesting backstage tour of the theatre (which seats 1372, not 1150 as I previously said).  The current production cast has 18 performers plus 11 technical people.  During a show there are many costume changes as well as a lot of perspiring, particularly among the dancers.  Not all costumes can be laundered so during changes the costumes and the performers are sprayed with a mixture of 3 parts water and 1 part vodka; a tip for the next time you run out of deodorant.

SANTORINI:  The weather was perfect (mid 20’s) for our first port-of-call.  Santorini is reputed to be the most beautiful of the Greek Islands.   In order to get from the tender dock to the town of Fira at thetop of the cliff Betty took a cable car.  I chose the more traditional ride on a donkey up the 600 steps.  The donkey worked his (or her) way up the steep incline such that I waited several minutes for Betty’s high tech mode of transportation.

Unfortunately we only had about three hours from arrival until dark.  Thus, we could not do much touring except to walk around the one town.  Although Fira is a bit of a tourist trap, the scenery is spectacular.  We ended the afternoon by having a beer and watching the sunset on the patio of a cliffside bar.  Fortunately the donkeys quit work at dark so I had no embarrassment in taking the cable car back down to the ship.

 

BLOG FROM THE ETERNAL CITY:  I am sending this blog a little soon after my last one as this is my last free internet before boarding our ship (where internet charges will be outrageous).

Our train left Castiglion Fiorentino exactly on time, but someone screwed up as we reached Rome 1 minute early.  As our hotel was about 12 blocks from the station we decided to hoof it.  However, with one broken wheel on my suitcase a taxi might have been a better option.

On the train we met an interesting young couple who quit their jobs in Toronto 4 years ago and emigrated to Castiglion F.  They survive on the rental income from the house they still own in TO plus he goes back for one month per year and plies his trade as a cabinet maker.

After arrival in Rome we walked to Trevi Fountain and then on to the Spanish steps.  The crowds of people were unbelievable.  We sat forever on the Spanish steps and people watched.  At one point we saw a police car take more than 20 minutes to work its way through the crowd for about one short block.

After a nice supper we were very happy to put our aching feet to bed in the hopes they would be restored for another day on the Roman paving stones.

SUNDAY IN ROMA:  Rome is a great walking city even in the rain.  I invested 3 Euros in a flimsy umbrella which needs to last only through this evening.  Tomorrow our cruise ship will provide each passenger with sturdier implements. 

We started our day with a 45 minute walk to the Pantheon, which was well worth it.  The dome is spectacular and has survived for more than 2000 years.  After all, the dome at St. Peters is simply a copy.  We then kept walking from one Piazza to another until our feet gave out. 

We are now recuperating back at our hotel before a half hour walk to a hole-in-the-wall where we have an early reservation.  After dinner we are going to Teatro Salone Margherita (a small opera house) for a concerto of “enchanting arias” to be performed by an assembly of “the most accomplished virtuosos” of Venice.

Assuming our feet get us home tonight we shall be very happy to board our ship tomorrow for the two-day sail to Santorini.

TUSCANY REDUX

Wednesday began with drizzle, which turned to light rain, then heavy rain, which lasted all day and all night.  We drove to Cortona where we parked in a free lot and took the escalator up into the city.  Cortona has very steep streets which makes walking on wet stones very treacherous.  After moving from doorway to doorway we eventually took refuge in a large Etruscan Museum where I learned much more about burial practices in the 7^th century B.C. than I had ever wanted to know.  However, it was dry inside as was the little restaurant where we had lovely lunch of pasta and pizza washed down with an unknown wine.

After a quiet afternoon of reading we turned to the problem of dinner.  Both Castiglion and Cortona (the two nearest towns) require that one park outside the walls and venture on foot along the narrow and sometimes very steep streets.  Not wishing to risk breaking a hip or tearing up a knee on the very rough street surface we decided to try a restaurant (the only one) that was along the road to Cortona.  The parking area was in total darkness and we were not certain the place was even open.  However, the sign offered ``carne e pesce`` so we dashed through the rain from the car to the door.

We were seated in a dining room with two large fireplaces, each of which had a blazing fire.  In front of one was a grill fueled by embers from one of the fireplaces, a case containing very large joints of beef, and a butcher’s table.

In my best phrase book Italian I asked for “la lista dei vini”.  The waiter shook his head and then proceeded to place a selection of bottles on our table.  I choose a Rosso di Montepulciano (which is a cheaper version of the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano that I mentioned earlier).  The waiter said that this was “home made”, which I eventually figured out to mean that it was the house wine.

While Betty ordered a steak, I choose the squid and shrimp.  As the room filled with other diners we noticed that most ordered steaks.  The waiter used his cleaver to cut steaks the size of which I haven’t seen since we were in Argentina.  Clearly one was not given a choice as to how the steak should be prepared but each one came perfectly medium rare.  We lingered while enjoying the ambiance and chatting occasionally with a woman at the next table who was most interested in how we cooked meat in America.

After we had finished our espressos the waiter placed a bottle of chilled limoncino on the table.  I watched as Betty downed several shot glasses as I steeled myself for the wet drive home, where my pokey driving aroused road rage among the Italian tailgaters.

ALL SAINTS DAY:  November 1 is a holiday and we were awakened at 7:00 a.m. by the ringing of church bells.  Apparently the day is to be spent visiting the graves of long dead relatives.  As we are not aware of any dead relatives in Italy we decided to drive to Lucignano, a small medieval town with the traditional layout of streets in concentric circles.  Later we drove to Arezzo, a much larger town with streets seemingly designed to totally confuse us old farts.  It took an hour just to find our way out of the city.  However, the sun had come out and the temperature had reached the high teens so not all was lost.

In the evening we drove back to Cortona for dinner.  The first two restaurants we tried (both recommended by Trip Advisor) had no room for us so we walked into the first place that had empty tables.  Once seated we were served glasses of sparkling wine and then presented with the menus.  The wine list had over 500 items.  The food was superb (Tuscan soup, chicken livers, guinea hen, potato flan) and with dessert came a glass of chilled muscat.   At the end of the evening we were given a small bottle of olive oil to take away and a note asking us to send our comments to Trip Advisor once we had reached home.  Obviously Trip Advisor is playing a significant role in the success or failure of restaurants.  Tonight we are going to return to the same restaurant so we should be able to comment twice.

LAST DAY IN TUSCANY:    Today we drove to Montalcino, another walled hilltop town.  Montalcino is the home of the famous, but expensive wine Brunello di Montalcino.    The town’s streets are lined with Enotecas, which are shops where you can taste and purchase.  Needlesstosay we could not get near any of the large number of parking lots, but eventually found a precarious spot some distance from the town’s walls.  I was restricted in my purchases by how many bottles I could comfortably carry back to the car. 

As we take the train to Rome in the morning I’ll end my notes on Tuscany with a bit of advice for any of you who might visit here someday:  Bring three things:  an empty stomach; a dry throat, and a functioning GPS.

 

 

ANTIGONISH TO CASTIGLION FIORENTINO

 

Travelling is never without a little anxiety and as we were flying to Rome via Philadelphia we worried that “Frankenstorm” might get in the way.  Our flight out of Halifax was delayed by 1.5 hours making for a tight connection in Philly.  However, we did make our flight just before the airport was closed indefinitely.

Arriving at Fiumicino Airport we caught a train to Termini where we switched  (with only a few moments to spare) to a regional train for our 2-hour trip to Castiglion Fiorentino.    Filipo, the owner of our villa, met the train and we were soon at our beautiful spot where our tiny rental car as well as a bottle of the neighbour’s wine awaited us.

The trains in Italy seem to be very efficient, running exactly on time (Mussolini’s heritage?) but I wish the stations provided coin operated fork lifts, or some other device, to aid in getting Betty’s suitcase up and into the 2^nd class railcar.

Upon arrival we drove into the very pretty walled hillside town, where without GPS we immediately got totally lost.  We do have these things called maps but I cannot remember how they are used.  Our intention had been to find a nice Trattoria for our first night in Italy.  However, we were too tired after the 25-hour trip so we picked up pizza and pastries as well as a bottle of Vino Nobile de Montepulciano and returned to our villa.  By the way Vino Nobile de Montepulciano (not available in Nova Scotia) is a very famous wine not to be confused with Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, but I’ll save that for a WineWhine.

DRIVING IN TUSCANY:   Yesterday we visited the beautiful towns Montepulciano and Pienza.  Getting there was, however, more than half the fun.  As I mentioned above we do not have GPS in our rental so our process is for Betty to read the map and for me to avoid being driven off the road by Italian drivers.  The problem is that the map gives route numbers but none of the signs do the same.  Thus as we approach an intersection Betty suggests we turn on route something or other.   As I circle the roundabout the signs suggest going to this or that town.   By the time Betty has located the town on the map (which may be 30 or 300 kms away) I have already driven 15 kms on the wrong road.  I don’t know if the Italians copied this stupid system from the French or whether the French copied the Italians, but these two countries seem to compete on who can confuse the most tourists.

Italian drivers have perfected the art of tailgating.  Driving the speed limit or slightly above leads to one seeming like an engine on a many car train; each car vying for being the closest to the one ahead.  Sometimes I think a match could be lit by my rear bumper and the front bumper of the guy behind.

FOOD AND WINE:   So far the food has been excellent, even when it seems that we are ordering at random from the Italian menus.  Last night, for example, I got an appetizer of cheese served with honey, which was much better than it sounds.  Wine lists are a little easier, although here the problem is too many bottles and too little time.  We have learned, however,  that if we skip going into the 13^th century churches there is more time to spend in the wine tasting shops.

LAST BLOG FROM ASIA

MARCH 23:  Our ship docked this morning at Tianjin Port.  We left immediately on a lengthy bus trip to see the Yellow Teeth section of the Great Wall.  It certainly was worth the trip.  We enjoyed walking and mostly climbing.  When I finally reached a target tower I was totally winded but very happy to see cold beer for sale.  However, it was being sold by an ancient woman, who I assume had to have carried the stuff there, probably without being winded at all.

For our last night on board we had reservations at 8:00 at the Polo Grill (our favorite eating spot).  Our bus got back at 8:10 but the Maître-D’ kindly let us switch to 8:30.  He found us a table for two (see advice on cruising below) and we enjoyed our crab cakes, lobster bisque and prime rib.   I was discussing with my favorite sommelier whether to order an expensive wine from Napa or a cheap wine from Mendoza when he said he would simply discount the more expensive wine for us; a final nice gesture from the incredible staff of the good ship Nautica.

MARCH 24:  We departed the Nautica for the last time taking a 3-hour bus ride to Beijing.  Beijing is a city of 20 million, with 5 million cars.  The traffic is constant gridlock.  In an attempt to control the increase in traffic, licenses to own a car are given by lottery.    Depending on one’s licence number car owners are not allowed to use their cars on one of the five days from Monday to Friday.

 Once we reached the center of Beijing we walked across Tiananmen Square to the Forbidden City.  As we were on our way to the airport our guide speed marched us through (4 km from the South to the North Gate).  Somehow we found the buildings to be less luxurious than we expected.   Perhaps the Emperor was too busy with his 3000 concubines to worry about décor.   I have, however, sent a picture of Betty’s favorite spot in the City.

After leaving the city we stopped for one last mystery meal before facing the flight home.

ADVICE TO CRUISERS:  As we have now taken 5 cruises, I recommend this form of travel.  I do think, however, that we have learned a little bit about cruising.  Here are my 5 rules to follow:

1.        As you can only book through a travel agent, choose the right agent.  Do not rely on your local agent.  Only a couple of companies that specialize in cruises can get you discounts and onboard credits.

2.       Choose the cruise line that matches your demographics (travelling with young children, swinging singles, old farts).

3.       Choose a smaller ship.  Larger ships cannot reach the better piers, especially if the city is on a river.  Frequently large ships must dock an hour or two away from everything.

4.       Do not book shore excursions with your cruise line.  Cruise lines make their exorbitant profits on excursions and the casino.  Become familiar with websites such as cruisecritic.com, and use them to arrange private tours.

5.       At the evening meal always ask for a “sharing table.”  Your spouse becomes much more interesting after an evening with political idiots.

ROMANTIC CRUSING:   Some like to cruise because they find it romantic.  Therefore, let me thus leave you with this story:

The old man decided to take his wife on a cruise for their 50^th anniversary.   The first evening, as they sailed on the moonlit sea, they enjoyed a meal in the grand dining room.  Everything from caviar to crème brule, from cocktail to cabernet, was excellent.  After dinner they skipped the floor show and opted to go to the 10^th deck to have a nightcap and watch the lights from the shoreline.

Eventually they returned to their stateroom and retired.  The old man then placed his hand on his wife’s leg.  She responded by moving closer and putting her hand on his chest.  He then slid his hand up onto her hip.  She drew lines down his chest with her manicured nails.

At this point he removed his hand and rolled the other way.  “Why did you stop?” she uttered.

“I found the remote” were his final words.

SHANGHAI

MARCH 20/21:  For our two day stop our ship docked right in the center of Shanghai.  Shanghai is an absolutely stunning city.  World class cities fall into two types:  those that have classic architecture and height restrictions in the core (Paris, Madrid, Buenos Aires) and those that are vertical  (New York, Santiago de Chile).  Shanghai is in the latter category, but different in that the skyscrapers are not simply glass and steel rectangular blocks; rather each building has its own unique shape with either curves or angles other than 90 degrees.   Shanghai proves that not all modern architecture is tasteless.

Shanghai has a population of 23 million, yet (unlike Hong Kong) it does not feel crowded.  Perhaps the $8,000 licensing fee cuts down on the use of private cars.  The city is on two sides of the river, with the largest buildings on the newer side, all of which have been built since 1990.  At one time during the 90’s Shanghai was reputed to have more than 50 % of the world’s construction cranes.

There is little or no unemployment, and no signs of poverty.  Apparently if you lose your job and cannot find another, the government steps in and provides something (such as giving you a uniform and standing you at a busy intersection where you help old people and tourists across the street).

For our two days eight of us arranged for a guide and driver.  We saw the standard sights including the white jade Buddha, the Yu garden (400 year old formal garden in the center of the city), the old city, the French Concession, etc.  At the end of the first day we were returned to the ship around 5:00 p.m.  Betty and I left immediately so that we could stroll along “The Bund”.   “The Bund” is a pedestrian walkway that separates a long section of the river from an older group of buildings from colonial times.  After a late supper back on board we parked in the 10^th deck lounge and enjoyed the light show displayed by many of the huge buildings.

On the second day we had a little more time on “The Bund” prior to our afternoon cruise on the river.  At one point we were stopped by three young girls (tourists from southwest China) who asked us to take their picture.  They were very, very excited to hear that we were from Justin Beiber’s country. On each day we lunched at a local restaurant where the food was excellent.  I did recognize a duck course during one of the meals.  I have almost mastered the art of eating noodles with chopsticks.

After lunch on the first day we visited a tea shop for the traditional tea ceremony.  Even for a non-tea drinker like me this was a very entertaining hour, almost as good as a wine tasting.

One of our stops was at the International Financial Centre (locally called the bottle opener for the building’s resemblance of that appliance) where we visited the 100^th floor for a panoramic view of the city.  While at the top we used the facilities (which in Vietnam would be called the “happy room”).  While I enjoyed relieving myself while standing up to a glass wall, Betty experienced (not in the same happy room) sitting on a heated seat and having her choice of which part of her bottom she wished to have washed.  She declared that she wants one of those toilets at home.  One of the women in the group was so enthralled with the view from the John that she stood too quickly and apparently got a complete shower.   I guess you can’t take a Canadian anywhere.

Throughout this trip we have really enjoyed the various groups of people with whom we have taken shore excursions.  However, as I mentioned earlier, not everyone can be pleased.  The New York couple have been with us several times.  Eventually whenever we had a choice of when or where to go each group would wait to see how they voted, then everyone else selected the opposite.

We are getting better at bartering, although I’m not certain that I really needed the $ 4. “Rolex” that Betty’s bought me as a gift.  Perhaps it will keep time until we return to Canada in only a couple of days.

p.s.  The two pictures are of our ship; one taken from the 100th floor.

HONG KONG

MARCH 15:  We were ready for the relaxation of today’s “sea day”.  I attended three lectures (stayed awake in only one), and went to a wine sale to stock up on dinner wines for the rest of the cruise.  As repeat customers on the cruise line we were invited to the Captain’s cocktail party.  The Captain was a no show.  We were sailing through heavy fog in an area with many fishing boats so I guess it was a good thing that the Captain stayed on the bridge.

MISSING PASSENGERS:  The missing passengers caught up with the ship in Da Nang.  I now feel less sorry for them.  We were two days in Saigon and they left the ship the first day to stay overnight with friends.  As they had not informed the ship that they were leaving, the ship had no way to contact them to tell them of a change in the time of departure.

MARCH 16/17:  Two days in Hong Kong, a city with a great skyline, but a city farther down my suggested bucket list than other places we have recently visited.  Yesterday we teamed up with shipboard friends from Chicago and hired a local guide for a 6-hour walking tour.  The tour actually lasted 7.5 hours.  My feet may never speak to me again.  One of the highlights of the day was lunch when our guide took us to a restaurant unknown to tourists.  Before we ate our guide poured tea into a bowl and then proceeded to wash all of the dishes in the tea.  She explained that this was done in the local restaurants but not in high-end places.  The mystery meal was very tasty.

This morning we did more walking.  Later the cloud cover left and we decided to go to Victoria Peak (supposedly a must when visiting Hong Kong).  As our boat is docked in Kowloon we took the Star Ferry to Hong Kong Island (free for seniors), then eventually found the right city bus to get to the Peak Tram.  Upon arrival there were about 2000 people lined up for tram tickets.  We stayed on the bus.  If anybody has pictures from Victoria Peak, please send them.

Today being Saturday, it was madness getting around the city.  There are so many people on the streets, that walking is difficult.  Everyone seems to be high-end shopping, although the markets (bird market, women’s market, goldfish market, flower market) are also very busy.  The most popular car seems to be Mercedes, although most are not as old as Betty’s.

PEEING IN ASIA:   I have often commented that whenever we go to Europe we are in a constant search for a place where Betty can pee.   However, in Asia the toilets have been plentiful , there is no charge, and they are cleaner than in Europe.

SHOPPING FRENZY

SHOPPING FRENZY

MARCH 12:  We docked in Da Nang, a city of 800,000.  However, we read that there was not a lot to see here so six of us decided to make our way to Hoi  An, a world heritage city about 45 minutes away.  We found a large van with a guide and a driver, who agreed to take us to Hoi An, wait, and then return us to the ship; all at a cost of $ 20 per person.

On route we visited China Beach (R & R for Americans during the war) which is a beautiful 30 km. stretch of white sand.  We passed by many large high-end resorts including one owned by Greg Norman.

We started our visit to Hoi An with a stop at a silk factory (complete with zillions of silk worms as well as many young women doing embroidery.)  Betty quickly found herself being measured for silk blouses.  On our own we wandered past many shops most of which were selling silk clothes.  At one Betty spotted a jacket that we liked but which, of course, didn’t fit.  “Two hours” was the promise to have the same jacket made to fit Betty.  While she was processing her credit card with one clerk another cut sections off bolts of cloth and literally threw them out the window to a waiting motorbike which quickly disappeared with the silk cloth grasped in the driver’s hand.  Perhaps he was heading to a sweat shop where 7-year olds worked 18 hours per day.  After a great lunch at a café on the banks of the river (beer, curried chicken, and shrimp all for $ 11) we stopped to buy a suitcase to take to the various shops where hand-made clothes were awaiting Betty.  With about 20 minutes to go before meeting our van Betty found silk cloth that she particularly liked.  The young clerk didn’t have it in the color Betty wanted but promised she could get it in 15 minutes.  She then left us holding down the store while she, dressed in heels and a long silk dress, disappeared on her motor bike, returning about 14 minutes later with the silk cloth.

MARCH 13/14:  After some moderately rough seas from Da Nang, we docked for 1.5 days at Ha Long.  This is the closest port to Hanoi, but a tour into Hanoi takes 11 hours, most of that spent on a bus.  Prior to the trip we hooked up with 10 others (internet) who wanted to take a junk cruise in Ha Long Bay instead of going to Hanoi.  Early in the cruise the 12 of us had lunch and elected 3 to negotiate to hire a junk. 

Our boat looked a little less picturesque than what is shown on postcards.  It had about a 15 degree list to port and I think the Vietnamese name translated as “advanced dry rot”.  However, our 6 hours on the bay were magnificent.  Ha Long Bay has 1969 limestone islands, some of which have huge caves, others having grottos.  Our group was very convivial and we enjoyed the spectacular scenery, the stops at a couple of the islands to explore the caves, the transfer to a tiny boat to explore the grottos, and even the lunch of mystery fish.  The bay is truly  one of the world’s wonders.

LEAVING VIETNAM:        We are about to sail away from Vietnam.  Betty insists that I tell you that you must put this incredibly charming country at the very top of your list of places to visit.  More than that, you should visit here soon as the country is developing so rapidly that it will be unrecognizable in another 10 years.   In praising Vietnam I should strive for a little balance; their wine is awful.h

Malaysia to Vietnam

MALAYSIA TO VIETNAM

MARCH 7:  Today was not a perfect day, but then perhaps not every day is perfect in Paradise.   I don’t mean that it was a really bad day; after all no one lost a wallet, no one missed the ship, no one slipped and broke an ankle, and no one was called a “slut” by Russ Limbaugh.  But it was a boring day. 

We docked in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia where we had a pre-arranged tour with 8 others to Mount Kinabalu, a UNESCO world heritage site.  This is the highest mountain in Southeast Asia, protected because of the many rare types of plant life.   The bus took two hours to reach the mountain and we then spent hours listening to our guide explain the plant life; mostly orchids.  He was incredibly enthusiastic about the rare orchids, almost none of which were in bloom.  Answers to questions about, politics or social life got quickly diverted to plant life of the region.  I think Botany and Boring are linked by more than alliteration.

Our tour included lunch in a Chinese restaurant where the natives were eating unusual looking, but perhaps tasty, items.  However, our group was served a selection that could have been ordered at the Moonlight Restaurant in Antigonish.

MARCH 9:  Today is the first of our five days in Vietnam.  We got up before dawn to enjoy the sail up the Saigon River to Ho Chi Ming.  Saigon is a section of Ho Chi Ming Province (not City; that is a bad translation from the French).   The central area of Saigon is quite lovely, but walking is difficult as the streets and sidewalks are covered by a plague of motorbikes (5.1 million registered in Saigon).  Many bikes have 3 or 4 riders and the bikes carry everything.  We saw a guy holding a small refrigerator as he weaved through traffic.  It is not uncommon to see a mother, father and two kids riding on one small motorbike.

We spent most of the day on a tour of the Mekong Delta (the huge agricultural area south of the city).  We drove through rice paddies with lots of peasants under coulee hats working in the almost 40 degree sun.  We took a boat ride on the Mekong River where we stopped for lunch at an outdoor restaurant that served us such delicacies as Elephant Ear Fish.  Before returning to the ship we went to a show at a water puppet theatre.  This was much better than I had expected.  

A quick shower and a glass of wine got us ready for a dinner through which I had trouble staying awake.

MARCH 10.  Again we got up early and our bus bullied its way through the morning motorbike traffic as we crossed Saigon on our way to the village of Cu Chi.  This was an area of heavy fighting during the Vietnam War (or American War as it is called here).  The Americans were unable to defeat the Viet Cong who fought from a huge network of tunnels.  Now there is a lovely jungle walk to see examples of deadly traps for the GI’s.  I turned down an offer to fire live rounds from an AK-47 but I did crawl on my hands and knees through one of the Viet Cong tunnels.

On our way back to the city the 10 of us voted to skip lunch in favor of extra site seeing.  I did, however, spent one U.S. dollar for an ice-cold beer from a street vendor.  Before visiting some interesting museums we spent an hour in a huge market where Betty left more money than would have been spent by one with better bargaining skills.

I recommend to anyone that Saigon is a must for your travel bucket list.

Earlier in this blog I joked about missing the ship.   Today one couple did just that.  We had been originally scheduled to sail at 6:00 p.m. but departure got moved to 4:00.  I doubt the couple were planning on seeking asylum; rather they perhaps simply didn`t attend to the notice of departure time change.  Since it was 98 degrees F. outside I expect they had nothing with them besides shorts and sandals.  We heard that (1) one of the pair was quite elderly, and (2) the ship officials left their passports with port authorities (whether or not they would know enough to check there is another matter).  If they were like me most of their cash and perhaps some or all of their credit cards would have been left behind in the safe in their stateroom.  As tomorrow is a sea day this unfortunate couple will have to find hotels for two nights as well as figuring out a way to travel to our next port of call which is Da Nang (a long distance from Saigon).

Singapore to Brunei

MARCH 3:  This morning we docked at the world’s largest container pier.   Our shuttle bus drove through the length of the pier on our way to Singapore.  I am certain that the Halifax pier would be less than one per cent the size of this one.

Singapore is a wealthy city-state where the average annual income is $ 62,000. ( $ 47,000 in the U.S.).  The city is spotlessly clean which is what one would expect from a country which has a $ 500 fine for eating anything on the subway, and where chewing gum is outlawed completely. 

We didn’t have a tour arranged for Singapore so we bought one-day passes to the subway.  The subway system will take one literally anywhere so we spent the day going from sight to sight.  It is very easy to navigate as all the signs are in English.  One of the most impressive spots was the Sky Park,  a huge structure in the shape of a ship that straddles the top of three 50+story hotel towers.  Going up is similar to going up the CN tower but with a much, much, more impressive view.  We talked to people on the ship who had been here 7 or 8 years ago and they said that they didn’t recognize anything about the city.

MARCH 4/5:  Two sea days coincided with both Betty and I having stomach upsets.  We are not certain why as we ate different things on March 3, but we did drink a bottle of wine that was slightly corked (I know, I know, shame on me).  Really we were only sick for one day but even that is an adventure.  Getting any kind of sickness on a cruise means that one will get immediately quarantined until the ship’s doctor decides you are no longer a threat to anyone.  Thus, one has to be careful to leave one’s room at least twice per day when the maids come so that you don’t get reported.  We were on a cruise once when a passenger got a mild bit of flu and both she and her husband were confined to their cabin for several days.

MARCH 6:  We docked at the Port in Maura, Brunei Darussalam (on the island of Borneo).  Brunei Darussalam is a tiny oil-rich Sultanate.  We had no advance plans but thought we would go into the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan and wander around.  However, the ship wanted $ 49 per person just for a return bus ride to the city which is only ½ hour away.  Instead we left the ship and found, or were found by, a young deckhand from a nearby tugboat who offered us a 5-hour tour for $ 100 Singapore dollars. 

First, he took us to the 100-year old Kampong Ayer, or Water Village, where 30,000 live in stilt supported houses on the river.  There we rented a high-speed water taxi and went several miles up the Brunei River where we found many Proboscis monkeys which live in the Mangroves.   After returning to the city center Betty donned a floor length black robe in order to enter the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque.  We then were briefly dropped at the gates of the Sultan’s Palace, the world’s largest making Buckingham seem definitely from the low rent district.  After several more stops including another Mosque and the Royal Regalia Museum we headed back to Maura stopping for a walk through the lobby of the Empire Hotel (where rooms range in price from $ 400 to $ 15,000)—definitely a step up from Motel 6.  I happily left my remaining Singapore dollars with our superb guide and boarded the ship in time for an afternoon swim.

DINING ON BOARD THE NAUTICA:  There are five restaurants on board but we usually opt for the Grand Dining room.  On entering we are always asked if we wish to be alone or would we like to join others.  Our option is for company and we sit at a table for 6 or 8 and enjoy a 3 to 5 course meal with decent wine.  As there are 131 Canadians on board sometimes we find ourselves with sedate conversations about travelling or grandchildren.  If our dinner companions are Americans the conversations tend toward politics.  Although there are both Democrats and Republicans here they seem to identify each other from a distance and avoid the same tables.  I remain shocked at the Republicans antipathy toward Obama.  Although lots of Canadians dislike Prime Minister Harper the depth of emotion is nothing like that many of our dinner companions have toward their President.  They seem in absolute despair at the thought of another 4 years.

Tonight, however, we have reservations at the Italian spot.