Sunset from our Veranda 

Day 42

@ sea enroute to Bangkok

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Another wonderful sea day.  Our friend Keith is always saying that being on board is like a village where you know everyone.  Well today was one of those days I truly believed it.  After watching the Morning Show we headed to the Bistro for breakfast.  A little while later Becky joined us.  She had her eye on a corner table so she could plug in her computer.  Bill went to his yoga golf lesson and Becky made a bee line for a corner table with an outlet.  So I followed.  She and I did some work, her on her laptop me on my IPAD.  But it was not to be,  Shortly Pat from cruise critic joined us then Betty who is also on the WC.  The four of us were discussing everything from cameras to shore excursions.  I forgot to watch the time and forgot to meet Bill for the 11:00 lecture.  After it was over he found us still in the Bistro chatting away with others!  Becky ran down to give Debbie in the Shore Excursion office her a memory stick with some photos of Debbie I went to find Lianne to give her ones I took of her with her Singapore Sling but the photo store was closed.  So the three of us headed up to the Asian buffet. Becky had spoken to someone about staying on for another segment and the good news is that they can get her a China visa the bad news is she might have to change her cabin!  So she is in a quandry again.  Should she stay or should she go!  Of course I vote for staying but he has to make that decision!!!  At this point if she stays on for the next segment she might as well stay on for the last one and do the whole WC.  Hopefully then they will give her an IPAD 2 and the jackets and hats!  I will let you know what she decides!

After lunch Bill headed down to another golf lesson,  I wondered around the shops.  Our memoir writing instructor, Joe Kita had to fly home from Singapore as his mother is critically ill.  So not sure if he will be back before the end of the WC or not.  But I will keep writing!  I finally made my way back to the cabin and trying to find one of our overnight bags as we are headed for an overnight in Bangkok.  Must be in storage so we will use the new duffel bag we bought in Java, Indonesia!  Don’t need much but between my CPAP machine and all our medicines yikes!!!!

Tonight we have reservations in Silk Road the Japanese Restaurant on board.  We had early ones but our friends from England don’t like to eat too early so we changed them now they are 8:45 and there is a show at 10:30 I hope we make it.  In the meantime we leave at 8am for our overnight.  We can sleep on the bus!!!!!!  The next three days will be grueling but fun.  We will be in Bangkok, Wed and Thursday get back to the ship and set sail and arrive in Cambodia early Friday where we have a 10 hour tour!  We will collapse on Saturday a sea day before we hit Vietnam!

I am truly excited about this port as “The King and I” is my favorite musical from the first time I saw it as a young girl.  I am so excited to be going to Siam.  I hope I get to see the KING!  I will be singing , Getting to know you, just like Lorrianne, Betty and I did the Sound of Music in Hunter Mtn if you guys remember!!!!  I hope there is no law in Thailand about terrible singers or I will be arrested!

So I am taking my IPAD but not sure if there will be internet if not you will not hear from me for a couple of days.  WE ARE OKAY JUST OUT OF RANGE!!!!!!

The photos on top are from our sunset tonight taken from our veranda.  I am going to shower and dress it is informal tonight so I need to get dressed.

The Captain's quote of the day yesterday was "The best and most wonderful things can not be seen or touched.  They are felt in the heart!"  Thought that was a great one for today's blog!

So from the Serenity Village as Elise the World Cruise Hostess says in all her letters.

I wish you all a good night and Sweet Serenity Dreams..

Good Night and God Bless. 

Day 41 @ sea enroute to Bangkok

Today was another sea day and one so packed with things to do that we didn’t get to one lecture.

Being exhausted from our two days in Singapore and our dinner and then visit to the Avenue Saloon with Carol and Harold we didn’t get back to our room until after 1am so we slept in.  Watched some of the morning show and went to the Bistro for breakfast.  We sat with Becky where we discussed all the tours we have planned for this segment.  Becky was in a quandry about what to do for Bangkok as it will be a long day and then the next day she has a tour and them right after we have a 10 hour tour in Cambodia.  I keep calling it Phen Phen like the diet pill but I will get the right name later!.

At 10:45 we had a briefing as we are doing an overnight in Bangkok.  It is 90 minutes from the pier and I knew I could not do all this physically so I booked the overnight we will even have time for some shopping!

At 11:00am was our Meet and Greet from Cruise Critic well we didn’t get out till almost 11:30 so I ran up there and was able to speak to some of the people.  Then Becky and I decided to go to the Lido Cafe for lunch.  Bill was not hungry and he went to read by the pool.

They were having a German theme today including complimentary German beer.  Don’t know what kind as I had Ice Tea.,,,,,,

We added a tour in Vietnam that Bob told Bill was good Journey to the Delta Kong or something.  I am having trouble as you can see with these names!

After lunch I came back to the room and I was going to go to the library I need a new book but  I started to work on my memoirs and instead I took a great nap!  Ah.......

Tonight is a formal night and I am sitting here showered and with a wet head waiting to blow it dry when I finish this.  There is the Captain’s welcome cocktail party and then after dinner there will be a production show “My favorite things’ Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals.  

After that I told Carol we need to go to Karaoke!  So another full day. Rick told us that we won’t have two sea days in a row now until March these next two segments are really port intensive.

I think I forgot to write how many miles we have sailed from Sydney Australia to Singapore we sailed 5,102 nautical miles and 5,8767 land miles

from LA to Sydney was  6,982 nautical miles and 8,029 land miles for a total so far of

of 13,905 land miles and 12,084 nautical miles!  Wow I wish I was getting frequent flyer miles on this!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We had a great cocktail party and dinner.  After dinner we went to the show
My Favorite Things.  the last number they were dressed from the King and I and they sang and danced “Shall we Dance”  I was so excited because that is why I am so excited about Thailand (Siam)  After the show we Carol, Harold and I went to Karaoke, Bill went to the cigar lounge.  We put the clocks back one more hour so I am so confused!  It is after midnight here now on Tuesday~

Special dessert Augusto had made for us

Bill, me, Carol and Harold

So good night and God Bless

Sign at the Night Safari Park

Ducks hanging in the restaurant at Night Safari Park

Entertainment at Safari Park

One of the buildings

So humid there was condensation on camera lens

apartments where most people live

Private homes cost between $1 and $2 million American Dollars

Chinatown

Love this sign look closely!

Bill in front of a rickshaw in Chinatown

Singapore Day 2

We had another nice day in Singapore.  Since we did the Night Safari and got back late and I was exhausted we decided to sleep in this morning.  We headed down to the Bistro around 10am and sat and had breakfast with Becky.  We caught up on what she has been doing the past couple of days.  We then ventured out.  We asked Becky to join us but she needed to do laundry and work on her blog.  So we headed out around 11am.  Unbeknown to us another cruise ship that sails through Asia was disembarking so the terminal was jammed.  It took almost 1 hour to get through immigration.  We then had another 1/2 mile walk to the taxi stand.  Where most of these people were waiting for taxis.  We got to Chinatown and walked around.  When Sir Raffles came here he divided the city into sections.  Chinatown, Little India and Arab street.  Within 3 blocks there is a Chinese Temple, Hindu Temple and a Mosque.  We had a great time going in and out of the stores.  They all try to sell you things.  I had picked out magnets at one store and I waited and waited to pay and no one came so you know how patient I am,

I said “the hell with these” went out of the store to the next one and got them cheaper!

Bill had seen on our tour a spa the other day in Chinatown so we checked it out.  I had the foot, hand and shoulder massage he had a 60 minute reflexology massage.  My little toes are still hurting but it really helped.  When she did something to one  part of my foot I felt all the congestion go out of my lungs it was truly amazing. After our treatments we were given a Rose Tea it was surprisingly good.  I only like black caffeine enriched tea. It surprised me that I liked it. So an hour later we were in a taxi headed back to the ship and the huge mall attached to the terminal.  

I went back to the ship Bill went to find a cigar store.  Actually they frown on smoking and it is banned outside. So no cigar stores! He will probably have to wait until Hong Kong unless they have it in Thailand.  I doubt Cambodia or Viet Nam will have one. Chewing gum is even banned because people threw it on the train doors so the government banned it.  I have never seen such a CLEAN AND PRETTY CITY BEFORE.  BUENOS AIRES COMES IN SECOND!  I had gone to the Bistro for some tea and headed to our stateroom.  As the elevator doors opened, I heard Becky say “here she is”.  Bill was looking for me.  So we went to the Grill for lunch.  Darwin came running over and said I still have some Champagne I will get you a glass.  He wanted me to drink Bill’s but I said no one is enough thank you.  It was hot and humid here so one drink was plenty!!!!! Except of course if it was a Singapore Sling they were good.  But really expensive.  $17.00 at the Safari Park and I hear they are like $36.00 at the Raffles Hotel!

We were going to head to the casino but a few people told us it is not impressive like Vegas and Bill really wanted the hour reflexology instead so no casino!  

Today started the third segment of the world cruise and this one goes for 16 days.  We will have two sea days and then our next port of call will be Bangkok Thailand where we will overnight.  I can not believe how fast this is going!  I do miss talking to the kids and grandkids since the time difference is so much but we are truly enjoying ourselves.  The next two days will be sea days (Thank God).  I need to rest!

Friends we met in 08 boarded today and will be dining with us haven’t seen them yet.  There is a short show at8pm I doubt we will go.

There was a mandatory lifeboat drill.  It use to be that if you were on for an extended period of time you only had to attend once a month but since the Italian Cruise line accident USA has made it mandatory.  I really wanted a nap oh well.  I’ll sleep in tomorrow.  Hank Aaron has boarded the ship he is on our lifeboat if we go down!  Anyway they will have great lecturers as usual.  Should be another great segment.  Must get ready for dinner. So have a wonderful day for you guys who are just starting your day.  It is almost 7:30pm here!  That's all folks!

Different type of Orchid

Orchids

Orchids what vibrant colors

Long Bar at Raffles Hotel where the Singapore Sling was invented

It tasted as good as it looks but they are expense $16.00

Hindu Temple

Hindu Temple

Chinese Temple

Altar in Chinese Temple

Welcome to Singapore,

Saturday Feb. 25, 2012

We sailed into Singapore this am only there was so much harbor traffic that we didn’t get in until late.  Our tour was suppose to start at 8:15am and we didn’t leave until 9:30.  We had the Spirit of Singapore tour.  Kinda like the city tour.  We went all around Singapore and our guide her name was Justlet was fabulous.  She really enjoyed what she was doing and it showed.  We went to a Chinese Temple and then we went to a Hindu temple.  So I have now covered all the bases.

In China town they have a Chinese Temple, Hindu Temple and Mosque!  This is the cleanest city I have ever seen and very green.  Lots of parks.  It is not a large Island are all 23x12 meters.  Probably lie Rhode Island.  Anyway very safe.

It is hot and humid here and we went to the Botanical Garden to see the Orchids.  All kinds and they were really beautiful.  we then went to the famous Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel where the Singapore Sling was created and we each had one.  It was really really good.  We were each given the recipe.  Will have to try these when I get home.  

We got back to the ship and I must say the walk from the ship to the tour buses was like a mile long.  I was exhausted.  We got back to the ship had lunch and I was going to work on my blog but instead took a nap. 

We were back out tonight to go to the Nighttime Safari  You ride in trams and the animals are all open.  The giraffes were so tall and the elephants big  The tiger was hiding but we did see the Lions, Rhinos and more.  Unfortunately we did not get any pictures no flash and it was too dark.  It was very nice.  When we got off the bus I knew I could not walk that 100 miles so I asked for a wheelchair and they took me up to the ship.  Seriously, everyone was saying how long it was.  I felt bad that I had to break down and use it but I was exhausted and could not walk it!  When we got on the ship they had a nice buffet like they did when we went to the Opera in Sydney.  God Forbid we go without a meal!  Actually, we were quite hungry as we had no breakfast and only lunch today.  We are here over ngiht.  Tomorrow we will take the shuttle to town and go on Orchard Street where all the stores are and then head to this mall and casino then we want to to go back to Chinatown!  We leave tomorrow night and have two sea days before Bangkok.

So as you start your day we are ending ours it is 11:40am here so.  Good night and God Bless!

Friday February 24, 2012

@sea enroute to Singapore!

Well actually it is after midnight so technically it is Saturday.

We had another great day at sea today.  There was just so much to do we were running all over trying to take it all in.  We started with a light breakfast at Bistro. Becky came and joined us so Bill went to the first lecture and she and I chatted for awhile.  Becky went to bridge class and I went to Tom Farranda’s lecture about “Will America Survive the next ten years”.  After the lecture Bill went up to the pool to get chairs for the Equator crossing I had to stop back at the cabin and grabbed the camera and his sunglasses.  Today we crossed the equator.  Last time we did it it was around 3am so they had a small celebration at midday today we crossed at 11:30 so we had a celebration out by the pool  We have been to quite a few of these but Rick asked us personally to go.  Discovery channel was going to film i and he wanted a large audience.  It was cute as always one of the dining room waiters was convicted of always smiling, putting too much whip cream on the dessert and always saying ‘my pleasure”  The stewardess was convicted of looking and vacuuming dust bunnies and also when guests got up to go to the bathroom she made up their bed. and Captain Glen is the best he was convicted of only visiting three countries in 35 days and one of them being Nomea New Caledonia.  So they put glob all over him made him kiss the fish and threw him into the pool.  He is such a great sport!

After the equator crossing ceremony we went to lunch.  After lunch we sat with Amy one of he photographer who I got to know on our Antarctica trip and she explained our camera a little more.  Then I went around and spoke to some people and Bill had golf.  He won a prize for his putting he got Crystal coasters!  Before you knew it it was 3:15 and my memoir class was at 3:30.  4 stories were chosen to be read and mine was chosen.  The same entertainer Karen read it and everyone came up to me after and said it was so funny.  It was the chapter about Hannibal!  

Tonight was a formal night and I didn’t bring the camera!  We had a great dinner in the Main Dining Room and then we headed to the show called “Across the Pond”  this sow was great all about the British invasion in the 60s.  Really enjoyed it.  It had Elton John’s Crocodile Rock and the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Queen plus the women, Dusty Springfield, Petula Clark, Dave Clark five and more..... It was really good.  They do such a great job with these production numbers!

Tomorrow we will be in Singapore.  We have a early morning city tour and than at night we are doing the Safari park. We will miss dinner so we got a message on our phone that they will be having a buffet from 10:30 till 11:30 for us when we return!  We will be there over night and Sunday is the end of this segment.  Wow two down only three to go!

Friends that we made on her in 2008 are boarding on Sunday  they live in Manchester, England.  They will be dining with us at night.  Looking forward to catching up with them other than a Christmas card!

On Sunday we will go to the Raffles hotel which is where the Singapore Sling was invented and they tell us they have a great casino.  We might check it out.  

So good night and God Bless.

This greeted us this morning

Greeters

Didn't get the sign but it said Welcome Crystal Cruises

Me with the two dancers from our tour

White Elephant outside the Buddahist Temple

Me with all the Buddhas

Altar inside the temple

Thursday, Feb 23,2012

Greetings from Semerang, Java Indonesia

IT IS HOT AND HUMID HERE!

Today we had a tour around the city.  They showed us where the rich people live and they live like our poor except of course the Royal Family which has beautiful housing in it’s own complex.  As I travel to these places I can see why everyone hates Americans.  We really are spoiled brats.  Of course I say this as I am sitting on a luxury liner for 94 days!  I am the most spoiled of all!

We took a tour of  a cigarette factory where they were rolling  cigarettes.  They work 4-5 hours a day and get paid $1.25 and are happy to have a job.  Unemployment here is 60%  yep, 60%.  After driving around for a few more sights we went to a hotel where they served coffee, tea and pastries and they had a show for us!  Two dancers.  It was very entertaining.

We then went to a Buddhist Temple.  I have  never been in one.This one was 6 floor tall and we went up to the top floor.  Bill chose to walk rather than ride the elevator.  He stopped at each floor. We did have to take off our shoes like we did in the Mosque.  It was quite interesting! Outside they had hundreds of Buddhas and 2 large White Elephants!  We were in a Mosque in Brunei in 08, saw the Hindu temple but did not go in.  Have been in Catholic Churches, Protestant Churches, Synagogues so I think I have now been to all the major religious ones.

The peddlers can be annoying but you know me I love bargaining with them. This morning as we were walking to the tour buses they were kind of aggresive.  James told me to hit them with my cane!!!!  I got a few things and did really well!  Bill even got into it and did okay for himself!  Anything that is wood must be placed in their freezer for 48 hours to kill any bugs or worms that they are known for.  I asked tall Peter if it was the same freezer as our food he said no it is the freezer they keep if someone passes onboard!  Gregg and Sue if you are ready this you might have to pick us up in LA with my Escalade!  Especially if I keep buying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

90% of the population here is Muslim unlike Bali which is Hindu.  Everyone is friendly and they all co-exist with no problems.  Indonesia has the larges Muslim population in the world.  

Bali was a much prettier island this actually has a 4 lane highway each way but it is not pretty like Bali.  Most of the big buildings in town were built when the Dutch were here in  the 17 and 18 hundreds.  Of course they do have the American Embassy McDonalds, KFC, Ace Hardware.   

We set sail this evening and will be at sea tomorrow (Fri) and arrive in Singapore on Saturday till Sunday evening. Sunday morning is the end of this segment.  2 segments down I can’t believe how fast this is going!!!!!

This evening they are having local entertainment for us.  Looks very interesting and I will post about it tomorrow.

So from Indonesia I am going to sign off and since it is still afternoon here instead of good night just God Bless.

whole family on motorbike

carrying his rice

Komoto Dragon

Bali Hai

I had a lot of computer problems the past few days. It seems the ethernet cable I had was going in and out but went to the computer lab last night and Dennis gave me a brand new one so I should be good for awhile.  I did a blog both days and it did not post and did not save so I will try to remember where I left off.  

One of the pictures is a picture of me from the tv.  They video tape all the things for the WC and it seems I have been on the morning show twice now.  Once eating chocolate at chocolate tea and then at the Jazz brunch with my mimosa waiting for my pasta.  Hey he always gets me eating.  Maybe that’s because we are always eating!!!!!!

World Cruise Games.  I played free cell the first two games I was awesome I just solved them immediately and then the third game I panicked and lost.  Dennis the computer guy came over to me he said you had the gold what happened I said “I collapsed under the pressure.  I still came in 5th out of about 100.  Not good enough for a medal but my name is on the wall of the computer lab!  Then it was right to backgammon.  Well they set the board up different and I was totally confused.  I have no sense of direction so when you change things it goes all haywire on me.  I was knocked out in the first round.  Bill’s game came down to the last roll and he lost.  Oh well better luck next time.  But as David (entertainment staff who ran it) said you guys are still smiling and that is what’s important.  It was fun just to participate.  Today there is the closing ceremony we will go to nd then an early show at 7:45pm.  Usually they have two shows 8:30 for the early seating and 10:30 for the late seating but they have been doing this one show nonsense!  Can you tell I don’t like it.  It seems every time we have reservations at the specialty restaurant at 7pm there is an early show!!!!!  Oh well.  

As I said Bali was great I loved it.  The people are so friendly.  Our guide told us that 95% of the people are Hindu, 2% Catholic, 2% Muslims. 1% Protestants.  Most houses have some kind of temple I tried taking pictures from the bus but it was not easy.  I will go through and see if I got any good ones and post them.  We only traveled a short way but it took us 2 hours.  The roads (Highways) have 2 lanes each way but people park their cars and motorbikes all along so you are constantly going around things, people and dogs!  The other roads are one lane and hardly fit the bus and it was quite scary.  In fact if I didn’t have a heart attack between that and when the Elephant Driver got off my elephant and left me on there alone, my heart is Strong!  We went through many different villages.  It was nice to see all the different towns and modes of transportation.  In the center of the city they do have public transportation but when you go out where we were people either, walk, ride a bike or motorbike.  They put the whole family on the motorbike.  Mother, father and two kids!!!!  I even saw a really old lady on the back hanging on couldn’t help laugh picturing my mother on the back of that! Another great day!

Tomorrow we are on the island of Java, Indonesia,  There are 16,000 islands all in all some are not inhabited.  We had a choice of some beautiful temples to visit one was Hindu and one was Buddhist but they are both 3 hours each way for a total of 9 hour trip and so we passed and will just do a small tour of Semerang!  We will see some of these same type of temples in Cambodia, Thailand and China!   

Today was the Crew’s Tug of War and slippery pole contest so we went up and were lucky enough to get a seat in the shade.  They served rum punches.  It was really funny.  Some of the crew got dressed up as babies with bottles and all.  The stewardesses got dressed up as policewoman.  The dining room waiters made it to the semi- finals.  They had to play against the entertainment team in the semi-finals.  I routed for the entertainment tean when they played their first round but now that they are playing the waiters as I told “David, I can do without entertainment I can’t do without food”!  The waiter’s won so that is good they will all be happy tonight.  I left there and ran to my memoir writing class.  We had a guest speaker today.  Harm De Bji who is a georgraphy expert.  He worked for ABC as their geography specialist and for National Geographic.  Anyway he has written alot of text books for schools and also other books.  He has written a memoir also and spoke about that.  He was very informative.  After class Joe, meet with me and discussed my story about Hannibal.  It is going to be read on Friday!  He told me that I am a really good writer and it is really funny stuff and I could be the next Erma Bombeck...... DO YOU HEAR THIS CHRIS!!!!!!!!!  Of course I am not going to do anything with my memoir but I am loving doing this.  Well I  need to go do my hair and get dressed for informal night.  Then they are having an early Karaoke at 10pm so I will go to that! 

Just got back from the show, dinner and Karaoke in that order.  Augusto made us his special eggplant parmigana again with tiramisu for dessert yummy thank you Augusto.

Karaoke was fun but it is late and I have an early am tour.

 Tomorrow Java, Indonesia!!!!!!!!!!!

So good night and God Bless!

Breakfast yesterday with Becky

Jazz Brunch