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Published: March 27th 2011
Hong Kong
Gotham City18 March. Awoke to yet more grey landscape and it is beginning to be very irritating now. Around 10ish we were passing very close to land and were told these were the outlying islands around Hong Kong. The ship was anchoring out to see and tenders were to be used to transport passengers ashore. All this was very exciting because this was the first time this had happened during the cruise. The anchor was dropped at around 11 and pontoons were put out on one side of the ship for using to disembark. Large tender boats were going to be used from Hong Kong harbour rather than the smaller ones that the ship carries in order to get people off more quickly. Also, at this port there was in excess of 700 Aussies leaving the ship so it was to be quite a job to keep everyone happy!!! At around 12.30 things got moving and it all went fairly smoothly without too many queues although the sea was a little choppy so it did hold things up just a little. Hong Kong looked very impressive from the harbour – a great skyline although not as interesting as the one in Shanghai.
We left the ship and surprisingly it was a 40-minute boat trip to the pier. It was a very enjoyable ride and would have been more so if it hadn’t been for the drizzle! Once ashore we began to explore. The first mall we walked through to get into the island from the pier was amazing. Designer shop after designer shop and all very expensive and all busy with people buying stuff – where is that World recession?? Once out the other side we explored the backstreets and alleyways and came across a fascinating part of the city, which was full of street market stalls, pokey shops and eateries of dubious nature although they all smelt wonderful!! Scott came across a camera shop, which, as usual, had to be looked in, and cameras and lenses to be lusted over. He made his choice, and, after much deliberation of “should he or shouldn’t he?”, made his purchase and is now the proud owner of a new small Canon camera (an S95 he informs me……”face bothered?’) which, I am told, is much superior to his other old small Canon camera. You can just imagine the number of photographs being taken now!!!
Anyway, he’s a happy chap. After a bit more wandering we made our way down to the pier again and took the ferry over to Kowloon. Once again skyscraper buildings dominated the skyline. The ferry ride took about 5 minutes and then began the gauntlet of avoiding buying the copy watches, handbags, made to measure suits and shirts and all other items. People approaching with leaflets full of their wares they were selling from backstreet shops and suitcases. We took off up Nathan Road, which is a long, very long, main road running into Kowloon. We had been told that his is where the markets were. The rain became steadily heavier and heavier so we made a purchase of a Kagool each, as using the umbrella was a fairly difficult task, as this street was incredibly busy and most people had umbrellas up!! After about an hour of walking we realized that we had probably walked past the market area and that the buildings had become much more dilapidated. By this time we were cold and wet and a little weary so I think we both noticed that we might have become a little irritable with one another, especially as
he was carrying the map. Also I had misread my watch and thought it was an hour later than it was, and we were due to be meeting friends a the Peninsula Hotel at 8pm, so we flagged down a cab to take us there. It wasn’t until we were inside that I realized it was only 6.30 and not 7.30!! Oh well, we just had to while away that extra hour in the bar. This bar, The Felix Bar, was on the top floor of the Peninsula Hotel which overlooked Hong Kong island on the other side and we had been told you could see the light show, which is at 8pm every evening, well from here. The bar and restaurant on the top floor had been designed by Phillipe Starke and was fabulous if not the most comfortable!! Everything was marble and granite, there were huge windows overlooking the bay below, everyone shared the long curvy table which ran the length of the room and one either stood at the window or balanced precariously on very high bar stools. The toilets were amazing. Going into the ladies I was greeted by a little lady who opened the toilet
door for me and showed me to my toilet and when I came out she already had the tap on (there were several tulip shaped taps over one very large granite sink) and was ready to squirt soap into my hands. It was very odd, because then she dried my hands for me on a beautiful towel, I haven’t had my hands dried by someone else since about the age of 3!!!! The mirrors and make-up repair area was through another door and each person had a granite tulip shape stand with an oval mirror and for me this was a necessity as I had spent the last 7 hours walking around in the rain. The reflection was not really what I wanted to see, frizzy hair and all!!!! I think I rather let the toilets down! Scott told me that the urinals were something else. Granite tulips facing floor to ceiling windows overlooking the harbour and the island!! OK enough toilet talk.
Our mates arrived and the atmosphere was very convivial – all earlier irritations disappeared – and we waited for the lightshow to begin. This was very much a damp squid – damp being the operative word.
The weather was so miserable outside and the cloud so low that the lights could hardly be seen. A shame really but not to worry we will have to go back!
After this we caught the ferry back to the island side and found another bar on the rooftops of the mall we had been in earlier and this is where I found the free internet connection so knew I could come back again the following day to download the blog. I love a bargain!!
Back onto the 40-minute shuttle boat and home after a very long, very enjoyable and very damp day. We went to bed hoping for better weather for the next day in Hong Kong.
Hmmmm …. Awoke early, looked out of the window, the weather was foul!!! Not to be daunted (we had our new 15 dollar kagools) up and out early. This morning it was a longer wait to get onto a shuttle boat as the weather was making the sea quite rough and they were having difficulties tethering the boats to the side. I find it quite amazing just how many people can huff and puff and moan on endlessly as
though they believe that the staff are doing this just to make their lives uncomfortable!! Anyway once away it was a great ride over – all very up and down and good fun – well for us anyway – most of the others were sulking by this time.
We had been told Stanley Market was the place to go and so off we went. I loved it!! It was only small but had really nice things there – so I’ve even done a bit of Christmas shopping!!!! Scott got his haircut at a little backstreet salon and he’s very pleased with that. The hair looks good but I think the thing that most pleased him was that it was only 17 dollars as opposed to the 50 dollars it would have cost him on the ship!!! Also he had got very excited when the lady said she would give him a massage first – a little disappointed when he realized she had meant a head massage. Also we had lunch in a little Chinese eatery in Stanley Market. It was small, utilitarian and packed out!! The food was wonderful and incredibly cheap. Scott, who saw the kitchens on the
Bangkok
Embroidery Place way to the loo, told me later that it was maybe as well that I hadn’t seen the state of them! But I’m here to tell the tale and the food tasted fab!
The rain continued the whole day! We made our way back to the other side of the island and once again went over to the Kowloon side and into another enormous mall (really just to get out of the rain) which was, once again, filled with the most expensive and vast array of designer shops. I don’t believe there is anything you can’t get here!! It was a Saturday and the place was mobbed! Feeling too exhausted, cold and damp to do much more we opted to go back to the bar with the internet and send off e-mails, blog and stuff whilst having a couple of drinks. Once we were off the ferry we realized there was rather a lot of police presence around and then they all started running about and grabbing their riot shields, body armour and helmets – it was all very exciting. We hung around trying to find out what was going on and apparently there had been a stabbing on
one of the ferries coming in from Lam (an island close by). The ferry was now floating in the harbour with all its passengers and a madman wielding a knife. The police boats were out and surrounding the ferry, the ambulance men and the riot police all on the end of the pier. Eventually the ferry docked (maybe after about 40 minutes – and yes we hung around to watch it all) the police stormed it. The first people off were a little old lady who was obviously suffering from shock, a child with a man and a few of the police escorting them. Then came a male figure who was surrounded by police – we couldn’t see what age he was as he had a black bag on his head. Then the other passengers got off and the ambulance people went on, presumably to get the stabbed person off. All very Hawaii 50 ish!! That was our evening’s entertainment over with.
The ship wasn’t sailing until midnight and we had planned to stay out until the last possible moment but due to the weather decided at about 9pm to make our way home. I must point out too,
Bangkok
Embroidery that we had had to buy a small suitcase in which to put all our purchases and dragging this around with us was not the most convenient. Imagine the picture, two very bedraggled damp people, wearing height of fashion kagools dragging around our case!!
The following day was spent relaxing. Fortunately the sun was back out and it was very very hot!! At last!
21 March. Early morning arrived in Nha Trang in Vietnam. The view from our bedroom was good. Lots of hills and greenery, with a cable car running from the mainland to a small holiday island. Once again, we were on shuttles from ship to shore but this time it was the ship’s shuttles and everything ran very smoothly in getting us off. We sat out on the top deck in the very hot sunshine – it was sublime!! 20 minutes later we were getting off and onto a tour bus, which was taking us on a morning’s overview of the area. The scenery was very colourful, unlike the passengers on our coach. I don’t think I have ever come across so many miserable gits, but fortunately it is offset by some very very nice people
who like to have a good time (but who were not on this bus this morning). Also, it is very strange, but there are lots more Brits on board now, who boarded in Hong Kong, and it is these people who seem to have had a personality “by pass “ and combining it with the geriatric rush to snatch the best spot at all times whilst being totally unable to get themselves down steps or off coaches!! Also in a temperature of in excess of 85 degrees F there was one old soul in her woolen trousers, socks, heavy trainers, long sleeved t-shirt and a very heavy Swedish cardigan sitting out there on deck and then complained it was a little too warm! Unusually she also sported a lip piercing and was totally incapable of smiling – I have now requested that Scott starts to take photos of this kind of thing so that we can share it with you and show that we are not exaggerating. And, I know I am digressing here a little, but there is an Australian woman on board who is the spitting image of Matt Lucas of Litlte Britain fame, when he plays Andy
– I think we have a photo of her and I will attach it if I can find it.
Right, back to Vietnam. Our tour started with a quick drive through a fishing area, which was really a bit shantytown like, but very colourful with old shacks on stilts and many colourful boats. The boats all towed little round nest shaped things, which I think, are called coracles – it was very oldie worldy and very nice. There were scooters and motorbikes everywhere. It is quite a densely populated area and I think everyone over the age of 13 had a scooter of some shape or form – there doesn’t seem to be any road rules at all with traffic coming from all sides and all just sounding their horns to let one another know they are there. The guide on the bus said that, until last year, it wasn’t legally necessary to wear helmets, and although they are now required to, most of the helmets looked like they were made from very flimsy plastic and also it is not required that babies and young children wear them. Astonishing! Also many of the bikes were carrying three people including
babies. Our first stop was at a very old Buddhist temple set amid lovely gardens with many beggars and folk wanting to sell stuff (mainly stuff that you wouldn’t want) so a stroll was taken here. We were told lots of history about the temple but I’m afraid that, although all very interesting whilst listening to it, I forget it almost immediately. I know it was very old and very sacred and a lot of people go there to worship and leave flowers and fruit out for Buddha. I was not allowed inside the temples as I had a skirt which revealed my knees and ankles and my shoulders too were on view. Once back on the coach it was another short ride to another temple and a very large effigy of Buddha sitting up on a hill. Once again there were many street peddlers and beggars with limbs missing and funny shaped bits all trying to get money. It is all very sad but once you give someone money or buy something the rest of the people surrounded you like a swarm of locusts so you tended neither to give out too much nor to buy anything. Scott and
I bought a couple of coolie hats and that was like the light going on for all the traders to sell us more of the same! The temple here was more modern than the previous one and I was allowed into this one providing shoes were removed – I was a bit worried that the shoes wouldn’t be there when we went out again (a bit like on Slum Dog Millionaire) but fortunately they were. Once again, there were three women trying to help you put your shoes on all wanting money and really how much help do you need with your flip flops? We then climbed up the steps to the big white Buddha where there were people worshipping. From here you could get a good view of the area. I must say it seemed a very poor, very busy, very chaotic, very dusty but overall a very happy place.
The next stop was at the market where they sold stuff you wouldn’t really want. Everything was very cheap, the fabrics used were, in the main, very poor quality and I don’t think the people here are too worried about fashion. One thing we found tho that is cheap
is the cigarettes - £8 for 200 Marlborough’s! Not that I’m taking up smoking again but still – astonishingly cheap. Our guide told us that much of their produce came in from China and, judging by what we saw, the bottom end of the Chinese market. We sat and had a drink with friends who we came across in the market and spent a while taking in the atmosphere. It was very humid and this had brought on quite a thirst!!
Our next stop on the tour was at an embroidery factory that was very interesting. We wandered amongst the all-female staff of sewers watching them make the most wonderful, intricate pictures. We were told that it takes anything between 3 months and 3 years to finish these, depending on size and intricacy. When we went into the shop on the ground floor they were selling these for between 45 American dollars up to £2,000 American dollars so I don’t think their hourly rate can be very much at all!!! There were also many other nice things for sale here, which were of a much higher quality than we had seen anywhere else. The girls working here were all
in traditional dress and they were really beautiful. Overall the Vietnamese people are a very good-looking race. Very petite, with enormous almond shaped brown eyes and stunning smiles, and, unlike many of the people on board the Queen Mary they smile a lot.
At the end of this part of the tour we decided to bale out as getting back on board with our coach party was not really what we wanted to do. We set off for a walk along the beach, which was beautiful, the sea a wonderful colour and the sand a little too hot to walk on bare footed! We were heading back into town towards the market as there was more we wanted to see and that is where the shuttle buses ran from back to the port. We weren’t sure how far away it was so Scott flagged down a rickshaw (wobbly bike with a kind of rickety pushchair attached to the front) that was quickly joined by another one for me. After a little negotiation and the two young men telling us the fare would be 5 American dollars for the both of us we agreed for them to peddle us to
the market. Scott only had a 20-dollar note that they took from him saying they would give him the change at the end of the ride. It was very good fun and at times very scary, as, once again no heed was paid to rules of the road and we careered up one way streets in the opposite direction and pedaled into the midst of thousands of scooters and motorbikes with the odd coach thrown in for good luck!! Red lights and zebra crossings had no meaning whatsoever and roundabouts are taken in both directions so my eyes were closed for quite a lot of the time. Eventually we arrived at a market and there our two chaps set us down, refusing to give us our change and suddenly being quite unable to understand anything we said. After a little while Scott decided he would give up on it and left them behind but then realized that although we were at “a market” it wasn’t “the market”, so there we were, completely lost. Time was on our side so we set off walking but had no idea which was the right direction – it took us ages to find our
way back, by which time we were very hot, very thirsty and incredibly dirty as the dust from the streets is incredible, teamed up with the pollution from all the exhaust fumes, my white skirt by this time was looking very much the worse for wear. Anyway drinks were taken to celebrate our arrival back at the shuttle stop before being taken back to the port and then back to the ship.
The little bit of Vietnam we saw was fascinating and had a great feel to it. It’s people, in the most part, were a friendly and happy bunch, the scenery, although poor and a little downtrodden, was wonderful. So much greenery and vegetation and the sea such a wonderful colour it is another place we would like to spend more time discovering. One of the memorable statues it had amongst the Buddha’s and temples was its peace statue to commemorate the war with America and after seeing, albeit a very small part of it, it is hard to wonder why they were every invaded by such a big and advanced country as America.
Well it’s now the 22nd and we are just getting to the end
of another day spent sunbathing on deck and reading books, with the odd quiz thrown in for luck (not so lucky today tho). Tomorrow we arrive in Thailand and are going to Bangkok for the day. We are going on another tour as it takes about two and half hours to drive in so we decided to do the Golden Palace in the morning followed by the afternoon exploring on our own, so very much looking forward to that. Will take the laptop in the hope of being able to post this.
Gosh, it’s nearly all over and it’s passed so quickly but still another three weeks of fun to be had.
Post script – Saw tonight in the ship’s newspaper that the shenanigans on the ferry at the pier was the police arresting a murderer who had killed a 64 year old British woman (Salvation Army Major) on the Island of Lamma and was escaping onto Hong Kong island. Would like to more about this story but once again, internet on ship too slow.
Well, best laid plans and all that ….. never got the time to post the blog in Bangkok. It was an early
start and the rain was pouring down … again!!!! It was a long drive into Bangkok and because of storms during the night the roads were very clogged up with traffic due to flooding making the journey even longer. From the coach we saw shanty town after shanty town, to the point where some of the dwellings just looked like corrugated sheets which had fallen in a mess on the floor but on a few we could see satellite dishes. The living conditions looked really really poor.
Eventually we arrived at the Golden Palace which was at the other extreme – so very much wealth and so very beautiful. There were lots of Buddhist Monks and praying going on and these incredibly poor people give the little they have to their churches. Lots and lots of photographs were taken as the architecture and art was stunning. Also in this area is the King’s Palace which is also a place of great wealth and beauty. Outside, on the streets, were many beggars and street hawkers trying to eke a living. Our guide, Jack, told us that he had lived in one of the biggest slum areas of Bangkok for 16
years of his life, where the people always took communal meals and shared a bowl of water amongst the families for washing themselves. It’s amazing as he can now speak fluent English and earns in Thailand terms, a good living. He told us that the farmers were the poorest of the working classes even though they provide the world with 20% of rice and many other products but apparently it’s the Chinese and the Singapore people who are the entrepreneurs and sell all the produce.
After the Palace we were taken to a shopping area on the other side of town – it really was an eye opener. The place was filthy and there was no order to anything. Looking down side streets all you could see was different degrees of chaos with shop after shop selling car body parts but not sure where all the cars were! The shopping area was interesting and had a brilliant food hall where we had some lunch – a little on the spicy side for Scott, and to be honest my lips resembled Angelina Jolie’s as the chillies certainly had an effect!! Really enjoyed it though. The produce in the supermarkets was
very similar to western styles and we did see several Tescos and a Marks and Spencer on our bus ride. I don’t think we ever saw the business area, maybe that it more organized, I’m not sure. The overall impression was of rather a chaotic, dirty and seedy place but at the same time the art of the historical and religious areas was truly beautiful. Don’t think it’s a place that will go on the list of seeing again.
After a couple of hours journey back to the ship we were pleased to be getting on board and ready for a good wash!! Beforehand though, at a market place set up by the side of the ship, I did manage to negotiate myself a rather nice cheap copy of a Chanel watch which I think is lovely. Scott thinks it’s a bit sad.
A day at sea the next day, which, once again was peeing down, was relaxing but am getting a bit sick of the naff weather. The Uno is back out!
25 March – we arrived in Singapore. We had arranged to go on shore with 4 friends – two of whom have been
to Singapore before so they knew the drill. We shared a leisurely breakfast and then got ready to hit the town. Once again the ship was docked in a container port so it was a bit of a trek to get to the real world. One of the things that is a drawback with this liner is the size of it prevents it getting into most normal cruise ports and the skyline whilst its parked up isn’t the most interesting and there’s always a bit of an additional journey to the real harbour.
Once out and about we took a train to China Town which was really interesting and good fun. One thing we noticed immediately was that this place was immaculately clean and everything really well presented. We walked around for a while and stopped for the odd light refreshment. We then walked in the canal district , referred to as “the creek”, was great as you could see the skyline very clearly. One stunning building was three towers which were straddled by one horizontally in the shape of a ship, like a cruise ship in fact. Quite an extraordinary site. Like Shanghai, Singapore is was really modern
with some great architectural views. We strolled along until we reached the legendary hotel, Raffles where it was obligatory to go in for a Singapore Sling in the Long Bar. It was great fun and what a spectacular place ….. we had a few nibbles too and I am told that it was also spectacular prices – but you only live once don’t you?!
The weather was fabulous, very hot and humid (pity we couldn’t get a bit more of this when it’s the days at sea). We strolled through the area and then caught a cab to the big shopping areas and these were just fab but wasn’t in the mood for a shop – after a few Singapore Slings and with the humidity we decided to just have a quick look around before getting the train back to the harbour area.
It was a great place and this one is on the list of places for further exploration but I rather think that Singapore has a very strict regime. We were told it was a 1,000 Dollar fine for smoking in public places, 500 dollar fine for dropping litter, 500 dollar fine for eating or drinking
on buses and the death penalty for drugs!!! Just as well we’d left ours back on the ship then!
Back on board we had dinner with “our usuals” and compared notes and then watched the sail away before falling into bed. There are many more slanty eyed folk on board now and many less Australians.
Today, 26 March, we had a slow start as Scott has had a very irritating cough which kept him awake late into the night (early morning). The weather is very warm but a little on the cloudy side but have managed to get out into the sun today. Just as I write this though it is now lashing it down again (pain in the arse!) and the fog horns are going off. I think the bottom lip will be coming out to play again. The forecast for tomorrow is for yet more rain! We arrive in Phuket and had decided not to do any touring but to spend the whole day on the beach so am keeping fingers crossed that the forecast is wrong!! At least we have planned to go ashore with a “good crowd” so a laugh shall be had whatever
the weather. Also will try to post this from there too. Singapore was as useless as China as you could only get internet access if you had either a provider in Singapore or a Singapore mobile phone – so sorry for the delay!
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Alison
non-member comment
hello
So you've seen a murder suspect, two earthquakes and a Tsunami. We were flooded after returning from that ship. And you're about to sail thru a war zone - as exocets are fired from Italy towards Libya... hmmmmmmmm.... if that's the pestilence - you just need a disease. Does Raffles still have Singapore Sling on draught? And monkey nut shells all over the floor in the Long bar? And the man you saw being arrested - here's the latest on the story: "A man has been charged by police in Hong Kong with the murder of a British woman whose body was discovered in a flat. Janet Gilson, 64, a Salvation Army worker from Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, was found at her niece's property on Lamma Island on Saturday. It is understood the arrested man is the estranged husband of the victim's niece. Ms Gilson had been reported missing three days earlier by her niece. Police in Hong Kong would not confirm the identify of the suspect except to say he was an "expatriate". Mrs Fareed was quoted as telling Hong Kong's South China Morning Post newspaper that the suspect being held for the past two days was her husband. He was arrested on Saturday and will appear in Eastern Magistrates' Court on Hong Kong Island on Tuesday morning. Ms Gilson reportedly suffered head injuries but police could not confirm if she had died from them. She had arrived in Hong Kong on 6 March and was last seen on Tuesday in the village of Tai Yuen Village. It emerged that she had retired only recently."