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Published: January 30th 2008
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“Themed Parties” are a way of life on the Voyager. Each segment we have the Captain’s Welcome and Farewell Parties, as well as the Seven Seas Society Party for the passengers who have sailed on Radisson before. The Welcome Party is hosted by Captain Dag in the atrium, with guests gathered on the various levels. After a few words about the upcoming voyage, he introduces his senior staff. The Farewell Party is our favorite. The Filipino crew has a number of talented individuals from housekeeping, room service, the galley, the engine room, and laundry…etc. They perform a few songs from the 50’s, the Beatles, and the last number which is “To Dream the Impossible Dream” which always gets a standing ovation because it is done with such heartfelt delivery. Then the videographer shows his DVD of many of the passengers and ports of call during the segment presented with an appropriate piece of music to match. A new tradition started last year was the “Block Party.” On one of the first nights that we sail at the beginning of a new segment, the ships bell rings at 6PM, and all guests are requested to open their stateroom doors and walk into
the hallway to meet their fellow passengers. We come out with the wine glasses from our suites and an instant party ensues complete with canapés and wine served by the crew. It’s a great way to meet new people! Some of the more unusual parties have to do with their setting. We have had parties on the Navigational Bridge at sunset decked out in nautical clothing; in the ship’s laundry and dry cleaning facility dressed all in white; and in the ship’s engine room where we were provided earplugs and coveralls to wear. All in all, any excuse for a party is a fun way to pass the time while at sea.
Our first stop this third segment was Hong Kong, definitely the most vibrant and exciting city we have been to. From the time we landed until we departed (three days) we never stopped. We started with an orientation tour: visiting Victoria Peak which has always eluded us on previous visits due to the fog. This time it was a little cloudy, but we did see many of the tall buildings that make HK famous. We took a sampan boat ride in Aberdeen, a town contrasting the old
and the new; we viewed the famous Jumbo floating restaurant and several boats in the harbors fishing fleet all strung together comprising a floating neighborhood of sorts. Finally, we visited Stanley Market, an outdoor parade of stalls known for selling everything under the sun. We had also signed up for the premier Asian Cooking School in HK. Wow, what an experience! After a tour of the amazing facility, the master chef donned us in cooking attire and proceeded to demonstrate two dishes we were to cook later, fried prawns with sweet and sour sauce; and pan fried beef medallions with black pepper sauce. Yum! Then a student was assigned to each of the 11 of us and we cooked each of the dishes on stoves in woks. We did not master the art of wok flipping, however it will be interesting to see if our new found knowledge at both our cooking school experiences will translate to our food preparation at home. Other fun side trips in HK were cocktails at the Lobby Bar in the Intercontinental Hotel (best view of the harbor) followed by dinner at Spoon with a view of the 8PM nightly laser light show and late
night cocktails at “Ned Kelly’s Last Stand Jazz Joint.” A dim sum breakfast and tai chi lessons by a master looking out on Victoria Bay, finished off by many outdoor food and vegetable markets and a stop at a tea shop. We’re tired just thinking about it all, but no, we didn’t shop till we dropped!
For the next week, we were in Vietnam. Starting in the north we sailed into misty Ha Long Bay (Bay of the descending dragon) at dawn. There are more than 3000 limestone mountains dotting the calm waters. To get a better look we took a ride in a junk around the islands with scenes of small fishing boats and houseboats around every turn. Now we understand why the Vietnamese tout it as the eighth wonder of the world. In central Vietnam we landed in Da Nang instead of Chan May because of high winds. But this put us closer to our ultimate destination of Hoi An, an ancient town recognized as a world heritage site. We really enjoyed our walking tour of this charming town along a river which has remained unchanged for centuries. It was a holiday honoring the goddess of the
sea and in one temple there must have been 150 to 200 children having a huge party in her honor. After the party they all came rushing out, dressed in their finest and carrying their presents. It was quite a sight! We also visited the Marble Mountains (five marble peaks) and a town where sculptors were busily at work sculpting marble statues of elephants, lions, eagles, and Buddha’s 20 feet high to works as small as a chess piece. Amazing! Our last stop was Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in South Vietnam where we visited the famous Rex Hotel. We then went down the street to a recommended salon to have a shampoo, haircut, and a head and neck massage all for $12.00 + tip for both of us. Very relaxing!
Our last destination before the end of this segment was Bangkok. Because of the distance from the port, they took us for an overnight so we could better enjoy the area. We stayed at the Peninsula Hotel, which is said to be one of the best in the world and we would have to agree. Our room on the 15th floor was unbelievable! We had a great
view of the river, an office and living room and even a TV above the bathtub. The private dinner for 30 was in the Aviation Museum on the 37th floor. The female waiters were dressed in old Pan Am stewardess outfits and the set menu was really good. During our 24 hour stay in
Bangkok we traveled by boat along the busy Chao Praya River and ventured back into the many canals to see how the Thai people live. We also stopped at the Royal Barge Museum to see the ornate ceremonial Barges and then to The Temple of the Dawn. The next day on the way back to the ship we visited the Prasart Museum, one of the most unique and spectacular private art collections in Asia.
On the last night of this 3rd segment we celebrated Chuck’s 59th birthday. It was formal night and we had a table for twelve. It was truly a memorable evening and a fitting way to mark the halfway point of our voyage. This afternoon we arrive in Singapore and say good bye to Roberto & Elsa (our friends from cardiac rehab at home who have been with us since L.A.) We’ve
decided our token prize goal is a Swarovski crystal figurine. Because the token supply was becoming scarce they added Capt. Dag Dollars to the mix and Chuck’s combined total is 150 or $150.
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