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BANGKOK OFFERS MANY THINGS FOR VISITORS. YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM VISITING TEMPLES AND SHRINES OR WATS TO THE ROYAL PALACE, FLOATING MARKETS OR EVEN EXTREME SHOPPING.

LONG TAIL BOATS CRUISE THE RIVER AND CANALS. THE CANOE STYLE BOAT IS DRIVEN BY A SMAL AUTO ENGINE CONNECTED TO A LONG DRIVE SHAFT TO THE PROPELLER. THE DRIVERS OBJECTIVE IS ‘GO FAST’!

AFTER DARK WE CHOSE A FOODIE TRIP TO EXPLORE AND SAMPLE BANGKOKS STREET FOOD. BOARDING A TUT-TUT WE TOOK OFF TO ‘EAT LIKE A LOCAL’. SITTING IN BACK OF A DECORATED 3 WHEEL MOTORCYCLE CART WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EVENINGS’ CHAOTIC RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WITH TRUCKS, CARS, MOTOR CYCLES, SCOOTERS AND OTHER TUT-TUTS. SEAT BELTS? WE STOPPED AND SAMPLED A VARIETY OF RESTAURANTS WHILE STANDING OR OCCASIONALLY SITTING ON THE SIDEWALK. THE FOOD WAS AMAZING!

THE EVENING ENDED WITH A TOUR AROUND THE CITY. WITH THE LIGHTS AGLOW.

BANGKOK VERY SPECIAL!

THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES…..

OFF THE SHIP AND IT’S TIME TO EXPLORE BANGKOK.

OUR BEAUTIFUL HOTEL IS ON THE RIVER. THERE IS CONSTANT TRAFFIC.

ADMIRING THE SCENERY WE DECIDED TO TAKE A BOAT TAXI, COST 8 BAHT TO CROSS THE RIVER TO A NEW SHOPPING COMPLEX. ICOMSIAM IS AN ASSULT ON ONE’S SENSES! THERE ARE 8 FLOORS WITH EVERY IMAGINAL RESTAURANT AND FOODS BEING SERVED. THERE WAS A COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT EVENT BEING HELD IN THE COMPLEX. A 3 STORY CIRCULAR WATERFALL IS HIGHLIGHTED WITH LASERS. THERE WERE 2 AUTO DISPLAYS – PORSCHE AND GEM. THERE WAS THE LARGEST APPLE STORE WE HAVE EVER BEEN IN. THREE FLOORS HAVE LOCAL ARTISIAN CRAFTS FOR SALE.

AFTER DARK THE RIVER COMES ALIVE WITH ELABORATE TOURISTS BOATS WITH LIGHTS AND MUSIC.

THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES…..

OUR BEAUTIFUL SHIP DOCKED IN THE BUSY BANGKOK PORT. AFTER 2 WEEKS OF BEING PAMPERED WE’RE GOING THROUGH HARD TIMES.

THE LAST DAY WAS A TOUR OF ‘ANCIENT BANGKOK’. WE VISITED AN SPECTACULAR BUDIST TEMPLE. OUT OF RESPECT REMOVE YOUR SHOES

TRAFFIC IN BANGKOK IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT. THE ROADS ARE CROWDED SO THEY BUILT ELEVATED SKYWAYS. THEY’RE CROWDED SO THEY BUILT A SKYTRAIN CONNECTING THE AIRPORT TO DOWNTOWN. IT’S STILL SLOW.

THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES…….

MORNING TOUR VISITED 2 BUDIST TEMPLES (WATS) LEARNED MONKS EAT ONLY 2 MEALS ADAY.

WE MADE A SHORT VISIT TO A BUSY MARKET, NEED ANOTHER SUITCASE!

THE CITY IS ALONG A LONG SANDY BEACH. WE VISITED AND ENJOYED. HOWEVER WITH THE LUNAR NEW YEAR MOST CHINESE MERCHANTS STORES WERE CLOSED

THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES…….HO CHI MINH CITY

EARLY MORNING CITY TOUR. IT’S CHINESE LUNAR NEW YEAR AND TRADITIONALLY CHINESE FAMILIES WILL RETURN TO THEIR ANCESTRAL HOME. WE FOUND MANY SHOPS CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY.

CITY TOUR VISITED THE HISTORIC PRESIDENTIAL PALACE THE FAMOUS SITE WHERE WORLD AND STATE OCCASIONS ARE HELD.

OUR TOUR LED US TO A MARKET NEAR THE FAMOUS POST OFFICE.

THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES…. SAIGON ~ HO CHI MINH CITY

THE TOUR TODAY WAS ‘LIFE ON THE MEKONG RIVER’. THIS RIVER STARTS IN NEPAL AND FLOWS THROUGH THE INDOCHINA COUNTRIES TO DISCHARGE INTO THE SOUTH CHINA SEA. IT REMAINS THE MAJOR TRAFFIC THOROUGHFARE FOR BARGE AND COMMERCE. IT’S TIDAL AND PROVIDES FRESH WATER FOR THE RICE FIELDS.

A GUIDED BOAT TRIP TOOK US TO A FAMILY RUN RESTAURANT ALONG THE RIVER. THE TOUR CONTINUED ON WITH KAYAKS.

DUE TO CONGESTION THE GOVERNMENT WANTS PEOPLE TO USE MOTORCYCLES OR SCOOTERS. EVERY ROADWAY AND INTERSECTION IS CROWDED WITH 2 WHEEL VEHICLES. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNS GREEN THEY START WITH SOME DEGREE OF ORDER AND CHAOS WHICH IS DIFFICULT FOR AMERICANS TO UNDERSTAND AND FOLLOW. NOTE THE TRAFFIC COP IN THE PHOTO. IF INTERESTED I FILMED A NUMBER OF VIDEOS OF THE TRAFFIC FLOW.

THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES…..

THE CITY IS BLESSED WITH WIDE AND BEAUTIFUL BEACHES. THERE ARE NUMEROUS GRASS HUTS SERVING COOL BEVERAGES EACH WITH LITTLE UMBRELLAS.

WE WENT ASHORE VIA THE SHIPS TENDERS. THESE WERE THE RESCUE CRAFT CAPABLE OF HOLDING 80…IN A PINCH.

WE ENJOYED PEDI CAB RIDES THROUGH THE CITY. IT WAS A SAFE ROUTE BUT WE GOT TO SEE A LOT OF THE CITY.

RUSSIANS MOVED INTO THE AREA AFTER THE END OF THE VIETNAM WAR AND ESTABLISHED BUSINESSES. THERE IS A LARGE RUSSIAN TOURISM INDUSTRY IN NHA TRANG. IN COOPERATION WITH CHINESE AN ELABORATE ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX HAS BEEN BUILT. AFTER DARK ALL OF THE BUILDING ARE LIT UP.

THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES…

DOCKED IN HUE, VIETNAM AND BOARDED BUS TO HOI AN. A HISTORICAL CITY. IN THE 16th AND 17th CENTURY HOI AN WAS INTERNATIONAL TRADING CENTER FOR JAPANESE, CHINESE, DUTCH AND INDIAN TRADERS. THE OLD TOWN HAS BEEN PRESERVED INTACT.

THIS IS A BUSY TOURIST DESTINATION WITH YOUNG AND OLD. THIS VIBRANT CITY COMES ALIVE AFTER DARK.

OUR CRUISE COINCIDES WITH THE LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATED ALL OVER. THIS IS THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON. THERE WERE LARGE DISPLAYS OF FIREWORKS AND RED LANTERNS

OUR JOURNEY WENT PAST MARBLE MOUNTAIN. THEY PRODUCE BEAUTIFUL DISPLAYS OF CARVED GOODS. DIFFICULT TO FIT IN OUR CHECKED BAGGAGE!

THIS IS THE CAPITOL CITY OF THE PHILIPPINES. IT HAS A REPUTATION OF A CROWDED CITY WITH BAD TRAFFIC.

WE ARRIVED ON SATURDAY AND WHILE THE BUSINESS WEEK WAS OVER THERE WERE NUMEROUS SCHOOL GROUPS CROWDING THE SAME HISTORICAL SITES ON OUR ITINERARY.

ELECTRICAL WIRING IN THE CITY WAS ‘INTERESTING?

THE COLONIAL FORT IN THE CITY CENTER HAD BEEN IN USE IN THE FRENCH COLONIAL AS WELL AS WORLD WAR II. WE VISITED THE MANILA HOTEL WHICH SERVED AS THE RESIDENCE FOR GENERAL GEORGE McCARTHUR.

WE TOURED THE BEAUTIFUL SAN AGUSTIN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

OUR TIME ASHORE WAS LIMITED DUE TO SCHEDULING ISSUES IN THE BUSY PORT. I COUNTED 15 CONTAINERS BEING LOADED ONTO SHIPS HEADED TO FOREIGN PORTS.

THAT EVENING THE SHIP PUT ON A DANCE PARTY BY THE POOL. IMAGINE 300 PEOPLE AGES 70+ ROCKING AND BOPPING…..YOU GET THE IDEA. IT WAS A ‘HOOT’.

THIS WAS OUR ONLY STOP IN MALAYSIA. WE OPTED FOR A DAY OF REST AFTER THE PREVIOUS DAYS LENGTHY VISIT TO BRUNEI.

THE SHIP HAS SOME GUESTS WHO DECIDE TO SPEND THEIR VACATION TIME ON THE SHIP AND SELDOM GET OFF AND TOUR. WE ENJOYED A LEISURELY BREAKFAST IN THE GRAND DINING ROOM. AFTER LUNCH I ENJOYED A SWIM IN TH SALT WATER POOL.

AT EVERY PORT THE SHIP HAS SHUTTLE BUSES STANDING READY TAKE GUESTS AND CREW INTO TOWN FOR SHOPPING. WE WANDERED THE LOCAL PRODUCE MARKET, NOT FOR SOUVENIRS BUT TO OBSERVE LOCAL PRODUCE AND TO SEE WHAT FOOD LOCALS EAT.

THIS CRUISE LINE HAS A REPUTATION FOR GOOD FOOD. IN ADDITION TO THE MAIN DINING ROOM AND THE MORE CASUAL BUFFET ON DECK 12 THERE ARE 4 SPECIAL DINING OPTIONS – FRENCH, ITALIAN, ORIENTAL AND THE POLO GRILL. WE DECIDED ON THE POLO AS ONE OF THEIR SPECIALS IS A WHOLE LOBSTER. IT WAS EXCELLENT. WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO CHECKING OUT THE OTHERS.