Silversea Cruise Line - Silver Wind to Europe
Ahhhhhh, days at sea, my favorite! Cappuccino delivered to my cabin while I dressed for breakfast in the dining room. Plenty of activities aboard the Silver Wind and we enjoyed several. The best was the cooking demonstration by the German Chef – not only did we get to learn how to prepare a couple of dishes, we got to taste them … and the Chef was hilarious!
Afternoon spent in a sunny corner on deck. I feel like a puppy napping in a sunbeam. Very contented.
Docked in Antwerp … lovely city. But, we signed up for the tour to Ghent … because this is where they make chocolate and it is the birthplace of the ‘Belgium waffle” (they don’t call it that) at a little restaurant called Max’s – which still makes the waffles on the original waffle irons. OK, waffles and chocolate – and to top that off the older part of the town is a 7th century medieval port set on a beautiful canal…. with people sitting outside sipping beer at sidewalk cafes with their dogs! Yes there are pictures…. of the dogs… and the waffles, and the chocolate. I don’t really care for beer. Belgium is especially known for chocolate, beer, and lace … I guess the waffles are just a bonus.
Dawn and I both loved Ghent, but sorry to say that about the time we finished the city tour, and our waffles, it started pouring rain. Good thing the chocolate shop was indoors.
Back at our suites, we looked liked drown rats … so we jumped into our jammie pants and ordered dinner catered to our room once again. No need to “dress for dinner” to enjoy gourmet dining on Silversea Cruise Line!
Full breakfast delivered to my suite as we prepared to dock in France. One of the many great things about Silversea Cruises is that they provide ‘free shuttle’ bus service into the town’s center from the dock. Dawn and I decided not to sign up for a shore excursion today, and we instead opted to explore the little seaside village of Honfleur on our own.
I strapped on one of my comfortable pair of walking sandals that I packed (OK- sorry ‘packing expert’ Susan Foster – I brought 4 pair of just black sandals …. Dawn has threatened to take a picture of all the shoes in my cabin closet and e-mail it to Susan!) and we hopped on the shuttle bus to town.
What a romantic/picturesque little village! Check out the pictures on my web site, it is adorable!! Complete with an antique carousel! We walked up and down the cobblestone streets. It was Saturday and there was a street market set up, along with many local ‘tourist’ shops. There were many French tourists in Honfleur too – this is a very popular vacation retreat for the French too! Everyone was out drinking and dining at the many sidewalk cafes. One thing that I knew I would like about France was all of the dogs! The French take their dogs with them everywhere …. and I made friends with many of them … the dogs - not the French.
We walked so much that Dawn got a blister on her foot. I had a band aide in my fanny pack, so we found a bench outside the shopping district and down a back street to sit down. We sat in front of a large white building – my broken 8th grade French helped me make out that it was some type of deserted medical building. We got many unusual looks as we sat on the bench and rested awhile. In fact, we got so many unusual looks that I tried to conjure up a little more of my Jr. High French. Basically, I think we were sitting in front of an abandon mental hospital! Moving right along ……
We headed back to the village center and bought a couple of baguette sandwiches, chocolate croissants and a Coke Lite (need ‘diet’ pop with those chocolate croissants). We sat on the steps of a bank building (I read a little closer before we sat down this time) and enjoyed our lunch. In fact, we were enjoying those baguette sandwiches so much – we took pictures. My forehead and neck look like a Sharpei puppy in the picture! I have got to get better at Photoshop so I can iron out those wrinkles!!!
After lunch, it started to rain, so we headed back to the Silver Wind and the respite of our cabin. A nap, shower, and off to dinner with our Host, Brad Ball and a few other journalists. Another lovely evening capped off by a show in the Parisian Lounge by a wonderfull violinist … she was brilliant and the crowd loved her.
Setting sail tonight …. And off to Belgium tomorrow!
Up early after a great night’s sleep. Silversea is sending the Silver Wind to dry-dock this fall for a complete renovation …. new everything in every cabin …. except the beds … thank goodness. The mattress and duvet make sleeping heaven! Ordered breakfast in my suite, (fresh fruit plate, spinach/bacon soufflé, chocolate croissant and cappuccino… all to die for) packed my bag for the day and headed to the tender boat to take me across to the waiting tour bus.
Only 10 of us on the tour to Windsor Castle – plus our driver – plus our guide – PLUS Silversea sent someone along from the ship to ‘handle’ things (she handled a tourist in the church … more on that later). Oh, and it was a huge tour bus --- seats 42 --- not some delivery truck to shuttle us around. Everywhere you go – everything you do with Silversea is unhurried, not crowded, and personal.
It is about 20 miles to Windsor Castle from London – which is a little more than an hour with traffic. I’m pretty sure the Queen can be there in 20 minutes with her motorcade for her weekends in the country. It was wonderful to have a chance to get out of the city and see some of the English countryside. It is lovely with cottages and garden gates adorned with roses.
Windsor Castle has been occupied by a member of the royal family for almost a thousand years!! Queen Elizabeth still loves to spend her summers and weekends there. Our guide told us that she may be the last in the reign to keep regular weekends at the Castle …. Since Prince Charles doesn’t particularly care for Windsor Castle ….. too many jet planes flying over. I thought he was being a little ….. ummm …. jerky … is the word I think I am looking for. But after being there, I might have to agree with Prince Charles. You see, over that 1,000 years that the Windsor family has inhabited the Castle, there has been a little airport that has expanded nearby … you might have heard of it ….. Heathrow. And, I am not kidding about this …. A JET FLIES OVER WINDSOR CASTLE EVERY 45 SECONDS …. day and night!! And, it is deafening! So I guess I’ll cut Chuck some slack on this one ….
We visited the State Apartments, the Towers, St. George’s Chapel, Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House and more. I just hope a few of the pictures we took do the Castle and grounds justice. Everything was right out of a movie set. Our guide did a wonderful job and really made living at the Castle come to life. The Queen lives at Buckingham Palace in London during the week, and at Windsor Castle on weekends and summer holidays. While we were in St. George’s Chapel (the church on the Castle grounds), our escort from Silversea noticed other tourists joining our group to listen to our tour guide. She didn’t mind that, (I’ve done that in museums myself) but, when the tagalongs started getting in front of our group to interrupt our guide with questions … our Silversea escort spoke to them …. very diplomatically. She invited them to join us at the back of the group so that the guests who had HIRED the guide could have access. Good for her!! Wouldn’t want us to have to get our hands dirty with a situation like that … lol!
You know I have a birthday coming up soon, and I guess that I must be at that age where I should have grandchildren. Because I find myself buying things for the DOGS when I travel! My husband or son certainly do not need another souvenir or t-shirt from my trips. So, while shopping at Windsor Castle – I may or may not have bought my English bulldog, Mabel, a red shirt with the royal insignia that says ‘princess’ AND an adorable plaid kilt (yes, a kilt … stop judging me) in my family’s crest, Royal Stewart. Come on …. a bulldog in a ‘princess’ shirt and red plaid kilt …. you know it’s going to be adorable! I’ll post pictures when I get home. My Producer’s mother-in-law always tells me there is …. and I quote, “a special place in hell for people who dress up their dogs”. It is so cute, I’m willing to take my chances.
We reluctantly left Windsor Castle and headed back to the city. We absolutely could not be late for the ship’s sailing ….. because the Silver Wind had to sail exactly at 3 p.m. – because of the tide. The tide on the Thames rises 25 feet and we needed to catch it!
Next, I experienced one of the most thrilling travel events of my life! This one rates in my ‘top 5’ of all time. As I said, the Silver Wind was docked on the Thames in London. And, to embark on the rest of our cruise we sailed under the Tower Bridge toward France! Words cannot express the thrill of seeing the entire city of London stop while they raised the Bridge and we sailed underneath with “Hail Britannia” trumpeting out over the loud speakers, while THOUSANDS lined the banks of the Thames to wave us farewell. Not only was this a huge event for all of us aboard the ship …. this was an ‘occasion’ for all of London. You see, even if other cruise companies would cough up the considerable amount of money it costs to dock at the Tower Bridge in London … their ships would be too large to fit on the Thames. So, this is a rare occurrence in the travel world …. and I am just so thankful to have been a part of it.
Spent the rest of the late afternoon on the deck of the ship, sailing past London and on out toward France. Had a spectacular dinner in the dining room …. What a wonderful end to an extraordinary day.
Overnight flight on NWA – nonstop from Detroit to London. They served dinner and breakfast on the flight, which now seems weird! I have been so programmed not to expect ANYTHING to eat, that when they brought me food I was amazed! It actually wasn’t as bad as I remember …. I have nightmares about meals I’ve eaten on a plane.
Silversea arranged for a flawless transfer from Heathrow to the ship with effortless embarkation. Long lines … exhausting security screening … endless questioning??? Non existent when boarding the Silver Wind, and yet, the security for the ship was professional, thorough, and made me feel secure.
We left Detroit at 6 p.m. last night, slept some on the plane, and arrived in London at 6:30 this morning. By the time we found our luggage and passed through security, and transferred into London (about 1 ½ hour ride from Heathrow due to traffic) we arrived at the banks of the Thames about 9:30 a.m. It is a sunny day in London …. not sure I’ve ever seen clear blue skies and sun here before! When we arrived at the dock, we were met by Silversea personnel that took our luggage and said we would be ferried to the ship at 10:30! Wow, EARLY embarkation …. Great! Regular embarkation is at 3 p.m.! So, we sat at a sidewalk café and had a cappuccino overlooking the Tower of London and couldn’t have enjoyed ourselves any more … basking in the sun – OK maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I had been sipping tea …. the coffee was nasty …. I forgot – England equals tea. You know, when in Rome … er, a …. London.
Catching our first glimpse of the Silver Wind docked across the River Thames was one of those ‘goose bump’ moments. She looked beautiful sitting near the Tower Bridge (I like calling it the London Bridge – even though I know that now covers Lake Havasu in Arizona). When we boarded we were escorted right to our cabins – they were ready and waiting for us at 10:30 in the morning! That was a very lucky thing for the two of us after having slept sitting up on a plane all night! We got to our GORGEOUS VERANDAH SUITE, welcoming us with flowers, a bottle of champagne and a box of Godiva chocolates! We washed up a little, had a Godiva chocolate and just relaxed for awhile. OK, enough relaxing …. We’ve been on a cruise ship for 30 minutes and we haven’t had a meal! So, about 11:30 we went to lunch … to die for … Producer Dawn will regale you with our food selections. Ran back to our cabin … slapped on another layer of lipstick, (suitcases arrive a little later) we are still in the clothes that we left Detroit in yesterday … who cares!! Back on the 2 minute tender across the Thames to the Tower of London!
I have always loved London, and it has been maybe 8 years since I have been here. The Tower of London is one of my favorites in this city. The history there is straight out of a soap opera. From the beheading of Henry the VIII wives, to the incarceration of Rudolf Hess, Hitler’s Deputy leader, during WWII in the same tower area that held Ann Boleyn. Not to mention the Crown Jewels! I love walking past (they have a moving sidewalk next to the Crown Jewels …. to keep you moving.) But, like kids gawking in a toy store window, we kept getting off the moving sidewalk and then hopping back on – again and again… almost got nauseous we went around so many times! Seeing the crowns, rings, scepters, etc. that have been worn for centuries by the British Royals is great. And the size of the precious stones … diamonds, and rubies and pearls … oh my!! They have 530 carat diamond atop one of the scepters!!! It looks like a huge glass doorknob!!
And I LOVE the ravens! Folk lore says that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, the monarchy will fall. These centuries old line of birds are the size of a cocker spaniel! Really … you can’t tell in the pictures we took, but if you saw a regular black bird sitting next to them – you would gasp! As I explained to Dawn, as I made her take 35 pictures of the ravens … maybe I’m especially taken with the ravens because I had a pet crow as a kid. Nooooo, I am not kidding. She looked at me like I was weird. My pet crow’s name was Edgar Allen Crow. He was orphaned and a friend brought him to us, we raised him and he was so much fun! We got him in the spring and had him all summer – he was our constant companion. In fact, he loved being with all of the neighborhood kids so much that in September, when we went back to school … he was miserable. His wings were clipped, so he couldn’t fly, but he perched most of the day in a small tree just off our front porch. We brought him in at night … yes, into the house. Anyway, I lived only ½ block from the school, and I was sitting at my desk on the second day of school when we heard loud bird noises from the elementary hallway. The doors to the school were open (we called that air conditioning in 1963) and Edgar was lonesome and had followed some kids to the school and walked right into the hallway. I was mortified as he marched up and down the hall squawking. One of the neighbor boys urged Edgar on their shoulder and walked him back home. That fall my brother was a scarecrow for Halloween with Edgar sitting on his shoulder. They won. OK, is that wayyyy more than you wanted to know about my interest in the ravens at the Tower of London??
After the ravens, I love the ‘Beefeaters’ or Tower Soldiers best. You have to engage them in conversation …. They are informative and hilarious ….. hilarious with that stoic British face.
Back to the ship for dinner. We were tired from sleeping on the plane the night before, so we had dinner catered in our suite. And yes, I say ‘catered’ …. because it is beyond room service! You can order right off the dining room menu – and they will bring it to your suite and set it up like a banquet ….. very nice. And we got to eat in our pajama pants and lush bathrobes provided in our suites! OK, just one more Godiva chocolate before turning in. Tucked in bed by 9 p.m.
The Cabin Up North
Thursday Sept. 6 2007
Beautiful warm weather today. Everyone went swimming in Lake Michigan. It was a little windy, which made beautiful big whitecap waves. The bulldogs have been swimming everyday – chasing their ball and loving it. See pictures on my web site…. They’re adorable.
Monday Sept 3 2007
LABOR DAY MACKINAC BRIDGE WALK. Phew! Glad I did that …. Now I never have to do it again! It’s about a 45 minute drive to St. Ignace (saw two beautiful bald eagles on the beach on the drive over on US2) from the cabin. We arrived in St. Ignace about 8:30 a.m. and parked on US 2 and walked a little over a mile to the start of the Mac Bridge. Then walked the 5 mile span of the bridge – it was an absolutely gorgeous day and the views were spectacular – but, it was 5 miles! To quote a five year old child I overheard at the Finish Line, “I didn’t know whether to throw up or cry!!” When we arrived at the Finish Line, I was looking around for the school buses to shuttle us back to our vehicle on the St. Ignace side. Nope. Had to walk another 2 miles to the buses! Five miles my Aunt Fanny!! We decided to have lunch in Mackinaw City and then catch a bus back to our car. When we came out after a great lunch at the Depot Restaurant at Mackinaw Crossings, we were stunned to find that the line for the shuttle buses was almost a mile and a half long – and eight people wide!! The wait in line was 4-5 hours at least! Traffic in Mackinaw City was gridlocked…. Almost no one was moving. Thank goodness there were two enterprising brothers from Flint who were shuttling people in the back of their pickup truck for $20 a person. The five of us jumped in and handed over $100 bucks. Even then, it took 2 hours – riding in the back of a pickup – to get across the bridge to St. Ignace! I’m pretty sure we’d still be standing there in line to get on a shuttle bus if we had waited.
Monday Sept 2 2007
The husbands arrived today. They tried to locate where the bat came into the cabin, but couldn’t find anything. Beautiful day today. Went out to dinner at a little log cabin restaurant near Helmer called Weber’s Rustic Inn --- VERY good food!
Sunday Sept 1 2007
Survived an attack by a mouse and a bat inside the cabin today. We exterminated the mouse – or I should say that my son did. I ran out to the car, jumped in, and covered my ears with my hands. I have no idea why I think covering my ears will help. Later in the day, just before bed, a bat appeared inside the cabin and swooped around wildly for several minutes. David ran to the garage and looked for a fishing net to catch it. No fishing net in the garage, so he came running back in with a tennis racket in his had that he found out there. Guess he figured he could whack it like a badminton birdie …… but the bat got away through some crack in the cabin. Score: 30-Love …. The bat is in the lead. I guess Dawn really does not like bats ….. she slept in the Jeep all night.
August 31 2007
Day One: Loaded the Jeep for my first trip to the cabin of the year. Executive Producer, Dawn Allan, was at the wheel, and my son, David, was riding shotgun. He had flown in from Las Vegas a few days prior for our annual visit to the cabin in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Somehow I was relegated to sit in the backseat with my two English bulldogs. Sitting in the back, I sort of felt like ‘Aunt Edna’ from National Lampoon’s “Vacation” --- for a minute I was sure we were headed to Wally World!!
We drove north as far as Mt. Pleasant before we stopped for my version of a picnic …… drive-thru food – eaten at a park. Seriously, Arby’s Market Fresh sandwiches with lemonade …. Even though they are handed through the car window ….. that is a picnic if you take your drive-thru food and eat it at a picnic table in a park. Both Dawn and David graduated from Central MI University – so they directed us to Island Park in Mt. Pleasant – and it was great! While we enjoyed our lunch, the dogs frolicked – as much as bulldogs frolic – which actually consists of them sprawled out under the picnic table waiting for food to drop.
Arrived at the cabin after just under 6 hours ….. it’s a long drive. My husband’s grandfather built the cabin about 40 miles west of St. Ignace in 1936. At that time there wasn’t even a road from the nearest town, Naubinway, to get to here. He had to drive seven miles of beach from Naubinway to get here. Thank goodness my in-laws retired here in the late 1970’s …. So the log cabin, with a Lake Superior stone fireplace, also has a bath and a half, washer and dryer, and dishwasher. The cabin is situated right on the beach of Lake Michigan.
Silversea Cruise to the Far East
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Tuesday, February 13th 2007
Up at 2:30 a.m. and in the car headed to the airport by 3:30 a.m. to catch a 6 a.m. flight to Tokyo. Again this segment of the flight was on an Airbus, and during the 7 hours in the air my husband and I watched 2 movies on our individual TV screens positioned on the seat back in front of us. Not a bad flight .... the movies really helped.
Had to RUN to catch our Northwest flight from Tokyo non-stop to Detroit. We had a 1 hour lay over.... but, by the time they unloaded the Airbus, we got through customs/security, and made our way to a gate at the far end of the terminal.... running was the only way we made it. Great news on this 13 hour flight .... we had an empty seat between us, so we had room to stretch out and sleep -- getting up at 2:30 a.m. helps you sleep on a plane. Again, not a bad flight ... long, yes, but the extra room made the flight much more bearable. What do you expect when you are traveling half way around the world!
Since we gained 12 hours crossing through so many time zones, we arrived home this afternoon. Even with the freezing cold Michigan weather .... it's good to be home. My babies (see bulldogs above) missed me and I really missed them! It was one of the most fabulous trips I have ever experienced.
Monday, February 12th 2007
Singapore. OK, I have heard great things (and scary things) about this city.... but, I was not expecting this. The scary part of Singapore is that they have a lot of rules and laws that are strictly enforced (more about that later). Well, I guess it is the same thing that made me apprehensive about Singapore that makes me love this city. It is the cleanest, safest, most beautiful city I have ever visited. Picture New York City with hardly any traffic, no crime and spotless.... that's Singapore. This is a huge city with towering skyscrapers (view from our suite at the Ritz at night)- and the busiest sea port in the world. But, the strict laws are what keep it so safe and clean. I know it didn't hurt that we stayed in a beautiful suite at the Ritz Carlton, but I did fall in love with Singapore.... too bad it's a 20 hour plane ride to get here!
Our driver explained that the reason the city is so clean, is because of the stiff penalty for littering. First offense - $500 Fine. Second offense - $2000 Fine. Third offense - $5000 Fine and they shave your head, hang a sign around your neck proclaiming your offense while you scrub the streets, AND they put your picture in the paper to humiliate you even more. He said he has never known anyone who had a fourth offense.
And talk about safe. A woman can safely walk alone down a dark alley at 3 o'clock in the morning in Singapore. Their laws and punishment are a great deterrent. They have very stiff fines and caning... yes caning for some offenses. The punishment for first degree murder or drug trafficking is death.
It was quite hot and humid when we were in Singapore, but then it is only 85 miles north of the Equator.
Sunday, February 11th 2007
This morning is at sea, and I am sitting on the balcony of my suite writing on my lap top as we sail into Malacca, Malaysia. Yup, I love my job! Again, I am experiencing one of those 'magical moments' in life. The sun is shining, the skies are blue, the ocean waves are breaking against the Silver Whisper, there is a slight breeze and the temperature must be about 78 degrees. When I get back to Michigan and I am slipping on the ice while I am walking my dogs in below freezing temperatures .... this will be the 'happy place' that I will conjure up in my mind. I am enjoying every second of it.
Instead of going ashore, we decided to spend our last day by the pool. We know how many long dark weeks of cold weather await us in Michigan. So we enjoyed the ship today, and even though there is never a 'crowd' aboard a Silversea ship -- we had the entire pool deck almost to ourselves. Only two other couples on the entire deck. The weather was just perfect today. We swam in the pool, sat in the hot tub, and ate our lunch outside on the deck. We disembark tomorrow in Singapore, so we also spent some time packing today. We are spending one day and night in Singapore ... the trip isn't over yet!
Saturday, February 10th 2007
Day at sea.
Friday, February 9th 2007
The Silver Whisper docked in Kuching, Malaysia. We decided not to sign up for a tour today. The port is about 17 miles from town, so we walked. Noooo, don't be crazy. Silversea had a complimentary air-conditioned shuttle bus from the ship to the center of town. The air-conditioned part is important -- we are getting really close to the Equator... and it's kind of hot! Picture yourself having a vacation home ON the sun.... ya, that's how hot I'm talking about. When you drive through Kuching, you think they must worship cats, because there is a cat museum and they have huge statues of cats everywhere. But, the truth is that their association with cats is part of a modern effort toward tourism, and many brochures refer to Kuching at the 'Cat City'. So, actually they hold no real meaning for the local residents..... they're just cute I guess.... little something for the tourists.
Kuching is divided by the Sarawak River and has a recently renovated riverfront walkway which is great for shopping, dining, or just plain strolling.
I heard from some of the passengers who took the afternoon tour, that they visited a jungle rain forest -- in an orangutan sanctuary. When I read the part about needing to take insect repellant ... I decided not to go .... mosquitos and I do not get along very well... they love me -- I hate them. Anywayyyyy ..... this area of Malaysia is in Borneo and up until about 1973 they still had 'head hunters' in this area. So you are telling me that back when I was in high school there were still real head hunters here??!! The Tour Guide told the group that if you see an older man with a tattoo on the front of his neck and tattoos across the knuckles on his hand ... that guy was a head hunter. The tattoo on his knuckle depicts the heads that he has shrunk! OK, I thought that stuff was just in Tarzan movies.
We set sail from Kuching about 7 p.m. And about an hour into the South China Seas - I had cell phone service. I had found that in port I would not have phone service... but, the farther out to sea we would get, the better my cell phone worked. About 8:30 p.m. here was 7:30 a.m. in Michigan, so it was the perfect time to check-in with The Big Show with Michael Patrick Shiels. Michael Patrick is the host of the Michigan Talk Network's state wide morning show. I talked with Michael 'live' on-air for several minutes from the deck of this ship in the middle of the South China Seas -- I hope some of you were tuned in... it's a great morning show.
Thursday, February 8th 2007
Relaxing day at sea.
Wednesday, February 7th 2007
Our port-of-call today was Muara, Brunei which is in Borneo. I encountered another 'first' at this port stop. Before they would 'clear' anyone to go ashore in Brunei, several health workers from the local city arrived. As we got off the ship - they took the temperature of EVERY passenger before they would allow us to enter their country. Thank goodness they used an ear thermometer. But, anyone with a slight fever was denied entry.
We took a 1/2 day tour. First stop was in their 'floating village' where generations have lived in houses built on stilts on the river. They look very poor and ramshackle, but our tour guide assured us that these people are not poor - they just choose to live there as their families before them have. We took a boat ride to the village, and visited one of the homes. They served tea and sweets and it was very good. I always love this type of home visit -- the chance to actually visit a family in another country. I will have lots of pictures to upload on my web site when I get back.
Brunei is an extremely wealthy country -- due to oil. The Sultan of Brunei earns $400 per second.... yes, per second. We drove by his palace, but did not go inside. The entrance to the Palace looked sort of like the entrance to a Disney ride... sorry, but it did to me. The Crown Prince was pulling out of the gate in his Lamborghini and all traffic stopped to let him through. The Mosques were absolutely beautiful.
Tuesday, February 6th 2007
Today is another day at sea .... my favorite time on a cruise ship. Yes, I love seeing the ports... especially the exotic ports we have visited on this cruise, but, there is nothing more beautiful and relaxing than a day at sea. I signed up for a spa treatment -- I had a seaweed wrap and then 50 minute massage. It costs a little more here on the ship than it did in Bangkok - $228 total for both ... no tipping on Silversea, and was well worth it. The seaweed wrap consists of getting your skin scrubbed with a brush, painted with a seaweed concoction, and then they wrap you up in tin foil for about 15 minutes. Then you shower off the seaweed stuff, and they wrap you back up for another 15 minutes. Another shower -- then I had the 50 minute massage. Yes, I was like a puddle of flesh by the time I got out of there.... loved it.
I have mentioned the wonderful staff on this ship -- but, let me tell you also about the food..... the BEST I've ever had at sea. Everything is presented beautifully .... but tastes even better than it looks. I cannot say enough about the dining experiences we've had on this ship. And as an extra plus, Ed and I were invited to dine at the Captain's table tonight. I was seated next to the Captain - a very charming Italian man - and we really enjoyed the wine and conversation.
Monday, February 5th 2007
Today was an emotionally difficult day. We drove about 20 miles to Cu Chi and visited the underground tunnels (note the stress on my face in the photo as I head down into one of the tunnels) used by the North Vietnamese during the Vietnam War (they call it the American War). I thought I wanted to visit there because it has historical significance .... but, I guess 'time has not healed all wounds'. Those of us who grew up during the 60's remember hearing about these underground tunnels used by their soldiers .... but, actually visiting there and seeing pictures of our own American troops as the 'enemy' was just too much for me. Somehow this 'history' still wears the faces of people I knew and young men I saw on the evening news every night. I am sorry I went .... it seemed too much like an 'amusement attraction' to me and I found the whole afternoon very disturbing. I don't think I was the only one who felt that way.
Sunday, February 4th 2007
Occasionally I try to write in this Blog -- and the combination of typing and reading the computer screen and the movement of the ship -- I get a little queasy... sort of like reading a book in the backseat of the car when you were a kid. And then, when we are docked in port .... I'm off the ship exploring! So, I'll try to keep this up a little better.
Today - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam..... or as we know it - Saigon. They changed the name from Saigon to Ho Chi Minh City in 1975.... but, the downtown area is still called Saigon by the locals. The trip up river into Saigon looked very much like I expected - with locals living on their fishing boats. We have two days here - so we signed up for a 1/2 day bus tour of the city today. Started at the The Museum of Vietnamese History, rode a tri-shaw (three wheeled bicycle with a singe seat on the front) through traffic .... which is considerable.... mostly motor scooters. We visited a lacquer factory - where we saw the artists taking pieces of broken duck egg shells and placing them on boxes, pictures, furniture, etc., to make a beautiful picture - and then placing several layers of lacquer over it. When we arrived at the factory - they gave each one of us a paper fan -- to fan ourselves because of the heat ... or so I thought. Nope, it's because of the heat and the lacquer smell... phew! That smell can get to you .... don't know how they work in it all day. We visited a Temple and market, but, I really enjoyed just seeing the people going about their daily lives. Getting food at the small shops, having a haircut in a chair on the side walk, and whole families riding one tiny scooter ... yes, four people on the same little scooter. Many people wear a decorative mask - looks like a surgical mask - because of the pollution. But, occasionally you see a young woman on a scooter with a hat, scarf tied around her face and neck, long sleeved shirt and pants, and gloves -- sometime elbow length opera type gloves - so they are completely covered. I thought it must be a religious thing .... but, nope. It is coveted to have a light complexion and long fingernails here in Vietnam. The light skin and long nails show that the girl does not have to work in the sun or fields - which shows that she is from an upper class family. They do everything they can to cover themselves from the sun.
Up until about 15 years ago, Communism forbid anyone from owning their own home, business, etc. Even though Vietnam is still a Communist country -- in the early 1990's -- things really changed, and commerce has been growing at a rapid rate. The city of Saigon is now a hotbed of commercial activity .... with all the growing pains that go along with such rapid expansion. Traffic is a nightmare, and traffic laws are treated as only a 'suggestion' as scooter drivers dart through traffic -- with traffic, against traffic, or up the sidewalk. Such quick growth has electrical wires strung 40 to 50 wires to a light pole all of which are swinging freely from pole to pole.... any of you electricians out there would be horrified. But, I am so glad I am able to visit Saigon before it becomes too 'westernized'. Only about 10% of Vietnamese have cell phones - there are no McDonald Restaurants in Vietnam yet, and 70% of the population still sleep on the floor.... old habits die hard.
Shopping is plentiful .... and you should bring A LOT of single dollar bills with you. Even in Bangkok, everyone accepted American money .... and since things are so inexpensive - it is easier to use $1 bills -- they would gladly take a $20 bill -- but, then your change would be in local currency. Using singles is much easier. Tomorrow a tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels.
Saturday February 3rd 2007
Our first day is at sea - always a wonderful beginning for me on any cruise. I enjoy my time aboard ship - and the first day like this helps you get your 'sea legs' and explore the ship. The Silver Whisper is the largest of the Silversea ships -- but with every cabin a large suite -- she carries under 350 passengers. The first day I started writing down the names of the staff who were particularly helpful, friendly, and fun. My list got so long that I tossed it. Every staff person on board has been fantastic. We had a concern that the staff on a 'luxury' cruise ship might be a little stuffy .... not so. We have enjoyed our conversations and joking with every one of them. I am having such a good time.
Friday, February 2nd 2007
Packing up and reluctantly leaving the Peninsula Hotel. What I noticed about the Peninsula is that we were immediately comfortable. We got to our room in the middle of the night after traveling for over 24 hours and it seemed as if we were home.... everything was in the right place.... sort of reminded me of those old Volkswagen commercials where they said their cars had 'farfignuten'. Let me just say one more time ..... Love the Peninsula Hotel in Bangkok.
We had about a 2 1/2 hour bus ride to the ship through the Thailand countryside .... and yes, I saw a guy on the back of two water buffalo tied together with an oxen yoke working his fields .... a big contrast to the city of Bangkok.
We finally arrived at Silversea's beautiful Silver Whisper cruise ship. Up the gangplank and we were immediately whisked off to our beautiful suite, complete with 'welcome aboard' champagne and Godiva chocolates and a HUGE colorful flower bouquet of orchids.... all this leading to sliding glass doors out to our balcony.... and I thought we were happy at the Peninsula Hotel!
Sometimes all the stars are lined up and you have that 'perfect' moment on a trip. Well, we set sail from Thailand tonight with a full mooning shining overhead and the pungent smell of jasmine in the air as we sailed toward the South China Seas. I will always have that sight and smell in my memory as we stood on our balcony sailing out of Laem Chabang, Thailand. Perfect.
Thursday, February 1st 2007
A full day in Bangkok. Started out the morning with a tour of the Grand Palace (where else would a Queen go?) The King wasn't home, so we toured the grounds. The good news for me was that Bangkok was experiencing a 'cold' spell. Instead of 95 degrees and humid, it was sunny, 78 degrees and breezy.... it was like a perfect Michigan summer day. The gardens and Grand Palace are beautiful. Also on the grounds is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (made of Jade - not emeralds). Of the 400 Buddhist Temples in Bangkok -- this is the most revered and visited by local Buddhists. Make sure you take your shoes and hats off before entering the Temple (and it is rude to point at the Buddha with your feet - note sign). Buddhist don't have any particular place of worship - like we have church congregations - they worship at any Temple anywhere..... hence there are over 32,000 Temples in Thailand.... some HUGE and some very small.
Also ladies.... no shorts or short skirts inside the walls of the Grand Palace grounds. You must be properly dressed to visit the Grand Palace. They will loan you a sarong type wrap to wear over your shorts while you are visiting there. The Palace is beautiful and many of the buildings are covered in 24 carat gold leaf... very shiny. The King --- King Rama the 9th --- is BELOVED. He took over the throne when he was just 19 years old and he will celebrate his 80th birthday this year. (He was born in Massachusetts - his father was studying at Harvard at the time) They believe that the day of the week that you were born has a color .... Monday is yellow. The King was born on a Monday and so 90% of the people who live in Bangkok wear yellow shirts every Monday. The Queen was born on a Friday ..... Friday is blue. So you will see a lot of yellow and blue sashes and ribbons on the city streets.
Remember the movie "Anna and the King"? Thailand was previously known as Siam and the movie was about King Rama the 4th. Today when you drive down the main thoroughfare of Bangkok ..... it looks much like the Champs Elysees in Paris. That's because King Rama 4 --- had a son (yes, King Rama 5) who visited Paris as a young man and loved the street scape there. When he became King he fashioned the main street after the Champs Elysees.
We spent the afternoon shopping. The quality of merchandise is fabulous and prices are cheap. You can get beautiful clothing made ...... the good stuff takes about 24 hours ..... don't go for the 'one hour' option...... they are wonderful tailors ..... not magicians ... and you will get better quality. My husband had a silk shirt made and they delivered it to our hotel the following morning. (Handmade pure silk shirt - about $50)
Speaking of deals! Here are two that you won't believe. Go ahead.... call me a liar ..... I swear this is true. I had brought a pair of pants with me that needed hemming. Instead of hauling them around Bangkok with me to one of the tailors ..... I just called housekeeping at the Peninsula Hotel. They sent two women up immediately - dressed in suits and wearing pumps ( remember when they looked like that in Knapps??) and they hemmed my slacks, and had them pressed and delivered back to my room in a couple hours. Cost? 200 Thai Baht or .... drum roll please .... $5.70. Yes! At one of the most exclusive hotels in the world .... $5.70 to hem your pants! OK are you ready for the other deal of the century?? Across the river (the Peninsula Hotel has complimentary boat shuttles across the river about every 5 minutes) and about a one block walk next to the Bossotel -- you can get a ONE HOUR foot massage for 240 Thai Baht .... or less than $7 .... less than $7 for the foot massage of your life! I convinced my husband to go to the foot massage place with me ..... It was his first. A guy was his masseuse … so that creeped him out … but, it was WONDERFUL. We sat in lazy boy type chairs and they massaged our feet and calves… then our necks and shoulders. Did I mention that I am never leaving?!
Tuesday, Janurary 30th 2007
Flew non-stop from Detroit to Tokyo on a 747 (13 hours in the air) and then after a 2 hour layover, we flew from Tokyo to Bangkok (another 7 hours). It sounds killer .... but, it wasn't that bad... long -- yes, but I experienced something I haven't experienced on board an airplane in a long time .... food and service! The Northwest Airline crew were very accommodating... it must be a difficult flight for them too. They do get a chance to lay down and rest on the Detroit to Tokyo segment ... but, still tough duty for the flight attendants. Anyway, after they feed you several times, you watch a few movies and sleep (thank you Ambien) it is bearable. After the 13 hour flight -- it was difficult to get back on the plane in Tokyo knowing there was another 7 hours in the air ahead of you. But, this plane was a newer Airbus and each seat had its own TV/movie screen with remote control ... my husband was right at home clicking the remote.
Silversea Cruises had someone at the airport to meet us. By the time we gathered our luggage, got through customs, and drove to the hotel we checked in at almost 2 a.m. local time. I had heard a lot of enthusiastic 'hype' about the Peninsula Hotel in Bangkok.... all well deserved. I love this place! It is oozing with understated class and elegance with a staff to match. The rooms are very roomy with king beds, large work station/desk and sitting area. There is a butler pantry and dressing room, and a HUGE luxurious bathroom. All that plus a million dollar view. Double floor to ceiling windows in our room overlook the Chao Phrya River (had lunch on patio by the river). All this for about $240 per night..... a great value in a city of this size. I cannot imagine what you would pay in New York for a hotel room of this caliber. And the service!! Let me just say that in the bathroom there is a 'valet' button next to the bathtub... does this mean if I push the button the valet will come in and wash my back??? Because if it does .... I am really concerned about the other 'valet' button next to the toilet!!
Cheeseburger Anyone?
Saturday, August 19, 2006
I headed up to Michigan’s “Thumb” area to visit my hometown of Pigeon. I was meeting some high school friends at the Cheeseburger Festival in nearby Caseville. On my way through Frankenmuth I was again stunned by the unbelievably beautiful flowers in Frankenmuth. We have some really nice hanging flower baskets here in Eaton Rapids ….. but, I have never seen any as gorgeous anywhere as the flowers in Frankenmuth! How do they do that??
For those of you who have listened to my show over the years, you know that my best friend since 2nd grade is named Beth. But, as she and I have been in our share of predicaments over the years --- we have been dubbed ‘Lucy and Ethel’ …… because we usually have some ‘Splainin Ta Dooo’ regarding our antics. Ethel (Beth) and her husband own a hotel in Pt Austin – right in the very tip of the Thumb. The Sun ‘n Sand Motel is reasonably priced and clean, and it’s one of the true ‘Mom & Pop’ motels that remain in the area.
Ethel and I met high school friend Cathy who drove over from Madison, Wisconsin to spend the week at her family’s cottage outside of Caseville on Lake Huron. After dinner the first night at The Farm Restaurant near Pt. Austin, (you’ve got to eat there if you are visiting the area … it is THE BEST!) we spent the night at Ethel’s motel. Trying to catch up with each other, we sat around the campfire until almost 2 a.m. talking ….. I am too old to stay up that late!!!
Next morning we dragged our old behinds over to Knoblock Riding Stable in Pt. Austin to ride horses. Ethel’s 15 year old daughter, Abby, is a wrangler at the riding stable, and I always look forward to riding with her. They’ve got a really nice trail there with lots of wildlife to view on the ride. Here we are …. three old ladies on a horse.
After our ride we headed to Cathy’s family cottage. It sits on a beautiful spot of sugary sand beach on Lake Huron. We spent the afternoon floating on tubes in the Lake …. It was a perfect Michigan summer day. And …. nooooo, there are NOT any pictures of us in our bathing suits floating!!
The day was not over yet. We then headed into Caseville for the Cheeseburger Festival’s ‘Parade of Fools’ parade. What a hoot!! You cannot believe how many people show up for a parade in the small town of Caseville on a Wednesday night! Maybe 40 or 50 thousand people! Their floats were great. Not all of the fools were in the parade though! (picture #7) And, of course, if you are at Cheeseburger in Paradise Festival, you’ve got to have a margarita! Here Ethel, Lucy, and Cathy enjoy a beverage. I guess I better unpack my Hawaiian shirt for next year’s festival!
Last stop for Lucy and Ethel on our tour of the Thumb, is a visit to another classmate’s farm. My friend Jerry Leitch has a Quarter Horse farm near Elkton, MI. Jerry and his daughter, Elizabeth, show Quarter Horses around the state. He has some BEAUTIFUL animals! But, then you know how I love horses. Lucy, Elizabeth, and Ethel – (Russel the dog had to get in another picture) -- pose in the tack room at Leitch’s Quarter Horse farm. Look at all those trophies!
I had a GREAT time visiting old, and I do mean OLD, friends.
Yee Haa!! Howdy Partner!
Saturday, July 31, 2004
I'm back from the "cowboy state", Wyoming. I had a wonderful time at the T-Cross Ranch in Dubois, Wyoming. My husband, Ed and my sister-in-law, Kathy and I went to the ranch together. My brother, Mike, (Kathy's husband) was supposed to be there with us too.... but he hurt his back the week before the trip and was unable to travel.
So, here are Ed, Kathy, and I on our horses riding in the beautiful mountains.
Ed and I take a break off of our horses to rest our legs and look at the beautiful scenery.
Most of you who know me -- know that I am not exactly the type of traveler who wants to participate in any activity where I might break a nail. But, when the Ranch needed some extra wranglers to help move cattle.... I was "in"! It was sooo much fun - and a little hard work - but for me, everything is better on horse back. That's me on the white horse moving cattle.
If you wonder what it looks like from the back of a horse (the photo is a little blurry - the horse was moving!) here is a shot from atop the horse moving the cattle.
One day we rode for 7 hours. Here we are passing through a beautiful valley on our way up to the mountain.
The Ranch is at about an elevation of 7200 feet. We rode up to Ram's Horn which is about 10,500 feet. The air is a little thin up there! We were almost above the tree line... but it was spectacular. We ate lunch at the top.
Here's a picture of me on my horse at the top of Ram's Horn. You can see it was worth the sore behind to ride all day to get there!
It's important for me to sit back and just enjoy the ranch and read a book. Here I am doing just that... and check out the beautiful horse and colt that are the background for my reading.
Ed is also spending some time reading from the porch of our cabin... it's hard to read with that view!
Now for me, most of my time spent on our porch was spent looking at the mountain view thru my boots! I like to rest with my feet up!
We had a wonderful week at the Ranch!!
Kathy, Ed, and I pose on the front porch of the lodge on our last morning.
Then we headed to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to spend a couple days in civilization with friends. While we were in Grand Teton Village, we rode the tram to the top of the mountain.
We enjoyed the Jackson Hole area.... great shopping and dining. But, we wanted to view wildlife (not the type in the cowboy bars at night), so we drove through Grand Teton National Park one afternoon and were fortunate enough to find this female moose enjoying a splash in the water.
I WILL go back to Wyoming. I absolutely love the state! |
