A real laptop:
Here I sit, zooming across Japan at over 200 miles an hour, with a lap top on my lap top. We made the 4:09 Nazomi (bullet train) to Tokyo after an exciting and crazy last 8 hours in Kyoto.
Dad was really sad to leave our 1st class home. He didn’t want to give his key up hoping someday he could get back on, or if he had a ladder to climb up the side. I am afraid if any of you go on a cruise with any of us again, you might have to hear, “Well when we were on the Asia cruise ….this….and that….. “until you are just sick of hearing it. We admitted we may never go on another cruise as nothing could compare to it.
We woke, showered and had breakfast, (making raisin bun, peanut butter and jam sandwiches for our lunches. (and just eating them now you wouldn’t believe how delicious they taste.) Then debarking at 8:00 AM we ordered up two taxi’s, Then with 5 large bags, 6 bags and backpacks and two silk comforters in tow, along with a wheelchair that drops it legs every once in while, we made it to the train station. One on the meter for $11.40 and one by quote for $20.00. As I went to pay them both I demanded the meter price…..and got it.
Next was a 25 minute bullet train to Kyoto. Taxi’s as so expensive here that we are attempting a Bus Day Pass for just $6.00 a person. We really saw the city, the old way. Kyoto was the capital of Japan before Tokyo, with over 1000 temples and shrines. We went to just 3. We began at Sanjusangendo Hall, “originally founded Temple in 1164. One of the most visually stunning sights with 1,001 wooden statues of the thousand-handed Kannon. Row upon row, these life-size figures, carved from Japanese cypress . They don’t really have a thousand hands, just 40 each, idea being that each hand has the power to save 25 worlds. There are additional other 30 statues represent Kannon’s disciples, the hall stretches almost 400 feet long, the longest wooden building in Japan. Sorry, postcards only as no photo are allowed inside.
Then a long long bus ride with us truly stuffed like sardines into a hot canned bus. This I did take a picture of. It was a riot. Once even the bus driver got out of his seat in the front of bus, came to the back door when people got on, and shoved peoples butts until we could fit 4 more people in, and shut the door. It was really quite funny.
Next stop, Kinkakuji (Temple of the Golden Pavilion) Constructed in 1390’s. But a disturbed student monk burned in down in 1955. It was rebuilt and recovered in gold leaf, five times thicker than original coating. Over $5,000,000 worth of gold to cover it. You almost need sunglasses to look at it on a sunny day.
Last and truly the least was Ryoanji Temple. Most famous Zen rock garden!!! But we had to climb stairs to get to it so Dad stayed below. Laid out at the end of the 15th century…15 rocks (about the size of a suitecase)set in waves of raked white pebbles. “sit here and contemplate what the artist was trying to communicate.” Well that would be nice if you were the only one there but there were hundreds of people filing through to enjoy the “meditation” spot. We took a picture then climbed back down, picked up Dad and headed to the bus stop for our 6th bus of the day, then arrived back to catch the bullet train to Toyko. So here I sit.
10:30 PM: Well in the dark and hot underground of Tokyo we wondered around for a long time getting various directions and help from many people. Too us 90 minutes to get to our hotel that is just about 2 miles away. Strange here: Only a few of the big street have names. You just have to look on the map and count blocks. And the buildings all received their addresses by when they were built, not where they are located….so there is no rhyme or reason to finding an address. And Ed and I sware that the Marriott is not where they say it is…but three blocks away., according to names on streets. Even two of the maps have different names for the street it is on. We tried to tell them and tell them their map was wrong but they don’t believe us. But we are both so sure we are right and they are wrong. We’ll see if we can find our way home tomorrow any better.
We were willing to sacrifice and go to a Denny’s just across the street for dinner thinking we could order something familiar. But no….it was all in Japanese and it was the strangest menu with all pictures, and kindof scary pictures at that. You couldn’t even tell what 9/10 of the food was. And even just on the menu, there were definitely floaties swimming in the soups. I thought I could almost see them moving. Dad and I settled for a sandwich, Ed for speghetti, and Kriss ordered a sliced Mango. What will breakfast time bring???? Possibly fast day. I am going to get on lds.org and see who far we are from church. Desk clerk at Marriott didn’t know.
More tomorrow.
Love to you all.
Pam
We had spent the day “cruzzin'” and as soon as we arrived at about 3:00 pm we knew the cruise was at an end. Dad sat on deck to read and enjoy his last few hours on board, as we were to have dinner and sleep on board with an early start in the morning.
Ed, Kriss and I headed out to walk to town just to see where we were to catch train in the morning and get a feel for the place. After about a 25-minute walk in we found a monstrosity of a mall. I don’t know how many stories it was but as we entered the floor at ground level, we were at the top of a slant and could see about two blocks long, and the center aisle about 50 feet wide, a river of dark haired people. It had to be thousands. I was the only blonde in the sea of heads. Note to self: When on a cruise, never leave ship without a camera.
Another note to self: Why do clean clothes pack tighter than dirty clothes? Everything doesn’t fit back in our suitcases. Pack light. Dad did not need 7 pair of pants…two would do. Pam did not need 5 pair of shoes. 3 would do.
As we waited our turn to disembark we had a good long time to sit on our deluxe, veranda sitting on our lounges, and enjoying the American music and the view of the volcano, Mt Sakurajima behind. As Dad asked, now where is this located, and we told him the most southern tip of Japan. He said, “This is the whole area that I bombed…” and after a few moments of silence, Kriss said, “…and they are OK. Kriss and I looked at each Dad and each other and all three of us were crying.
We purchased the day bus ticket so we could get off and on as desired. First stop was Sengan’en Garden, laid out more than 300 years ago by the Shimadzu clan, along with walking through the Iso Residence, a villa built 350 years ago, and then two museums including items almost 700 years old, including family heirlooms and beginning of industrial tools in Japan.
Then stuffed in a “city tour bus” returning to the train station we found an Internet…of which you were the recipients yesterday in Japanese. We were able to read our emails but hit reply, and the keyboard only typed in Japanese, even though it had the regular alphabet letter on it.
Then we took a ride on the huge Ferris wheel, boarding on the 6th floor of the mall. It carries you up in a 15-minute circle to view the city from the sky. We could even see our ship clear out in the port.
We taxied back to the ship just in time for the farewell entertainment group of a Japanese drums show, including costumes and dancing. Again our veranda was just like box seats at the theatre as we watched and listened for the last hour while our ship had to wait for one lost/late woman, as Japan wouldn’t let us have clearance until every soul was on board.
Today brings resting up for next few days along with packing our bags as we disembark the ship tomorrow at 6:30 AM.
We just returned from a “private party” farewell brunch for the occupants of the deluxe veranda suites. There are only 54 of us among the 1500 guests on board, of which only about 40 attended the brunch. It was an amazing spread that Jimae would have loved to see. Kriss took pictures of the display included an ice sculpture. We had a string quartet playing music, and I had my first and my last taste of caviar. Champagne was free flowing, of which we enjoyed our fresh squeezed OJ and Cranberry Juice. Dad just kept asking, “Why are we included on this?... Why are we so lucky? ….Is it because we paid our tithing?....Are we really getting that refund for this cruise but get all this?” When we were finished and ready to leave, he said, “Let’s not go, we won’t ever have something like this again.” Dad had said he didn’t even want to go as he had eaten a cookie a half hour ahead, but when the rest of us were going he said he didn’t want to miss out on anything so he decided to go with us….and he was sure glad he did.
This afternoon we land in Kobe port, near Osaka. Thus ends the cruise portion of our trip. Tomorrow is early bullet train to Kyoto, all our luggage in tow, hoping for lockers or storage room for the 6 hours we will be there, then back to the train for 3 hour bullet train to Tokyo. There we will check into our Marriott hotel, again thanks to Courtney.
Dad/Gpa has been great. He has done almost everything we have done. If he gets tired he will sit in his chair and read his book, while we run to see one last thing close by. He has really loved it all and we are so glad we had the amazing opportunity to share this long awaited dream with him.
Thanks to all of you who have carried on for us and allowed us the time to do this great trip of a lifetime.
Upon entering Japan:
Last night Dad was tired and loving the third book he was reading and wanted to go back to his room to read. Kriss and Ed went to the show, I went walking and a bit of ship window shopping of very expensive items and listened to the band in the lounge for a few minutes.
I don’t know if this will ever get to you as we have entered Japanese waters and the ship is “still in negotiations” to see if they are going to allow us internet. And even if we do, as we are down to just 7 minutes on our second expensive internet purchase plan so we may lose it as it in transit to you. We have a 20 minute credit coming so we didn’t want to purchase more but the internet specialist hasn’t been able to access her own internet to fix our credit.
In addition, due to “pig flu” outbreak in Mexico and US we are all required, all 1500 passengers to fill out a 2 page health questionnaire and attend a Health Inspection and possible quarantine this morning, if we pass we will be allowed a Temporary Landing Permit for Kagoshima. (Questions like: Have you been in or around anyone from the US or Mexico in the past 10 days? Well we have all been on board for past 12 days so I think we are all safe.) The government will bring all equipment onboard, then we will pass through a thermo camera, which will register our body temperature BEFORE even meeting with the official. At the inspection a facial photograph will be taken then index fingers of both hands on a digital fingerprint reader. They will confirm our health answers on the two pages, of which if we lie we are liable to 6 months arrest and 500,000 Yen (about $5,000). Then they will stamp our temporary permit so we can go ashore. Glad it is a shorter planned day in Kagoshima. If we aren’t quarantined or arrested then we will be visiting Sengan’en Gardens, city bus tour, and ferry ride to Mt Sakurajima, which is an active volcano that is still smoking, but last eruption was in 1960 but continues to smolder. But they tell us to be prepared as “ash” rains down constantly. Maybe that is why a regular image of Japanese women is that they carry beautiful parasols. Maybe it’s a good day to take along my unused umbrella.
As we look out at the beautiful sunrise over the miles of islands as we head to port we are passing along the southern tip of Japan. Dad looks out and says, “This is the part I bombed. “ This is why we came on this trip. So that Dad/Gpa could see they are OK. Every day Dad stares at something and says what an amazing trip this is and how he thought he would never get here, and how greatful we are to have made the trip.
If this is our last contact with the outside world we will be on ship most of Friday getting to Kobe, Japan. Then we will sleep on board, getting off ship early Saturday with all our bags and head one hour north by train to Kyoto for the day, then back on train for 3 hours to Tokyo.
Stay tuned for more whenever we next find an internet connection.
We love you all.
Pam, Dad, Kriss and Ed
Welcome to South Korea, “Hawaii of Korea” Formed by outpouring of lava about 2 million years ago.
We received the warmest welcome as we stepped off the ship and going through the security they handed each of us a large map of the island along with two small square wrapped chocolates. But there were no “moneychangers” to be found as we were told. Even the ship didn’t have Korean “Kwan” so we had to fend for ourselves. But as it was 8:00 AM and no banks opened until 9:30 and the ATM’s mostly only take Korean cards, not international.
But we were lucky again. There were taxi’s lined up, and there was one woman guide standing nearby that was able to translate for us and hire us a cabbie that was willing to take US money, including he would pay our entry fees and we would just pay him at the end of the trip. We were thrilled as this is our only day here and it means we don’t get stuck with Korean money to bring home as souvenirs.
Speaking of souvenirs, we still haven’t found any. We barely can find a postcard. and a few places when we do they are really bad quality. Surprising in the Camera Countries of the world. If anyone loves traveling and want to come to Asia I have a business opportunity idea for you.
We showed our driver where we wanted to go on the map from the ship. This one spoke no English so it was a bit more difficult than our last adventures, but luckily with map in hand we were able to communicate that much.
The whole island is made up of over 360 volcanic craters and mountains of various sizes. Once we got out of the city we had a 4-hour tour of beautiful countryside. Because of the volcanic soil it is a botanist paradise.
First stop was Sangumburi Crater. We beat the crowds being the second taxi to arrive. At the opening arch, and the logo image of the whole island is a Dolharubang, a stone statue of a Grandfather, with buggy eyes, flat nose, tightly closed mouth, two hands on fat belly, and no legs. (First statues carved from lava rock in 1750 and placed outside fortresses. Today 45 real ones exist and are found around the island, but also many many replicas and fakes as it is now the island mascot.)When you find these at the entrance he is a guardian, symbolizing the spirit of Jeju people who overcame difficulty and hardship. Our guide took our picture. But then he just kept moving us from one photo stop to another. He would point where for us to stand to get the best picture, motioning for us to do this or that. Before the tour was over he actually wore out the batteries on all three cameras. We didn’t know how to tell him we didn’t need a picture of each and every direction and stone.
Then on to Seongup Folk Village. We were expecting something like Polynesian Cultural Center, but no….people really live in these very small hut type dwelling, called Choga, made from lava walls and straw thatched roofs. We walked the yards of some of them. Again they wanted to take our pictures of us with various backgrounds and traditional household choirs. Fun one of Kriss and I carrying a Mulheoboek, which is a jar in a basket the women would carry on their backs when they had to walk a long way to get water. They each have a gate to their home as three long logs sticking in two lava pillars. The Jeongnang of their houses would tell passersby’s if they were home: one log meant “returning shortly”, two meant “returning later” and three being “gone all day”. I still don’t know if it was logs up or logs down??
We thought we were headed back to ship as that is all we had “bargained” for but the taxi driver took us for 4 more stops---basically “Kodak moments”. Seongsan (Sunrise Peak) then drove us beach side around about ¼ of the island on our way back to the city. One stop was a shell store….the whole outside of the building in thousands of albacore shells about 8 x 10 inches. Then inside were perfect shells you could purchase in amazing colors and shapes and sizes. But as we had not a Kwan to our name we left empty handed.
Full round trip four-hour tour for 4, $100 including entry fee to crater. (Ship cost tour for only first 2 stops $78 per person.)
We are trying to save up our money for Japan. Ship tour instructor says, “Money Flies in Japan.” Kagoshima here we come!
LPGKE
We can’t even feel that we are moving, which Ed is most grateful for.
Last night comedian was not very funny. I almost felt sorry for him but instead decided to doze a few minutes between the few times people laughed and woke me up.
Then this morning began with our exercise routines of walking, bicycling or swimming, and I did another two batches of laundry to last us until the end of the trip. (See it’s not all vacation…a woman’s work in never done.)
Exploration speaker was on “Great Cities of Japan: Kyoto, Japan’s Cultural Capital. City of Temples and Shrines. (Thousands of Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines.) This city we will be seeing on our own on Saturday after the cruise ends on our way to Tokyo. We are a bit concerned how to see a whole city along with traveling with all our suitcases and hand bags along with our few purchases. (I’m glad for my Rick Steve’s Don’t-tell-bag which we will add to our other luggage count.)
Then after our Mariner’s brunch with the Captain we headed back to our cabin, the other three taking naps while I studied up on our next two ports of call, Cheju City in South Korea and Kagoshima Japan. Kriss has completed her responsibilities as our tour guide and the rest of the trip is mine. So I headed off to the afternoon class covering these two cities to help me learn where to go and how to get there. The others played Train Game.
Then Kriss joined me and we went on a Behind the Scenes Backstage Tour and Q&A. All the singer/dancer performers were there and told us about the training, contracts, life on a ship, and then took us back stage to see how they manage to do it all. The prop room, dressing tables, wig/hat room, and costume room. We will see them perform 4 times while on the two week cruise.
Tonight is another formal night…not a favorite of mine or Ed’s. I need to finish this so I can send during the Internet Special for half price as I’m almost out of minutes on our internet plan and don’t want to purchase more as they say we probably won’t get to email once we hit Japan sea waters Thursday morning, but can’t tell me exactly when as they are “still in negotiations” with Japan government.
Until then...
Pam, Dad, Kriss and Ed
PS: Note to Beijing
Holland America 2 day Great Wall Tour $699 per person
Gates Hicks 2 day Great Wall Tour $170 per person
That should cover the balance of the silk comforters, the expensive Internet, and a couple of bananas.
9:00 AM We begin our last day in China, Dalian, a resort town looking like its architectural ancestor Russia. We only have equivalent of $58 between us and don’t want to get more so will be a small shopping day.
11:00 AM Took the free shuttle to the Friendship Store. (see below), but wanted to get to the inexpensive Internet café that was even written up in Frommer’s tour guide. We hopped in a taxi, and Kriss showed them the directions. We entered and there were about 40 computers, and they did actually have English keyboards. But when Kriss tried to purchase some time they couldn’t understand a word she said or motion she used. No prices listed anywhere. There were maybe 25 people in there playing games and watching Utube type videos so I suspected it was very cheap but if we couldn’t get the password to get on it still would help. A girl tried to help us but it seemed the worker wanted our passports, which were back on the ship. So she wouldn’t let us on. One nice guy couldn’t understand the words but at least understood the frustrated expressions on our faces, so he offered his keyboard to us on his time. I sat down to pull up our emails. I clicked on the address bar and typed in gmail, same design and background and bars were in Chinese characters. The guy then took the mouse and between the two of us were able to pick up our email. But using his time we were in a hurry and felt bad, not knowing what the price was. Kriss hadn’t checked her email for 2 days and had over 80 emails to sift through. (Note to Kriss family….please stop sending big files and group mailings the rest of this week until she gets home…it clogs the ship internet.)
“The Friendship Store” was interesting to say the least. . especially after the Market in Beijing. (We were hoping for touristy shop for postcards and magnets but not a one in sight. The store was 8 floors of the most expensive NAMEBRAND departments you could name or imagine. Truly each fancy name brand had a compartment by themselves, guessing 20 compartments per floor, and more employees /salesclerks per square foot than I’ve ever seen, even at McDonalds. The second polo shirt Kriss looked at was $350 US which was a warning of what was to come. We left Dad in his wheelchair by the escalator, and quickly did laps around the 8 floors, keeping our eyes straightforward but trying to check out the merchandise at the same time, just for the experience. You would think that with all the expensive diamonds, clothing and “Prada” bags, that this store could spend a few Yuen’s for toilet paper….but no. Still squatting and “BYOTP!”
1:00 Ed and Dad returned to ship to find a bathroom where Gpa didn’t have to squat.
2:00 PM We are back already and couldn’t even find one thing to spend out last Chinese Yuen’s on.
Kriss and I took one last trip out walking to the Harbor Square shops in hopes that there was somewhere to get postcards, magnets, and still hunting for souvenir’s for my children. (Visions of Caleb’s and Becca’s wedding gift from my Taiwan neighbor of red Chinese placemats and chopsticks keeps coming into view, only here it isn’t a joke.) We found another 6 floor scary building. We were about the only ones shopping there. A few very strange experiences: In front of one store of blue Ming type vases were 4 glass cases of broken dishes, all the blue and white type that my mother in law collected. But they were all broken and actually had a price listed on them. We saw many stores of Chinese dishes and vases and antiques of Buddha’s from small to larger than life size in gold, jade, wood. There was some nice antique Chinese furniture, if you like that sort of thing. As we made it to the 5 floor there was a darkened corner with 5 men sitting at the table playing cards and they motioned Kriss to come in and play…..that would be one way to get rid of our last Yuen’s. We both quickened our steps to get out of there. The last and top floor was less expensive things and we thought we might find something here, but there were the strangest smells that we both got sick to our stomachs, breathing through our mouths and Kriss was sure she was going to throw up. We both nearly ran down the 6 flights of stairs seeking the not so fresh air that was outside. We walked back to the ship to spend our last few hours in China back safe and sound on the ship, veranda, or reading our books (and writing to you) in the quiet of our room, knowing nobody was going to Honk at us.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, will be our last Sea Day, then Wednesday is Cheju City in South Korea. Stay tuned for more great adventures ahead.
Thinking and missing all of you at home. Each day we are here makes us feel more blessed than we ever knew possible. Being in China, where they are only allowed to have one child due to overpopulation has been a constant reminder of how thankful we are to live where we do. In our past week here in all our travels we might see just a handful of children in hours. Going back in our own lives we think…Rachel and Charise would have been our only children, but then we realize that Kriss and Pam and Ed would have never been, and even Dad/Gpa and Mom/Gma would have never been. How different all our lives would have been. Next Monday, upon our return to you, may be one of those times we really want to ‘kiss the ground we walk on. “
Our lives seem so small right now after experiencing such great wonders of the world. I have always enjoyed history, even the last few years taking 201 and 202 classes of Art/ History/ Literature at BYU just for the fun of it, but have never studied much about the ancient history of Asia. Yes, in art classes there were the very old art that came between Egyptian and Renaissance but I would kind of blank out during those in-between centuries. But yesterday and today they were all brought to life and put in perspective, as we became one of the 1.2 Billion people in China.
We have been very lucky on our trip to find a second English-speaking guide. This one was by rare chance as Kriss was hunting for our $100 taxi to the Wall. I thought it was too good to be true. But in the hunt Kriss was able to overhear English and one taxi driver was translating for her. He was a private guide for a couple that was on the cruise and had hired him ahead of time. But as luck would have it, he had 7-seat van and within an hour, after asking the couple if we could tag along, we were on the road for the 3-4 hour drive. Again the guide was a great help in answering questions and most of all helping take care of Dad.
Skip if you don’t want to read this: Building of Great Wall started as military fortification against intrusion tribes somewhere 770 BC – 475 BC, to prevent attacks from other states. Further construction was added during Wei, Qi and Sui dynasties. The section in Beijing in mainly remains from Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Total length reaches 12,700 miles. We went the less crowded section call Mutianyu which was still very crowded. (They told us that the more popular Badaling area is so crowded that you can’t really even walk on the wall due to soo many people).
Upon arriving at the Wall you have to get through the conglomerate of many tourists booths and being accosted by many sellers to buy their goods, from water, to “I walked the Wall t-shirts, to various men wanting us to pay them 400 Yuen ($60) to pull Dad up the very steep slant cobbled path in a recherché type car. Instead Ed pushed him most of the way, with Dad walking a portion holding on to Kriss and I. And that was all just to get to the cable car. We enjoyed the 5-6 minute ride up. Then another path and very steep steps to get onto the wall. We made it, took pictures, then our guide gratefully took Dad down on the cable car to meet us 1 hour later at the car. He pointed us in the direction to “Walk the Wall” for two miles, then the reward of taking a 5-minute toboggan ride back down in little individual carts. Many steep hills and stairs along the two miles of stone and brick.
At the bottom Ed purchased two bananas and some nuts for 50 Yuen. He didn’t calculate the difference after realizing they had pigeoned him for $7.00 US. “He was just helping out the local economy and the Bananas were good! We got our I Walked the Wall T-shirts for just less than $3.00 each so that tells you how much he paid for the bananas. Kriss and I got our magnets for a great price after haggling them down.
On our ride into Beijing towards our Marriott hotel for the overnight stay, we passed the Olympic venues of the Olympic Park Condos, the Birds Nest where the opening ceremonies were, and the Swimming Pools were Mark Phelps swam for the 8 Gold Medals, all on our way to “The Market” a huge 6 floor indoor flea market of name brand knockoffs. We laughed as the elevator opened to shoes of every kind as Ed and I had Crocs and were bragging to Kriss each day how comfortable they were, and right there the first booth had them. But in looking close we find CORCS embossed in bottom. Amazing that just changing one letter they can get away with selling them as the real thing. They didn’t have Kriss’s size. We spent the next hour being literally chased down the aisles to buy from various venders. Ed bought a wallet, now getting a new image as “Smart Man.” as he got them down to such a great price. Kriss a new purse as the lady kept pouting at each lower offer. Then Dad had been looking at belts and the vendor actually got on the elevator with us as we tried to leave, dropping the price with each floor. As we got off we had gotten the price down to $5.00 US. As we left I purchased a rhinestone hair clip (for $7 US), not having to haggle as our guide told me that was a good price.
We ended the day by checking into another fantastic gorgeous room at a Marriott, (thanks again Courtney!!)which with F&F we got for $112. We felt like we had made off like bandits until I went to the Executive Suite internet and was charged $25 US because I asked them to print an email about our Herriman House real estate and they charged me $3.00 US per page for 5 pages. I plan on writing a letter to Mr. Marriott and complaining. To print my email was as much as my whole night stay in a high rise Marriott. We were excited to sit down to our McDonalds dinner, which fed all of us for $12.00 US.
We awoke at 4:00 AM by habit, not buy choice, and so were raring to go by 7:30 when the guide picked us up. But even by 8:00 Tian’an Men Square was packed. (Size of 90 American Football fields—99 acres) Very long lines and more tour busses than you could count of people waiting to go through the Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum where his body is encased in a “crystal coffin”. No, we did not get in line to see him. I even had a difficult time standing for a group picture in front of the Gate of Heavenly Peace where now hangs the familiar portrait of Mao.
Then we passed under the gate, through to “The Forbidden City”. A 7.75 million square ft/9,999 ½ rooms of Imperial Palace of the Emperor’s of China. (Room 10,000 reserved as Heaven.) For the next 2 ½ hours we wondered through pavilions and inner courtyards, and outer courtyards, including bridges and moats, that building was begun in 1420, 600 years ago, finished in 14 years with over 1 million workers, built with logs that took over 4 years to get here. Kriss and I touched the water pots with the golden lion heads for “Good Luck”.
We pulled into the train station with just a few minutes to spare, hunting deep into our hidden passport holders for every last coin to pay our guide. By putting all our Chinese Yuen and our American US dollars we came with in about a dollar of what we owed our guide. No tip…but Frommer’s said you don’t pay tips in China so we sadly explained to our guide and he understood as he had hunted for an ATM for us the last 15 minutes and hadn’t found one. So wishing him well and exchanging email addresses and a promise for a great recommendation on Trip Advisor we said goodbye and ran to ‘squat’ and then to the Bullet train. We made the trip back to the ship traveling at times up to the speed of 200 miles an hour. Wow! Bullet train was just added for the Olympics and the train stations alone were worth the experience. Then a 15-minute taxi ride and we were “home” 4 hours before the ship leaves.
Now as all the others sleep I write…trying to capture just a memo of what we experienced. But you will all have to see our photo books one day…. and be glad we don’t make you sit down to a slide show of it all.
Love to all,
Pam, Dad, Ed and Kriss
Day 8: Laundry on the Yellow Sea:
A gray but calm day at sea, resting up for the days ahead. It is difficult to take a nap as foghorn goes off every few minutes.
If the most exciting thing to report is that I either sprained or broke my middle toe then you can tell it is a down day…especially since that happened 3 nights ago, when the ship was rocking, knocked Gpa’s cane over and I jammed my toes into it in the dark when trying to walk from the bathroom to my bed. But I am fine.
Yesterday the sun was shining and we could watch various fishing boats and ships pass all day. We kept wondering how those small fishing boats could be out there and were glad we were on this big ship. “Today we continue crossing the Yellow Sea on a north westerly course, through Laotieshan Channel into Bo Hai, This is the most innermost gulf of the Yellow Sea. Its proximity to Beijing, the capital of China, makes it one of the busiest seaways in the world. “
There is an internet special this afternoon for half price credit so I’m writing ahead to we can send it during the Internet “Happy Hour”. And beings you will all be asleep then I didn’t think it would make a difference.
We began the day starting our laundry in the self-serve washers. Then ran up for breakfast then Dad went to the exercise room, Kriss and Ed to do laps on the cold promenade, and I chose to do laps in the pool. (I felt like I needed to use my swimsuit at least once since I packed it.)
Our Exploration Speaker subject today is on “Korea: Is it still The Hermit Kingdom? Or is it the Land of the Morning Calm?” Then another class this afternoon on the Highlights of Dalian. Then tonight Showtime is a Magician. Dad will enjoy that.
Tomorrow (Saturday) morning brings Xingang, then to Beijing and The Wall of China. Apparently we will be taking a 3 hour taxi ride to get there. (They say that is the cheapest most direct.) But actually it sounds like it is too good to be true. We hire the taxi for the whole day for $100 American so for $25 per person he will drive us wherever we want to go for 12 hours. So we are planning on The Great Wall and the Ming Tombs tomorrow. But if we don’t get it all done, as Beijing is 3 hours from Harbor we are planning on packing a small overnight bag and trying to hunt down another Marriott to stay overnight. (Kriss said there are 3 in the city.) Then Sunday trying to see “The Hidden City” then must be back to the ship before it leaves at 7:00 pm. Thanks to my lds.org knowhow we found an address and time for an LDS Branch in Beijing. (One problem with trying to stay at a Marriot is Kriss forgot to pack all the Courtney Friends and Family papers, so we are hoping they will just copy the last one that I have that we need to use in Tokyo. (I’m really glad we made that last stop on the way to the airport to pick up the 2 extra ones Courtney gave us just in case of emergencies.)
We did have to laugh as Kriss and I kept saying we needed to look for a cheaper internet café on land, but as she was at her question class yesterday and another lady was asking where one was he said,” Do you speak Chinese? Do you know the Chinese Characters? Have you ever typed on a Chinese Keyboard?” Hmmm….all of a sudden my ship internet didn’t seem so bad. If Marriott has a English keyboard I will try to send a short note tomorrow night if possible.
Dixie: haven’t heard from you in 3 days. How is Mom is doing.? If you send a message it would help Dad.
Love to you all. We are having a wonderful adventure but miss all of you.
Pam, Dad/Gpa, Kriss and Ed
Day 7: Life on a ship is not nearly as funny or exciting as a day in Shanghai. But we do keep laughing about our day yesterday. Three times already this morning, just out of nowhere, Dad starts laughing out loud, “just thinking about Ed haggling with the watch sellers yesterday.” By the way, the new watch doesn’t keep time. (The lady told Ed is was self-winding.) Ed wears it and keeps setting it to my watch, then an hour or two later, tells us what time it is and it has only run for about an hour or so. Then we all start laughing again. Well at least we won’t be late for anything by Ed’s watch.
They just brought in our fresh flower vase for the day. Again Kriss says as she plops down on the 9-foot sofa, “Thank you Adam!” She said that if she was with the same people as her last cruise; she would have been to the Trivia hour, the Game Shows, and the Bingo. But instead we choose to hurry back to the peace and quiet of our deluxe veranda and enjoy our own private reading time, which is especially nice after the noise and high energy of the last two days. Hard to believe we have just done one of our port stops.
Kriss is setting up our recorder to tape Ed as she is trying to record his life history on this trip. Ed and Dad are both on their second book. I just finished reading my second tour book on Japan in preparing for the week ahead. So far the Train Game and Cards sit in one of our many cupboards, unplayed. The first few days we had to keep hunting for our own things as we had so many drawers we couldn’t remember where we had put things….in our drawers, cupboards, closets, there are even huge drawers under the beds.
We went to another great lecture this morning on Japan. Explorations Speaker series—From Samurai to Salaryman: Where did Modern Japan come from?
At 2:00--the Highlights of Xingang, our next port of call, but we won’t be staying there but a short time, just passing through, as our small group of 4 head inland to Beijing in search of the Great Wall. Stay tuned! Looks like another adventure ahead.
I will be going to the “The Art of Asian Flower Arranging” class this afternoon, but already memories of a summer term class I took at BYU 30 years ago is coming to mind. It was a class on Flower Arranging and I remember basic principle is a few long twigs sticking out, one long one in one direction and two shorter ones in the other direction to balance. Very Zen like!
Good Karma ahead.
Love to all,
Pam, Dad/Gpa, Kriss and Ed
Dad/Gpa is having a wonderful time. He just keeps making statements about what a great experience we are having. I need to write down his quotes and how he says them. Today he missed Jake who as an architect would just be amazing and enthralled with the buildings and skylines. Ed and Dad were also fascinated by the amount of construction going on everywhere and how many of them had floors and floors of Bamboo scaffolding.
Well another exciting day in Shanghai. It really is amazing how much energy it takes even just riding around in a cab. The adrenaline starts, and then the pounding of your heart in your chest, along with jumping every time a there is a honk or close passing of a pedestrian, bus, car, scooter, or bicycle, which is about 3 a second. I finally put on psychological blinders and just couldn’t watch anymore.
As we left the ship this morning we were confident we knew more what we were doing as we had so much experience yesterday. Besides, we were just doing things here in the city. Kriss was able to hail a cab pretty quick…forgetting that Frommers said that Turquoise, Yellow, and Blue cabs were better than Red and Green. She hailed a green. We loaded in and within about 3 minutes I could tell this guy was a bit aggressive, as he was honking at other drivers. With in another minute he stopped in the middle of a one-way road, just stopped! Then all of a sudden he started backing up. Then a big bus pulled right up behind him, not letting him back up. Within a few seconds the driver jumped out of the taxi, and the bus driver got out of the bus and approached our driver. They were both yelling at each other. right there not 12 inches from Grandpa’s window. Was this really happening??? Kriss looked back at us from the front seat. The two men started shoving each other. We looked at each other in shock. Now remember neither drivers spoke a word of English but the yelling was so fast and furious. Within less than a minute others around came to try to break it up or calm then down. One nice lady looked at us in the taxi, especially at Grandpa by the window, and I think was so embarrassed that these men were behaving such and making such a scene in front of the Americans, that she tried to motherly scold the two men. Three other men came and got involved too, trying to get them to stop it and get out of the street as they were causing everyone else a traffic jam. I was afraid Gpa would say something and get them more mad, but he didn’t. He just laughed and said he was quite enjoying it. Kriss and I wanted to get out and walk away, but we couldn’t leave the wheelchair in the trunk. The whole episode lasted about 10 minutes. Then the bus driver got back in his bus, and drove around the taxi. The Taxi did back up, went down one road, then another, and then we couldn’t quite figure as we saw the corner we had just been at. As I sit and write it now I am laughing, as you just can’t imagine this is really happening.
Then it was off on the freeways of Shanghai for the next 50 minutes getting us to a 100 year old, 7-story Buddhist Temple. We were the only tourists around and know we know why as it was so out of the way. But it was worth getting to and glad we went.
Next stop, beautiful huge modern Shanghai Museum. We visited just 6 of the galleries. Bronze, Statues, Jade, Furniture, Coins, and Ceramic. All were done in historical order, many dating back 2000 BC but we saw some pottery from Neolithic period 10,000 years BC. We saw real Ming Vases so were able to go buy our magnets in the gift shop.
Last stop was the “Bund”. Famous scenic walkway along the river we came in on, with modern skyscrapers, one of which one was in a James Bond movie and Ed just keeps trying to remember which movie. It is a tall one with a square in the top where he is walking and then on a cable is hanging. He will find out and let us know so next time we watch it we will be able to say….I was there. We decided against the trip up in the elevator to see the view as we were all looking forward to getting back to the ship in one piece. We could even see the ship docked about a mile or two away as the Bund in on a curve, so decided to Walk it.
Ed was faster with the wheelchair than Kriss and I as we were hunting for shops with postcards and magnets. Well, there are not touristy souvenir shops around like in U.S.
So lagging behind we were taking a back street trying to find a place to shop. There weren’t sidewalks so we were following two people with wagons, carrying their goods. Then all of a sudden, not two feet from the side where Kriss and I were walking, a taxi was passing us and stopped short, then a large BANG as a motorcycle crashed right into the back of it. Again, all just two feet from us. The man was fine, but the taxi driver got out and the memories of the morning made us both just try to get away as fast as we could walk. Others that spoke the language could be the witnesses to the police. (We did wonder after if it was us that caused the accident if the guy on Motorcycle was looking at us instead of straight ahead. They seem to do that. We seem to be a rarity around here….wondering if it is flip-flops and painted toenails or what. (Kriss wore my flip-flops yesterday and we definitely noticed people looking at her feet. ) But remember this is the country that used to bind women’s feet so they looked petite. May they just were looking at how big our feet are. Everyone wears shoes here, and luckily we were not wearing shorts as they don’t wear those either.
Just around the corner, we passed a huge gorgeous Hyatt and decided maybe they had a gift shop. Yes, we paid Hyatt prices for our Shanghai magnet. About double what they are other places around the world. Strange how some things are so cheap….like taxi’s and entrance fees, and help like Jack gave us yesterday, and then paying so much for these little magnets. But we both knew we would be made at ourselves if we didn’t get them. (I’m still hoping one day someone goes to Prague and Salzburg and brings me back a magnet.)
While Ed waited for us to catch up as I had Dad’s ship pass, they had to spend the 15 minutes dealing with the women and men trying to sell them “Lolex” watches!!! They kept bargaining with Ed and had them down to 4 for 100 Shanghai dollars, which is like $34. He said he had no money but to watch for two women coming. We managed to get past them but Ed ended up going back, haggling another 15 minutes with them until he ended up with one leather band watch, a nicer one they pulled out, in exchange for the 4 promised ones he had just purchased to give as gifts just so he could say he picked them up a “Lolex”, but as the police showed up, Ed had the leather one in hand and the lady took off running. Ed ended up happy with his exchange.
Thus ends our two days in Shanghai. We now sit peacefully out on our Veranda deck, overlooking the beautiful gardens, relaxing, reading books and napping, in preparation for our two days on sea on way to Beijing and the Great Wall.
Well regular words or even pictures can’t describe what we have been through today. We decided against the Terracotta Warriors in fear that we would miss the boat due to fog or just missed communication considering none of us speak a word of Chinese! And boy do we feel strange. …Four lone Americans in 17 million Asian people in just Shanghai with us today.
The day began at 5:00 AM with pulling into Shanghai passing the barges full of coal, gravel, and all matter of other supplies going up and down the river. They had told us that the boat had to enter the port and exit the port at the exact set times as it was low tide and we have to pass under a bridge that the ship just barely fits under within a few inches. We passed under that bridge at about 5:45 while we all watched. Ed went up to watch from the Crows Nest and says yes, there was not more than a foot from the top of the smoke stacks of the ship to the bridge. Then we pull up next to and tie down with a beautiful garden right our side our veranda.
Then dressed and ready to leave Kriss had a guide out side the ship write down some Chinese Characters of the “village” we were trying to get to. Suzhou. (Little Venice of the East). The ship offered it for $144 per person. We thought we could do it on our own cheaper.
So first stop was by the front desk to pick up our passports, just in case. Then out into the streets to hunt down an ATM for Chinese money. Well looking at squiggles of lines didn’t help much but we soon found one. Then trying to push the wheelchair and catch a taxi was another story. The traffic was CRAZY and going every which way. Think buses, cars, taxis, mopeds, bikes, all come at you and every which way, honking and driving about 50 miles an hour. We couldn’t find one that would stop, until finally Ed ran out in the middle of the street pushing the wheelchair and hailed one down. It was pretty scary but that was just the beginning.
He did drive us to the train station, of which a found one person who spoke “a little bit” of English and helped us purchase the tickets in the machines. (Again all in Chinese characters). But before we loaded we thought we better go find a toilet. That too was a new experience as we opened to stall to find a porcelain hole in the ground and you just “squat”! There wasn’t any TP and I was grateful for my Rick Steves Studies from Europe. Always carry Kleenex with you. We did catch a picture of me coming out of the stall. Funny that right outside the bathroom they were selling all kinds of snack, along with a big stack of rolls of toilet paper. We purchased it then, using it throughout the day.
The train employees were so kind as soon as they saw us with Dad. They would push his wheelchair, led us to where to go, and preloaded us on the train. That was a miracle as when they opened the gates hundreds flowed into the train filling every seat. We were grateful for the help.
Then as we got off we were accosted by a young man who wanted to be our guide for 4 people for half day for 200 Yuen. (About $38) At first Kriss walked on thinking we could maybe do on our own, but the guy kept following her and as we saw the lines to buy our return tickets and realized we couldn’t even do that, he stuck right to her showing time guide back to Shanghai, I said KRISS, keep him, that sounds like a bargain. Don’t let him go. He stayed right in line and helped us get the right tickets ordered home. Called for a minivan with a driver for us and came with us as our guide. We showed him on the map the three places we wanted to see. “Jake” stayed right with us, even loading the wheelchair each time and even pushed Grandpa around all day with us. He took us and ordered up our own boat ride down the canal, (with seats for maybe 25 but we had our own). We watched many washing their laundry right in the canal.
Next we went to the Silk Factory. Luckily they called out an English Speaking guide for us that was great. English he learned in Middle school but we couldn’t be happier as he was able to communicate with us the process of the silk worm at each step as we saw the larva, cocoon, unwinding of cocoon, single and twin silk worms, then about 6 more stations along the way. We even got our own turn at stretching the silk out as they do to make silk comforters. It was so amazing that we each ended up buying a comforter for our own King Beds as our souvenir.
The last stop was a Chinese garden. It was a maze of plants, concrete, rocks, patterns, and small buildings. Interesting but I hope and expect to see better. We were glad the other two stops were such a success and the main thing was being among the people. More real to life than the city life in Shanghai.
Then one more Mr. Toads Wild Ride x 50 on the taxi ride home. We were all amazed we didn’t see someone killed, or at least a few accidents along the way.
As we sat down to dinner we were grateful to be back on our lovely ship and not off trying to cross the country to Xion to see the warriors. We felt like we had definitely made the right decision.
All are sleeping at I write this as we are off to see a Chinese Acrobat performance tonight. We were going to go off boat and pay for one, then saw a smaller group is doing one here on the ship so we decided we would just go to that one for free and get the flavor of the entertainment.
Tomorrow brings more adventure in Shanghai before the ship leaves at 6:00 pm.
In case we don’t get through to you otherwise. Happy Birthday to Dixie and Charise.
Love,
Pam, Dad, Ed and Kriss
Forecast: Foghorns and Floating in a Cloud
Cruise Day 3:
After leaving the Taiwan Strait will continue on a northeasterly course in East China Sea. Early this morning ship picked up our pilot and under his advice will commence a 5 hour passage on the Chain Jiang and Huangpu Rivers towards Shanghai.
Please don’t send or forward any junk mail or group mailings to the Gates or Hicks emails for the next two weeks. Only send short personal ones as we are on ship internet and it is slow as dialup at .40-.70 cents a minute, so just to load, open, read, and delete an email can easily cost $3-4. For your emails I pre-write in Word then hurry and just cut, paste, and send so I don’t use the time on the internet.
Today seems more the day of rest than yesterday, as there was so much to do yesterday. But we did stay away from the dancing and swimming activities. Just attended the Educational ones and the musical show last night.
Today we decided to REST up for the next two days in Shanghai. There is a small chance Kriss is going to get off the ship early to try to find us cheap flights to Xion to see the Terracotta Warriors (Stripling Warriors to Ed). Frommer’s said that it is cheaper to just find street vendors to get them from. But it is a two-hour flight to and from Shanghai so if we really try this it is like being in LA and flying to see the SLC Temple then back again the same day. But Kriss and Ed fly like that all the time so doesn’t seem like an unthinkable trip….other than the cost as they don’t fly free here. So if you don’t hear from us tomorrow probably means we found a flight within our budget.
I woke at 4 AM and stayed awake as the foghorn blasted about every 5 minutes. Actually it was a bit mysterious and romantic in a weird way. Visions of old movies and lighthouses and ships kept coming to mind. And it was also very rough sailing with the rocking and rolling of the ship side to side. I felt like someone had been rocking me in a cradle all night and I wanted them to stop! Ed was grateful for his seasick wristbands but still was scared Gpa would fall out of bed in his sleep. Kriss and Gpa loved it and slept “like a baby”.
Finally I just opened my book and started reading til Kriss and Ed and Dad got up at about 6:00. We all changed in to exercise clothes and headed to the Promenade Deck and did our laps. We feel we deserved some extra milage for the extra steps we took just trying to walk in a straight line with the heavy rocking of the ship. We all looked like a bunch of drunks that had stayed up drinking all night. It was pretty funny to watch us.
The Explorations Speaker Series topic today was “Japan, China, and the West: War and Conflict. Again another great lecture on the history of the locations we are visiting. Really helps put it all together when we are actually seeing it and not just reading it in a history book.
In a few minutes we are being called down floor by floor to meet face to face the Chinese government that came about in Hong Kong so they could personally meet each one of us before we are allowed off the ship in their country tomorrow morning. (I think kind of like going through Customs, checking our passports and visa’s but faster so they don’t have to do it each time we get off the next 3 ports of call in China.)
Wish we could send some pictures to go with our experiences but they told us we can’t from ship internet as it will not handle large files but we will try to send some from an internet café tomorrow if we find one.
Better go meet the Chinese government.
Love,
Pam, Dad/Gpa, Ed and Kriss
Day 3 Afternoon: After checking out we traveled by subway from Hong Kong under the water to Kowloon to get on the ship: Picture the four of us, 5 large suitcases and 6 small carry-ons /backpacks and a wheelchair, trying to move on and off escalators, up and down stairs, through malls down to subway. Shoving the huge suitcases through the ticket turn-styles on the way then hunting down the “handicapped” exit to leave, but jamming it as I tried to push Dad, the wheelchair and myself through but got stuck in between the two barricades as it thought I was trying to cheat them by trying to get two through for the price of one. After seeing us ask 4-5 different people “which exit from underground do we take to harbor?” a cute young asian girl about 12 overheard us , understanding our English, and said, “We are going that way, you can follow us.” We were so grateful as we followed her and her mother for many turns and blocks pulling all our bags behind us. This all took about 1 ½ hours. To take 2 taxis from our hotel was going to cost us 250 Hong Kong dollars,= $38. But to save money we took the subway, which cost us $2.40. All to save some money!
We were grateful to finally arrive at the harbor and see our ship. We checked in our bags and then on to the ship. (I had received call from Adam Barth that as we had booked as “Friends and Family” that they had overbooked the cruise and Holland America needed to have the 4 of us share a room, but that it would be a bigger room. And they were going to refund us 50 % of our price. Visions of the awful folding bed from Alaska tour came to mind, or worse yet, Bunk Beds. But because we were family and friends Adam pretty much said it was a done deal, unless some cancelled and didn’t make it to the cruise and we might get our rooms back.) Our rooms weren’t ready so we ate a quick lunch as we were still going to hit the History Museum with just 2 hours until we needed to be back on board.
They announced that our rooms were ready. We went up to the room number given us. It was the closest cabin to the middle elevator. Couldn’t be better location. Then Kris stuck in our key and opened the door. There we all just exclaimed great joy. Wow!!! There was this gorgeous “Deluxe Veranda Suite”, with wine gift from the captain. Large king bed, (pretty good) sofa bed, bar, dressing room, and a bathroom bigger than our kids bathroom at home, even including a tub with Jacuzzi jets. Then we look ocean side. A double door exit to our 8 foot by 20 foot veranda patio with two lounge chairs and table with 4 chairs for playing games. Now every few hours Dad just keeps saying “We are so lucky!” Thank you Adam Barth!
Things to remember in Hong Kong:
Kris: “The aerial tram over the mountain. It was like flying”
Dad: “Walking in to our cabin!”
Many men around the hotel were dressed in their business suits looking like they were going to church. But then when we took our walk to the other side of town we found that there were people just like us.
Ed: The cable train, a vennicular, (but the cable was under the train instead of over.)
After dropping our bags Dad didn’t want to leave the cabin, so he stayed behind to enjoy our new 2-week home.
Kriss Ed and I headed for the taxi and the museum. It had started to rain. Note to self: When the taxi driver needs to call in for translation of “Hong Kong Museum of History” then beware! After approximately 8 minute taxi drive, he dropped us of in the middle of the street pointing at the building. We walked down the block looking for the entrance, there was none. Then walked the next whole side of block long building, no entrance! We walked the 3rd block long side of building, no entrance! Found a small door and tried it, it was locked but a lady let us in. Then they sent us on elevator down and across to the front entrance. The Taxi driver must be new or was out to dump us.
We had 1 hour and 15 minutes to be back on board, and we had to spend our remaining 30 HKD as they wouldn’t be good in the rest of China. Ed needed a swimming suit.
We did a 45-minute speed walk through the museum. Sad as I’m sure we could have enjoyed 3 hours there. Made us hunger for more history to understand all that we are seeing and experiencing.
We came out of the museum with 20 minutes to spare. (The ship didn’t really leave til 6:00 but we were supposed to be on board at 4:00 for emergency ship drill of what lifeboat to get on.) But it was pouring rain, so after jogging down various streets in the pouring rain with no umbrellas trying to find a taxi, realizing that all were full because of the rain, we started to panic a bit. Then Ed started to watch for a taxi pulling over that he could grab as someone got out. He ran after one. As Kriss and I saw him catch one we then ran the 1/4 block to get in. Ed found a suit in about 10 minutes at the mall that was attached to the cruise harbor, and then we ran on board at just about 3 minutes after 4:00.
Then dinner and to our own private meeting with “meet the Captain." I forgot to mention that along with our Deluxe Suite we also have access just two doors down to our own private lounge that is just for the deluxe suites and penthouse guests. We have our own cruise concierrge (sp) and juice, herbal teas, ice water fountain, and appetizers there all day long.
SUNDAY CRUZZIN’
We were all looking forward to “a day of rest” when Kriss woke early to find our Sunday Schedule outside our door. We planned the day events that we each wanted to attend putting off the sports and crafts one. (Except the one putting shot “hole in one” contest for Ed. Don’t worry, think in was in keeping with the Sabbath as it was two balls with a putter down three stairs in the Atrium.
We had a quick breakfast then starting our sea day at interdenominational church. Then Dad and I went on “Behind the Kitchen Tour” where they cook all the food for 2000 guests and employees with just a staff of 67. Kriss went to hear about the Shanghai tours offered by Holland America, (even though we are planning on doing our own.) Then we also listened to a wonderful lecture ”Explorations: Great Cities of China: Shanghai, China’s Showpiece Capital of Commerce. preparing us for our next stop.
Dad, Kriss and Ed all sleep as I write this. Just received knock at the door and our room steward just delivered us 2 red rose corsages and 2 white rose boutineers for us to wear to “Formal Dinner” tonight. Oh the life of the rich and famous!
I’m to wake the other’s in 10 minutes for us to attend “Royal Dutch Tea”.
Well, it’s not Erik funny but it is a peek at our last 24 hours.
We miss you all and wish you could be here….but then we probably wouldn’t have all fit in this Deluxe Suit…...
Love,
Pam, Dad, Kriss and Ed
PS: Just found out that our great accommodations also allow me to email from our own suite as I sit here on my bed,(again thanks Johnny for sharing your laptop) instead of going to the public areas, as we are “so close to the top”.
Rachel: When you get home and as they come in could you forward to Adam!!!! We can't thank him enough, but I thought he might enjoy reading of our adventures.
Day 1 in Hong Kong:
To finish report of yesterday before I got cut off the internet.
After the Big Buddha sky ride home, and our naps we went across the harbor for the 8:00 pm light and laser show on the 30 mirrored high rises, then hunted down a Frommers recommended Authentic Chinese Restaurant for dinner.
We ordered dinner for 4 which included various courses:
1. Small bowl of peanuts
2. Chicken Chinese Soup
3. Slivered cucumber and onion slices with gray sauce.
4. Appetizer of carved duck on some flat tortilla type bread.
5. Peking Duck “ribs” or Ed says it was maybe “Dog”.
6. One jumbo prawn with spinach
7. Whelk with something “green”.
8. Another White fish with a brown sauce.
9. Then for Dessert—Walnut cream with Dumplings.—Think white eyeballs but as soon as I took one taste is squirted out black puss and I was done. Ed and Kriss did the same, (Ed called it “Gonads Soup”) then we watched Dad eat all of his and all the rest of the 3 bowls of ours. Yummy or Yuckie???!
Then back to our wonderful beds with a view! Thanks again Courtney!
Day 2 in Hong Kong:
Wake up at 4:30 am. Dressed ready to go hiking The Peak if it is clear. We were up so lets go watch the sun rise. Called and it doesn’t open til 8:00 so reading and planning the day. Checked wireless in the room and reading you facebook and email replys.
As those of you that have traveled with Kriss know eating is not the top of list so glad to each share the 2 remaining coconut/custard buns Michael Hicks donated to the trip upon leaving Provo. We each had about 5 bites and a slice of shared apple from the small courtesy fruit plate from the Marriott.
Kriss looked out again enjoying the view of the harbor, wondering where we would catch our boat, and then right there in front of us, that the opposite side of the harbor, we see a large smoke stack with the Holland America logo. During the night our “ship had come in”.
We took a taxi to the cable tram to take us to The Peak. We could stand in the aisle, defying all gravity, “look no hands”, while the tram went straight up the mountain. It reminded us of the old bowl ride at the Lagoon Fun House.
We found a snack bar on top and purchased our last paid meal of 3 small quiches to share along with some delicious hot chocolate, while sitting looking out at the beautiful view. Once viewing tower opened we headed out into the morning mist to get a view of whatever we could see, then headed back inside to shop for postcards and magnets of what it would look like on a clear.
As I write Kriss and Ed have gone to buy a phone card to call home after checking my facebook and email to find troubles with safety inspection on the beach house. Dad taking a short nap.
Then we head out with all our luggage to subway under the harbor to Holland America port of call. Checking to leaving luggage trying to get to Hong Kong History Museum, one Temple, and maybe a Hong Kong village if time. Memo to self: Don’t miss cruise departure at 6:00.
Looking forward to the next two days of cruising the sea on the way to Shanghai.
Bon Voyage….or how ever you say that in Chinese.
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