Whispering sweet nothings.

turtlemichael · Mar 7, 2019

The Kyoto market we visited (Nishiki Market) was one long lane, over probably a kilometre, with a number of cross streets. It struck me as very upmarket and a little touristy The stalls looked fantastic and the quality of the food and other goods looked very good. I upset the guide by suggesting that the reason Japanese men and women were so thin was maybe because they couldn't afford to eat. I was told it was because they walked everywhere! With 5 strawberries for near $20.00, albeit large ones, I stand by my point! Also, that everything is wrapped in plastic, often individually, seems out of touch.
.

Mmm sparrow!

If you want your seafood stick browned, just apply a blowtorch.

The postman is here.

turtlemichael · Mar 7, 2019

On to the amazing Temple of the Golden Pavilion and its incredible gardens. Scenically, this was the highlight of the visit to Kyoto made better by warm sunshine. It is gold leaf over the many layers of lacquer.

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love_the_life · Mar 7, 2019

Funny, I didn’t think the market was particularly touristy or upmarket as there were many small shops selling day to day necessities as well as food. The friend I was with bought her gardening scissors (secateurs) in a knife shop there.
You did well to get photos of the Golden Pavilion without other people them. Wall to wall last time we were there.

Pushka · Mar 7, 2019

Stunning photos!

turtlemichael · Mar 8, 2019

And finally, a visit to Tenru-ji Zen Buddhist Temple for a vegetarian lunch and a bit of meditation. The gardens again were spectacular. The meditation session was meant to be an introduction. Theday ended with a ride on the Nozomi Shinkansen train from Kyoto to Tokyo.

These three days away from the ship were brilliantly organised and well done by Silversea.

turtlemichael · Mar 8, 2019

And finally, a visit to Tenru-ji Zen Buddhist Temple for a vegetarian lunch and a bit of meditation. The gardens again were spectacular. The meditation session was meant to be an introduction. The day ended with a ride on the Nozomi Shinkansen train from Kyoto to Tokyo.

These three days away from the ship were brilliantly organised and well done by Silversea.
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turtlemichael · Mar 9, 2019

Still suffering from the joys of the Internet at sea. Someone said tonight it is because of Chinese censorship (where we are at the moment). Who knows. And now it is time to head to Singapore via Shanghai, Hong Kong and Saigon.

turtlemichael · Mar 9, 2019

Day 59 Mar 6 Shanghai
After two days sailing from Tokyo across the East China Sea we made it to Shanghai. Well almost. We were stopped just after the pilot boarded a good 5 hours short of scheduled docking because the port was closed due to fog (aka smog, but they didn't call it that!). We eventually sailed up the Yangtze and then into Huang Pu River, where Shanghai sits. The map looks as if we are going across country but I am fairly sure that wasn't the case. The fog lifted, we went through the tortuous process of convincing the Chinese Immigration people that we weren't a risk, and we saw the spectacular evening light show which makes Hong Kong look amateurish. We were told by one of the guides that it was a political statement to out shine Hong Kong.

Pushka · Mar 9, 2019

@love_the_life will chime in here too but on QM2 and in March, the trip up the Yangtze was torturous due to fog and at 7am while some of us were in the shower

a booming voice came through the cabins, making people drop their soap, not heard that before, from the Captain saying that we were still tendered in the channel hours out of Shanghai, waiting for fog to improve. We had a thirty minute window or we would miss the port entirely. Given at that time we had to purchase expensive visas for China there was a collective groan. However a few minutes later we were on our way to port. We arrived four hours late which screwed up our tour completely. Docking we then spent another 90 minutes waiting for their immigration. When we finally got off the ship it was a miserable cold wet day.

We had to berth out of port so then it was a bus ride. We missed the light show.

Not our greatest venture but it was one we had really looked forward to. Clearly March is not a great month.

Internet - Facebook and a lot of social media will be blocked, including the usual communication apps.

love_the_life · Mar 9, 2019

Pushka said:
@love_the_life will chime in here too but on QM2 and in March, the trip up the Yangtze was torturous due to fog and at 7am while some of us were in the shower a booming voice came through the cabins, making people drop their soap, not heard that before, from the Captain saying that we were still tendered in the channel hours out of Shanghai, waiting for fog to improve. We had a thirty minute window or we would miss the port entirely. Given at that time we had to purchase expensive visas for China there was a collective groan. However a few minutes later we were on our way to port. We arrived four hours late which screwed up our tour completely. Docking we then spent another 90 minutes waiting for their immigration. When we finally got off the ship it was a miserable cold wet day.

We had to berth out of port so then it was a bus ride. We missed the light show.

Not our greatest venture but it was one we had really looked forward to. Clearly March is not a great month.

Internet - Facebook and a lot of social media will be blocked, including the usual communication apps.

I remember the fog - real pea souper - and the wet, drizzly day.
We had a similar situation on the Yangtze River as well, where 'dragon's breath' (fog rising from the water) stopped our ship. It was quite serious as the river is only open for one direction's travel at a time and we would miss our slot. As it was they made a special exemption and stopped the upriver traffic briefly so we could travel. It was pretty hairy to be stopped and still have large ships appear out of the fog and pass us.
The light show looks great even through the smog.

turtlemichael · Mar 9, 2019

Day 60 Mar 7 Suzhou

The Shanghai smog lifted very quickly on our first morning. It is at least 10 years since we were last here and the pace of development has left its mark. Pudong, opposite where we were docked, has grown both up and back. For us today it was a trip to Suzhou, a city of a mere 4.5 million with 7 million more in the administrative district around it. It is about 100 kilometres west of Shanghai and is best known for its historic gardens and canal system.

The trip out took the best part of two hours, plus another one in the aftermath of a fender bender accident we had. The little car we rear-ended did not come off too well. Fortunately, no one was hurt though, by all the shouting and arm waving, pride was certainly damaged. Money changing hands seem to satisfy our driver. He also appeared to have not found the indicator for changing lanes. In this he was not alone on the elevated highway out of the city. We were a little disappointed in the day which seemed very rushed after the delay. We still found time to spend an hour in a silk factory with a very big shop.

First it was a ride on the canal, part of the ancient Grand Canal of central China. The land is very flat with many lakes and swamps and parts of the canal construction date to 200BC

love_the_life · Mar 9, 2019

Was your excursion through SS or privately organised?

turtlemichael · Mar 10, 2019

Through Silversea, love_the_life. We have a generous OB credit.

Some pictures from the Humble Administrator's Garden which dates from around 1520.

turtlemichael · Mar 10, 2019

Day 61 Mar 8 Shanghai

I have to say that the architectural tour we did of Shanghai was the best ship's tour I have ever done. The guide was an American ex-pat who had been in business in Shanghai for 22 years. He had an expertise in Shanghai architecture, particularly from the Art Deco period, and there is a lot still remaining in Shanghai. He took us to the Bund, and inside many buildings, to the French Concession and to Pudong where we went to the top of the Shanghai Tower. First, the Bund.

turtlemichael · Mar 10, 2019

Finally, we visited the French Concession and Pudong. The French Concession is like any other smart inner big city area and apparently very pricey. South Yarra? When we were last here a decade plus ago the building surge was underway in Pudong and now it looks like it is slowing down. The individuality of the modern design puts most places to shame. This is a city of contradictions.We had an excellent visit.

turtlemichael · Mar 15, 2019

Day 64 Mar 11 and Day 65 Mar 12 Hong Kong

The struggle with the Internet goes on. Over the last few days it has been the worst of the whole trip but now we seem to have a small reprieve so I'll make an attempt (Attempt 54) to update.

The sail into Hong Kong is usually quite spectacular. We got up early to see it only to be greeted by very heavy rain. It cleared just as we entered the Harbour and the two days there ended up being good weather - low 20's and fine. The views in the Harbour were very good but we didn’t get too far in.

Unfortunately, we were not to be docked at the Star Cruise Terminal just around from the Star Ferry in Kowloon. This is like docking at The Cruise Terminal in Sydney at Circular rather than at White Bay and is highly prized. We were told that Star Line owned it and that it would be occupied by one of their ships. It wasn’t. P&O Arcadia was there. We were sent to cruise Siberia, the newish Cruise Terminal at Kai Tak.

Kai Tak is of course the old city airport where you could see what people were having for breakfast as your flight descended amongst the apartment blocks. The terminal actually sits on the old runway. While it is nice enough, but austere and vast, it is a long way from the centre of town – it took us an hour on the shuttle bus at peak times.

We suspect the real reason why we were at Kai Tak is that we were receiving a couple of containers of new deck furniture by crane during the docking at this could only really be done at Kai Tak.

Anyway, having been to Hong Kong numerous times we decided to just wander and do some shopping and not do any organised touring.

The sail out was impressive in the setting sun. We were even buzzed by a drone, as shown below, for twenty minutes or so. As this has now happened at least three times on the cruise it is possible it is being controlled by the ship and is taking publicity shots.

Hong Kong Cross-Harbour Ferry.

This plane stuck on the old Kai Tak airport runway may have been the one that didn't get away.

A non-touristy part of town.

The view from our cabin into the garden at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal.

Being buzzed by a drone.

Pushka · Mar 15, 2019

Awful cruise terminal isn’t it!

turtlemichael · Mar 17, 2019

Day 68 Mar 15 Ho Chi Minh City

As the Internet seems to have improved a fair bit I'll post about our two day stay in Ho Chi Minh City. We have been to Vietnam twice before. First time was for an extended land vacation in 2004 and then, five years later to Ha Long Bay, Da Nang and Saigon on a cruise ship. It was Silver Whisper that we are now on again. This time it is only to be to Saigon. Actually T2 has been here a third time before - he had a year here in 1967 with the Australian military. He finds it both challenging and uplifting to come back.

The sail up the River for around five hours from Vung Tau is impressive. It starts with peacefully pleasant trees and mangroves then becomes a rip roaring industrial port as you near Saigon. The river is alive with ships of all sizes, rubbish floating everywhere, junks, cross river ferries and some vessels that defied a title. In 10 years the development has been amazing and the pollution levels incredible.

After we docked we were again in a mission. We had to get two pairs of prescription glasses repairs. That proved very easy and, for one new pair of frames for one and new nose pads for the other, we were set back $9.00. We didn't bargain.

The rest of the morning in very hot conditions (38C at the maximum) we wandered around. That isn't so easy at the moment as a metro is being built. Much of the city is dug up so, in addition to the dangers from motorbikes on roads and footpaths, moving about is slow. The optician told us that it would be finished soon, maybe in time for her grandchildren who hadn't been born yet!

Coal smoldering at the river side and pollution blocking out the sun. The air was putrid in that section.

Approaching the city

A lot of river traffic.

Packed cross river ferry which weaved through the river traffic. Kids and motorcyclists are hanging off it.

The cathedral is shut for renovations.

The Central Post Office.

Inside the Post Office with Uncle Ho looking over us.

turtlemichael · Mar 17, 2019

We also went to the food market in town. That evening we went to a show at the roof top bar of the Majestic Hotel and then for dinner at the Mandarine Restaurant. I think the food is a bit westernized but it was still just about the best meal we've had since we left Australia.

Business was a little slow for the condom seller.

Uncle Ho still looking after us.

Workers having a lunch time pavement snooze.

The changing skyline of HCM City.

Dancers at the Majestic Hotel.

Spring rolls. The best I've ever had.

Duck.

turtlemichael · Mar 17, 2019

Day 69 Mar 16 Ho Chi Minh City.

First thing it was back to the post office to post some post cards and to see if we beat them home. Town was again bustling and no different on a Saturday morning than on a Friday. After some more wandering in the heat we had a couple of pineapple juices (twice the price of the glasses frames!) at the roof top bar of the Rex Hotel. That was the scene of the Five o'clock Follies where the American military would brief the international press on the war each day. It was called follies because it was largely regarded as fantasy! Not much changes.