DIAMOND PRINCESS

MAR 19-APRIL 30, 2016

SYDNEY SATURDAY MAR 19

15 hour Flight seemed to go by quickly. First 10 hours zipped by although I watched the clock for the last 5 hours.

Check in went smoothly, sharing the apartment with two gay guys from Germany on a one year travel around the world. Both speak English well.

Spent the day walking to Circular Quay (pronounced key referring to the dock)& and shopping. Very nice World Square shopping center across the street with so many places to eat. Saw the Opera house and Sydney bridge. Went to Chinatown and ate at the too hard to find Chinese Noodle restaurant which was not worth the search. Very strong Asian presence in Sydney with lots of Japanese and Chinese people and restaurants.

 

Sydney SUNDAY MAR 20

Today we met with Graham Pearson from Sydney Greeters who spent a long day with us. Weather was cool and cloudy most of the day but rain started about 2pm. Graham was an “authentic” home grown Aussie with the proper accent that I had a little trouble with. Started off at Hyde Park with the Anzac war memorial, then through the Domain and the Royal Botanical Garden. Had Chai and mocha latte at the Poolside Café and stopped at the “wow” viewing point just after Mrs McQuarie’s chair. Walked around beautiful Farm Cove to the Sydney Opera House at Bennelong point. Continued around Sydney Cove and heard the bells of St Mary’s church then paused at Phillip’s Foote at the Rocks for lunch. Graham led us on a leisurely pace but frequently stopped to tell stories or Aussie jokes…true story. After lunch with a drink of lemon lime bitters we started across the Sydney Bridge just when it started to drizzle. We made it across before the harder rain started coming down. After a 15 minute downpour we headed down to the beginning of Lavender Bay and walked through Luna Park with the scary Clown entrance. Followed the bay to its center and saw Wendy's Secret Garden. Fatigue and rain set in and all we wanted to do was get back to the apartment. Thankfully we took a ferry from Lavender Bay to Darling Harbour that saved us a 3km walk. We headed home through the mall in the Queen Victoria building. We said goodbye to Graham at the mall and made a beeline to the World Square for dinner at Din Tai Fung and their steamed juicy dumplings. We ended our day at 25k steps and 11.2 miles.

Learned that Sydney was founded because England needed a place to put their convicts after America’s revolution. Mainly from Wales and Ireland. Rum was the first form of currency and Australia celebrates Allyse’s birthday with a National holiday also known as ANZAC (AU & NZ Army Corp) day. Sydney’s buildings are largely made from local sandstone.

 

Sydney MONDAY MAR 21

Spent the day on the Hop On Hop Off bus although we never did the off part. Morning went to Bondi beach in heavy rain which just tapered off after switching to the Sydney Explorer and getting off at the Marriott to see Gail. Lunch at Vietnamese street food and Hungry Jack. After the sun came out we took a second tour of the Sydney Explorer route.

We enhanced our culture by attending La Boheme at the concert hall with the Hosozawas. Made a mistake by trying to take HOHO during rush hour but a taxi saved the day. Performance was in Italian and the surtitles got lost in translation but an enjoyable evening nevertheless.

 

Sydney TUESDAY MAR 22

On the road early to the Blue Mountains. They look blue from afar because of the refraction of light through the light mist of oil produced by the thousands of eucalyptus trees. First stop was at the Featherdale Wildlife park. Quite good to touch and feed many AU animals, particularly the Joey Kangaroos. Up close and personal with Wallabies, Wombats, Cassowaries, Koalas, Echidnas, Tasmanian Devils, and mucho others. Amazing to get so close. Another hour’s drive to Leura for lunch before stopping at the Three Sisters at Echo lookout. 20 minutes later we arrived at Scenic World where we rode a cableway, railway, and skyway from the top of the mountain to lower elevations. The transports were pretty good but the trails were not inspiring. The return trip to Sydney included a ferry along the Parramatta river back to Circular Quay and Darling Harbour. Sushi dinner at World Square.

 

Sydney WEDNESDAY MAR 23

Thanks to Nosh Café, SushiRoll, and Breadtop bakery in World Square for feeding us during our stay in Sydney.

Flagged a cab from the corner of Pitt and Gholburn to drop off our luggage at the overseas cruise terminal. Short walk to the Opera House for our 1130 tour. Interesting info on the Danish architect’s, Jorn Utzon, design changes and the 16 years it took to build and the political drama that didn't allow the architect to see the final completion of his design in 1973. Took so many pictures on tour because so many unique viewing angles of the “sails”. Interesting concepts about how the theatre changes scenes vertically since the sail design forfeited space on the sides of the stages. The Opera House is the youngest building to be on the world heritage list. We had the absolute best tour guide, Sue Ann, with an infectious enthusiasm and love of the theatre.

Checking in to the Diamond Princess was easy and our cabin is nicely upgraded with a big screen and on demand entertainment and centrally located near everything. Enjoyed the Thermal Suite spa and will again for the next 19 days.

 

At sea THURSDAY MAR 24

Do nothing day. Noel and Ryan are our waiters for dinner. They are very personable so we will try to sit at their table as often as possible. The ship singers and dancers are the best group that we've had on any previous cruise.

 

Melbourne GOOD FRIDAY MAR 25

Visited the Serendip sanctuary where we walked near the wild kangaroos and emus. An overcast day made for perfect viewing conditions as dozens of kangaroos were in the wide open and easily accessible. Also visited the You Yang national park where they care for the endangered koalas. Learned that koalas are threatened and may become extinct by 2055 due to reduced habitat and climate change. Males have shorter life span (10-13 years vs 20 years for females) since they are kicked out of family unit after one year and must fend and find their own territory. Females can stay and inherit the territory of their mothers. Koalas are nocturnal and move to different trees daily to maintain the health of the eucalyptus trees. Eucalyptus trees are called gum trees and have multiple varieties such as blue, lemon, box, etc. They are low in nutrition and only koalas can eat the toxic leaves. Joey koalas must eat the scat of their mother to gain the enzymes and ability to eat gum tree leaves. Koalas can only eat the type of gum tree that they grew up in. If they are relocated, they cannot eat other gum trees.

Kangaroos live in a mob where there are multiple females but only a single dominant male for breeding purpose. Dominant males typically are part of a mob for two years before they are forced out.

Marsupials are mammals that have a pouch. All young marsupials are called Joeys. Marsupials have a gestation of only a month but the babies continue to mature in the pouch for another 6-7 months. Kangaroos have pouch in front while koalas have pouch on back side.Our tour guide Kelly of Echidna Walkabout was extremely informative and funny. We saw koalas Emma and Pat, mother of Clancy, the mascot of Echidna Walkabout organization.

 

Adelaide EASTER SUNDAY MAR 27

The city was founded in 1839 and is still very small. Downtown business district is only one square mile. One university and one (new) major medical center. It is the driest city on the driest continent. Bus tour along the narrow beaches and through the city mixed with new and historic buildings before heading up to the Lofty Mountains and the Cleland Wildlife Park. This park was much larger than the Featherdale park but gave the same access to the larger population of tame animals. Definitely the best of the three we visited. Saw many active koalas, a unique albino Wallaby, our first Bandicoot, and a very noisy aviary lake. After 2.5 hours we headed to the Summit Lookout Café for a quiche lunch. On the way back to the ship, we stopped at outdoor Rundle Mall.

We met Sarah and John from Florida in the koala hold line and Bob from San Simeon who sat behind us on the bus.

 

At sea MONDAY/TUESDAY MAR 28/29

Met Alba from Sarasota, FL in front of explorers lounge. Originally from Uruguay, she was a delightfully talkative woman.

Thoughts from cruise so far: Lots of Aussies on this leg of trip. Stereotype large, white, with brash personalities. Not a visually appealing lot. Curtis Stone from AU is the highlighted chef and all the Aussies seem to love his pork belly specialty dish. Notice a transitioning of ship staff to more Japanese in preparation for next segment of the cruise. Nightly shows feature only entertainers from UK. Flutist from Ireland, violinist from Scotland, and comedian from England. Been using spa every night.

Not a fan of cabin steward Randival. Doesn't refresh our room until 1pm and 9pm. Enters our room too often when we are there without being let in. He knocks and comes in immediately without waiting to count hangers and to look for his misplaced key. We also had to vacate room twice when he is ready to clean rather than him cleaning when we are out. Most obtrusive steward we have had.

 

Fremantle/Perth WED MAR 30

A late arrival into Fremantle and a late start to the tour to the Yanchep National Park. A long bus ride along the coast led to a smallish fenced animal park. Arrived at 1230 and dallied through a terrible lunch at the Yanchep Inn followed by an aboriginal cultural show. Walked a short trail with koala and kangaroo sightings and along a small lake without a lot to see. Next stops were Monger Lake with its black swans and lastly Kings Park and Botanical Gardens. Kings Park had a memorial to those who died in the Great War (WWI) and a beautiful vista of the city and waterways. Nice trails through the botanical garden made this the best stop of the day. Returned to the ship just before departure time at 6pm.

600 passengers got on/off the ship in Fremantle. Perth is named after city of same name in Scotland. Property is expensive along the coast but it also seems like an endless coast to be developed. Weather has been cooler than expected so far on this trip but ports of call have been very pleasant. Southern Australian waters can be typically rough due to meeting of three seas or major currents. Our trip has been unusually calm.

 

Bali, Indonesia SUNDAY APRIL 3

Although Indonesia has many islands, Bali is on the middle of the three main islands. Indonesia is highly dependent on tourism, has a high unemployment rate (30%?) and is 90% Hindu. Everything appears to be much cheaper than other Asian cities, food, goods, entertainment, and services. Bali is a tender port and we took a 3 level, air conditioned, beautiful ferry from the ship.

Very interesting day in Bali. Was a little concerned because of terror alerts and hiring a tour guide from a Tripadviser blog but it turned out great. Adi from Agung Tours recognized us from our picture as soon as we got out the port gate and we got in a nice air conditioned minivan. Adi was very talkative and had a great sense of humor and was a very pleasant tour guide. First stop was the most expensive and least entertaining Barong and Kris dance play at the Barong Sila Budaya outdoor theater. We stayed for one out of the five acts of the very traditional Indonesian play about the eternal fight between good and evil spirits. Next stop was at the Batuan Temple where we donned an Indonesian sarong and made a donation to enter the temple grounds. Beautiful architecture and statues a thousand years old.

Getting around the island is always a traffic madhouse with just as many mopeds as cars and everyone cutting everyone else off and making their own lanes. It seemed like every turn forced someone to have to get out of your way. Narrow streets and high congestion make the Frogger game look easy.

Stopped at a wood carving store at the art village but didn't get anything then headed to the Tegenungan waterfall. Walked through a gauntlet of small shops and many little girls selling fans on the way to the waterfall.

We next visited Bali Pulina coffee factory that makes the c

kopi luwak coffee by processing the coffee beans through the Asian palm civet (a ferret type animal) digestive system. Had a sampling of their flavored coffees and teas that were all very strong and tasty. The tasting area overlooked a beautiful terraced rice field valley.

Passed by the larger Tegallalang terraced rice fields on the way to the Ubud Monkey forest. The monkey forest could easily have been the setting for an Indiana Jones movie including the Temple of Doom. Stone trails and bridges in a densely forested area with hanging vines and rivers throughout. Aggressive monkeys everywhere bumping into and grabbing people, reaching into backpacks and purses totally unafraid of humans. Very stunning location made this one of the highlights of the day.

Getting late in the afternoon and not wanting to be on the last tender we skipped other shopping areas and temples, however, we did want to sample the Indonesian Babi guling. Adi went above and beyond to find parking a quarter mile past a restaurant and walking back to takeaway two Babi guling lunches for us. The roast pork dish was extremely tasty with side dishes of fried pork rind, puffed pork rind, sausage, and a spicy chili pepper salsa with a bowl of rice.

Have to mention that the Princess theatre main show continued with its theme of Australian/UK entertainers. Tonight's singer/comedian had a show that would only appeal to Australian septuagenarians. The ship passengers are still very heavily (in more ways than one) composed of Australians.

 

SEA DAYS Mon thru Wed

We appear to have settled with a regular group of people at dinner. Brian and Rhonda who looks like a stern school teacher from Brisbane, and David and Anna from Melbourne originally from Hong Kong. We also continue to run into Alba at the Japanese language classes and the Kawasaki couple from Tokyo that we met at the Obon dance class. Finally had one good Princess Theater show but then another Australian singer tribute to Dolly Parton. Can't wait for a change in show themes.

We were told 1600 passengers are leaving in Singapore so an equal number of primarily Asians will be boarding. That turned out to be false. Today we attended the first port lecture of the cruise. Found out that the port lecturer for the cruise was hospitalized in Fremantle so a member of the crew gave the lecture.

 

Bangkok, Thailand Thursday  April 7

We were warned that Bangkok was a 2½ hour drive away from the port of Laem Chabang and that traffic would be horrible. Traffic did not disappoint but a small minivan was able to zip around slower vehicles to get there in 90 minutes. We met Sosse from Asia Tours exactly at 0830 and found out we had a private tour with a guide and a driver. Sosse was very polite, soft spoken, and tall making it easy to find him in crowds. His heavy accent made it difficult to understand everything he said but we got the points he wanted to make.

Thailand is a Buddhist country that is run by the military but reveres the Royal family. We were warned to not disparage Buddha or the family while in the country. Thailand is the only country in the region that was not under colonial rule by a Western European country and was named Siam until 1932 when the name changed as part of a political movement.  Bangkok is a city of over 10 million people and is very crowded and generally dirty. We also noticed lots of billboards much bigger than what we have in the US. Bangkok is called the city of angels but it's a title not a translation of the name. It was founded in 1782 by King Rama I, the first monarch of the Chakri dynasty.

We headed directly to the Grand Palace where Kings Rama I-IV lived. The current King Rama V lives in a separate palace and has been king for 50 years. The Grand Palace was nearly as impressive and crowded as the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. Amazing temples of ornate designs and decorations including temple Wat Phra Kaeo, home of the emerald Buddha.  Many figures of half humans and half monkeys or chickens with monster faces are traditional Thai characters similar to what we saw in Indonesia. The palace was spectacular.

After 90 minutes admiring the palace we had a Thai lunch buffet on a floating barge. Delicious and spicy papaya salad, noodle soup, Panang curry, rice noodles, fried chicken and wonton, and various deserts were on display. We stepped out of the restaurant onto a long ornate ferry boat powered by a long shaft truck motor for a tour of the Chao Phraya river canals. The water was filthy polluted and the canals mainly lined by run down shacks made us look forward to the end of the tour. Next stop was the Golden Buddha at the Wat Traimit temple. A huge sitting Buddha weighing 5½ tons made out of pure gold. We decided to skip a walk through Chinatown to head back to the ship since the tour company expected extra heavy traffic. We actually made it back quickly in 2½ hours and were at Laem Chabang by 1630.

 

Phu My/Tong Dou, Vietnam Saturday April 9

Today is hump day for the vacation. The ship docked at the port of Phu My which had no terminal and nothing to offer except a set of tents and vendors selling souvenirs.

We did not go to Ho Chi Minh city today but took an exciting excursion to the city of Tong Dou and the Baria Tunnels and Di Tigh Ligh So caves. Despite lack of clear information, we met up with the Cruise Critic group and boarded the free shuttle to the Baria Co-op market and found Paul and Sen from Vung Tau tours. After a 20 minute bus drive we arrived at the Den Tho Liet Si temple that was the entrance to the Long Phuoc tunnels. The extensive tunnel system provided hiding and protection for the village during the Vietnam war and originally from the tax collector during the French occupation in the early 1900s. The tunnels are 1.7 meters tall and .8 meters wide, sufficient space to ride a bicycle, and contained small bedrooms and areas for a kitchen. Of course the underground lighting was not working today so we explored the tunnels with the iPhone torch app and a few flashlights. The history of the tunnels was far more interesting than walking through the tunnels themselves.

A very nice stop was at a local farmer’s market where we rested and had roasted corn cob, coconut water and Vietnamese iced coffee. It was a small example of an everyday Vietnamese village gathering and we got to see rows of fresh seafood, meats, and vegetables Vietnamese style.

The unexpected highlight of the day was a visit to a mountain cave system that provided the Viet Cong a tactical military advantage during the war. It was described to us how the Australian and US forces were unable to find hundreds of VC who seemingly disappeared into the caves whenever they were attacked. After seeing the many small, hidden entrances in the dense forest it was easy to imagine how miserable it would have been to fight there during the war. After a strenuous 200 step climb we attempted to crawl and climb through a small, constrained cave to the top of a hill. Some members of the group struggled to get past a particularly tight crevice and one woman fell, scraped her shin, and fell into a red ant hill. Ouch.

Paul is an Aussie who moved to Vietnam 11 years ago and married Sen and they run a language school in addition to the tour company. We were given a foot massage by local women and served an 8 course meal cooked on a very small stone fire pit that appeared to be typical cuisine of the local people.

Free wifi is provided by the government and is prevalent in Vietnam, including on vehicles, unfortunately it doesn't come with any bandwidth.

 

SINGAPORE Monday April 11

Fabulous day in Singapore with guide Eunice Yee. Singapore is a city state that encompasses 63 islands. It was under British rule since 1819, founded by Sir Stamford Raffles of the British East India Company, but more recently under Japanese occupation from 1942-1944 and part of Malaysia from 1963-1965 at which time it became and independent country. The city is clean and new for the reason that it wasn't industrialized until that time. Extensive government public housing is provided to the poor that accounts for no homeless in the country. There is a mandatory savings program where every worker must contribute 20% of their salary towards retirement. The employer contributes an additional 16% and they can use up to 24% of their savings to buy a house. Malay is the official language although English is the primary spoken language. Car ownership is discouraged and you may pay the equivalent cost of a car for a 10 year license to own one. The population is 70% Chinese, 14% Malay, 10% Indian, and 4% Eurasian.

The downtown skyline is beautiful with spectacular buildings highlighted by the Skypark on top of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. Also the Reflections (South Park) Tower, the Performing Arts “Dorian” dome, the Science & Technology building, and the Garden by the Bay trees. The Singapore Botanical Gardens were great although we only visited the Orchid Garden but it was stunning and reminded me of the Buchard Gardens in Victoria. The Jurong Bird Park was beautifully landscaped but only had time to ride the tram and see the waterfall so we really couldn't view and explore the aviaries. The Lory Loft allowed us inside the large enclosure where lorikeets and parrots interacted with the visitors. The bird show was amazing with large hornbills and other birds flying inches from spectator heads. Lunch was a seven course Chinese banquet at Peony Jade restaurant. Chinatown and the Sri Mariamman Hindu temple was the last stop of the day.

Yeah, we have a new cabin steward and he is great. He refreshes our room as soon as we leave. He works to our schedule not his.

 

Ho Chi Minh City Wednesday April 13

Vietnam is a poor country where the average citizen earns $2000 USD per year while the cost of a small apartment is over $100,000 USD. They are under Communist rule where citizens are allowed a two child limit but members of the Party can have up to five. They are heavily taxed and despite reunification in 1995, we are told there still is a north and south cultural difference. We were careful to not ask political related questions. The land area  is 70% mountainous.

Another great tour by Thun of Smiles Tours. Lots of sites, no wasted time, and a thrilling tri-shaw ride through the city. HCMC is 1½ hours from the port of Phu My. It is overpopulated with crazy drivers which seems to be typical of all major Asian cities. The Jade Emperor Buddhist pagoda was small with fu Manchu mustached idols. I fanned an idol 7 times for good luck. We then learned how lacquered wood is made at a location where handicapped artisans created eggshell, mother of pearl, and painted designs. The Notre Dame Cathedral was established by the French in 1880 and across the street from the beautiful central post office architected by Gustave Eiffel.

The war museum was a very solemn reminder of the devastating impact to the people and country. The US is not painted in a very positive light regarding violating the Geneva Convention and instigating the war. History describes the loss of will by the people of the US after the Tet offensive which led to the end of the conflict. After the fall of Saigon in 1975, it was renamed after the North Vietnamese leader whose face is displayed everywhere in the city.

Riding a human powered tricycle rickshaw and sharing the road with hundreds of honking motorcycles, cars and trucks was a unique way of seeing the city. Just like Bangkok, right of way is owned by the bigger vehicle and everyone else avoids collision. All the drivers cautioned us to remove jewelry and wear cameras around our necks to avoid theft during the ride.  We got off at the Thien Hau temple with carved figurines gracing the rooftops similar to the Sri Mariamman in Singapore. Lunch was a typical pho noodle soup and cha gio followed by shopping at a large indoor swap meet market. A casual walk past city hall and the Opera house concluded the tour before heading back to the cruise terminal.

 

Nha Trang Thursday April 14

Nha Trang is a beach resort area known as the Miami of Vietnam located at the mouth of the Cai River along the central coast. It is a tender port that has the world’s longest over water cable car, the Vinpearl cable car, traversing 10,000 feet across a very large bay that may be the reason we couldn't dock. The port is 7 miles away from town center.

We had a rough start to the day when we couldn't locate our tour guide. Waited an hour trying to contact someone. Luckily we found a guide that worked for the same company even though he didn't have us on his list. Dang Nguyen rescued us from an almost lost day.

The embroidery art at The XQ Dalat Historical Village was stunning. Beautiful pictures were made by hand embroidering with silk threads. It can take months to embroider the incredible detail of the art pieces. This was a must have addition to our art collection.

The bus ride to the Chia Loc Tho temple and orphanage was an amazing example of skill by the driver to maneuver the bus through sharp turns on narrow streets. We cleared poles and buildings by near inches and managed to pin bicyclists and pedestrians to fences on curves. The driver deserved the ovations he received after getting us to the orphanage.

We took a Cai River cruise from Cay Bang to a restaurant in the jungle for a snack of fruits then back on the bus to the giant white Buddha statue. We wanted to experience the culture of the country so we enjoyed visiting homes/shops where old ladies have been making pho noodles, conical hats, and straw mats the old way by hand their entire lives. The craft will probably die with their generation since current generations no longer follow the trade. The lunch at Nam Son Restaurant by the river was a feast of delicious dishes. That was followed by a final shopping trip to another ubiquitous outdoor craft market.

 

Chan May/Hue Friday April 15

We learned that Vietnam is the second largest rice producer in the world behind Thailand. The port of Chan May was similar to Phu My with nothing close by except a few tents and vendors.

Hue is the imperial capital of Vietnam. It was the home of the last royal family, the Nguyens until 1945. The port of Chan May is in the middle between the cities of Da Nang and Hue, a 90 minute bus ride away. Guide Dung (Youm) was extremely talkative and informative during the entire trip to the city. The King Tu Duc tomb is where the longest reigning emperor of the Nguyen dynasty is buried. The extensive walled complex has a river running through it and has temples, pagodas and gardens within. As the temperature and humidity grew, we quickly saw how incense was made using cinnamon and paste.

The Thien Mu Pagoda is the symbol of Hue and we spent a bit of time exploring the temple grounds before stopping for lunch at the co-op food court.

By the time that we reached The Citadel, the Royal Palace of the Imperial family, it hit a steamy 95 degrees making it a challenge to walk up stairs and traverse between the buildings. The Citadel actually surrounds the forbidden city area and presents the long history of the Nguyen dynasty.

The day’s excursion was interesting but not necessarily memorable.

 

MACAU Sunday April 17

Macau is an island 50km from HK and is a special administrative region of China with its own currency the Pataca . It was leased to Portugal in the 1800s for trade. It reverted back to China in 1999 and was given 50 years to transition the government and economy.  It is a gambling Mecca with income 6 times greater than Las Vegas. While the average citizen of HK makes 6000HKD a year, the average Macau makes twice as much because of the higher paying jobs at the casinos.

Because of immigration and distance it took 3 ½ hours to and from the ship and Macau which left very little time to actually see the city. We took the Kotai water jet ferry for the 80 minute journey to Macau. We were told a bridge connecting HK and Macau is under construction to be in service in 2017. The first temple built in Macau was A Ma which is situated on the side of a hill with steps to various praying areas. The Macau Tower is a twin to the Stratosphere in Las Vegas with a rotating restaurant at the top and a bungee jumping attraction. Beautiful views of the casinos and bridges and waterfront of the island. The iconic Grand Lisbon casino in the shape of a lotus flower stands apart from the rest. The Museum of Macau looks like a stone fortress on the outside and has three floors of historical artifacts with a rooftop garden overlooking the city. It was adjacent to the ruins of St Paul’s Cathedral which only has the front entrance wall standing. Down a long set of stairs from the cathedral was an open market area that was wall to wall people with many shops selling the popular varieties of beef jerky unique to the island.

 

HONG KONG Monday April 18

Hong Kong is also a special administrative area that reverted back to China in 1997 after 150 years of British really rule. They have their own political government and HK dollar currency and there is a strong “umbrella” movement to maintain an independent government from China. Tourism and business has been down 20% because of the transition to the Chinese Government. HK has a population of 8M and with limited area the typical person lives in a 400sf apartment. HK also has a never ending skyline of skyscrapers and boasts to have twice as many as NYC. The cruise terminal used to be an airport and is a sleek tapered design with a huge rooftop garden larger than a football field.

Our Costco purchased tour operator decided to cancel our tour due to insufficient passengers leaving us stranded in the morning. We elected to take the shuttle to Diamond Hill MTR station and the Hollywood Plaza mall. It was raining so I didn't feel too bad about the cancelled tour. We arrived around 0830 to find out the stores don't open until 1100 so we patronized the Starbucks until we found the Federal Banquet dim sum (or yum chow) restaurant open. This was on our must do list so it worked out well. The rain stopped at around 1100 so we ventured out to find the Nan Lian Gardens nearby. Nan Lian was a beautiful, large oasis that reminded me of a Japanese bonsai garden that was nestled in the middle of the city. Immaculate landscapes, a pagoda, ponds, waterfalls, and small museums made this a very enjoyable find. Just when we reached the end of the garden we wandered across a stone bridge and stumbled on the nunnery. With more immaculate landscaping and a few temples of prayer it was an equally impressive setting.

We were anticipating the laser light show over the bay at night but it turned out to be a dud. Perhaps the low clouds obscured the lights but it was very unimpressive.

 

Taipei Wednesday April 20

The port of Keelung is the gateway to the city of Taipei 30 minutes away. A cool 73 degrees and clear skies were unusual for the city.

Taiwan is officially the Republic of China and is a democracy and considers themselves a sovereign country. However, the UN does not recognize them and considers them part of the PRC. China treats them as a special administrative area similar to HK and Macau. We are told they are politically torn between maintaining independence and unification with the PRC but are resolute in their desire to remain a democracy. For now, the PRC and Taiwan are content with the ambiguous status quo and are not forcing a resolution.

Taiwan is a technologically advanced country still struggling to erase its image as a manufacturer of cheap quality goods. They are world leaders in the manufacturing of chip wafers used in all electronic devices and are one of the 4 Asian tigers (or dragons), free-market, advanced economies with Singapore, South Korea, and Hong Kong. They have a population of 23M but with limited land area, they live in apartment complexes and can afford cars but cannot afford parking stalls. They have an efficient water and power system due to 50 years of Japanese occupation and their road system was built by the US during WWII.

The Taipei 101 building is the second tallest building in the world and is named for the number of stories above ground. The National Palace Museum was shoulder to shoulder with visitors and we were not allowed to take pictures of the various exhibits documenting 8000 years of Chinese culture. We observed drummers at the Pao An Temple, dedicated to the God of medicine, which contained intricately carved dragon roof pillars. The Grand Hotel was befitting its name and served an incredible lunch with food from the various Chinese areas as well as sushi and an extensive desert bar. We watched the changing of the guard at the Martyr’s Shrine honoring men who fought in historic Chinese battles.

Chiang Kai Shek, a disciple of revolutionary Sun Yat Sen, helped set up the Republic of China by bringing down the Manchu Dynasty in 1911. He was defeated by organization led by Mao Zedung that later became the PRC and fled to Taiwan where he became its first president. We visited the CKS Memorial Hall, a massive building, where we learned about his life and rise to power, and watched the changing of the guard.

 

Kagoshima Friday April 22

Japan is 70% mountainous, 13% of land is arable, only .3% is industrial. Iconic and active Sakurajima volcano dominates the skyline just across the bay from Kagoshima.

Kagoshima, formerly known as Satsuma, is at the southern tip of Kyushu island, one of the 4 major islands of Japan. It has a population of 600K and was an important city in the defense of Japan during the war due to its proximity to Okinawa. Getting to Chiran was a pretty drive through lush countryside and tea fields. Chiran is known for their green tea. The Chiran airfield was the home of the Tokko or Kamikaze pilots. It was here where they trained, said goodbye to their families, received their orders and took off. We visited the Peace Museum that memorializes the 1036 Tokko that died in the battle of Okinawa and represents a reminder of the horrors that of war. Nearby was the Chiran Samurai houses and gardens which is a historic neighborhood where descendants of Samurai still live. The traditional houses have preserved the original architecture and have exquisitely maintained Shakkei style gardens similar to Kyoto. Tour guide Chieko was so polite and accommodating and left us with origami cranes made by her family.

The movie The Last Samurai was about Saigo Takamori from Kagoshima and parts of the movie was filmed here. The local people greeted us at the dock with flags from around the world, and they were there to wish us a heartfelt thank you and Bon voyage. All the passengers appreciated the sendoff which included a performance by a local high school band.

 

Osaka Saturday April 23

The entry into Osaka harbor was beautiful. Nice buildings and bridges and we docked adjacent to a giant Ferris wheel similar to those at Singapore, Hong Kong and the London eye. A marching band with the most kawaii dancers greeted the ship. We were told that the Japanese have a special attraction for the Diamond Princess since it was built there and christened by the wife of the Mitsubishi chairman. Similar to Kagoshima, the city is very clean, neat, and orderly.

However, it was a disappointing day in Osaka. I had visions of old Japan temples, gardens, and countrysides as we booked the Panoramic Kyoto tour. The hour plus drive from Osaka to Kyoto was like driving from LA to OC with nothing but freeway and urban settings. Kyoto is a bustling metropolis and we were happy to reach the Golden Pagoda garden in the middle of the city. The pagoda is gilded with 23 kg of gold leaf, sits in the middle of a pond, and has a trail through an extensive garden that includes a 600 year old bonsai tree. Unfortunately, the entire Diamond Princess seemed to be there with many other tourists making it uncomfortably crowded and a battle to get a clear shot of the pagoda. It may have been nice if we were allowed the 40 minutes to walk through the garden but guide Wakako “Kate” sensei told us we didn't have time and we should return to the bus after seeing the bonsai tree. Kate was not the best guide. We did stop at a handicraft art center but remained on the bus for the rest of the tour. City highlights were a blur as we barely saw corners of buildings, distant towers, or just entry gates. Nothing will be remembered. Back at the ship, the shopping area near the port was closed except for restaurants and the Horizon court capped the day with a poor selection of fare.

 

At Sea Sunday April 24

Final thoughts on the last day of the cruise. This was a trip of a lifetime and we enjoyed all ports. Did not enjoy ship entertainment as much as other cruises due to Australian focus and topics of interest. Lol, based on the sample size of passengers that we met, Australian women in general are critical and like to complain. The men seem more accommodating. It seems that everyone that we've met from other countries have teased us about Donald Trump. Hope to keep in contact with Brian & Rhonda Ramsay and David & Anna who had dinners with us all cruise. Such a stunning small world coincidence to meet Val & Peter Cole and finding out Val is the sister to Kean Engie that we met on the Tahiti cruise. I will miss our waiters Noel and Ryan. Sam & Norma from Moorpark were also very nice people.

 

Yokohama/Tokyo Monday April 25

Our first use of the public transportation system was mildly successful getting from Yokohama to our destination in Tokyo. Ticket machines do have an English translation button but you do have to know specific station names. Like LA freeways, signs had final end points, not directions, so you needed to make sure you were getting on a train in the right direction. The train from Sakuragicho to Yokohama stations was simple enough but, despite much research, we got on a wrong train to Tokyo station instead of Shinjuku and had to back track a little. The 25 mile trip that should've taken 90 minutes took us 3 hours including lunch. Lunch at the Shinjuku station was interesting because all ordering was done by machines with little translation and I didn't realize I had to present the ticket to the counter before they made our meals. Shinjuku station is very large so we walked half a mile (or more) to find the Oedo Toei subway from the JR line. Upon arrival at Nishishinjukugochome station we didn't understand or could read the address so we had to visually match buildings from pictures. Thankfully the Shinjuku Parkside Palace Studio was only 6 buildings from the station exit. We couldn't find Shingo to get the key since he was Airbnb chatting and we weren't online. I remembered the apartment being on the top floor and having a 9 in it so we found the key in an open mailbox. Whew. The loft is smaller than a hotel room but it does have a fantastic view of the city and the unique Tokyo Metropolitan Government building. We walked two blocks to the Shinjuku Chuo Park that included the Juniso Kumano Jinja shrine and a walkway to the Metropolitan Govt Bldg and the 45th floor observatory with a view of the Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower.

 

Tokyo Tuesday April 26

Yasuji Udoyama has a lot of energy and is 72 and is incredibly fit. He’s a constant talker although difficult to understand at times. He met us at the apartment and laid out a plan to visit Tama Reien cemetery, Rikugien Garden, and Ueno Park today. I was in awe of the Tokyo public transportation system and it felt like the entire day was spent in it. So many different lines and stations and people. Took the Oedo Toei subway, JR rail, and metro bus to get to Tama cemetery. It took almost two hours to get there but it was worth it. We never would have found Akira Yamamoto’s grave without Yasuji San’s guidance. It was at the farthest corner of the very large cemetery where the location numbering system seems random. It was emotionally moving to find the grave and we were able to gather lots of additional info for the family tree. Another long ride back to Shinjuku station and lunch, then onward to Rikugien Garden. Very nice garden famous for its azaleas that were in bloom however very similar to the Golden Pagoda garden in Kyoto or the Nan Lian gardens in Hong Kong. We wore out Yasuji San by the time we reached Ueno Park at 4:15. He sat and rested while we cursorily explored the many gardens, museums, shrines, and temples on the grounds. Of note that we saw were the Toshogu Shrine, the Kiyomizu Kannondo temple, and the Bentendo Temple. We too were very tired when we got back to the flat at 6:15.

 

Tokyo Wednesday April 27

Another 20k step day. Yasuji San led us on the Oedo Toei subway to E18, Tsukijishijo station to see the Tsukiji Port fish market. It was a humongous working wholesale fish market that did not cater to tourists so we saw very few besides us. I only narrowly missed getting hit by a cart once. It had everything that could be imagined and was a continuous bustling of activity.  We had to have a sushi brunch at Ben Tomi just outside the market. It was good but nothing special or unique. The outer public market was equally interesting with hundreds of little shops selling everything imaginable.

We walked 600m to the Hamarikyu Gardens that we never have to go back to. More like a wooded open area instead of a manicured Japanese garden with nothing of significance. The entrance to the Sumida River cruise, however, was located inside the gardens and we took a leisurely half hour ride up to Asakusa near the Tokyo Skytree and the Asahi Beer Hall. The Kaminarimon Gateway to the Sensoji Temple was close by but there was another huge shopping area between the gateway and the temple itself. We had an interesting opportunity to sit through a Buddhist ritual where they called on spiritual forces for the protection of our family for a donation. We received a placard with the prayer and our family name to be displayed at the entry to our house. We also prayed to have our wishes fulfilled at the Sensoji shrine nearby. The Tokyo metro Ginza line took us to Ueno station then to the last stop of the day at the Imperial Palace and the east gardens near the Tokyo station. The east gardens of the Palace is the only section open to the public. Incredible stone walls outlined the gardens with a large grassy area in the middle. The Imperial Palace remains the residence of Emperor Akihito so we were limited to pictures outside the gate and of Nijubashi bridge. Chuo line express took us back to Shinjuku.

 

Tokyo Thursday April 28

Some observations of Tokyo so far are that despite the politeness of the Japanese people, they do not greet or make eye contact with others on the elevator, at stations, or while eating. Dining is also a speed sport from the ordering, serving, and consuming of food. Credit cards are not accepted at many locations including all the rail systems and most food establishments.

We challenged the rail system on our own today and visited the Shibuya area early during an all day rain. It was the peak of rush hour and the trains were overstuffed. Karen has never squeezed me as hard as the people on the train. You literally could not move or fall due to the mass of humanity. The Shibuya crossing was sedate due to the rain and small number of pedestrians. We viewed the crossing from the recommended second floor of the Starbucks. Found the Hachiko dog statue and wondered why the 109 Building is so famous for shopping. The underground Tokyu Foodshow was an assault on our culinary senses with sooo many delicious looking dishes.

Jumped back on the JR Yamanote line to Harajuku and the Meiji Jingu Shinto Temple in Yoyogi Park. The temple and courtyard honestly looked like the temple we stumbled upon in Hong Kong with large wooden entry gates. Purchased various omamori, good luck charms, at the temple for the family back home. Leaving the park, We wandered around until we found the Takeshita Dori shopping corridor including a four story Daiso store where everything is 100 JPY($1).

Once we got back to Shinjuku station, we ventured out in search of the Toho building that has a 15 foot Godzilla on its roof overlooking the crowds below. We walked through what looked like a red light district nearby to get a closer view of the Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower which is really an educational facility that houses a fashion, a technology, and a science school. We called an early end to the day just as the rain lightened up.

 

Tokyo Friday April 29

Mmm sushi for breakfast. Another 20k day. Yasuji San told us that today was a national holiday, Showa Day, to commemorate the reign of Emperor Showa or better known as Hirohito outside of Japan. Today was a chilly, windy day but there were many festivals everywhere we went.

We headed out to Ryogoku Station to the Edo-Tokyo museum but first we saw a Showa Day sumo exhibition at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Hall. Also saw sumo tori coming out of arena. The Edo-Tokyo museum was right next door which had exhibits documenting the history of the city from imperial days to the present. It has many miniature models of the city over the years as well as some interactive exhibits. A short ride to Kameido station took us to the Fuji Matsuri Wisteria Festival at Kameido Tenjin Shrine. The wisterias were not as big as prior years due to the warm season. Lots of food and game booths surrounded the shrine grounds. We took another short train ride to the Tsutsuji Azalea Matsuri (festival) at the Nezu Shrine where there were even more food and game booths than at Kameido Tenjin. The Nezu shrine was home to shoguns and the imperial family in the mid 17th century. Late day fatigue made us nix a visit to the Kabuki museum but we did have enough energy to make it to Shibuya again for another look at the crossing and dinner at the Tokyu foodshow.

 

Tokyo Saturday April 30

Departure day. Really can't believe it's at and end but looking forward to going home. We've seen everything in Tokyo that we possibly could, even caught a glimpse of Mt Fuji this morning from the apartment. We had time to go to Shinjuku Gyoen Park this morning before catching the N’ex, Narita Express. Just four stops on the Oedo subway to Kokuritsu Kyogijo station. Don't know if it's the last day glow or the lack of crowds but the Shinjuku Gyoen was one of the most enjoyable parks. Typical manicured garden in wide open space within sight of the Municipal Government Building. Three major areas representing English, French, and Japanese gardens, the Taiwan Pavilion and the greenhouse were the main attractions but we did see our first, albeit small, cherry blossoms. Just a relaxing atmosphere to top off this incredible journey.

The JR N’ex is in a separate terminal building by the New South exit of Shinjuku station. Tickets were around 3650 JPY including tax and the ride was as easy as could be with airline type reserved seats and a direct route that took 75 minutes. Star Alliance gold got us checked in and through security in a flash and access to the ANA lounge. Sushi, chicken curry, various make to order ramen, yakisoba, fried chicken, sandwiches, salad, French fries, beer, sake, and cappuccino they had it all.

Overall thoughts of Tokyo. Shinjuku really is centrally located to many of the sites that we saw and Shinjuku station is one of the major stations with Tokyo station where all the lines seem to converge. Love the Japanese Toto toilets and the tall public urinals. Weather temperature was fantastic, sushi not any different than back home, still amazed at the number of people using and the extent of the rail and subway systems. Don't know how the city stays so clean because you can't find a rubbish can anywhere. Vending machines primarily selling drinks are on every street corner and more. Thank goodness for 7 Eleven and their ATMs. Family Mart is like an ABC store with decent packaged sushi and other meals.