February 2019 – kevinmaxey

Wednesday, February 27, 2019 Incheon, South Korea

I woke up about 5:30 and spent a little time on the blog and pictures before heading out to walk around the Promenade deck. I love walking when coming into a new port, or any port for that matter. After preparing for the day we headed to breakfast in the Main Dining Room. We requested a table for 2 because we had an EXC excursion planned for 9:15 and needed a quicker pace than a group provides. After breakfast we stopped back by the room and I saw we were headed under a big bridge so I went to deck 10 to watch us pass under.

At 9:10 we headed down to check in for the excursion in the mainstage starboard side. We had a first, in that the line to check in came out of the main stage and went past the BB Kings venue. Literally the line was half the length of the ship. We joked as others joined the line that they could have coffee in the main dining room while waiting. It took 30 minutes before we reached the front of the line and receive the hated “HAL Sticker.” We were supposed to be leaving the ship at 9:45, but with the slow pace of checking it wasn’t until 10:00 we were called to head to our bus. The gangway was on deck 2 and the EXC staff took the line out deck 1 on the side of the mainstage, but Janice and I headed up the stairs and walked to the gangway on deck 2. It was much faster and we were quickly off the ship and found our bus. We were headed to the DMZ and the 3rd Tunnel. We learned there was 3 buses headed to the DMZ so we would be doing things “backwards.”

We began with a stop at a market in Incheon which was just opening for about 30 minutes. We sampled some local foods before boarding the bus to drive along the DMZ.

We then drove an hour and stopped for lunch which was great.

We then headed to visitor center to get tickets for the 3rd tunnel. Here we could see the Freedom Bridge and the train that North Korea had shot up near the end of the war.

We boarded the bus and crossed through the military check point where passports were reviewed. No photos were allowed here or in the tunnel. We arrived at the site of the tunnel we watched an 8 minute video on the history and then saw a “land mine” line before dropping off our phones and getting hard hats for the monorail ride down 72 flights.

It is 300 meter ride down to the tunnel. The tunnel was designed to drain water back to the north and be pumped out and was big enough to move significant troops and armor to attack Seoul. After the discovery 3 walls have been erected at the end near the border and it is now a tourist attraction. The North had painted the granite walls black and claimed the were mining for coal, but you can see how they were drilling holes for dynamite and how all indications were that the tunnel began on the North and headed south.

After our visit we headed to an observatory where we could see North Korea. Our guide pointed out that you can always tell where the line is because in North Korea there are no trees as they have cut them all down for heat or food. On the South they erected a 100 meter flag pole so North Korea erected a taller one. On the south is a tower with a cross to show they have freedom of religion. Our guide seemed to have adopted President Trump’s nickname and called the “great leader” “little rocket man”

After this we boarded the bus for the 75 minute trip back to the ship and boarded the MS Westerdam just before 6 PM.

Our tour guide was great, but my one criticism is that with the bus full, one door for entry and exit wasn’t enough and with all our stops, we were constantly hampered by the slow pace of boarding and getting off the bus. HAL either needs to cap the groups to 35 people or require buses with two doors.

Here is a few shots from dinner for all the foodies that are following along. (Five Spice Lamb Chops and Sweet and Sour Shrimp)

Tuesday, Feburary 26, 2019 Jeju, South Korea

Our visit to Nagasaki had been extended by 1 hour because of our late departure from Tianjin. This meant the captain really had to push as we made our way around Jeju to the north side. I awoke around 4:30 and spent time on the blog and pictures. We had an 8:30 meet with our private tour after an 8:00 docking. We had put a room service card out for coffee, orange juice and 2 fruit plates. The fruit plates are from the main dining room and they are one of the best parts of cruising. The menu had the earliest delivery of 6-6:30 but we hand wrote in both the fruit plates and the 5:30-6:00 delivery. At 5:31 there was a knock at the door. I thanked the steward profusely and tipped generously because that would make everything work. At 6 Janice headed to the gym and I walked the outer deck. It was cold so I had sweats, a hoodie, hat, gloves and a winter jacket and it was so worth it seeing how beautiful the arrival was.

At 7 we met back in our cabin and prepared for the day. Anyone who wanted to go ashore today or in our net stop for Seoul had to go ashore before 10 AM and be cleared by Immigration. We headed to the ocean bar for tickets for Immigration and were the second group to be called. (Rather than having long lines waiting in the port, the ship called people in groups to leave the ship and be processed.) We were off in the second group and met our guide by 8:30. There were 12 of us in a bus for 20 and we were headed an hour away to the other side of the island to visit some parks and view some waterfalls. The ride was beautiful and our guide was wonderful. Sadly one in our group was unhappy about everything. He stood up complaining about his seat causing the driver to pull over as seat belts are required. He then sat up with the driver and had the driver turn all the heat on high so he could see. The back of the bus finally spoke up as it was over 80F in the back. He complained about his driving and his using his brakes rather than downshifting and even how he was holding onto the steering wheel. It was embarrassing, but would only get worse.

Our first stop was along the coast and families were grilling and eating on the stones down by the water.

The views were beautiful. The person who organized our tour bought a bag of local tangerines that were just harvested and they were spectacular. As a Floridian I am sad to report that none from Florida compared to these delightful Jeju tangerines.

Our difficult passenger moved back and sat between two rows complaining about how bad the seats were. We arrived at a second park and I was able to use an ATM. There were many locals visiting the waterfall and lots of vendors with street food and souvenirs.

We bought some Korean Chicken BBQ and a cooked sausage. Another tour member bought a pancake shaped like a squid. It contained no squid and was quite tasty.

After leaving our second stop our difficult passenger made another passenger move because she had a better seat. He complained about those who had open windows and demanded what he wanted. A short 20 minute drive and we were at our third park. No waterfalls but beautiful views. Here Janice and I bought a print from a photographer that was spectacular. We asked him to sign it and he was so honored that he gave us two postcard photos for free. The photo will be mated and hung at home as a reminder of this trip.

At 12:50 we boarded the bus for the hour long drive back across the island. This time our difficult participant decided that Janice’s seat was the best and ignored her stuff at the seat and took her seat. He then began ordering the driver about how to set the fans and air. I had my window cracked open for fresh air and he began demanding that I close it. I have a long fuse but finally had enough. He had tried to bully nearly every person on the tour including the driver and I said that I was keeping my window open and that he chose to sit behind me and if he wanted I would ask the driver to pull over and he could get off. I told him that he had bullied everyone else on the tour but that he was now done. It was a nice peaceful ride back though he did try to close my window once on the ride back.

We arrived back in port just as all the HAL tours did. We went through a thermal scan for quarantine, a thorough security scan, and quick review of our passports before being able to reboard the Westerdam. We dropped our stuff by our cabin and headed to the lido to discover that it was a zoo. There were no tables in the lido or by the lido pool. After a small lunch I headed back to enjoy the warmer temps by the sea view pool and while sitting there we quietly pulled away without any announcements for missing passengers. We spent a little time in the thermal suite before getting ready for dinner – the Cellar Master’s dinner.

The non-foodies can stop reading here. What follows is a 7 course 3 hour meal with wine pairings. It will be a highlight of this cruise. We were seated with 80 others in the Pinnacle for the meal and service was fantastic given the size of the group and the timing of each course.

Monday, February 25, 2019 Nagasaki Japan

The morning began in the gym which was not nearly as busy given our arrival into Nagasaki wasn’t until Noon. We spent an hour in the gym before returning to our cabin to prepare for the day and grab a quick bite to eat in the Lido. We planned to eat a light breakfast as we planned an early lunch before heading into Nagasaki.

After breakfast I spent some time walking the Lido enjoying the warm weather. (IE didn’t need a hat, gloves or jacket.) I worked on the blog some and walked again as we entered the break wall to dock

At 11:30 we placed orders at the dive in and after nearly 30 minutes discovered issues with the pagers. The canon ball burger and fries were still great. After we returned to our cabin to grab our stuff and get a ticket to go ashore. For Japan we had been provided a copy of our passport and a customs form. About 30 minutes after receiving our “ticket” our group was called to go to deck A and go through Immigration and customs. Everyone who wanted to go ashore at any point in the day needed to do this before 2PM. Upon returning we were reminded we needed to return the copies to the ship.

The process went quickly and we soon found ourselves back in the terminal buying streetcar passes and heading out to catch the streetcar. About 30 minutes later we arrived at the peace park. Both the statue and the fountain were closed for repairs but the sculptures are a stark reminder.

Nearby is ground zero and memorial and there is also a museum.

After spending time there we walked back part of the way before catching a streetcar back and arriving at the ship at 4:30. A quick dip and then it was dinner time at 6:30. We retrieved our passports which will be needed for South Korea, watching some TV and then headed to BB Kings before heading to bed. While we slept we left Nagasaki and headed to Jeju/Cheju.

Sunday, February 24, 2019 Yellow Sea

It being a sea day after a busy couple of days we slept in and then headed to breakfast in the main dining room. After, Janice went to a port lecture on Nagasaki and Jeju and I spent an hour walking around the promenade deck for a little over 3 miles.

At 11:45 we had a Mariners Luncheon in the main dining room for returning HAL passengers. HAL has the highest number of repeat cruisers of any line in North America. The luncheon had grown boring with the same menu and I had suggested not attending. We receive a deft tile but I was confident we could get ours at the front desk. Janice urged me to attend and I am glad we did. The menu reflected our Asian itinerary and we both began with a Miso soba noodle soup and then Janice had vegetarian kung pao and I had an Asian beef dish. The dessert was simple and not too sweet. There was complimentary sparkling wine and a toast. The captain didn’t make an appearance which is unusual but did do then noon update on the PA during the meal.

Shortly after lunch the captain came on to announce that we would be unable to arrive in Nagasaki on time after the 2 hour delay caused by the Chinese officials. We were going as fast as possible (20+ knots) and with us going into the current we would be an hour late and thus we would stay an hour later. Our new time of arrival is Noon and our all aboard time is 8:30PM. A letter was delivered later in the afternoon detailing the change. He encouraged anyone with private excursions to stop by the front desk for help. It sounded like you might be able to make a free phone call or access the internet to make any changes.

After lunch we read some and then I headed out on the deck to walk some more before sitting on the back deck enjoying the warmer weather.

One thing to note is that the further we get from China, the more clear the skies and the cleaner the air. Anyone who wants to dispute the impact of pollution or argue that we don’t need environmental regulation needs to visit China.

In the afternoon we spent time in the thermal suite before dressing for a Gala evening and stopping by Sip and Savor before heading to dinner. Janice had the sole and I had the rack of lamb. Some things don’t change. After dinner we rested before heading to the B.B. Kings performance. They are a great group but they were plagued again by style drift. Anything with the word “honkytonk” is not of the genre of B.B. Kings. I am surprised that the licensing allows it to be honest. RESPECT was fantastic and appropriate. “Stand by me” not so much. The best piece was completely Motown and was all instrumental with each musician having a chance to show off their skills.

After we returned to our cabin to enjoy the gentle rocking of the ship as we sped along at 20+knots

Saturday, February 23, 2019 – Beijing Day 2

The day began early in our hotel in Beijing. Our original hotel didn’t have workout space so we hadn’t brought any clothes for that. The new hotel did have equipment but we couldn’t take advantage. We awoke at 4:30 as the bed and single pillow on each bed were not comfortable. We were also quite excited about our day of touring. We made some instant coffee with the tea pot in our room and tested the herbal toothpaste provided. Our guide had asked us to check out shortly after 6 and promised the restaurant would be open shortly after so that we could be finished and board the bus by 7. He was to get our passports and distribute them on the bus.

Janice and I arrived in the lobby at 6:05 and checked out and they invited us to pick up our passports. Knowing I had it back was comforting though it later panicked our guide that he didn’t get to hand them back out. The guide was also wrong in that the restaurant didn’t open until 6:30 and there was 75 people waiting at the door and swooping in as the doors opened. (our group of 43 plus others) There was a combination of American and Asian foods but the food didn’t come close to the food in Shanghai for breakfast. We tried the seaweed, buns, noodles and then I was able to get some dumplings. There was a coffee machine and omelets to order. At 7 we headed to the bus and we left the hotel by 7:10 for the short ride to Tianeman Square.

We were dropped off two blocks from the square and our guide had arranged a wheelchair and attendant for an older woman whose mobility would have slowed the group down. We then headed to the square. Security and honor guards were everywhere. Interestingly we were waived around the security check points because we were foreigners while all the Chinese had to be subject to metal detectors and x-ray machines. This sort of confirmed in my mind that this guide was less a “free agent” than our previous guides and was working with the government shepherding our journey. We spent ½ hour on the square and watched the long ques of Chinese waiting to tour the mausoleum with Chairman Mao’s body. We witnessed the changing of the guard and then used the walkway under the street to head over to the Forbidden City.

The Forbidden City is a title used by non-native Chinese and refers to the fact that during the different dynasties commoners were not allowed. The people in the complex were either girls 14-17 or eunuchs serving the emperor. The girls were chosen randomly and bathed, perfumed and delivered in a sheet to the emperor by the eunuchs to make sure they didn’t have a weapon in their clothing. It was a huge complex with nearly 10,000 rooms. There are no trees apart from the gardens because of the threat of fire. It was built in 14 years using 1 million laborers and the bricks in the floor are 15 layers thick to avoid an assassin from tunneling in. There were giant basins filled with water to be used in the event of a fire. There were again massive crowds present. The locals refer to the complex as the palace museum and our guide repeatedly reminded us that it now belonged to the “people.” We walked through the complex, visited an Emperor’s bedroom and headed out the other side of the complex.

We then boarded the bus for a quick trip to Temple of Peace. Another participant had been injured on the chair lift at the Great Wall and so our guide arranged another wheelchair to help him get to the temple and back.

It was a quick 45 minute visit before heading to a local restaurant with the other tour bus before the 2.5 hour ride back to the port. The lunch was served family style and was quite tasty.

The ship was 10 kilometers from entrance to the port itself. The entire port is built on reclaimed sea. While there was some sky scrapers, most of the land remains unused. A few notes about the two days. The pollution is notable. We had good days in terms of the particulate matter but one couldn’t see very far because of the haze. The vehicles were all filthy as a result of the pollution. For friends in the Twin Cities – lots of buildings were dirty enough to be replaced. 😊 It was a great place to visit, but I would never want to live here.

We arrived at the ship shortly after 3 and nearly 2 hours before the all aboard. Costa had a ship that was embarking and we had to go through port security. Each person set off the metal detector and was wanded. Our bags were x-rayed and another couple were pulled aside because their toiletries had too much liquid. We went through a second x-ray of our bags and finally had our stamped passports reviewed by the official and were allowed to walk onto the ship. Here the ship security had us flagged to return our passports and stamped copies and there was a chaotic collection by ship staff. We had been told we had to return them to the front desk but the ship personnel clearly didn’t want to take any chances and were collecting them as we boarded the ship. We learned later how important this was as our sailing was delayed by 1.5 hours as officials ashore counted and reviewed passports and copies and names were called throughout dinner as the captain’s frustration showed. To get to Nagasaki we were scheduled to sail at 20.5 knots and the delay only added to the need for speed and fuel costs. It also meant a less than peaceful dinner.

After returning to the ship we visiting the thermal suite and then prepared for dinner. We had Rudi’s Sel de Mer scheduled in the pinnacle. We began with a taste of a sea scallop and seaweed.

We then had fruits de mer.

Janice had escargot and I had steak tartar.

For the main it was lobster for me and red snapper.

After dinner we headed back to the room before the evening entertainment only to quickly fall asleep for the night and even with the clock moving forward an hour, slept a full nine hours. We have been averaging over 20K steps per day so we are getting our exercise!

Friday, February 22, 2019 Beijing

I awoke early and spent some time organizing pictures and posting the blog. At 5:30 I headed out to walk around the promenade deck and watch the ship come into port and dock while walking 4 miles. The ropes were thrown just as I finished my walk and headed in to clean up and pack for our overnight trip to Beijing. We let our stewards know we would be gone and then headed to breakfast in the Lido. It was crazy as everyone was trying to eat before the ship was cleared. At 7:45 we were cleared and we headed off the ship. We again had to have a photocopied stamped copy of our passport and because of our overnight stay, we needed our passports as well. We met our guide and boarded a bus with a total of 43 participating and staying at the same hotel. The same company filled another bus at another hotel. We set out for the Great Wall and the nearly 3 hour drive. We made a stop on the highway for a rest stop. There were squat toilets and a few potty toilets -which caused chuckles from the westerners. After the stop we continue until we reached a police checkpoint. Everyone is supposed to produce an ID for them to verify, but our guide yelled that we were all foreigners and we were waived through.

When we arrived at the great wall, our guide asked that our bus take us to the entrance. They agreed but said anyone able had to get off and walk through the complex for the cameras and then re board . We quickly realized that it had nothing to do with cameras and all to do with us walking the gauntlet of vendors selling their wares. A quick trip up the hill and we parked and walked to a local restaurant for a local lunch served at a table with a lazy Suzanne. It was absolutely fantastic.

After lunch we walked up a little further and our guide purchased tickets to ride the cable car to the top of the wall. (think ski lift) We then had 2 hours to walk the wall and experience it.

After finishing our time I bargained with the vendor and got an embroidered piece that he wanted 1000Y for down to 100Y after I kept walking away. It was about $17 US. Janice and I being under 60 were then able to ride toboggans down to the bottom. We rejoined our group and began the drive to Beijing. During the drive the guide explained that we had our hotel upgraded so that we would be closer to Tianeman square and that this would be at not additional cost. We checked into the Sunworld Hotel. They had to process our passports and register our presence.

After dropping our bags in our room we set out for LiQun for Peeking Duck. The hotel concierge helped get us a car and the 20 minute trip ended with us finding it with an alley entrance. Another CC participant had shared that it had been featured on Antony Bourdaine’s Part’s Unknown and he recommended it. After a 20 minute wait the four of us were seated with two locals. We had Peeking Duck and a full menu of other items. It was less that $25 USD per person including local beer. The place was packed and they quickly turned the tables over. We watched the chef cut 6 ducks in our short time there.

After dinner we had a little trouble getting a cab to stop but finally found a cab and the ride was 1/3 the time of the ride to the restaurant. It was 14Y or 2.25USD. The other couple walked to see Tianeman Square by night and we headed to our room and bed.

Thursday, February 21, 2019 Yellow Sea

Thursday, February 21, 2019 – Yellow Sea

We both slept the latest we have on this trip. I headed to the Lido for coffee and then began organizing photos and posting the blog from the day before. It was then off to the gym where everyone continues to jockey for cardio equipment. From 6 AM to 7:30 it was absolutely crazy but at 7:30 it was like a switch was flipped and everyone left.

Here is the view while exercising

It might be related to the fact that while the Lido had been open since 7, the main dining room opened at 8. After showering and preparing for the day we headed to breakfast and the rest of the day. This was the first day where the sun came out and we could see without the haze.

At 10 Janice attended a lecture on our upcoming ports while I spent some time outside. At 11 we attended the America’s Test Kitchen demo on salads and then had lunch in the Pinnacle. I then attended a mixology class on Asian cocktails and Janice attended another ATK presentation. We used the thermal suite in the afternoon and had some down time before dinner. We also used this as an opportunity to pick up our passports from guest services as we will need them to check into our hotel in Beijing. (Hotels are required to report who is staying there and as a person traveling on a visa, if we don’t stay at a hotel we must report to the local police station to report where we are staying.) We used this as an opportunity to prepare for our overnight trip to the Great Wall and Beijing. We had dinner in the main dining room after stopping in the sip and savor.

Since we have no real interesting pictures to share, here are a few of our appetizer and dessert

After dinner we opted for BB Kings which is again quite gifted musically but when the set was largely 50’s and 60’s music we slipped out and headed to bed.

On Friday we are to dock by 8 and after being cleared by officials we are to meet our tour guide between 8 & 9. The ship staff has been clear that they don’t control the process so we don’t know when we will actually be cleared. While it won’t matter to us with our tour, while the ship is docked overnight, it is very likely that the immigration folks will shut the gangway down overnight so there will be no getting on or off the ship.

With our travel away from the hotel and internet filters, our next update might not occur until we back on the MS Westerdam.

Wednesday, February 20, 2019 Qingdao

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

I slept until nearly 5 AM! I felt great when I woke up so I got up and headed to the Lido for coffee and returned to work on the blog and pictures from Tuesday. The fog horn was regularly sounding and the fog seemed really heavy. At 5:45 I headed down to the Promenade deck to walk. I love to watch the ship come into port while walking around the ship and so this was a great opportunity to get my exercise at the same time. Given the weather is in the 40’s F and the wind of a moving ship I needed to dress warmly There was fog, but one could still see the moon, so the fog was really hanging close to the surface of the water. After 3.5 miles, 1:15 and as they began throwing lines I headed to the cabin to get ready for the day. We were to meet with our tour group at 7:50 so we ordered room service between 7:00 – 7:30.

On our last two cruises in SS we received a suite in room menu. This cruise we did not so I inquired. I was told we should have but was called several hours later to say no. I asked if this was a change fleet wide and while polite, my question was not answered. There was plenty of options and we wrote in what we wanted and they honored all we asked for. The only difference for us would have been complimentary mimosas and a breakfast with steak without charge which we don’t tend to eat anyway.

We gathered at 7:50 and were to be allowed off at 8 but they changed that to 8:30 overnight. The ship is fully dependent upon the local officials and China is clearly unlike most cruise ship ports. At about 8:20 we were cleared and headed off the ship to stand in line before they were ready to have us go through immigration. They used our photo copied stamped passports and it was much like entering or leaving the EU. There was no health scan or customs scan but it was still a process. The walk wasn’t 2 miles as indicated yesterday but it was nearly a mile to get through the process and out to the busses or street.

In the terminal our group of 8 was met by our guide and taken to a bus that would seat 40 people. She asked what we wanted to do and what time we wanted to be back. We left the terminal as rush hour ended and headed Mt. Laoshun and the Taoist Temple. There she bought our tickets (she needed our copies of our passports) and we boarded a different bus for the trip up. We stopped and climbed 200 steps to see some waterfalls behind a dam.

After walking down we caught the next bus to the Temple and drove along the coast.

After spending time there we returned to our bus and began the journey back to port. We stopped at the Wind of May where one in our group didn’t see and extremely short bollard and went face first into the sidewalk.

He will be sore today but he didn’t require going to the ER. We then stopped at the German Governor’s residence and our guide helped us purchase roasted sweet potatoes (sold by weight) which were tasty and since it was after 2 and we hadn’t stopped for lunch.

We then returned to port early just as immigration opened up again after being closed. We had our copies of the passports reviewed and it is clear that they are logging our getting off and onto the ship.

After a quick snack and rest it was time for dinner. Tonight it was the culinary arts council dinner. Here is the menu

Here are some pictures of the meal.

After dinner we meant to take a break and then head to the thermal suite but we both were exhausted and fell asleep only to awakened as we were leaving port. I logged nearly 24,000 steps so all and all a great day.

Tuesday, February 19, 2019 Sea Day

I had a great night of sleep but it again ended sooner than I would have liked. I was wide awake at 4 AM and gave up and spent time working on pictures and sending out yesterday’s blog post. Again, I was thankful that there was coffee available in the Lido. At 5:50 we headed to the gym and joined the line. Another couple arrived on the other side and discovered that the door was unlocked and so we all headed in about 5 minutes early. There was a mad dash for the cardio equipment and while not quite like Black Friday in the US, it was still more serious and intense than one would expect on vacation. By the time we were finished there were people standing there ready to jump on the equipment when one got off and they didn’t even wait for us to wipe the equipment down with sanitizer. We cleaned up and headed to breakfast in the main dining room at 8. We arrived 5 minutes early and there were about 30-40 people in line in front of us. On sea days they open the dining room a half hour later, but most were ready to eat at 7:30 based on the conversations. We opted for a group table and met a delightful retired couple who made for delightful conversation during our meal. After breakfast we headed for the Lido for our sea day tradition of a spicy Bloody Mary. It was only fair in that it was more bland than usual, but hey we are on vacation so how bad can it be?

At 10 we had a meet and greet for those who connected on Cruise Critic. We had the Hotel Director, Food and Beverage Director, Beverage Manager, Food Manager and the head of customer service. There were about 100 present. Sadly some used the opportunity to complain about things that were not within the power of the ship’s personnel. Many were unhappy with the distance one had to walk to get through immigration and customs. It is a long walk as I mentioned yesterday, but that isn’t the fault of HAL but is reflective of the primitive nature of China. I will be honest and say that if I were an officer, it would be hard to be enthusiastic about an event I was not in charge of because it is very likely to become a way to air grievances and complain.

At 11 we headed to America’s Test Kitchen for a lesson on dim sum and pot stickers. It was a great demo with a packed house. I really like the partnership with ATK.

We had lunch schedule din the pinnacle at 12;15 and as typical, had a great meal with attentive service. First course was crab cakes and beef carpaccio and for mains it was seafood cioppino and a pinnacle burger.

After lunch we took a small break (nap) before walking around promenade and attending a lecture on the coming ports. The next port will have nearly a 2 mile walk to get from the ship through the terminal to the tour buses. We’ll get our steps in for sure! We also received an urgent message that the Chinese authorities were going shut down the gangway from 10:30 to 11:00 AM and 2:30-3:30 PM and during that time no one could leave or board the ship. No one seems to know why and the only answer is that we are visiting China.

At 5 we headed to sip and savor before our first Gala night. (silver) The dining room was notably busier and we didn’t see any jeans, though we did see some formal wear with sneakers and hot pink laces. Dinner consisted of shrimp cocktail, escargot, and sole for DW and rack of lamb for me. We shared a chocolate souffle and our waiter was so concerned that 1 wouldn’t be enough that he had a second brought in case we wanted one each. One was plenty.

After dinner we spent a hour in the hydro pool and thermal suite before finishing the night off watching part of a set of BB Kings. I am happy to report that the music was much more of what we expect and love.

Being a sea day there was few pictures apart from some food. The seas were calm but the air temperature was in the 40’s and it was a gray day that made us think we were still in Ohio.

One final note, DW noted that for the first time we have been asked if we are retired. I just celebrated my 50th birthday and we have many years before retirement, but DW likes to remind those who ask that we have decided that we aren’t going to wait for retirement to do the travel we want as we want to see the world while we are healthy and mobile.

021919 main Dining Room day 3 Gala.docx

Monday, February 18, 2019 Shanghai & Sail away

Monday, February 18, 2019 Shanghai and Sail Away

The day began early as after 9.5 hours of sleep I awoke rested and began working on the pictures from Sunday and posting the blog. I headed to the Lido and was able to get coffee at 5:00 to fuel my work and the smell was so good and strong that it woke Janice up. At 5:55 we headed to the gym to get our steps in before the day really got started and discovered there was quite a line. When the gym wasn’t open by 6:10 a passenger found someone from crew in the Lido and after a call was made at 6:15 a fitness center staff with serious bed head and not in “uniform” appeared and opened the doors. He didn’t get a warm reception from all those irritated by the delay. On our last cruise they had sadly changed the gym opening time to 7 AM which was really hard if you had any excursions. We often just walked the promenade deck at 6 which didn’t please the crew who were cleaning. I was told the change had been fleet wide and it was printed in the orange booklet in the stateroom which seemed to support that. We encouraged many to complain in their post cruise survey. I don’t know if the change is fleet wide but I am happy to report that the gym is open on the Westerdam at 6 AM.

At 7 we returned to our cabin to shower and prepare for the day. At 7:30 we headed to the main dining room for breakfast before our Food and Wine Magazine sponsored excursion: Shanghai Eats. There were 23 of us with an English speaking guide who headed into the city to visit markets and stop for bites of food. Since the ship had collected our passports we had to use one of the photo copies provided at embarkation. One had been stamped by immigration and we could use that to leave and board the ship. Sadly no one was told that only 1 was stamped and that one was the one that was needed and many were sent scurrying back to their cabins by the EXC staff saying they couldn’t leave the ship without the stamped copy. This may have been our best excursion with HAL ever. It was very interesting and the group was mobile enough that we could keep a reasonable pace.

It took about an hour to make our way through Shanghai traffic. It was the first day back to normal after the Chinese New Year and traffic was very heavy. (It made traffic in SoCal seem light.) After beginning a walking tour we visited a food market that had meat, vegetables, seafood, tea and even live eels.

Our next stop was a market for merchandise (no pictures) and then a market for pets. Before you ask, no these were not going to be eaten. There were birds, turtles, kittens, guinea pigs, hamsters and crickets. A long tradition is cricket fighting and there were huge crickets that buyers would carefully agitate with straw to decide if they were fierce enough to win when fighting other crickets. There are wagers placed and it might be similar to cock fighting in the US or Central America.

Our next stop was for sticky rice and warm bean milk. The rice was filled with veggies and fried shrimp and was good. The soy milk was not bad but I wouldn’t seek it out.

Our next tour was through the old French section and then to a modern mall for steamed buns, tea, and rice wine.

We also saw the largest Starbucks in the world that opened last year. In Shanghai there is over 600 Starbucks locations. You’ll notice that there are many American restaurants here including Shake Shack and Wolfgang Pucks.

We then visited the Muslim section and tasted a lamb kebab seasoned with cumin and cooked outside over charcoal.

Our last stop was at restaurant where free thinkers and journalists used to meet. They had quotes all over from Jefferson and other Western leaders. Prior to the communist revolution it was the heart of the free press. Here we could have a chocolate brownie, passion fruit cheese cake or a crème’ brule. We also had a choice of three different cocktails and none were worth writing home about.

When we began the tour we were told we would likely miss the muster drill, but it was a short 30 minute drive back to the ship and the good 15 minute walk through security, health screening, customs screening, a long walk back the gangway for immigration and finally ship’s security. We enjoyed the walk, but I felt for some of the older passengers because I think it could have made any excursion a moderate activity level. We arrived back to our suite just as they began the first level alarm and within 30 minutes we had gone to the third level, gathered in the cold rain under the lifeboats and were released. Rather than fighting the crowds going back upstairs, we went down and enjoyed a glass of wine before a light dinner at 5:45. During dinner there were several announcements seeking passengers and before we finished we had cast the lines and began our journey to our first stop.

After dinner we spent some time in the thermal suite before DW went to see the magician and we met to listen to the BB Kings group. I will reserve final judgment, but if the first night is any indication, the music was marginally Motown and was only fair. It doesn’t help that I am not a fan of country music and that is definitely not a Motown sound. Since this is our favorite daily event aboard we are hoping it will get better. Toward the end of the first set we found ourselves having trouble keeping our eyes open and headed back to our cabin to crash.

	Kevin Maxey on December 5th, At Sea
	Kevin Maxey on December 6th, At Sea
	Beth on December 5th, At Sea
	Beth on December 6th, At Sea
	Paul on December 3rd, Ponta Delga…