Saturday 31 January 2015  
Koh Samui, Thailand

It has been an exciting morning on the ms Volendam.  At 5:14am, passengers are awakened by six loud blasts on the ship's emergency warning system.  Even in my groggy state, I know it is not the call to muster with life jackets (that's seven short blasts, followed by one long blast), but I'm not sure what it means.  I try calling the ship's phone operators, but of course all the lines are busy.  Passengers start peeking out into the corridors, but there are no crew members in sight.  The emergency lights have not come on, which is a good sign, but someone says they smelled smoke from a higher deck, which is not a good sign.  We agree that at the least we should all get dressed in preparation for whatever.  I also quickly gather in a plastic case, my Rx drugs, my glasses, my phone, and, of course, the SD card from my camera (I'm not about to lose over 1400 photos--just shows what we think is vital), but leave everything else, including my new small laptop, ipad, and new camera (more about that later). Still no word on the closed circuit TV or over the PA system--which is very strange indeed.  I do eventually reach a person on the phone (it actually sounds like the captain himself, who has a very distinctive British accent), who explains that the fire crew has been called in response to an alarm in the Crow's Nest (a bar on the topmost deck), and the investigation is still going on.  I ask why there have been no public announcments--after all, information is the key to keeping calm in these situations--and he explains that the PA system unexpectedly went down when the fire alarm was sounded (very very not good!). He also adds that there is no immediate danger, which announcement surely would have helped everyone, but the system wasn't working.  After about 10 more minutes, the PA system returns, and the captain explains the situation:  the smoke alarm in the Crow's Nest was set off by a faulty fan belt and the situation has been resolved and we can all go back to sleep (right!).

Since it's almost time to get up for my early shore excursion, I decide to have a leisurely breakfast instead of going back to bed.  At 7:45am the captain returns with a more detailed account of what happened and an apology for the failure of the PA systen,  He says that the crew will spend the day testing the system to make sure that the failure does not occur and he has notified the head ofice in Seattle.  I then remember that this happened on an earlier cruise on the Eurodam; but it occured while everyone was having dinner and the PA system did not fail at that time.  Well, back to less exciting things.

Thursday 29 January 2015
Laem Chabang, Thailand

The ms Volendam docks 30 minutes early at 10:30am at the cruiseport in this industrial center, about two to three hours (depending on traffic) south of Bangkok.  We don't sail until 4pm tomorrow, and lots of folk are heading for long days of touring in Bangkok itself, including a very expensive overnight tour.  I have planned a day of relaxation on board ship, but venture off for about an hour to explore the shops inside the cruiseport, even laying out some cash for souvenirs.  And that's about the highlight of the day. 

The dining room is mostly empty and I have a chance for some longer chats with my dining steward, from Indonesia.  In my crusiing experience, most of the Asian workers have young families at home, with a spouse and two children.  It's refreshing to find someone who is single and enjoys a chance to see the world (although his mom wants him to settle down and marry).

Friday 30 January 2015
Another Day in Laem Chabang, Thailand

Today I "Experience Local Life," on a shore excursion that begins with a visit to a local market, in the small town of Chachoengsao, that has been selling goods for over 100 years (yes, another local market).  Although there are hardly any shoppers today (most local Thais do their shopping on the weekends), the wooden structure, with a steeply-stepped wooden bridge crossing a canal, is of interest, as are the ubiquitous life-size portraits of Thailand's king, which seem to be everywhere.

From here we head to the revered temple of Luan Pho Sothon, a spiritual center for the surrounding local communities.  A very large and busy white marble structure decorated in typical Thai-style with colored glass tiles and gilded highlights.  We stop for another leisurely lunch at a "wellness" resort that has a luxurouis 5-star atmosphere, but seems to be sorely lacking in guests.  Lunch, shared at large tables with lazy susan servers in the center, offers a variety of Thai foods, inlcding chicken, seafood, and pork, alongside the usual rice and vegetables, with melon and pineapple slices for dessert.  The meal brought back memories of many similar sit-downs when Will and I visited China in 1994.  Jarrod, a drummer with one of the shipboard bands, has joined the tour and shares lunch at my table.  He has worked on a number of different cruise lines and likes the way Holland America treats its entertainers.  He doesn't have such kind words for Carnival and Princess.  After lunch we enjoy a return ride through the countryside of rice paddies and small towns, getting back to the port around 3pm.

Sail away is scheduled for 4pm, but the captain announcs a half-hour delay due to another ship blocking the narrow channel we must follow into the Gulf of Siam.  And it's a good thing, too, because two passengers are still not back aboard and the cpatain says we will sail without them as soon as the channel is cleared, They do make it back, to cheers and applause from the passengers gathered on deck, just as the gangway is being pulled up onto the ship.  I head (literally) for the Greenhouse spa and salon, for a haircut from a nice Ukranian lady.  Instead of napping before dinner, I enjoy the on-deck Asian "food market," set up with a series of booths offering a variety of wonderful Asian specialities.  It's only 5pm and I have three hours until dinner, so I indulge in samples from almost all the booths (with a pass for the shushi and another pass for the squid).  

I actually make it to dinner, eating a light appetizer of chilled asparagus, roasted tomatoes and Buffalo mozzarella; green salad with Italian dressing (a nice change from the Caesar); and chicken breasts baked with Parmesan crust, of which I eat only a small amount.  I am planning to skip dessert entirely, but when one of the choices is coconut ice cream, I can't resist--and it does taste very light!

It's a short overight sail to the island of Koh Samui, so I plan a good night's rest, not knowing that I will be rudely awaked at 5:14am.

5pm Friday 30 January 2015,  
Sailing overnight from Laem Chabang to
Koh Samui, in tbe Gulf of Siam

Having spent yesterday on board ship, today I venture out on a shore excursion to the Thai coutryside, managing to avoid the city of Bangkok itself for our second day here.

Tuesday 27 January 2015
Day at Sea
Sailing from Phu My, Vietnam, to Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Another welcome day at sea after two days of heavy-duty excursions.  The highlight of the day is the Indonesian Tea Service at 3pm. Although tea is served every afternoon, this is the first one that has fitted into my tight eating and resting schedule.  The servers present a variety of Asian teas, including Indonesia Jasmine, which is mild and almost sweet.  Then begins a dizzying array of tea sandwiches (roast beef, smoked salmon, cucumber), sweet cakes (with lots of yummy coconut flavoring), spiced tea breads, and scones with clotted cream--my plate seems to grow fuller as I drink my tea.  I'm glad I skipped lunch for a nap, having had eggs Benedict (with smoked salmon instead of Canadaian bacon) for breakfast.

Not having enough to eat all day, there is a by-invitation-only cocktail party for 4- and 5-star Mariners in the Crow's Nest at 7:30pm.  Free champagne and lots of finger food to enjoy on the way to dinner, which tonight is chilled strawberry bisque, Caesar salad, and a thick veal chop with cream porcini sauce, spaetzle, and assorted vegetables.

Wednesdsay 28 January 2015
Sihanoukville, Cambodia 

Although the port and beach resort city of Sihanoukville is the third largest city in Cambodia, it is a sleepy backwater compared to the dynamic cities of Vietnam.  My first impressions of Cambodia, especially as we drive through the countryside, visit markets, pagodas, and fishing villages, is that this was Vietnam 25 years ago. At least Cambodia is a democratic monarchy, with a king who is subject to the desires of the legislature and the ballot box. Unfortunately, most of the elected politicians specialize in filling their own pockets and pushing forward their own families, rather than dealing with the many problems facing Cambodia in the 21st century.  Used by the US as a military staging ground during the war in Vietnam, Cambodia still shows the scars of that long war, in its land and its people.  The devastating history of land mines--many still buried and waiting to explode--is truly horrific.

But I am here as a tourist and will try to focus on the friendliness of the people and the charms of the small cities and countryside. The primary destination of today's "Town and Village Exxploration" is the city of Kampot, world-famous as the center of production for Cambodian peppers, universally recognized by chefs and foodies as the best in the world.  Black, red, and white peppers all come from the same plants, and differ only in how long they stay on the vine and the processes used after they are picked.  I learn all this as we stop at a small pepper plantation about halfway along the coast from Sihanoukville to Kampot.  Kampot town is home to about 400,000 residents and has a huge local market (although the markets are all starting to look alike).  The city still retains architectural remants of its French colonial occupiers and is the center for many Westerners travelling on their own.  

Water Buffalo

Local Pepper Grower

Traditional Pepper Plantation

French Colonial Influence in Kampot Town

Kampot Town Market

Kampot's Old Bridge and Riverside Walk

After another lunch of local specialities from the sea, we visit Ropan Ropov fishing village.  This is where my role as a well-off Western tourist makes me quite uneasy.  The people of the village are hard-working and quite poor, but the Cambodians seem genuinely interested in letting us see their way of life, rather than soliciting money for picture-taking. And while using this village as a tourist attraction is distasteful, it might make us more aware of the daily grind in which these people struggle to survive.  But I wonder how I would feel had a horde of tourists been brought to see the way my famiy lived  when I was gowing up.  The tour guide even takes us through the shabby home of a local fishing family.  The children, playing under watchful parents' eyes, reach out with friendly glances and experimental touches.  Many family dogs lie around lazily and stare wonderingly as we parade through with our clicking cameras and cell phones.

Ropan Ropov Fishing Village

   

We  visit another Buddhist temple and school before the drive back to the port.  We sail away at 5pm, heading for the first of two ports in Thailand.  I wonder what my impressions will be when I visit the larger and more well-off city of Seam Reap, when I return to Cambodia after the cruise ends.

Thursday 29 January 2015 
Laem Chabang, Port of Bangkok, Thailand

It's 10:30am and the Volendam has just arrived for our overnight stay in Laem Chabang, a large cruise and industrial port for Bangkok, with nothing of interst in the vicinity, and the highlights of post-modern reconstruction and historical associations dimly visible over the horizon.  Although there are several excursions to the city center, inlcuding an overnight at a hotel, the five-hour round-trip from here to there is rather daunting, even with a slightly earlier-than-scheduled arrival.  I had decided early on not to go to Bangkok itself, given that I have been before as well as the distance.  Instead I will use the day to catch up on rest.  Tomorrow I will be taking a shore excursion to visit a small city and the countryside around Bangkok.  The big city is certainly worth exploring again, but not within the limited time and major distance of this cruise (about which Holland America has been very truthful).

Monday 26 January 2015
Phu My, Vietnam 
Port of Saigon (aka Ho Chi Minh City or HCMC)

Although we are officialy docked in Saigon, the port of Phu My is a 90-minute drive from the center of the city.  There is still a lot of traffic on the main highway to Saigon, but the road is better than the ones in the north, so we are able to speed along at a jaunty pace and reach our first destination by 10:30am.  The downside is that it is not as easy to take photos from the bus when it is moving so quickly. Both the temperature and humidity are higher here, but still not uncomfortable, and certainly not as bad as in the tropics or the Caribbean. 

As we enter the city center, the streets are decorated with lights and flowers in preparation for the coming New Year's celebrations, and I am amazed at all the high-rise construction, much of it architecturally exciting and aesthetically distinguished.  There seems to be much more sense of permanence in the buildings here than in the large cities of Brazil I visited last spring.  Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam, alhough Ha Noi is the national capital, with over 9 million people--and at least 5 million mopeds, which can be purhcased for as little as $100.00 US.  We pass by the decaying site of the former US embassy, well-known from the television visuals of the fall of Saigon at the end of the American War in 1975.  Our bus stops just a few blocks away in the city's Distict 1, site of most historical interest.  

Highway to Saigon

Mopeds Outside Former US Embassy

New Year Street Decorations (from bus window)

The streets are torn up wih construction of a new Metro transportation system, which is much needed and will make life easier for residents and tourists.  We begin our walk at the Old Post Office, designed by Gustave Eifel (yes, that one), and beutifully restored inside and out.  Still in use as a post office, the building is a reminder of the imporant influence of French culture in many parts of Saigon (which is the locals' preferred name for the city).   Across the street is Notre Dame Cathedral, an elegant 19th century red brick building (the inside is not open for ‪viewing).  Our walk continues past the Victorian City Hall building, currently being repainted its original bright yellow, and a slew of 5-star hotels that lead to the banks of the Mekong River.  One of the great rivers of the world, it flows through five countries. South of Saigon, it empties into the South China Sea in the Mekong Delta region, Vietnam's rice basket.  The southern part of Vietnam produces more than twice as much rice yearly as the northern part.

City Hall Restoration

Gustave Eifel's Post Office

Notre Dame Cathedral





We have another buffet lunch of various familiar and unrecognizable local foods for lunch, all of it presented beautifully and very tasty, although I am sure the spices have been modified for Western tastes.  

After lunch we begin another round of touring at the former Presidential Palace, now know as Independence Palace or Reunification Palace.  The building has beern restored to its 1970s TV idealism, and looks much like it did when North Vietnam tanks rolled through the gates and the Viet Cong took power over the whole country.  Replicas of those original tanks are exhibited on the lawns of the Palace, just as actual US jets and helicopters are exhibited on the grounds of the Saigon History Museum, our next stop.  Inside the exhibits are explained in Vietnamese and English signs, although our guide emphasizes that the English translations are much more neutral about Americans than the signs in Vietnamese.  But at least there are helpful signs in English at important places in Saigon.  In all the other cities I have visited there are very few English signs anywhere, which is one of the things that make independent travel more difficult than in Japan, Hong Kong, or Singapore for example. 

  

We get some brief time on our own at the Bitexco Building, the tallest in Saigon, with a helicopter landing pad jutting out from its exterior frame half way up the glass tower.  Inside the lower levels is a five-story mall, very modern in design, but not very interesting for shopping.  There are elements of Hong Kong and Singapore here, but Saigon has not yet reached that level--although it may not be too many years before it does.  The local streets are lined with a wild mix of three-and four-story older buildings and new glass towers; mom and pop stores stand alongside the latest boutiques from London, Paris, and New York.  

The final stop before returning to the ship is a lacquerware workshop and salesroom.  The decorative works on display, from the smallest cup to the largest tables and chests, are beautifully made and elegantly designed.  You can clearly see the difference between these pieces and the cheaper versions sold everywhere on the streets.  Prices range from $5 to $500,000. . . but seem to be fairly set.  There just isn't enough time to look through the many displays on offer and, after a while, everything starts looking alike. So no purchases here today.

At 5pm as our bus drives out of the city center we have wonderful views of the sun setting behind a series of skyscrapers--a perfect symbol of all the things I have seen.  The whole country, but especially the cities in the south, are speeding into the future at a rapid pace that is dizzying and inspiring.  The people have been warm and friendly and there is much beauty in the coasts and mountain ranges.  Now if only people really had an effective right to vote . . .

Wednesday 28 January 2015 
Sailing from Sihanoukville, Cambodia 
to Leam Chabang (Port of Bangkok), Thailand

Another day of exceptional weather and touring, although one stop on today's tour took us to an authentic fishing village in Cambodia, where the exhibition of poverty for visiting tourists left me with very queasy feelings.  But I will give more detail about that and the other parts of this one-day tour of Southern Cambodia, after I catch up with the last several ports the Volendam visited.

Saturday 24 January 2014
Day at Sea
Sailing from Da Nang to Nha Trang, Vietnam

Thankfully we are sailing a slow course, about 10-12 nautical miles per hour, down the coast of Vietnam, with light following winds and clear skies.  The sea is smooth and the atmosphere restful.  We could easily make today's leg in one overnight, but the slow pace and the day at sea are quite welcome.  It also gives the captain a chance to run tests on the Volendam's new propellers (part of the $5 million refit this past December).  Fortunately, he makes an announcement before we come to a standstill and then gradually speed up to over 20 knots, before settling back to our regular pace.

After French Toast and sausage in the Lido--I haven't been getting up early enough for the 8am breakfast in the dining room--I attend a free workshop on computer video editing, which is quite helpful. I do make it to the dining room for lunch, however, and enjoy a Scotch Delight Salad (greens, smoked salmon, sweet mustard dressing), very tender lamb souvlaki skewers, and three chocolate profiteroles. Days at sea don't demand much more than eating, so please bear with the details of the second formal dinner, which begins with the bottle of champagne Will has sent, and continues with jumbo shrmip cocktail with mustard-curry dip (a nice change from the usual red cocktail sauce), tournedos of beef with liver pate, Madeira sauce, and Parisian potatoes; ending with a warm Tarte Tatin with apples in puff pastry and vanilla ice cream on the side.

My only other activity for the day is meeting with the "future cruise consultants," a young couple who keep very busy.  I have signed up for two more cruises in 2015 (very low refundable deposit when you book on board), but I'll keep the destinations quiet until this cruise is over.

Sunday 25 January 2014
Nha Trang, Vietnam

Nha Trang, like Da Nang, is a forward-looking city fully preparing to meet the needs of tourists.  There is lots of contemporary infrastructure, and the independent traveler would feel quite comfortable making arrangements and seeing the sights.  The town, also like Da Nang, is quite famous for its beautiful beaches, which I get to sample briefly at the end of my half-day tour.  But the tour begins with an early drive from the port through the modern city, crossing a new suspension bridge over the harbor between the two sections of the city.  In the older part of the city our first stop is at the Lon Son Buddhist Pagoda, which requires climbing 152 stone steps to reach a giant white statue of a standing Buddha (with a rest stop along the way to view a serene sleeping Buddha, also larger than life size).  

Our guide, a charming young woman who grew up locally, takes us next to Cho Dam Market, the largest in the province, to sample the sights, sounds, and smells of everyday life.  Crowds are jostling everywhere, but I never feel threatened or worry about thievery (unlike in the markets in some older European cities).  It just happens (!) that our guide's mother runs a small shop in the market, selling betel leaves (for chewing or smoking) and other assorted candies and sweets that are very popular with the Vietnamese. Mother and daughter look very much alike. We also have some time to wander through the market on our own, although not enough time for real shopping.  But there is an incredible array of foods and goods of all kinds--some familiar, some very strange. 

Our next stop is a visit to the Po Nagar Cham Towers, built over 500 years ago.  The Cham people are one of the indigenous tribes of Southeast Asia that have worked their way south from China over the centuries.  The towers are made of snadstone and brick and used as Buddhist tmeples.  There is much that is original construction, but also much restoration.

Our last stop is a large crafts house, with demonstrations of various local talents (weaving, embrodiery, lacquer work, etc), that are also for sale. Instead of listening to the sales pitch, I cross the street (literally taking my life in my hands; "close your eyes and don't stop" is the advice of our guides) to walk along the beatiful beach and stone boardwalk.  This could very well be next year's Rio de Janeiro.

After lunch back on the Volendam, I venture off the ship and on the pier to look for inexpensive souvenirs at booths set up alongside the ship.  I also venture outside the port security gates and take a short walk through this part of town--but there isn't much to see here and the center of the city is a long taxi ride away.

I'll end my report that dinner is very good but I won't spend time on the details (other than the highlight is chilled melon bisque).

It's been another day with lots of interesting experiences and not much rest for the weary, since tomorrow is NOT a sea day, but rather a full day in Saigon; I can't wait!

Tuesday, 27 January 2015 
Sailing from Phu My, Vietnam, to Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Hard to believe that half the cruise is over. I have been very busy on and off the ship.  I just enjoyed an afternoon "Indonesia Tea" Service, with enough finger sandwiches, cakes, and scones to serve as my mid-day meal.  The weather has been wonderful.  Even though it gets warmer as we sail south along the Vietnam coast, the temperatures are in the 70s and the humidity, while higher than in Tucson, is not nearly as bad as it was in the Caribbean when I visited in February 2014.

Thursday, 22 January 2014
Day at Sea
Sailing from Halong Bay to Da Nang, Vietnam

One more note about the beauty of Halong Bay:  it was used as the setting for the central part of the wonderful 1960s film, Indochine, which just happens to be playing on the Volendam's video system. The film also includes scenes in Saigon, many of which are still recognizable.

I have breakfast in the Lido, chatting with a graduate student in computer technology from Australia, travelling with his parents.  He seems to spend a lot of time in the computer center and on shore finding places with free wifi.

At 11am I attend the Mariners' Awards Reception, at which we receive another Delft tile souvenir (I could re-tile the bathroom), and individual travelers receive special awards.  The lady sitting next to me receives an award for over 600 days at sea on Holland America (and that doesn't count the extra day-credits you get for spending money or booking a suite).  After the reception, we remove to the dining room for a special brunch, with pampering and pandering speeches by the captain and cruise director (who is a familiar face from my 2013 cruise on the Prinsendam).

I spend some afternoon time blogging and napping and then head off to dinner for crostini with assorted toppings, Szechuan shimp with Thai Basil, garlic sauce, rice, etc.  I sart my 2nd bottle of wine, a rather heavy Australian Cabernet Sauvignon.

Friday 23 January 2014
Da Nang, Vietnam

I receive several email birthday cards (and not just from my dentist and car dealer!) and a bottle of champagne from Will delivered on ice to my stateroom . It is going to be a long and busy day with a full-day excursion to Hue, the Imperial Capital of the Emperors and Kings of Vietnam in the 19th century, and the site of much destruction by both sides in the American War.  Speaking of which, the Vietnamese have a long history of warfare with their neighbors, particularly Chinese, and are too busy with new grudges to dwell on hating Americans.  Much is influenced by contemporary American culture and the people are very welcoming.  For the younger generation, the American War (as it is called here) is like ancient history.  Especially interesting, our guides tell us that while the English signs at museums and other places take a fairly neutral view of the war, the signs in Vietnamese are much more critical of Westerners.

The 2 1/2 hour bus ride to Hue provides a panorama of city life and rural rice fields--as well as horrible traffic--that keeps me from boredom and sleep, including a 6-km tunnel through the mountains--the longest tunnel in Vietnam.

The first stop in Hue is at one of the city's five-star hotels, Saigon Morin, for the use of facilities.  We will return to the hotel later for lunch.  The hotel is in the center of Hue and the entrance to the "Imperial City of the Nguyen Empire" is only a few blocks away. Like the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Imperial City is a huge complex, set behind two layers of forbidding walls.  Much of the first inner area has been displaced by urban renewal over the past 100 years, but within the Imperial City is the Imperial Fortress, behind another set of walls. Although not as large or ornate as in Beijing, this area is truly fascinating, with buildings in various stages of repair and/or decay.  The colorful and complex ornamentation is beautiful and the long open hallways provide varying vistas of the whole complex.  The "Pavilion of Benevolence" is open to tourists and we are taken around a large section of the grounds--but there is much more to see if one has the time.  You don't need to be with a tour group to visit the Imperial City; tickets can be purchased at the entrance and you can hire a private guide if you wish (probably a good idea, since the signs are mostly in Vietnamese and Russian; the Russians have always been big tourists here).

After an excellent buffet lunch of Vietnamese and Chinese foods back at the hotel, we are off to the other side of the Perfume River to visit the Imperial Tomb of the 19th-century king, Tu Duc, who designed the place himself and lived here for 15 years until his death. Because he was vertically challenged, many of the statues of his followers are built short and low.  He was also a great (quantity not quality) writer of poetry and built a special pavilion just for the time spent writing.  There are several structures on the grounds, and no one is sure of his exact burial place because he did not want it plundered for its contents after his death (even though the Vietnamese, like the Chinese, use only paper objects for burial as wealth, it is still useful in the afterlife and thus valuable to the resident of the tomb).

The return bus ride--still 2 1/2 hours--is relaxing and I am able to snooze along the way.  So I am ready for dinner on the return to Da Nang and the Volendam:  duck pate in brioche; chilled pear and apple salad; NY strip steak (very tender and very large portion) with green peppercorn sauce.  Topped off by creme brulee.

All told, a fascinating day.  The one drawback has been that two of the top three sights in Vietnam are both reached from Da Nang, Hue and the 19th-century Japanese trading village of Hoi An, and since we have only one day here, the tourist has to choose between them.