Tahitian Princess Photos

Outside cabin

comfortable bed

card room

Tahitian Lounge

Tahitian Lounge (not where the evening shows are)

Pool area

Zeebruggee, Belgium

Tulips blooming in Bruges

Madonna and Child and nesting bird

The best ports are those that accumulate happy moments, and Zeebruggee had many happy moments. We always like to be able to use the public transportation to get from the port to the center of town. There was a bus shuttle we paid to ride for about 15 minutes to get from the ship to the train station and from there we rode a typical European train 11 minutes to Bruges.

There was a group of seven of us for a while. We walked about 10 minutes from the station, enjoying the architecture, gardens and people as we traveled. Then we reached the chocolate shops, one after another, after another. Such lovely smells and sights! If only I could still eat chocolate! But I do like to look at it.

Soon we came to the church everyone said we had to see. It was an interesting church, but we almost missed the major attraction. There is a Madonna and Child statue by Michelangelo, one of his few works outside of Italy. There is a quality to his work that is difficult to describe, but somehow his work makes the stone come alive.

Before we knew it, it was time for lunch. Most of the group were happy to sit at a sidewalk café, but there was nothing on the menu that appealed to us. Jerry stood up and said he was going back to get a sandwich he had seen in a shop window, so I went with him. Good thing! The bread makes the sandwich and we each had wonderful ones, standing at a counter with a bunch of teenagers.

Then we walked back to the Market Square where we had separated from the group. We saw more teenagers eating Frites, so we stood in line to get a paper container filled with Belgian Fries – not French as one of our friends mistakenly tried to order. We ate the hot, delicious fries standing in the square with more teenagers.

More walking and window shopping along the main street with many other people of all ages. Jerry thought a cup of coffee would be good, so we started looking for a place to get a real café. We saw a charming little shop and vegan eating was forgotten! Jerry had an excellent cup of coffee and I had a pastry that was mostly whipped cream and cherries. It was so good I didn’t even mind feeling sick for a little while – in fact, it was worth it!

As we headed back to the station, we saw a park full of tulips in bloom, another delightful park along a canal with banks lined with white swans, one of which was sitting on her nest. Then Jerry spotted another statue of the Madonna with the bird’s nest.

Back in plenty of time, having eaten our way through Bruges.

Pirates? or not? revised

This is what I know second hand from a former military person’s eyewitness account. Just before 6 pm on Friday, there were 7 to 12 small, fast craft on two sides of the ship. There were men dressed in black in the boats. The men had fish. The Tahitian Princess altered course and sped up. The boats couldn’t keep up. The Tahitian Princess staff say they were fishing boats. CNN says that pirates lie in wait as fishermen. The passengers say they were pirates.

So what do we think pirates would do? Wave, smile and have fish in their hands until they got close? Or fly a skull and crossbones flag and wave automatic weapons in a menacing way?

Check out our friend's photo.

Salalah, Oman

The view of the port from the ship was very unappealing – containers, cargo ships, cranes, sand, rocks, heat, bright sun. We weren’t sure we were even going to get off the ship since everyone had said there was not much to see. But we decided to at least set foot on the shore.

There was a shuttle from the ship gangway to the entrance to the port, a very short, but hot distance away, so we went out to ride it round trip. At the shuttle we met people we knew and decided to bargain for a cab ride to town for the four of us. What bargainers the men of Oman are! Our friend is an excellent negotiator and did the bargaining for the taxi. It took 45 minutes in the heat but we finally reached an agreement and set off on a 3-hour tour with our 20 year-old driver, Naim. The car was wonderfully well air-conditioned and a welcoming respite from the heat each time we returned to it.

We rode along a new divided highway along the coast, past the Hilton Resort on the beach and to the Sultan’s Palace where we got out of the taxi for a photo opportunity and found a busload of people from one of the ship’s tours. Back in the taxi, we rode around the corner to a market, from which we were drawn away from the shops to walk along the beach. The white sand beach was long and inviting with medium sized waves breaking at the shore – and totally empty. I do not know why such a spectacular appearing beach was absolutely empty, but speculate it was the heat of the white sand, possible undertow, creatures living in the water, cultural mores, or a combination of some or all of the above.

Back in the taxi, we visited a mosque, drove through the town center, and renegotiated the fare so we could ride into the mountains. I think we renegotiated right back to the original tour and price we had been offered at the entrance to the port! We are so glad we did though because that was the best part of our tour. Our driver took us out of town, to the mountains with spectacular views of deep ravines and camels, camels everywhere. We followed a herd (?) of wild camels a short distance until they decided it was time to lie down. What a racket they made calling out as they folded their legs and lay down. It was very exciting for us to see camels along the roadside and sometimes to have to stop as they were crossing the road. We also went to Job’s tomb where we saw some kind of weaver birds feeding young in their nests near what is reputed to be the tomb where the Biblical Job is buried.

So all in all, it sounds like we saw a bunch of camels, some rocky and sandy mountains, a tomb, a town and a beach. But it was really much more interesting than it sounds and we enjoyed our brief visit to Oman.

Dubai

Atlantis Hotel

Dubai, the country that is planning its future. Instead of keeping all of their eggs in one basket and pretending that their oil will last forever, they are turning the country into one of the wonders of the world in hopes that the future will attract an industry of tourism. Much like Las Vegas, out of the desert they are building ultramodern hotels to accommodate thousands and thousands of tourists from around the world. The wealth of sheiks who are behind the frenzy of building is astonishing. Each building is an architectural marvel in its own right, with unique designs, including helicopter pads, lush pool areas, murals on walls and ceilings. The number of buildings under construction is remarkable. But more remarkable than the number of buildings, is what they have done to create more waterfront property. They have taken apart mountains and transported the land to create islands. The islands are set together in the shape of palm trees and a map of the globe. With the construction of the new cruise center underway, more and more tourists will be arriving in Dubai by ship.

Ten of us got two cabs for a tour of the city highlights, stopping at the oceanfront, the Burj Al Arab Hotel (the one that looks like a sail), the Jumeriah Beach Hotel, the Mall of the Emirates to see the ski slope, the Atlantis Hotel, and the soon-to-be tallest building in the world on completion of construction. That was the morning. The group wanted to go to the souk (market) for knock-off clothing, watches, handbags, etc., so we returned in the cab for lunch on the ship.

After lunch, we took the free shuttle to the Dubai Mall, where we wandered through the Gold Souk, and the rest of the brand new and enormous mall. Returning on the shuttle to the ship, we ended our tour of Dubai, a city with promise for the future, but somehow not quite real.

Mumbai

Leaving the terminal building in Mumbai, we negotiated a cab for three of us for a tour of the city. Just being in the city was experience enough. The movie “Slumdog Millionaire” is set in Mumbai, and it is an excellent glimpse into the sights and sounds of a city of 20 million people, most of whom live in extreme poverty.

Our driver, Ali, took us in an old not air-conditioned taxi to see the most important sights, including Dobhi Ghat, the famous hand-laundry area. Our driver stopped across a divided four-lane road, which we had to cross without any of the heavy traffic ever stopping. We have lived to tell the tale! The laundry area is hard to describe so we rely on the photo to show you how individual workers wash the clothes as a commercial operation. The beating of the clothes against the cement slabs and the bright sun yield astonishingly clean results.

From there, we went to Gandhi’s longtime residence, now a museum. The photo and diorama displays showed the contributions of a great man, not just to India, but to the world.

Then to the Gateway of India, the archway symbol of the country and around the corner to the Taj Hotel, which was bombed last year by terrorists. Much of the hotel has been repaired and the security is extreme. The lobby, the waterfall memorial to those who died in the attack, and the restaurants are luxurious and beautiful. At the restaurant, we enjoyed an excellent four course vegetarian meal, including fabulous Naan garlic bread. The meal was delicious and made us miss our favorite restaurant at home.

We saw the main sights, including the Victoria Terminal, trains with passengers hanging out the door, not because the car is too crowded, but because there is cool, fresh air at the doors. On the way back to the ship, we stopped at a couple of shops so the cab driver could collect a fee for just bringing prospective customers to look.

The poverty looks crushing and overwhelming, begging is common and heartbreaking. People live on the street or in stacked one room hovels barely the size of a reclining person. A little girl who looked just like Latika in the movie clung to me for a few minutes and a little boy who looked just like the one who didn’t escape sang sweetly. It is hard not to give them money, but it isn’t a good idea in the long run.

The streets are crowded with people, bikes, taxis and buses, all making a lot of noise. There are often unpleasant odors. But there is an energy level and spiritedness about the city that is engaging. It is real and exciting.

QE2 Dubai 2009

When we walked out onto the back deck for breakfast after docking in Dubai, we were greeted by this grand old lady. It is so very sad that this legend will sail no more.

More posts for Mumbai and Dubai later

Port Blair, Andaman Islands

The Andaman Islands, an archipelago of about 752 islands more than 600 miles east of India, are a Union Territory of India. We docked at Port Blair on Ross Island. Instead of taking the shuttle to town to see the market by foot, four of us opted to hire a cab right at the pier. The driver took us on a 30-minute ride through the center of town, passing the market place. It is hard to describe how crowded the streets were with people, tuktuks (motorized vehicles holding 4 people and a driver), and sacred cows.

After a hair-raising ride over half-paved narrow roads, with the taxi’s horn being the most important safety device, we arrived at the Andaman Island Resort. You must not think resort as you know it. The beach is brown sand, broad, lined with palm trees, and home to sea serpents. Although we didn’t see any of the snakes, the thought of them and the probable bacteria count of the water were enough to keep us cool, dry and safe on land. We sat at a small table, under coconut palms, watching the cows wander the beach, the road, and the water.

Many crew and passengers from the ship joined us at the resort, and we actually had a fine day. The taxi driver returned just as he said he would two hours later and drove us back to the pier and our ship.

Port Kelang, Malaysia

In Malaysia, we chose not to go on a two hour bus ride from Port Kelang to Kuala Lumpur, a large city with the famous two towers connected with the skybridge. Instead, we rode 20 minutes on the shuttle bus to Klang and a brand new, ultramodern, 5-story shopping center. It was hot and humid outside, and air conditioned and pleasant inside. After checking at 2 opticians, we found on the third floor, one who could repair Jerry’s broken sunglasses while we waited. He was so happy to have new ear pieces and adjustment to the nose piece.

The next stop was a factory outlet store, FOS, where Jerry found a lightweight red and black Tiger Golf shirt. The shirt was the right size – get it? So he bought two identical shirts. Next we had to buy 4 AAA batteries to operate the free FM radios and flashlight we were given in Singapore. The radio was free, but the batteries were $1 each. With very little Malaysian money left, we returned to the ship for lunch. Before we reached the ship though, with our remaining money, Jerry negotiated the purchase of a keychain with a bottle opener and a keychain with nail clippers. What a day for $20 US.

Singapore

We had planned to repeat last year’s visit to Singapore and ride the hop-on/hop-off bus because it was so enjoyable. But, we decided to change the plan and have a different experience.

The ship this year docked right in town beside a large shopping mall. We walked from the ship directly into the Mall, changed currency and bought a phone card. But it was already late in the Eastern US, so we couldn’t call most of our family. We did talk to some of our children and siblings who we knew would be up late. That finished, we headed off to the train station also right at the Mall. We boarded a very modern, spotless and fast subway to Little India.

On the recommendation of Prat from Cruise Critic roll call, we went right to Komala Restaurant, only to find that it was closed for renovations. Luckily, there was a sign telling us of a temporary location a couple of blocks away and around the corner. We climbed to the second floor of a building and bravely ordered the Indian meal we had been craving. We shared a plate of assorted dishes and each had a masala dosai. Anything we told them we liked, they rushed to kitchen to bring seconds. We rolled out of there stuffed!

Back on the subway, we went to Chinatown, where we had eaten last year and missed a famous Buddhist temple, which is one of the highlights of Singapore and not meant to be missed. We quickly found the Sri Mariamman Hindu Temple and then a couple of blocks away, the Buddhist temple we missed last year. The Buddhist Temple was large and wonderful.

We walked around the shops and stalls, checking out statues, fabrics, jewelry and clothing, but bought nothing. Back to the subway station and the train returning to the ship. Another good day ashore.

Bangkok, Thailand

We made a good decision canceling our ship’s tour to see Bangkok on our own and booking the Highlights of Bangkok tour. The elevated seating and huge windows of the bus provided a perfect view of the sights as we passed them on our 90-minute ride to the city. Included on our route were Chinatown, The Golden Buddha temple and the Flower Market, where people were buying marigolds, lotus blossoms, roses and other flowers to use as offerings at temples and shrines. We passed such areas on foot in other ports and know the delightful smell of the blossoms.

After the bus ride, we walked through the Grand Palace grounds after making sure that everyone was properly attired with pants to the ankle and no revealing tops. The tour company provides sarongs and pull-on trousers for anyone who is not properly covered. Since the ship had said that only knees had to be covered, many people had to wear sarongs and the guide kept changing his mind about my Capri pants. The Grand Palace is a breath-taking complex of buildings, monuments and temples over several acres set on the river.

One side of the complex is anchored by the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. We removed our shoes and walked through the Temple and saw the 30-inch tall Buddha made from a single piece of jade.

Neither words nor photos can convey the intricacies of the designs or the abundance of gold throughout the complex. It is one of those places that just has to be experienced.

We left there and walked to a pier where we boarded a long boat for a cruise up and down the Chao Phraya River, part of the reason that Bangkok is called the “Venice of the East.” As we left he Palace, the skies turned black, and we heard roars of thunder, certain we would get drenched. But we were lucky and had no rain. We past hundreds of homes built on stilts lining the river banks. We stopped at a temple where the catfish are sacred and cannot be fished, so hundreds of catfish come up to the boat to be fed pieces of bread. Then we went to the beautiful hotel for an outstanding Thai buffet lunch. There we were told that we had missed 60-mile an hour winds and driving rain in a thunderstorm. Lucky us to have been at the Palace before the rain and the hotel after the storm.

We rode back on the bus to the ship, happy to have such a pleasant experience and memories of Bangkok.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Tuk Tuks

The reason you have never heard of this city is that there is nothing to see except streets lined with garbage and tuktuks, motorized bikes pulling a carriages that hold four people. The 90 degree temperature, humidity, dirt, noise, air pollution and smell limited our stay in town to about 30 minutes. We took the shuttle bus from the ship to a Seven/Eleven, walked three blocks down the main street, harassed the entire way by tuktuk drivers and vendors selling postcards and tourist items. We never made it to the missable public open- air market. The quality of air made it difficult to breathe (since I had undiagnosed pneumonia at that point.) We returned to the Seven/Eleven to wait in the a/c for the shuttle bus to arrive for the return ride to the ship.

In fairness, some people hired a tuktuk and went to a good beach, they said.

For us, Sihanoukville will be a lasting memory.

Vietnam

We were up early in the morning, had breakfast on the ship, and were off on a ship’s tour to the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. Unlike last year’s visit to Ho Chi Minh City, this time we headed away from the city. We quickly rode out of the area of tall buildings to small towns and rural areas. After an hour and a half on the bus, we arrived at the dock, where we boarded an ancient wooden boat to take us across the river. We passed barges loaded with sand to be used in cement for construction, fishing boats, and floating structures that people live in. Once across the river, we had tea and delicious tropical fruit at an open-air hut with teak tables and chairs. From there, we walked through jungle to a candy factory and sampled outstanding coconut candy, still warm from cooking with a charcoal stove. We saw a bee hive where honey was gathered for sale and then we boarded really ancient small canoes that held 4 passengers and 2 rowers. We had to step very carefully in the center of the boat to keep it from capsizing. We also had to keep our hands off the edge and inside the boat because there were so many boats passing in the narrow passageway between the bamboo and other plants growing along the canal. As soon as we were on board, the Vietnamese woman rowing at the bow, handed me another oar and indicated I should row! So I did. Coolie hat and all. We arrived at the end of the rowing boat ride where a wonderful lunch was awaiting us. We had spring rolls, noodles with bok choy and other vegetables and sticky rice for dessert. We had no problem devouring it all without dropping one grain of rice off our chopsticks. Then it was back on the ancient boat to re-cross the river and return to the bus for the ride back to the ship.

We are both so glad to have the opportunity to return to Vietnam and see a different perspective of the country and its lovely people.

Hong Kong

This year the Tahitian Princess was docked right in Hong Kong Harbor, right next to the Star Ferry Terminal. We were off the ship and onto a ferry. We went back to the Po Lin Monastery because it was so special for us last year and we were not disappointed. There has been a lot of construction at the village by the Monastery, including a new tram station which could make the trip shorter. We preferred retracing our path, though, so we took the ferry to Lantau and bus number 2 from Mui Wo to the village. Those 2 rides take nearly 2 hours.

Once we arrived at Lantau, the bus was waiting for the 50-minute ride up and down the steep slopes and around corners of the mountain. The narrow roads barely accommodated the passing of one bus in each direction and the edge of the road was the edge of a cliff. We walked through the ongoing construction to the world’s largest bronze seated Buddha. We climbed the 250 steps to the base of the Buddha, walked all around it, and through the museum inside the Buddha. Going down the steps was much easier.

We walked through the Temple and past golden Buddha statues, where people were lighting incense and praying. The Monastery serves lunch family style in a large restaurant, so we purchased a meal ticket and sat down to a fabulous meal. There was so much vegan food that we were unable to finish all they served to us. And we ate with chopsticks and a ceramic Asian spoon. We made a bit of a mess but we did it!

After lunch, we walked back to the Temple, where we heard chanting being broadcast. The monks and others at the service were chanting and drumming. At first we listened on the first floor where the monks were, but then we went upstairs to a large empty room. There was a sound system broadcasting the sounds from below and filling the room with marvelous, reverberating sound. As we headed back to the bus stop, the chanting faded in the background.

While riding on the ferry back, we saw the skyscrapers of Hong Kong silhouetted against the bright sun. From the ferry, we walked to Nathan Road, the 5th Avenue of Hong Kong with 50 % more people crowding the streets and sidewalks. From there we walked back to Ocean Terminal and the Tahitian Princess, but the day was not over.

After dinner, we were on the open decks just in time for the nightly light show, when a dozen of the highest skyscrapers on the Hong Kong side are programmed to flash neon lights and spotlights in changing designs and colors up and down the buildings and into the night sky. What a farewell to a magical city.

Shanghai

What a great day we had in Shanghai! It helps to have been in a city before and have even a little idea of the basic layout. And it helps even more that the Tahitian Princess was docked right across from The Bund and the ship provided a shuttle through the construction and across the river to the Silk Factory.

We again traveled with another couple who had spent some time in Shanghai and had a pretty good plan in mind for the day. We rode the shuttle to the Silk Factory, where there was a tour guide who and flagged down a taxi to take us to the Mag Lev Station for a ride on the super fast train. The ride to the station took about 30 minutes, as we went past one huge apartment complex after another, each one housing thousands and thousands of people. The city has a population of nearly 20 million people and is still growing. There is construction everywhere of apartment complexes, bridges, highways, high-speed rail lines, and offices.

The train station is quite new and easy to negotiate. Many Chinese speak English and signs in tourist areas are in both Chinese and English, making it easy for us to find the ticket booth and purchase a round trip ticket. There was a train waiting on the platform as we approached so we didn’t even have to wait.

As you can see from the photo, the train reached a speed of 431 kilometers an hour or an amazing 260 miles per hour, faster than a Formula One racing car. The ride was smooth though, with the only sensation of speed being the whizzing past of the light poles.

There was an exciting moment for us though when a concussion shook the train. We hadn’t realized that there was an adjacent track for the train going in the opposite direction. The whoosh of air between the two trains makes a startling sound the first time it happens.

We got off the train at the end at the airport, went upstairs, across to the other side, and down again for the return ride. We had no wait for the return ride either. The ride each way takes about 7 minutes.

Back at the Mag Lev Station we had a couple of minutes of struggle until we just pointed on the map for the taxi driver that we wanted to be taken to Nanjing Road, a broad pedestrian street lined with wonderful stores and restaurants. 1.4 million people walk this street a day, but the scale is such that it doesn’t seem really crowded. We checked out a couple of Chinese restaurants and opted against food too unfamiliar to us. Food like sliced pig ears and some animal’s coddled blood. Definitely not vegan anyway. So, I have to confess that failing to find simple noodles, we ate a veggie pizza at Pizza Hut.

Next stop for us was the Shanghai Museum, notable for the architecture in addition to the collection of early pottery, bronze artifacts, and paintings. We were all starting to fade by that point and decided to find the Silk Factory and the shuttle back to the ship. We were back on board in time for the acrobatic performance that was a remarkable demonstration of talent and costumes.

As the sun set and the lights of the city came on, we sat near a window for dinner and watched the dinner cruises and billboards on barges pass by. What a beautiful sail away from a fabulous city.

Osaka and Kyoto

After being in Japan’s second largest city, Osaka, last year and seeing the sights, we decided this year to be brave and ride the bullet train to Kyoto. The ship docked at the same place the QE2 did last year, so we knew to walk just a couple of blocks to the Osakako Station to get the train into the city. Also just like last year, it was cold and raining. We rode the Chuo Line (Green) from stop C11 to Homachi Station (C16) and changed to the Midosuji Line (Red) to stop M13, Shin-Osaka. At that stop, we changed to the JR Shinkansen Express and we purchased round trip tickets to Kyoto on the fast train for a total of 5500 Yen. There were 5 of us traveling together, and all of us knew nothing. We boarded the train and sat in the first empty seats we saw, very comfortable seats and a lovely car, which was nearly empty. When a young man sat next to Jerry, Jerry leaned over and asked me why the man had sat there when the car was so empty. I said I didn’t know. However, when I looked up and saw the sign that said “Reserved,” I had my suspicions. Anyway, ignorance can be bliss when no one challenges you, and we all enjoyed the comfort of reserved seats for all 11 minutes of this leg of the trip. The trip between Osaka and Kyoto takes 90 minutes by highway.

At Kyoto Station we split from our traveling companions who wanted to share a taxi to travel between sights. We went to the Tourist Information Center on the second floor of the station and got information about independent use of the bus system to get around. We purchased a day pass on the bus for 500 Yen each and headed to stop B2 between the station and the Kyoto Tower.

Our first stop off the bus was Nijo Castle, where we were led by an English-speaking tour guide. The large wooden structure with paintings on the wall was built in the 1600s for the Shogun to use to receive nobles and others seeking his favor. His home was in Tokyo as was his family. We exited at the gardens but decided after a few steps it was not worth seeing the dormant gardens in the winter time under rainy skies. We walked out and immediately boarded another bus to the next stop, the Kinkakuji Castle, where we walked around a bit. We made a stop at the Asian style toilet and then went back to the bus stop and another ride.

This time we went to Gion, where there is shopping and many shrines and temples. First, of course, it was “Feed Me! Time.” There was a sign on the sidewalk with a picture of a bowl of noodles, but the shop was filled with fine jewelry and geodes. There was a man in front of the store who looked like an owner, so we pointed to the noodles, and he signaled that we should follow him. We followed him through the shop to an elevator in the rear and he held up 3 fingers, that we should get off at the third floor. To our surprise, there was a modern restaurant, with typical low Japanese tables and chairs. No one spoke English, but they did have a menu in English so I ordered noodles with cooked tofu. After much bowing by the waitress, we were served tea and a fabulous bowl of noodles in miso broth with tofu and scallions. After letting me struggle a bit with the chopsticks, the waitress brought me a ceramic spoon and a metal fork, which I knew what to do with, and a pottery bowl, which I had no idea how to use. So I must have eaten out of the serving bowl, but it was delicious. We walked to the end of the street, where we found a large shrine, which satisfied our curiosity about shrines. Boarding the bus again, we returned to the station and retraced our steps on the bullet train, then the train to the ship. We walked past the largest ferris wheel in the world, located at the gangway of our ship. Back in plenty of time and pleased with ourselves for getting around and seeing the sights on our own.

Another Exciting Sighting

A short time after we sailed away from the port of Hiroshima and headed into the Inland Sea, the Captain announced over the loudspeaker that just off the starboard side was a submarine of the Japanese Navy. We were having a cup of tea on Deck 9 on the starboard side, so we jumped up to look out the window, There it was, sleek and black, about 300 yards off the Tahitian Princess and sailing in the opposite direction from us. It was said by former military people that the sub was a small one and clearly not nuclear class. We watched as it came along parallel to us and continued watching until it was out of sight. A while later, we encountered the Captain on another deck and thanked him for telling all of us about the submarine. He said that it had been quite an exciting sighting for him as well.

Guam, USA

The Beach at Tumon Bay

Flags flying on the Tahitian Princess


Friends asked us to join them in renting a mini van from Hertz at Guam. After the pilot was onboard the Tahitian Princess and we had arrived at the dock, it took a while for everyone to clear US Immigration. The ship securely keeps passports most of the time at the Passenger Services Desk on Deck 4, so when it is time to clear immigration onboard, they just take them all to the room chosen for the activity. This time it was the Cabaret Lounge on Deck 5. So we arrived early to wait in line with memories of waiting on the QE2 from about 6:15 am to 9 am. This time the lines moved very quickly for us. Within a very short time of arriving in line, we had received our passports, had them checked by the US staff, given our newly-stamped passports back to the ship, and received our landing card for going ashore.

Our group of 6 people got together in a short time, walked out of the gate area to the waiting 3J Hertz shuttle to be driven to our waiting van. The driver pointed out sights along the ride, such as the beach where US troops landed to reclaim Guam in World War II. We got into the nice, new, well-air-conditioned KIA van and headed off to the first stop: the US Post Office. Many people took advantage of US postage rates to mail home packages to reduce the weight of luggage on the flights home. This Post Office was just like the one in Delray Beach on Military Trail in season, under-staffed and overly busy, which meant it took about an hour to complete everyone’s business. Meanwhile, one of the 6 went on a coffee mission and Jerry and one of the others walked the mile back to Hertz to retrieve the wallet the woman had dropped in the Hertz shuttle.

Once all back together again at the Hertz office we headed off to K-Mart. Many people from the ship were also there stocking up on supplies. We bought some toothpaste, bottled water and most importantly, shorts for Jerry to fit his new size. Shopping completed we headed off to Tumon Bay, an area of upscale high-rise hotels and shops.

The Outrigger Hotel at Tumon Bay was recommended to us at Hertz, so we parked our van in their garage and walked through the Hotel to the beach. Another gorgeous South Pacific beach lay before us. We walked to the Beach Club and used the bathroom to change into our suits. The weather and the water were perfect. The beach is powdery white sand up to the water, where there are a couple of feet of broken coral and rocks to pick a path through, and then shallow, warm, delightful water of the lagoon. Most of the other tourists were Japanese and very young.

After swimming and changing, it was back in the van and a drive past Gucci and all the other shops. We had a little trouble finding the right road, but then we were on our way to Two Lovers Point, where the story is that a Romeo and Juliet pair had jumped to their death over the cliff into the sea rather than be forced into other marriages. It was a pretty spot with a lookout with a view of the bay and the hotels below. The cliff is indeed straight down to the ocean.

Back in the van, past Micronesia Mall (Macy’s is the anchor store), and back to Hertz to pick up a driver to take us to the ship. We had a lovely day for $23 each. The sailaway was especially nice, with balmy breezes and happy passengers talking together as the sunset.
The Top Ten Reasons You Know Guam is the USA

10 Stars and Stripes is flying
9 Vehicle license plates say Guam USA
8 Car makes are Honda, Nissan, Toyota, and Lexus with a few BMWs and one Chevrolet
7 Driving is on the right-hand side of the road
6 The Post Office is understaffed and overcrowded and is running out of mailing supplies.
5 Everything is bi-lingual with Japanese replacing Spanish
4 Currency is US $ but no one has any and everyone is using credit cards
3 Businesses are Kmart, Macys, Burger King, KFC and Mobil
2 The highway is 3 lanes in each direction with a center turn lane
1 It just feels like home.

Exciting Sighting en route to Guam

What do we do at sea? We went out on Deck 5, where there is a promenade on each side of the ship but not a circular route. We went forward to look at the big splashes the ship made as it went across good sized swells. As we were looking at the sea and spray, we both saw something coming toward the ship. It was dark, slender, and rising above the water about 3 feet. It might have been a periscope. No, that made no sense. It continued to come straight toward the ship and then turned sideways. As it turned sideways, we had a better view of what turned out to be the dorsal fin of a sailfish. Swimming parallel about 50 feet apart, the fish and the Tahitian Princess continued on their separate routes. It is so exciting for us to encounter any marine life and a sighting as unusual as a sailfish was a very special event.

Rabaul, Papua New Guinea

A local bus at a Mobil Station

Arriving at Rabaul

Before dawn, we sailed into Simpson Harbor, a deep and well -sheltered harbor created about 1400 years ago when the Pacific Ocean filled a caldera following a catastrophic volcanic eruption. We could actually smell the volcano before we could see it. A huge grey plume rose out of the volcano and we could see steam coming from vents all the way down all visible sides of the cone. The sun was just rising as we sailed past the volcano to our dock in the harbor. At 4 degrees south of the equator, Rabaul is hot and humid with lush vegetation covering any of the countryside that wasn’t buried under ashes in the 1994 eruption. That eruption destroyed the town of Rabaul and caused the relocation of the provincial capital from there to Kokopo, about 12 miles away. We were told that in some places the ash is 12 feet deep, however, we were told there were no deaths from the 1994 eruption. What we know is that the ash is everywhere. There have been rains, so there is gray mud at the sides of all of the streets and walkways. When the wind blows, you can see ash flying from the dry areas of the pavement. The ship’s security staff, who have to stand at the gangway all day, were wearing masks to protect them from the airborne ash. We didn’t feel anything but we were very aware of the poor air quality. There is constant threat of eruption and right now the airport is closed because of the density of the ash clouds blowing over the runway.

During World War II, Rabaul had great significance as a Japanese base that included 5 airfields, a seaplane and submarine base, and a large naval facility. At the peak, there were close to 200,000 in the Japanese garrison. Today there remain parts of an extensive tunnel system, bunkers, a war museum, and cemetery as well as other military artifacts providing reminders of a tragic history.

Once we were away from the ship and through the port’s security gate, there were many locals selling handicrafts. Many passengers purchased fine masks for very little money. There were hand made fabric bags, jewelry, carvings, and shells for sale. There were women with toddlers dressed in traditional garb hoping to have tourists photograph them for a dollar.

We walked a block and turned right to head toward the town, with 20 eight-year-old boys tagging along with four couples. I don’t know why they went with us, but they asked if they could follow us and we said yes. This is a really undeveloped country with extensive poverty, many children, and few motorized vehicles. We may have been at the town, but we are not sure. At any rate, we reached a point at which we felt the need to return to the ship.

The children and the adults were slow to smile, but friendly and welcoming, greeting us with cheerful “hellos” whether they were walking or driving by. None of the children wore shoes and many of their shirts were quite torn. The absence of both begging and persistent harassment of us to purchase from them was greatly appreciated. Many of the adults’ teeth showed the red color and large gaps of beetle nut consumption. They chew the nuts with lime juice to get high and the nuts stain their teeth and the lime juice corrodes the enamel.

The poverty was overwhelming for me so I can’t imagine what it is like for them. It is tempting to take money ashore and just hand it out to them, but, of course, that will do nothing positive for them in the long run.

So we sail away past the volcano spewing thick black clouds into the sky and wonder what the future will be for those 20 eight-year-olds.