Voyage 4

2011  WORLD CRUISE   Voyage 4

Sydney, Australia (March 2) to Hong Kong, China  (March 21)

20 days, 11 days at sea, 9 ports, 5684 nautical miles

Temperature range:  82º - 66º

We have 432 passengers aboard for this almost 3-week (the longest of the 8 segments) cruise along the east coast of Australia, over the top of Australia, through Indonesian islands to Hong Kong.

The weather is warm and comfortable.  We 'walk' Deck 10 each morning unless we are in port and have an excursion planned.  Walking the deck in the open air is better than the fitness center.  There are not many people walking in the early morning; many people walk at mid day or late afternoon.

VIDEOs --

There are several links below for various videos.  Just click on the link and it goes directly to Google+ and starts the video.  You may want to STOP the video, let it load some, move the cursor back to the start, click for FULL SCREEN (at the far right), then PLAY.  Check the volume for music.    If you want the high-definition video, STOP the video, look in the lower right corner for the setting 'wheel', check for 'quality' options; CLICK the highest number.  It will start to reload however it takes much longer to load, but you get a better picture.  Good luck.

March 2   We had an overnight in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia  - Australia’s first city, Sydney grew out of a convict settlement founded in 1788.  Since then, Sydney has developed into an exciting cosmopolitan city offering more entertainment, shopping, and sightseeing than any other place in Australia.  Located on a stunning harbor, Sydney has a population of more than 4 million and is known for its youthful energy and sunny, temperate climate.  Over 200,000 residents own registered boats, and thousands more enjoy fishing, paddling, and surfing at one of its 40 beaches, but the city is also home to major cultural institutions -- Australian Museum, Art Gallery of New South Wales, and National Maritime Museum are only a few examples.  Sydney hosts five major universities, attracting students and researchers alike.

         It's cooler today - mid 70s; a great day for climbing a bridge!  The Sydney Bridge Climb is the ultimate Sydney adventure on the world famous Sydney Harbor Bridge, also known as 'The Coathanger'.  We walked from the ship over the peninsula in the city's oldest area to arrive at the gathering point for this adventure.  Our guide gave us a safety briefing and outfitted us with a climbing suit - we could not take anything (sun glasses, hat, camera) of our own; they provided hats, glasses, gloves, etc. all with hooks and straps to attach to our climbing suit (coveralls, that are not the most flattering).  Then, we were led on foot up the Eastern Arch, to the 400-foot peak, paused to celebrate our moment of glory (with a group photo), took in the spectacular, panoramic vistas of the harbor and our ship below, before crossing over the top and back down the Western Arch of the bridge.  The 'climb' was well organized, good equipment (we were tethered to a hand rail the entire time); the ladders were steep but the arch steps were easy.  After our climb, we hiked the 200 steps up one of the support pillars to take our own pictures of and around the bridge.   A day of walking, as we walked back to the ship.

Lots of sailboats on the bay as we departed the harbor at 6pm - Wednesday Night Beer Can Races in Sydney Harbor?  Looks like lots of fun!

          SUMMARY --  Australia is definitely on the list of "places to return to".

March 4   After a day 'at sea' where the weather was stormy - lightning and thunder before sunrise then a great lightning show before dinner; the ship was still very comfortable.  Another squall before we arrived at the cruise dock in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia at 8am for a full day til 7pm.  Brisbane (pronounced bris bun) was founded in 1823 on the banks of the wide, meandering Brisbane River, the former penal colony was for many years thought of as just a big country town.  Many beautiful timber Queenslander homes, built in the 1800s, still dot the riverbanks and suburbs, and the numerous parks erupt in a riot of colorful jacaranda, flame tree, and bougainvillea blossoms in spring. Today, the Queensland capital is also one of Australia’s up-and-coming cities. Glittering high-rises mark its polished business center, and a string of sandy beaches beckon to endless outdoor attractions.

We were greeted by a trio of instrumentalists (New Orleans style music). Downtown Brisbane was affected by flooding in the plains and overflowing of the Brisbane River just one month before our arrival.  It has been an extremely wet cyclone season.  We took an early shuttle bus to downtown and a walk through the shopping mall for a few essentials (panty hose); returned to the ship for lunch to prepare for our afternoon trip.

   The bus drove one hour to the Australia Zoo - Located on more than sixty acres at the base of the beautiful Glasshouse Mountains, the zoo is a tropical oasis amidst beautiful natural bush land on Queensland's 'Sunshine Coast'.  The zoo is home to the family of the late 'Crocodile Hunter', Steve Irwin. We were greeted by a staff member who explained the layout, gave us maps and information about the various show times.  We did a self-guided visit, stopped by the Crocoseum to see the entertaining and informative 'Croc Show', explored the zoo, which is home to over 1,000 native and exotic animals, an army of 'wildlife warriors', a koala enclosure, a kangaroo enclosure, crocodile feeding, aviaries with Australia's birds, and a 24-hour wildlife hospital.  The only drawback was that we only had 2 hours for a visit that normally would take 5 hours.  And, it rained the whole time, yet the temp was 76º; the zoo was almost empty of people.  Of course, the bus made a 'beer stop' along to road back to Brisbane.

SUMMARY --  Brisbane looked to be a great city, less crowded than Sydney, and the Gold Coast looks interesting.

March 5 & 6  were two days 'at sea'.  It was cloudy and rainy but no developed storm system, just some disturbed weather.  As I mentioned before, we were still in cyclone season.  Unfortunately, the winds increased and the seas built so we were not able to stop at The Whitsunday Islands.  We had planned to scuba dive Hardy Reef along the Great Barrier Reef.....  needless to say, we were extremely disappointed but considering the weather, it would have been uncomfortable.  We have a 'reef pilot' aboard, Captain Foley, who presented several interesting stories and lots of history.

March 7  we visited the city of Cairns, Queensland, Australia  (pronounced cans)  from 8am til 11pm.  With its lush green mountains hugged by low-slung clouds, its sugarcane fields and laid-back pace, Cairns feels worlds away from the bustle of Brisbane or the cobblestone streets of Melbourne.  Cairns is the tourist’s main jumping-off point for the wild Queensland north, where intense heat and fierce wildlife rule.  Along with the cuddly koalas and hop-happy kangaroos of the south, one will find stealthy saltwater crocodiles, poisonous snakes, and jellyfish so deadly they keep the stunning beaches virtually un-swimable for half the year.  Yet despite the formidable setting, Cairns and tropical North Queensland are far from intimidating.  The people here are warm and friendly, the sights spectacular, and the beach side lounging world class—at the right time of year.

Being close to the Great Barrier Reef, we looked into a scuba dive. However, it would have been a 2-hour boat ride to the reef, one dive, then a 2-hour boat ride back.  So, we planned to rent a car and wander the countryside with Phil and Colleen.  However, the weather created problems for everyone - the heavy rains over the last few days flooded all of the roads surrounding Cairns; we couldn't go anywhere outside the city.  So, we walked the waterfront to the botanical gardens - lush gardens and art galleries in several old water tanks.  Good long walk and back to city (about 4 miles) where we found a great place for lunch.  Several passengers planned to have dinner on shore; however, it started to rain (quite heavy) after sundown.  We stayed 'home'.  It was interesting watching the dock workers as we departed at 11pm; as we un-tied, they stood around looking with fascination at Silver Spirit (or were they just moving slow so they could get another hour's worth of overtime pay?).

SUMMARY --  Several passengers flew inland for a few days in the Outback before rejoining the ship in Darwin; they enjoyed the trip.  So, Cairns is definitely the place to start or end an Outback trip; someday.

March 9  after another day 'at sea', we anchored off Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia  from 8am til 1pm.   The colourful outpost of Thursday Island is one of only 17 inhabited islands in the Torres Strait; this important shipping channel is located between Cape York on the mainland of Australia and the southern coast of Papua New Guinea. "T.I.", as the island is known, was settled in 1877 due to its well-sheltered harbor.  Today, Thursday Island boasts a population of some 3,500; the majority are native islanders, with a mix of Malay, Polynesian, Chinese, and Japanese. The island has an interesting history, and was once the base for a fleet of more than a hundred pearling vessels.  Yes, Friday Island and Monday Island are nearby.

As we are 'over the top' of Australia at 10º South latitude, the temperatures are in the low 80s.  We are glad to have some warm weather and no rain today.  Thursday Island is small and we only have 5 hours here.  The waters around here are shallow and clear; we watched several turtles swimming around, surface to breathe, then dive again.  After breakfast, we took the tender ashore for a walk through town, around the north point, over the hill at the cemetery, and back to town; a little over an hour's walk.  Raise the anchor and go; but 2 miles out, the ship suddenly slowed and almost stopped (did we run aground?).  Later, it was explained that the anchor line was twisted so the crew dropped the anchor to untwist the chain.  Huh?  A nice sunny afternoon in a sun bed sipping margaritas.

SUMMARY -- "Over the top" of Australia is very 'out of the way'.

March 11  A day 'at sea' to catch up with photos and log book, lectures, trivia, etc. before arriving in Darwin, North Territory, Australia.  A beautiful sunrise (there is a sailor's poem - 'Red sky at night, a sailor's delight; red sky at morn', sailor's be warned) and strong easterly winds.  The Captain couldn't get the ship to the dock, so he hired a tug push.   Today, modern Darwin is the ideal place from which to explore the beauty and diversity of Australia’s rugged Top End. But for the people of Darwin, everything is remembered as being before or after 1974’s Cyclone Tracy, which hit on Christmas Eve and whose immense damage left a lasting scar in the area.  It’s a tribute to those who stayed and to those who have come to live here after Tracy that the rebuilt city now thrives as an administrative and commercial center for northern Australia.  The seductiveness of contemporary Darwin lifestyles, however, belies a Top End history of failed attempts by Europeans dating back to 1824 to establish an enclave in a harsh, unyielding climate.  It was not until 1911 that the town was named after the famous scientist, Charles Darwin, who had visited Australia’s shores aboard the Beagle in 1839.

We were thinking about a 'jumping crocodile cruise' to watch the crocs jump for the food, but that excursion was canceled.  A chance of rain was expected, so with our umbrellas in hand, we booked a Darwin Walking Tour to explore the history and landmarks of Darwin on foot.  We took the shuttle to downtown Darwin where we met our guide who recounted the unique history of Darwin and the Northern Territory, Aboriginal culture, and the city's involvement in World War II.  Highlights of our guided walk and narrative included the War Memorial, historic buildings, monuments dedicated to European explorers, the Aviation Pioneers Memorial, Parliament House, the Darwin Heritage Precinct, Christchurch Cathedral, the Overland Telegraph Line, Bicentennial Park, Cyclone Tracey, Lameroo Beach, and splendid parkland and harbor views.  We very much enjoyed our walking tour, even with a few showers.  At the end of our tour, we elected to explore some more and found a good pub for lunch then did some shopping to spend the rest of our Australia dollars.

As we departed Darwin at 6pm, we heard about the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan.  Captain Sangiacomo announced that there was no danger of tsunami near our location as we are south of Papua New Guinea in the Arafura Sea (look at Google Earth); also we are safer at sea rather than in port; and our only threat of tsunami was if Fernando (the Cruise Director) jumped into the pool (a sample of the humor between the captain and cruise director).

SUMMARY -- Darwin is at the edge of the cyclone belt and does get hit; there was a Cat 1 cyclone a month before we were there and another cyclone 3 weeks after our visit.  And, it can be hot.  In the right season, it would be a good place to visit.  Darwin is 12º South latitude; as a comparison, our home in Bonaire is 12º North latitude.

Goodbye, Australia!  We'll be back!

VIDEO        VOYAGE 4 - PART 1

https://get.google.com/albumarchive/111994370383291023211/album/AF1QipPQ8WMftnHh7wi4bC5zXg5c1uqkLLtEUlteKGW4/AF1QipPQaSvCKSukfFTQszquNN4L1Ru5HfUfU0S-GrRE?authKey=CIm1i-uVrpWMTA

March 12 & 13 were two tropical days 'at sea'.  As we head north into the equatorial zone, the temps are in the 80s with occasional rain showers; and, the sunsets are fabulous.  Numerous activities to keep us busy - cooking demostrations, lectures, movies, trivia, golf putting, or just relaxing.  We are having fun with Team Trivia; lots of fun, laughter, competition, and participants (the Panorama Lounge is full) - everyone has a good time.  Of course, we collect 'points' for winning or losing (points are exchanged for pen, bookmark, hat, t-shirt).  There was a delicious Gala Dinner Buffet on the 12th with wonderful foods to taste - even croc and roo (tasted like chicken).  We enjoyed a nice dinner with an English couple who have been aboard various Silversea ships for over 800 days during the last 12 years.

March 14  we arrived at 8am (seems to be our typical arrival time) to dock in Benoa Harbor Bali, Indonesia.  Luckily, our suite was on the dockside so we watched the dancers perform their 'welcome' greeting.  The “magic” of Bali arises from its religious distinction from the rest of Indonesia:  Unlike their Muslim neighbors, the Balinese are Hindu, but their faith also contains elements of Buddhism and ancient, indigenous animism beliefs (the attribution of a soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena).  Those beliefs make Bali the island of 1,000 temples, each one a work of art.  Temple festivals, featuring processions of identically clad women with fruit piled high on their heads as offerings to the gods, and commercial presentations showcase the island’s rich performing arts heritage, including music, dance, and shadow puppetry.  To the Balinese, every living thing contains a spirit; when they pick a flower as an offering, they first say a prayer to the flower.  Black-and-white-checked cloths called 'poleng', worn for ceremonies and draped around statues’ waists, symbolize the balance between good and evil.  Maintaining harmony is the life work of every Balinese.

Once again, our adventuresome spirit led us to Bali Bintang Tours, Bali’s Premier Cycling and Adventure Tour Company for a bike ride.  We were looking for a fun and exciting way to see Bali off the beaten tourist path because there is more to experiencing Bali than just the crowds and tour buses (Wow! the traffic was horendous), or the head spinning shopping frenzy.  We wanted an insider’s peek at rural village life, to see the authentic Bali culture and scenery of Bali's countryside, and to have a memorable adventure as we experienced  Bali’s best kept secrets - the excitement, exploration, breathtaking countryside and genuinely warm-hearted local villagers up close and personal.

The bus ride from the pier to the company headquarters was along roads filled with cars, motorcycles, horns, people screaming, thousands of shops, etc. Then we drove up the country roads to a 'garden tour' and a demonstration of how they make 'kopi luwak' coffee; this is the most expensive coffee in the world ($600 per pound).  If you have seen "The Bucket List" movie, you may remember Jack Nicholson's discussion of this 'cat poop' coffee.  But if you have not seen the movie, we will explain here - the luwak (a small unassuming mammal that resembles a lemur or possum) has a taste for the coffee beans but can't digest them; workers collect the animal droppings, which consist mostly of the undigested beans, that are washed, cooked, ground, and filtered.  The bean, unaffected by its trip through the luwak's intestines, is said to produce the purest flavor of coffee known.  We were offered a taste, if we paid for it; we declined, not because of the price but because of the thoughts of where those coffee beans have been.   Go to    http://www.animalcoffee.com/     if you want to buy some.

Our bus ride continued up the hillside to the Volcano Lookout for a simple breakfast; great view of Bali's three volcanoes.  Now, time to put on the helmet and mount our bikes for our descent down the paved roads in the countryside. We made a few stops - an elementary school, a family compound (for a tour and discussion of family life within the Hindu religion), rice fields, and a rest stop when the rain downpour started.  We were soaked, even with rain jackets, but the temperature was 80º.  We finally returned to the company headquarters for a sumptuous lunch of Hindu foods and fruits and an ice cold Bintang beer. However, we still had an hour bus ride back to the pier.  It was a great tour; we saw lots of Bali that most tourists do not see; had a good lunch, too.  Nice to get back to the ship for a long shower.  We returned to the ship just in time to watch the 'folkloric show' by local performers (more ting-tang music).  We enjoyed dinner at Stars (funky food with jazzy music).

SUMMARY --  Bali has lots of poverty but the people seem to be happy; too much noise; loud ting-tang music (something the CIA should consider rather than waterboarding); yet beautiful countryside, and friendly people.  We will put Bali on the 'been there, done that' list.

VIDEO       BALI BIKE RIDE!

https://get.google.com/albumarchive/111994370383291023211/album/AF1QipPQ8WMftnHh7wi4bC5zXg5c1uqkLLtEUlteKGW4/AF1QipMatsYdQ8uiWgehrPKDkTrHDI8G7pWMb4kIB8tt?authKey=CIm1i-uVrpWMTA

VIDEO       BALI HOME TOUR!

https://get.google.com/albumarchive/111994370383291023211/album/AF1QipPQ8WMftnHh7wi4bC5zXg5c1uqkLLtEUlteKGW4/AF1QipPsjXWf5j8rdGgRpQj3l1j6iV3GqtRn8Ny9LvXW?authKey=CIm1i-uVrpWMTA

March 15 & 16 were two days 'at sea' in warm weather and calm seas; two days of busy activities, and relaxing.  There are always beautiful sunrises and sunsets while 'at sea'.  We crossed the Equator on the 16th at 5:15am.  Later in the day we celebrated the Equator Crossing when King Neptune and his court visited the Silver Spirit where guests paid their respects.  When ships cross the Equator, 'pollywogs' (sailors who have not done such a crossing before) receive 'subpoenas' to appear before King Neptune to be 'interrogated' before being initiated as 'shellbacks'.  A funny ceremony.

March 17 was a day (8am to 6pm) in Sandakan, Borneo, Malaysia.  One of Southeast Asia's most diverse countries, Malaysia has a population of 23 million, about 50% of whom are Malay, 24% Chinese, and 7% Indian.  The remainder is a mix of immigrants from other places and non-Malay indigenous tribes. Malaysia is officially a Muslim country, but Sabah and Sarawak, Malaysia's two northern Borneo states, are primarily Christian, the legacy of 20th-century missionaries.  Sabah encompasses some < 30,000 square miles, but it only has about 2 million people, of which the Kadazans are the largest ethnic group. Along the west coast, the Bajau grow rice and raise ponies; on the east coast, a group related to the Bajau are mostly fishermen.  The Chinese, who run much of Sabah's commerce, live primarily in the towns and make up about 10% of the population.  The state is largely covered by rain forest and plantations.

We scheduled a tour to see The Great Apes of Borneo.  We headed out into the lush lowland rain forest to the Sepilok Orangutan Center, one of only five Orangutan sanctuaries in the world; this Center occupies approximately a 16-square-mile patch of lowland rain forest.  It was established in 1964 by the Forestry department, with the backing of the World Wildlife Fund, as a retraining center for orangutans liberated by a law that made it illegal to catch or keep them as pets.  Young orangutans (meaning ‘man of the forest’ in Malay) are taught survival instincts and to defend themselves.  We walked along the boardwalks and gathered at a view area; we saw two young orangutan mothers, each with their baby, as handlers fed them.  The feeding time is known and anticipated by the animals.  On the return ride to the ship, we stopped at the Che Siang Khor Temple; this ornate temple is situated on a hill and offered a panoramic view of the Buli Sim Sim water village and saw a 'lion dance' performance.

It was good to get back to ship to relax before dinner.  The BBQ buffet on the pool deck was moved inside because of rain but we had dinner at The Pool Grill - 'the cook-your-own entree on hot lava rock' dinner.  Always a fun gathering with our friends.  The evening ended with "The Liar's Club" - guests create teams for voting, 4 ship crew present their stories describing a word, teams vote for the crew person who 'told the truth'.  Hilarious, extremely funny, entertaining!

SUMMARY --  Cute orangutans.  Our personal opinion of Sandakan - we didn't need to stop here; the town was very dirty, garbage everywhere, lots of graffiti and mold on buildings.  A place for the 'never going there again' list.

March 18 was a day 'at sea' in rough conditions (12-foot seas, 25 knots of wind, spray everywhere) although the ship managed to be fairly comfortable.  We were required to meet in the Lobby between 10am and noon for mandatory temperature screening by the medical team (a requirement of The Philippines).   More choices of 'what to do today'  - there was a guest chef aboard for a cooking demonstration and an afternoon of 'wiener kaffee', a Viennese experience of cakes and coffee.

March 19   we arrived at the cruise dock in Manila, Philippines at 8am with people everywhere to greet the ship.  The Philippines is home for almost 2/3 of our crew so their families were on the dock to greet loved ones, if only for a day. Lots of musical performances, food stalls, shops for souvenirs and t-shirts; no rain, temp in the low 80s, lots of haze (smog?) in this big active port.

It can be hard to know what to make of Manila at first glance; faced with the unwieldy urban sprawl and perpetual gridlock, far too many people arrive only to jump on a plane to elsewhere.  It's their loss, because the Filipino capital has plenty to offer -- from the world's oldest Chinatown to fashionable nightclubs to the mall.  Even after more than a half-century of independence, Manila is still rediscovering and reinventing itself.

We passed on the option of visiting Imelda Marco's 'Shoe Museum'. Instead, we elected a full-day adventure to the Pagsanjan Rapids and Falls.  We left the pier for the approximately two-hour drive through Manila (busy Saturday traffic on the streets - can't imagine the traffic during the week) heading southeast to the town of Pagsanjan.  Located in the scenic native countryside, Pagsanjan is the home of the famous Pagsanjan River and Falls.  Upon arrival at the Pagsanjan River View Resort, we went to the canoe launching area, received our safety instructions, then embarked in a 20-foot wooden canoe manned by two boatmen for a ride upstream to the falls (we sat back to enjoy the ride and these guys did all the work), skimming over slick rocks and boulders in the steep gorges with lush vegetation.  There were hundreds of canoes filled with tourists (mostly Korean), so lots of canoe traffic.  Upon reaching the falls, we had some free time to relax and take in the idyllic surroundings before taking a bamboo raft-ride through the pounding curtain of water, which falls from a height of 70 feet above the gorge - the raft was overloaded so we sat in a foot of water as 3 guys pulled on a rope to take us under the falls.  The ride down river was a more thrilling experience.  We ‘shoot the rapids’ while going downstream, with our boatmen skillfully maneuvering the canoe between rocks and boulders until we reached calm waters.  After returning to the Resort, we changed into dry clothes (we were soaked) and enjoyed a very nice lunch of local foods.  Now, another 2+ hour drive back to the pier.  The Saturday traffic caused delays so we did not return to the ship until 5:45pm - just in time for our 6pm departure.  The Captain was anxiously waiting for our return as the gangway was raised as soon as we were aboard.  Unfortunately, we missed the Philippines Folkloric Dance Show which, we were told, was the best of all the local shows.

SUMMARY -- Too many people, too much traffic (primarily in Manila but also in the countryside).  We had a good time but will put The Philippines on the 'been there, done that' list.

VIDEO            MANILA RAPIDS!

https://get.google.com/albumarchive/111994370383291023211/album/AF1QipPQ8WMftnHh7wi4bC5zXg5c1uqkLLtEUlteKGW4/AF1QipOXgxMa7GGRJfCZUEgcpHJOpWaHwoA6TWhq_2T9?authKey=CIm1i-uVrpWMTA

March 20 was a day 'at sea' in calm seas with < 10 knots of wind and lots of sunshine.  It was  Colleen's 74th Birthday so a big dinner party in The Restaurant.  Special menu of Dover sole with augraten potatoes and more good times.  We have discovered that you can order just about anything you want, even if it is not on the menu.  The ship will also arrange a special dinner or party, print invitations, decorate, everything.   I got another run in my stockings; I hate panty hose.  I had brought 3 pairs with me; bought 2 more pairs in Brisbane; 2 months into our trip and I need to buy more!  My expense budget is getting used just buying panty hose.  Question:  What's a woman to do?  Answer:  Don't dress up for formal nights!  It's more comfortable in casual clothing.  Randy agrees with that answer because he doesn't have to wear a coat and tie.

March 21 we approached Hong Kong, China in heavy fog.  Fog horns were sounding all around our ship; we could hardly see the bow of our own ship, let alone any other ship in the harbor.  When we heard '5 long blasts' (a warning signal) we saw a ship VERY close to our bow; the captain put the ship in 'full stop' mode and made a sharp starboard (right) turn.  We were sure that we were going to be hit!  We talked to Capitain Sangiacomo later and he explained that he had tried to call that vessel on VHF several times, that the harbor traffic control had tried to call that ship several times, but no response.  Yes, we had to make a drastic maneuver to avoid being hit.  He said 'that is always a problem in Hong Kong as the local vessels feel that they own the waters.'  We cheated death again!

Hong Kong Island and Kowloon are divided both physically and psychologically by Victoria Harbor.  On Hong Kong Island, the central city stretches only a few miles south into the island before mountains rise up, but Kowloon is flatter so the city spreads far to the north.  In the main districts and neighborhoods, luxury boutiques are a stone’s throw away from old hawker stalls, and a modern, high-tech horse-racing track is just around the corner from a temple housing more than 10,000 buddhas - evidence of the mix of old and new, where East meets West, all around Hong Kong.

We docked at China Merchant Wharf in Kenndey Town on Hong Kong island at 9am as the fog was lifting.  Our suite was on the dock side so we were able to watch the 'lion dance' greeting - the Lion Dance wards off bad luck, scares away evil spirits, and ushers in good luck and happiness.   We hoped that we would dock at the main cruise terminal on the Kowloon side but no dock space was available. There was a shuttle bus service to take us to the Star Ferry for transport to Kowloon.  The ferry cost $0.31 but 'senior citizens' ride for free. Our friends, Phil and Colleen, have been to Hong Kong many times so they guided us to the highlights.  Of course, the best was the view across the harbor from Kowloon to Hong Kong while sitting in the bar at The Intercontinental Hotel ($11 for a beer); after a great dim sum lunch we returned to our ship late in the afternoon.  Still lots of haze and fog so we were not able to ride the tram up Victoria Peak; maybe tomorrow.  We went back to Kowloon in the evening with thousands of other people to watch the nightly 'laser show'.  All of the buildings in Hong Kong are lit and many have lasers that are choreographed to music for a 20-minute show.  What a sight!

SUMMARY --  Hong Kong looks to be a great place to visit.  We need more time to see it all.

VOYAGE 4 - PART 2

https://get.google.com/albumarchive/111994370383291023211/album/AF1QipPQ8WMftnHh7wi4bC5zXg5c1uqkLLtEUlteKGW4/AF1QipNliiqtFiHRth-vEIHlzpMJnQ5G5TYFS0fm8llD?authKey=CIm1i-uVrpWMTA

SPECIAL EVENTS Dress Attire:  8 casual, 6 informal, 6 formal

World Cruiser Dinner - Mar 10

Venetian Society Cocktails - Mar 8

BBQ Buffet - Mar 12, Mar 17

Galley Lunch - Mar 16

SPEAKERS (and their topics)

Geoffrey Blainey, Author and Historian

"What Makes Australia So Different"

Dr. Lawrence Blair, Film-maker, Indonesia Expert

"Introducing Indonesia: A Land of Waking Dreams"

"Strange Beasts of Indonesia: Real and Imaginary, the variety of strange life forms"

"Indonesia's Mysticism, Magic, and the Island of Bali"

"Spice Island Saga"

"The Dream Wonders of Borneo"

Pieter de Vries, Cinematographer

"On Tour With the Queen - New Zealand and Australia" (re-creation of the Queen's visit in 1959)

"Around the World with Vivaldi's Four Seasons"

"Video Basics Workshop - Use of digital video cameras"

"On Tour With the Queen - Fiji and Tonga" (another segment of this 2009 documentary)

Major General Mike O’Brien

"Food, Fire, and Cyclone:  Australia's Natural Disasters"

"Thursday Island:  World War II Outpost"

"The Explorers of the Pacific" - pre-historic exploration to the epic voyages of world navigators

"The Lost Soldiers of the Fromelles"

Denise Heywood, Author, Journalist and Photographer

"Vietnam: Land of the Ascending Dragon"

John Stainton, Australian Film-maker

"Your Worst Animal Nightmares" - Australia has been the center of many shocking crocodile, shark, and snake attacks

"Journey to a Legend - Expedition into the Sahara Desert"

Bette Klegon Halby, Artist

"The Treasures of Arnhem Land and Kimberley"

"Body Adornment - Art of Tiwi and Beyond"

"Art and the Driving Need to Communicate"

Captain John Foley

"The Great Barrier Reef - an illustrated discourse on the Reef's origins, makeup,           colorful history"

"Hardy Reef, Whitsunday Islands"

"Captain James Cook: The Man and the Many Myths"

"The Hunt for Centaur"  Was the attack on Australia's hospital ship sheer
        barbarism or justifiable homicide?

ENTERTAINERS

Silver Spirit Singers and Dancers (many repeat performances for us World Cruisers)

"Rocketman"

"Jazz a la Carte" - with Shea D Duo & Silver Spirit Trio

"Variety Show - Production Cast, Celloist, Mind-reader"

"Euro 2011"

"Spirito della Celebrazione"

"Aquarius Dawning"

Martin Lass, Violin

"A Night of Gypsy Fiddling and Popular Classics"

"Through All Rhythyms"

Craig Steven Dahn, Pianist

"A Musical Journey"

"From Old to New Melodies"

Lorraine Brown, Singer

"A Majestic Night - Soulful and Rich"

"It;s a Starry Night"

Marc Paul, Mind-reader, Psychological Magician

"Believe in the Impossible"

"Mind Games"

Sarah Jessica Maer, Celloist .

"A Cello Diva performance is the result of a life led with eyes wide open and a heart full of music"

"Diversity of Exquisite Music, Stories, and Chat"

Shea D Duo, Peter Shea and Juliet Dunn

performed nightly in Stars Supper Club

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Hong Kong was the last port for Voyage 4.  A change of passengers during the two days in HK.  We have enjoyed the ports along the east coast of Australia and over-the-top;  many that we will visit again.  The island countries between Australia and Hong Kong were interesting to visit.  Hong Kong appears to be a fascinating place that needs more exploration.

Are you enjoying our tours?  We hope so.  We are working hard putting these together (the hardest part is adding music) but it is fun to re-live our cruise.

We have reached the half-way point.  There is more to come!

Lourae and Randy