Prinsendam 2005 World Tour... it has begun

[Aussie Gal]

Slinkie and Grumpy,

 

I hope you are enjoying your time in Hong Kong and the wonderful Ocean Terminal with all those shops. If you get a chance and the weather is fine, try to go up the funicular to see the wonderful view of Hong Kong from the Peak.

 

Another interesting place (I am not sure if you have two days in Hong Kong but if you do you can try this) is to catch the ferry across the harbour to the island and then catch the bus - double decker - to Stanley Market. It is a great place to shop and pick up some interesting pieces.

 

Have fun, we will be in Hong Kong at the end of December for a few days. I haven't been there since 1999, so am looking forward to seeing the changes.

 

Jennie

[Cuttle]

Just had a good chuckle. Now you, Slinkie, are being blamed for the slow or no access to the Boards. In a thread "I had trouble" Lipoppop posted this, replying to Laura the Community Manager:

 

Quote: "Laura tell the real truth. And that is the people who were supposed to fix the problems were actually moonlighting in a jade factory that had gone onto three shift production for the first time in anticipation of Slinkie's visit in Hong Kong."

 

Looking forward to hearing about your escapades in Hong Kong.

[BuckeyeGal1956]

Sorry, Localady - if Grumpy needs a typist (and Slinkie needs a seamstress) I'll be at the head of that line!

 

Grumpy's Still Very Jealous Sis

[Cristiano]

I think Slinkie may not venture out today as the weather in HK is not very good......12-23 C overcast, raining and what kills me is the humidity (95%) :( .......it also does not appear to be getting any better.......but that is Hong Kong......still in the Ocean centre the weather is always the same......bright lights....hot bodies moving along never ending arcades and air conditioning.

 

As aussie girl has said I hope Grumpy1 and Slinkie you get the chance to go to Stanley.......but beware GP1 hold on very tight to Slinkie as the the two decker buses don't go slow :eek: and always look straight ahead, never to the edge of the road.

 

See also if you can get to have afternoon tea at The Peninsula Hotel...now there's a hotel, we stayed there a few years ago....absolutely wonderful and one of the best restaurants in the world is Gaddie's located on the 1st floor. :) ....Grumpy1 make sure you take your BLACK AMEX..:eek: ....Felix on the 28th Floor is also good.....has a great view.

 

As AG said the view from Victoria Peak, via the Peak Tram, is fantastic but unfortunately on a day like today would be a waste of time...Slinkie better to SHOP!!..:D ..I hope it clears up for you guys.

 

Also a great place at night is Temple Street, once again hold on tight Slinkie because the people are like sardines jammed into a tin....but the neverending sea of bodies and stalls selling everything from fake watches to potions for every ailment is worth the effort.

 

The Big Buddha on Lantau Island is also really worth the effort....even with the weather the way that it is......you have to be reasonably fit to get up all the stairs but worth the view (if you get one) which is breathtaking.

 

Anyway enough from me...I could be here all day....just enjoy yourselves no matter what you do.....wish I was there, then again I will be there in June.

 

Cristiano.

[Rotterdam]

Me thinks Slinky & Grumpy should reimburse the sister for at home management services....lets see $200 a day x106 days plus expenses = 1 passage on 2006 wc of her choice inclusive of spending $$$ and all the cast off jewelry Slinky can't wear all in one seating!

 

Grumpy good news & more good news...you can bargain in HK.......even in the jewerlry stores...also I went to establishments there - one called RED LIPS & the other Waltzing Matildas....I don't remeber which - but one of them down a dark alley - just knock on the wooden door w/ the bell hanging outside....the place was filled with Australians...maybe they can return some of Slinky's purchases that she has fallen out of love with!

 

All I remember was taking the Bentley back to the Regent.......what happens in HK .....Stays in HK!!!!!

[louiskam]

In HK, beware that the air-conditioning there is very cold inside, but hot and humid outside the building.... and its very easy to catch a cold if you don't have a light coat with you. Have a good time there.

[sjs79]

Thanks once again for absolutely wonderful posts!!! I hope you both have a WONDERFUL time in Hong Kong! Hopefully with three days you will really be able to experience it! I just hope the weather clears for up for you! Have a great time and I eagerly await your next post!

[localady]

Sorry, Localady - if Grumpy needs a typist (and Slinkie needs a seamstress) I'll be at the head of that line!

 

Grumpy's Still Very Jealous Sis

 

lynnaldo-

Hehehe, that you do!!!!:)

But hey, you can't blame a girl for trying, can you??;) :D

[Cristiano]

The latest from Hong Kong.........but then again tomorrow could be bright blue sky and 18 C....who knows.......I feel sorry for GP1's credit card!!!!...but the again what are our wonderfull women for anyway....just to lavish our money on...after all they really deserve it.....especially my DW.:)

 

 

Cristiano

 

Warnings in Effect

The Strong Monsoon Signal is issued when winds associated with the summer or winter monsoon are blowing in excess of or are expected to exceed 40 kilometres per hour near sea level anywhere in Hong Kong. Chek Lap Kok reported strong winds for 60 minutes.

 

[KathieKata]

Great reviews as usual!! Hope you at least get a Commission for filling up the 2006 World Cruise!!

LOOK OUT "HONG KONG"......SLINKIE is on her way!! Grumpy don't lose her in the crowds!

My Son-In-Law goes to Hong Kong on business often and has taken pictures of the "LIGHTS" at night. Reminds me of Times Square in NY!! Thousands of lights and neon signs everywhere! ENJOY!!

[BuckeyeGal1956]

Me thinks Slinky & Grumpy should reimburse the sister for at home management services....lets see $200 a day x106 days plus expenses = 1 passage on 2006 wc of her choice inclusive of spending $$$ and all the cast off jewelry Slinky can't wear all in one seating!

 

Sounds good to me! But then I'd have to pay Grumpy for all the work he's done at my condo ... and still has to do when they return, so guess we'll just have to call it even ...

[MarciaL]

What a joy to just keep reading this thread. Keep it up.......

[bepsf]

2007 World Tour is in the planning stages and two tours are being considered... one on the Amsterdam and one on the Prinsendam. There is the possibility of "a very special event" when the two ships coincide in a port on the journey...

 

 

 

Late night here in SF -

Thought I read that HAL was planning a very special event when the two ships collide! :eek:

 

Time to go back to bed...

:cool:

 

Enjoy HK Grumpy and Slinkie!!!

:D

[ekerr19]

Grumpy & Slinkie -

 

Hope you enjoy Hong Kong - I can't wait to hear all about it!

 

I was really curious when I logged on and saw Brian's post (just above mine) saying he thought he read "when the two ships collide" - then I read Grumpy's version I really got a chuckle!

 

I continue to look forward to reading all about your exploits! It will be as close as I get to be to a World Cruise for a long time, thanks so much for sharing it with us. :)

[DFD1]

Hello, S & G: We're hanging in there with you every mile of the way. What a great adventure! Thanks again for sharing it with us.

[PH8]

Grumpy and Slinkie.................You are two very lucky people to experience the things you are...........thanks for sharing!!

[Peggy Sue]

Grumpy and Slinkie- Whew! started this thread earlier in the week and got hooked...have enjoyed reading about your world cruise experiences! you've painted such wonderful windows into your days in port .. felt like i was touring right along beside you .. and so many of the places you've visited are on our wish list!

 

Thank you for sharing your cruise with all of here on cc .. don't know if we will ever have a chance to take a world cruise .. but it certainly has been terrific traveling along with both of you!

 

Looking forward to your next installment and hearing if the magnetic strip on your amex card still works! ;-)

 

Thanks again..and may the second half of your journey be as wonderful, exciting and fun as the first!

 

Peggy Sue

[Rotterdam]

Oh no....no Grumpy pstings for a few days....Call Amex & have them tracked down....(under all those shopping bags).

 

I only hope they are having the time of their life!!!!!!!!

[blackbird71]

Oh no....no Grumpy pstings for a few days....Call Amex & have them tracked down....(under all those shopping bags).

 

I only hope they are having the time of their life!!!!!!!!

 

I hope Grumpy isn't in the hospital with back problems from carrying all those bags back to the ship :D:D

[LizB1]

Grumpie and Slinkie, we are anxiously awaiting your report now that you have left Hong Kong!! Perhaps you are sooo tired from shopping you need a few days to rest up before posting again??

 

Let us know your impressions, how Slinkie made out with her shopping, etc.

 

Also, would like to know if Frank (Clyne) is giving his usual St. Patrick's Day party on the 17th??? If you are invited, please give Frank my best and tell him we wish we were there too.

 

Have fun!

 

Liz B.

[Grumpy1]

Prinsendam 2005, March 14, Day 60

 

Would Somebody PUHLEEZE turn on the heat??!! Everyone says it's been unusually cool this week. Slinkie says "no, it's been COLD this week"... Well, anyway, Slinkie and Grumpy have survived Hong Kong and vice versa.

 

Arrival Saturday morning was rainy, but changed to heavy overcast by the time the ship was cleared for passengers to depart. Slinkie and Grumpy had a tour booked... bus ride to HK Island to Repulse Bay for an opportunity to walk on the beach, rub Buddha's belly for good luck...take some pictures... back on the bus to Aberdeen and board a Sampan for a tour around the fishing village and past the Jumbo Floating Restaurant... more pictures... back on the bus to the funicular to the top of Victoria Peak...

 

 

 

 

 

That intervening white space... that's an accurate picture of what we saw from the peak. The tour included a ticket to Madame Tussaud's wax Museum, so Grumpy got pictures of Slinkie with Pres Bush... Elvis... Gov. Arnold... Slinkie didn't offer to take a picture of Grumpy with Madonna, though... Back on the bus up at the top for the ride back to the ship. Halfway down, the bus was below the clouds and there were brief views of the city, so it was an OK tour... but a picture with Madonna would have made it better...

 

After lunch, it was... you guessed it... Shopping Time!... Dayum! That Ocean City/Harbour Center complex is huge! Total purchases... two bottles of Concha y Toro wine at the grocery market... but sure saw lots of stuff. Prices seemed pretty high on most items. Since it was cold and damp outside, inside was pretty comfortable...

 

Sunday morning was still cold (mid 50'sF) but dry. By 9:30 Slinkie was bundled up in her long john's and parka ready to brave the world... The plan was to check out the close by areas in Kowloon. Up one street wandering through little shops... down an alley with small stalls on both sides... constant "No, Thank you's" to the guys every 20 feet that wanted to direct Grumpy and Slinkie to the best tailor in town, and the guys with the "copy Rolex watches"... up and down more streets... in and out of large department stores, dress shops, souvenir shops, jewellry shops... stopped in a small cafe for lunch... continued on for more shopping and finally crawled back to the ship. No major purchases, but did find a few items to add to Slinkie's wardrobe.. one skirt and one top.

 

The Prinsendam pulled into her berth so the starboard side is toward HK Island. Unfortunately, the terminal building is also on the starboard and has a parking deck that is about eye level with Slinkie and Grumpy's verandah. There is a huge billboard running the length of the terminal that extends up another 30 ft or so above the parking deck, so the harbor view is limited. To watch the light show on the HK buildings, it was necessary to go to the Lido deck. The aft end of the ship hangs out past the terminal building and there is an excellent view of the HK skyline... well, the Sport Deck above the Lido would be even better... if the night were warmer...but the Lido was just fine. It's a very nice display with the major buildings bathed in ever changing colors of light... green laser beams dancing around the sky... patterns of color zigzagging up the buildings... very pretty indeed!

 

Since one couple from their table had gotten off in Hong Kong, there was a new couple at dinner last night. This is their 5th cruise on the Prinsendam, some sailings were on the Seaborne Sun, always in the same Cat S cabin.There's finally another Florida couple at the table... it had been over run with Californians before...very interesting couple. She's working on a novel, so plans to do some writing on sea days... she says that she doesn't know yet how the novel will end... she just lets it flow and sometimes an idea for a new twist will pop into her head... why do we get the feeling it will end up being "Grumpy did it"?

 

Monday morning was a repeat of Sunday as far as the weather goes. Bundled up once again, Slinkie and Grumpy once again headed out to see what there was to see. They ran into Jack and Lynn, CruiseCritic lurkers, in the terminal. They had a similar plan of attack, so the four set off across the Star Ferry... free for senior citizens... well, Grumpy's working on getting that privilege... then hopped the 620 bus, a double decker, but they stayed on the lower deck, to Stanley Market. Now that's an interesting place! After splitting from Jack and Lynn, our veteran shoppers tackled the place with a fistfull of HK dollars in one hand and a credit card in the other. By the time they emerged at the other end, the dollars were dwindling and the bag was filling up with trinkets, but the credit card had escaped unscathed, so back into the fray they waded. Finally wandered into a women's clothing store...a few more items went in the bag... a few more dollars went on the credit card...

 

The bus back to the Star Ferry was a single deck bus, so Grumpy didn't get to experience the thrill of riding on top in the front seat... Back on board the Prinsendam for lunch and a rest period to check Email and download the latest from the boards. This evening was a repeat of the light show and after dinner there were "Lighted Dragon Sail Away Festivities" on the Sport Deck, as the Prinsendam set sail for Laem Chabang, Thailand. The dragon was created for the Chinese New Year celebration and the performance was on the roof of the terminal building. The railing of the parking deck blocked most of the view from Grumpy and Slinkie's verandah, so they had to bundle up and go up on Lido deck for a good view. There was also a performance by the Hong Kong Children's Choir this evening. They were very good. Jack and Lynn have their grand daughter's "Flat Stanley" with them and got a picture of the choir with 3 of them holding Flat Stanley.

 

Now the Prinsendam is headed out to sea and Slinkie and Grumpy are watching the HK skyline slide by. It's been a wonderful 3 days and they are ready for a day of rest... you say there are 4 sea days coming up?... they don't really need that much rest... they'll find something to do to get in trouble...

 

Grumpy and Slinkie

 

[localady]

Sorry to hear that the weather was ugly for you while in HK! Good to know that you came away with your wallet still basically intact!!!

 

Note to Capt. Gundersen- Keep an eye on our Grumpy1....4 days at sea and he is gonna have to be watched!!!;)

As always, safe seas and blue skies!!!:cool:

[NitaBcruising]

Grumpy, thanks again for your delightful tales! :D Hi to Slinkie! :) Can't wait to hear all about the shopping someday!

 

Jennie, nice to see your new avatar! The pic of you and Peter is very good! :)

[blackbird71]

LOL - FYI somebody just posted this over on the rec.travel.cruises news group

 

http://americahurrah.com/MerchantMarine/HongKongMemories.htm

 

Merchant Marine Memories

Freighter Life in Hong Kong, 1954

In the 1950s I was a radio operator on the President Pierce. We were on the

Around the World run, which would take three more months back to San

Francisco via the Suez Canal and Europe.

In those days unloading a ship took three to four days so we had plenty of

shore leave.

Here is my Hong Kong report.

The first thing we did after docking in Kowloon was go to Joe Jung's Tailor

Shop. He was the number one tailor and every ship's crew went there.

He greeted us, "Hello guys! What do you want to drink?" This is about 10 a.

m. in the morning. You could have all you wanted.

After he mellowed us up, he showed us all the latest fabrics from England

and we were measured for suits and sport coats. They were very reasonable,

$40 or so in 1950s value. He could do them up in two days.

Then we went to a comprador, a Chinese agent for trade.

This is where we bought our liquor. Gorden's Gin, .90 cents a liter; cases

of Beck's Beer.

We hailed rickshaws and were off to the Peninsular Hotel, a remnant of

British life and very laid back. More drinks on the patio, where we could

watch the world go by.

Although we went to a lot of dives with women in other ports... Yokohama

especially, we did not in Hong Kong. Too busy shopping I guess.

The day the Pierce sailed a line of coolies carrying crates of clothes,

liquor, and beer headed down the dock. It was something to see!

Then we had a farewell to Hong Kong party and all of us got pretty loaded.

As the radio operator I did not have to go on watch until we dropped the pilot.

But the helmsman was another story. He was feeling no pain as he steered us

through the crowded harbor and we narrowly missed other ships as we zig

zagged our way to sea.

More ports later.

[louiskam]

HK is quite famous for lights display everywhere... and I'm glad you had a fond taste of this "Pearls of Asia", especially had a harbour view at night. Have more wonderful stops ahead. Thanks.