Silversea Water Cooler: Part 3, Welcome!

[jpalbny]

 

And one time, when we lived in France, we were expecting some guests who rang us to ask where exactly we were. It was only after a good few minutes we realised they were in a similarly named village over 200 km away! He blamed his sat nav, his wife and his map book rather than admit to only putting the village name into the nav rather than the coordinates. Plonker.

 

That is hysterical! And I learned a new insult, too... Thanks for sharing!

 

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[Travelcat2]

For lunch we made a special trip to Tiong Bahru food market to visit our favourite Fried Kway Teow stall. The market is in one of the original housing estates and you really only see locals here from the estate. This stall has been around for the last 25 years andthis is the only thing they make so I guesss by now they have got the hang of it. All day .... every day .. they are likely to be the only stall that is still selling their fried kway teow at just S $2.00, although we splashed out for a S$4 plate although i think it wasn't twice the size of the small one - but more than enough for both of us to share. . If you visit during lunch, you could see a longish queue forming right in front of their stall and each order is cooked to order so you multiply each person in the queue by around three minutes. I waited for twenty or so minutes for mine and it was before the lunchtime rush.

 

The owner, Mr Tay Soo Nam, 87 years old was there when i visited. He started frying the kway teow when he was 24 years old on a push cart along Kim Poh Road before moving into old Tiong Bahru Food Centre in 1968. He has not been doing much of the cooking these days but i was lucky to have my plate of kway teow done by him. He even cleans the edges of the slurp on the plate before handing it over.

This was just the highlight of our eating since we arrived. Although it looks like nothing it was wonderful and one of his secrets is he uses two types of noodle, the standard thin chinese noodle and a flat chinese noodle as well as the kway teow, I think it is dan mein or gan mein. There is some salty fish and I think some mussels and all sorts of secret stuff with a bit of crunch here and there. It looks so plain and simple but it was heavenly.

 

Jeff

 

 



 



 



 



 



 

 

 

 

Jeff, great photos and description of this food stall. Do you have any idea what items (besides noodles) are in Fried Kway Teow . Very curious!

 

Thanks!

[UKCruiseJeff]

Jeff, great photos and description of this food stall. Do you have any idea what items (besides noodles) are in Fried Kway Teow . Very curious!

 

Thanks!

 

TC, thanks - no I couldn't really tell. A lot of it is off our normal pallete so relying on my tasting and working it out is unreliable. Google I think basically says everyone has their own version and this chap has been making it for over 60 years .... and this and nothing else.

 

Jeff

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good afternoon Coolers ....

 

Soapy, good to see such a wonderful service is avaialbe ... just use it whilst you can and hope the service survives. Hope your MOT goes well.

 

Today wifey told me she was all Asianed-out and what she really was yearning for was some mash potato. It seems to me that the most likely place in Singapore that would give her proper mash was Gordon Ramsey, so off we went to Shoppes (spelt that way I guess to be a cut above just ordinary Shops ....) at Marina Bay.

 

We both had slow braised oxtail cheeks in a rich gravy with carrots and mash and we finished off with a creme brulle and a sort of bakewall tart and cream. A nice table overlooking the bay.

 

Jeff

 

 

 

 

 

[UKCruiseJeff]

The complex game with housekeeping is in it's final chapters today.

 

 

There is a small army of people employed here who want or need to get access to the suite during the day. Some examples are those seeking access are housekeeping to clean the room. A separate part of housekeeping the Hoover Czar is a part of a highly trained elite squad who have been charged with the important mission to go from room to room ensuring that every nook and cranny in every room and suite is completely crumb free. Another person comes in and replaces complimentary water and rearranges the complimentary fruit in order to make it look a bit different. A further lady titivates the flowers. Stephen, long serving laundry king collects laundry and delivers it back again. Another squad checks and replaces light bulbs. Another monitors broadband speed. TV issues is someone else. Every day a visit is made to scrutinise the previous days depth of my sins in the mini bar. A full list is made and they disappear with the list An hour or so later they return with replacement items – and are often somewhat confused when I have taken a further gin out in the interim. And I believe there is a whole new department whose job seems to be to go up and down the corridors to slam each door one after the other just to check that they make enough noise. And a supervisor likes to pop in to ensure that all the other people have done their jobs properly.

 

 

However our habits are simple ones and all we want to do is to go out for a wander each day and come back after lunch for a doze. You think there might be a column on the TV services menu which says “please do not come here between 2pm or 4pm but do what you need to do at other times or you will make me grumpy”. No. You put the do not disturb sign on the door and each of them leaves a calling card asking you to call them. Which means that they all must be manually scheduled.

 

 

Today we won a small bit of progress. Our housekeeping lad is extremely bright and bushy tailed and is always extremely pleasant. I had presumed that because when I said “hello” and he said “hello” that meant he speaks fluent English as many or most people here do. It transpires that this is about it.

 

 

A few days ago he decided he wanted to up his game and started to make small ducks out of the face flannels which was extremely kind of him and considering there were no feathers were extremely realistic. However the time devoted to the duck flannels seemed to be at the cost of replacing the laundry bags and forms, a swap we would have not preferred as I use at least one bag every day. I have been hiding a buffer stock, but those were now gone. So I broached the subject.

 

 

Me: “Hello”

 

 

He: “Hello”

 

 

Me: “The flannel ducks are very nice, but can we have some laundry bags and forms instead”.

 

 

He: “Hello”

 

 

Me: “yes, Hello again. Laundry bags please”.

 

 

He : Blank expression. “Hello”.

 

 

I said hello again and decided to simply leave a drawing of a laundry bag and a drawing of the order tick sheet on my pillow. Today we have both bags and forms but no flannel ducks. :)

 

 

 

Jeff

Edited January 19, 2017 by UKCruiseJeff

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

We are in another of the thaws here. We had freezing drizzle which turned to rain. Of course this will freeze shortly (it is January) and we will have to deal with the ice rink roads and sidewalks yet again. :(

 

S..best of luck with the medical! Myster and I had our go in October and so far all the parts are still in working order. Some not working as fast as they used to though.

 

J... your meal at Shoppes looks awesome! And the view is wonderful! Your artwork must have been very "true to life" if it got you want you wanted. Good Work! :) Have a safe trip home!

 

Have a great day/evening all!

[jpalbny]

Good morning/afternoon/evening all!

 

Ah, the housekeeping tango. It never ceases to amuse me that they knock on the door to do turn-down service when you're in the room trying to get ready for dinner. Funny enough, this happens even when you have a known dinner reservation in the same hotel!

 

It seemingly would be easy for the restaurants to provide housekeeping with a list of guests with dinner reservations - if we're at the restaurant at 19h30, why not do the turndown service a few minutes later? But I'm sure that there is a reason - maybe it's less efficient somehow. First-world problem.

 

Mysty, good luck putting the ice skates on for later. We too had some freezing rain Tuesday afternoon and overnight, but luckily the air temperature stayed just above 0C/32F overnight. So it was not too bad for yesterday's commute. More rain yesterday, but now it's well above freezing, so no issues today. Such goofy weather!

 

Sophia, hope all went well. Chris and I don't much believe in doctors... :rolleyes: I suppose some day we'll have to break down and see one (well, one that we're not married to :D)

 

My TA says that our India documents will arrive today. A little more than two weeks to go. Time to start looking at weather reports, and thinking about packing. We're home the next two weekends; Chris is working this weekend and I'm working next weekend. So plenty of time to prepare.

 

I might want to grab a guidebook to read a little more about what we're going to see. I tried to read a general guidebook about India several months ago, and I got hopelessly lost trying to get a grasp on the history. Fascinating, but I know nothing about it, so I got overwhelmed...it was like trying to drink out of a firehose.

[Tothesunset]

 

TTS...how's furry baby doing?

He's great. 11 months old now and definitely a daddy's boy. We had a hard time with him for the first few months as he is very headstrong. Suddenly, though, he seemed to give in and has become very obedient and contented. He also likes the kennels nearby which is, as you might imagine, quite a relief.

 

...my annual health review beckons in the morning...

And be honest with those lifestyle questions, won't you? Good luck.

[ShotsnCruises]

Good afternoon cruisers! I swear, the closer I get to cruise time the slower time seems to be moving. Can it just be February already? :D:D

Work has been slow this week, which makes things seem to move even more slow. I would much rather be super busy than BORED! I guess I shouldn't complain too much, I have time to search these boards at work, and get paid for it! Who can say that? :p ;)

 

Jeff: Your pictures are beautiful. Enjoy every moment.

 

Special: I hate the annual as well.... Last year I found out I had cancer, and one quick surgery later, it seems all is cured, but prompted a change of doctor (bedside manner in revealing the diagnosis was less than supportive), and complete fear of ever going again... Of course now I have to go 3 times as often. :mad:

This has also prompted a "enjoy life now" motto and one I am trying to get the hubby to adopt "Cruise more, worry less!"

[specialcruisegirl]

Hi All [emoji5]

 

Pleased to say the annual MOT went very well particularly as l didn't get the Sgt Major this time but a lovely young nurse instead who happens to know my daughter....so much for me wishing to bend the lifestyle truth on that one....[emoji6]

 

JP....l hate going to the Dr for anything...this visit was however essential due to the meds l have to take....I'll have to go again at some point to discuss India requirements.....I'm told one has to have yellow fever shots....perhaps you could let us know what you've had to have for your forthcoming trip.

 

Sorry you're freezing Mysty.....it's been quite mild here this week.

 

TTS.....crikey 11 months already.....glad he's coming on well for you and you've got good lodging...I've just found a Pooch Nanny for my little fella who's just brilliant....no kennelling, she only takes two dogs at a time and they live in the house with her.

 

Shots.....so sorry to hear of your health troubles....hope you continue to be well....more cruising is indeed the best medicine!

 

Great pics again Jeffers.....and the fun housekeeping tale.......on SS l normally have an afternoon nap and place the Privacy card on the door...on the last voyage however my suite attendant decided to ring me to ask if he could enter.....waking me up in the process....grrrr....a quick word of course and all was well in the end.....[emoji16]

 

S [emoji4]

 

 

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[ShotsnCruises]

Hi All [emoji5]

 

 

Shots.....so sorry to hear of your health troubles....hope you continue to be well....more cruising is indeed the best medicine!

 

 

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Glad to hear everything is well. Not to worry about my health troubles... Cancer is gone and I will be cancer free 1 year as of April 1st!!!

[jpalbny]

Sophia, YF vaccine for India is not required unless you're coming from a country at risk, as best I can tell.

 

From the US CDC website:

 

India

 

Requirements: Any traveler (except infants <6 months old) arriving by air or sea without a yellow fever vaccination certificate is detained in isolation for up to 6 days if that person—

 

1) arrives within 6 days of departure from an area with risk of YFV transmission,

2) has been in such an area in transit (except those passengers and members of flight crews who, while in transit through an airport in an area with risk of YFV transmission, remained in the airport during their entire stay and the health officer agrees to such an exemption),

3) arrives on a ship that started from or touched at any port in an area with risk of YFV transmission up to 30 days before its arrival in India, unless such a ship has been disinsected in accordance with the procedure recommended by WHO, or

4) arrives on an aircraft that has been in an area with risk of YFV transmission and has not been disinsected in accordance with the Indian Aircraft Public Health Rules, 1954, or as recommended by WHO.

 

The following are regarded as countries and areas with risk of YFV transmission:

Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, and Uganda.

Americas: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad (Trinidad only), and Venezuela.

Note: When a case of yellow fever is reported from any country, that country is regarded by the government of India as a country with risk of YFV transmission and is added to the above list.

Recommendations: None

 

How are you getting to India? Maybe if you're coming by cruise ship, and there were stops in at-risk countries prior, you would need YF vaccine. But India itself is not at risk for YF, which is limited to parts of Africa and SA.

 

I would interpret that the "30 day rule" applies to the SHIP, not the person. So if you're going to India by ship, and the SHIP visited an at-risk country 25d prior to India, you'd need a YF shot even if you weren't on board at that time - unless the ship was disinfected after leaving the at-risk country. I may be wrong as I don't yet have personal experience with this.

 

For our India visit, we will take malaria prophylaxis. Last year I bought a huge stock bottle of 100 Malarone pills. Got a nice volume discount, as they retail for >$10 per pill. They came with us to Madagascar. We still have more than enough to cover India this visit, with leftovers for our next foray into malaria country...wherever that may be!

 

Otherwise I bring a few antibiotics for foodborne illness when visiting questionable locations. They will certainly come along here too.

 

We had to get Yellow Fever vaccines in 2013 for our Panama cruise, because it included a visit to the Darien Jungle. I bring my YF certificates when traveling, but was not expecting to need them for India. I can let you know if they bother asking for them.

 

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Edited January 19, 2017 by jpalbny

[specialcruisegirl]

That's great news Shots.....[emoji4]

 

Thanks so much JP for all that information......I'm on the Spirit voyage from Dubai in December so no at risk countries...thankfully! I shall look forward to reading about your travels to the country....I'm sure you and Chris are going to be far more adventurous than I....!

 

Sophia [emoji4]

 

 

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[Tothesunset]

We will take malaria prophylaxis. Last year I bought a huge stock bottle of 100 Malarone pills.

Unfortunately I'm one of the 1-10% of people who get very disturbed sleep (insomnia and vivid nightmares) with malarone - Mrs TTS is, thankfully, unaffected by malarone.

 

As it's 40 years since I qualified in medicine and over 10 since I laid aside my surgical tools I fully admit to being totally out of touch with current malaria prophylaxis. What might you recommend as an alternative to malarone for malaria prophylaxis?

[jpalbny]

Silver Spirit arrives Mumbai 10 Dec 2017. All the ports for the month prior are in the Med or the Middle East. Egypt is the only African port during this time and Egypt is NOT a YF risk.

 

Therefore there is not a reason that I can see for you to require a YF shot...but I'm not a travel doctor, nor am I an Indian immigration officer, so consider the source. ;)

 

I'm curious now. Who's telling you that you need YF for India, and did that source say why?

[jpalbny]

Unfortunately I'm one of the 1-10% of people who get very disturbed sleep (insomnia and vivid nightmares) with malarone - Mrs TTS is, thankfully, unaffected by malarone.

 

As it's 40 years since I qualified in medicine and over 10 since I laid aside my surgical tools I fully admit to being totally out of touch with current malaria prophylaxis. What might you recommend as an alternative to malarone for malaria prophylaxis?

 

TTS - I have not heard of such serious CNS side effects from Malarone (atovaquone/proguanil) but my sources do list them as rare (<1%) side effects. This is a 1% club that I would rather not be in! I sometimes have a few GI side effects. Unfortunately it does not negatively affect my appetite, so I always return with tighter fitting clothing than when I left. Last trip, I found that taking the Malarone with dinner made it significantly better than taking it with breakfast.

 

Intolerance of Malarone makes for some less-appealing choices, IMO. The other two common choices are Lariam (mefloquine), and doxycycline. Both of these have to be taken for a full week prior, and 4 weeks post exposure, as opposed to Malarone which is begun one day prior, and continued only one week post. Mefloquine has the advantage of being taken only weekly, though.

 

Mefloquine is far worse than Malarone in terms of bad dreams, etc. It can cause frank psychosis and suicidal tendencies in some. I have not tried it yet, though I have to admit the weekly dosing is appealing and somewhat makes up for having to take it 1 week pre and 4 weeks post. But the side effects scare me and I'd probably try a few doses pre-travel to give it time to wear off if it makes me crazy. BTW, you will see recommendations to start it 2-3 weeks prior to travel. This is only to see if it makes you crazy. If you've taken it before and are fine with it, you can start a week prior; that is sufficient to kill the parasite.

 

Doxycycline is the worst of both worlds. You have to take it daily, one week prior, 4 weeks post. And it's photosensitizing, so you have to bathe in sunscreen. And of course, malaria is a tropical disease, so while you're taking it, you're exposed to equatorial rays. I have never tried it and doubt that I would unless forced.

 

I was always curious about the different pre/post durations so I read about the reason why. It has to do with the lifecycle of the malaria parasite, and which forms are susceptible to which antibiotics. Not all antimicrobials kill it in all stages.

 

If you are traveling to areas where malaria is still sensitive to chloroquine, that is an option. Primaquine works in certain areas as well. But we've not traveled to anywhere (yet) where that has been an option. So no personal experience with that.

[Tothesunset]

Thanks for that, JP.

 

The effects of the malarone were quite disturbing but NOT psychotic! I've never considered lariam for the reasons you outline.

 

Doxy is no use for the reasons you describe although may have the side effect of reducing my teenage acne.

 

I'd rather lose sleep than get malaria so I think I'll stick with the malarone. I took it at dinner each night so will try in the a.m. in April in Vietnam and Cambodia (low risk areas but low risk isn't no risk).

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good morning Coolers ...

 

M ... not going home just yeat still a few more days ....

 

Soapy good to see the MOT went well. I have avoided mine and I'm now a year overdue. Will let the Singapore min-bar get out of the stream first and will possibly go in a few months.

 

Managed our dissapearing newspaper workaround. Each day they put our paper in a bag and hang it on the outside door handle. I bring it in with the intention of reading it after lunch. It has always been house-keepered away by the time we return! I always thought that they should only throw away stuff that is in the bin but no they decide what stays and what goes. So now we hide it under wifey's knickers.

 

Sad article in Forbes re BA

 

Jeff

 

Did British Airways Make One Cut Too Many?

 

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/douggollan/2017/01/18/did-british-airways-make-one-cut-too-many/#d606558a8bb7

[specialcruisegirl]

Good Day All.....[emoji4]

 

Really interesting chat about Meds, Shots and other health issues for travelling.....

 

JP...my surgery have indicated to me that I'll need the YF shot if I'm travelling to India....this of course is another of their so called "cover my back" issues! Our Govt/Foreign Office guidelines are more or less the same as yours.

I am told that l can ask my Dr for an exemption certificate IF l wish not to have it and he will decide if he can offer this with what medication I'm on...which is basic BP stuff. I will be in Mumbai for just one day and then Cochin for two, neither of which will see me explore any further than a local walkabout.......the mind boggles!

 

Interesting article on BA Jeffers.....reports from friends who use the domestic routes frequently say that the new M&S on board service is dire with very few pax getting served....understandably so.....l have always been impressed with the MAN/LHR shuttle in the past when they've thrown us all a bacon buttie along with a hot beverage in the 40 minute window.....but now one has to pay its of course taking much longer.....will also be interesting to see how Club seats work out on these domestic routes....just doesn't make sense to me at all......next week I am flying EasyJet again and to be honest from previous experience it's been a better product for short haul ....

 

Happy Friday All.....

 

S [emoji4]

 

 

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[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

S....when we checked in at embarkation on the cruise last year, all the passengers who were doing the full voyage were asked in they had received the YF shot. We had not and neither had a number of other passengers. It turned out that there had been some confusion interpreting the "rules" and "conditions" for visiting some of the ports on the itinerary. We did not need the YF shot. Both Cochin and Mumbai were on the itinerary as well as a visit to Agra. Not sure if this might also be an issue with your surgery.

 

Have a great day/evening all!

[Tothesunset]

Just get the YF and forget about it. Costs about £70, lasts 10 years (although it actually probably covers you for life against contracting the disease) and then you have no future concerns.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Just watching CNN Fellow Americans ..... is it my imagination or are they using circus music?

 

Brit Coolers will understand when I say that for some reason Trumpton came to mind. "Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble, Grub ......"

 

 

For non-Brit Coolers ....

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trumpton

 

Jeff

 

.

Edited January 20, 2017 by UKCruiseJeff

[UKCruiseJeff]

Jeff, great photos and description of this food stall. Do you have any idea what items (besides noodles) are in Fried Kway Teow . Very curious!

 

Thanks!

 

 

Had another taste.

 

As close as I can get is flat white noodle, medium Chinese egg noodle, beansprout, Chinese sausage in very small cubes - a bit like chorizo I think, anchovy, prawns, squid, cockles and onion. I think there is also some penuts finely chopped to give a bit of crunch a bit like pad thai. All stir fried over high heat. Some liquid is added - I think some soy and some sesame oil. I think they may use pork lard but oil would be fine.

 

Jeff

[specialcruisegirl]

Just get the YF and forget about it. Costs about £70, lasts 10 years (although it actually probably covers you for life against contracting the disease) and then you have no future concerns.

 

 

 

 

I have no concerns about the disease ...it's the side affects of the shot that has me concerned.....maybe l should have been clearer on that....call it senior moments...[emoji5]

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good Afternoon Coolers,

 

Lunch today was Carlsberg (several) hokkein mee and charsiu and crispy pork with noodle and duck and noodle.

 

Have a great day all,

 

Jeff