"LIVE" - Ovation of the Seas (April 9-26, 2018), Bill & Marie's slow boat to China

[PCWalton1]

We came back to the room after a visit to the casino and found a new friend

 

 

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[Crawford095]

So did we! Are you on the 11 night?

 

 

 

Following great report with high interest...

 

 

 

No, we booked the 7 night leaving May 31, 2019.

 

 

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[bluetiger59]

Bill

 

Another great review you are doing. I haven't been to that part of the world since the 60's (the Military years) and haven't had a serious thought about going back to that part of the world since but you are causing me to think about it.

 

Hope you and Marie are having a wonderful time.

 

Paul

[JaniceB]

Your cabin looks very nice and I am enjoying the food pictures.

[PCWalton1]

Bill

 

Another great review you are doing. I haven't been to that part of the world since the 60's (the Military years) and haven't had a serious thought about going back to that part of the world since but you are causing me to think about it.

 

Hope you and Marie are having a wonderful time.

 

Paul

Your cabin looks very nice and I am enjoying the food pictures.

Thank you, glad to have you along.

 

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[PCWalton1]

Hello everyone, today April 16th we were in our replacement port Nah Trang. Add you know they reported at the start of the cruise we were no longer going to Ho Chi Minh and we were switched.

 

So I spent Saturday scrambling to find a tour. I found something with Pham Tours but they asked for more than 4 people. So I did a little advertising on CC and FB where we found 6 wonderful people from Australia.

 

Our big concern this morning we the ship would most likely give tender boat priority to their 2000 excursion passengers. But shortly after we anchored the cruise director announced there was a 15 minute window for people to get off the ship before they started sending the excursion groups down. We had just met up in Schooner Bar so we flew down the and got off on the first boat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[PCWalton1]

Once ashore we headed out the gate to meet our guide Dang and van. Dang let us know among our stops would be away cottage industries, very small business.

 

First stop was an embroidery factory where they made embroidery pictures. They start with a drawing then they make a tracing out it. They then poke small holes along all the lines, lay the tracing on the material and rub a powder over the lines which creates an outline on the fabric.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[PCWalton1]

After a drive through town with went to the Pagoda Orphanage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[PCWalton1]

The Pagoda orphanage primarily take care of children who were abandoned. Currently about 26 but during the day they also teach and feed many of the children in the neighborhood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[PCWalton1]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[BecciBoo]

Loving the review Bill.

 

It always amazes, the patience and meticulousness of orientals. Fabulous artwork! I wish my quilting was as perfect...

[PCWalton1]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[PCWalton1]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[PCWalton1]

Next stop was a mat weaving shop. The mats are made from rushes that grow in abundance in the local area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[PCWalton1]

We then took a drive through rice fields on our way to a buddha statue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[PCWalton1]

We then made a stop at a 484 meter tall Amitaba Buddha statue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[PCWalton1]

Next stop a conical hat making business. Mother and daughter age 89 and 50 respectively are still in the business of making these hats though fewer and fewer people are buying them, most opting for cloth hats now. They can make about 4 a day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of us bought a few

 

 

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[PCWalton1]

We then went to a neighborhood where the make rice noodles and the small round rice paper for spring rolls. These are laid out in sheets. When they are mostly dry the machine cut them into noodles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part of a local market

 

 

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[PCWalton1]

Here they are making the spring roll rice paper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[PCWalton1]

We stopped at what they called an ancient house over 200 years old. We enjoyed a cup of tea before heading to lunch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[PCWalton1]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited April 16, 2018 by PCWalton1

[PCWalton1]

We had lunch alongside the Cai River. Terrific food from spring rolls, chicken in a clay pot, steamed rice, vegetables, fish and shrimp. The beer was good too.

 

 

Sorry it's picked over already, they were so good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited April 16, 2018 by PCWalton1

[PCWalton1]

We finished the trip of with a river boat ride back into the city.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[PCWalton1]

 

 

 

 

All in all a really great day in Nha Trang, Vietnam. Great group of people and a guide who really knew his stuff

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[PCWalton1]

Loving the review Bill.

 

It always amazes, the patience and meticulousness of orientals. Fabulous artwork! I wish my quilting was as perfect...

We bought a picture for $25 and I know just the frame would have cost more in the states.

 

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