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Almost Live from the Shadow: 22 Feb - 8 Mar, Singapore to Hong Kong


Unibok
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About 10 years ago, after three lovely, spiritual days in Siem Reap, we traveled to Phnom Phen. We declined to take the excursion  to visit the Killing fields..it was just too much for us, as tourists, to tour. For us, not going on this excursion was the right decision. I don’t know how you could be solo traveler and experience this horror by yourself. I want so much to meet you, as you are obviously very courageous.

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20 hours ago, CruisinPashmina said:

About 10 years ago, after three lovely, spiritual days in Siem Reap, we traveled to Phnom Phen. We declined to take the excursion  to visit the Killing fields..it was just too much for us, as tourists, to tour. For us, not going on this excursion was the right decision. I don’t know how you could be solo traveler and experience this horror by yourself. I want so much to meet you, as you are obviously very courageous.

 

That is so kind of you to say, Pashmina. Thank you, and I hope to travel with you some day! I chose that overland excursion so that I would not be alone, as I am for so many of my travels. Going with a small group of 10 made it more bearable.

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After Cambodia, I needed a very quiet sea day on my own. It was exactly as restful and restorative as I needed it to be to get ready for 2 days in Ho Chi Minh City / Saigon. What a sensory overload of energy and color! The motorbikes (so many motorbikes!) whiz by in their own patterns and rhythms, the markets expand and contract with vendors of nearly anything imaginable (some of which are pictured below). French colonialism left its mark on the architecture, while American intervention seemed to have deposited war machinery to punctuate the city.

 

As promised, the Shadow docks right in town. According to Captain Palmieri, the Shadow is the largest size a vessel can be in order to dock in town rather than farther down the river. He indicated that we are the largest vessel allowed. As we pulled in, the Nautica was docked just ahead of us, and she looked a bit smaller. Nautica left mid-day, leaving us the only cruise ship in town. The Silversea shuttle runs at regular intervals to a key location downtown, making it easy for anyone to explore on their own.

 

At night, lights illuminate the streets and the skyline with even more brilliant color. I joined the "Good Evening, Saigon" excursion to the grand and glittering Majestic Hotel, where we were treated to cocktails (underwhelming) on the rooftop bar (lovely) and a performance of traditional and updated dance and music (delightful). Following the performance, we headed to the Mandarine restaurant which was tucked down an alleyway, for an excellent Vietnamese meal. Unfortunately, the pictures from that evening are on my phone, which I have not been able to connect to the Wifi. Perhaps I'll post some of those pics when we return to land. 

 

And with that, we bid Saigon a good evening until morning.

 

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With grateful thanks to those of you who had in the past complained about the HCMC Street Food Experience excursion, I am happy to say that Silversea improved it in a number of important ways. The primary criticism remains: you don't actually sample the street food unless you take the initiative to do that on your own, but it was such a good tour that I didn't mind.


Three busloads of pax had signed on for this tour, yet somehow the guides managed to give us comparable experiences without taking us all to the exact same spots, thus overwhelming any one site with hundreds of tourists all at once.

 

We began with a block of what I would call food trucks, except they were motor bike- or foot-powered rather than  our large food trucks back home. Each was different, with their own variations on soups. Customers sat at makeshift tables with plastic chairs to "dine in." He explained every truck to us, with plenty of time for questions and pictures. Seeing them all together helped us get a sense of the commonalities and the variations. The dumplings pictured below were especially whimsical and colorful.

 

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We then headed to a wet market, complete with food items of every sort: fish, meats, veggies, pulses, tofu variations, fruits, and on and on and on. Prepared foods were also available. Pictures below include the noodle soup stall (my new obsession), chilis, and a pineapple vendor carving her beautiful creations.

 

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They next took us for free time to a market that was billed as a "better" one than in previous iterations of this trip. We had ample time to wander as much as we liked, and there was an ATM at the entrance to facilitate any shopping we might want to do. For my part, I learned that it is very easy to blow through 1 million dong very quickly (about $42 USD). 

 

And then on to the restaurant. All 3 busses ended up at the same one, and it was clearly an upgraded choice from the pictures posted by some of you from previous experiences. We tasted about 9 different dishes, with beer/soda included (generally speaking, that has been true on every excursion this trip). I thought it was all delicious, although the rice paper for the fresh spring rolls was a bit tough, or not moistened enough. Most others seemed to enjoy it, unless they just didn't like Vietnamese food ... in which case, this excursion was probably not the best choice for them. 

 

All in all, it was a thoroughly enjoyable excursion, even if it was more a "tour" of HCMC street food rather than a "culinary sampling" of HCMC street food. Would I do it again, and recommend it to others? Yes, as long as they know it is a tour followed by an excellent sit-down meal.

 

Next up: another sea day, another formal night.

 

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2 hours ago, Unibok said:

Pictures below include the noodle soup stall (my new obsession)...

OMG... we totally agree!  The depth of flavor that can be found in some of the various stocks used to serve the noodles in were such a delight.

Glad you had an enjoyable tour!

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54 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

OMG... we totally agree!  The depth of flavor that can be found in some of the various stocks used to serve the noodles in were such a delight.
 

 

 Yes! Our tour guide today, in Da Nang / Hoi An, told us about his grandmother's Pho, for which she would wake at 3 am to gather the ingredients and start the broth simmering. By 6 am she was ready for market, and within an hour or two she was completely sold out. EVERY DAY. By way of contrast, he told us about what they call the "5-minute Pho" which now pervade the touristy areas -- a broth hastily made and pawned off on the unsuspecting  for far too much money. 

 

Give me a street vendor who was up at 3 am to break down the bones for broth any day 🙂

 

 

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On 2/21/2019 at 7:17 PM, Elginjock said:

Will have the time to get a silk jacket made!! any recommendations please . Made a note of Uniboks tailor. 

 

Circling back to this comment to say that in the sober light of day, I am less enthusiastic about the tailoring. There is some sloppy stitching, the buttons are disappointingly cheap quality, and there is a substantial error on the slacks that I didn't catch until I got onboard. Overall, I still made out well, but I can't say that it is superb quality all the way around.

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20 minutes ago, Unibok said:

 

Circling back to this comment to say that in the sober light of day, I am less enthusiastic about the tailoring. There is some sloppy stitching, the buttons are disappointingly cheap quality, and there is a substantial error on the slacks that I didn't catch until I got onboard. Overall, I still made out well, but I can't say that it is superb quality all the way around.

Thank you Unibok duly noted.Will research and find a good Tailor.

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On 3/1/2019 at 11:15 AM, Unibok said:

Running a few days behind with my commentary, so for story-telling purposes, we are still in Cambodia on Day 2 of the Phnom Penh overland excursion. Given that much of yesterday was spent in traffic, we had very modest goals for the day: visit the Royal Palace, S-21 (the Genocide Museum), Choeung Ek (the Killing Fields), and return to the ship on time ... perhaps in that order. 

 

But first, a note about the breakfast at the Sokha Hotel. They had many stations, including a miso soup station, a fried noodle station, and a noodle soup station (picture is on my phone, which I can't seem to connect to the ship's Wifi). I now believe that every breakfast buffet should have a noodle soup station. Nourishing, warm, fresh, easy, delicious -- just what I want in a bowl every morning. 

 

We started at the Genocide Museum, which had been a primary and high school before it was converted into an interrogation and torture station for the Khmer Rouge. Our guide had his own family's stories to share with us, and it was impossible not to leave quite moved by the experience. I won't be posting pictures of what we saw, with the exception of these two: one is our wonderful guide (Reth), talking to us in front of one of the many rows of victim's pictures; the other is a classroom that had been converted into single cells for prisoners, and we all were taken by the incongruity of the decorative floor tile with the roughshod prison construction. It seemed to remind us that the progression from school to prison could happen anywhere.

 

 

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Thanks for your stories and photos. Did you get to meet either of the two survivors of S21 who are there selling their books?

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3 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

Thanks for your stories and photos. Did you get to meet either of the two survivors of S21 who are there selling their books?

 

Yes, we did. Both of them were there, and we had ample time to talk with them, to take pictures, and to purchase their books. The man who painted the illustrations displayed around both S-21 and Cheoung Ek was there, and it was fascinating to talk with him. As you know, meeting those two survivors -- looking in their eyes, hearing their voices, feeling their presence -- made the whole experience so much more real. We aren't talking long past history; rather, it was just a few decades ago, with flesh and blood humans who remember and recount the history for us. So powerful.

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Wow, powerful stuff indeed!

 

Reminds me of the tour of Robben Island (the prison off Cape Town, where Mandela et al were held). Former prisoners guide you around the place and share what it was like from their perspective. Their strength is amazing.

Edited by jpalbny
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One of the reasons I chose this sailing was the balance of port days, overnights, and sea days in a part of the world I had longed to explore. Following the manic energy of Ho Chi Minh City, we enjoyed our 3rd sea day and 2nd formal night (Venetian). Pictures are on my phone, so they will have to wait for land, but I did learn a few things.

 

If you want a bridge tour or a galley tour, rsvp immediately rather than waiting for the first thing in the morning. Those pleasures will have to wait for my next voyage.

 

The breakfast menu in the Restaurant is identical to the room service menu, which I found disappointing. I had asked for a single buckwheat pancake, topped with the grilled peaches and honey, with the spinach souffle on the side. Instead, they plated the peaches and honey with the souffle, in a rather sickening combination of texture and flavors. The soufflé isn't a soufflé, either. More like a crustless tartlet or quiche. Anyway, there is really no benefit to having a leisurely breakfast in the Restaurant when there are so many better choices (and better service) upstairs at La Terrazza. Lesson learned.

 

Passengers had mentioned how impressed they were with the lecturer, and so I made it a point to attend at one. As I've looked at the titles of his offerings, it has struck me that he has deep expertise in one area (social/political science and organizational policy), which would be interesting (to me) for one lecture, but not 7. I chose the one that sounded most compelling to me, one which might also offer some insight into the people, not just the politics. Boy was I wrong; his policy expertise and experience may be deep, but his approach lacks anything resembling the humanities or arts or even cultural anthropology. Those simply aren't his area of expertise, and I get that, BUT some variation over the 2-week stretch would have been nice. What I cannot forget (or forgive) is his assertion that ethnic cleansing is an inevitable reality, so we just need to work with it. No. Just no. Some perspective from the humanities might have softened that a bit.

 

In contrast to Sea Day #2, this one was quite smooth, and the pool area was filled nearly to capacity all day. We took on more pax in HCMC (losing about a dozen, gaining 3 times as many), so the ship is now completely full. There was a bit of a dynamic change with the new passengers, but nothing out of sorts. We also lost our magician, while gaining the two cellists from the Whisper. 

 

Venetian night was as lovely as always, with zqtchas making the top 5. Two couples reached 100 days and were feted accordingly. About 40% of the ship was Venetian. Richard, a lovely tenor and also a lovely human being, sang for us. The caviar offerings were a bit more stingy than I've experienced in the past: it seemed to be delivered once and only once. On other voyages, the trays kept coming by in equal measure with the champagne.

 

For dinner, I had the great pleasure of dining with the Captain. He is a marvelous story-teller, and our little table of 5 (one couple, and two solo women flanking the captain) laughed our way through the meal. It was both an honor to be at the table and a highlight of the journey.

 

And so we journeyed through the night, reaching DaNang by early morning.

 

 

Edited by Unibok
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Early the following morning, we docked in DaNang for a full day of exploration. At this point, I want to commend the excellent care and planning on the part of Silversea's various departments. Most excursions would be leaving early in the morning, both today and the following day in Chan May. Anticipating this, they opened La Terrazza earlier, rather than having us all bombard the butlers with breakfast requests. On days like this, they also have opened La Dame for additional seating to handle the volume. I realize that may not sound like a big deal, but I've had plenty of experiences where one office doesn't talk to (or coordinate with) another. Silversea does. It's shows a small bit of thoughtfulness that has big impact on the crew and passengers. 

 

DaNang is in itself a growing city, but its real attraction for me (and for many aboard the Shadow) is its proximity to Hoi An, a postcard perfect enclave a short drive away. There are two iconic images of Hoi An: the Japanese Bridge in the center of town (not pictured), and the silk lanterns that decorate pretty much everything (pictured). I had thought of procuring a few lanterns for a big pop of color in my newly renovated kitchen back home, and I am happy with my purchases. However, I had not thought of how to fit those rather large items in my already overflowing luggage ... but that is a puzzle to be solved another day. (Two more days, to be exact.)

 

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A small group of us (about 12) had opted for a hands-on Hoi An cooking class. It wasn't one of the included excursions, but it was well worth the additional cost. We started at the market, which bore many similarities to the HCMC wet markets. After some good exploratory time there, we made our way to the restaurant for our cooking class. Rather than watching somebody else cook for a demonstration, we each had our own cooking stations and practiced making 4 delicious dishes. But first, they served us a noodle snack (pictured, delicious). 

 

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Once the cooking class started, my hands were too busy to take additional pictures, but I did grab a shot of this spice tray (below). Every one of these oils, herbs, and spices was used in our first dish: the marinade for skewers of barbecued chicken. Small amounts of each, to be sure, but they added up to a depth of flavor that was so refreshing and deeply satisfying. Also on the menu were fresh spring rolls, egg pancakes with pork and prawn, the marinated barbecued chicken, and a fresh green mango salad. To end the meal, they served us lemongrass ice cream. 

 

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After that, we had plenty of time to explore Hoi An on our own, and were treated to a quick tour of Marble Mountain and the local beaches on our way back to the Silver Shadow. I've always been intrigued by different kinds of sailing vessels throughout Asia, and I especially enjoyed the stylized eyes on these (pictured).

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The following day we would only be sailing a short way to the nearby industrial port of Chan May, so back-on-board time was set for midnight. From the ship, it felt like we were part of the glittering growth of the developing beachfront community of DaNang.

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8 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

Your experience looks like a treat for all of the senses! So much color, and flavor. Will be sorry to see the trip end.

 

JP, it has been! And I, too, will be sorry to see it end in about 36 hours. Sigh.

 

Until then, I'll do my best to savor the Shadow and Hong Kong.

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Near the half-way point of our voyage, Clive (our director of shore excursions) offered a presentation on the ports yet to come. In it, he was very clear: Chan May is an industrial port with very little to recommend it. Silversea would provide free shuttles to a nearby beach, but the appeal of Chan May was that it would significantly cut the driving time to Hue -- the real attraction. My sense is that 2/3rds of the passengers took advantage of the all-day (included) journey to the Ancient Imperial City of Hue. It was just over an hour by bus (make that many busses, in a loose caravan of sorts!), followed by ample time in the royal enclosure, followed by a dragon boat cruise down the Perfume River, lunch, and a visit to the Minh Mang tombs. All told, it was an excellent 8-hour excursion into the hinterlands of Vietnam to a site rich with ancient and contemporary history.

 

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Hue looms large in the American consciousness as a particularly devastating attack on a significant historical and cultural site brilliantly (some might say fiendishly?) orchestrated during the 3-day Tet (New Year) celebrations -- a time generally accepted as a temporary ceasefire. I grew up hearing about the Tet offensive in Hue, and felt honor-bound in some ways to visit the site on Vietnamese terms, to learn about its cultural heritage prior to the American-Vietnamese war. As an American traveling in Vietnam, I have struggled daily with my own conflicting identities and memories, and have born witness to others on this voyage doing the same. For some, it marks a return to a place of fear, sadness, and pain. For others, it represents an opportunity for healing. Still others may not know why they opted to return, simply sensing that the time was right and then wondering what on earth they were thinking. Truly, I have been moved and honored to hear their stories and to appreciate their bravery in returning to such a contentious place with such complex memories and emotions.

 

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At the same time, I have also been moved by every one of our Vietnamese guides, who without exception talk about the war quite frankly and generally without emotion, but also make it clear that Vietnam now loves Americans (this is often said in contrast to their feelings about the Chinese, but that is the subject for another day). They talk about how there is only one political party (Communist), but that their growth and prosperity is due to their cautious adoption of capitalism. They are aware they doing better than Cambodia for precisely this reason. Anyone seeking easy answers here will be stymied and frustrated; it is a very complex and complicated place. And it likely will be for a long time to come.

 

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During the Tet offensive, some structures in the Imperial Enclosure were miraculously spared, while some of those destroyed have been restored. Gaping holes in the ground still remain, albeit covered with grass and softened a bit through the inexorable passage of time.

 

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Following our leisurely exploration of the ancient city, we boarded a series of Dragon Boats for an hour-long float down the perfume river to our lunch destination. Half of the group went to one restaurant; the other half went to a different one. 

 

With all of this heavy history, I don't mean to sound cavalier or insensitive, but it was at this lunch where I received the greatest revelation of the entire cruise: it is possible to have bad Vietnamese food. Now, I have been eating Vietnamese food for decades, and I currently live in an town that once served as a Vietnamese refugee resettlement community. Indeed, it is one of my absolute favorite cuisines (although to be fair, I have many favorites). I eat Vietnamese food frequently -- weekly, even -- and I have never had a bad meal. Never, that is, until 2 days ago in Vietnam. Perhaps it was because we were the last bus to arrive and all of the fresh and tasty things were gone from the buffet by the time we got there, but the only edible food I could find was the fresh fruit. The fried foods were cold, greasy, and rubbery; the "warm" dishes were tepid at best; the "fresh" salads were wilted; and everything lacked flavor and spice, perhaps because they were trying too hard to cater to a western audience. 

 

As luck would have it, I had reservations for La Dame that evening. The La Dame experience more than made up for a truly mediocre buffet lunch. Special note to Stumblefoot: Abhey and his team were incredible, and my meal was divine from start to finish (fois gras Williams, porcini soup, rack of lamb, and souffle for dessert). I gave them your regards, which were of course returned. Sometimes La Dame can be an awkward place to dine alone, but my experience on the Shadow was beautiful. It was a lovely meal and evening, and a perfect counterbalance to the bland and disappointing fare from our Hue excursion. (Random note about La Dame on the Wind: the Shadow floor plan makes for a better solo dining experience; something to keep in mind the next time I am on the Wind.)

 

From Chan May, we set sail for Halong Bay, perhaps the single place I was most excited to visit. We would arrive around noon, giving us all a chance to sleep in after two days in a row of early and long excursions. Stay tuned for Halong Bay -- place of descending dragons.

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Unibok,

 

I just wanted you to know how much I have enjoyed your ongoing "live" trip report.  While our itinerary was basically the same itinerary as yours, just in reverse, your writing provides so much more thoughtful context than I could ever offer.  I'm sincerely grateful to you for sharing your point-of-view on this wonderful part of the world.

 

In regards to the lecturer, it is such a shame to read what you have experienced.  We were fortunate to have two lecturers during our voyage; (1) Dr. Michael Lee, a diversity expert; and (2) Steve Vickers. a business risk mitigation expert.  I will say, the magician sounds very exciting, as well as the cellists.  We were entertained by a pianist and an Argentinian tango couple (who we had seen perform on SS before during our South American voyage).

 

It is fantastic to read that zqtchas and his lovely wife made the top 5 Venetians on board.  They are well on their way to 400-days.  For ourselves, after attending so many Venetian nights over the years, we were so disappointed to learn that on our big milestone voyage (100-days) SS had scheduled Venetian night when we were to be off the ship attending a mid-voyage overnight land tour.  In over a decade of sailing, we have looked forward to the excitement of this special night and considering we've never met a captain either, it would have been nice to do so during our special voyage.  Oh well, C'est la vie.
 

Finally, thank you so much for sharing your special evening in La Dame with us.  We absolutely adore Abhay!  I do hope once the Shadow is transformed that La Dame will retain its charm as delivered by the intimacy of space, excellent menu, and exceptional service.

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Unibok

We have truly enjoyed your commentary about your trip.  In fact, I have saved many of your comments for reference when we are in Singapore next week.  

 

You expressed my feeling about visiting Vietnam better than I ever could, and I thank you for putting in words my very complicated emotions.

 

Safe travels home.

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On 3/6/2019 at 10:25 PM, Stumblefoot said:

 

In regards to the lecturer, it is such a shame to read what you have experienced.  We were fortunate to have two lecturers during our voyage; (1) Dr. Michael Lee, a diversity expert; and (2) Steve Vickers. a business risk mitigation expert.  

 

 

 

Thank you for your kind words, Stumblefoot. I loved reading your trip report as well, as it set the stage for my own journey and increased my already considerable excitement about this voyage. One thing I enjoy about reading these boards is how we all tell slightly different parts of the story, so together we weave a rich tapestry of experiences and insights.

 

I'm so glad to hear that your enrichment lectures were more varied. I would have been particularly interested in the first, but would have happily dipped into the second. For a 2-week cruise, I think limiting the lectures to one person/one topic is just too narrow for most travelers. Our guy also had a very particular point of view, and was making arguments without being upfront that they were his own arguments, and not necessarily statements of fact. Anyhow ... I guess I don't go on cruises to engage in academic debate, so it was better for me to just stay away from the guy. Gave me more time to read books, play trivia, walk on the jogging track, and sit on the veranda.

 

Speaking of ZQTChas and Elaine, it took us nearly 12 days to connect, but we finally met in person! We shared a delightful lunch in The Restaurant on our final sea day, and I found them as enchanting and gracious as you and Amy did. What a treat. I am especially envious that you so many of you will be traveling together on the Moon, and wish I could join the fun.

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At last, we reached Halong Bay in a drizzly mist, sailing in amongst the "descending dragons" for several hours before docking at noon.

 

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I had been dragging along my tripod for over 2 months in anticipation of this sail-in. The best shots were directly from my veranda, although I did go up on deck for a few more as we approached the town. I'm glad I brought the darned thing along, although I don't know if I would make the same choice again (especially now that I have those Vietnamese silk lanterns to pack -- argh!). 

 

Although we were docked at the pier, we still boarded the junks directly from the Shadow. This sailing included a 4-hour junk boat excursion, and although each junk could hold upwards of 40 passengers, SS loaded fewer than 20 on each rather than scrunching us in. Some stayed below while others went on top, and we all had so much room to roam. One of the highlights of the excursion is the "kissing chickens" formation, which also went by several other names.

 

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Most of my photos do look like the brochure: magical limestone formations shrouded in mist, covered mossy plant life, oddly sprouting here and there and everywhere in a seemingly endless maze of paths.

 

The reality is a bit less romantic, I'm afraid. Perhaps to preserve the bay, all 600 of the licensed junk boats seem to be herded into just one area, which of course meant that we were all over each other. Although I did get pictures that look isolated and serene, the reality was more like this:

 

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And then, when we reached the caves, junks upon junks were squeezed into a docking area to disgorge their passengers and then later meet up with us on the other side of the cave. It was more crowded than Ho Chi Minh City. 

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My advice to Silversea is to continue offering this excursion for those who want it, but also offer a different version for those who are willing to pay a premium for a more peaceful experience. I would have been happy to skip the caves in favor of a slower and more isolated ride around the bay, and I would have been happy to pay more for it. All in all, sailing in on the Shadow was a better experience than the 4-hour junk tour.

 

As for the caves, they were a highlight for many onboard, but I don't recommend them for people who a) have seen massive limestone caves before, and b) are uptight -- as I am -- about preservation and conservation of these fragile ecosystems. What took 13,000 years to develop appear to have been destroyed by human intervention in less than 10. The lights are bright, the stairways wide, people are packed in heel-to-heel, and there doesn't seem to be any indication that touching the stalactites and stalagmites actually kills them (which it does). It was my least favorite element of all the excursions, and I was eager to return to the ship.

 

Once back on board, almost on cue, the mist continued to close in throughout the rest of the afternoon in Halong Bay, looking like this by 4:00. I do love how it is so soft and otherworldly, and I was grateful for this to be the final image left in my sights.

 

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We set sail by 8:00 that night, making our way ever closer to the end point of our voyage. 

 

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