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

[rosepark]

that last photo is wonderful, Unibok, with the one small boat just off centre. Love it

Rp

[les37b]

Glad you had a great cruise Unibok. I knew you would. Thanks for a great live blog.

 

I certainly wouldnt disagree a more leisurely Halong Junk trip would have been good - and whilst I understand your thoughts on the caves, there was a huge wow factor in seeing them.

 

Hope you enjoy your sail in to Hong Kong.

 

 

[Emtbsam]

We took a kayak tour in Halong Bay which was leisurely to say the least.  We went each way by junky junk and then picked up our kayaks in a lovely bay.  I think we kayaked for about an hour or so.  Then by junk to a pearl farm and finally the cave.  It was a wonderful tour.

[Unibok]

Nice video of the sail-in to Hong Kong, Les! Looks like your weather was the same as ours.

 

Before we got to Hong Kong, though, we had a final smooth and leisurely day at sea. The highlight of the day was lunch with ZQTChas and his wife Elaine. It took us 12 days to find each other, but the wait was well worth it. 

 

Although I am generally a very early riser, for some reason I slept in and missed our sail-in (so I am especially grateful to see your footage, Les!). Instead, when I woke, the sun had already risen, and Hong Kong's skyline was just outside my window across the harbor. We were docked at the old Kai Tek airport, which I gather is less convenient (and less desirable) than downtown. It made no difference to me: it was all new and exciting from where I stood.

 

On this itinerary, we had a full day in port, followed by disembarkation the next day. There were so many choices of included excursions, and eventually I chose "Tai Chi, Dim Sum, and Tea" for the daytime, and a harbor cruise on the Aqualuna for the evening. 

 

The morning excursion began on the harbor promenade, where our intrepid group met the powerfully tiny Tai Chi Master who would lead us through our paces. The skies threatened to dump rain on us at any moment, but we were sheltered in a pavilion that overlooked the harbor. As we were out in the public, we gathered a good bit of attention from passersby, so we now appear in strangers' cell phones all over Hong Kong. The master spent a good hour with us, first on breathing and stretching techniques ("you are so smart!!!!!!!" he would exclaim when any of us got it right), followed by a meditation ("you are so relaxed!!!!!!" he would shout, as our thighs burned from the squat position he had us hold for more minutes than anyone could comfortably bear), followed by a flow sequence we completed three times: once slowly and step-by-step, once with music and limited voice commands, and the final time with his mini-boom box music only ("you can do this, you know this, you are all so smart!!!!" he would yell when we faltered).

 

Social host Rebekkah joined us on this excursion, and it was lovely to get to know her a bit better. She was quite good at the Tai Chi!

 

Afterwards, our guide took us on a short walk down streets with food vendors, pharmacists, and incense stores. This fellow was hanging out in one of them.

 

 

By the end, we were hungry and ready for our Dim Sum. Our guide took us to a place that was decidedly local: our group of 10 had the only white faces dining there. She had ordered a wide range of "hot touch" small bites, served on a massive lazy Susan spinner in the middle of our very large table. It was all good fun, and there was more than enough for everybody to try each of the dozen or so dishes. The BBQ pork buns were especially smoky-sweet, with the perfect ratio of filling-to-dough. The scallion pancakes were crisp and flavorful, and the shrimp dumplings just the right balance of savory flavor and crispy-soft texture.

 

From there, we walked a bit again before re-boarding our bus for the tea demonstration and tasting. From the ground, my impression of Hong Kong was one of cement, verticality, and neon -- a lot of people co-existing on a very small land mass.

 

 

Whereas the Tai Chi and Dim Sum were all that we had hoped for, the tea demonstration was not of the quality of the other two -- possibly because I had a different image in my mind based on similar outings I've had at home and in various Chinatowns around North America. The highlight was her demonstration of tea-serving process: if you are thinking you just boil water and dump it on the tea, you would be wrong. It involved running the water over the teapot, steeping some leaves and again pouring it over the teapot, multiple times through multiple infusions. The downside of this approach, unfortunately, is that we only got to taste 2 different kinds of teas, which isn't enough to get a sense of the flavor, scent, and color variations among them. In the end, it seemed like the main goal was to encourage us to buy tea sets and their special teas.

 

Back on board, it was time to start thinking about packing, which I absolutely did not want to do. Often, by the final day of any journey, my mind has already started wandering home and I feel mentally and emotionally ready to go. That was decidedly NOT the case on this voyage; I was nowhere near ready to pack up and leave, and I was starting to wonder if they would need to escort me from the ship, kicking and screaming, the next morning.

 

In the meantime, Hong Kong was wet and cold and grey and rainy, but the ship was still warm and welcoming -- at least for a few more hours.

[Unibok]

As expected, my butler (wonderful Oloto) had cleaned and prepped my suitcases, leaving a note saying he would be happy to pack for me. Normally, I don't take them up on the offer, but the question of how to get home my souvenirs still lingered. I had checked with the reception to see if there might be a way to ship some things home, as I still had a good bit of unspent OBC. The guy looked at me like I was insane, and said no. Others had recommended I ship directly from Hong Kong, but that wouldn't address the matter of getting them off the ship. Hmmm. Why yes, Oloto, I believe I will let you pack for me.

 

After all, I still had a boat excursion that evening. It was cold and windy and drizzly, and I heard others saying they were going to cancel their tickets, but I really wanted to see Hong Kong at night, from the water, with its famous sound and light show. Despite the comforts of the ship, I headed out again into the drizzle.

 

 

Apparently, this excursion was made a little more complicated by our docking location. Rather than meeting the Aqualuna a short distance from the Shadow, we climbed onto 2 busses for the ride across town. We arrived about 50 minutes early for the boat, leaving us more time than we really wanted or needed to explore the harbor front. There was a good bit of grumbling, partly fueled by the weather, but mostly fueled by our collective emotions about the end of a terrific experience.

 

But then the Aqualuna arrived, with warm blankets for our seats and plastic barriers to block the wind while still allowing us to see the harbor show. Drinks and appetizers flowed steadily, with barely a break between servers. The sound was piped into our boat, and the neon/laser light show was good fun. It wasn't the most elaborate I've seen, but there was something pretty special about spending the final night of the cruise this way.

 

Arriving back onboard, we were informed that La Terrazza had stayed open for any of us on the excursion who would like to dine. The catch: we needed to go immediately. Heck yes, I thought, and made my way to the 7th deck. Once again, I was impressed that Silversea's restaurant team was aligned with their excursions team, and that we could enjoy our last dinner in one of my favorite restaurants rather than scrambling for pizza back in our suites. My dining companion made me laugh until my sides hurt, the perfect way to close what had been an extraordinary journey on the Silver Shadow.

 

Meanwhile, Oloto had done two remarkable things back in my suite: he did manage to get everything in my suitcases, and he also anticipated that I might need dinner after returning from the evening excursion. Earlier in the day, he had urged me to put in an order for room service, but I wasn't inspired (or organized) enough to know what I wanted. Not only had he packed my bag, he had also left a small dinner for me, just in case.  Well played, Silversea.

 

Breakfast and embarkation the next morning flowed smoothly, with Kirk interjecting a few jokes into the process just to see if anyone was listening ("please check your safe for any remaining unpopped popcorn"). As I had made flexible independent plans, I was in the last group to be called, and spent the time watching the crowd in the Panorama Lounge thin until there was no one left. 

 

It was time. I had no choice but to surrender my key card, disembark, and find my way through the streets of Hong Kong in search of noodle soup (pictured below). What a fabulous journey. I thank Silversea for making it so special, and I thank you all for reading along and sharing it with me.

 

Edited March 10, 2019 by Unibok
a final pic

[WesW]

Thanks for your delightful thread with gorgeous snaps and wonderful prose Unibok. 

 

Please enjoy continued safe travels en route to home.  Will endeavor to continue posting from the Shadow  in Singapore on the 21st but first will enjoy six days on the Muse beginning Friday.

[Unibok]

8 hours ago, WesW said:

Will endeavor to continue posting from the Shadow  in Singapore on the 21st but first will enjoy six days on the Muse beginning Friday.

 

Manila to Singapore on Muse before embarking on Shadow? Wes, that sounds wonderful! I hope your journey is all that you want and need it to be. I look forward to hearing more. If you see Kirk on the Shadow, please let him know that at least one person appreciated the popcorn joke on disembarkation day.

Edited March 11, 2019 by Unibok

[CruisinPashmina]

Wonderful thread..thank you SO much!

[RachelG]

Awesome ending to a wonderful cruise 

[Unibok]

On 3/2/2019 at 9:35 AM, CruisinPashmina said:

 I want so much to meet you, 

 

It looks like our wishes will come true! I just checked on the roll call for my next voyage, and there you were!

 

So you'll be sailing on the Muse from Tokyo to Vancouver? My DD and I will join you for Seward to Vancouver to celebrate her college graduation. I think you'll like her as well; she has a kind and adventurous spirit. 

 

Looking forward to meeting you in person in just a few months,

 

[Stumblefoot]

On 3/8/2019 at 5:41 AM, Unibok said:

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.

 

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.

 

Once again, I agree completely with your eloquent statement, "...we all tell slightly different parts of the story, so together we weave a rich tapestry of experiences and insights."  Amen sister!  And, I'm thrilled you got to meet up and share a lunch with ZQTChas and Elaine.  Such a lovely couple.  We're excited to be able to sail with them again in just 20 short months. 

 

On 3/8/2019 at 6:13 AM, Unibok said:

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.

 

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.

 

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 must say, one of the things we sincerely appreciate about SS is how they make an effort to deliver a luxury experience when participating in excursions.  They could have easily increased their margins by squeezing more passengers into each junk, but SS made sure to hire more junks so that each passenger had the space to roam or relax however they saw fit.  The same has held true in coaches in the past (20 passengers per bus so that each person has a window seat), but we noticed during our voyage for the first time SS was squeezing 28 passengers onto each coach.  I don't know if that is a new directive by RCCL to squeeze more profit out of each excursion, but I hope SS will return to the more comfortable 20 passenger per coach ratio in the future.

 

Lastly, our junk tour was very different than what you describe.  I don't know if it's because our tour was part of the mid-voyage overnight trip to Hanoi, or due to a late morning departure, boarding from the junk harbor rather than ship, or not sailing to the caves, but we had a virtually private sailing among the descending dragons for a couple of hours.  After your reading your description, it sounds like we were very lucky indeed!  The only time we saw another junk was usually was off in the distance.  So, I think your recommendation is spot on; keep the current cave tour for those that want to go for free, but also offer a more private and peaceful experience for those willing to pay a premium.

 

On 3/9/2019 at 11:15 PM, Unibok said:

Back on board, it was time to start thinking about packing, which I absolutely did not want to do. Often, by the final day of any journey, my mind has already started wandering home and I feel mentally and emotionally ready to go. That was decidedly NOT the case on this voyage; I was nowhere near ready to pack up and leave, and I was starting to wonder if they would need to escort me from the ship, kicking and screaming, the next morning.

 

It's so funny reading this portion of your trip report because we felt the exact same way while sailing towards Singapore during our last day on board.  Maybe it's because we had been in such a go, go, go mode throughout our voyage with many, many excursions and two overnight adventures off the ship.  Whatever the reason, we felt as if we were just starting to settle into the Shadow as the two week mark approached and we were not ready to disembark. 

I think this is a big reason why we decided to book our first transatlantic voyage as I know we'll be super busy during our private gastronomic tour of the areas of Spain we have not visited in the past, as well as during the 9-day Barcelona to Barcelona voyage preceding it.  The TA voyage will be a wonderful chance to truly relax and meet many wonderful friends we have made here through Cruise Critic.

In closing, thanks again Unibok for sharing your voyage with us all.  I could read your prose for days on end.  Best wishes for a safe journey home and quick recovery from any jet lag symptoms.

[zqtchas]

We  & Unobok passed while debarking  after the luggage area.  You should have seen her.

She had a backpack on as big as she was.

[Unibok]

Summary

 

Impressed by boblerm's useful and balanced trip summary from his family's time on the Spirit last month, I will attempt the same here to discuss some overarching themes and observations.

 

Communications and planning with Silversea: I had booked this voyage 11 months prior, while on the Wind. The transition from Onboard Booking to my SS guy was seamless. When the overland/overnight excursions were released, he priced them out for me and even reduced the cost of the one I chose. At 120 days, mysilversea worked exactly as it was supposed to, resulting in precisely the excursions and dining choices I wanted. As this voyage sold out quite some time in advance, and as most of the excursions were included in our fare, I wanted the reassurance of those reservations. Finally, in a happy surprise, a week prior to boarding, I was offered a nice upgraded suite. In talking with others onboard who also were moved up a category or three, it does seem that SS will upgrade suites when they are available, with a preference for repeat SS customers. I know there are those who say that SS needs to work on their communication (especially when there are problems), but in my case, it worked exactly as it should (given that there were no problems).

 

The one glitch was with our Meet & Mingle: although we had 10 registered, some members didn't receive their invitations (like ZQTChas). It was our first night onboard, and when we arrived at the Panorama Lounge, there was no indication where our gathering might be -- no little sign on a table, no indication from the bartenders, no nothing. Eventually, some of us found each other and made a make-shift table marker, but I have to wonder how many others walked into the room and didn't know where to find the M&M. SS clearly has some work to do on this.

 

Silver Shadow: At first, the Shadow seemed so much bigger than the Wind! By Day 2, however, I was enjoying the extra space. I wasn't expecting to like her as much as I did, given some of the negative "she's tired, desperately needs dry dock" reviews I've read. I didn't find that to be the case. Yes, there were a few frays here and there, but otherwise she was meticulously maintained, with an elegant ease. She is slated for a modified Musification process between now and the next time I sail her, and I will be interested in seeing the improvements.

 

There is much invisible labor that keeps her humming, and my early morning wanderings gave me a window into some of that work: swabbing, cleaning, touching up paint, polishing metallic surfaces, wiping down pretty much everything. The mechanics and maintenance guys were out and about, the pool guys carefully lifting each lounger into place rather than scraping them along the deck, witnessed by just a few passengers awake with the dawn. 

 

Embarkation/Debarkation: SS continues to do everything they can to facilitate a smooth process for the duration as soon as we are in their care. In Singapore, pax dropped bags on the lower level of the mall, and from that point on we were in Silversea territory. All hands were on deck for check-in, the butlers lined up to escort us to our rooms promptly at 2:00. Debarkation was similarly smooth, with time for a leisurely breakfast, easy access to Kirk's announcements, a team to bid us farewell on the gangplank, and even the Excursions Director down below on land to make sure passengers were matched with their luggage. The only stress was the reality check of having to leave at all.

 

The Solo Experience: Silversea does well with their solos, from nightly hosted and unhosted pre-dinner gatherings, to invitations to dine with the captain and crew. Finding and making new friends was particularly easy on this voyage; in fact, I became close with a couple I met during the muster! Camaraderie evolves through trivia as well, which I played for the first time on this voyage and enjoyed very much (wow, Kirk is really serious about his trivia, isn't he??). It also felt comfortable to simply join a table when I wanted company, or dine alone when I was in a solitary mood. There was a healthy contingent of solo women, and it seemed we all moved in and out of joining in or opting out. 

 

That said, there were a few hiccups early on, particularly around dining. For one breakfast, I was initially seated at a large table and fully expected others to join me. I did not, however, expect them to take my actual seat, and then make me feel like I had done something wrong. Duly noted: I now leave something behind, like my sunglasses, to show that an actual person is sitting there. Twice during the voyage (again, early on) my request for a table was greeted with "only one??" or something like that, until the staff recognized who was solo and who was part of a team. I would like to think they were incredulous that I would be alone (lol), rather than being insensitive.

 

The staff at La Dame deserves a special call-out for making my solo meal there so lovely. As I've noted before, La Dame can be an awkward place to dine alone. Abhay and his team made me feel comfortable from the moment I arrived, and chatted with me about the pairings and the preparations as much as I wanted. In one case, Abhay brought a second pairing for me to consider with my dessert, and I completely agreed with his initial recommendation. 

 

Butlers are attentive to solos, as well, lining the hall to escort us to the Captain's Welcome on the first formal night. All told, the Shadow is an easy and comfortable place to be alone, and it is an easy and comfortable place to join others. 

 

Meals: At this point, I have my favorites, and they did not disappoint. For breakfast, I avoid both in-suite dining (too busy!) and the Restaurant (too similar to in-suite, but without the benefit of staying in my robe!), which leaves La Terrazza. Most mornings, as an early riser, I was able to get a table outside. Within a few days, they knew my order for poached eggs, grilled tomato, and sautéed mushrooms with a cappuccino. The buffet contains the perfect choices for my other preferences: fresh fruit, smoked fish, oatmeal with berries and cinnamon, etc. I remain intrigued by the shot glasses of single malt whiskey -- one of the waiters told me that some folks use it on their porridge, while others just want a "hair of the dog."

 

Lunches in The Restaurant are generally more relaxed and timely than up in La Terrazza, where sometimes the staff struggle to handle the volume -- especially if pax are anxious about getting out in time for their excursions. I got into the habit of checking to see which pasta they were serving, and if it was also available downstairs, I would go to the MDR. I have never had a lunch I liked at the Grill, so I've stopped trying.

 

For dinner, I thoroughly enjoyed every venue on the ship multiple times (except La Dame, where I ate only once as a special treat). Service in the MDR can be slow, but I've grown to expect that and consider it part of the experience. I adore La Terrazza for dinner, and will continue to go even though one of my dishes (a soup) came out wrong, but I didn't bother to correct it as I was truly exhausted that evening and probably should have skipped dinner entirely. One of my companions at the Grill found her salmon wouldn't cook properly, but both of my meals there were terrific (filet with green peppercorn sauce both times, with veggie skewers on the side).

 

One overall criticism about soups: there is always the Anytime broth/consommé option, but otherwise, the soups are mostly cream-based. Most often, the two soup choices seemed to be 1) a cream soup, and 2) a double-cream soup. I would love to see more variation, with options that aren't cream-based.

 

In all things meal- and wine-related, the ease and familiarity level increased throughout the voyage as the staff get to see you regularly and get to know you and your preferences. Within three days, most of the waitstaff seemed to know that I like still water with no ice, and Moses the bartender always had my sparkling water and lime waiting for trivia. 

 

Suite Life: I've sung the praises of my butler and room attendant throughout this thread, but that is also a relationship that builds up over time as we all get to know each other. The first 24 hours had a few minor bumps (I had requested a bottle of Amaro, not Amaretto), but after that it was seamless. Oloto and Katherine had noticed that I tend to wake early and walk on the upper decks, so the morning that I stayed in he knew something was up. A bowl of consommé and a few ginger ales later, he made sure I was feeling better -- and I appreciated that he noticed and cared. 

 

Upon returning from the overnight in Cambodia, he left a chilled bottle of champagne and rose petals as a special welcome back. These little unexpected and thoughtful touches matter.

 

Enrichment and Entertainment: I've already sounded off on the lecturer, whom I found to be not only tedious (academics don't have to be boring, by the way) but also a bit offensive. I very much enjoyed Carla's "easy Vietnamese" lessons, even though I didn't prove to be a very good student. That's not her fault, haha.

 

We may have been particularly lucky with a critical mass of 3 Silversea ships in Asia (Whisper, Muse, and Shadow), which allowed for sharing some of the entertainment. There was a magician onboard for the first week, and the two high-energy cellists for the second week. Both gave pre-dinner and after-dinner performances. Kirk did a pre-dinner solo show (good fun), and the Voices did a new revue that I missed. None of the Voices did solo shows on this sailing, but I would have enjoyed that. DJ Anthony was literally everywhere, as was the Trio (including backing up the cellists and Kirk). For the lounge acts, my favorite was Vlad and his guitar. 

 

Excursions and support: This was a big part of the voyage for me, as most of the excursions were included in our fare, and I do tend to take ship-sponsored excursions if I am not already familiar with the country or the region. By and large, the selection was excellent, and nearly every one I joined had a staff member along -- either somebody from the excursion staff, or one of the hostesses or entertainers. The only excursion that didn't was the overnight to Phnom Penh; unfortunately, we could have used one on that trip. Given the traffic and the timing, our Cambodian guide was quite fixated on getting us to all of the places specified in the contract. Getting us there physically was not the same as allowing us time to really see and explore them, and at one point we passengers mutinied and told him to please cut one of the sites so that we could spend more time at the places that mattered most to us. This situation clearly would have been better if a staff member had intervened, rather than the passengers needing to rally and organize themselves into a mutinous state. When I mentioned this to Clive, he seemed aware of the issues already, so I didn't belabor the point. It sounds like they will address it in the future by flying, rather than driving.

 

They cannot, however, address the poor choices that passengers make when they sign up for excursions that are inappropriate. Although most passengers do read the notices, and talk with the excursion desk to see if a particular outing will be a good fit, I was shocked by the number of grown adults who signed on for excursions they could not handle. I've kept my mouth shut (mostly) through the thread on whether or not children should be allowed on SS, but after this voyage I would entertain the possibility of a "self-awareness" screening for mature adults. One of our small-group excursions (offered at a premium) included a couple who could barely get in and out of the shuttle bus, much less handle the "moderate" activity of walking around the uneven pedestrian streets of Hoi An for an hour in the heat. The wife (wearing pink sequined flip flops) can barely walk on a good day (looked like hip joint issues to me), and fell to the ground in dizziness and exhaustion early on in the excursion. Her husband helped the best he could, but he had his own mobility (and perhaps disconnected reality) issues. One of the entertainers was with us, thank goodness, as he pretty much became their personal escort for the remainder of the excursion. It affected everything: our timing, our stress level, our concentration, our enjoyment.

 

I realize that we need to trust grown adults to make good decisions on their own behalf, but this experience made me wish there was some safety net in place. Post-script to the story, the following day, the wife stayed on the ship (yay! good choice!), but the husband went on the 8-hour excursion to Hue (lots of walking, stairs, and even more heat). This time he is the one who took a header, bloodying himself quite badly, and then spent the rest of the cruise with a huge shiner on his eye. Hmmm, two bad choices, two falls, two days in a row. Know yourselves and make good choices, people. [End of rant.]

 

****

 

All in all, the energy onboard seemed very positive, and the Future Cruise Consultant (Slavko) seemed to be busy the entire voyage. For my part, I talked my mother into joining me on a 2020 Med sailing back on the Shadow with an overnight in Istanbul. Perhaps we will sail with some of you there!

 

Until the next time, fair winds,

 

 

 

 

Edited March 12, 2019 by Unibok
so many typos

[Unibok]

57 minutes ago, zqtchas said:

We  & Unobok passed while debarking  after the luggage area.  You should have seen her.

She had a backpack on as big as she was.

 

Omigosh, I felt so scruffy and ridiculous compared to your elegance and the rest of the passengers. But my travels aren't over yet, and I still need to live out of that backpack just a few more weeks. 

 

Wishing you safe and easy travels, and I hope to sail with you and Elaine again.

[Elginjock]

Thank you so much Unibok relived our January HongKong to Singapore trip wonderful reporting. We also had people on excursions who were not fit enough to walk around !! 

We too are going on the May 2020 Med cruise which overnights in Istanbul hope to meet you.

Thank you once again for taking us on your travels.

 

 

[les37b]

Just to echo comments above and the many to follow. It’s been a pleasure sailing along with you reading from prior to boarding, the excursions and ship activities to your wonderful review. 

 

Cruise Critic are lucky to have such a great contributor and reviewer.

 

Thank you.

[Tothesunset]

A gold star to unibok for all the contributions to this thread and particularly for the summary above. 

[jpalbny]

Great thread, Unibok! Have enjoyed it immensely and sad to see it end. Enjoy the rest of your trip!

[TLCOhio]

4 hours ago, Tothesunset said:

A gold star to unibok for all the contributions to this thread and particularly for the summary above. 

 

On 3/6/2019 at 3:08 AM, Unibok said:

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).

 

YES!  YES!!!  Agree on a super Gold Star to unibok for these postings, details, pictures, etc.  Great sharing!!  Most all of these stops and reports brought back nice memories from last year when we explored all over Vietnam, etc.  Agree that Hue and Hoi An are so totally wonderful.  Plus, Halong Bay, Saigon, etc., etc.  For those who have not been to Hoi An, below are two visuals of their wonderfully historic Japanese Bridge.  Fun, interesting town, especially those silk lanterns!!  Love the "eye candy" in Vietnam!!  Safe travels back home.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

SE Asia/Mekong River, Etc.!  Live/blog from early 2018, first adventure through SE Asia, stops in Hong Kong and Bangkok, before exploring all over Vietnam and Cambodia, seven days sailing on the Mekong River. Now at 44,912 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2591474

 

From Hoi An, here are two visuals connected with its famed Japanese Covered Bridge. At about 500-years-old, it is the "real deal". Not just an old bridge, but one that has a temple inside of it. Plus, monkeys at both ends to "guard" and protect it. Fortunately, Hoi An was never damaged during any wars and that makes this town so interesting to walk around and soak up its charming atmosphere!!:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger!)

 

[johanc]

Unibok;

Thank you for your interesting messages. I will be on the Shadow in a weeks time and still hoping for an upgrade.

I feel confident that I will have a good time.

I'm single too and SS is very good at accommodating single passengers

[Stumblefoot]

11 hours ago, zqtchas said:

We  & Unobok passed while debarking  after the luggage area.  You should have seen her.

She had a backpack on as big as she was.

Haha!  Sounds like Amy & I, along with our four suitcases of accoutrements and multiple shopping bags of souvenirs.

[boblerm]

12 hours ago, Unibok said:

But my travels aren't over yet, and I still need to live out of that backpack just a few more weeks. 

Unibok, I greatly enjoyed following this delightful report.

You may have mentioned this earlier, but may I ask, where are you headed for before heading home? 

Bob

[RachelG]

Thank you so much for this wonderful travelogue.  And I agree, there should be some sort of fitness test for excursions.

[Unibok]

On 3/13/2019 at 2:37 AM, boblerm said:

Unibok, I greatly enjoyed following this delightful report.

You may have mentioned this earlier, but may I ask, where are you headed for before heading home? 

Bob

 

Catching up on things after a few days of down time. Stumblefoot, I hope you and Amy get another opportunity to celebrate your milestone -- or perhaps the free laundry is enough? And what about the certificate and pic with the captain? I would have preferred your junk experience -- and I also think it would be great fun to travel with you both! We may have daughters around the same age, yes?

 

Bob, I'm now as far from the Silversea experience as one can imagine. I am literally in a remote jungle in the central hills of Sri Lanka. One suitcase has my souvenirs and shipboard attire, while the other is more appropriate for roughing it. I get one meal a day provided here, and then need to forage for the rest. Basic supplies are a 5K circuit to and from the nearest village by foot. I swear, it's a steep uphill both ways. No butlers here, I'm afraid, but it is a great way to shed any pounds I gained on the Shadow, and then some!

 

I had planned this as a writing retreat of sorts, using my trip report as a warm-up. With the encouragement of you readers, I've been writing away on some heavier pieces I've been exploring for some time. Should they get published, I'll post the link to share it with you.

 

In the meantime, I'm so enjoying reading all of the ongoing adventures and trip reports on this board. As Terry says, keep them coming!

[rosepark]

There must be easier ways of doing as SilverSea detox, Unibok...

Rp