The Daily for Saturday December 18, 2021

[erewhon]

Thanks for all the daily reports, 

@RowsbyCongratulations on your 50th Anniversary.

Hope we wil soon have another update from @kazu

We have a warm sunny summer day, temperature 26 C.

Stay safe, take care everyone.

[Mr. Boston]

11 hours ago, Rowsby said:

Needed to share.....:)

 

Today is our 50th Anniversary....and we just can't believe it.....!!!

 

Happy 50th anniversary!  A major accomplishment for sure.

[sailingdutchy]

I tried to post a few my pics of Kaohsiung and my story of the Westerdam a while earlier today  Post #68  but I do not believe it came through  it looked very strange and said it was hidden ???  Can anybody see it ? 

 

Will try again , even if it is quite late now 

 

Tony 🤔

[sailingdutchy]

We have been to Kaohsiung , Taiwan  twice . I will post a few pictures of the memorable last time we were there while on the Westerdam on Feb 4th , 2020 .

Yes THAT cruise !  We arrived a day early in Kaohsiung because of a supposed virus going around and Manila did not allow us to come in . So when we arrived in Taiwan we thought to just have an easy day and go by local bus into town to a large shopping mall and have a nice lunch and than the next day I would go with my group see the hi lights of Kaohsiung ………

 

 

 

 

All the decorations from the Holidays and also the Chinese New Year were still up 

 

 

 

 

 

For this restaurant you have to shop first for the items you would like to cook in the

broth or on the fire  at your table , it looked very adventurous 

 

 

 

We were invited in .....

 

 

 

 

 

But we decided to go to this “ Choose and Point “ menu restaurant 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to 2020 ……........?????   The year of the Rat !!! 

 

 

 

 

 

The next morning we got up early to do our tour , I had hired a small bus for 16 of us with one of the best guides in Kaohsiung and we had planned to go to the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Memorial Center .

I looked out the window and noticed that it was very, very quiet outside , I looked further and saw that the Port was closed and completely sealed off and the gangway was being pulled in . You might have heard what happened for the next 8 or 9 days the Captain was taking us every which direction to find a place where we could go ashore , at one point we even had the Thai Navy shadowing us when we were going the direction of a port in Thailand 

 

 

Than all of a sudden our Captain made a 180 degree turn and we heard  one of our last chances was to go to Cambodia .

Making a long story short , in Cambodia we were welcomed by the President himself who had arrived by helicopter  with Press from all over the world present , and from there we disembarked  in small groups and on our way home over the next few days 

 

We have nothing but praise for what Holland America have done for all of us in this situation , in the end nobody had the virus , the crew was fantastic on board we even had a large farewell meeting . The BBC , The New York Post and the Dutch Telegraaf all did their stories and we even made the Front Page in a couple of them .

 

 

Yes there was much relief and I saw tears from crew and guests 

 

 

 

Flowers for the Captain and crew from the Cambodians 

We had heard that everybody was very worried about us and so were the Press reports , but we had a wonderful and very memorable cruise the one we will not easily forget 

 

 

 

 

 

Tony ( I am there in the center of the picture in Phnom Penh , Cambodia talking to HAL staff  for what our options going home are )

[ger_77]

1 hour ago, KAKcruiser said:

Isn't it too late to cancel?  

If you have HAL’s Platinum cancel for any reason, I believe you can cancel right up to 24 hours before sailing. 

19 minutes ago, sailingdutchy said:

I tried to post a few my pics of Kaohsiung and my story of the Westerdam a while earlier today  Post #68  but I do not believe it came through  it looked very strange and said it was hidden ???  Can anybody see it ? 

 

Will try again , even if it is quite late now 

 

Tony 🤔

Sorry, it’s not there.  Can you please post them again?

 

Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂

Gerry

[sailingdutchy]

 

 

https://content.invisioncic.com/j283755/monthly_2021_12/IMG_3740.JPG.8beeec74fd11c63ebb03bd8df25a9c66.JPG

[Seasick Sailor]

1 hour ago, summer slope said:

Joy, I hope our January 2 is still a go. 

 

Me too! There's a couple we met having cocktails tonight from the Netherlands. Her sister sent an email saying they are buckling down.. No non-essential shops can open. They are really concerned.

[sailingdutchy]

Sorry @ger_77  I tried a couple more times but it did not work today I don't think the gremlins were at fault today , it was me that pushed a wrong button somewhere in my original set up to get text and photos together .

My Post was about Kaohsiung being the last port on the Westerdam in 2020  before  we were stuck at sea for more than a week and there was quite a bit of typing involved to explain what had happened .

Somewhere it is hidden in post # 68 and # 80 

 

Next time better 

Tony 🙃

[Tbay]

13 hours ago, Rowsby said:

Today is our 50th Anniversary....and we just can't believe it.....!!!

Happy Anniversary!

[garlictown]

Congratulations @Rowsby on your special day!

Katie

[USN59-79]

3 hours ago, sailingdutchy said:

Sorry @ger_77  I tried a couple more times but it did not work today I don't think the gremlins were at fault today , it was me that pushed a wrong button somewhere in my original set up to get text and photos together .

My Post was about Kaohsiung being the last port on the Westerdam in 2020  before  we were stuck at sea for more than a week and there was quite a bit of typing involved to explain what had happened .

Somewhere it is hidden in post # 68 and # 80 

 

Next time better 

Tony 🙃

Kind of late, but I can add a little to what Tony said.  We joined the Westerdam in Hong Kong and weren't allowed to go to our first scheduled port, Manila.  So we turned around and headed to Kaohsiung, Taiwan.  It was supposed to be a two day stop (probably because of the non-stop in the Philippines).  However, after one day we were told to leave.  We headed towards Bangkok, Thailand, where we were told to make flight arrangements and disembark.  As we got close to the port, a Thai Navy destroyer came out and rudely escorted us away from their country.  At that point we didn't know where the ship would or could go.  Some thought Guam, being a U.S. port would take us.  But we ended up at Cambodia, where we were warmly greeted.  Each of us was gifted a nice scarf by Cambodia's ruler and we all eventually flew home from there.

I know I took pictures of the giant Buddha we visited outside of Kaohsiung, but they have somehow disappeared.

Ray

[sailingdutchy]

11 hours ago, USN59-79 said:

Kind of late, but I can add a little to what Tony said.  We joined the Westerdam in Hong Kong and weren't allowed to go to our first scheduled port, Manila.  So we turned around and headed to Kaohsiung, Taiwan.  It was supposed to be a two day stop (probably because of the non-stop in the Philippines).  However, after one day we were told to leave.  We headed towards Bangkok, Thailand, where we were told to make flight arrangements and disembark.  As we got close to the port, a Thai Navy destroyer came out and rudely escorted us away from their country.  At that point we didn't know where the ship would or could go.  Some thought Guam, being a U.S. port would take us.  But we ended up at Cambodia, where we were warmly greeted.  Each of us was gifted a nice scarf by Cambodia's ruler and we all eventually flew home from there.

I know I took pictures of the giant Buddha we visited outside of Kaohsiung, but they have somehow disappeared.

Ray

 

Thank you @USN59-79   yes there is much more to this unforgettable story with a very happy ending . 

Here a couple more pictures of the mood on board ship and of our friends and also DW with the Cambodian scarfs. 

 

 

 

 

There were representatives of the American the Dutch and Canadian Embassies on board ship and also in the airport of  Phnom Penh .

 

 

We also were  quickly tested before we left the ship by Cambodian doctors and nurses 

 

 

 

Some people were taken by bus to the Sihanoukville airport while others later on had to travel by bus all the way to  Phnom Penh 

 

 

 

 

We were allowed to leave on the second day in Sihanoukville while others would have to wait another 3 or 4 more days 

 

 

 

Tony😃😃

[StLouisCruisers]

On 12/18/2021 at 1:14 PM, cruzn single said:

Sending best wishes for anniversaries, birthdays and all events I have missed this week! (Did I say I dislike a week of doctor appointments?). I am thinking of @StLouisCruiserstoday with their family funeral.

Thank you for your support.  So kind of you to remember me.❤️

 

On 12/18/2021 at 1:52 PM, JazzyV said:

 

@StLouisCruisers Thinking of you and the family today on this sad occasion.

Vanessa, thanks so much.   Among the tears were smiles and laughter.

 

 

[rafinmd]

@1ANGELCAT, I hope you do get to at least Urgent Care.  Hoping for the best but movement does not completely rule out a fracture.

 

Roy

[JAM37]

On 12/18/2021 at 3:00 PM, cunnorl said:

Good Afternoon from a very warm and sunny day at the beach

    I am very late today, played golf this AM and now I am wrapping presents.

    We participate in Wreaths across America in the reverse. We do the taking them down.  It is a wonderful and sobering event. 

    Have not been to todays port- enjoyed seeing the pictures.

     @RowsbyHappy Anniversary! May you enjoy many many more. 

       @JAM37 Wish I was sitting at the seaview pool! Sounds wonderful.  Anytime on the 26th works for me. Looking forward to meeting you!   Enjoy your cruise. 

 

Stay safe and enjoy today

Please let me know what time and where you would like to meet. I am usually an early riser so whatever works best for you will work for me. I don't know the area that well, but if you tell me where to meet you I will find it. My email address is: jamccullar@gmail.com

[cunnorl]

7 hours ago, JAM37 said:

Please let me know what time and where you would like to meet. I am usually an early riser so whatever works best for you will work for me. I don't know the area that well, but if you tell me where to meet you I will find it. My email address is: jamccullar@gmail.com

Sent you an email.