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Around the World

janvier - juillet 2023
If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary ... We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us! En savoir plus
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Autour du monde, Bateau de croisière, Culture, Photographie, Excursions, Vacances
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  • Around the World

    Memorial Day - Remembrance Service

    29 mai 2023, Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 90 °F

    Home of the free because of the brave!

    Our Ship's Memorial Day tribute to all those that we lost in Service to our Country was held this afternoon. Our Cruise Director read a beautiful statement that helped everyone recall the wars fought for freedom and remember the ultimate sacrifice made by so many.

    We then had a moment recognizing all those that Served in all of the Branches of the military and a moment of silence for those no longer with us. We had a representative of the Army and Air Force read poems and then they played the National Anthem of the UK, New Zealand, Australia and the USA (attached). It was an important Remembrance Service for those so far from home. Thank you.    En savoir plus

  • Around the World

    Good Night Vietnam

    29 mai 2023, Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F

    Good night and good-bye Saigon. We had an interesting, at times, disturbing week in Vietnam (see posts for May 24-29). We will be back in Vietnam for one day on June 5 in Nha Trang. Very different trip tonight for 4 hours down the Saigon River which in total runs for 140 mi and empties into the Soài Rạp, and in its turn 12 miles later empties into the South China Sea northeast of the Mekong Delta.

    Note: Although you see Ho Chi Minh City on the map, the South Vietnamese people and local signage still mostly refer to it as Saigon. Also, the Vietnamese really do not like the term “South China Sea” but prefer “East Sea”.    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Around the World

    Koh Samui, Thailand

    31 mai 2023, Thaïlande ⋅ ☁️ 88 °F

    Located in the Gulf of Thailand is Koh Sumui, a 9-mile-wide island of Beaches and Buddhas. Until the 20th century it was self-sufficient island, in no way connected with Thailand but it has grown in the last 40 years and is now an international destination. We were in Koh Samui 4 years ago and did the “highlights” tour where we saw many Buddha Temples and beautiful murals including visits to Wat Plai Laem and Guanyin’s thousand hands and the 40 foot Buddha at Wat Pha Yai. Along with coconuts to eat and drink everywhere and a monkey show, these sites hould not to be missed.

    So, what did we do? We took a local tender boat for a long but relaxing ride into the port. We walked around town and chatted with the friendly local people. Karen discovered a salon and had a mani/pedi. While Karen was “busy”, Bruce walked around, met some friends, window shopped for shirts and Havdalah candles (no luck), bought some beautifully painted cards and hung out at “the road less traveled” (see photos).

    Note: Karen’s “treatment” created a bit of an adventure because they required local currency "bhat" to pay and wouldn’t take credit cards or US dollars (surprising), so Bruce ran around town trying to exchange cash and finally found a friendly bank while Karen sat there and held her captive (LOL).    En savoir plus

  • Around the World
    22

    Bangkok, Thailand - Tuk Tuk 1 of 4

    1 juin 2023, Thaïlande ⋅ ☁️ 93 °F

    ไม่เป็นไร. "mai bpen rai" in Thai

    A very common expression and a lovely one. The closest you get to this expression in English is: “Put it Behind You”, "It doesn't matter" "You're welcome", "Don't mention it", or "It's no big deal".

    For many of us, when we think of Bangkok we think of the The King of Siam and his portrayal in the movie. SIAM was the name for Thailand for 800 years until 1939 when it became Bangkok and took on an entirely different image.

     “One Night in Bangkok”- by Murray Head and ABBA - from the musical Chess (was banned in Thailand in 1985). BTW, the musical and the movie “The King and I” with Yul Brenner was also banned in Thailand. This tells you something. What is a "constitutional monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy" ... I guess the authority varies? Note: they have rewritten their Constitution 34 times since 1932. Having never been colonized by any of the European countries, there is no residual French, Portuguese, British or Spanish influence that we’ve seen elsewhere, so the south Asian culture abounds.

    Last verse…
    One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble
    Not much between despair and ecstasy
    One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble
    Can't be too careful with your company
    I can feel the devil walking next to me

    So we had the opportunity to spend one night in Bangkok and had a fabulous tour of the many different faces of Bangkok, Thailand’s capital and known for its very ornate shrines and night life.

    We were in Bangkok 4 years ago and saw some of the major sites (not to be missed): Chao Phaya river cruise (the busy activities that go on there all day - see separate posting on the river), the Royal Palace covering a square mile and the home of Kings for the past 150 years, the Wat Po Temple (the oldest Temple form the 17th Centrury with the reclining Buddha), Wat Phra- with the Emerald Buddha and Wat Arun (with its steep steps up to the khmer-style pointy spire). This time we did not focus on these key sites, although we saw them in passing.

    Coming in on our smaller sized ship into Khlong Toei we were right near the city and the Pra Kanong canal. We were picked up by Tuk Tuks and had an exhilarating ride around the city during rush hour, surrounded by motorcycles, cars, and trucks of all sizes … no one seems to know what lines of traffic are or turn signals.

    Which Buddhist Temples should we visit? There are 41,000 in Thailand and over 6,000 just in Bangkok! Our first stop was a tour of The Golden Mount built by King Rama I. This is the only hill in Bangkok, and is of great significance for all followers of The Lord Buddha with great views from the top of the Rattanakosin Island. It is an ancient temple of the Ayutthaya period. The Golden Mount chedi/stupa (top rounded/pointy part) began to be built during the reign of King Rama IV the Great bestowed the name Suwanbanphot and is 252’ tall. It enshrines the Buddha’s relics received from India. Every year, during the Loi Krathong Festival, there is a seven-day and seven-night celebration, which has become a tradition to worship the Buddha’s relics continued to the present time. During King Rama II 1809-1824, cholera spread here and since bodies were left in the Temple to be cremated but vultures covered the areas for many years and took the bodies. There is a tribute to these lives and statutes of the vultures on the property as a reminder of this sad time.

    We climbed to the top, ringing bells and observing rituals as we went up the Temple stairs. At different points we saw dragons, snakes, monkeys (hear, see, speak no evil) and of course many Buddhas. There was beautiful flowers, plants and running water. Many of Thailand’s everyday gardens and fountains depict a woman with long hair. This is a representation of the deity, Phra Mae Thoranee, the Thai version of Mother Earth, who has her own special place in the story of the Buddha.

    The Buddhas here were adorned in different colors based upon their birth-day of the week (I’m Red and Karen’s White). The views were amazing as our guide pointed out the different building old and new, monks homes, and other interesting parts of the city that have evolved over time to be a modern and still ancient city. Before we left, we filled out a wish on a golden heart and hung it on the Boudin tree at the foot of the Buddha (this is the tree known for where the Buddha would sit and meditate).    En savoir plus

  • Around the World

    Bangkok, Thailand - Golden Mount 2 of 4

    1 juin 2023, Thaïlande ⋅ ☁️ 93 °F

    Photos at the top of Golden Mount (see explanation in 1 of 4) and then back into Tuk Tuks to our next destination the Street Food district of town to "eat with the people". After dinner we went for a walk (see the video for a tour of the streets and an explanation of the Birds Nest delicacy at US$8000/pound).En savoir plus

  • Around the World

    Bangkok,Thailand-Street Food Feast 3of 4

    1 juin 2023, Thaïlande ⋅ ☁️ 93 °F

    Wongwian Yai area and Chinatown Dinner on the Streets!, Walking and stopping to see the Buddha and Temples that marks the exact center of Chinatown. We also passed Wat Traimit - the Worlds Biggest solid gold Buddha discovered 65 years ago when in the process of moving it a crane dropped it and the plaster/concrete covering broke off. It was discovered that to "protect it from Burmese invaders that rummaged in the area during a siege in the late sukhotjai period", this 12 foot, 5.5 ton Buddha. This 14th Century Buddha, finally revealed in 1954 is worth over $325 million in 18 carat gold.

    Then off again on our Tuk Tuk to the Flower District.    En savoir plus

  • Around the World

    Bangkok,Thailand-Flowers,Wat Arun 4 of 4

    1 juin 2023, Thaïlande ⋅ ☁️ 93 °F

    Pak Khlong Talat , Flower Market, Wild KHAOSAN ROAD and Temple of Dawn The 24/7 flower market, where the two sides of the street are covered with flower stores and booths where flower arrangements are being made from fresh flowers. One side of the street are the religious (yellow) flowers and the other side are every other flower you could ever imagine. Yes, beautiful roses were $2 for a dozen and most bouquets were $3-$4 US.

    Don't miss Karen eating BUGS (silkworm pupa) and the video of Khaosan Road where you could buy anything from Bugs, Laughing Gas and "more". We did stop (see video) to have some fabulous roti for dessert.

    We then got to explore Wat Arun (The Temple of the Indian God of Dawn) one of Bangkok's most famous and busiest Temples, but at night when no one else was there! Wat Arun has been a Buddhist Temple since the 16th Century, the time of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. The temple was shown in French maps during the reign of Narai (1656–88). It was quite beautiful at night and the details are incredible (see photos).    En savoir plus

  • Around the World

    The World-Leg #7(of 8): Bangkok to Tokyo

    2 juin 2023, Thaïlande ⋅ ⛅ 95 °F

    First night of a new leg of the trip from Bangkok to Tokyo. Looking forward to meeting the 225 new people that joined us today.

    Voir la traduction
  • Around the World

    Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand

    2 juin 2023, Thaïlande ⋅ ⛅ 93 °F

    We traveled up the Chao Phraya River to Bangkok. It is the most important waterway in Central Thailand with winding canals covered in floating grocery stores, water taxis, Temples and houses on stilts, flowing 231 miles through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand. When measured from the longest source, which is the origin point of the Nan River in the Luang Prabang Range, the river measures 691 miles. In Bangkok, the Chao Phraya is a major transportation artery for a network of river buses, cross-river ferries, and water taxis ("longtails"). More than 15 boat lines operate on the rivers and canals of the city.

    Due the Chao Phraya River the earliest civilizations in the south east Asia were established, the ancient Mon kingdom and the civilization of Dvaravati from the 7-11th century. The river also played a crucial role in the Lavo kingdom, the Ayodhaya and the Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 14th century, which became Thailand. During this time several shortcut canals were constructed to bypass large loops in the river, shortening the trip from the capital city to the sea. The course of the river has since changed to follow many of these canals.

    The river became very significant after the establishment of Bangkok in 1782 on the East bank of Chao Phraya River ensuring protection to Siamese kingdom from the Burmese invasions coming from the West. There are more than a dozen cities are among the most historically significant and densely populated settlements of Thailand due to their access to the waterway.

    Although there are over 50 bridges crossing this river, the major bridges that cross in Bangkok are: the Rama VI railroad bridge; Phra Pin-klao near the Grand Palace; Rama VIII, a single tower asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge; Rama IX, a semi-symmetric cable-stayed bridge; and Mega Bridge, on the Industrial Ring Road. A new bridge running parallel to Rama IX Bridge across the Chao Phraya will be finished in 2024. It was strange to go under a bridge that only went out over the water halfway from both sides and did NOT yet meet in the middle.

    The principal tributaries of the Chao Phraya River are the Pa Sak River, the Sakae Krang River, the Nan River (and the Yom River), the Ping River (and the Wang River), and the Tha Chin River. Each of these tributaries (and the Chao Phraya itself) is extended by minor tributaries referred to as "khwae". All of the tributaries, including the lesser khwae, form an extensive tree-like pattern, with branches flowing through every province in central and northern Thailand (none of the tributaries of the Chao Phraya extend beyond the nation's borders.)    En savoir plus