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World Cruise

a travel blog by edoyle

I'm starting a blog so I won't be inundating your inboxes with e-mails.You can follow my travels,if you like,at will.
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Sydney

Sydney, Australia

Yesterday at sea.I won at a special Captain's bingo the previous evening and the prize was a tour of the back of the ship.We saw the laundry and where all the provisions are,the machinery to keep everything running smoothly.
I had not been watching the TV in my cabin so was shocked to learn of the earthquake in Christchurch.We had seen the scaffolding around the beautiful cathedral with its tall spire and now it was destroyed. so much devastation.Although the "quake was lower on the Richter scale than last September's it did more damage.It was said to be an aftershock and apparently these shocks had been occurring since Sept.but were under the Mountain until this one.

permalink written by  edoyle on February 23, 2011 from Sydney, Australia
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Sydney

Sydney, Australia

Been to Sydney twice before,visited the opera House and the shops so this time I was determined to see some wildlife and went to Featherdale Wildlife Park and had my fill.
Small kangaroos and wallabies,koalas by the dozen,cassowaries,cockatoos and other birds.Saw a huge crocodile basking in the sun AND I saw a Tasmanian devil,ugly creature
especially when he opens his mouth.
This was a most enjoyable,leisurely excursion.

Cockatoo in Featherdale Wildlife park

Native birds
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I have to get my photos reduced to get them on the computer and the expert here often reduces the wrong ones.This has happened to others,so you'll just have to excuse strange pictures or just wait until I get home

permalink written by  edoyle on February 23, 2011 from Sydney, Australia
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Brisbane

Brisbane, Australia

Fri.Feb.25th Lovely city.The CBD is in a loop of the Brisbane river and was completely flooded.Everything has been cleaned but there are still signs of mud around.A lovely boardwalk was partially washed away and the river is very muddy.This is a laid back city.
Our guide told us that in Sydney you are asked how much money you have,in Melbourne what school you went to,in Adelaide what church you belong to but in Brisbane an arm is placed around you and someone says "let me buy you a beer".I loved that.
A dam was built after the '74 flood and people thought they were safe but there was so much rain that the dam had to be opened.The premier of Queensland scored many points for her handling of the situation.She set up buses in 4 points and asked people to put on wellingtons and bring cleaning supplies and had them brought to where they were needed.
The city was clean in record time.The guide also told of hordes of young men going into houses and just cleaning without introduction.Those who couldn't physically work went up and down streets supplying drinking water and water to wash with.She mentioned a town,I think it was Toowoomba,where the cars tumbled head over heels in the torrent.
Rockhampton was spared the worst of the flood.
We had a ride on a paddlewheeler,Kookabarra Queen,and saw some lovely houses along the river.The 1st mate gave a running commentary and played the accordion,mostly WW1 tunes.

permalink written by  edoyle on February 27, 2011 from Brisbane, Australia
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Townsville

Townsville, Australia

Sun.27th Took the shuttle into town,10 mins.There is a market every Sunday and I walked around.Homemade baked goods,clothes and trinkets.Heat and humidity almost unbearable.Took the shuttle back to the ship.
The main campus of the University of Brisbane is here.

permalink written by  edoyle on February 27, 2011 from Townsville, Australia
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Cairns

Cairns, Australia

Docked in Cairns this morning.My tour on a train and army duck was cancelled because of mud on the tracks so I took a panoramic tour of the city.It has grown tremendously in recent years.All beaches are north and south of the city with lovely little resorts.
We visited the botanical gardens where we saw all types of ferns.We saw many orchids and red ginger and meleleuca.
Oug guide was the most talkative we've had so far,but very well informed.
Mosquitos were a problem in the gardens.

permalink written by  edoyle on February 28, 2011 from Cairns, Australia
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Thursday island

Cooktown, Australia

Mon.march 1st at sea.Sky overcast and it rained most of the day.
Anchored off Thursday Island this morning,tendered in.
The island is 1.4 sq.Miles,3000 population.It is one of 136 islands in the Torres Strait and is the administrative headquarters for all the islands.It is known as TI to the inhabitants.
There was only one tour choice lasting 45 mins.The first group had a big tour bus.My group had a small bus with excellent air conditioning and a driver guide.We were driven up to a fort used in case of a Japanese attack in WW11.there was also a small museum up there.
There is a Tue.Wed.Thurs.and Fri Island but no Mon.Sat.or Sun.Island.Our guide told us the Thursday island was discovered on a Fri.and Fri.island discovered on Thurs.but when the area was being mapped some higher-up in the Admiralty switched the names to keep the sequence,hardly the cartographer,I imagine.
There are 6 churches and we were pointed out the C.of E. cathedral,a small lovely wooden building.
Ships come from Cairns twice a week with provisions and prices are 30% higher than on the mainland.
The weather was oppressively hot and humid so I didn't linger after the tour but took the tender back to the ship.
We have one day at sea and then Darwin.

permalink written by  edoyle on March 2, 2011 from Cooktown, Australia
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Top of the continent

Darwin, Australia

A small town,destroyed twice by cyclones,the last one being Tracy in 1974.It has been rebuilt with much stricter laws.
The pop.is 30,000 in the city,110,000 including the suburbs.
I took the historic Darwin tour.We visited the Northern Territory gaol museum in Fannie Bay,a good way to keep us on the straight and narrow!


Gaol

We visited the Botanical Gardens which were lovely.I always enjoy seeing plants and trees in beautiful settings.The palm trees were beaten down from the recent storm,and many flowering bushes looked bedraggled.The day was overcast and it had rained getting on the bus but the rain stopped and everything smelled so fresh,even the drooping flowers seemed to perk up.


upended trees

Path in Botanical Gardens


waterlogged bush

Our last stop was the Art Museum where we saw lovely examples of aboriginal art.Each tribe has its own design,rather like Scottish tartan.We also saw a film of the damage done by cyclone Tracy,and there was a sound proof booth where a few people could go in to hear what the cyclone sounded like.The worst noise was not just the wind but metal hitting the ground and other metal at 200 mph.
We saw a stuffed crocodile called "Sweetheart" which had taken bites out of a metal boat.It was finally captured years later but drowned as it was being pulled into the boat.
Now two days at sea and then Bali.

permalink written by  edoyle on March 4, 2011 from Darwin, Australia
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Bali

Ubud, Indonesia

5th and 6th at sea.Excellent lectures by Dr.Michael Boll on American Mid-East policy and Russia.Tue will be on North Korea.

Welcome to Bali

We anchored in Padang Bay and tendered in.The day was overcast so most of us took an umbrella from the ship.(This is the rainy season) My tour was called "Colors of Bali".Our first visit was to an 11th century temple,quite interesting.We had to cover our legs,even if wearing pants,though not our arms,surprisingly,so we were given sarongs to wear.The men donned them reluctantly and most of them looked quite amusing with them on.


Obligatory sarongs in temple

We then saw a Balinese folk tale performed on an open stage.We were all given a sheet with the explanation in our language of choice,otherwise no one could have followed what was going on.A tiger entered early on and the two men in the remarkably elaborate costume were magnificent.They cavorted around,opened and closed the wooden mouth noisily and lay down to sleep.I don't know how all the actors managed in the heat and humidity,even though the heat was abated by the grey skies.


Balinese performance

We learned that there are 13,700 islands in Indonesia.The Dutch came in 1908 and an uprising evicted them in 1942.Then the Japanese invaded and we saw many bunkers from their occupation.
After the war the monarchy was dissolved and Indonesia became independent.
East Bali is mostly Hindu while West Bali is Muslim
People live in small communities with a central meeting house.All know each other so crime is practically non-existent.
The caste system is prevalent but slowly dying out.The people are generally poor.Those who could afford air conditioning prefer to do without it.They believe that nature is healthier.
We had a lovely buffet lunch in a well known restaurant,then want to a silver manufacturer where we saw lovely filigree work.Our last stop was to see wood carvings,some very large and elaborate,some very small and delicate.They use ebony,mahogany,sandalwood,silkwood and others.
At each coach stop we were surrounded by men and women selling cloth and carvings.I did not buy a thing.


Ceiling in House of Justice

View from old house of justice


Rice field.Brownish is ready for gathering

permalink written by  edoyle on March 8, 2011 from Ubud, Indonesia
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Manila

Manila, Philippines

Arrived in Manila 7am yesterday,March 11.The ship was docked on the starboard side,where my cabin is and from about 7:30 a band played,dancers dressed somewhat like American Indians did a dance and a group played drums and cymbals.The dancers mopped their brows and sat down after each session.It was hot and humid.This went on all mornin

Dancers on the pier

We had to get a pass and have a thermal scan before the Philippine authorities let us on the pier.
Several of us took the shuttle to the huge Mall of Asia (air-conditioned) and walked around.Prices seemed high but the shops on the pier had better value.

Globe opposite Mall of Asia

Today I went on a tour "Modern Manila"This is a bustling city of 8 million,12 million including the outskirts and it is growing at the rate of 1.2 or 1.3 million a year.This is incredible.


Skyscrapers from the bus

View from the bus
The city is known for the "Jeepneys",WW11 jeeps bought privately ,enlarged and covered and decorated.They hold 20 people and are inexpensive.Tourists are advised not to use them.I couldn't get a decent picture of them as the bus was moving too fast.
We visited the American Cemetary which is beautifully kept.There were curved rows of crosses interspersed with Stars of David.
We also drove through the old walled city which the Spanish built refusing entrance to the natives and the Chinese.It was the last refuge of the Japanese during the war and was bombed repeatedly by the Americans.Most of the wall remains and the Cathedral,but little else.The Lyceum of the University is there and a renowned technical college.

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Some old buildings are now dorms for the college students.I would have liked to have taken pictures outside the bus but we didn't stop as this was not part of the tour.
Because of the tsunami the refuelling tanker was not allowed to fill up so it will get here late.Refuelling takes 5 hrs.pouring in over 130 cubic tons (or is it tonnes?) of fuel.We are now scheduled to depart at midnight.This will delay our arrival in Taiwan so tours may be cancelled.


permalink written by  edoyle on March 12, 2011 from Manila, Philippines
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Taiwan

Taipei, Taiwan

Arrived in Keelung 6pm on Monday.We all had to go to the terminal with our passports and a photocopy which was stamped.We were told we'd need this to be allowed back into the port.I put mine in a pocket and went to dinner.It must have fallen out because I could't find it at bedtime.My tour was to meet at 7:45am on Tues.so I was able to get the afternoon tour and rhe Purser's office got another photocopy stamped when the Immigration officials were available at 8:30am.This was probably fortuitous as it was raining heavily all morning and while the skies were grey there was no afternoon rain.
The port city of Keelung has grown and there many shops but we didn't stop anywhere.
The buses were double decker and most of us sat on top.The drive to Taipei was about 30 mins.Lots of small cars and TONS of motor scooters which were parked in every crevice available.

Scooters everywhere

A busy street in Taipei

Our first stop was the Sun Yat Sen Memorial in a wide courtyard.
Our next stop was the National Palace Museum,3 floors of paintings,jade,bronze and wood carvings from China's earliest history.When the communists took over Chiang Kai Shek had it all brought to Taiwan.There was one long painting, yards and yards,behind glass that rolled from left to right,depicting life as it was then that was exquisite.The detail was amazing. We saw a jadeite cabbage(the Chinese long one,not our round type) that had a white stem and green leaves.It was magnificent.
A small statue of a woman in a glass case showed the style of beauty of an early dynasty.She was buxom,with tiny full lips,puffy cheeks and a rolled topknot.No photos allowed in the museum.
Our last stop was the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial in a huge courtyard.His statue is seated so high up,approx.100 steps,that I couldn't see it clearly.I climbed only part way.There were two pagodas,one on each side that were so far away I didn't walk to them.The walk to the memorial was enough.

Chiang Kai Shek Memorial

On the way back our bus stopped briefly for us to take a picture of the 101 Tower,which was the tallest building in Asia until the Burj al Khalif (or is it Khalid?)in Dubai.

101 Tower

I thought the tip of the tower didn't show because the picture had to be reduced to upload.The whole thing shows on the original.This is so frustrating.The pictures look dull because the day was dark cold and windy.
We now have two days at sea,our next stop being Korea.

permalink written by  edoyle on March 16, 2011 from Taipei, Taiwan
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