Asia Part 1 - Singapore, Thailand and Cambodia

 Days 1 & 2 - Travel

Today we began our 1st continuous circumnavigation of the Earth. We'll return to Atlanta in 35 days, not 80. We flew on Qatar Airways for the 1st time. It’s rated as one of the best airlines. It was ok.

After 16 hours of flying, we landed in Doha. Huge airport with lots of walking. We were rewarded during our 3-hour layover with a stop in the Garden in the center of the airport.

Since we flew halfway around the world, we didn't land in Singapore until the next day. 

We visited the Jewel and Rain Vortex before picking up our bags. They have become a tourist destination.  

Days 3 - Singapore

Since we had several hours to wait for our hotel room, we did a walk about and lunch down by the water. We walked by the closed St Andrew's Cathedral, National Gallery, Victoria Theatre, and Asian Civilization Museum. 

We had to remind ourselves that they drive on the British side of the street here, since they were a former colony. Interesting tree.  

We ended up at Merlion Park with a nice view of the Marine Bay Sands, Flyer, Clifford Bridge, Lionhead and downtown skyscrapers. 

We had lunch in the Fullerton area which is a large complex of building. Interesting buildings and sculptures.

Since it was Chinese New Year today, we went out to Light to Night in the historic Civic District, which is only a few blocks away from our hotel, the Peninsula Excelsior.

Days 4 - Singapore

This was a crazy busy day!

We started with a visit to the National Botanic Gardens and the National Orchid Garden, which is part of the Botanic Gardens. In 2015 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Gardens are vast, encompassing 200 acres and lakes. We started by the lake with Lily pads and turtles.

We soon moved to the Orchid Garden. Lots and lots of Orchids both outside and inside. Orchids are the National flower.

We ended in the rain forest.

From there we went to the world-famous Raffles Hotel for an Iconic Singapore Sling in the Long Bar. They have been making the Slings since 1915. Only drinks and peanuts served here. It's a tradition to throw the shells on the floor.

On the way back to our hotel to charge our phones, St Andrew's was open. We made a short visit. 

After the short charging stop, we walked to the Marina Bay Sands area. It is massive with 57 floors, MRT station, a casino, convention center, museum, thousands of shops in north, center and south sections.  A top the hotel shaped like a ship connects all three-hotel tower with restaurant, bar, club, and the Garden in the Sky.

Still walking we passed through several Gardens including a Chinese Garden and India Garden and the Supertree Grove.

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We made our may to the Cloud Forest and Super Dome. What an amazing sensory overload. It really was an indoor cloud forest with amazing variety of plants. The walkway took us throughout the entire structure so we could explore everything. 

A view of the Supertree Grove from inside.

There was a display of large Amathyst and stalactites and stalagmites. 

After that we went to the Flower Dome, another sensory overload. How they were able transport and plant all those trees, including a 2000-year-old olive tree, is amazing. So many flowers. 

There was a desert section.

Wood animal sculptures everywhere. My favorite was the dragon.

Tree section where the trees that looked like they were from Lord of the Rings.

There were many other sections, including the Mediterranean with olives trees.

From there we went to the Supertree Grove area. The 18 Supertrees are something right out of Avatar. There was so much going on, we could only stay a short time. 

Then it was time for us to go to dinner on the 57th floor of the Marine Bay Sands at the rooftop restaurant, Cevile. We had a nice view of all of Singapore. Amazing number of ships in the harbor! Unfortunately, cloudy with no sunset.

On the way back to our hotel the water display was going on in front of the Sands.

Then we again passed through the Light to Night displays before finally arriving at our hotel at 11pm with over 30,000 steps for the day. 

Day 5 - Singapore and All Aboard

The embarking process went very smoothly! On the ship in no time! I guess there are benefits to being Mariner 4. Amazing how many ships were in the harbor!

Days 6 - Sea Day

We always stay busy on sea days. Getting in our steps on the Promenade deck in the Gulf of Thailand. Lots of trivia! We were only a point away from winning all three trivia games today.  

Cathy looked exceptionally beautiful for Dressy Night. She was glittering everywhere. 

Our steward at work!

One of the few sunsets we would see on this trip. Ended up being mostly cloudy.

Dancers were pretty good.

Days 7- Nathon, Ko Samui, Thailand

We had a time change today and our phones didn't change, so we ended up with an hour extra in the morning. Ko Samui is Thailand's third largest island, located south of Bangkok in the Gulf of Thailand and surrounded by 80 smaller islands. We had to tender into the port, Nathon.

We went on a Buddhist temple tour. 1st stop was at Wat Phra Yai, a towering 49-foot Buddha statue. The temple guard. 

Interesting things people put in trees.

The Temple guard and Predator in front of a shop!

The 2nd stop was Wat Plaihaem which had lots of statues.

How many arms do I have?

The 3rd stop was at Rocha Tharmaren Temple, the Snake Stone Pagoda.

Family pagodas. 

Pagoda of Bhumibol Adulyadej, 9th and longest serving king of Thailand.

The last temple stop was at Wat Khuraram. This temple honors a monk with a really long name who passed away in 1975. His preserved body with sunglasses is in the glass case. The sunglasses are because eyes do not preserve.

That evening we had a great magic show by Syan, the balloon magician.

Days 8 - Laem Chabang, Thailand

We docked in Leam Chabang, which is a very busy working port, not a tourist port. 

We decided to take the bus to Pattaya, a beach town an hour away and well known for its nightlife. It's a very big city by a beach. We walked around town and took some pictures. Not our kind of place. Below are some pictures from our walk.

The dividing line between beach and city.

Scaffolding?

How do they carry these?

Walking Street is like Burbon Street, somewhat on the sleezy side. Not much happening during the day, at night the bars and clubs open and the hookers come out.

Clock tower.

We have seen a lot of towns with wiring like this. How do the local know what connects to what. If a pole fell down, it would be a big mess. 

That afternoon we won our 1st game of Trivia.

That night there was a cultural show of Thailand dancers.

 

Day 9 - Same Place, Laem Chabang, Thailand

A lot of people did long day trips or overnight to Bangkok yesterday and are returning today.  Too far away and too expensive for us. We stayed on ship today. Played Trivia, so close again. Got our steps in and a little time on the sun deck. 

Some pictures as we sailed away from Thailand. Fishing vessel and ghost buildings.

Singer Michelle Montuori performed on World Stage tonight. Very entertaining! 

Day 10 - Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Sihanoukville is Cambodia's only port and is rimmed by four beaches: Ochheuteal, Sokha, Independence and Victory. We did stop at 2 of the beaches on our Tuk Tuk tour. Another industrial port, but we were bused to city center, Independence Square.

From there we decided to do a Tuk Tuk tour. The driver let us pick all the places we wanted to see. If we hadn't done that Tuk Tuk tour, we would have had no idea of where to go. 

We stopped at St Michael's Church, one of the few that survived the Khmer's destruction. It was under major restoration.

Our 1st stop after leaving Independence Square was the Wat Kom Temple complex. There is Buddhist Monk school on the Temple grounds.

Near by was the Independence Hotel with its monkey preserve. There were a lot of them.

Next door was Independence Beach.

Ochheuteal Beach was next.

From there we went to the Golden Lions. Across the street were the 3 gray elephants.

The last stop of the ride was the market, probably the most interesting and smelly that we visited on this Asia trip.

Back on the ship we won afternoon Trivia we teammates Bob and Lynn from Florida!

Day 11 - Sea Day 

We are in the South China Sea. Usual stuff. This fishing boat looks like it is sinking!

Dressy Night for dinner. Filet Mignon night!