Eloise and Jerry's Travels: Singapore & Saigon -- Welcome to SEA

Prepared March 11 and 12, en route Shanghai, China, and March 13, 2012, Shanghai, China

March 3, 2012, in port Singapore, Singapore: Visiting Singapore -- One Shopping Center at a Time

J was still recovering from his cold; it was 88 deg F and 90 percent humidity outside; and, we had just been in Singapore in October 2011. (If you are interested in some of the sites of Singapore, see our posts of October and November, 2011.) Those factors led us to decide to minimize our on-shore time to shopping for some essential items. Shopping was easy to do, since the Singapore Cruise Terminal is attached to a very large shopping center. So, after a late breakfast, and letting all the tour enthusiasts off the ship and onto their buses, we proceeded through Singapore immigration, and walked out of the customs and transport hall directly into the shopping center.

Welcome to Shopping Center World - Don't Touch the Flowers!

Our first mission was to find a photo processing shop, to convert a digital file image of Cooper into a 5x7 print and buy a frame, so the old boy could be immortalized in our suite. This required hunting through many miles of shopping center corridors and descending to the lowest basement next to the MRT (Subway) station, until we finally found a small shop that could make the print and sell the frame. Mission accomplished!

Cooper Printed & Framed

With his friends Bird and Dodo

Next, it was to find some intimate clothing that E needed (the shipboard laundry, as good as it is, put some holes in it), which was more of a process, because prices were not to her liking (considerably above Ross' level). Finally, a store was found, and the items purchased. Note: The days of "cheap" Asia are over. Prices in Singapore are about the same as in the U.S. On some items, they are much higher, so forget about coming to Singapore to buy inexpensive cameras, etc. After E overpaid (in her opinion) for underwear, we went in search of a book store. The day of the giant book emporiums has ended at this mall as well, and the only bookstore available was one specializing in paperback romance novels and Japanese comic books. No success on finding any more Carl Hiaasen for J.

Stopping off at Starbucks for a coffee and blueberry muffin, we watched the passing throng of Saturday shoppers. Regretfully, the Starbucks we picked was next to a childern's toy store, so we didn't so much see the passing throng as hear the passing throng's screaming children! Returning to the ship, we had a late lunch, and spent the rest of the day aboard. This was a very short, less-than-12-hour stop in Singapore, so there really wasn't time to do much sightseeing or visiting old haunts.

Sailing out of Singapore at night is somewhat surrealistic. When you enter/leave the cruise terminal and pass Sentosa Island, from horizon to horizon are the anchor lights or running lights of other ships. For the next hour, your ship manuevers in the outbound-traffic lane to clear the port and the anchored ships waiting for cargoes.

Sailing from Singapore

March 4, 2012, en route Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Viet Nam: Across the South China Sea

A quiet day at sea sailing in calm waters. As on any sea day, it is breakfast, bridge and working on the blog. J has finally caught up with all the events of our crossing from South Africa to Singapore. This afternoon, we play bridge and miracle-of-miracles, we finished first, north/south. It was our first bridge win on the cruise to date, and our Trivial Pursuit team also wins. Some days are better than others. To celebrate our victories, we join Don and Kat for an Italian dinner in La Terrazza.

March 5 and 6, 2012, in port Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Viet Nam: Not the City We Knew

Welcome to the NEW Saigon (HCMC)

The Port of Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is located about four hours up the Saigon River from its mouth on the South China Sea near Vung Tau . The Silver Whisper made this river transit in the early- morning hours of March 5 and was docked in the Port of Saigon, near the old French Customs House (now the Ho Chi Minh Museum) by 8:00am. Since we were not going on tour, we had a leisurely breakfast. Then, we took the shuttle bus into the center of Saigon, known as District 1, and were deposited across the street from the Rex Hotel.

Port of Saigon, HCMC, Old French Customs House

We had hoped to walked around the area and visit old haunts from the 1990s; however, it did not take us long to discover that they were either gone or under renovation. Gone were E's favorite dressmaker, and under renovation were both of our favorite coffee houses. After taking some images of the HCMC City Hall and the newly-renovated Opera House, we walked down Dong Khoi Street, did a little shopping, and went into the Majestic Hotel for a Vietnamese coffee and cake. The Majestic Hotel, which dates to the French Colonial Period, has been totally refurbished as it was in 1900. It is like walking into a scene from the movie "IndoChine." The coffee was, at best, so-so, but the setting was airconditioned wonderful.

Ho Chi Minh City, City Hall

HCMC City Hall with National Bird (T-Head Crane)

Saigon Opera House

Walking around HCMC in mid-day, 90 plus degree F heat was proving a bit much, so we headed for the restaurant where we were to meet JoAnn, Danny, and 7 other members of the bridge corps for a Vietnamese lunch. The restaurant, Temple Club, so named because it is across the street from HCMC's Hindu temple, was selected by JoAnn on the basis of internet research. It post dates J & E's days in HCMC. It is located in a portion of a former Chinese merchant's mansion that was probably built in the early 1900s. The interior portion used by the Temple Club has been restored, and it is like walking into a cool, quiet sanctuary with food and drink after the hot, noisy, crowded streets of central HCMC.

After the other bridge corps members arrived, we were seated at a long table in a private dining room. Menus were passed out, but after a scan by the corps, it was decided that JoAnn and J would order for everyone, which they did with abandon! By J's count, 14 dishes (2 of each dish) were ordered, including land snails, calamari, pumpkin soup, lotus salad, lemon grass chicken, steamed fish, etc. etc., plus wine, beer and soft drinks. The food was delicious and plentiful. After this, dessert was in order for all, with Vietnamese coffee. Actually, some of us, who will remain nameless, had two, or maybe three desserts. And, what did this feast fit for the Imperial Court at Hue cost each of us?? -- US$31.00, including drinks and service charge. There is no better dining experience than an excellent meal, well served and modestly priced.

After lunch, we walked back to the shuttle bus station and waited for our 15-minute ride back to the Port of Saigon. We boarded the Silver Whisper for a short, post-feast lie down in our suite.

The early evening was a World Cruise Event --Vietnamese Cultural Impression at the Saigon Opera House. The Opera House was designed in the 1890s by French architect Ferret Eugene, and had been a focus of French culture during the French rule in IndoChina. During the late 1990s, the Opera House had been closed and appeared nearly direlict in 1995, but it was under restoration by 1998. J & E had never had the opportunity to see a performance in the Opera House nor the interior of the building, as restorations were not completed until after they had departed HCMC.

About 6:00pm, we boarded the ever-present tourist bus and drove into Central HCMC to be deposited on the steps of the Opera House, where we were greeted by traditional drumming and young Vietnamese dancers in ao dai (traditional dress). Then, we were given pupus in the foyer that surrounds the hall and stage. After about an hour of eating and chatting, we were escorted into the theater itself. It is totally restored with velvet-covered seats, marble floors, and with plaster bas relief of cherubs, etc. The authorities in their infinite wisdom decided to install a modern, highly-amplified sound system, which was probably not only unnecessary but totally disruptive of the natural acoustics designed into the hall when it was originally built. The theater holds about 400 persons, so our 50 plus guests appeared a little lost there.

Welcome to the Saigon Opera House

J & E at the Opera

Who is happy and who is not!
Photo by Norman Rafelson, Hotel Director

Refurbished Interior of the Saigon Opera House

The performance itself featured a traditional orchestra, beautiful Vietnamese dancers in traditional costumes, and instrumental soloists. All selections were dumbed down for the western tourists, who probably were perceived by the Vietnamese as incapable of understanding or sitting still through a full-on, traditional, Vietnamese orchestral and folk-dancing concert. The result of the dumbing down was a performance that seemed amateurish. A Master of Ceremonies, whose imitation of an American MC, complete with bad jokes, only made things worst. All-in-all, a potentially elegant, cross-cultural experience was reduced to a series of tired cliches, with little content of merit. Also, the music blared through an over-amped sound system and clashed with the building's acoustics, making the performance almost painful to listen to. Finally, after an hour and 30 minutes, we escaped the theater and were back on the buses for the return to the ship. We never thought that we would ever be glad to get on a tourist bus, but we were after this event!

Stage and Dancers -- Apologies for the Large Objects Blocking View

The morning of March 6 proved bright and sunny, with temperatures in the 90 degree F plus range. J and E decided that since they had not booked any tour, or had any specific reason to go back into the city, they would stay aboard and enjoy a leisurely day without the heat, noise and crowds of central HCMC. Lazy, very lazy! This decision was reinforced by the Silver Whisper's early 3:30pm departure from HCMC. Since it was 11:00am before we were even organized to think about going ashore, our lack of interest was reinforced by the short time left.

3:30pm came and passed, and we did not sail. The Captain announced an undefined technical problem had to be resolved before we could depart. It was 5:00pm before we actually sailed. (The choice of sailing at 5:00pm was reinforced by the port rule that no ships, except container ships, may begin transit of the Saigon River after 5:00pm, and the thought of spending twelve more hours tied up in Saigon harbor probably did not appeal to the Captain.) With the assistance of a tug, we turned 180 degrees in the middle of the Saigon River and started the long 4-hour transit downriver to the South China Sea at Vung Tau.

Traditional Rice Barge -- Saigon River

Port of Saigon, Saigon River View

Our transit downriver revealed the great size of HCMC, which spreads along the Saigon River for much of the first 20 miles. The river scene gives one a view of new buildings, port facilities and bridges that have been constructed in the last few years. As darkness settled, we gave up sightseeing from our cabin patio and went to a special dinner for World Cruisers on the pool deck at the Hot Rocks Cafe. (Hot Rocks is a self-cooking experience on super-heated, granite rocks, not an activity much favored by J & E. Self-cooking is NOT why we go on cruise ships.) From the Pool Deck, we could still watch the lights of the towns and ships, as we finished the long river transit and turned north northwest toward Hong Kong and the land of the Dragon Throne.