Hello Everyone. The adventure begins, going to 10 different Countries 19 different ports, most with 2 and 3 day stays for 66 days. I'm sharing this with my friends and family. I am posting photos and descriptions along the journey. This is a dream trip for me. Traveling is in my blood.
Manila, Philippines - 2 Days
I'm staying at the 4 star Savoy Manila, It is very upscale and located in a very fancy American area about 3 blocks by 3 blocks. This Area is were the Foreign travelers stay. Lots of security guards everywhere. There is a US Airforce golf course a few blocks from my hotel. Everyone I've run into speaks English and all signage is in Philippine and English. Locals are very friendly and speak in a lower volume. Just a few blocks away the area is third world poverty.
The currency is very colorful and you feel rich with so many zeros, but 1000 pesos is equal to $18 US dollars. This area is full of American Fast food restaurants. KFC sells spaghetti, McDonals sells Curry chicken on rice. Every meal in Philippines comes with a side of steamed rice including breakfast. I had sushi and tempura bento box for dinner and Popeyes for lunch. Many of the airport employees come through here and stop on the way home to eat. Many of the employees and locals are in their 20s and the women are very attractive and well dressed. This area has some art deco buildings.
My First Cabin - Day 1 to Day 32
After a day in Manila, I made it to the ship and moved into my first cabin for 33 days. We have been keeping up with the weather reports and a Typhoon was coming to Manila with a Second Typhoon close behind. Everything worked out and I made it on the ship. My room has a big window and a king size bed. The ship is very upscale. My room has a lot of storage.
Another angle photo of my room. We thought we would have another 2 days in Manila, so we went out bike shopping. Philippines has the best shopping and best prices in Asia. Roxanne, Patricia and I went bike shopping for folding bicycles that would fit under our beds and we were very successful. About 5pm we got an alert from the ship that we were leaving a day early because of the storm. We had seen a lot of crazy Manila traffic while bike shopping but missed most of the historic sites.
The dining room has incredible views and is open for lunch on sea days and every evening. I like the buffet because it's easy and more food chooses. Also the buffet has outdoor seating with great views as well. The pool deck has 2 pools and 2 jacuzzis, a sports bar and lots of covered and uncovered seating.
The rain stopped so I could get a good picture of the pickle ball court for my friend Chickie.
We had two days at sea because of the storm but traveled around it to stay in calm seas. Last night they had a welcome aboard party for all the newbies and the captain and cruise director spent 10 minutes talking to each new guest. They have many activities on sea days and I'm learning how to play bridge. We will be arriving at our first island later this morning. The weather has cleared and we will be heading to the beach.
Boracay Island, Philippines - 2 Days
Before arriving in Boracay we were escorted by the Philippine Coast Guard. The were also looking for Chinese Navy vessels.
We arrived at Boracay and we are using two of the lifeboats to tender into shore.
We are headed to the dock,the coast and water is beautiful.
There are many different types of boats in the harbor area.
They have local people greeting us in costumes at some of the stops with dancing and music.
I took a tour of the island, with local transportation, saw multiple beaches, and found that White Beach is a very long stretch with very white sand and blue water. I heard later it is rated one of the top 10 beaches in the world.
I found a little tiki bar to have a couple of San Miguel beers next to White beach. They have a law that smoking and alcohol is not allowed on the beach itself and the beach is very clean and trash free.
White beach has a famous catholic shrine at the waters edge.
The palm trees are crazy tall and loaded with giant coconuts. The power and cable poles in the Philippines are a little wild, we saw some in Manila that had 4 times this many wires, but this gets the point across.
D*Mall is a collection of shops, restaurants, bars located on White Beach and is the happening place on the island. They have every kind of food you want, and some of the passengers I was with were thrilled to go to a Mexican restaurant (not common in Asia). The locals are so nice here.
D*Mall was loaded with places to temp me and I took advantage.Mangos are big deal here so I had to get the Mango dessert. A coconut milkshake topped with real mango and then topped with mango ice cream.
The local transportation in the Philippines vary from island to island, the TUKTUK trikes are the very popular taxi and a cheap way to get around on the smaller islands and the Jeepney buses are in the bigger cities. The Jeepneys where originally created from left over WW2 jeeps but they are now a vehicle all their own and some are very elaborate.
Here's the last lifeboat returning to the ship before we depart.
Puerto Princesa, Philippines - 2 Days
We had a great guide Mia, it was a 2 hour journey through the tropical mountain roads to the Underground River. Then a boat ride to the cave entrance and onto a small boat into the cave river. We were warned not to smile or show your teeth to the monkeys. Also the monkeys will steal items you are holding if you are not paying attention. Our guide is only about 4 feet tall.
Here we are with our hard hats on heading for cave.
A three foot long monitor lizard did not seems concerned about our presence.
The boat ride down the coast was nice and the area is a tropical jungle. The water is crystal clear.
This is the boat which got our party of six to the national park beach located near the river.
The cave entrance is behind me. We had to wear hard hats on the Cave boat ride. While on the 1st boat ride Laura brought to my attention I was sitting in the senior citizen seat.
After the River Cave we stopped at this spectacular resort in the middle of nowhere to have lunch, it was surrounded by mountains and a beautiful beach
Hotel owner or manager greeted us, and invited usto tour resort after buffet lunch.
This is what a Polynesian Resort should really look like.
This real pretty hotel front desk girl was showing us the resort.
After visiting the Underground River our driver stopped to show us a location where they filmed 2 episodes of the Amazing Race. They were harvesting rice and there is a cave in this mountain we did not see.
The Jubilee Church is the main structure in town and it can be seen from the ship. No doors and enormous inside.
Little city bus hiding in the shade. It holds about 8 passengers in the back.
A World War Two memorial museum where US solders were held prisoner by Japan until the US captured Philippines.
While out riding our new folding bikes we found a pool hall and played pool and drank the Strong local beer called Red Horse. The owners, an older couple, watched over the place while we and some of the local teens enjoyed shooting pool. The teens were polite and well mannered.
Cebu, Philippines - 2 Days
We arrived in Cebu City and they took us to the mall. I then bicycled to the old Fort San Pedro.
The north end of Cebu was where the 6.9 earthquake happened. Cebu City was spared.
The fort and Cebu are celebrating 400 years of OAR
This mall entrance has a giant Santa welcoming you. Christmas is a 4 month long ordeal here and Christmas music is playing in many places this is the largest mall I have ever been to and is really modern and they sell everything here. There are at least 5 car dealers with stores. The mall is 4 stories tall
The I STORE is the malls Apple Store. This mall is huge and there are about 20 electronics stores.
If you were wandering where to get some Kenny Rodgers Chicken, I know the place. Dairy Queen was busy. They have just about every American store plus so many more. I ate at a Thai and a Japanese restaurant. The grocery store on the 1st floor is almost the size of a Super Walmart store.
Before the giant grocery store opened, we got to see the cashiers doing their morning stretch dance.
Bonny one of the cabin owners and myself took afternoon trip by taxi up in the mountains to see Sirao Gardens and The Temple of Leah.
The Garden park had many walking paths with spectacular flowers. Bonny and I shared a cab from town, We paid the driver to stay and b ring us back afterwards. Its was a hour each way, so he was with us for about 3 1/2 hours for 2000 pesos including tip($38 US)
I have friends in High Places. We are way up in the mountains. It took us a hour by taxi from Cebu City.
One of the people from our cruise ship climbed up in one of the tree houses for a picture.
Peter and Bonny in the Gardens
This is the Temple of Leah. A monstrosity of extreme wealth celebrating a guy's wife of many years.
This place is on the top of a mountain and is has great views of the city way below.
These pictures don't do it justice. It is extreme.
This is a painting of Leah when she was young.
This place was loaded with statues and other art work to excess.
One of the many rooms full of artwork and antiques. The display of wealth and the surrounding poverty of the island is a little shocking.
Ternate, Indonesia - 1 Day
Not the Island we were originally scheduled for but it was now our first stop in Indonesia. A small island with a very large active volcano that last erupted in 2014. The top 1/3 of the volcano is covered in clouds. Many of the surrounding islands are volcanos. Only one cruise ship arrived on this island last year and we are onlythe 3rd cruise ship to visit this year.
A view of the port area from the ship. It has many mosques and most buildings are wood frame.
This is the islands Sultans Palace is is their King/Royal Family. This is a nice but small local residence.
I'm at the first fort built when the Portuguese took the island in the 1500s. The shape of the fort is unique and humorous when viewed from the sky. Lets say it's anatomically correct. This was brought to our attention by our tour guide. Most of the people are muslim and some women wore head covering but the clothes were not that different from us.
This is a fort built by the Dutch after they took over the island from the Portuguese and built this to protect the valuable spices. The governors house was next to it and very fortified storage for spices.
This small Island is one of the very famous Spice Islands. Made famous by the Portuguese and Dutch back in the 1500s and 1600s. These spices were traded like currency in Europe at that time and considered rare. This is fresh Nutmeg. They produce some of the world's best nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and other spices. The tour guide stopped and pick one off of a tree to show us.
I went to the ATM to get some Indonesian cash and I took out 1.5 million Indonesian Rupiahs which is US $90 since we will return to Indonesia in about a week. I went to a local store and spent 20,000 on a Coke Zero and a big bag of local Cheetos. (about US $1.40). The fruit on the right is a local bread fruit.
The Kids were very friendly and the tour guide ask them if them minded being in a photo for us.
This is the main market, it goes back a long ways. Most of the locals are farmers. Not a Walmart. Few businesses take credit cards.
Colonia YAP, Micronesia - 2 Days
YAP Mens Meeting House Only Men are allowed to enter these buildings. The women have there own which are more open with more windows. The rules do favor the men and women on this island are not allowed to fish. This island is a NO SMOKING island.
The YAP Gas Station and Car repair center.
Our Kayak Tour Group
We went kayaking in the mangroves.
During the kayak tour a few of us saw this house sticking out of the jungle so we went over and took a few pictures.
Stone Money has real History here. I forget what the name of this plant is.
The Manta Ray Hotel is were we started most of our tours had a beautiful pool which some of my shipmates enjoyed.
The Manta Ray Hotel had and old ship that was attached to the back of it that is now a Restaurant and Bar. They served the island beer on tap and good food. You can see our ship The Odyssey in the background. The shot a real cannon to start happy hour. Very Loud.
Here we are sitting on the top deck having a few beers before heading out to explore the island.
The Island of YAP has a 20 MPH speed limit. Making it a good bicycling island. This is a local bus stop.
This is one of the Stone Money Banks. The stone money is very important to the YAP culture and is owned by the locals and ownership is recorded in public records. The money has value and the island traditions are still observed today. The have a big festival called YAP DAY every year and wear original native dress for the festival and yes some of the women are topless for the festival (see Youtube). I took my bike out on the second day and rode around the island to take pictures. Yap is my favorite stop so far.
This is what the very quiet roadways look like on much of the islands. This is not in front of a house or hotel etc. it is really this amazing.
YAP State Police Station and patrol car for a population of just over 4000. And the Yap Courthouse and Government center
YAP History Museum
The remains of a downed American Fighter plane which had a memorial to the pilot.
I passed this great photo opportunity on my bike ride around the island. Few cars on the island to compete with. Best Island so far.