Whispering sweet nothings.

[love_the_life]

Hope T2 is feeling better with the antibiotics you managed to find. It must be a shocker of an infection to lay him low for so long.

 

[turtlemichael]

Hope T2 is feeling better with the antibiotics you managed to find. It must be a shocker of an infection to lay him low for so long.

Thanks love_the_life. He is feeling a lot better but with the lingering cough and now out of quarantine. It is a very nasty bug and a good number are down with it. We were told yesterday that at that point 12 were in quarantine including some crew.

 

[turtlemichael]

A birthday dinner last night at La Dame restaurant on board Silver Whisper. This morning we think we may have overdone it a smidgen.

Foie Gras


Lobster


Porcini Soup


Duck


Lamb


Grand Marnier Souffle

 

[turtlemichael]

I've slipped behind a bit because we have been busy enjoying a few days off the ship. Normal reception has now been resumed and, as we have a couple of sea days ahead of us, I'll now get down to it and catch up.

Day 49 Feb 24 Keelung Taiwan

Keelung is the port for Taipei, 20 or 30 kilometres away. Our plan had been not to take an organised tour but do some wandering, shopping and dumpling hunting after getting the train into Taipei. We have been here before and had seen the essential sights - Chaing Kai-shek's tomb, the magnificent National Museum full of the treasures CKS spirited from the mainland when he fled, and the Sun Yat-sen memorial, among others.

After a look at the weather (heavy rain, temperatures around 10C and wind) we thought better of even that plan and decided to have a ship day and hold ourselves for the joys of Japan in the days ahead. As a consequence the photos through the rain are all taken from the ship.


Rather than dumplings for lunch it was fresh cooked pasta.

 

[turtlemichael]

I'm dashing to post while the internet on this ship seems to be working, albeit glacially!
​

Day 52 Feb 27 Osaka

After two days at sea we reached Osaka full of anticipation as this was to be the highlight of the cruise for us. We were to have a couple of days off the ship to visit Nara and Kyoto, leaving in Osaka and rejoining in Tokyo. Us and 170 of our dearest friends.


But first it was to be a bit of exploration of the area near the port. We've stayed in Osaka a couple of times but never in the port area.


View attachment 156160
The fire department welcomed us.
View attachment 156162
Tempazon Ferris Wheel. At 112.5 metres tall it was once the largest, and remains one of the largest, in the world.
View attachment 156164
Ought to be more of these around the world.
View attachment 156167
The guy with his mouth open was impressed. He should be good for a decent tip!
​

 

[turtlemichael]

I had awful problems with the ship's internet yesterday. Hence the shemozzle of a post above. I'll hope for better luck today.

 

[Pushka]

I had awful problems with the ship's internet yesterday. Hence the shemozzle of a post above. I'll hope for better luck today.

Please dont feel at all stressed/pressured in having to do the TR - just enjoy and update when it totally suits you to do so!

 

[drron]

I think the internet onboard when there are large groups on board getting complimentary premium wifi is always going to be a problem.On our Muse cruise there was a group of 74 who were doing the "grand Asian Cruise."All got complimentary premium wifi.plus all those with silver suites or above-and there are a lot of those on the Muse.
We found the best internet was on port days when we were off the ship for less than half a day and most others were out on tours.Internet speed sometimes got to Medium on the ship's rating.

 

[turtlemichael]

I think the internet onboard when there are large groups on board getting complimentary premium wifi is always going to be a problem.On our Muse cruise there was a group of 74 who were doing the "grand Asian Cruise."All got complimentary premium wifi.plus all those with silver suites or above-and there are a lot of those on the Muse.
We found the best internet was on port days when we were off the ship for less than half a day and most others were out on tours.Internet speed sometimes got to Medium on the ship's rating.

We have 240 world cruisers with included "premium" internet. Add in a number more for one reason or another. The hotel director is being bombarded with complaints so one lives in hope that one day they will do something about it.

 

[turtlemichael]

In Osaka, we visited the Minato Sumiyoshi-jinja Shinto Shrine dating from 1842. The Shinto priest was very gracious in showing us around. The blossom is plum, one of the first of the spring. Cherry blossom is still a couple of weeks away.

 

[turtlemichael]

Nara was once, like Osaka and Kyoto, the capital of Japan. It is now a tourist mecca with deer having the free run of the place. Our guide warned us not to step on the little black "stones" everywhere. These pics are from the Kasuga Taisha Shinto Shrine.

 

[turtlemichael]

Day 53 Feb 27 Nara.

The Nara Todai-ji Buddhist Temple was popular with visitors and deer! The deer seem to bow to you, like the courteous Japanese, but apparently it is only a preliminary appraisal to smell if you have food.

 

[turtlemichael]

Now it's on to Kyoto for a two night stay at the Hyatt Regency and lots of touring. I rate the hotel highly. It had great beds and a warm toilet seat. We had a dinner in the ballroom accompanied by geisha and music. It was all impressive.

 

[turtlemichael]

Day 54 Feb 28 Kyoto

After all the rain yesterday, the first full day in Kyoto started bright and cloudy but with the promise of sunshine later. And there are no deer. We headed off to Konkai Komyouji Temple for a bit more of the cultural immersion. (I remember when we took my parents around Europe on a driving holiday many years ago and my father made the comment "I've definitely seen more cathedrals than pubs" - I'm beginning to know what he was on about). This one however was great fun - a tea ceremony and a calligraphy lesson included. We also all got into kiminos (male version) but there'll be no pictures of that!

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

Love the hot toilet seat and the tea ceremony is lovely as long as you dont have to drink the green tea !!!

 

[love_the_life]

Love the hot toilet seat and the tea ceremony is lovely as long as you dont have to drink the green tea !!!

I quite like the Matcha tea though it is very grassy in flavour.

 

[turtlemichael]

Love the hot toilet seat and the tea ceremony is lovely as long as you dont have to drink the green tea !!!

I quite like the Matcha tea though it is very grassy in flavour.

I was thinking washing up liquid.

 

[turtlemichael]

On a busy day (Day 54) we also visited the impressive and graceful Nijo-jo Castle in Kyoto. There was no photography allowed inside.

 

[turtlemichael]

For lunch we went to the Sodo Restaurant, a fusion type place which prepared a light and tasty meal for us. There was plenty of sake to go round. T2 loves it but I'm not a great fan. As well, as you see all over the tourist areas of Kyoto, there were literally hundreds of geishas. In fact they are not dinki-di geishas but Japanese tourists who have hired the outfit for their visit. You even see geisha families and geisha babies! I'm not sure there is an Australian equivalent.

 

[love_the_life]

I was thinking washing up liquid.

Never! As part of the ceremony it is wonderful.