I'm still suffering from jet lag. 24 hours in flight. Ugh!
DH loved Singapore. It is clean, safe and modern. The architecture is amazing. He wallowed in gardens and parks. We were given a fabulous room in the Swissotel Merchant Court. It was a tower room with a 180 degree view of Singapore's most prestigious night spot, right across the river. (Clarke's Quay) At night the music, lights and laughter of the young people drifted across to our room. Very romantic! The pool featured a waterfall. Gorgeous, and within our budget!
Downside of Singapore is that civil rights are non-existent. There is a huge sign at the airport that states "Drug dealers will be executed". and they aren't kidding. Just having chewing gum is illegal. Littering, jaywalking, things we regard as minor infractions, are severely punished,. often with caning! If you can follow their rules, you will have a great time, but if you can't, don't go!
The Sapphire Princess is a beautiful ship, and our mini-suite was amazing. DH was happy that he could watch Asia CNN (groan!) to his heart's content. Seas were calm, and weather was good if you can stand heat and humidity. What a contrast to Colorado weather! Princess has new desserts, courtesy of Ghiradelli chocolate. Yum! This is the first time I have been on a cruise where Americans and Canadians were in the minority. Most of the passengers were Australian, Chinese (Hong Kong), British, and Russian. At dinner we were always seated with English speakers. I met a lot of interesting people.
We visited Thailand (Bangkok and Kosumui) and Indonesia (Jakarta, Bali, Komodo, and Lombock). It wasn't long enough! I really wish I had more time in Bali. Their culture is very different from the rest of Indonesia, being primarily Hindu instead of Muslim. There was a dress code, which I am sorry to say, many of the Australian passengers flagrantly ignored. Sad. I was careful that my shoulders and knees were always covered, in deference to local custom. The best show was a group of children doing tradition Balinese dance and gamelon. The little boys played beautiful traditional music, and - bring young - giggled and teased each other after each number. No way could my former students have performed that well! The little girls were amazing, too. Later, on board ship, we saw a professional troupe perform.
DH went to Komodo island at 6:00 AM. I stayed in bed. He got wonderful pictures and videos of the dragons, and he is very happy.
What did I buy? Mostly gifts for family. I bought a Chinese New Year suit for my grandson in Singapore. Chinese New Year is Feb. 19, and the town is already decorated for it, just like we decorate for Christmas. They even have New Year greeting cards. A silk kimono for DD, a batik shirt for SIL, and a carved dragon flute for DS. I bought two batik pillow covers for ME for the living room, and a handwoven scarf for the dining room table. Outrageous Indian jewelry bought in Singapore. Our fanciest white bridal gowns pale beside their traditional bridal costumes! WOW! Talk about bling!
Glad to be home. My cat is still all over us, purring and rubbing. Seeing impoverished conditions in Thailand and Indonesia does make me appreciate what we have here. There is no regular trash disposal in most of Indonesia. They just dump it on the side of the road. I actually have some altitude readjustment to go through, after three weeks at sea level. I'm dizzy and thirsty. It will soon pass. I can't believe I was lucky enough to do this!
