WOW! We just got back from an amazing two week adventure through Asia!!
I know Mike had his hesitations initially agreeing to get on a SHIP and cruise through the China Sea......but I'm sure after all our experiences on this trip it was worth the wait!
We enjoyed 9 days in ports of calls, and 4 days at sea for some family fun.
We started our trip traveling from Tokyo to Singapore the day before our cruise embarkation!
Both Mike and I have (separately) been to Singapore.....but it is a country that offers so much to see and do......a few trips help cover it all! This time around we explored a bit on foot! Enjoyed a dinner at the hawker food stalls for amazing Chicken Rice, visited the Botanical Gardens (a Unesco World Heritage Site), and had Singapore Slings at the famous Raffles Hotel Bar .
I told the girls to pose like the painting......Abby won....I think.....Maybe Maddy was in deep thought or trying to do her pose?!? I'm not sure
On our second day in Singapore we were able to embark onto the cruise ship! But it didn't leave port for another 30 hours! This is our first cruise photo from the balcony of our room flanked by the Singapore skyline with the Marina Bay Sands Hotel!
First day on the ship, swimming! Port days were the only days the pool wasn't sloshing around!
Mornings on the high seas enjoying our balcony! Warm, breezy, delightful!
Mike and I enjoyed a wine tasting event on our first "at sea" day in the wine bar room! The solo time on this trip was well balanced with all the family time!
The girls on a fancy night! We had 3 fancy nights of our 12 nights on the ship.
This BIG kid ordered off the adult menu in the main dining room EVERY SINGLE NIGHT!
She enjoyed everything from Salmon, to steak, pasta with prawns and lobster!! Maddy on the other hand didn't even need to tell the waiter her order-----Mac and Cheese every night.....Ugh.....
Mike and I attended the entertainment show every night of the cruise! We loved it all! And Abby joined us in the theater for a couple of them. Maddy refused! Her intentions were 100% to spend every waking second at the kids club! Even skipping dessert some nights to head up for the fun!
Our first port of call was Bangkok, Thailand
Our ports were 2-3 hours from the city center, so there was a drive to the sights, but it didn't damper the trip at all. In fact the time was well spent getting a history from our guides on the countries we were visiting. Our main sight for the day was the Grand Palace, where the most recent King of Thailand is currently laying in state after his death the end of this past year.
Homes on the riverbank as we approached Bangkok city
The girls were like mini celebrities and posed with a handful of other foreigners!
Boat ride we took along the river at the Grand Palace
Wat Arun-- Temple of Dawn
Rubbed the Buddha belly for good luck on our next orders
Day 2 in Bangkok--Pattaya!
Visited the Sanctuary of Truth
and
Pattaya Floating Market
We were VERY weary of what NOT to eat to keep healthy on this trip.......so fried scorpions were out
The girls enjoyed fried sticky rice on a stick
Views inside the floating market
Next port call-- Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
We took a tour to the Cu Chi Tunnels-- the site where the Vietnamese fought during the war
It wasn't until we were on the tour bus that Mike found out they have a shooting range where he could shoot an AK-47--highlight of his day (or week) for sure!
Posing with Ho Chi Minh
The motorbike scene in Vietnam was overwhelming. 60+% of residents ONLY own a motorbike for transportation. It felt like 1 car for every 100 bikes. Rules.......of the road did not seem very evident.
Next port of call--- Danang, Vietnam
We took a tour to learn about the history!
View from our bus ride into Hoi An
Endless rice fields
Endless propaganda signs
First stop was a local village to see how they live
Luckily their stomachs are accustomed to meat that sits out in the heat all day
We stopped at a silk factory in Hoi An. I was able to get a nice locally made table runner as a souvenir!
Hoi An was the cutest Vietnamese town. Full of color and history
Street food we passed on our way to our restaurant lunch
Japanese covered bridge in Hoi An
Last stop of the day, China Beach in Danang
This has a lot of history for Mike, as these are the same shores his dad served on many years ago in the Air Force
So many amazing family memories!!!
Cruising with older kids is just perfect.
So much freedom and flexibility
Our 12 night cruise had 3 "fancy" nights. Although it took some strategizing in our small stateroom to get us all showered and dressed at the end of many long days, the girls put up with my "matchy" requests.
The girls preferred the kids club over time with us on the ship more often than not.
We only had 4 "at sea" days between port calls, so we got some good solo time.
Kids club put on a cute mini talent show. Maddy told us she volunteered to tell riddles!
Last port of call---- Hong Kong! Pulling in on our second to last day!
Maddy made me a fun breakfast that morning as the ship docked in HK.
The food was one of their highlights for sure.
Since the girls were so well behaved and put up with our many adult centered outings for the entire trip........we treated them to Disney as a reward on our last full day. We took a bus from the ship to a train station......and 45 min on 3 trains to Disney! The things we do for fun!!
Post Disney.....last night on the ship! Hong Kong skyline from our stateroom balcony.
On our disembarkation day, we booked a half day tour of a few sights in Hong Kong, then headed to the airport.
Took a Sampan boat ride of the fishing boat harbor.
This trip will definitely be one for the record books!
And we are all excited for our next cruise..........hmmmm where next?!!!!
