Author Archives: whiteduck

About whiteduck

I am an artist and self-employed web designer.

Saturday, Mariner of the Seas

Saturday is a day at sea. The Internet is very poor so I was unable to load this post immediaately and I am doing the posts offline. There are a lot of activities to join in but today we went to Trivia in the Schooner Bar 3 times!!! No winnings, not even a plastic yellow highlighter! Also attended a lecture about the history of Ho Chi Minh City. Walked around the ship in between eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was a formal night and most people gathered for party before dinner in the main mall with the captain giving a welcoming speech. There are apparently over 500 Australians on board.

Paul getting drinks on the formal night

Captain’s speech

partying in the mall

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leaving Singapore on Mariner of the Seas

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We did get to Singapore against all odds, including repacking my case at 4am the morningwe were leaving. Today we entered Mariner of the Seas, a massive cruise ship with 14 levels and about 3500 people on board. We are travelling with Inny (Paul’s sister) and her husband Ian with cabins close to each other on deck 10. The view from the balcony is on the starboard side and is fantastic to look out at sea. Thanks go to Inny and Ian for Paul’s birthday celebrations for 2016 (turning 60!!!) We spent the time before departure checking out the levels – it is astonishing what this vessel holds but I think a big water slide going down from top to bottom could be an interesting addition. Ian showed us around the ship because they are seasoned cruisers so it was great to get his information about cruising ( us being first-timers).

Ian and Paul on our tour of the ship

There is a shopping mall inside selling jewellery,perfume, leather goods, watches, wine and so on.

Inny and Paul in the mall

It’s blowing a gale outside as we cross towards Vietnam but you wouldn’t know it!!!

looking to Singapore

floor decoration

inside the ship

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last day in Istanbul

Saturday 10 October

Our last day in Turkey and the news shows a suicide bomber killed around 100 people at the train station in the capital Ankara. So sad and terrible for Turkey. We took ourselves to the Spice market and tasted some more Turkish delight – pomegranite with pistachios. We had delicious pide for lunch, bought some tea to bring home as well as some small presents.

the Spice Market

Then we found the stairs to the Rustem Pasha Mosque which is a very small mosque with beautiful blue tiles and only one minaret. Although smaller than the other mosques we had seen, it had a certain special feel, possibly due to its position in the Spice Market and the blue tiles. Then back to the hotel, another great dinner in one of the restaurants near the hotel and then to the airport for our flight home.