Cruise 15...Mariner of The Seas

February 8th, 2018...Thailand & Vietnam

Steven joins us for our first time to Asia!

Singapore

Phu My (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam

Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand

Lady and The Pirate were back on Mariner of The Seas, but this time they were joined by Steven Blair for one of the best cruises they've ever had!

There were a lot of firsts on this cruise for Lady and The Pirate. It was their first trip to Asia and specifically, Singapore, a place Lady and The Pirate could make a case for being their favorite place in the world. Singapore is clean and beautiful. The people are friendly and the food might be the best Lady and The Pirate have ever had. They spent a couple of days there before the cruise and really just touched a small part of the city nation. Much of that is captured in the many photos below. About the only negative thing is how long it takes to get there. It is by far, Lady and The Pirate's longest flight to date, at over 17 hours.

Changi Airport was the first spectacular thing Lady and The Pirate saw in Singapore. There are airports, and then there is Changi Airport, an airport so fantastic it could be the destination all on its own. The second note below will give you more insight into some of the sights like the Enchanted Garden or the koi farm. Lady and The Pirate highly recommend you sculpt out some time there next time you have a chance.

The Pan Pacific Hotel was beautiful and even had interior glass elevators. The Mai Tai's were delicious as well as the food. Interestingly enough, Mandarin is widely spoken in Singapore. Lady and The Pirate often overheard it. But English is the official language. While in Singapore, Lady and The Pirate, along with Steven took in as much as possible. There are a few to-dos you must do while in Singapore. One is to Visit Marina Bay Sands and check out the infinity pool. Another must do is to visit the Gardens By The Bay, located directly behind it. Satay Street has to be on your list if you're foodies like Lady and The Pirate. You might also want to grab a Singapore Sling at the bar where it was born, the Long Bar at Raffles Hotel. Sentosa Island offers up Universal Studios theme park for the adventurous, and Singapore even has one of the tall ferris wheels now becoming ubiquitous in the larger cities. For those that appreciate Eastern religions, don't miss the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in Chinatown of Singapore. The shopping is high end in Singapore and you won't find a safer city to explore. Finally, don't forget to snap a couple of pictures with one of Singapore's Merlions. The most famous one is by the bay and you can't miss it. For more on the Singapore Merlion, click HERE.

Singapore was certainly an Asian city, but when Lady and The Pirate got to Vietnam, they were completely out of their element. Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, used to be the capital of South Vietnam before unification after the end of the Vietnam war. Ho Chi Minh City is vibrant and a bit scary to navigate, given so many scooters and the rapid means of getting around a hectic city. It made Lady Michelle very nervous. The Pirate was amazed at how much stuff one driver could carry on one scooter. It was incredible to watch.

Bangkok was certainly the highlight of the cruise. Lady Michelle's goal was to see The Reclining Buddha, but along the way there were so many more fascinating finds. The Grand Palace was amazing with all its architecture and statues, especially of The Buddha, but Wat Saket Temple was also amazing. Lady and The Pirate, along with Steven, also visited a temple made completely out of wood, including the statues and ornate carvings, The Sanctuary of Truth. To top it all off, the private guide Lady and The Pirate hired took them to a private wedding reception and got them in to view the city at the top of a high-rise. There are certainly some places where a private guide is worth all the money. Bangkok was one of them. The guide made sure that Lady and The Pirate saw as much as possible at the best times possible. He even took them to eat at a local restaurant and helped them order. The Temple of the Reclining Buddha, or officially, Wat Pho, is often so packed it's hard to get a good picture. But not when the guide took Lady and The Pirate there. It was just before closing time and it felt like Lady Michelle has The Reclining Buddha all to herself. It was amazing.

Notes on this cruise:

1. The flight time from San Francisco to Singapore was 17 hours and 25 minutes. It is an odd feeling to see the sun rise and set on a single flight. Tuesday, February the 6th, came and went while in the air.

2. Changi Airport serves more than 100 airlines flying to 400+ cities in 100+ countries. Of its four terminals (soon to be five), one can spend more than a day inside. For a complete picture of it, check out this article by Travel and Leisure HERE.

3. Lady and The Pirate spent time in Singapore before and after this cruise. The weather after the cruise was much better and that's when most of the pictures were taken.