Viking Cruise 2019

FEBRUARY 28, 2020 DARWIN, AUSTRALIA We all recognize that life is an adventure - there will be surprises. Coronavirus is an unexpected development and this voyage has already made adjustments. Further adjustments are possible, even likely, during the two months remaining on Viking's World Cruise.  At a time when authorities must be " seen to be doing something " about the chances of a pandemic, fear can provoke overreaction and more surprises. Karen and I have taken a cautionary attitude about how matters could evolve. We believe this is prudent. Consequently, we have decided to defer the remainder of this voyage to a later date.    With that in mind, a fitting tune is Sophie Zelmani's  " Going Home ". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrIG3K40-8A

FEBRUARY 27, 2020 CRUISING THE INDIAN OCEAN What can one say about just another sea day? Well, this evenings shrimp curry dish was the best meal I have had on the Viking Sun. So good that I ordered a second helping. That was dessert. I had intended to offer Kitaro's " Silk Road Theme " at a different time on this voyage but our route has changed. Enjoy this masterpiece now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMaupYWRMpE

FEBRUARY 26, 2020 THURSDAY ISLAND, AUSTRALIA Surprise - SUN. The weather forecast of thundershowers was dead wrong - who is this meteorologist? Arriving at Thursday Island ..... Temperature - 33; wind - still; humidity - a steamy 90%; sweat - profuse. Still, we didn't stay long in this seriously podunk town. A ten minute walk up and down the main drag is all there is, though presumably there are areas outside of town that might be interesting.    Thursday Island is a replacement stop, one seldom used by cruise lines due to the lack of worthwhile highlights as well as the long distance needed for tendering. In our case it was a matter of necessity, which explains why it was merely a six hour visit. When the SUN pulled up stakes, we passed a lighthouse guarding the harbour. Next stop - Darwin. David Friedman " For Erin ". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MFE_31LepI

FEBRUARY 25, 2020 CRUISING THE ARAFURA SEA We definitely are in the rainy season here. Despite heavy overcast, the sea is calm. There are a series of cyclones in this area to our west; if we are lucky we might skirt them. In the Southern Hemisphere, cyclones are simply tropical lows, not tornadoes, though they can develop into what we call hurricanes.  Looks like we will see little sun for the next several days. As Captain Lars continually reminds us, "it is what it is". A sound philosophy. This is what Windy.com has to say (show) about our current situation:  https://www.windy.com/-10.762/142.701?rain,-17.001,142.720,6 Pssst - increase the scope of your view with the mouse. Some people have indicated they they will be leaving Viking Sun in Darwin or Bali in light of the prevailing coronavirus threat, which makes this a sensible decision for people with respiratory issues or other medical conditions. This evening eight of us decided to secure a large table in the W...

FEBRUARY 24, 2020 TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA After being chased away from Airlie Beach by foul weather, it didn't get much better in Townsville. This is the view from Castle Hill on a sunny day.    This is what we saw today. Yes, it was raining. But that didn't stop us from visiting Billabong Sanctuary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L5lecwOP8Y It rained there too but we took pix of Karen and some of her friends. In addition to the koala and wombat above, we saw cassowary, emu, dingo, wallaby, crocodile, turtles, pademelon, echidna plus various types of birds, snakes and lizards. Quite a place!  BTW - Billabong   is an  Australian  term for an oxbow lake, an isolated pond left behind after a river changes course. Later we had a formal "tea" with good friends who were returning home to Victoria that evening.   Time to lighten things a bit. Once again Sophie Zelmani entertains us with one of her many vibrant tun...

FEBRUARY 23, 2020 AIRLIE BEACH, WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS, AUSTRALIA This is what we were hoping to see: Having already been to Airlie Beach several years ago in ideal conditions, Karen and I elected to take a four hour "Tropical Paradise Rain Forest Walk". But wait!. Before the Viking Sun even arrived at Airlie Beach this morning Captain Lars announced that the height of the sea swells would make tendering too difficult for passenger safety and the stop was cancelled. All things considered - the all-day rains, gusty winds, fog, 200-yard visibility and unfavourable swells, Lars's decision to cancel Airlie is the right one. So, the ship turned around and headed for Townsville. Too bad, so sad. Last evening we received an IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT from Viking Head Office. Since 14 Asian ports have been deleted from the itinerary, Viking will compensate all passengers in the form of a Future Cruise Voucher which can be used on any future Viking river or ocean voyage valid f...

FEBRUARY 22, 2020 CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA Oh, I forgot to mention yesterday that I found the coronavirus. It's at Cairns Botanic Garden and it's much larger than reported, about four inches across: Although it rained buckets this morning, the weather eventually improved so I could take this photo from the Viking Sun looking towards downtown. Moving to the other side of the ship, this is what the harbour looks like: As planned, we lunched at The Chambers again. Same wonderful meal. Nirvana. Bottom line - Cairns is a delightful, welcoming city. Karen and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and wish the ship could spend more time here. It is what it is. In 1785 Mozart composed his familiar Piano Concerto #21. Almost 200 years later, in 1967, a movie titled " Elvira Madigan " used Mozart's Concerto as its theme music. Ever since, Mozart's composition has been known as Elvira Madigan . Funny how that happens.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3QC4Uc...

FEBRUARY 21, 2020 CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA The daily news about Coronavirus has the planet astir. Fear is rampant and borders are closing. I reported to you previously the changes that were made to Viking Sun's current  itinerary. Now, more changes have come down from head office. We are losing Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Penang, Phuket, and Chennai, India. As replacements (unless further alterations are made) we will stop at Bali, Lonbok Indonesia, Semarang Java, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Mangalore, India. So much for the Far East! Arriving at Cairns (or "Cans" as Austrylyuns call it) Karen and I disembarked into 32 degree heat and 95% humidity, no breeze. It rained last night. Just walking along the boardwalk, the sweat pours down our backs (and fronts too). Tried soaking our feet in The Lagoon Pool (photo) but the water was about 30.  Fortunately it was still overcast so the posted "extreme" UV reading was not in full effect. We sur...

FEBRUARY 20, 2020 CRUISING THE CORAL SEA We are now in warmer climes and hundreds of miles from land, yet we are visited by dozens of Red-footed boobys (as opposed to the Blue-footed boobys) that fly mostly around the front end of the ship. But all that flapping is tiring so, naturally, they need a rest. And we all know what that means. But not all our visitors leave presents. This Flying Fish, for example. You might remember that while walking one morning in November I found two dead ones lying on the 2nd deck which is about 20 feet above the water. Today's lunch feature - chicken and shrimp fajitas. Very popular, but not as good as at Rubios in Palm Springs. Continuing with our focus on Canadiana, you might remember earlier in the trip, new age tune "New Day" by British Columbia-based Mythos . This time we hear " Dreams of Jade ". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNGDlHWJUH0

FEBRUARY 19, 2020 CRUISING THE CORAL SEA Sea days tend to be repetitive, not that that's a bad thing, but they offer little chance of photo ops for the blog. However, I did run into something worth relating: The Blonde Painter A blonde university student is on summer vacation and she is trying to earn money for tuition. She walks down a street and knocks on doors hoping to get small jobs. At one house a man answers and she tells him she will do any odd job he needs done. He considers this and asks her if she can paint. She replies, “Oh yes”. He asks what she will charge to paint the porch, thinking that painting the porch is an all day job, one job he has been avoiding. She says, “One hundred dollars”. He responds by offering 50 dollars. She hesitates and finally says, “The best I can do is 75 dollars”. They agree. So, he buys the paint and brushes and turns them over to her. Two hours later she knocks on the door and says, “I’m done”. Then she adds, “By the way...

FEBRUARY 18, 2020 NOUMEA, NEW CALEDONIA Viking Sun pulled away from the dock at noon while it rained. However, as we moved away from land the weather cleared and we passed one of the many uninhabited islands that surround Main Island (the main island). Sail and power boats often make day trips to these reefs and sandbars, especially those that provide some shade. When the ship was about 40 miles offshore we passed the last reef. Even from the ship's upper deck we couldn't see where the reef ended in the distance. As you might expect, the Coronavirus situation has spawned a host of rumours about where the Viking Sun is going or isn't going, and about which ports might soon be closed and alternative ports available. Wait and see, or wait at sea?  Early in this voyage you might have heard the theme song from "Cider House Rules" composed by Academy Award winner Rachel Portman. That song is one of the most beautiful ever composed. Here then, is her more co...

FEBRUARY 17, 2020 NOUMEA, NEW CALEDONIA (a French protectorate) If you have any preconceived notion that South Sea islands are tropical paradises full of palm trees and scented breezes, peopled by grass-skirted natives - fuggedaboudit!  Noumea (pop. 280,000) is representative - modern, busy, efficient and expanding rapidly (did I forget to say pricey?). New Caledonia has the second largest lagoon in the world, 24,000 square kilometers. The entire island is surrounded by a lagoon that comes right to the shore, unlike Australia's Great Barrier Reef that is offshore, sometimes as far away as 30 km. I chose Duck Island for my adventure which required a water taxi to reach. There were plenty of fish and live coral to make the viewing worthwhile but it was evident that bleaching of the coral is taking place. Tonight's dinner featured T-bone steaks that were 1.5 inches thick and 10 inches across. And these were prepared for a bunch of oldies who were intimidated by the v...

FEBRUARY 16, 2020 CRUISING THE CORAL SEA Besides the usual occupations that fill, and sometimes overflow, a sea day, this evening we had a special treat - Aria Award winning Patrick Roberts. He is a virtuoso violinist whose CV boasts sold our shows in Las Vegas and the Sydney Opera House. Wunderbar!    When he played solo it was magnificent. When the band accompanied him, the constant banging of the drummer created mayhem that destroyed Roberts's performance. Tragic! BTW - did you know that an electric violin is silent? The violinist wears an earpiece to tap into the electronic sound that is transmitted to the theatre speakers.    BTW2 - Aria Awards are the Australian Music Awards. As Viking Sun sails northward the temperature is getting noticeably warmer. Maybe we can cool things down a bit with  Suzanne Ciani's " Snow Crystals ". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjmp9clpW40

FEBRUARY 15, 2020 CRUISING THE CORAL SEA Well, well. This voyage is turning out to be more of an adventure than we expected. First, Viking Sun was detoured from Hong Kong to Singapore. Now we learn that the continuing spread of the Coronavirus in Singapore has placed that destination off limits, too. So instead of Singapore, this 4-week leg  of the cruise will end in Bali. We were quite eager to visit Singapore and see the amazing Gardens by the Bay. That's where the final scenes of the movie " Crazy Rich Asians " took place. The current schedule (it can change, of course) shows destinations Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia and Manila, Philippines being dropped and replaced by stops at Noumea, New Caledonia, Townsville, Queensland and Surabaya, Indonesia. It's all good. Ludovico Einaudi plays his " Divenire ". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1DRDcGlSsE

FEBRUARY 13, 2020 CRUISING TO BRISBANE Just another sea day.  If you've had a hard day and need a mental massage to soothe your mind, I've got just the tonic - Bernard Koch's " Poignant Memory ". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC1t23BzMc8&t=16s

FEBRUARY 14, 2020 BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA Awoke to a bright, sunny morning in a calm sea. Rows and rows of whitecaps on the port side - that must be the Great Barrier Reef. Looks encouraging for our upcoming arrival in Brisbane around noon despite a forecast of likely rain. And sure enough, it was a fine day, some cloud but warm throughout. After a belly-busting meat lovers pizza lunch Karen and I took a Brisbane River cruise. What we saw before getting on the boat and while we were on the river was impressive. Brisbane is a remarkable city - beautiful, clean, well planned and well governed, thriving and expanding rapidly. An A1 place to live. During the last 10 years Brisbane's skyline has skyrocketed; the tallest building is 90 stories (owned by a casino - no surprise). Skyscraper building cranes are in abundance. The residents don't live too shabby either. So, back to the ship with good memories of a place worth re-visiting. Today is Valentine's ...

FEBRUARY 12, 2020 SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA We had planned to take a train this morning to Hornsby about an hour out of Sydney - it was supposed to be a serendipitous mystery tour, because we had no idea what awaited us there. However, another rain storm is due in today so we chose to stay on the dry and cozy Sun and attend to various chores, correspondence and readings.   Terry and Nancy Fauteux arrived yesterday for their voyage on the Viking Sun from Sydney to Singapore. We enjoyed cocktails with them at the Explorers Lounge as the Sun pulled away from Sydney and then headed to The Restaurant for dinner. Not every day is filled with excitement and photo ops. This was one of those. Possibly the most widely known Australian song is "Waltzing Matilda". But my favourite Aussie tune is " The Band Played Waltzing Matilda " sung by the incomparable Liam Clancy. I think you will agree with me.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFCekeoSTwg

FEBRUARY 11, 2020 SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA Sydney is booming. This is Circular Quay where cruise ships often moor.  This is the epicenter of Sydney. It looks a lot different than it did 10 years ago. As you can see, and as you can't see, a construction boom has taken place and continues to take place unabated in this city. Sydney emits an infectious feeling of comfortable confidence. An outsider feels good here. Sydney's waterfront is undergoing radical redevelopment as shown by the hi-rise condo and the nearing completion 67 storey Crown Casino Tower on the left. Viking arranged for us Ultimate World Cruisers to have a private tour of the Sydney Opera House this afternoon. That was followed by a three aria recital by diva Penelope Mills and then a cocktail party accompanied by a three course meal. Sated we returned to the Sun.  Wow - this UNESCO world heritage site has so much more than we expected. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Opera_House So,...

FEBRUARY 10, 2020 SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA After a couple days of pounding seas we arrived in Sydney just as the torrential rains have left. Having reached Sydney at noon, Carnival Splendor earned the premium berth at Circle Quay so Viking Sun had to move along to White Bay - from there we ferried to Circle Quay to begin our downtown venture. After lunch it was time to explore. At the Royal Botanical Gardens the sun finally made an appearance. We saw white ibises,  (they are as common and as bold as pigeons), we saw ducks, a lizard, butterflies, massive trees with a dozen trunks - and the largest Koala in the world:  Tomorrow is the Opera House. I can't wait! Have you heard of the Australia group The Walkabouts ? If not, then let me introduce you to their big hit song,  " The Light Will Stay On " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB6gwuLNApI

FEBRUARY 9, 2020 CRUISING THE TASMAN SEA It was confirmed this morning that we will not be stopping in Hong Kong March 8 - 10. Instead the Viking Sun will be in Singapore March 9 - 11 and resuming its original schedule from there. This change puts a little stress on those originally scheduled to depart for home from Hong Kong. Ah well, it's just another adventure that we relate to friends and family as time passes.  All things considered, we are fortunate compared to several other ships that have had to endure quarantines. Here's hoping our luck continues. Today was championship day at the Duplicate Bridge table. Michael Walker, our bridge instructor, has done such a fine job teaching newbies like us about the various conventions, bidding systems and play that my partner and I came in second among the twenty players. I will see Michael and his wife Beverly at the Penticton Duplicate Bridge Tournament in June. As this is written, Viking Sun is rocking and rolling better t...

FEBRUARY 8, 2020 CRUISING THE TASMAN SEA As an investor I am trying to understand the implications of a few recently discovered facts. In New Zealand it was revealed that dairy products are now its largest export product. Meanwhile in the US mega dairy companies, Dean Foods Co. and Borden Dairy Co., have declared bankruptcy while in Canada Saputo Inc. is considering closing two of its dairy plants as it  grapples with a consumer trend away from cow-based products for health and environmental reasons. I wonder how New Zealand will fare if this trend continues. Another new fact. I learned that New Zealand's most significant contributor to its GNP is tourism. Now that comes as a surprise. It used to be wool, and then dairy - times change. That is the same tourism statistic that was reported to us in every country in the Caribbean, South America, Central America and Polynesia. What will happen if tourism declines? How much will global tourism decline due to the Coronavirus? How wi...

FEBRUARY 7, 2020 HOBART, TASMANIA The weather was odd today.  This is what Hobart harbour looked like when the Sun arrived: That's also what it looked like when the ship left this afternoon - heavily overcast. Yeeeeeet....we spent most of today's 9-hour excursion under blue skies.  The first stop was at the Richmond and Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary - wombats, kangaroos, assorted birds and animals and, of course, the Tasmanian Devil (they are gentle - really!). Coal Valley Vineyard was our next destination, where we had a wine tasting and lunch. Later we headed to Mount Field National Park where the main feature is the Russell Falls.  But, this is the dry season and the water flow is well below average - we viewed a podunk falls. However, not all is lost. There are impressive 500 year old Swamp Gum trees along the trails and they are some impressive.   We were disappointed to see thick clouds again on our return to Hobart harbour, but we ...