Hong Kong day 3 of 3

Hong Kong day three. We walked to the Chinese Arts and Crafts store in the Star building. It was enormous. There were many different kinds of merchandise. Furniture, clothes of many types, carvings, paintings, statues and on and on.

Right away this large, fat, heavy, laughing guy caught my attention. Whoever just said I was looking at myself in a mirror is not funny. This guy was made of Aragonite. He is ivory yellow a little toward the tan side. The stone he is made from looks much like marble. He is a laughing Buddha weighing about 40 pounds. I asked a salesman the price. I did not like his answer and offered him half. He stuttered and shook his head a lot while saying these were fixed prices and there was no bargaining. I told him I did not like him and that he should go away from me until he learned to do business properly. While he was standing there with very red face I waved over a woman sales person. I started over with her. She knew how to do business properly. She asked if I was a tourist. I replied, no I am Chinese. Do you want to hear me speak Chinese? She said okay. I said Kow Kow. That’s the name of a restaurant in Lincolnwood. Then I said egg foo yung. She says that is not Chinese and there is a 10% discount for tourists this morning. I said, okay, I am a tourist. Next there was a special sale for just me. For every thousand dollars Hong Kong she would give me a coupon for one hundred fifty Hong Kong dollars off the price. After some more business done the proper way, my way, we made a deal. It turns out Mr red face is the manager and he had to carry it because the skinny sales woman could not lift it. He then made a box, lined it with Styrofoam, wrapped happy Buddha with bubble plastic and fashioned a carrying handle for the box. They keep these stores spotless. He had not yet finished and there was a guy with a vacuum sucking up the little pieces of Styrofoam he dropped.

After walking around for a while I gave up and found a couch where there were other guys sitting. Finally Bobbi was done but as we were about to leave she spotted Chinese Fortune Sticks. They are many wooden sticks with writing on them contained in a wooden tube. The tube and sticks are very pretty and they also include instructions on how to tell fortunes. Problem is the writing on the sticks and instructions is in Chinese. So Bobbi bought a bunch of those. It was now past lunch time and I found I was far too weak from hunger to carry that 40 pound laugher the six blocks or so back to the ship. They delivered all in a couple of hours.

After lunch on the ship we walked back to the end of the mall connected to the ship. At the far end was a department store with a Chanel Shop. Bobbi wanted make up. I’m trying to cut down myself. After shleping my poor sore legs and feet back they told us they didn’t have the color she wanted. On the way back a candy store sucked us in. Bobbi had to get rid of her Hong Kong dollars which she did on Sees Candy imported from California. W have a box of chocolate covered nuts and a few toffees. After browsing we walked back to our suite where we found the Buddha and Fortune Sticks waiting.

At lunch we met people Bobbi had sent to the purse place and another woman in the computer room. This purse guy owes Bobbi big time.

Art and Muriel did not make it to dinner. As we sat down a couple from Orlando asked to join us but I said no, go away. I did not. We had a good dinner.

Before sailing the captain announce we would miss another port, Phuket. That is the resort island that got hit so bad by the tsunami. The bull is the commies changed the only time we could go through some river there causing us to not have time to see Phuket.

Poor, Tired Broken Sherm Out.

(Posted on behalf of Sherman Rootberg)

Hong Kong Day 2 of 3

2/24/2006

Hong Kong Shopping. This was the starting day of segment three. Some people got off and new people were coming on. The Kramers left.

After breakfast we had serious shopping to do. We had looked at two of the three top places for computers last night. We now were hunting for the third, Star Computer City. It was in the Star building by the Star ferry dock located just at the end of the pier where the ship is docked.

It was on the second floor. This was a huge store. I found a Sony wide screen with everything I wanted. There was only one problem. It cost more then at home even with all kinds of stuff thrown in.

In the same building we did finally find a bargain. Eye glasses. I had made a mistake and bought tri focal glasses shortly before we left. The reading and medium vision areas were too small. They copied the prescription from my glasses and made separate pairs of each with totally flexible titanium frames for less then half the price of a cheap place at home. I also got prescription sun glasses that are far more comfortable then the ones I already owned. Bobbi got a pair of Versace glasses with diamonds, (Rhinestones), and they change to dark lenses when it gets bright out.

After going to lunch back on the ship we ventured out for further abuse to my feet, legs, and bank account. Our quest was now a purse place.

After walking past the Star Building we were in before, we had to walk another four blocks. All the time refusing one hawker after another who would attack Bobbi if they thought she might be alone. This entailed walking down a ramp, past the subway, back up a flight of stairs, and finally to the Sheraton Hotel. Then we turn left, walk a block to the rear of the hotel, turn right and walk to about the middle of the hotel and cross the street. We had to find 5-6 Middle street. There was an opening in this warehouse like building with an arcade like area. We found a stair way and after a while we came upon a hole in the wall place far smaller then my bathroom at home, that said purses. We walked in and there was an Indian guy wearing a Jewish star. Eureka! This must be the place. They did not sell knock offs or fakes. They sold purses that looked the same as many of these very expensive designer models. They are very well made with beautiful linings. They might be exactly the same but had no names or insignias of these high priced brands. They were not cheap at all but still far less then the originals. Naturally Bobbi bought several. Actually more then several. She bought so many they sent us back to the ship in a cab they paid for and a man to carry them all the way to the ship.

Art and Muriel made it to dinner and Muriel was hoping to feel well enough to go out the next day.

After dinner Bobbi and I went back out for a walk in the mall. There was just not enough time to see everything.

All the legitimate stores are kept spotlessly clean. People constantly mop and clean all day long. The sales people wear company uniforms. In the stores where they sell one thing and deliver another and the ones where they move every four days or so, they smoke and wear tee shirts. There is a lot of beautiful stuff but not many bargains.

Sore Foot Sherm Out.

(Posted on behalf of Sherman Rootberg)

Hong Kong Day 1 of 3

Hong Kong. We got in about noon and had to hurry off for a tour. It looked very foggy but we later found out it was more smog then fog.

We boarded a bus with a guide that thought he was Jackie Chan. He did sound a lot like him and he tried to be as funny. He told us that since China got industrial and many started driving cars, it has gotten very smoggy as it all blows in from China.

We went through a tunnel under the harbor on our way to the peak tram at Victoria Peak. This was cool as we went almost straight up. At the top was what would have been a great view had there not been so much smog.

Next we went to an old fishing town called Aberdeen. The big land mark is the Jumbo floating restaurant. There we boarded an old motorized sampan. The driver was a miserable woman that spoke no English. We were just ten per boat and should have sat with five on each side. One side had six and the other four. This got captain crab very upset and she took to hollering at one poor guy who had no clue to what she was calling him in Chinese. After a smoggy ride around the harbor we returned to the original dock where Crab Woman started hollering again. I was good enough to translate for her. I explained she was saying, “Get the hell out of my boat already, you stinking round eyes.”

After some touring we then went to a jewelry factory. They had not warned us it was a walk up and I almost didn’t go. First there was a spiel about their wonderful jewel making and diamond cutting taught to them by Jewish people. Next it was up more stairs to their store. Prices were unbelievable. A pair of earrings, almost the same as some I looked at on the ship, were priced about five times higher. They wanted $10,000 for a pair worth $2,500 to $3,000. They wanted to bargain as I was leaving. They now lowered the price to $8,200.

Now we were running late and did not have much time to look at the next stop which was the Stanley Market. This was nothing more then a flea market. To many of these supposed millionaires from the ship, this was the most exciting thing. They needed detailed instructions to get back the next day.


Bobbi bought just what I always needed. Wine bottle clothes. You read right. I did say wine bottle clothes. Now my bottles of wine do not have to go naked any longer. These are things you slip over wine bottles. It looks like the wine bottles are wearing dresses. I don’t know how I ever went without these before. Nothing worse then an undressed wine bottle, I guess.


It was after 6:00 PM when we left with an hour ride in heavy traffic to get back to the ship. We were due back at 6:30 PM at the latest so there were many phone calls to us from the ship.

When we went to dinner Muriel was sick and did not come but Art did. After dinner Bobbi and I took a walk in the mall on the dock.

This town is amazing. The whole place is one big shopping mall. You think of it and it is for sale here somewhere. From human slaves to Mars rocks. Ask and someone will sell you one. There were places we were given tips to buy things from with instructions like, go to the Holiday Inn. Walk around the back and go to the third floor of the building across the alley. Knock on the door marked 32. Ask for Linda. They will let you in to buy knock off purses or something.

On the pier where the ship is docked is a four story shopping center. You just walk across the gang plank and you go into it. This center connects to another and another. You can go for miles and miles on many levels and never have to walk outside. 100 feet from the ship is what is billed as the worlds largest Toys R Us. On the first level is store after store of kids and baby stuff.

After walking around for about an hour we called it quits. I had looked for computers but found no bargains.

Mall Walker Sherm Out.

(Posted on behalf of Sherman Rootberg)

Flour Fights and Pie Throwing

Sea day. It’s pretty rough today. Nothing much except the cooking demonstration. The cruise director and the comedian that that got put to sea with a plunger on his head, had a cooking class in the main theater. It really was quite funny. There were flour fights and pie throwing. They poured stuff all over each other and down one another’s pants. If you were too close it was not funny, like when the comedian did the juggling with the raw eggs. He didn’t juggle very well and some got hit with those raw eggs.

Bobbi got her hair done. She insisted I put that in.

Sit in the back Sherm out

(Posted on behalf of Sherman Rootberg)

Manila, Philippines

Manila, Philippines. We have to get up early today. We have a free Virtuoso tour provided for us.

We had breakfast in the room and met the Kapels in the lobby shortly before 9:00 AM. The security was very tight and they were only going to allow two busses on the dock at a time and no other vehicles. The first two busses were Virtuoso buses but that only took care of about half the people. Next there were busses for various tours mixed in. That was worthless as only the Virtuoso people were being let off the ship at his time. No more busses could enter the dock area and no more people could leave the ship. Very clever these Philippinos, not. Finally the cruise director or the captain straightened them out and they got us a couple more busses. We got one only half full and took off. It had a cracked window and was filthy and old.

After a short ride we entered a park area where we walked to an old Spanish fort. The guide kept referring to World War II as the Japanese American War. There were old cannons from centuries ago and disarmed World War II shells piled around in various places. Across from the park there was a very interesting old house from the 20s. This had been a very fancy house with exquisite furnishings and interiors that was now fully restored.

We then went another short distance to the Manila Hotel. It was built in 1912 and was in original condition except with modern improvements. I was very impressed. This was the first place we found plumbing like in the US. The men’s room had peach colored, American Standard, elongated commodes. This was the most comfortable seat since I left home. I almost couldn’t leave to go to lunch.

The lobby was great with many crystal chandeliers and a beautiful dark wood ceiling. The main ball room could hold 2,500. That’s a lot of balls. It was big too. But the ceiling was fairly low and it got loud.

Along with a very fancy lunch we were entertained by a Philippine dance and song company that had played all over the world including Disney World and had won many awards. I guess they will give awards for anything. I thought it sucked. They danced around like a bunch of over smiling fairies and often stepped on things they should not have. They were all big too, especially for Philippenos. Can you imagine 20 or more two ton tinker bells prancing around like elephants? One dance was with candles in glasses. They dropped one of them and did the rest of the dance with a glass that had no burning candle.

The high point of lunch was the advertised before lunch Hors D’ Oeuvres. Waiters walked around the tables offering peanuts and potato chips. The rest of the food was okay.

Mark Forstein will love this place. I promised not to tell but I have to anyhow. For years we have been going to good restaurants where Mark has pulled out his trusty Swiss Army knife and put a hole in the corner of his napkin. He then buttons his napkin to his shirt. Yeah, fancy restaurant and there’s Mark with a napkin buttoned to his shirt. Well, I guess everyone in Manila does that. Mark could live here. Every cloth napkin on the table already had a button hole in a corner.

After a couple of hours we were taken back to the ship by one of the buses. There was a free shuttle on the dock to a downtown shopping mall. Bobbi said she looked in a couple of stores in the hotel and saw nothing and some people back on the ship said there was nothing special at the mall so we just went down to the computer room to send letters. I think all the military walking around here with machine guns has Bobbi a little freaked if she won’t shop. We don’t leave until 10:30 PM tonight.

No Shopping Sherm Out

(Posted on behalf of Sherman Rootberg)

Sea Day

Sea day. Again nothing too exciting. We went to the Kramers for cocktails and appetizers at about 5:30 PM. They do not have a butler but did hire a guy to serve and make drinks. There was good caviar, shrimp, fried breaded muscles, and several kinds of canapés. There was all kinds of soft drinks and booze. As usual most of the food was left and had to be thrown out. Bobbi and Muriel had to leave early and meet us late for dinner.

There was a talk by Carole Klein in the main theater. She had been the head of promotions at the Intercontinental hotel in Hong Kong for over ten years. Her talk was on where to shop, eat, and what to see and do in Hong Kong. All you have to do is mention shop and the women are gone.

The majority of the crew is from the Philippines and most of those from Manila. They are all getting excited to get there tomorrow. This will be the first time the line has gone there in over ten years. Other cruises have been scheduled to stop there but have had to cancel for various reasons.


That’s all that was going on besides the usual.

Deep Sea Sherm Out.

(Posted on behalf of Sherman Rootberg)

Kota Kinabalu, Borneo, Malaysia

Kota Kinabalu, Borneo Malaysia in the State of Sabah. Sure sounds a lot bigger then it is. The main attraction in this town is nothing. The main thing people come here for is to see and climb Mt. Kinabalu at 13, 450 feet. Couldn’t help seeing it when it wasn’t raining but we were not inclined to climb it.

There is nothing older then from the 1950s. First the Japanese bombed the heck out of it and then we bombed them back even better. You will see absolute squalor and right next to it a big fancy house. These folks do squalor right. Houses rest on sticks and many are falling apart or never were too good to begin with. In this type housing the toilet facilities consist of a board with a hole in it and you can see the water below. What happens in the fancy houses, I have no idea. We did see an awful lot of new construction. This could not have been for poor people as whatever we saw was too large and too well constructed.

We did not get to see the Wild Man of Borneo. All that was available was a zoo. I have seen zoos. Instead we went on a short tour by bus, saw more dancing, except this was Borneo dancing, and then a ride on an old steam engine train on narrow gauge track.

Our guide spoke broken English at best. She kept telling us that everything was wonderful there and all the people were so happy especially the ones living in the filth. This was a real chairman Mao set up. There is no crime, no drugs, and all you have to do to get anything you want is to just ask the government. There is no unemployment. The peop0le living in the jungle don’t need money because they can just pick the food off trees. I guess that is where you would go if you do not have a job. Everyone gets along perfectly with everyone else and there is no social or racial problems even though there are so many different religions and races, except all the big houses and cars belong to those darn Chinese who are always rich. She does caution, if you do not hold on to your purse with both hands it will probably be stolen as will your wallet if left in your pants without your hand holding it tightly. But there is no crime.

It was interesting to look at once but I wouldn’t chance living here for more then a day or so. First we took a ride on a well air conditioned bus for about 45 minutes. We were taken along the ocean front to their most beautiful beach. It looks like another one of their rice paddies of mud going off to the ocean. The bus drove over this beach without making a mark in the concrete like mud.

Next we had just what I needed. Another kaka May Me native dance. This one was the pits. There weren’t even any real good uniforms. The men’s hats were cardboard. The best part was the intermissions. During these costume changes, a young fellow would demonstrate some of the local pass times. They were done with balls but I don’t thnk you could them sports. The way this kid was doing them it should have been called a comedy. He handled these balls the way Bobbi carries dishes. Both land on the floor far more often then where they are supposed to go. Thankfully it didn’t last long and then we went on to the important part.

Surprise, surprise. They had junk to sell us. Can you imagine my amazement? And if there is someone selling junk, what does Bobbi do? She buys anything. Muriel does try to keep up this tradition too. I am now the proud owner of some imitation, hand painted pieces of cloth. Bobbi says they are real. I guess you can never have too many rags. They gave us free soft drinks for buying junk for far too much money.

Next it was back to the bus for a ride down a far too narrow and bumpy road, way inland. The farming was mostly rice paddies but was interesting. One place would be a roof without most of the walls while next door there could be a nice house with a satellite dish and an air conditioner. Finally we arrived at the train station.

The steam engine was much smaller then the ones I remember seeing when I was a kid but it was not tiny. The cars all had tables with booth like seating at either end. You could be traveling backwards or forwards depending the direction the train went. Being a backward country, the train was set up backward. The front of the engine faced the cars as if were going to push them. However it went backward and pulled the cars. This faked us out as we were in the car next to the engine. All the windows were open and we got to suck on sulfur and cinders. They had given us fans woven out of straw and there were electric fans running in the cars. It was not at all too hot, as we were warned it would be.

We had been on an old narrow gauge steam train in France about three years ago. It had no suspension and wooden benches to sit on. It killed you after about 10 minutes. This train had padded seats and floppy suspension. It flopped along as if you were bouncing on a bad mattress but did not kill the posterior. It did almost kill Bobbi however. Shortly after the train started to move, something stung or bit her in the back of the neck. Probably a blow dart or spear I’m sure. It does look worse the next morning. I may have to have her neck amputated.

The train ride was interesting and I enjoy old trains. The only problem was the engineer. This guy was way too horny. He didn’t let that steam whistle alone for a moment. As we rode along the people on the sides would all wave and many children would come running. They did seem to be friendly people.

After about an hour we met the bus at the station and went for a ride through town before returning to the ship.

When we got back to our room there was a message waiting on the phone. A friend on the ship had called and asked to be contacted. When Bobbi saw her later she told her that she had to go on a tour alone as her husband would not leave the ship. She said they saw a sign where we walk out to the dock. It said they would not allow you to enter the port if you had an Israeli passport or an Israel stamped passport. I never saw the letter and I do not know if this is true. Bob Kramer has Israel stamps and had no problem and later when I saw Nick, the guy in question, he told me he didn’t get off because he didn’t feel too well. Maybe I’ll find out more later.

Wild Man of Borneo Sherm Out

(Posted on behalf of Sherman Rootberg)