June 5, 2024
Back in Belfast
Today I got the news around 10:30 am in Cork, that I am scheduled to fly to Grand Canary, Spain at 3pm tomorrow and I can access my baggage on the ship, at noon before heading to the airport. I quickly packed up all my stuff at Edel's and had a quick goodbye, for now, because we are determined to meet up again soon, somewhere warm, so she can have a proper ship experience!
It then took me about 5 hours, to drive back to Belfast in my sporty Kia Rio rental; did I mention I got a standard transmission to make things more of a challenge and exciting! I haven't driven stick in roughly 30 years & add on the opposite side of the road driving! Party!! Poor Edel did a couple of body jerks while riding shotgun and not in control, over our week of touring.
I am staying at a different hotel downtown this time in Belfast and the picture above, the Protestant headquarters, is right outside my window. I am also just 2 hotels down from the famous Europa hotel, the most bombed hotel in the world! Good Karma right!
Late tonight I found out that our itinerary, once we set sail on the 15th, is also changed for first couple of days but it means I am going to miss hooking up with my dear friend Tom Powl in Hamburg, Germany. I talked to him tonight and sent new itinerary below and he is going to see if perhaps we could meet up at another point. I hope so, really would love to see him!
Just about a half hour outside downtown Da Nang are Marble Hills .These five stone hills produce a huge amount of various colored marble that have been made into all kinds of statues, furniture, jewelry and knick knacks. Inside the cavernous spaces of the Hills, lots of temples and shrines have developed. Before getting to the base of the Hills, our driver asked us if we wanted to stop at a Marble Shop, bearing the wares of this marble. The place was huge - with soo many choices! And guess what their prices all have an option to ship to the USA! or I figure any where else in the world! A sales person escorted us through out the spaces. No heavy stones for me despite how pretty!
On our fourth port day in Nha Trang , Bosco, Terri and I took a quick 50 minute flight north to Da Nang, Vietnam to do some deeper exploring inland. Downtown Da Nang spans the Hans River, that opens out to the Da Nang Bay and the East Vietnam Sea. Today, Da Nang is one of the quickest growing cities in Vietnam, known for it's youth (median age is just 35) and dynamic environment.
Nha Trang was our first port in Vietnam , back on the 12th of August. My first impression, was OMG it's HOT here! I have been saying that a lot in Southeast Asia, but it was over 100 degrees that first afternoon. NhaTrang does not get many cruise ship visitors, because they have no docking facilites, we had to tender into a resort marina, about 15km, North of the City. It is however, a popular beach town, and was bustling with tons of Russian visitors. The beaches and cheap prices are probably the biggest appeal, besides the fact that Vietnam is also a communist country. There are flags and communist markings all around.