November 3, 2024
Halloween FUN!!
The Residents and Crew went all out for our first Holiday celebration together. The ship was decorated and added festive lighting. The kitchen crew did a bunch of creative jack-o-lanterns throughout the dining room. Residents scavenged items from around the ship and their unique packings, others scouted out items at the last few port shops and lots of imagination, along with some inside humor, all columnated in some very creative customs. Below are some of my favorites!

I have wanted to see the famed Singapore Changi Airport for years to see the world's largest indoor waterfall. Turns out the waterfall is in a part of the airport, outside the Departure Terminals, so I still have yet to see it! The Terminal does have some interesting architecture and houses a huge shopping mall, with some very high end stores and Christmas decorations are up everywhere, the day after Halloween ( which sadly, they don't celebrate here ).

While I was in Singapore this time I was on a mission, downsize my belongs and pack my life into hopefully four or less 50 # suitcases! The only time I took a break, was for meals and thankfully we were in a new area of town, for me, so I got to see some of Joo Chiats charm as we walked to restaurants. The area is Signapore's first heritage town known for it's vibrant Peranakan culture, pastel hued shop fronts and diverse food scene. Built in the early 1900's by Chinese families, they blend Chinese, Malay and colonial influences that reflect that area's rich multicultural roots. The land was once owned by Chew Joo Chiat , the King of Katong.

Sihanoukville, Cambodia is a city I will long remember! On first look, you really wonder what is going on here. There are over 350 unfinished "ghost" buildings in the skyline and another 170 completed, but empty structures and it's not that big a place - so you really wonder! Apparently there has been a mass exodus of Chinese Real Estate and Casino investors. Back in 2019 the Cambodian Government banned online gaming and this collapsed the City's casino driven economy. Then Covid hit and the resulting slump in China's Real Estate funding stream has hit this coastal town hard. You would never know the hard times from the people. They are friendly, energetic and so happy to help.























