The Asian Cruise



Jim Wearing his New Christmas Hat! Later that day he got a hair cut for my present. When we got home Olivia told him that the hair cut didn't work he still looked like Willy Wonka. It
 was a weird Christmas day without family and a wonderful day in the sun with my best friend!

Jim received these lovely Christmas Tree Ornaments as a reminder of our Christmas in Asia. It is sad that we actually looked like these ornaments. Jim had long curly hair and that is totally me laying around on the beach mat doing nothing and we are both Fat!  We were eating our way through Asia!




Diet Coke all over the world!



I finally got to wear my new Chinese dress Once! On Christmas the cruise had a formal night so I put on my new dress and had a lovely evening. Then later on when they had another formal night about 10 days later I tried to put it back on and I could not seat down in it because I had gotten so fat! I told you we were eating our way through Asia well that confirmed it. We loved the food on the ship in Thailand and Malaysia. We enjoyed the spicy food with no hidden chicken feet or anything.  We enjoyed every bite and will have to diet later!

 

Kuantan Mayalsia

Koh Samui Thailand



Here we got to go on an Elephant Trek. It was so fun walking through the country side riding on top of an elephant. We did have an elephant trainer aboard also so we were not in charge of the massive animal. We had a great guy who talked to the elephant and us and had the elephant trumpet to us. He also jumped off and took some video of us on the elephant alone with our camera which we thought was great. We also got to watch a monkey and elephant show. Jim told me to volunteer to have the elephant massage my back but I just couldn't get myself to lay down and let the elephant step on me. I had visions of it getting mad and squishing me flat. It was a great day of fun!



Hanging out on the ship



Jim right after his Win in the Dart throwing compettion. They guy you see standing behind him was a strange fellow. He would wear glitter and hair bows all the time. That is his wife standing next to him.

Notice the strange law in Singapore and chewing gum. (lower right hand corner)  Death for chewing gum! They are trying to clean up the city and it is a very big deal to them.





Beautiful Shops that sold Sarees all over. They were very beautiful and I kind of wish I would have bought one while I was there.

 

Bangkok Thailand





While we were in Bangkok we saw a show that was amazing. The stage was so big that it had a running river big enough to float boats  across and  deep enough to dive into. They also had 2 live elephants and goats and chickens in the show. Our ONLY REGRET was that we didn't realize our ship was 2 1/2 hours away from town so we missed way too much of Bangkok. We got just a glimpse of it. We were on a tour that left late in the day and it was just the Chevy Chase version we got to see. If you ever get there spend the night so you can see more. We were at one of the night markets at the end of our tour and it was pretty wild. Lady boys were everywhere. It was site to see.



This was in Port Klang Malaysia at the Batu Caves. We got to walk up 272 stairs to go into a cave that had monkey's running around you. They had asked us to leave them alone they will bite!





So they tell you to stay away from the monkey's and Jim tells me to get close to get a picture and I do. Yeah we listen to all the rules given to us. We just don't always follow the rules.

Top of the cave

New Years Eve 2012

Dancing Grandmas

These two ladies danced every night all night. They had taken dance classes together and had some awesome moves. They would dress up too as you can see. They were fun to watch.

This lady danced every night too only she danced alone. You could just see the music move her until she just had to get up and dance! I could have added a picture of Jim and I if I had one. We tried to dance every night too. It was really fun. I wish we had some place around home to go dancing more often. I really miss that!





While we were walking around we passed a salon that had a special for about 5 American dollars that I just couldn't pass up. I talked Jim into going in and we put our feet in this pool of fish that ate the dead skin off of your feet. It tickled so bad that we were both laughing uncontrollably. We had the video camera with us and took some video too. It was one of the funniest things we did on our vacation. So if you ever get that opportunity take it. You will laugh really hard.



Waiting in the VIP Lounge in Taiwan for our Trip home. You couldn't wipe the smile off of my face that day.  I was flying Business Class and Going Home to see my family. I  was going to get to see my kids and kiss and hug my Grand children. I was one happy lady!



Minature Museum

Miyuki, Michele and I went to the Taiwan Miniature Museum and enjoyed it a lot! I took tons of pictures but after I got home I realized that I had not given you a reference as to just how small these little houses were. If you look close you can see Miyuki's face through the window of the room in the second picture and this was one of the bigger houses. The third picture was from the back of the house. You could look at the front of the house then walk around to the back and see all the rooms fully furnished with carpets and hardwood floors and tile work. They had working lights. TVs and even a tiny miniature train that worked. If there was a newspaper you could read it. Tons of detail in every home. This one was of Buckingham Palace.

You could read all the book titles in this library. The guitar was awesome too.

 




This home had a  big fish tank on the wall that was really neat. There is also a bar on that same wall that had real looking miniature bottles with the exact labels on them. It had a sunken
 Living room.

  

The attic came with junk, dust and dirt just like a real attic.



This kitchen was the best. You could see into the pantry in the back and could see the flour sacks, Reynolds wrap and baking powder. Real Tile on the floor. Like I said the detail was amazing.

We decided that the kid who got this as a bedroom was very spoiled. The door in corner went out into a private little play yard with everything a child could want. 

There were also figurines and dolls and real carved egg shells. I fell in Love with this one of a Grandma and Grandpa with a child. I decided that it reminded me of Jim and I, because we are both getting old and  gray. Jim's hair is about as long as his and he has a mustache.

 I have been wanting to go to this museum for a long time but had never made it. I am glad we finally got to go before I left
Taiwan. It was too good to miss.



Breakfast with the Guys

Saturday Jim and I went to Breakfast with some of the men from the job who were going home.  Kyle took us to this place called Day Joy. I don't think I could ever find it again but it was great! We had a real breakfast with hash browns and pancakes and everything.  I was just telling Jim the day before that we needed a great breakfast place. Now all we have to do is find it again.  Jim was sad to see Kevin leave. (the one waving in the back) He has been his good friend and right hand man. It will be a long month without him. But I bet that the families of these men will be very glad to see them.

Taiwan Hot Springs

This last weekend Jim and I finally made it to one of the many Hot Water Springs in Taiwan. The weather was kind of cloudy and windy so we thought it would be a great day for the Hot Springs. We found a place and went in. You were not allowed to take pictures inside (we had to sneak this one) It was full of old people so we fit right in. There are several HOT TUBS you could choose to get into. They vary in temperature. The higher the pond the Hotter the temperature. I dont know how they were getting into the highest ones. We got into one the lowest ones and it was hot enough for me. We sat there for a while trying to soak away all our ailments. The spring waters are full of minerals that are supposed to be great for your skin, arthritis and muscle pains. (hence all the old people) When we left there we went to one of the few Mexican restaurants in Taiwan and had enchiladas. Great Day!

Fun Day With Michele

The Taiwan Story House
The day Michele and I visited this museum they had a doll display going on. They had rooms and rooms of old dolls displayed. One room was just Barbies. They had a Barbie from every year. The first one ever made to all of the specialty Barbies. They had Bride Barbies and of course Ken too. We were not allowed to take pictures in most of the rooms.

 

The had one room full of paper dolls and then they had giant paper dolls to play with.



We had to have a little fun and try some on. We looked so cute.

  

After while shopping for some Christmas presents we saw this Human Statue. He was really cute and the kids loved him.



More Weird Food

While having a Girls day out we went shopping up the mountain to a little town called Juofin. It had tons of little shops that I found all kinds of things for Christmas and to take home with me. We decided to try some unusual things while we were up there. This first one is a Rice Jelly type of thing on the outside with a Meat, Onion mixture inside with Cilantro on the top. I tried to eat it but I couldn't do it. The rice jelly outside was just too weird for me.



Michele and Miyuki got a hot sweet tea drink with taro and sweet potato balls and other similar things in side. They said it was good but they liked the other one too. I was still getting over the last thing so I didn't try that one.



Later on Miyuki and I tried this new weird thing. It was a thin wrap of some type (probably a rice wrap) with shaved peanut brittle and ice cream. That part was good but to make it Taiwan style they added Cilantro in to the wrap too. We tried it but neither one of us liked the Cilantro in it. It would have been good if we had left out the Taiwan part! (the Cilantro) Just one more weird thing I have tried and not liked too much. Lets just say I wont miss these foods at all. Too Weird for me!