Hanging in Hong Kong

Posted on November 17, 2013 by CaseyT

At the harbor

I was excited to visit Hong Kong, and decided the best option was to stick with friends that had been there before. Thus, I ended up with a large group of friends. We took the train to the Ladies Market, blocks of shops set up on the street. I bargained with a few sales women, and ended up with some fun gifts for my sisters.

Ladies Market

Next, we went to a Computer Center, full of discounted technical equipment. My dance captain was searching for a new camera, and I needed a hard drive. We were both successful, and ended up running into some friends from the ice cast.

Computer Center. What a mess!

We hopped back on the train to go towards the harbor. We stopped in some stores along the way, and then enjoyed some lovely views on the water. We soon found ourselves on the Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong’s version of Hollywood Boulevard. I had never heard of most of the stars, but I did enjoy the statue of Bruce Lee.

Avenue of the Stars

Bruce Lee

Shortly after our stroll down the Avenue of Stars, my group split into smaller bunches to find food and a good spot from which to watch the Symphony of Lights on the water. I ended up sitting in a window seat in the Hotel Intercontinental (I know, I’m such a tourist), and sipping on a Whiskey Sour while watching the light show. There was a live band performing in the hotel, so I was quite content!

Wandering before the show

Dinner at the hotel

After leaving the hotel, we ran into some other friends from the ship. We found a nice outdoor bar and enjoyed another beverage in good company. It was great to spend the day with so many friends, and I loved all that I saw of Hong Kong. I hope to spend more time there in the future!

Cocktail, anyone?

Downtown

These Streets

Posted on November 16, 2013 by CaseyT

View from Mount Inasa

On our last day in Nagasaki, I accompanied two friends to the Observation Deck on Mount Inasa. The drive up the mountain was full of twists and turns, and more than once I was afraid we’d get pushed off the road! We made it safely to the top, where despite overcast skies, the 360 degree views were stunning!

On the Observation Deck

After spending a good amount of time wandering around the observation area, we hopped back in a cab to go to Chinatown. It seems silly that we went to Chinatown in Japan (especially since we’d just stopped in China well over 10 times), but the area came highly recommended. We stopped in some shops, got some very tasty mango frozen yogurt, and continued walking to a nearby shopping center.

Gate to Chinatown

Parade in the mall

There was a small parade inside the shopping area. After snapping a few pictures, we decided to get away from the crowd. There were street vendors outside the shops selling unique food items. One friend ordered a fried potato on a stick, and the other got an omelet of sorts, also on a stick.

Street food

About an hour later, we came across a mall. Our goal of the day, since it was our last day in Japan, was to find ramen noodles. We obtained our goal inside the mall! After a large late lunch, we made our way through another mass of street vendors outside. They were selling everything from bananas on a stick to chicken legs. Some food was very authentic Japanese, while other options were typical carnival goods.

Carnival

Bananas!

After so much food, we were anxious for a bit of exercise. We walked along the water towards the ship, stopping in a beautiful park. Once on the ship, we went up to the pool deck to watch Sail Away. Sailing under the Nagasaki Bridge was incredible! The ship cleared the bridge by just one meter. It was a beautiful ending to a fun day. I have nothing but fond memories of my adventures in Nagasaki!

Sunset in the park

Sailing under the bridge

Broadway Baby

Posted on November 3, 2013 by CaseyT

I apologize again for my absence the past few weeks. We’ve been stopping in new ports on our way down to Australia, so finding wifi hasn’t been my priority! Since my last post, I’ve gone back to Nagasaki, spent a lovely day in Hong Kong, took a tour in Saigon, rod elephants in Pattaya, went shopping and to a bar in Singapore, and fed crocodiles in Darwin! I’ve also been enjoying various parties and events on the ship. More details about all of these adventures will come soon!

Today, I wanted to give you a glimpse of one of my production shows. I have a few photographer friends who have taken some wonderful photos for us. Here are a few of my favorites. Enjoy!

Rhythm and Rhyme. Starting the show with a bang!

May the music live forever…

Cell Block Tango

The Merry Murderesses

Shaking it up in Fruge!

Rockin’ in Rhythm

Big finish

Montage. Shake that tamborine!

Dreamgirls

One Night Only

Unexpected Song

Be sure to check back soon!

Bathing Beauties

Posted on September 29, 2013 by CaseyT

Making our mark

Sadly, last week we stopped in Jeju for the last time. The island is very quirky, but I enjoyed each day I spent there. Instead of trekking out to see lava tubes, some girlfriends and I decided to have a relaxing day on the beach. It was the first beach day we’ve had since leaving Florida!

In need of some sun!

Shortly after arriving at the beach, we bumped into one of the new ice skaters. He had to go back early for training, but left us his Frisbee to play with. I must admit, I am terrible at Frisbee! I had fun trying though.

Frisbee fun

While we were playing, we befriended a group of American and Canadian guys that were also spending the day at the beach. They were part of an overnight ferry tour from Seoul, where they’ve been teaching English classes for the past year. After spending so much time with Chinese guests and crew, it was nice to meet some other Americans!

Such a lovely beach

We grabbed lunch on the patio of a small restaurant on the beach. They had delicious smoothies and sandwiches. I’ve gotten a little sick of the food in the mess, so I thoroughly enjoyed having a good meal!

Our lunch spot

After lunch, we took a little walk and ran into some other friends from the ship. We spent another hour or so on the beach with one of our singers and some of the shop workers. It was great to have time to talk about things other than work.

Relaxing with friends

I made it through home with a little sunburn and a big smile. It was a perfect day!

Perfection

Tiptoe Through the Tulips

Posted on September 27, 2013 by CaseyT

Nagasaki

During our first 12-day cruise we stopped at 4 different Japanese ports. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it off the ship the day we stopped in Tokyo. I had to spot an ice show for some guests visiting from land, and didn’t feel up to rushing once I was done. Instead, I had a movie day with my roommate and took a nice long nap before going to the crew talent show. We surprised a cast member with a performance of “Seasons of Love” at the end of the show. It was a great night, and I was glad I saved energy during the day.

“Seasons of Love”

Our last stop in Japan was in Nagasaki. I woke up early to ensure that I could get off. It was a warm, sunny day, and after a couple rocky nights on the ship, I was eager to be on land! My friends and I had heard that there were nice gardens near the port, so we trekked over after disembarking. The walk up to the gardens was lovely. We had a great view of the ship, and enjoyed window shopping at the little shops that lined the street.

View of the ship

Just before the entrance to the gardens, we came across the Oura Cathedral, the oldest Catholic church in Nagasaki. There were gorgeous statues outside, and a lovely altar inside. It was an interesting mix of Eastern and Western styles. The church was simultaneously foreign and familiar.

Oura Cathedral

We walked out of the cathedral and into Glover Gardens, named after Thomas Glover, a coal miner and trader that assisted the modernization of Japan in the 19th century. His home, as well as the homes of other Westerners in Nagasaki, were open to walk through. There were also fountains, statues, and lovely flowers scattered throughout the gardens.

Sun room at Glover’s home

Fountain at the gardens

There was also a heart stone at Glover Gardens. Touching the stone is supposed to bring you luck in love. You could purchase a paper heart to write a wish on and hang from the tree about the heart stone for extra luck. I opted to simply touch the stone. Only time will tell if it brings me luck!

At the heart stone

We ended the day with some delicious Asian Pear ice cream and a light lunch. It was another great day! I’m looking forward to more Japan ports in the coming weeks.

Turning Japanese

Posted on September 24, 2013 by CaseyT

In front of the Takaoka Mountain Zuiryuji temple

About 2 weeks ago we stopped in Toyoma, Japan for the day. I got off the ship with a few girl friends to find internet. After failed attempts to get online at a mall, we made our way to the Takaoka Mountain Zuiryuji temple, a beautiful Buddhist temple built in 1659.

The altar

We unfortunately didn’t spend much time exploring the grounds, but I was happy to at least see the temple. It reminded me of my trip to Japan last March. I went to about 10 temples during that week long trip! This one was smaller than most of the ones I saw last year, but was just as impressive.

Another view of the gate

Later in the same cruise we had an overnight stop near Sapporo. I had to be back on the ship to do mob dance at 10pm, so I was unable to go into the city. I got off the ship with the intention of getting dinner with friends, but our cabs got separated. I was dropped off at a random shopping center, complete with a supermarket.

Supermarket in Sapporo

After wandering aimlessly with a couple friends, we ran into other cast mates. We grabbed a snack, then decided to leave the shopping center and see what else we could find! We passed some interesting looking restaurants and small shops, then came across an arcade. Embracing our inner children, we went in to play!

Games!

The young woman working at the front desk told us in broken English that we needed to use on of the photo booths. We ended up with some really cute pictures! Our last stop of the night was a little restaurant where I had the best salmon sashimi I’ve ever tasted!

Our souvenir photos

The next day I got off the ship again to find a bath house. We arrived before it was open, so we walked up the street and found a little aquarium.

Outside the aquarium

It was much smaller than aquariums I’ve been to at home, but had some really interesting fish! There was even a tank that you could stick your hand inside and little fish would nibble off your dead skin. It felt so weird!

Nom nom nom

Outside there were penguins and seals playing around. The penguins seemed to have a choreographed act. Anytime one started jumping, the whole tank would. Then one would slow down and the others would follow suit. Next they’d start racing, then it was back to jumps. They were so fun to watch!

Penguin pal

Also outside was a bounce house! This was not just any bounce house… it was fish shaped! I, of course, had to go in and play!

Bouncy!

After bouncing around for a bit, we walked back to the bath house. My friend and I were the only Westerners in the women’s area, and felt a little clueless. We enjoyed a dip in an indoor hot tub and an outdoor hot tub, went in a sauna, cooled off in a cold bath, then joined our male companions in the sun room for lunch. I had a delicious soba noodle soup, then headed back “home”.

This was a much more tame experience than my last overnight port, but was wonderful! I have loved every port so far in Japan. Next post: Nagasaki!

Lost in Loveland

Posted on September 22, 2013 by CaseyT

WARNING: Some of the photos in this post are very inappropriate.

I found love!

Before I entertain (and possibly disgust) you all with photos from my trip to Loveland, I’d like to apologize for my absence. We’ve been visiting new ports, so I’ve been out exploring rather than writing! The good news is, I now have lots to share.

On a recent stop in Jeju, I accompanied two of my cast mates on a trip to Loveland. What, you may ask, is Loveland? Wikipedia describes it as “an outdoor sculpture park… featuring 140 sculptures representing humans in various sexual positions.” The park website describes it as “a place where love oriented art and eroticism meet”.

Words cannot adequately describe the park, so here are a few of my photos. I hope they don’t make you too uncomfortable!

Yes, those are breasts

Keeping it classy with marble

A mother photographed her baby on one of these benches…

“A Dog Always Follows His Master”

Awkward…

Interesting

“Arrows” found throughout the park

This was different…

“Take Your Pick”. Yes, the faucets work.

Check back soon for details from Toyoma and Sapporo!

Seoul Man

Posted on September 6, 2013 by CaseyT

Last week, I was finally able to go to Seoul! We frequently port in Incheon, but taking the train from there to Seoul takes more time than I usually have available. Since we had an overnight in Incheon last cruise, I decided to make the trek.

Seoul skyline

I set out with a large group of friends, unsure of what exactly we wanted to do. We got directions at a tourist information booth in Incheon, then hopped on the train. Compared to Bart in San Francisco and the subway in New York, the trains in Korea are impeccable!

Palace #1

We got off the train downtown and quickly found a palace. We weren’t able to go inside, but the exterior of the building and the ceiling of the bridge it sat on were beautiful. Next, we wandered through a market before stopping at a café to refuel.

Bridge ceiling

When we hit the street again, we came across a lovely fountain. We then set out to find another palace. On the way, we had to go underground to cross the street. We had an unfortunate encounter with a screaming Korean woman. I am still not sure why, but the woman was shouting, at no one in particular at first, then she started directing her anger towards us. She came dangerously close to slapping me, but luckily my dance captain came to my rescue. We quickly went upstairs, and luckily were not followed. My heart was beating so fast!

Market

Fountain

We saw a very tranquil looking area nearby, and decided that would be a great place to calm our nerves. The area was actually a palace built in the Joseon Dynasty called Deoksugong. The grounds have temples and beautiful gardens, as well as Western style building that is now an art museum. The sun was setting while we were walking around, and the soft light and gentle breeze were wonderfully refreshing!

Temple at Deoksugong

East meets West

Upon leaving, we heard music. Following the sound, we came across an outdoor children’s concert. We watched a little boy play the harmonica and heard a group sing a folk song before we moved on.

Open Night

Our final stop was dinner! We found a delicious Italian restaurant near a shopping mall. I’ve been surprised how good Italian food is in Korea! I was grateful for the walk back to the train station, after stuffing my face with pasta and bread. The train ride home seemed extra long, but wasn’t too difficult. We got a shuttle back to the ship when we got to Incheon, and were “home” shortly after midnight.

I don’t know if I will have another opportunity to go to Seoul this contract, but I enjoyed my day there, and would love to see more!

Lots to do in Jeju

Posted on September 5, 2013 by CaseyT

We have stopped in Jeju many times now. Unfortunately, this port always has fallen on a show day, so instead of sightseeing, we have just gotten coffee and good internet. Due to a storm last cruise, we ended up in Jeju a day early, meaning we could actually explore!

Waterfall #1

Some friends and I rounded up 3 cabs to take us around the island. We drove for nearly an hour to get to the first destination: a beautiful waterfall. After wandering around and taking mass amounts of photos, we got back in the cabs and went to see the volcanic rocks along the coast. There was information about the different kinds of rocks, a statue filled promenade, and random figurines.

Volcanic rock

Dolphin!

Our third stop was Chocolate Land! It’s a chocolate café, museum, and school all in one! A few of us decided to take the chocolate class, and were able to melt chocolate, pour it into molds, and take home our homemade confections. In case you haven’t noticed, I am a chocoholic, so this was heaven for me.

Chocolate school

We ended the day at another waterfall. We weren’t able to get as close to the fall at this location, but there were other beautiful sights to see, including a large bridge and 2 smaller waterfalls.

Waterfall #2

Driving back to the ship, we laughed at the plethora of other activities in Jeju. There is a Safari Museum, a Women Diver’s Museum, a Dinosaur Museum, which confused a friend of mine (“I thought dinosaurs were extinct?”), and an erotic park called Loveland. There is also an art museum and planetarium, in case we decide to go somewhere “normal” next time!

Beautiful bridge

Back to Busan

Posted on September 4, 2013 by CaseyT

Occasionally the ship ports in the same place for 2 days, giving us the option to stay on land overnight. My first “overnight” experience was last week in Busan.

I hadn’t been to Busan since joining the ship in early July. It felt strange being there again. I feel like so much has happened in the past month and a half, but being back at the port, I felt like no time had passed. My perception of time is very skewed!

At the port

I got off the ship mid-afternoon on the first day in Busan. My roommate and I shared a cab with some members of the sports staff and had an amusing conversation with the driver. In broken English, he asked if I was from Singapore. As a fair-skinned ginger, I was quite surprised by this question! When we got downtown, I took advantage of free, fast internet at a cafe. On port days, everyone uploads photos on Facebook, so I was flooded with notifications all afternoon!

We returned to the ship for dinner and a short rest, and then took cabs out to Hayundae Beach. A few of my cast mates, some ice skaters, stage staff members, musicians, and a few officers all met up at a bar called Thursday Party. Our cab driver wasn’t sure where we needed to go, so he dropped us off in the neighborhood, and I ended up asking the concierge at a hotel and a few people on the street for directions. Luckily, my nonverbal communication skills are pretty good these days, and we found the spot without too much trouble.

Finally at Thursday Bar!

We split into smaller groups, wandered into a hookah bar, and ended the night (or, more accurately, the morning) at Burger King. Upon returning to the ship, I climbed straight into bed. A few hours later, we went out again for coffee, internet, and shopping! I have to say, cinnamon mochas are incredible!

Good ol’ BK

While I didn’t really have a cultural experience in Busan, I feel like I was able to see a different side of the city than I would with normal sightseeing. All in all, I had a great first overnight!

We’ll be returning to Busan next month, and I intend to go to the aquarium, some temples, and a famous tower. I hope the next stop there is just as fun!

waltzing on water

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