Day 16 - RV La Marguerite - 22nd September 2014 -
RV La Marguerite - Day 16 - 22nd September 2014 - Monday
We enjoy our morning meditation and start to pack up, Gerald goes to breakfast before me, our bags are ready to go the door at 10 am, and we need to register for the Mekong cruise at 11 am. We see the man who recommended the Vespa tour and enthuse, thanking him. We head out for a brisk walk in hot weather, the sun is shining, and we are determined to see however briefly, the Reunification Palace, the War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the statue of the Virgin Mary holding an orb, not a bowling ball as some assume, and Central Post Office. We see three weddings, this must be an auspicious day for marriage. Did I tell you that couples have their wedding photos take up to three months prior to their wedding day??? A lush green park filled with people last night, is now empty, and there are street cleaners in orange tops with brush brooms sweeping up the litter from last night. We feel quite the veterans now, crossing the roads, as we criss cross back street I find all kinds of interesting little shops, one full of exquisite linen, embroidered items of all sorts, I gaze longingly but there is no time, we have to be back in our room and checked out by 11 am. I say to Gerald I may have to break the rules and be 15 minutes late, he says you often break the rules, I say somewhat indignantly, no I don't, I honour the rules, always. As it turns out, we are out of the room, showered and packed by 11.05 am. Such rebels. Gerald is first in line for our cabin allocation, number 308, one of only two suited of the ship. Y husband spoils us, and I love it. We sit away from the herd but we can hear their chatter, as we sit on the first floor, and I FB and write.
The drive to the embarkation point for our beautiful boat the RV La Marguerite And oh my, what a surprise, in a very ordinary 'port' and we can use that word loosely, with a cleared area of broken concrete, with weeds growing between the cracks, a few scooters and some humble homes with smoke rising from pots and a couple of bus loads of our herd which has grown to around 70 toiling up a precarious ladder/stairwell, stands our river boat. Not exactly beautiful, but stately, an older woman I would call her - experienced, with a few wrinkles here and there, but proud and elegant, and welcoming. We are welcomed with smiling staff, cold drinks, and iced towels and taken down a central winding wrought iron stairwell, the floors and ceilings and pillars all made of a glowing wood, polished teak I imagine, inlaid with flowers and birds and animals, the lounge has expansive windows down either side, and is filled with rattan furniture, and two large pianos, a swish bar, and gilt fittings, with paper lamps hanging from the ceiling. Sigh.
We are briefed by the Cruise Director, a Swede called Frederick. The boat has only our group of about 70 on board, it takes twice that number, so we shall have excellent service and individual attention I imagine.
I am impatient and want to see our room, but the herd are champing for lunch. Down the stairs to the restaurant, a spacious cool room, with soon tickets table settings, and more smiling staff. I spy a table for two, and grab it, Ashley and Kathrine have said 'Sandra will find us a nice table' but I am clear I do not wish to have three meals a day with other people. I am here to be with my Beloved. Comments come thick and fast. 'Sitting with all your friends?' And 'Is this a romantic lunch for two?', and 'Do you need a candle?' it seems our desire to be with each other causes some people discomfort, perhaps it brings up issues about their own level of intimacy.
At breakfast this morning I told Carol I think I have to have a break from eating my stomach cannot handle it all. She laughs assays she does not know how I eat so much food, and thinks I must go to the gym after every meal and work it off. She laughs even louder when at lunch I change my mind, and join the throngs for food. I have pho and fish and fruit, Gerald has the tenderest, finest sliced pork with crunchy veggies, all fresh and delicious and light. Oh, and two glasses of white wine, how nice it is all included in the cost, no need for money on board. Thank you darling Husband.
Our cabin is absolutely gorgeous! Huge. It's called the Indochina Suite. There is dark wood parquet on the floor and ceiling, with intricate florals and pattens, polished to a glowing deep russet, the centrepiece of the ceiling which a complex inlaid pattern of gilt artwork, and a vast virginal white bed, two large chairs facing a big windows, a bank of louvred cupboards, a door leading to a good sized verandah with another two chairs and a table, and a bathroom three times the size of ours at home, with a big spa bath, a large corner shower, piles of white towels and shiny fixtures, a large mirrored cupboard and a huge window which looks out on to the deck and the river outside. There are mirrors galore and soft lights, including a modern, wired lamp, which burns red. Very sexy. The windows are swathed in luxurious heavy gold brocade with large silk tassels at either side, and the bed is so big and so high, I have to climb on to the plinth that surrounds it to lie down. Oooooooh myyyyyy.
I dance with happiness. It's a delight to unpack and I run the spa, and lie there gazing at the riverboats passing close by, feeling grateful. Gerald joins me with a a few suggestions and a glint in his eye. We make a very big mess when one of the spa spouts sprays water all over the room, and I have to mop it up with a pristine white towel.
Upstairs to the muster area for our safety briefing, carrying our enormous life jackets. The herd are in good spirits, and much laughter, a few scotch and cokes going down, Fiona is in the pool, the men are talking, and our group still hanging together, the good old Green Group. Hilarity around the safety jackets, they are enormous and people think I will slip straight through mine, and Allison swaps hers for mine, it is marginally smaller. Even so, there are a few folk who are having trouble fitting into theirs, and I do not see The Fat Lady, The Man With The Huge Belly and Pig Braces, nor Ashley and Kathrine, perhaps they have made an exception for them.
The women are talking about cabins and visiting each other's to make comparisons, and I cannot say no. We troop along the hall to our Indochina Suite, and there are gasps of admiration, and I fear, some dissatisfaction brewed in women who were previously quite satisfied. I feel myself leaning towards guilt and dismiss it immediately. Janine repeats, over and over, you deserve this Sandra, you do so much for others. Kathrine has dubbed me The Guardian Angel, so I have a halo now, quite a reputation to live up to. When I tell Carol the story of our Vespa Adventure and that the English woman was a pain in the arse, she laughs uproariously and says "I have never heard you say anything bad about anybody!" Steve says she probably says that about us, and Gerald chips in, if she thought you were a pain in the arse you would know about it, and I recount the zebra story, and how I questioned her when she said zebras were boring - a pom, trying to appear cool - and made a pair of binoculars out of my fists and told her there was nothing more thrilling to Gerald and I than wild animals in the bush - but not zebras, she insists - yes, zebras, monkies, elephants, spiders, birds make our hearts pound with wonder, and we were born there and grew up there. I relieve wanting to smash her smirking face. There goes my halo.
As I am telling Carol the story of our adventure on the Vespas last night, she laughs easily and enjoys my story. I think the Vespa company may have a few brave souls willing to try it in Siem Riep. Back in our cabin, I write and realising the time get ready for dinner in five minutes, thank you Rosemary for your easy to travel with, and stylish little skirts. I love mine. We head towards 'our' twelve for two, there are perhaps four in the dining room, and there are more comments, but we smile, and I respond 'Sitting with my very best friend!' Janine spotted Gerald patting my bum and made a joke, not unkind, and I wonder how many people here enjoy a sensual, loving and intimate relationship? How many made a mess of the bathroom in the last few years? I realise people are watching us, that we and our relationship, occur as unusual, that we enjoy each other's company and will go against the crowd to be together. We meet once more in the lounge for a cocktail with the Captain, and meet the key members of the crew, the Captain, The Chef, The Maître d, The Head Barman, and Quang instructs us once more into how to say 'bottoms up' in Vietnamese. Oh, Hai, Bai, Joh! And the crew join in.
Dinner is at 7.30 pm, but the herd are knocking the doors down at 7.15 pm but it is not open yet. is perfectly delicious and perfectly served, sweet and sour chicken soup, fish for me, lamb for Gerald, and fresh fruit. At 9 pm we head to the lounge, where we are entertained by Vietnamese musicians and dancers,a man and a woman, a courting ritual, during which she socks him in the jaw, and not too gently, perhaps it is a Vietnamese thing, as Miss LuLu our Vietnamese chef at the Morning Glory Cookery School told us a story about her husband and her marriage, where one day she just punched him, he left on his motor bike, and came back an hour later, and ever since then he has been a 'perfect husband'. Well well well.
Janine and Fiona and husbands are sitting with us and Janine tells me some of the story of her life, one of nine children she adored her dad, who died not so long ago, but has little to do with her mother. One of six girls, and the eldest, her mum told her recently that 'girls don't matter much' - she has clearly suffered much over this, and has decided not to tell the others.
Bed, and I have to cover several flashing lights in the room, it's like Las Vegas with reflections of the TV, the guide head phones, the I pad, the telephones all winking at each other.