DIAMOND PRINCESS CRUISE #2: Day 13--Port of Chan May

To bring you up to date, cruise one was from Yokohama to Singapore, and the second is taking us from Singapore back up to Vietnam, with a final stop scheduled tomorrow for Ho Chi Minh City, which is the Port of Phu My, and return to Singapore on December 23.  So on to our life on the Diamond Princess.

The Port of Chan May can take you to Danang, 58 miles away.  Also can be spelled Da Nang.

• Became part of French Indochina in 1847, using religious persecution as an excuse.
• During the Vietnam War, was a major air base of the South Vietnamese and United States.  Was the busiest airport in the world at one time with 2.595 aircraft landings daily.
• Following the exit of the USA in 1975, grew to become the third most important urban center after Saigon and Hanoi.  Now has a population of up to 1.3 million.

• 
  The region around Danang has sprouted with major casino hotels.  Perhaps a billion dollars of projects underway, involving Hyatt, Marriott and other worldwide companies, including Robert Trent Jones-type golf courses.
• 12.8 million visitors came here just for the first eight months of 2025.
• New York Times praised Danang as the Miami of Vietnam, ranking it #15 in their list of 52 places to visit in the world,
• What to see in the city of Danang.  That's the Dragon Bridge below,

Lunch, back to ramen, but I find that not drinking too much of the soup helps keep my feet not so swollen.

Our ship was berthed near Vietnamese vendors, so off we went.  Carried no Vietnamese dong, but they take U.S. dollars.  Just looked and tourched.  Bought nothing.

Went to dinner in the Brazilian Churrascaria Grill.  Was here on Day 6.  Maybe one of three meals we had at that point,

Room was nearly empty.

Large salad and appetizer bar where you serve yourself.

Salad and apps with a Seghesio Zinfandel, McCallan whiskey and Caipinrinha.

First, rump of beef.

Next rack of lamb.

Not much else.  No desserts.  Again, a fine dinner.

We spent the rest of the night with the photography staff, sorting out our favorite photos.  We each get three 8/10 prints free.  Walked 2974 steps.

I'll close with China Beach, the nickname for My Khe Beach in Danang.  This was a rest and relaxation spot for American soldiers in the Videtnam War, and is now a tourist destination.

• Is an American war drama television series that ran from 1988 to 1991 over 61 episodes and a pilot film.
• Theme song was Reflections by Diana Ross and the Supremes.
• Showed the brutality of war.
• Earned a 94 Rotten Tomatoes audience rating.
• Won several awards.
• Many of the cast members later appeared on ER, another series.

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