...but first to catch up: Yesterday was a sea day, and it was nice in a way not to have the pressure of getting off the ship and seeing as much as I could. I ate breakfast upstairs again - something I could really get used to - and shared a table with a couple of guests - the first ones I had actually met. The day was really relaxing, and the night was petty easy, too. I played my first production show, called Twisted T.V., but we only did one showtime instead of the normal two. I liked the show - after hearing some of the lyrics I realized it is really clever and funny, something I wouldn't have gathered from its uninspiring title. There are only five cast members on the ship, all singers, two guys and three girls. The band is on the literal stage, which is fairly small, while the singers work the center floor - basically a dance floor that is encircled by the chairs and tables in the room. It is at floor level, not raised at all, giving the venue a really intimate feel. (Hence its name - Cabaret? hmmm) Anyway I enjoyed the show, although it feels weird to only have one crack at something. I'll likely never play it again. Aftewards we had a late night rehearsal for the next day's show (more on that show later).
Ok! So Ho Chi Minh! I was planning on just going out with a couple of people in the band and tagging along with them, but since I wasn't sure when or where they were going, I decided to go on a tour. I hadn't planned it, but in the morning during breakfast I found out they might still need people, so I rushed up to the dispatch desk and was able to get a spot on Highlights of Ho Chi Minh City. I'm really glad I went - it was such a full day. We visited the old President's house, which is now called Reunification Palace (a lot of history there), a Vietnamese museum, saw a vietnamese folk water-puppet show (you might have to see the pictures to understand - I don't think I can explain it well), visited a temple in Chinatown, the historic post office, Notre Dome Cathedral (from the French occupation), and so much more. My favorite part of the day was just watching all the people. It is Chinese New Year's Eve today, and the city is crowded! Also, EVERYONE rides motorcycles - the traffic is really chaotic! There don't seem to be many rules. The people themselves were fascinating to me. I could not get enough pictures of them. But almost every time I saw something that really made my jaw drop or made me laugh, it was over too quickly for me to get a photo. :-( But they will be some good mental pictures....memories...I saw a man somehow sleeping sprawled across an upright motorbike, an old woman in a hammock making herself swing by pushing off a fire hydrant, numerous sleeping rickshaw drivers curled up in their rickshaws, kids waving at the bus, and a man pulling a cart piled so high with cloth and rags that it looked physically impossible for it not to be tipping over. And people really do wear those round, pointed hats here. I bought a lot of stuff today - everything is so cheap you wouldn't believe. Anyway I could say so much more about the city - but really it was just an incredible experience. I wouldn't mind visiting again someday and just wandering around and eating food - the only things I missed out on today.
So then tonight we had one show only, but what a show! Our trumpet player Nate Collinsworth is a phenomenal performer, and actually has his own show. It is largely Jazz based, and so cool - I haven't played such a musically satisfying show in a while. Maybe ever. Such neat stuff....he has some really great, interesting arrangements of classic tunes like Caravan, Scarborough Fair and Georgia on my Mind, as well as a couple originals. Everything is really creative and interesting. He has a great sound. Tonight we did the arrangements that are the most easily digested by the masses - the guys in the band say the rest of his charts are even cooler, but I guess the cruise director wanted to keep things as uninteresting as possible so as not to overwhelm the average Joe Cruiser....Lame!! I wish I had a chance to do his other stuff as well. But it was really a great show, and fun to play. I was featured on Georgia - played the bridge as a solo. Ok, this post is much too long, I know. Too much information! Bye for now.
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