Members of the Sippican Women’s Club were transported to the far away lands of China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand last Friday during a slideshow presentation of Harry and Pam Norweb’s six week trip taken in the spring of 2011. The Norweb’s are Marion residents.
Wearing the beautiful silk garb of China, the pair chatted with the over 50 guests and members who came to hear details about their adventure of a lifetime. The talk followed a business meeting and luncheon, with sandwiches and dessert. A Chinese silk hand embroidered art piece featuring two swimming goldfish, framed by beautifully carved wood was an appropriate centerpiece for the serving table.
Mr. Norweb joked about the vacation slideshows of old and said he had three more carousels of slides under a nearby chair, prompting people to laugh. He started the show with a photo of a man fast asleep in a chair with his mouth wide open and joked about the “cruel and unusual punishment” in watching someone’s vacation photos. But, the crowd was excited to see and learn more about the well planned and executed trip.
Using a digital projector, Mr. Norweb said it was challenge to condense a six-week trip with thousands of photos into 45 minutes.
“We left on March 14, 2011 on the longest trip we’ve ever taken,” said Mr. Norweb. Most of the trip was on the RSSC Voyager, a cruise ship. A high school friend of the Norweb’s also went along on the trip.
A talented photographer, Mr. Norweb had colorful images of outdoor markets with hanging fowl, fruits, vegetables, cooked food, live birds in cages and women selling goldfish in plastic bags. Other photos showed blocks of shops offering herbs, ginger, tinctures and other ingredients used in Chinese medicine. One featured a monk in orange flowing robes texting on his cellphone.
Blond-haired Pam Norweb was stopped by several tourists in Beijing and asked to pose for photos, the Norwebs said. According to Mr. Norweb, many Chinese people save up and visit Beijing as their big vacation and many have never seen a westerner. Ms. Norweb obliged and, “her photo will endure in some women’s scrapbook forever,” he joked.
The couple walked a section of the Great Wall of China, and found that the next day it was closed due to a sandstorm. A visit to Tiananmen Square required a walk through an ex-ray machine and a metal detector. Viewing the Terra Cotta Warriors were also a highlight of the trip. “Three pits have been excavated so far and they are so vast and the sheer number of warriors was incredible,” said Mr. Norweb. Other Chinese cities visited included Shanghai and Hong Kong. “Shanghai is sinking because there is no bedrock below it… it’s a real problem,” said Mr. Norweb.
In Halong Bay, Vietnam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Norweb’s saw grottos and caves in the floating city, made up of 1,969 islands. “At night, the fishermen go out and fish for squid,” said Mr. Norweb. Other cities visited included Saigon, where they took a rick-shaw ride. “It was a hair-raising experience, but a real hoot,” said Mr. Norweb.
After Vietnam, they traveled to Cambodia where they saw the Angkor Wat, which is a temple held up by trees. In Thailand, the couple was there for the New Year celebration and were invited to spend time with a local family. “Our rule was not to ask what was being offered for the meal, but to smile, be appreciative, and eat it,” said Mr. Norweb.
After the talk, Mr. Norweb answered questions. “Did you drink the water?,” asked one attendee. “Only out of a sealed bottle when we were out on the streets… otherwise, the water on the cruise ship was safe to drink,” replied Mr. Norweb. Another asked about health care and Mr. Norweb said that the purchase of health care insurance for the trip was expensive, but that later he was told that Bangkok has one of the best medical centers in the world. Someone asked if they were able to take pictures without asking for permission and the reply was that the only restriction was not to take photos of soldiers with weapons or of police officers.
Mr. Norweb wrapped up his talk and provided his blog address for anyone who wanted to learn more or get more detail on the trip. The address is: asia2011-bricoleur.blogspot.com.
In other business, the Sippican Women’s Club announced that they had a profit of over $10,000 for the 2011 House Tour. The monies will be used to fund scholarships for local high school seniors and college students.
By Joan Hartnett-Barry
Photo courtesy of Harry Norweb
Fascinating. Would love to see more pics sometime.