March 29, 2026
The d'Arenberg Cube in the famed Barossa Valley was the draw for me here; the wine tasting was an added bonus! The 15M AUD Cube was built in 2017, from the vision of 4th generation winemaker, Chester Osbourn, who likened the solving of a Rubik's cube to winemaking. The avant garde glass, concrete and steel visitor center is 5 stories tall with
the top floor tasting room offering panoramic views over the McLaren vale vineyards, the Willunga Hills and the Gulf St. Vincent. The other floors house the Alternate Realitites Museum, a contemporary art gallery, bars, a fine dining restaurant, a virtual reality experience and a wine sensory room. There is currently a Salvador Dali Universe exhibit on a 2 year lease, with some of the artist's sculptures and graphics.
This place is true sensory overload! First there is the building, window & terrace views & colorful lighting and furniture, then add in the art work - tons of paintings, sculptures and so much more ! Top that off with wine tasting. WOW!!
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Did I mention the bathrooms? They are definitely worth a visit too!!
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Some of the art work from the Alternate Realities and Modern Art Galleries and a sampling of the Virtual Reality area.
I joined in with 49 other Ship Residents to attend an event the next day at The Vietnam War Remnants Museum also known as The Museum for Peace. This was put together by our residents as part of our ongoing efforts with the Ship's Odyssey Rotary Club and our Global Flagship of Peace initiative.
HO CHI MING CITY or SAIGON was our last port in Vietnam . The downtown area was an hour away from the Port , so most of us got Hotel rooms in town, as prices were so reasonable. Sadly, it was a rainy four days, but that kept temperatures moderate and we could still get out and do most things. We stayed in district #1 as most of the City highlights are in this area along with the nightlife. Traffic is very busy in the City, especially motorbikes. Crossing the streets needs to be done with intent and quickly as there are very few traffic lights or stop signs.
It's never a dull Sea Day on the Odyssey! We have such creative residents, that are always coming up with new ideas to entertain ourselves and have a good time. This plot was the calculating of Eddie and Michelle - a Game of Clue! The rules were simple - find the party venue at 8:30 pm, come dressed as a character, weapon or room from the game and solve the mystery of who stole the Ship's bell.