St. Catharines, Ontario April 30, 2011

This Blog would not be complete without a final instalment, so here goes:

After leaving Portugal, we had six sea days, during which we crossed the Atlantic on our way back to Fort Lauderdale.  On the second day out, the sea was fairly rough and a few people were sea sick.  Thank God I wasn’t one of them.  As soon as I began to feel a bit queasy, I took a pill for motion sickness and that did the trick.  Unfortunately it was impossible to dance during this time, but I had a computer project going so I put that time to good use.  Most of the other activities on board continued as usual though for those who were able to take part.

Re: my computer project.  Some of the ladies gave the dance hosts gifts of some kind or other to show their appreciation for the many lovely dances they gave us and I also wanted to do something special and different for them as well as for the couple that gave us the dancing classes.  I decided to get a small computer memory stick for each of them, and to put on it a personalized slide show.  Since I had taken a lot of pictures, I had a lot of material to work with.  We had learned in the computer workshop how to do this, so I figured there would be no problem.  Ha Ha Ha.  There are always problems when I do a project on the computer.  Fortunately our Computer Instructor had times set aside for us to go and get “Techspert Advice”.  I had to go twice before everything clicked, but the results were fantastic and the dance hosts and the dance instructors seemed to appreciate the thought and effort that went into their gift.

If it hadn’t been for this project, I would have had a lot of time to read and relax, those last 6 days.  I had hoped to play some more ping pong but didn’t get around to it.  Then there was also packing to do.  It’s a good thing I had resolved not to go crazy buying souvenirs, because as it was, I had a lot of stuff to pack and I had also brought way too much baggage from home to start with.  I wish I had learned the art of packing lightly like Jim and Mary do.  They had the same number of bags for the two of them as I did for myself.

Every time we had a formal night, the Cruise Line left a gift on our bed.  One of them was a large, sturdy, green duffle bag and I put it to good use.  If I hadn’t had that, my 2 other suitcases might have been overweight.  Since I was travelling first class using my air miles, I was allowed three check in bags weighing seventy pounds each.  I certainly didn’t have that much weight, but it was good to be able to divide my treasures into three bags instead of two.  Also I didn’t have to use the zipper feature on my suitcases which give you two inches more space.

The final night of the cruise was bitter sweet.  Everyone was saying their good byes and promising to keep in touch.  My official last dance was to the song “Time to Say Good Bye”, but at the end of the evening the band played another lovely song that was too good to waste so I ended up having two last dances.

The departure from the ship was very well organized.  We were given tickets to put onto our luggage which were colour coded and numbered according to our travel plans and we were informed as to the time our number and colour would be called in the morning.  All luggage except our carry on had to be in the hall outside the cabin door before midnight the night before.  I’m glad I wasn’t one of the porters.  There were thousands of bags and parcels to be carried out.

My time slot was for 8:15 - 8:30 a.m., because that was the time the bus would be there to take some of us to the Miami Airport.  As we left the ship someone directed us to the location of the bags with our colour and number and once we had identified them, we were able to take them to the bus.  I hired a porter.  No way I was going to try to handle 3 bags, a carry on and a computer case by myself. 

There was a lot of traffic on the way to Miami, but we reached there within an hour.  I flew from Miami because that was where I could get a first class flight home using my air miles and unfortunately this meant spending a night in Miami at the Airport Hotel.  Of course my room wasn’t ready for occupancy when I arrived, but at noon I was able to get one.  The airport is fairly isolated,  not near anyplace  within walking distance, but it is huge and there are a lot of shops to brows through so this is how I spent my afternoon.  It was a 15 – 20 minute brisk walk from one end to the other and the Air Canada Terminal was at the opposite end to the hotel.  I wandered down there to see where I would have to go in the morning.  My flight out was for 7:50 a.m.

The woman at the hotel desk gave me false information.  She told me that I had to be at the terminal 3 hours before the flight, so in the morning I was there before 5 a.m., an hour ahead of time.  The day before when I walked down to the Air Canada Terminal, there was no one there, because there were no flights going out or coming in, so I couldn’t inquire.  I tried to phone but only got an answering machine with pre recorded information.  Needless to say I was first in line. 

Travelling first class is great.  they put a priority sticker on your suitcases and when you arrive at your destination, your suitcases are among the first to be unloaded.  I had a very good flight from Miami to Toronto, arriving there at 11:00 a.m.  Before 12:30 I was on the airport bus on the way home.

When I arrived home, I was greeted by the lovely sight of all my daffodils in full bloom.  I had wondered if they would wait for me and they had.  Then when I entered the house there were my 2 kitty cats waiting for me.  Spike didn’t recognize me and made strange, but Dora came right away, allowed me to pick her up and she stayed on my lap about 15 minutes, purring away.  what a welcome ! ! !   Spike made up for his behaviour by sleeping on my bed that night.

I must admit that I am suffering “withdrawal symptoms”.  The trip was so wonderful and I’d become accustomed to being spoiled and pampered.  I also miss the friends I made.  Luckily I have good friends and family here to help me over that hump.  Also I’ve been very busy getting my Income Tax Documents prepared as well as unpacking, doing laundry, opening and looking after the mail which accumulated during the past 4 months, so I don’t have time to think about what was and isn’t any longer. 

This World Cruise was the “Trip of a Lifetime.”   I’m so glad I was able to have this experience and I strongly recommend it to anyone who is able to do it.

                                                  The End

Funchal, Madera, Portugal April 19, 2011

Our last port of call was the Island of Madera, which is part of Portugal.   Went ashore today with Luis and Yoshiko.  We took the cable car up the mountain where we had a beautiful panoramic view of the city below.   Then we made a visit to a lovely church up there.  The weather looked iffey-- lots of rain clouds, so we returned to the city below wandered around for a couple of hours, enjoying the ambience.  Many of the  streets and sidewalks here are made with mosaics.  It is really lovely and quaint.

 

We didn’t get rained on down in the city, but another person told me that up above it poured.

We are on the Atlantic ocean now, and the captain announced that  for the next day or so, we are passing through a rough area.  After that he says it will be smooth sailing.  I didn’t feel too badly when it started, but decided to take a tablet against sea sickness, just in case.  A lot of passengers are feeling ill, including Paul, my favourite dance host.  I have my own wrist bands which help prevent this as well as the  old set I’ve had for years, so I loaned those to him.  Hopefully it helps.  There won’t be any dancing tonight anyhow  –  it is so rough that the ship is really a-rocking and a-rolling.  I’ll spend the evening in my cabin getting caught up with my blog and some other computer stuff I’m working on.  I may even get some reading done.

Cartagena and Cadiz, Spain April 16 & 17, 2011

I walked around these 2 beautiful cities with 3 of my friends from the ship and enjoyed the atmosphere.  The sidewalks and road where we were in Cartagena were made of marble – beautiful ! ! !  I got a chance to practise my Spanish and that was fun.  We were only in Cartagena for a few hours and we arrived there so early that everything was still closed.   At 10:00 a.m. the shops began to open.  The clothing on display in the shop windows were very elegant and not as expensive as in Italy.  Didn’t purchase anything.  My shopping limit has already been surpassed. 

We arrived in Cadiz early on Palm Sunday.  There were a lot of processions and ceremonies being held in the local churches.  They go all out here to celebrate Holy Week because it is a very Catholic country.  Unfortunately I didn’t happen to be where the processions were held, but I did get to go into one of the churches during Mass.  I had already gone to mass aboard the ship, so I didn’t stay for the entire service.   Needless to say, the church was packed.  All the locals were dressed in their Sunday best.  It was easy to tell the tourists from the natives

I was very surprised to see that some of the shops were open in the afternoon.   Again very stylish, beautiful clothes.   We wandered about for 3 hours and then returned to the ship, because we couldn’t find a public bathroom.  I got a very good impression of this city.  The streets are narrow but clean.  There are a lot of lovely plazas, where the streets come together and most of them have outdoor cafes where one can sit and people watch.  We opted for ice cream cones so we sat on a park bench.

 

Tonight is our second last Formal night.  The theme is “The Roaring Twenties”  Here’s a picture of  me taken with Paul. 

We were given boas and fedoras to wear at the dinner table, so after dinner everyone looked more like they belonged to the 20’s era.   These are some of my dinner table companions with one of the waiters (in in the back row)  I didn’t wear the boa – too hot and itchey.

Italy, Catacombs April 14, 2011

We are now further north and the weather is rather cool.   No more sunbathing.  Even the walks around the deck are just for the brave and daring souls, all bundled up.

Today’s tour lasted nine hours. Our ship was docked at Chivitavecchia, so it was about a two hour bus ride through beautiful Italian countryside to Rome.  The Catacombs of Domitilla,  which we visited were on the far side, another half hour’s drive.    They are among the most extensive in that area containing an underground Basilica and about 17 kilometers of galleries and corridors spread over four different levels, with almost 150,000 burials.   All the bones have been removed from there, because tourists were taking some of them home as aouvenirs. 

In addition to admiring the frescos and the wealth of Christian symbols in this ancient cemetery, I was also impressed by the magnificent engineering skills and the mastery of the workers who planned and carved out this huge labyrinth of underground passages,  working only with the aid of oil lamps.

 

A lot of people speak about how claustrophobic these catacombs are.  I didn’t find this the case, thank goodness.

Our next stop was a surprise for me, because it wasn’t mentioned in the trip description.  We visited Castel Gandolfo, which is the summer residence of the Pope.  It is located in the quaint little walled town of Gandolfo.  It looks like a very peaceful place and the view onto the nearby lake is spectacular.  The gardens of the Castle are magnificent, according to the pictures I saw, but no tourists are allowed in – only the pope, his guests and the gardeners.

Our final stop was at a farm-winery-restaurant.  The host was very friendly and we were greeted with Antipasto and wine.  Then we were treated to a demonstration of how to make pasta gnocchi.  We were invited to participate in the making of it, but no one volunteered.  Thank goodness, because this was going to be a part of our meal and I didn’t fancy the thought of eating something that several tourists had put their hands into.

Our meal was a plentiful garden salad, lasagne, gnocchi with a lovely tomato sauce, bread and wine followed by a very tasty tiramisu – probably the best I have ever tasted—and another type of pastry with a strong coffee.  Most enjoyable.

Then of course, we were faced with the long drive back.  Just as we arrived at the dock entrance, a bunch of policemen, ( five to be precise – in two cars)  stopped our bus and started giving our driver the once over.  He had to produce all his papers as well as the log disk of the number of hours he has driven without a rest.  As it turned out, on April first, he had driven 8 hours without  stopping.  For this he was fined, and after a lot of hemming and hawing and filling out forms, we were allowed to continue on our way.  This delayed our return by almost a half an hour.  Pedestrians are not allowed to walk around in the dock area, so even though we could see our ship, we had to sit there and wait.  We had skipped the bathroom break a half hour before because we were all anxious to get back fast, and now many of the passengers were  wishing we hadn’t.  Such is life ! ! !  We arrived back shortly before six. 

All in all, it was a very good tour.  Not too much was crammed  in one day, but what we saw was very interesting and I for one slept quite a bit on the bus.   Upon our return, I was raring to take a shower and go dancing , and that is exactly what I did.  I didn’t stay to the bitter end though.   I left to go to  bed when the band took its last break at 10:30.  The dance hosts looked rather tired and we ladies took pity on them.  If there is no one there, they can leave.

Our next two stops are in Cartagena and Cadiz, Spain and the last stop is in Madeira, Portugal on April 19th.  After that we have six  days on the Atlantic Ocean and then this wonderful voyage is over.  I’m not planning on taking any tours in Spain  and Portugal, because I’ve been there before. I’ll get off the ship with some of the others and wander around, get a taste of the atmosphere and practise my Spanish. 

I should arrive home in the late afternoon of April 27th.  See you soon.

Naples, Italy Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Since I’ve been to Naples within the past 5 years, I didn’t take a tour today.  Shirley, Elizabeth and I went out together to explore.   I probably would have gotten on the “Hop On Hop Off” bus to go and explore, but the other 2 didn’t have any Euros on them, so we just set out on foot.  All kinds of Italian men were after us to take their taxi for a tour.  We were able to evade them, but one little man stuck to us like a leech.  He wanted to take us on a walking tour – said it wouldn’t cost us anything because he was working for the company (didn’t say which company).  We couldn’t get rid of him.  He followed us and ended guiding us to the top of the hill where we had a great view of the city.  We would have visited the museum there, but it was closed today.  along the way, we found out which company he worked for – he led us to a jewellery shop where a man was busy carving out cameos out of sea shells.     They were really quite beautiful and of course they were hoping to make a sale, but all of us had left our credit cards on the ship and non of us had much money on us, so they were out of luck.  All of a sudden the little guide was no longer interested in guiding us.  He did lead us back down to the ship and even though he had said it was to be without cost, we gave him a $15. tip.  He started grumbling and complaining that it wasn’t enough.  Fortunately, Paul, one of the dance hosts was iin the near vicinity and he soon told our guide where to get off at.  The presence of a man sent our guide on his way and we returned to the ship, happy to be back.

Wm had been warned, by the person aboard ship who gives us talks about the places we visit,  to watch out for pick pockets, so that is why we left our valuables behind. 

I was really sorry that I’ve forgotten most of the Italian I learned a few years ago.  At that time I would have been able to hold a simple conversation.  Now most of it is gone.

I was hoping to buy myself a gelato along the way, but the one place we passed and stopped in, was in the process of making it, and wouldnt  have it ready for a while.  Perhaps when Ì go to Rome on my visit to the Catacombs on Thursday, I`ll be successful.  I love gelato  ! ! !

Formal Night Number 16, April 11, 2011

Our formal nights always take place on Sea Days.  This morning, I went for breakfast with Shirley in the Lido Dining Room at 7:15 a.m.

At 8 a.m. we went to the ``Sit And Be Fit``  exercise class.  This had helped me a lot with the shoulder and neck problem which I’ve had. 

At 9 a.m. we went to the dance instruction class where we were taught the Two Step.

At 10:30 I went to the Computer class called `Put Your Best Face Forward``.   It is a review for me, but I figured a review would be good before leaving the ship.  Here we learn how to download the pictures from our cameras onto the computer and then how to edit them.  I`ve learned a lot.

After a quick lunch I went to the hairdresser to get a wash and set in preparation for the big event of the evening.

At 3 p.m. I went to the second dance class to review the Two Step.  When that was over, it was time to get ready for the formal.  Our first dance time is from 4:40 until 5:30, just before the first seating for dinner, so I attended that.  The next session is between 7 and 8 p.m., just before the second seating for dinner and I attended that.  I also went for the session after dinner, but I had to leave early  around 10:30 because I was too tired to dance.  Would you believe that ! ! ! !   Dancing in the Ocean bar goes until 11:30 and upstairs in the Crow`s Nest it lasts until midnight – and I went to bed at 10:30.  What`s this world coming to ! ! !

Here I am posing with Howard in the Crow’s Nest.

 

I`m writing this blog in the early morning of  Wednesday April 13.  Last night I made it until midnight.  My 2 favourite dancers, Paul and Howard were in the Crow`s Nest and there were just 2 women there to dance – Shirley and me – so we danced every dance  ! ! ! !  What a great evening ! ! !

Piraeus, Greece, Sunday, April 10, 2011

My travel agent’ is associated with a company that provided me with 4 free tours on this trip.   The last one was here in Greece.  It lasted the entire day from 8 a.m. until around 4  p.m.  

From Piraeus where we were docked, we drove by bus to Athens where our first stop was the Acropolis.  It is located on a high hill in the middle of the city.  I visited it before in 1958 and was quite happy to see it again.  The last time I was here, we must have ascended the hill from the other side, because then , the first building we came to was the Parthenon and we had to climb the hill on a rough path with no stairs.  This time we climbed a very comfortable, wide set of  stairs and arrived at some of the other buildings first. 

The Parthenon is a really magnificent sight.  There is a lot of restoration going on, so there will likely be cranes visible in my picture.  It was also quite windy up there and I didn’t use a lot of hair spray that morning.

There are other temples on this site and we spent at least an hour up there looking at all the buildings as well as enjoying the splendid view of the city below.

Our next stop was the museum and our guide gave us a well narrated tour.  I got a lot of pictures of naked men at the museum and here is a fine sample – hopefully this will not be interpreted as pornography, after all it is art  ! ! !

Couldn’t bring myself to send the front view – you’ll have to come and visit me when I get back for that “show and tell”

By then it was well into the afternoon and we went to a local restaurant for a good Greek lunch.  I had a Greek beer to go with it and that tasted really good.  A b it of time was allowed for shopping before our return to the ship.  I just browsed and compared prices.  Things are a lot more expensive here than in the other countries we visited lately.  Now that we are in Europe and the Euro is the currency, we notice a big difference.  Also there is no haggling and bargaining.

We returned to the ship shortly before 4 p.m., just in time for the safety drill.  Every time we reach a new segment of the trip and take on new passengers, we have this.  The captain gives 7 blasts of the ships horn and all passengers must go on deck at their allotted spot near their lifeboat.  Attendance is taken and then a demonstration is given on how to put on a life vest and instructions given on what to do in case of emergency.  In the past, passengers had to come to the safety drill carrying or wearing their life vests.  This is no longer the case.  I believe there have been accidents due to people tripping over the cords of the life vests, so these now remain in our cabins during the drill.  One long blast of the ship’s horn is the signal that the drill is over. 

The tour today was the fourth consecutive long tour I’ve had, and I was sick for a couple of days in between, so I’m beginning to feel tired.   Because of that, I only went for the first session of dancing and   when that finished at 8 p.m., I came to my cabin, went to bed and slept for ten hours.  Ah that felt good ! ! !

Kusadasi, Turkey, April 8 & 9, 2011

I love Turkey! ! !   Is it because there were so many cats running around ?  I’ve never seen so many cute cats  ! ! !   No it wasn’t the cats – people are really friendly and it is a lovely country. No wonder my friend Geunter Schemeit and his son Mark were so fond of the place. 

On the 8th, I was on a tour to Ephesus for 4 hours.  Our first stop was at the house where the Blessed Virgin lived the last years of her life. 

It is a simple stone house with 2 rooms.  The first room is a shrine to Mary.  I imagine it was the living room.  The 2nd was probably her bedroom.   It  felt strange to be treading on the same ground as Jesus’ mother.  The grounds surrounding the home are very well kept and beautiful.  As usual in religious tourist locations, people are encouraged to purchase and light candles. 

The walk from the house led to a place where one could drink the local spring water and make a wish – which the guide told us could possibly come true.  She told us that she wished to have a baby and that came true.

The method of making the wish is as follows:  One drinks of the spring water ( from a tap) and then one writes one’s wish on a piece of cloth which one hangs on a fence specially provided for this.  An then one waits and hopes.  I didn’t have a piece of cloth, but wished for continued good health.  I figured if the Blessed Virgin wanted to grant me that,  she would do so without the obligatory piece of cloth hanging from the fence.

After this, we proceeded to visit Ephesus, one of the best preserved ancient cities of the world.  In the 1st century B.C. it was the second largest city in the world and its busy port was a crossroad for traders.  It was the home of the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.  The importance of the city as a commercial centre declined as the harbour slowly silted up causing it to lose its access to the Aegean Sea.  In its day it was a very modern.  The homes had hot and cold running water and central heating as well as indoor plumbing.  Strangers were welcome; education was encouraged; and through the cult of Artemis, the city also became a bastion of women’s rights.  Under Roman rule, the treasures of the city were plundered.  When Augustus became emperor in 27 B.C. he made Ephesus the capital of proconsular Asia, and the city entered an era of prosperity until it was destroyed by the Goths in 263 A.D., which marked the decline of the city’s splendour.    

Ephesus was a centre for the fledgling Christian movement.  Its Basilica of St. John honours the tomb of St. John the Apostle who was charged by Jesus from the cross to look after the Blessed Virgin Mary.  It was he who brought her here and made a home for her after the resurrection.

We spent 2 days in Turkey.  On the second day, I just walked into the city of Kusadasi with my friend Shirley and we browsed through the shops and did a bit of shopping.  People were very kind, friendly and helpful.

We met Mary and Jim along the way and they told us that if they had known Kusadasi before retiring in Mexico, they might have retired here instead. 

Israel, April 6, 2011

Today was a long, full day, but well worth the effort.  I was on a ten hour tour which took us to Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Gethsemane.  I t had rained through the night and the weather was rather cool, so I had to bundle up in four layers and I brought along my “in case” jacket and a scarf which I ended up wearing at the top of the Mount of Olives because it was quite windy there.

We left the ship docked at Ashdod and travelled by bus around one and a half to two hours to reach the holy city.  I have to confess that I was a bit sleep deprived, so I was happy for the long drive, because I was able to doze off and catch up.  The countryside that I saw between naps was lush and green.  A lot of irrigation is carried on to make the land fertile and it pays off. 

Our first stop was at an outlying section of Jerusalem called En Kerem.  This is the birth place of John the Baptist.  At the time of his birth, this was a little village outside the city but now it is part of Jerusalem.

We drove through Jerusalem to get to Bethlehem, about ten kilometers away.  I was really impressed with the appearance of the city.  There are a lot of parks and green areas.  It is a law here  that any new buildings have to be constructed with white blocks or bricks in order to preserve the ancient look so it is an impressive clean looking white city. 

All types of worship is allowed in Israel, so there are a lot of Christian churches, Islamic  mosques and Jewish temples side by side.  Too bad the people cannot find the peace preached by all the religions represented here.  I truly believe that the average citizen here desires this – it is the radicals that cause the problems. 

Upon arrival in Bethlehem, we entered the Church of the Nativity.  I was surprised that there was no order in the way we entered.  Everyone crowded around to bend and enter through the small opening that leads inside.  There is only one way the pilgrims are allowed in and it is through this tiny opening, just large enough for one person at a time and so low, that one has to crouch down to get through.

 

Inside the church it was no different.  The area we had to pass through to reach the nativity site was narrow and down some steps.  No effort was made at crowd control.  I must say that most people were considerate and with time we all got there.  Here is a picture of the place where we were told that Jesus was born.  The star on the floor marks the location:

Both Moslems and various Christian sects claim this spot, so there are places of worship for each one.  We were supposed to go into the Catholic Church, but there was a procession going on at the time and we were not allowed in, so we had to be contented to seeing it from the outside.

We drove back to Jerusalem, stopping along the way to view the Old walled city, including the Dome of the Rock from which Muhammed is supposed to have ascended to heaven.  Across the valley we were able to see the location of the Garden of Gethsemene and the Mount of Olives which is where we were headed, but first we had a very delicious kosher lunch stop at a large hotel.   It was delicious and plentiful and included red wine.

At all our stops we were approached by the vendors and a lot of people got some good bargains.  I had to remind myself that I’m in the process of getting rid of things, not acquiring – but it was tempting ! ! !  Our guide warned us about pick pockets but I don’t think there were any incidents.  On a cruise as long as this one, people (for the most part) get wise and look after their valuables .

After lunch the bus took us to Mount Olive and to the Garden of Gethsemene.  Mount Olive contains cemeteries with a lot of the graves above ground.  Our guide told us that many people, even those from out of the country,  request to be buried here.  There are cemeteries from all denominations scattered throughout the area.  Apparently they believe that at resurrection time, those buried here will be the first to arise.

The Garden of Gethsemane which is adjacent to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,  is a beautiful peaceful spot, where the oldest olive trees in Jerusalem are to be found. 

Our guide pointed out all the places where Jesus was supposed to have had the Last Supper, the Agony in the Garden, the Via Dolorosa, the Crucifixion, the burial, the resurrection and the ascension.  (The tour was not long enough for us to go directly  to all these places.)

Unfortunately, neither did our tour take us inside the walls of the old city, so we never got near the “Wailing Wall”, the temple etc. but we did get a panoramic view of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.  By then it was late afternoon and we were getting tired, so most of us were satisfied with that.   Our drive back to the ship took us through the new city where we saw (and had a narration about) the usual public buildings like the Knesset (Parliament Building), the Supreme Court, the Shrine of the book. 

Our guide made the tour super interesting by incorporating music in his presentation.  At the beginning, he played a disc that had a couple of songs about Jerusalem.  At another point, we all joined in “Michael Rowed the Boat Ashore” and at the end he taught as a song to sing when the guards boarded the bus to control what we had purchased.  That song, translated meant “We come in Peace”.

Between six and six thirty, we returned to the ship, ready for the entertainment of the evening which featured a local dance group of young girls called “The Ashdod Academy of Dance”  as well as a young woman who sang and who had an excellent voice.  This was by far the best local group we have had thus far.  They danced with gusto, the music was lively and the costumes were colourful.  At the end the girls went down into the audience and got people up to dance with them.    It was great entertainment.  I don’t always attend an entire show.  It depends on the entertainers.  I go to the theatre and watch the beginning of the performance and if I consider it good, I stay – if not I go dancing.

April 7th will be a sea day and on the 8th we arrive in Kusadasi, Turkey where we will stay for 2 days.  I have a four hour tour booked the first day and the remainder of the time I’ll wander about exploring on my own – probably with my friend Shirley.  The city is very close to where we are docked, so getting there is a simple matter – no need for shuttle busses and taxis.

Suez Canal April 5, 2011

Today I was up and out before 6 a.m. to see us enter the Suez Canal.  It is now 2:15 and we are still cruising through. 

It is a 163 kilometer canal which passes through Egypt joining Suez on the Red Sea and Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea.  Since there is no sea level difference between these two bodies of water there are no locks.  The banks are very close together and for the most part there is one way traffic.   There are only two places where it is sufficiently wide for ships to pass each other – Great Bitter Lake and another man made location.   On the west side of the canal, is the continent of Africa and on the east is Asia.   The west coast is more populated and there is a lot of agriculture going on.  The east is more desert-like and barren for the most part.

Some 25,000ships pass through each year.  No private ships are allowed.  We were docked just south of the canal overnight awaiting our turn to pass through.  Because of our speed, we were the first to go this morning.  At one point at Great bitter Lake, I counted 30 ships awaiting their turn to pass through. 

Along the banks on both sides, at regular and short intervals, there were soldiers with rifles standing guard. 

Sorry I don’t have better pictures !

15th Formal Night April4, 2011

The theme for our formal night was “Arabian”.   A lot of people had purchased various articles of clothing along the way, so it was fun to see them all decked up in their Arabian garb.  I had purchased a long top at one of the markets, so I wore it with some black tights.  Here I am with my two favourite dance hosts:

Aqaba, Jordan Sunday, April 3, 2011

Aqaba in the south of Jordan, is the country’s only seaport.  It is best known as a diving and beach resort, but also as the port of call for cruisers wishing to visit the Lost City of Petra, also known as The Rose City.  This is Jordan’s most visited tourist attraction and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.  It was chosen by the BBC as one of “the 40 places you have to see before you die”.  For years it was lost due to the fact that the entrance ways were covered in a sand storm.  It was only rediscovered in 1812. 

We drove approximately two hours by bus to reach the site.  Quite a city has grown around it, with luxury hotels and of course the usual multitude of vendors.   We walked downhill at least a mile or two to reach the entrance.  I’m trying to find words to describe it – magnificent, stupendous, unbelievable ! ! ! !

It is an ancient city whose buildings were cut into the sandstone and granite rock face of the crevices inside the craggy encircling mountains.   During its heyday, it was on the trade route taken by the camel caravans travelling between the many countries bordering Jordan and beyond . 

I would strongly suggest that you look up Petra on the internet, because my words and photos are a very poor substitute.

 

The walk to the end of the city is about five miles long, all downhill and of course there was the return walk uphill.  We could have rented a 2 passenger carriage for $30. or rented a horse or donkey for less.  Most of us chose to walk.  It was a LONG WAY BACK ! ! ! !

This evening aboard the ship, there was  a pirate party to celebrate our safe passage through pirate territory.  Free drinks were being passed around but there were very few takers because since most people on the ship went on long tours these past 2 days, and the smart ones retired early.

The next 2 days are sea days, and we will pass through the Suez Canal, then we will have the opportunity to visit Israel – Bethlehem and Jerusalem.  Am looking forward to that.

Safaga, Egypt April2, 2011

We left the ship at the port Safaga,  around 8:30 a.m. for a 4 hour bus drive through the Sahara Desert.  What a sight that is ! ! !

At first, we were surrounded by tall, rugged limestone hills.  I was surprised, because I had pictured this desert as endless sand dunes. 

These gradually became smaller and after an hour or so,  the sand dunes did appear.

 

As anticipated we did  pass by an oasis or 2 and they were a welcome sight after all the isolation. 

Vehicles travelling through the Sahara must go in convoy.  There were 18 busses filled with passengers from the ship  and 2 spare busses in case of break downs in our convoy.  Every so often we passed through a check point manned by soldiers with guns.   People traversing the desert are checked very carefully to make certain they arrive at their destination.  If they don’t show up, a search party is sent out.  The road through the desert was excellent.

We arrived at the west bank of the Nile River across from Luxor shortly after noon and our bus headed straight for the Valley of the Kings – the necropolis where the tombs of the ancient rulers of Egypt have been excavated.  This is a huge mountainous area.  The pharaohs had these elaborate tombs dug out from the mountainside and had them elaborately decorated with brilliantly coloured pictures and hieroglyphics.   When they died, they were sealed in these tombs along with a multitude of gold and jewels as well as clothing food and furniture which it was believed they would need in the next world. 

We spent over an hour in  this location and were able to enter and explore three of the tombs.  One has to see this to believe it.  I though it would be claustrophobic but this was not the case.  The tunnels were fairly  wide and stairways bad been built so that we could descend quite comfortably.  In one of the tombs, we had to go down a very long way and that was fine, but climbing the stairs back up was a chore. The colours, in places are as brilliant as if they had just been newly painted.  The carvings are exquisite.  It is mind boggling to imagine that this was done using a hammer and chisel.   Over 60 tombs have been discovered and it is believed that there are many more.  Only one tomb that was discovered had not been looted by thieves and that was the tomb of King Tut.

We were  not allowed to take pictures here, in order not to damage the paintings.  I did buy postcards, however and I’m planning on scanning them into my computer.

The venders in Egypt are the worst we have come across so far.  They try very hard to sell their wares.  They swarm at you, are quite persuasive and  don’t take no for an answer.  They follow you and keep after you, offering you something at an exorbitant price and then lowering it as they follow and the more one says no, the lower the price gets.  The only way to get them to stop is not to acknowledge them, not to speak to them and not to make eye contact. 

after we left the Valley of the Kings, on our way to visit the Karnak  Temple we stopped along the way to take pictures of the Colossi – which are 64 foot twin statues of one of the Pharaohs.  They are all that remain of a once great temple.

We crossed the Nile River on our way to the  Karnak Temple and parked along its banks were multitudes of river cruise boats, jut waiting to take tourists for a cruise on the Nile.  I had hoped to take the tour that included a dinner while cruising down the Nile, but by the time I went to book it, there was no more room left.  I guess it wasn’t meant to be.

At the Karnak Temple, the Avenue of Ram-Headed Sphinxes leads to the entrance.

The Hypostyle Hall, is a colonnade featuring 134 immense and richly decorated columns.  The complex also boasts the obelisk of Queen Hatshesput, the temple of Amen-Re and a Sacred Lake.  It’s amazing  that these  artefacts are still in such good shape despite their age.   Here is a statue of one of the Ramses in the death pose.  The small statue at the bottom is that of  his favourite wife.

Our drive home was long and uneventful, but I enjoyed the four hour drive through the desert just as much as I did in the morning on the way there.  

Salalah, Oman Tuesday, March 29, 2011

I hadn’t planned on going to Salalah.  I was going to spend a relaxing day aboard the ship shortening my new gown, sunbathing, reading and catching up on my blog, but that wasn’t to be the case and here is the reason why:

Some of the dance hosts had purchased  long white Arabian gowns to wear for the Arabian night to be held on one of the formal nights.  James was moaning and groaning that his was too long, so I offered to shorten the hem and the sleeves for him.  This being done, I went to the laundry room to iron it.  We have an “el cheapo” iron and it is difficult to set it properly.  I added water to have steam.  It was already hot because someone else had just used it.  Unfortunately I didn’t follow the golden rule of testing the heat of an iron by trying it on an inside seam.  A blast of hot steam came out of the iron and  yes you know what happened.  I burned a hole in the sleeve.  I was devastated ! ! !  What do I do now?    I rushed to the tour booking office to try to book a tour to Salalah so that I could go to a souk, at our next stop, to buy another one, but there was no more space on the tours.  We had been warned that getting a cab to the town a half hour away might be a hit and miss affair, so I wasn’t certain about that.  A friend of mine, (Maria, a Mexican lady) was going on a tour and I asked her to buy me one in case I didn’t find a way to go myself, thinking, “If I go and find one the right size and Maria also gets one, I’ll have a spare one for a costume when I get home, and that way at least I’m sure of getting a replacement.”   I wasn’t taking any chances.

When I got back to my cabin, there was a message on my phone from Jan,  one of my former dinner table mates, asking if I’d be interested in sharing a cab to go to town the next day, so of course I said, “Yes.”

Off we went, 4 ladies,  and we had no trouble getting a cab.  First we went to a very modern 3 story department store where Jan had made purchases on another trip.  They had no white gowns, but I bought a couple of memory sticks for my computer, some cough drops, some white thread and some beautiful scarves. 

Next the cab driver took us to the souk and he led me to the stalls where the white gowns were sold.  I had taken the original one with me so that I could make certain that the size was correct.  No luck at the first 2, but at the 3rd we hit the jackpot.  The gown was the perfect size, needed no alterations and had a bit of fancy work around the neck.  It was even a better quality than the other one and cost me $17.   What a relief ! ! !  I walked out of the stall crossed the street to go to see the sultan’s palace to take a few pictures when I spotted Maria in a shop over there and she was calling me to tell me that she was in the process of purchasing the gown I had requested.  I quickly ran over and told her not to buy it, that I already had one.   Phew  ! ! ! !  My guardian angel was working overtime that day.

That  afternoon after the first dancing session, which finished at 5:30,  James, Paul and I went to the Canelletto Restaurant -- the Italian restaurant aboard the ship-- for dinner ,  as a celebration for all the work I had done on James’ gown and a button I had sewed on Paul’s shirt.  I still hadn’t told them the story, but let them believe he was getting the original one back.  After dinner, I presented James with the new one and explained the situation.  Of course he said that I needn’t have bothered, but he was just being polite.  He was very pleased with the new one—and guess what—that material was perm press and didn’t need any ironing ! ! ! !

And that was  my big adventure in Salalah.

And finally I am all caught up with writing my blog.  More to come after I return from Egypt and the “Valley of Kings”.

Muscat, Oman Sunday March 27, 2011

The landscape her in Oman is totally different from that of the countries we have visited recently. 

Muscat is the capital and largest city of the Sultanate of Oman.  Situated on the Arabian Sea, it s landscape is dominated by the Western Al Jahar Mountains. The first thing one sees upon docking are the rocky elevations.  The other countries we visited lately were rather flat, because a lot of them, especially Dubai and Singapore have reclaimed lot of land from the ocean.  The economy is driven mostly by petroleum, trade and its port facilities.  The sultan is well liked by the people  because through his leadership the country has prospered and modernized.

As per usual, the tour we took today went to the museum, the mosque and the souks.  Here is a photo of some of the market stalls of the souk.

Again I was on the lookout for a beaded top, but no luck.  This souk was quite large and had many alleyways and I ended up getting lost for a bit. When it was time to return to the bus I didn’t want to be the last one to come and keep the others waiting, so I was a bit worried.  I bumped into Paul, the dance host ( who had gone there in a cab,)   and he pointed me in the right direction, to my relief.  Then I stood there with a few others waiting for the stragglers to arrive.  I needn’t have worried.

One of the places where we stopped was a modern art museum and the  former home of one of the sheiks.  It was beautiful, made of marble.  The living quarters were downstairs built in an open courtyard and upstairs were the bedrooms.  One of the tourists asked if there was an elevator to get upstairs.  The guide responded that in those days when this home was built and in this country, no one had ever heard of an elevator. 

I got into a conversation with one of the employees there and she allowed me to take her picture in front of the drawing I liked the most.  She is a graphic arts graduate from the local university and she speaks an excellent English.  She told me that a new opera house is being built in the city and that it should be finished within a year.  I have a totally different impression of the Arab countries, now that I have visited there.  They are quite modern and in some ways we could take an example from them.  Muscat is a beautiful and clean city – no graffiti here.  The laws are quite strict.  If you steal, you get your hand cut off ! ! ! !

Dubai March 25, 2011

In the morning today I took an excursion downtown on one of the ship’s tours.  The bus didn’t stop anyplace where we could get some good pictures of the downtown buildings, so I have to be satisfied with the ones I took out of the bus window.  One can only gaze in awe and wonder at the many tall, beautiful buildings, each unique in it’s own way. 

Dubai has a very modern transportation system.  The trains are computer controlled and they run above ground on elevated rails and below ground.  The stations above ground are built in the shape of a clam shell.

Our first stop was a mosque, where we just stopped to take a picture.  We were not allowed to go inside, because it was Friday and that is the day the Moslems worship.  Friday and Saturday are their weekend and Sunday is the first day of their week.  Most of  the stores today were closed until 4 p.m. because of that.

Then we were off to see the beach on the Arabian Sea.  What  beautiful sand it had!  I wished that we could stay there and enjoy it, but that wasn’t on the schedule.  Again, just a photo op.  In the following picture, taken there, you can’t see much beach, but the beautiful building in the background is one of the hotels.

Our next stop was at the Mall where one can go skiing.  Imagine ! Skiing in a mall ! ! Here is a picture of the ski slope taken from behind the glass partition separating it from the mall lobby.

At the mall we were offered juice and a short refreshment break, then on we went to see the old part of the city where a tent had been set up to show what the lifestyle was before they discovered oil.  Here we could have gone for a camel ride.  One lady did and I might have, but our time was too short and we had to leave.

Our last stop was at the gold souks (market stalls).  I never saw so much gold in all my life ! ! ! Stall after stall after stall of gold !

I wasn’t interested in purchasing gold so I went down the alley way to the clothing stalls.  I was hoping to find a beaded sleeveless top, but didn’t have any luck.  There were all kinds of fancy dresses and if there had been more time, I would have tried something on.  Good thing I didn’t because that evening I went to the Dubai Mall – the largest mall in the city and that is where I bought my beautiful taupe gown. 

Getting around in a large city is always an adventure.  There was a shuttle bus from the ship to one of the other malls, but others who had been there said it was more expensive than the Dubai Mall.  Anyhow, I got on the shuttle bus and met a couple I know, so we decided to get a cab to the Dubai mall once we got off the shuttle bus downtown.  Aong the way we met another person who was interested in doing the same thing, so for about $2. a piece we got to our destination around 5:15 p.m.  We agreed on a meeting place for 7 p.m. with the understanding that if anyone didn’t show up, the others wouldn’t wait.  My first  goal was to find someplace to have my finger nails refilled.  There are about 1000 stores in the Dubai Mall and plenty of information booths so I had no problem finding out where to go.  Unfortunately, the first appointment I could get was for 7 p.m. so I knew I wouldn’t be going back with my friends.  Our guide had told us that we could feel safe in Dubai, because the crime rate was 0 %.  Anyone who commits a crime gets deported and the rich Emirates don’t have to rob anyone, so I had no qualms going back by myself.  I looked around the mall, getting lost a couple of times while looking for a department store called Debenham’s where I was told I could find some nice dresses and that is where I bought the 2 of them.  Then I had to search for the nail salon and I was worried I might not be able to, but I made it in time for my appointment with a couple minutes to spare.  In Canada, small drills are used to do the manicure and it takes about a half an hour, more or less.  Here they do everything by hand with a nail file and it took two hours ! ! !  The young lady did a very nice job though.

After that I did some more window shopping and decided that I had better find some taupe thread in order to shorten my new gown.  I was sent to a part of the mall where one finds the type of clothes that the locals wear and I saw some that were very     beautiful  covered with beads and very elegant, but nothing that I would ever wear back home – besides I already had purchased mine.  The place where they sold thread was already closed so I ended up in a men’s tailor shop, where not too much English was spoken.  At first the tailor thought that I wanted him to shorten the gown and he wanted me to go into a broom closet to change.  I finally was able to make him understand that I wanted to shorten it myself and that what I needed was a needle and thread.  Mission accomplished, I went in search of a cab.  A sales person in the shop led me to the cab stand nearby (people were very helpful here) and I took a cab all the way back to the ship tired but happy.   The shuttle bus stopped running at 8 p.m. and by then it was after 10 p.m.)

Since it was Friday evening and the next day was a holiday for the locals, there were a lot of them out shopping, some with their children.  The men were all decked out in their long white gowns and the ladies were wearing their long black ones with veils covering their heads.  Very few had their faces covered.  Some of the ladies were really very beautiful.  They must wear lovely clothing when they are in their homes because in the shops there are some gorgeous, colourful long gowns.

So now you know all about my adventures in Dubai.  I’m way behind in my blog.  Since Dubai, we have been to two places in Oman.  I’ll try to catch up before I go to visit the Valley of the Kings in Egypt tomorrow.   I’m feeling a lot better than I did yesterday – sore throat is gone and sneezing has almost completely stopped.  The tour tomorrow lasts 11 hours, so I decided not to go dancing, but to stay in my room and rest,relax and recuperate. 

Dubai Tour March 24th

On this day, our bus took us to visit 4 of the United Arab Emirates.  As we left the city of Dubai,  we drove through desert country where the sand dunes were sparsely covered with low vegetation.  Camels and goats were to be seen grazing everywhere.

At our first stop, we visited a very modern well displayed  maritime museum.  Before oil made the people here rich, their way of life was fishing and pearl diving and this was portrayed very well in this museum.

Our next stop was at the compound of one of the former rulers,  (now a museum)   which portrays their way of life in the olden days.  It is built like a fort with thick walls.  The courtyard is open to the sky.  On the ground floor, small rooms are built all around in  the walls to house the staff and to store the necessities.  Upstairs were the sultan’s quarters – one room only for him, but lots of other rooms – probably for his many wives and children:

The next stop took us to a camel race track.  The camels they have here are quite small and apparently quite fast.  Camel racing is a very popular sport.  The citizens are not supposed to bet, but we heard that they find ways to get around that.  It was during the noon hour that we arrived there and because of the heat of the day, we didn’t actually see any racing, but we did get to see some of the camels.

The last location on our agenda, was a ghost town in the middle of nowhere.  In my opinion, this was just a tourist trap – somewhere to take the gullible tourist.  Supposedly, the town was found destroyed and almost all of the population disappeared and those who were left behind were all dead.  There is no explanation of what happened, or even when, but the local folk will not come here after dark because of the supposed strange noises and the invisible things that grab at you.  The site is now used by a film company when they make spooky films, but they only work during the day ! ! !

The drive through the desert going from one area to the next was very interesting.  It is hard to imagine the beautiful modern cities of this country springing out of this desert and all within the last 25 years.  Isn’t it amazing what a bit of oil can do for a country. 

MESSAGE FROM THE CAPTAIN March 31, 2011

Travelling through Egypt is now considered safe.  Although it is too late to change our itinerary back to what it was in the past, the ship has travelled so fast through pirate territory, that we are ahead of schedule and can afford to make a stop at Safaga in Egypt and this means that we will be able to take the tour to Karnak, Luxor and the Valley of the Kings on April 2.  Hopefully I will have recuperated sufficiently to go, because this was one of the places I really wanted to go to.

Dubai, March 24 & 25, 2011

I really never thought that I would ever be in Dubai ! ! ! But here I was for 2 days. 

It was so refreshing after leaving the squalor of India, to arrive here to this beautiful, clean, modern, exciting city.  Everything here is the “ greatest, the longest, the highest the newest” etc. etc.  Twenty-five years ago this was just a desert and now it is this big modern city.  I took a tour on each day and then the last evening I went to the Dubai Mall on a shopping expedition.  I haven’t gone crazy buying stuff so far, so I splurged and bought 2 lovely dresses which I’ll be able to wear for formal nights.   One is blue grey, three quarter length and beaded – straight cut and flared skirt.  The other is silk, long and taupe in colour with a soft draped over skirt which makes it look quite elegant.

Dubai is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates on the Persian Gulf.  It is the most populous and second largest after Abu Dhabi.  The oil income only makes up 6% of Dubai’s wealth and they say that the oil will run out in about 6 years.  For this reason, the rulers decided to  diversify from a trade based economy to one that is service and tourism-oriented.  Construction on a large scale has turned Dubai into one of the fastest growing cities in the world.  The new buildings in the town centre are all very tall and of every imaginable shape and colour.  The tallest tower in the world is now located here.  Unfortunately,  I wasn’t able to get a picture showing this except from the bus window:

The building boom has come to a slow halt within the past few years, because of the economic conditions in the world.  In fact, Dubai was in dire straights financially and had to be  rescued by Abu Dhabi.  At one point,

Its population is comprised mainly of expatriates, who come mainly from Asia.  They do most of the work.  The United Emirate Nationals (Emiratis) constitute the minority.  They are the rich people.  They do not pay taxes and health care and education etc. are free.  The expatriates are not allowed to become citizens, no matter how long they are in the country, nor are their children born here considered citizens.  They are however. permitted to own property. 

As is the rule everywhere, the rich live in luxury and the workers are less comfortable.  From listening to the tour guide, I thought the workers would be well looked after, but this is not the case.  I had a conversation with the young lady who gave me a manicure.  She is from the Philippines.  I asked her how she liked living here and her reply wasn’t too positive.  When I inquired about her living conditions, she told me that she and 6 other people live in one room – 3 are males.  They only have room for their bed.  The rent is so high that this is the only way they can make ends meet.  So – the rich get richer by taking advantage of the less fortunate.  This young woman works in a shop in the Dubai Mall from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.  Not a very exciting life ! ! !

March 31, 2011 Somewhere in the Red Sea

We have been in Pirate country for the past few days and the captain and crew are taking every precaution to keep the ship and its passengers safe.  We are travelling at a high speed, even though that is more costly.  The other option would have been to travel around to the south of Africa and this would have added 2000 miles to the trip and a lot to the cost of fuel.  There are many ships from other countries travelling here, as well as warships to protect us.  I guess there is safety in numbers.  So far, so good.

The seas have been wonderfully calm and we rarely see any rain.  I can’t imagine anything more perfect.

Last evening we had our 14th formal night and this gave me the opportunity to wear my beautiful new gown. I received many compliments and I felt very elegant.

What a change over the past 24 hours – last evening I was dancing the light fantastic and tonight I am plagued with a sore throat,   sneezing and congestion in my chest.   After my bout with pneumonia last year, I thought it best to visit the doctor whose office  is just down the hall from me.  She gave me some  antibiotics.    No dancing for me tonight.  I had my supper sent to my room and I’m going to rest and recuperate.  I have a ten hour tour to visit “Petra, the Rose City” which is in Jordan, 2 days from now and I would hate to miss that.

Tuesday January 25, 2011

 

I THINK I DID NOT SEND THIS AT THE TIME, SO HERE IT IS BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

Woke up very early this morning, so I took the opportunity to go to one of the laundry rooms and do my first big load of washing – actually it was 2 loads.   Now I’m all set for another month I think.  There are several laundry rooms available and if one chooses the right time, it’s not busy.  Ironing boards and irons are also available there.  People  who have cruised over 200 days on  Holland America Line ships get their laundry and cleaning done for free.   Since many people on this ship are in that category they are the lucky ones.  I’ve met very few people who are on their first cruise.  It seems to be a life style with most of the people on the ship.

This afternoon, at the duty free store aboard ship, I bought a lovely black and silver top to wear on a formal night.

Am going to Mary and Jim’s stateroom for champagne before diner. 

Tomorrow I have the morning free to stroll through Papeete, Tahiti and in the afternoon I have a tour booked there.

Agra, Delhi & Mumbai March 20,2011

We were up before the crack of dawn, in order to return to the Taj Mahal when the sun rays first reach it in the morning, and what a beautiful sight it was ! !

Because we checked out of the hotel so early, the breakfast facilities we not yet open, so the hotel packed breakfast lunches for us to have on the train which we were supposed to catch at 8:30 a.m.  for our return to Delhi.

It is quite a walk from the place where the cars and busses must park  when you go to the Taj.  One either walks,  takes a rickshaw, an open air sightseeing vehicle or a three wheeler which here they call a motorized rickshaw.  We took the latter pictured below.

After spending about an hour bidding our adieus to the Taj Mahal, we returned to our vehicle only to be informed by our tour guide  that the train had been delayed by a couple of hours.   He was continually checking the train schedule using his hand held computer and every time he did, the delay became longer and longer.   We began to wonder if we would ever leave Agra today – and we had a plane to catch at 7:05 p.m. which would bring us to Mumbai (AKA Bombay) where the ship was docked.  Luckily the ship was not due to sail until the afternoon of the following day, so we had a time cushion.

Today was the Feast of the Holies ( the feast of colours) and everyone was out merry making – especially the young men and boys.  They had their faces painted in all kinds of colours, mainly red and apparently during this time young people buy toy water guns filled with coloured water and they have a lot of fun spraying each other, so their clothing gets pretty colourful.  We had been told to expect delays because of this feast – in fact we were taking the train back to Delhi instead of a car, because of all the people who would be out on the streets and blocking the traffic.. 

Our guide advised us against waiting for the train in the station, because of the lack of comfort and the beggars who would plaque us, so we returned to the hotel.  There are beautiful gardens there, so we opted to find a restful shady spot near a pond with a water fountain and there we enjoyed our breakfast packages.  Later I browsed in the hotel shops and bought a cotton blouse.  Finally our guide informed us that we could go to the station and at 12;30, four hours late we were on the train and on our way back to Delhi.

Our compartment on the train was a sleeper and it was air conditioned, thank goodness.  Not all the cars on the train were that comfortable.  Mary and I were sitting together and Jim was at the other end of the car.  When the person came around to check our tickets, he kicked a couple of men out of a sixer compartment and put us together.  Nice for us ! ! !   Not so nice for the 2 guys, although since they were travelling alone it shouldn’t have been difficult for them to get another good seat.  The train was not full.

When one travels by train, one doesn’t go through the nicer parts of town, so what we saw out of the window, was more garbage and squalor.  It is hard to imagine people living in the ram shackled huts we saw.   We saw a lot of cows and water buffalo too.

It was late afternoon when we finally arrived back in Delhi.  Our guide and driver were at the station waiting  for us.  First we went to have a late lunch and then our guide took us to various points of interest in New Delhi, (including the beautiful government buildings which are in a park-like setting), until it was time to drop us off at the airport. 

Our plane took off around 7:00 p.m. and we arrived in Mumbai shortly after 10.  We had to go to a government building to get a yellow card which allows us to return aboard the ship.  It’s a good thing we had a driver  because we would have had a difficult time finding it --  it was a non-descript little place in the middle of a labyrinth of back streets.

The next day, we had our 13th formal night and the theme was “Bollywood”  -- the Indian Hollywood.  Many ladies came dressed in saris and they looked gorgeous.  I didn’t splurge and purchase a sari because,  the beautiful ones are very expensive and where would I ever get to wear it again? I wore some harem pants I had purchased, a top I brought with me and a scarf to give it contrast.

 

The handsome young man in the picture with me is one of the jewellery salesmen from India.