Come Along with Bill & Mary Ann Going Full Circle on the 2015 World Cruise -114 days+

[DeepWaterMariner]

Great adventure and great of you to include us in the fun.

[WCB]

Report # 84 Delhi to Dubai March 23, 2015 Monday Sunny and warm

 

We slept really, really good last night. Too bad we had to get up at 5am. Just to be sure, we asked for a wake-up call for that ungodly time. We don’t trust our little bathroom clock, since the alarm is so quiet. Thought it was a good idea to pack our bags before we went to breakfast.

 

The breakfast buffet began at 6:30am, and we were about the first ones there. Good, everything will be hot and fresh. We settled on omelettes once again, and helped ourselves to the English bacon. Could have had lots of coffee, but we would be on the move all morning, so had to keep it at one cup.

 

Checking out was easy and there was no line at the front desk. We did that at 7:30am, and soon found our escort and driver had arrived. The driver was the same, but our escort was a young fellow, who was really polite. Yesterday, our older escort had suggested that we do a pre-check in with the airport and get our seats. Since we did not have our computer with us, we could have used the hotel’s services. We always do the check in at the airport, and did not feel like doing that last night. We thought that the travel agency should have been able to do this for us, but our escort said that it was Sunday yesterday, and their offices were closed.

 

Anyway, the drive to the airport was close, but it was very busy for this time of day on a Monday. But again, we remembered there were 16 million people in this city, so it is always busy. Today we would be flying Emirates Air, one of the best we have heard. One of the few times we looked forward to flying.

 

The line was very long at the counter, but our escort stayed with us to help check in and get our seats. The line did move, but slowly, taking about 45 minutes or more. Once our bags were weighed and tagged, we were free to go through security.

 

At this point, our escort bid us goodbye and wished us luck. The lines moved swiftly at this stop. Bill went one way, I went the other. Bill had to take out all of his camera parts and pieces to go through the xray. I did not. The ladies line was far less intrusive. All the ladies get scanned behind a curtain, while standing on a platform. Everywhere around this airport are armed guards, some with high-powered rifles. They don’t mess around here.

 

We had enough time to shop for a silk scarf as a momento for this trip in India. We had intended on buying something from the lodge, but they did not have an assortment of size for their fleeces. We used the last of our rupees, all 30 of them. They bought three bottles of water.

 

Lining up at the terminal, we realized that our group was called first. Well almost. First were the babies and people in wheelchairs. Then they load the plane from the back to the front. This makes so much more sense, because you can get your things in the overhead bin without folks coming down the aisle to go to the back. This plane was a Boeing 777….really nice, the way we remember international flights used to be. Much the same as Singapore Air, we had the TV screen in the seat in front of us, with movies, news, sports, and comedies, etc. We decided to watch Mockingjay 1 from the Hunger Games series. It was over two hours, and it passed the time quickly. It was good.

 

We were actually served lunch, an Indian style lunch with chicken masala, rice, veggies and dessert. They served us lemonade, sodas, coffee, and plenty of water. Surprisingly, we even had pillows and blankets, those nice little touches we used to get on the US flights.

 

With the exception of a few bumps, the flight went smoothly for the 3 hours and 55 minutes duration. We had to change our clocks 1 ½ hours back, so we technically landed at 1pm. While on the plane, we read the Delhi newspaper and found some very interesting articles that we thought we would share.

 

The first one was about the nearby Corbett Tiger Reserve, where local villagers forcibly closed down the park entrances for one day. They blamed the government for not searching for a missing man, who had been gone for over 10 days. They did a sit in, blocking 100 safari vehicles from entering the park Sunday morning. Obviously many folks who had booked their safaris in advance, were disappointed according to the article. That could have easily been us at Bandhavgarh. Don’t know the results of their protest, but the park lost a lot of money that day.

 

Here is even a stranger article. A Delhi man was on his way to work, when a fat, aggressive macaque monkey leapt at him, and bit him in the shoulder. The man said he was rabid-looking. He ran into an abandoned shop, but the monkey followed and bit him in the foot this time. Then the monkey ran off with his food packet. The man had to be treated for his wounds at a local hospital. The police response to his complaint was that they planned on bringing larger langur monkeys into the area to scare the macaques away. You simply cannot make these things up…….

 

Our baggage arrived quickly at the baggage carousel, then we were off to find a taxi ride to the ship. An information desk was right near the exit, so we asked there, and were directed to the door right across from us. There was a long line, but the vans and sedans lined up one after the other. We were loaded up and ready to go within 10 minutes. We left the airport by 1:30pm.

 

The drive to the port was close, but with the traffic, it took ½ hour. We had to go through the security check, because the porter thought we were boarding today. He led us to the HAL desk, where we explained that we were in transit. We were back onboard with the welcome from all of the staff and crew members we know. Good to be home.

 

However, we would not have access to our room, because, much to our surprise, there was a “deep cleaning” process happening from 1pm to 4pm. They called it super-sanitizing. Here we were gallivanting all over India, and never got sick. We come back to the ship, and the plague has been spreading like wildfire. Rosie, a sweet little friend we know, brought us her letter to read, while we were having a snack in the Lido with all of our luggage and handbags. Captain Jonathon had apologized for the inconvenience, but they were having a difficult time dealing with this virus. But in order to further inhibit this virus, more steps needed to be taken to stop it. In the coming days, we would see walls and railings being washed with buckets of who knows what disinfectant. Full service would be continued, and all of the public activities would continue to be shut down. Bet the passengers are getting pretty tired of this by now.

 

So from 9:30am this morning, the room stewards began a complete linen change, took out the fruit bowls, and exchanged the ice buckets. A big screen movie was shown in the Queens Lounge, while the rest of the folks were probably on tours. A free shuttle was offered to the Dubai Mall, the largest mall ever. Hope they do the same tomorrow so we can see it.

 

Around 4pm, we went down to the room, to find our keys had been de-magnitized during our travels. Could not have gotten into the room if we had tried to sneak down anyway. At the front desk, they re-made new one, and they worked.

 

By the time we stashed our stuff away and separated the laundry, it was after 6pm. We took a break, going up to deck three, and saw the best sunset of the trip. Because of the cloudy skies, the sunset was really nice. So was the skyline of Dubai, all lit up for the evening.

 

We had every intent of going to the dining room for dinner, but by 8pm, we could not move, we were so tired. In fact, we skipped dinner, settling for cheese and crackers from our room stash. By 9pm, we were in bed, watching a movie, or part of it.

 

By the way, today begins the start of the final segment of the cruise. Several of our friends left the ship today for home. Martha was among them, and she will be missed.

 

The total miles sailed so far for this world cruise is 20,070 nautical miles or 23,081 statute miles.

 

Looking forward to Dubai tomorrow………….

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

We have been working daily on catching up with safari reports. They will be arriving as fast as we can crank them out. Documenting the over 2000 photos with the journal takes more time than we expected. Be patient.

 

Ger77: One of us takes a journal to keep track of the animal and bird sightings. With the help of our naturalist/driver, we could identify many birds that we have never seen before. Veejay had a well-worn Indian bird book with the proper spelling and pictures of the birds. Without this help, we never could have identified the different species. We did bring a birds of the world book, but it did not go into such details. The documentary of the sightings helped match the photos to the correct bird or animal. Thanks for asking.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[cruz chic]

Thx for the update.

[WCB]

Report # 85 Dubai, United Arab Emirates March 24, 2015 Tuesday Partly sunny & 85 degrees

 

Today would be our only chance to enjoy the fabulous city of Dubai. Even though we have been here many times, there is always something new to explore. “New” is the name of the game in these Emirates. New and big. We are not alone here, as two other ships were docked at the pier. One was the German-speaking ship, the Mein Schiff 2, the former Mercury, owned by Celebrity Cruise Lines. The other smaller ship was perhaps a Princess vessel, maybe the Pacific Princess. We could not get close enough to see the name on the side of the ship.

 

Here’s a little info on the second largest of the seven emirates which makes up the United Arab Emirates. Dubai is an extremely modern city in a desert in what seems like in the middle of nowhere. It is one of the “greatest shows on earth”, with its capital in Abu Dhabi. The total population is 4,798,491 people living in an area of 32,270 square miles. The official language is Arabic, but English is widely spoken

 

A century ago, this area was an impoverished Bedouin village, until oil was discovered. Then you had the race of building Dubai into the world’s most energetic and architecturally exciting cities that foreshadowed the future of Arabia. Beneath the surface, you can still see the Bedouin traditions, the date-filled oasis, shifting sand dunes, dramatic mountains, and coral-rich waters.

 

The best time to visit is late October to late February. We guess the reason for that is to avoid the winds of the deserts, that cast a shroud of haze in the air. That is what we are currently seeing now. March is the prime season for the desert sand storms. You can still find traditional souks, marketplaces, wind towers, museums, camel rides and dune rides in the nearby deserts. Falconry is a most interesting sport here, as well as being used to control pigeons in and around the hotels. Camel and horse racing draw the crowds, as well as golf tournaments.

 

We have been lucky enough to have gone on two 4 wheel drive dune rides, and found the experience exhilarating and heart-stopping. At a remote Bedouin camp, we we rode camels, had the chance to smoke the hubbly-bubbly hooka, eat BBQ meats while sitting on huge cushions, and have henna painting done on hands and feet. Also, there was dune surfing down the steep sandy slopes.

 

What’s the favorite food here? It’s called “khuzi”, and is a whole stuffed roasted lamb. “Uum Ali” is a pudding with raisins and nuts.

 

What about the favorite drink? A mint tea called “shay na’ana” or a coffee called dark muddy “qahwa” are their favorites.

 

Yes, there is no doubt Dubai is a shoppers paradise built with glitz in mind. Take it or leave it, we can say that we have never seen anything that can compare. So you can experience a little of both extremes, and have a marvelous time doing it.

 

The most impressive times we remember were the high teas we had at the top of the Burj Al Arab, the only 7 star hotel in the world. Shaped like a massive sailboat, this hotel is over-the-top fabulous. We have also had the opportunity to tour Palm Island and the World Archipelago from a yacht. These are all man-made islands off the coast of Dubai. They have to be seen close up to believe the size of the project. And the massive amount of money that went into its creation.

 

After a very nice welcome from our breakfast waiters, we located the complimentary shuttle that was taking folks to the Dubai Mall. With the 1870 mostly German-speaking crowd from the Mein Schiff 2, other buses were present in the parking lot. We had accidently boarded a smaller shuttle that was going to the Burjuman Mall, closer to the ship. That was NOT where we wanted to go, so with the advice from one of our President Club members, we got off the bus, and found the HAL bus. Would have helped to have a sign outside the terminal. The coach filled up quickly with passengers and crew members, and we were off to the mall by 10:30am. It only took about 20 minutes to get there, since traffic was not too heavy yet. One good thing, we did not have to worry about getting back on time. The ship was not leaving until tomorrow at 5am, and this shuttle was running until midnight. Good deal. This change in the itinerary must have been made after we left the ship in Cochin. Captain Jonathon had announced that he wanted to speed to the next port of Muscat, Oman, instead of going slowly. By the way, during our absence in Mumbai, razor wire had been added to the lower promenade deck, as usual. It is a reminder that we would be sailing in dangerous waters. In fact, after reading the New Delhi newspaper, we discovered that pirates had been seen along the coast of India as recent as last Sunday, as reported by the Indian defense minister. Anyway, the wire stays on until we reach the Mediterranean Sea, we suspect. There are two security guards stationed 24 hours on the promenade deck, and all of the lights have been turned off on that deck during the night.

 

The Dubai Mall is the crème de la crème of malls. It is so large that they have detailed maps of all four levels. It is undoubtedly one of the largest malls in the world with the most high end flagship stores and over 1000 retail outlets.

 

Located in the center is an aquarium that is home to 33,000 marine creatures, including 400 sharks and rays. This tank is four levels high, and you can tour it and the underwater zoo for a price. We also saw divers inside the tank with the sharks. Also for a hefty price.

 

Walking with Barb, Ellen, and Aart, we came upon an atrium that housed Dubai Dino, a real dinosaur, a long-necked whip-tailed sauropod that was over 155 million years old. Weighing as much as five African elephants, this dinosaur skeleton was discovered in Dana Quarry in Wyoming USA. It was air-freighted to Dubai for such a hefty price, that the guide at the exhibit said he could not tell the price, because it contained too may zeros. There is no comparable exhibit with nearly all of the bones completing the skeleton in the entire world. He was 80 feet long and 25 feet high, and was a sprightly young adult.

 

Other attractions down this side of the mall included a souk, Fashion Avenue, the Dubai ice Rink, and the Dubai Fountain. A few years ago, we were on a tour of Dubai at night, and one of the stops was here to see the light and water performance at the lake. It was quite impressive, although it only lasted for a few minutes.

 

Restaurants were abundant from cafes to fast food, and full service restaurants. Many are familiar to us such as Cinnabon, Gloria Jeans Coffee, Starbucks, Burger King, Johnny Rockets, KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, and Subway. There are restaurants like CPK, Chilis, Outback Steakhouse, PF Changs, Red Lobster, TGI Fridays, and the Cheesecake Factory.

 

After exploring what seemed like hours (this mall has 12 million square feet of mall), we found a wood-fired pizzeria restaurant called Brandi Pizzeria. Margherita was our choice with diet sodas. No beer or wine in any of the mall’s restaurants. You had to cross over the street, away from this complex, to find alcohol. The food was excellent….so was the chance to rest for a while.

 

We stopped for a cup of gelato, eating it outside by the lake and fountain. While we were there, we observed a young burka-clad mom hit her unruly young daughter, perhaps 4 or 5 years old. She slapped her across the face, then hit her up the side of her head. As they walked away, the mom grabbed her by the ear, and dragged her by the hair. Absolutely no one raised an eyebrow, or said a thing. Not even the other lady that was with her. To be certain, the little girl’s smaller sister followed quietly behind them. She behaved perfectly. Gosh, this sure would not have happened where we come from, would it? Cannot imagine what the 5 year old did to deserve that treatment?

 

The world’s tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa, is right in view at the lake and fountain here. It has 163 floors, and is 2,722 feet high. Fashioned after a trile-lobed bloom, the Burj consists of three towers arranged around a central core. You can access the building from the lower ground level of the mall. For a price, you can reach the first level by a “travellator”, pausing at a viewing point. Then a high speed elevator takes you to the 124th floor at 32 feet per second. What you can actually see from this highest point is questionable, due to the sand haze. We think the best view is from the fountain looking up.

 

We were zonked by 4pm, realizing we had spent almost 6 hours here, seeing perhaps half of it. Time to leave. The bus was outside where we had been dropped off. It was a 30 minute ride back to the ship.

 

Dinnertime had come quickly. We were happy to see our tablemates again. Except Martha was gone. She had left yesterday, staying in Raffles Hotel in downtown. She would fly home tomorrow.

 

Prime rib was on the menu, and with the generous cut of tender, savory meat, we estimated that each of our servings would feed a family of four in India. Sure tasted good to us. It was Ruud’s birthday, and although he had said over and over that he did not want cake, it happened anyway. So did the Birthday song, sung by the waiters…….thanks to Maureen, who saw to it we had a very chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and filling. It was all in good fun and Ruud seemed pleased….even more pleased when it was over.

 

We began the task of catching up on reports this evening after dinner, but only lasted until after midnight.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[lex&isla]

Wake away

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[WCB]

Report # 86 Sailing Towards Muscat, Oman March 25, 2015 Wednesday partly cloudy & 85 degrees

 

The Amsterdam left the port of Dubai somewhere around 6am this morning. We slipped away so quietly, that we never woke up. We are now sailing in the Persian Gulf, directly below Iran, a most dangerous country. Captain Mercer announced yesterday that we would be “putting the pedal to the metal”, and going over 20 knots to get through the narrow Straits of Hormuz and into the Gulf of Oman during the daylight hours.

 

Walking the promenade deck this morning, we noticed that there were guards posted on both sides of the ship, watching through binoculars constantly. From previous cruises through these waters, we are certain there are many more eyes on our progression. We learned from going through our past daily newsletters, that there had been a crew drill on March 21st in accordance with the international regulations of Safety of Life at Sea this morning. It was an anti-piracy drill, and guests were encouraged to ask the officers questions after the drill was held. On past trips, we had been advised to go into our hallways, and sit down on the floor until this drill was completed. The main thing was to stay out of our rooms and away from the windows. Scary, when you think about it.

 

The most important activity today was the muster drill at 10am. It was conducted differently in that we did not have to go back to our room this time. If you were already on the promenade deck, you could stay there, and go to your muster station. That’s what we did. The attendance in our station # 6 was perfect the first time. There was a whole lot of talking among the passengers, but everyone shut up when the Captain began speaking. We all listened like the good kids we are. The best thing about this drill is that it is probably the last one we will have to attend. That is, unless we are doing it for real.

 

There are two new guest speaker onboard. One is Kate Ross, who lectured on Islamic Arts of the Mediterranean world. The afternoon lecturer spoke about ancient Omani seafarers, real and imaginary. The tales of Sinbad, the Sailor, may stir some memories with all of us.

 

Our day was basically used for photo down-loading. Someone took thousands of them….literally. Because of moving safari jeeps, many had to be deleted. But we still managed to get some really good shots.

 

Taking a few breaks for lunch and walks, we visited with our promenade buddies who asked for updates on our Indian safari. At 3pm, we had a light lunch and ice cream cones. Darn, we missed the sign up for the Easter Bonnet Competition to be held Easter morning….a reminder that Easter is around the corner. Don’t know how the time has gone by so quickly.

 

We are getting the feeling that the folks are starting to get grumpy with all the public closures of the library, gym, and laundry rooms. What puzzles us is that the casino remains opened, and some people disagree with that decision. Supposedly, the crew has to disinfect every ½ hour in there. Since we do not gamble, it is not a factor with us.

 

Dinner tonight was in the Pinnacle grill with their specialty meal from Le Cirque. It is based on the menu from the famous restaurant of the same name in New York City. The table settings were transformed with special plates, designed with the langur monkeys on an orange backround. The price for dinner was $49 per person or $69 per person with wine.

 

We ordered Caesar salads, squash soup, rack of lamb, and a beef tenderloin entrée. We requested a tasting of the ravioli dish (like one ravioli each), but they brought a full entrée instead, with special permission from the head chef. They were so delicious with a creamy tomato sauce, that we had to leave some of the sides on our plates. Dessert was one napoleon with sorbet, and one chocolate soufflé with vanilla gelato. We both had coffee….one regular, one decaf. Living dangerously for one of us. Even decaf can keep one of us awake for hours.

 

Needing a walk outside to get some exercise and fresh air, we found the entire deck was blacked out. Security guards were there, watching from the darkness. The upside was being able to see the stars shining brightly high in the sky.

 

We had gifts waiting for us in our room. They were two emergency/outdoor/mobile phone chargers with a night light and a flashlight. Not owning a cell phone, we are not sure these will be useful. We also had a tiny gift from the le Cirque dinner. It was a square small box with two little drawers holding chocolate truffles. It had the logo of Le Cirque on the silk lined box. Very nice.

 

Our room stewards were still wiping down the walls in our hallway at 9pm. They said more cases of the virus had been reported, and the folks lived on decks three and six. Some more of the crew members also reported ill. Will we ever see the end of this sickness???

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 87 Muscat, Oman March 26, 2015 Thursday Partly cloudy & 79 degrees Part One

 

There was no way the temperature was going to be a mere 79 degrees today. Try 85 degrees or better. There is still humidity in the air, so that may account for why we feel sticky most of the time.

 

We arrived shortly before 1am to the port of Muscat. One of us woke up sometime after midnight to see port lights shining in the window. It was a good sign that we had made the sailing through the night safely.

 

The capital of Oman is Muscat. The population of this country is 3,418,085 people in an area of 119,467 square miles. The official language is Arabic, but many people, especially in the shops, speak English.

 

The current Sultan of Oman should be congratulated for creating this tourist destination that has kept its traditional feel about it. More accessible than Saudi Arabia, safer than Yemen (anywhere is safer than Yemen right now), not developed like the Emirates, Oman has plenty to see and do that will remind you that “you are not in Kansas anymore”.

 

Muscat has been a pivotal trading point and military stronghold for thousands of years. Traders battled for control of its sheltered harbor. The Persians were the first to invade, well before the Islamic groups settled in the 7th century. The Portuguese followed, building forts and palaces, defending them for over a century. Looking up above the hills in town reveal many of these forts and ramparts. The Al Bu Said dynasty prevailed over them all, and have ruled Oman ever since the 18th century. Today, it is still trade, as well as petroleum and tourism that keep this country going strong.

 

There are some decadent resorts on the breathe-taking coastline. However, they are not close to this port. They offer diving, snorkeling, and wind surfing among other water sports.

 

The biggest and easiest activity today was to take the complimentary shuttle to the Mutrah Souk situated on the Mutrah Corniche in the old part of the city. This is a traditional Omani marketplace built into the hillside. There are narrow meandering alleyways with numerous stalls and shops. You can purchase silk and embroidered fabrics, trims, and fancy shoes to match. Beaded caftans, pashmina shawls, decorated tunics, Omani hats, and sandals for the men. You could even buy the black women’s burka or the white robe with the checkered red scarves for the men.

 

The number one items to buy were frankincense, myrrh, and incense burners in many different styles. Some are made of clay, while the better ones are brass. We have some frankincense and the burners at home already. Wonder if they will still burn after 14 years? Silver daggers called khanjar are popular with the fellows. Think we have several of these at home also. We do remember security took the knives from us, and held them until we were near the end of the cruise. They are considered weapons.

 

Of the finer things sold, are the many oily perfumes. If you stand still long enough outside a perfumery, someone will put a dash of a perfume on your hand as you pass their shop. Some of these scents are really strong, and lasted for days afterwards. Washing with soap and using Purell did not take the aroma away.

 

We have been here many times on past cruises, and have seen the museums, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, the Oasis of Nakhl, the Portuguese-built forts and palaces, and Muscat’s old town. We do remember a strict dress code which dictates that everyone must wear a shirt, modest loose clothing, shoulders and midriffs covered, shoes removed in mosques, and ladies heads covered. Legs and arms must be covered. In mosques, men are not allowed inside with shorts on, but must wear long trousers.

 

We took the mandatory shuttle at 10m, after getting a visitor’s pass card at the ship’s kiosk. The drove about 50 feet to the new marble-clad terminal, where we were required to put our bags through their xray. Much like we did in Dubai. Terrorism must be at its peak now in this area. Our van continued to drive to the exit door, where he picked us up once again. We drove to the port gate for the one mile drive to the center of town. It was at this point that we spotted Joe and Roxanne on their bikes, pedaling as fast as they could. Not sure they would be allowed to ride out the gate, they decided to try it. Looked like it worked to us.

 

We were dropped off in front of the Mutrah Souk, along with many friends including Barb, Ellen, Aart, Leslie and Handler. They were among the smart ones who did not take a tour here today, since like us, they have done them all more than once.

 

We went right to the fabric area of the souk, turning right down the first narrow walkway. Within minutes, we found some very nice silks and embroidered fabrics to buy. They were priced so reasonably, we did not feel the need to bargain. Buying at this store in the past, we remembered getting a very nice calendar as a gift. The same happened today, when the owner handed us a 2016 calendar wit Omani photos. This lane was getting more crowded, so we walked to the end and back out again. Staying too long could be dangerous to the wallet.

 

Walking up the center pathway, we found stores full of Omani souvenirs, so much of it, you had trouble seeing it all. Much of it is imported from China and Indonesia, as well as India. If you know your merchandise, you’ll recognize items from Mexico that they were selling here for triple the price. However, bargaining is their game, so we always say, if you like it, make them an offer. Seldom will you go away without making a good deal.

 

We ran into friends Ken and Edna, who had just come from the very top of the souk. Edna, a seamstress like me, had discovered a group of three men who were doing free-style embroidering on ancient machines. Describing how to find this out-of-the-way shop, they said they would walk us up there. They turned right, then followed a street for a long ways. We found the shop, and the one man was still creating the decorative neckline of a tunic as we watched. It was obvious he had been doing this for years. He even sewed the gemstones on the fabric with a zigzag on each corner. Surely this could be duplicated at home with the right needles and silk thread. However, the gemstones would probably be glued on by me. We priced a few ¾ length tunics, and found they were about $60, not a bad price for custom made. Unfortunately, we could not find one the right size or color we liked.

 

We went out the top exit, to find this was where the locals were getting dropped off or picked up. Surrounding this exit were many stands selling vegetables, fruits, and spices. Some shops were selling dried limes that we have seen used in Arabic cooking. It was quite busy up here, so we headed back down to the beginning of this souk. We had seen some pre-made neckline trim near to the store where we made the fabric purchase. We did buy a set to use on one of the fabrics we just bought. Glad we saw the man sewing these tunics, because now I know how they do it before the fabric is cut.

 

We by-passed all of the 24 karat gold jewelry we saw along the way. It is so bright and gaudy, it doesn’t look real. Many of the burka-clad women wear lots of it under their robes. One of us likes sandals, but when we inquired about some, they did not have the right size…..they seldom do.

 

Wanting to stroll the Corniche, the waterfront road, we carefully crossed the street to get to the seawall. The tide was out enough to expose the barnacle-crusted boulders below that lined the wall. The rocks were full of black and red crabs, eating discarded bread crusts from local restaurants. The crabs sure seemed to know the difference between the plastic garbage, discarded plastic water bottles, and tons of candy wrappers. Seems that this trash is present in almost every country we have visited. The exception: Singapore.

 

Tropical fish were swimming everywhere, including a fairly large green turtle. Even a stray whimbrel and small shoreline bird hunted from the boulders. It was very hot on this marble-clad wall and walkway, although done in mostly shades of white and cream, it appears much cooler than it was. The further we walked towards the end of town, the better the breeze became.

 

Even with the noise of the traffic, we could hear the minarets sounding the call for prayer around 12:30pm. That is when we looked around and saw a half dozen mosques in a square mile. The majority of locals were all dressed in robes and burkas, although the ladies did not have their faces covered, only their heads. And just like we remembered, the local ladies got priority service in the shops, more specifically, the fabric and knick-knack stores.

 

Heading back to the shuttle pick-up, we got the last of the seats, but sat there 20 minutes waiting to leave. The engine was running to keep the air-conditioning going, but there was no driver. By the time people began grumbling, the driver came, and without explanation, drove us back to the ship.

 

It was 1pm by the time we got to our room, where we stayed for the rest of the afternoon, working on photos. Forgoing lunch, we snacked on cheese and crackers, saving ourselves for a nice dinner in the Pinnacle Grill tonight.

 

The ship’s guitar man, Gaither, was playing on the aft deck for the sail away. Some folks were enjoying the drink special, Oasis Spring. It went well with the skewered chicken bites they were serving. The sail away was late, due to an HAL bus arriving past the all aboard time. At least we know they waited at least ½ hour for them.

 

Around 5:30pm, we were out of the harbor, now heading towards Salalah, Oman. We had cocktails with Leslie and Handler in the Ocean Bar at 7pm. We got there 5 minutes early to take advantage of the “buy one, get one for $1”. The Neptunes were playing for the dancing group in the Ocean Bar.

 

At 8pm, we went to the Pinnacle Grill restaurant, and got a table for four by the window. We had a most enjoyable evening, and did not notice that by the time we had dessert and coffee, it was 10:30pm. We had lots of catching up to do, and a great time doing it.

 

Looking forward to a day at sea tomorrow………..

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 88 Sailing Towards Salalah, Oman March 27, 2015 Friday Partly cloudy & 79 degrees

 

During breakfast this morning, Gene, the Cruise Director, made a special announcement that the gym and paddle board games would be available today….the first time in weeks. These have been off limits since a week before we left for our overland safari. Bet the folks have been really complaining with all of the closures. Will this virus ever go away or run its course??? Even with the crew constantly using disinfectant to wipe all surfaces, a few more cases have been reported. It’s the ones that go unreported that they are concerned about. In fact, we found a small note left in our absence saying please do not self-isolate if you are sick with the virus symptoms. Please report yourself to the staff. How many people would do that?

 

Anyway, ship life carried onward with the guest speaker, Kate Ross, continuing her series on the Ottomans, the greatest empire of the Middle East. A new guest chef we all know, George Geary, prepared a meat pasta sauce in the Culinary Arts Center. We are sure he filled the Wajang Theater with the cruisers, since he is popular with the old-timers.

 

The afternoon speaker, Ismat Medhi, lectured on Islam and its basic concept – a really sensitive subject these days, considering what is occurring in the modern world today.

 

Our day found us room-bound, working hard on reports and photos. Eventually we will catch up, but it is going to take time. We are discovering that we got some pretty good shots of the tigers, as well as all of the Indian wildlife.

 

At 7pm, we attended another fine cocktail party in the Explorers Lounge, given by our hosts. They said our group was small compared to the first group that came at 4:30pm. In the old days, the rush was to eat at 8pm, but now, it is the early seating that is over-booked.

 

Chatting with old and new friends, we barely realized that our drinks were being constantly topped off with bourbon and whiskey. The hour zoomed by, and dinnertime arrived quickly.

 

We both had the wienerschintzel entrée with a shared spaghetti plate. Everything was very tasty. Ordering a dessert of mudpie yesterday, we all indulged in having one generous slice. Needless to say, we licked our plates.

 

Tomorrow we will be docking at Salalah, not exactly our favorite place to visit.

 

Bill & MaryANN

[WCB]

Report # 89 Salalah, Oman March 28, 2015 Saturday Partly sunny & 83 degrees

 

We actually slept late this morning……too much party time last night. We got to the dining room at 8:40am. On port days, the dining room closes at 9am. With a few exceptions, we have missed few days eating breakfast in here. Our waiters always have orange juice ready for us, as well as bowls of Greek yogurt with fresh blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. It was not crowded today, since most of the tours had left.

 

We walked the promenade deck and watched a few folks taking the shuttle to the port gate. From the gate, you would have to take a taxi in order to get to town, about 15 miles away. Barbara H said these taxis cost $50 each way, so if you wanted a deal, it was a better bet to book the HAL tour that offered a 4-5 hour trip to town and back to the ship for $35 each. We heard later that day, that this tour had been cancelled because not enough people had signed up for it. Hard to believe. In all truthfulness, we think the stop at this port is not the best. We have taken all of the tours, and still think this port is not worth stopping for. If we had to bunker fuel, well then, yes, we understand. From what we see, this is the only safe port we can stop at before we enter the Red Sea for a long sail towards ports in Egypt. Talking with other friends, they also agree that perhaps an overnight in Muscat would have been better instead.

 

Anyway, here is some insight into Salalah, Oman. Salalah was once the capital of the sultanate. It is now the summer home of the Sultan. An important trading port, Salalah was part of the famous Frankincense Trail, an ancient trade route. Harvested from a special tree, the resin produces a prized aroma that was used in religious rituals, healing, and even embalming bodies. Bathing was not a priority in the ancient days, so the incense was burned to cover up the bad smells.

 

We recognize the smell of incense from Catholic masses and other services. Frankincense is sold at every souk along with a variety of incense burners. Marco Polo, the explorer, discovered incense during his travels here.

 

Al Husn Palace is the summer home of the Sultan of Oman. There is a new mosque, the Grand Mosque, which opened in 2009 with a 295 foot high minaret. There is a modern mall, Salalah Gardens Mall, with international brand stores. There is also a handicraft market, a souk that sells traditional clothing, and a veggie and fruit market. Haggling works here too.

 

Outside of town, you can find Taqah, a coastal village with a sardine factory. At Ubar, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, considered the lost center of frankincense. Mughsail has a beach with blowholes, while Ayn Razat has natural springs, an oasis and desert garden. At Sumhumram, you can see the ruins of the old port, also home to a fragrant souk.

 

Not to be forgotten, is Job’s Tomb, where biblical Job is said to be buried. However, it is doubtful that he is still there. We have visited his tomb twice.

 

What kind of food do they eat here? Chicken, fish, mutton (lamb and goat), cooked with herbs, onions, garlic, and limes are eaten by the locals. You can find rice, fried fish, dried meats, more lamb and rice out in the Bedouin country. Favorite restaurant food includes meat kebobs, kingfish, and lemon rice. Omani coffee is called kahwa.

 

We took our lunch break at 2:30pm, having tuna sandwiches. There was a complimentary Arabian sail away in the Lido pool area. The Neptunes were playing, food was served, and the drinks flowed. We did not see it, but they had a traditional Middle Eastern belly dancer performing at the party, part of the On Location team. We did hear many stories about some passengers getting greedy and taking bags full of beers, sodas, and glasses of wine to their room. Never fails to amuse us, when the folks do this. Don’t they know how many people are watching???

 

At 4pm, the Captain came on with a public announcement concerning where we are headed, and what’s happening in this area. We could hear every word, but no one in the Lido heard it. The Captain said that he would make another announcement at 7pm, so all of the passengers and crew could hear it. The drift of the announcement was about our transit around the tip of Yemen, and passing the narrow gap between Yemen and Somalia tomorrow. Once we enter the Gulf of Aden, we shall stay as far away as possible from the coast of Yemen at all costs. He added that we would not be alone, with air power and naval ships in the vicinity. Although we cannot see them, they are there. There is no doubt in our minds that this has to be the worst time for the Amsterdam to be transiting the Suez Canal. We have to trust what HAL has told us, and the ability of the Captain to keep this ship as safe as possible.

 

That is all we talked about at dinnertime….that, and the many people that packed the sodas and beers away at the free sail away. Quite amusing.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[regnig]

Thank you again from taking time from your trip to make these posts. Sure looks like you were really busy today.

Continue with your safe travels.

[WCB]

Report # 90 Sailing Towards Aqaba, Jordan March 29, 2015 Sunday Partly cloudy & 85 degrees

 

Today, as we sail towards our next port in Jordan, we find that everything has gone smoothly, even quietly, as far as we can see. It is hard for us to believe that we may be in some of the most dangerous waters in the world right now. Continuing to listen to updated news reports while we worked in our room, we have kept up to date with the conflict in Yemen with the Egyptian, Jordanian, and US involvement. Saudi Arabia is also fighting against factions in Yemen.

 

Many passengers are surprised that the CEO’s at HAL have not turned this ship around and sent us around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. Of course, that would be a major upheaval in the itinerary, but we believe they have kept our safety in mind by keeping us here, and on course. As far as we have heard, the fighting has occurred inland in Yemen, and not near the Gulf of Aden. This is where we will be approaching throughout the evening, and the Captain said during his pm talk, that we were going to take the Amsterdam at maximum speed, which is somewhere around 23 knots. Sounds like a good plan to us.

 

In the meantime, passengers could learn the art of belly dancing at noon in the Crow’s Nest. Oh, wouldn’t we love to be a fly on the wall at that class…… If we are lucky, the video team will record some of it for their DVD of this segment. They always preview snippets from the DVD on TV, so we’ll have to watch for it.

 

The guest speakers lectured on the Indian Ocean Trade Network and Great Arab Inventions. While that was happening, we continued sorting through 1000 that we have left from the remainder of the safari. We did take two breaks, one for lunch, and one for a 6pm walk on the promenade deck.

 

During that stroll, we ran into our buddies that like to ride their bikes. They had ridden their bikes in Salalah yesterday, not asking permission, but simply taking their bikes down the gangway, then pedaling as fast as they could to reach the port gate. Once through the gate, they rode the coast along the beach to a big hotel. Good for them….they made the great escape. We all teased them, saying they needed t-shirts that said, “ Pedal fast and don’t stop”.

 

Around 7pm, we ran into Ken and Edna, who were sitting outside, now in the darkness, on the promenade deck after their dinnertime. It is so eerie to have the lights turned off, and for some strange reason, more strollers have come out here in the dark. Anyway, Edna and Ken always give us a heads up as to what is good on the dinner menu. Tonight they recommended the prime rib dinner. We ended up chatting about their African Safari trips, while asking us about our India experience. Before we knew it, we had 20 minutes to get ready for dinner.

 

Turned out we all ordered the prime rib, and it was the best we have tasted so far this trip. Wherever they are getting their beef from, it has been excellent. Maureen missed a good menu, because she was eating with our travel group in Canaletto.

 

The entertainer this evening was a fellow by the name of Woytek, a European clarinetist, following in the footsteps of Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, and Acer Bilck, according to his profile in the daily newsletter.

 

While we were gone, we obviously missed the entertainment. Here’s a quick rundown of those who performed in our absence. Gary Guthman played the trumpet, Kevin Devane was a comedian from the UK. The Ukebox was the name of a group of five fellows who strummed ukuleles. While in Dubai, a group came onboard doing a local music and dance performance. It included a whirling dervish, and belly dancing by Lebanese performers. Buzz Sutherland had a “clean” comedy show, while Toni Warne sang beautifully, we heard. Jacqueline Roche played the violin, mostly classical, but also jazz and more.

 

Tomorrow will be another day at sea, but more tense, since we will be entering more dangerous points during the day.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 91 Sailing Towards Aqaba, Jordan March 30, 2015 Monday Partly cloudy & 85 degrees

 

Today was a nail-biting day, as the Amsterdam sailed at a high rate of speed past the narrowest point of the entrance to the Red Sea. By early afternoon, we were a few miles off of Djibouti and Eritrea on the port side, and Yemen on the starboard side. We could see some jutting peaks from Djibouti, while the sandy shores of Yemen appeared a few miles off of the port side. The current reports in our daily Times Digest has an article describing events that have involved air strikes against Yemen by a coalition of Arab forces. Diplomats have been evacuated from Aden, Yemen, while their leader, President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi, has left the capital to attend a meeting of Arab leaders in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. It’s no wonder that this port was cancelled several weeks ago. And we are grateful for that decision, although we are sorry for the folks who had planned an excursion to either Luxor or Cairo. That same thing happened to us in 2011. This entire area has been a sensitive place for ages, but we wish it had not taken off while we were making this passage. At the rate of speed we are going, we will be past this point very soon.

 

Barbara H and some of the shore ex folks gave a joint talk on the upcoming ports from Jordan to Italy. They are promoting their tours, so that makes us wonder how full they are. So many more guests are doing their own thing these days, we think the shore ex department is feeling the pinch.

 

Later in the day, Barbara talked all about Israel and the ports of Ashdod and Haifa. We booked a short tour to Tel Aviv, a place we only drove past back in 2007 on our way back from Jerusalem. It is too bad that our visit there coincides with Easter. No matter where we go, it will be crowded for sure. Oh well, we will do the best we can and the shore excursion team will also be their best.

 

Guest speaker. Kate Ross, spoke about the life and death of the boy king, Tutankhamen. An Arabian high tea was served in the dining room, while a game show, liar’s club, was held in the Queens Lounge. Story tellers make up things, and you have to figure out who is lying.

 

Before dinner, we took a walk on deck nine, to watch the sunset. We noticed that the Lido pool was being cleaned thoroughly. Five crew members were inside the pool with stiff brushes, scrubbing down the walls. Some were scrubbing the tiled bottom, while two other guys were using a power floor scrubber to clean the decking around the pool. We never expected to see such dirt come off of that tile. The fumes of the disinfectant they were using by the bucketfuls drifted up to deck nine. It was mighty powerful, like a strong bleach of some kind. Whatever water was left in the bottom of the pool was black. Sure glad this was getting cleaned, and we are even more glad knowing that we had never used that pool.

 

Showtime was the singer Toni Warne, a one woman show. From the UK, she has quite a write-up for her accomplishments in music. She did have a clear, crispy voice.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 92 Sailing Towards Aqaba, Jordan March 31, 2015 Tuesday Partly cloudy & 85 degrees

 

Today panned out to be another quiet one once again. The pressure is off somewhat now that we are past the entrance into the Red Sea. The Amsterdam is still maintaining a speed of 18 knots.

 

We could feel a slight change in the temperature, as we head in a north-westerly direction. The humidity is beginning to lessen, which is a relief to all of us.

 

Today we took the time to enjoy the sun on the aft deck. Not too many folks were outside, so we figured they went to the talks about how intelligent are you? Or the wonders of antiquity, and the library at Alexandria – old and new. Perhaps they are at the Wajang Theater to watch the movie, Art and Craft.

 

A surprise brunch was held in the dining room from 11am to 1pm. It featured classic food specials with our all-time favorites. We do know that our buddy, Barb, loves to go to the brunch. They even provide live music, which has become a thing of the past.

 

More bad news on this area……the capital of Yemen, Saha a, was hit by bombs and artillery. And the major ports of Yemen expect to be over-taken today. Didn’t we just pass one of those ports yesterday? The sooner we get out of this area, the better.

 

We received two invitations today. One was for the Mariner Appreciation Day Cocktail Party on April 7th , when Stein and Linda Kruse, the CEO of the Holland America Group, and Orlando Ashford, the President of HAL will be joining the ship. The main seating time will be at 6:45pm. The other invite was for the President’s Club dinner on April 10th in the Pinnacle Grill at 7pm. This group will dine in the back room at the large table. The hosts will include Captain Mercer and his wife, Linda, Henk M., the Hotel Director, and his wife, Christel, the Guest Relations manager, along with Gerald Bernhoft, our favorite buddy with the Mariner Society. Bet it will be a nice affair.

 

And of course, the big event will be held on April 8th, when we will all be bussed to Ephesus, the ancient site, for another spectacular evening. This should be as memorable as the party in Istanbul in the underground cisterns back in 2008.

 

This evening was formal, and more than one man wore the Omani traditional robes and headscarves. This type of clothing is allowed on these evenings, but we don’t know why. Oh, wait a minute. We do know why……..they don’t have to mess with the suit, tie, and or tux. Why they wish to look like Bedouins is beyond us………… On the upside, we had company join us. Expecting an officer, we were delighted to see Eddy and Callista, the ship’s florists, heading our way. We all knew our evening was going to be fun and informative. We love gardening, so most of our conversations were about plants and flowers. These two work hard to keep all of the flower arrangements fresh. They gave us some insight into what their day looks like, especially when they received the deliveries from Holland. We asked how many pots of orchids they took care of, and they said over 120 in the Lido, and another 40 plus in the restrooms and public areas. Once they are done blooming, they must be disposed of. That means that on the ship, they are burned. We also learned a lot about rose buds, which can be engineered not to fully open up.

 

A funny story came up about someone stealing one of the orchid plants from a bathroom the day of the free cocktail sail away. Also disappearing were two small prayer rugs, used for decoration. Cannot believe people would do that.

 

We noticed when we went back to our room, the walls were still being washed with disinfectant. Hopefully the virus is gone, but they are not taking any chances.

 

One more day at sea, and we will be in Jordan.

 

And good news, we get to put the clocks back one hour tonight. Love it………

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[sea chantey]

We met and had drinks with Tony Warne on the Oosterdam last year on the New Zealand cruise. She's not only talented and charming, but she also is quite dedicated to helping those afflicted with with diseases that cause pre-mature hair loss. After her wonderful performance, she spent the rest of the week on the ship hobnobbing with passengers. She seemed to be a wonderful person with a great heart.

[WCB]

Report # 93 Sailing Towards Aqaba, Jordan April 1, 2015 Wednesday Partly cloudy & 85 degrees

 

It was so nice to have that extra hour of sleep tonight. It was much needed after not sleeping that well from watching a movie, Battleship, late last night while typing reports. Perhaps because it involved ships, the high seas, and monsters from outer space, it is no wonder the dreams went wild.

 

We both had appointments for a haircut and a trim this morning in the spa, starting at 9am. Breakfast had to be early and quick. And the fact that it happened to be April Fool’s Day, had us worried about haywire haircuts. Reading the daily newsletter, we found someone has a wicked sense of humor. There were jokes from every page like, most all of the restaurants were closed today for all meals. Wonder how many people caught that, or took it as gospel, and did not go? Now the 6am toilet flush test? Well that could have been for real. Many years ago, while on a cruise, every night from 12:30 to 1 am, we heard a noise coming across the ceiling like a freight train or bowling ball. Once it passed, there was silence. We came to the conclusion that it was some major automatic flush on the entire deck. We could never confirm it at the front desk, as they said no one else reported it. Seemed like every night, we began to wake up and wait for the noise to arrive. It did, every night, and lasted until we left two weeks later. Remains a mystery to this day……….

 

Other funnies were Salty Watercolors Class, and Good Morning Amsterdam with Gene and Presidents Obama and George W Bush as guests. Really??? Anyway, you get the picture.

 

Real activities were lectures about Petra and the Nabatean Civilization The PM talk involved a talk on the Lost Cities of the Mediterranean.

 

There was a special sale at the Lido deck poolside. They were pushing HAL apparel at 50% off, but none of it was the 2015 World Cruise clothing and souvenirs.

 

For a change, we went to the dining room for lunch. No, it was NOT closed. We ordered salads and a cheeseburger to share. While we waited, Barb joined us, then Maureen came by. They usually eat together every sea day, but Barb thought she was going to be alone. So we were happy to have her join us. Maureen had said she was not coming, but came anyway. She is one busy lady, since she has her day laid out with every activity they offer. Before lunch was over, she was up and running to the drawing class. It sure is nice that they offer these fun things to do for those who like to do them.

 

Walking on the promenade deck, we were surprised to find that the wind picked up and it had gotten even cooler. No sense going to the pool today, because we might blow overboard. Not sure how many more days of hot sun and swimming we will have before it cools down.

 

There was a re-run of a movie we have been wanting to watch…..Captain Phillips with Tom Hanks. Every time it has been on TV, we have only caught the last half of it. Doesn’t matter when we turn it on, half of it is over. Considering that we had been in the same area of Africa where this incident took place, this movie really impressed us. The very ship Captain Phillips had been abducted from, came into our slip in Mombasa, Kenya, back in 2009. That was our first experience with the razor wire being added to the Amsterdam’s promenade deck. They have done this rigging every year, ever since.

 

Dinner was fun as usual. The dining room seems so empty at the second seating. Must be due to the people that left the ship in Dubai. Must have all been late diners in the lower dining room. One good thing is that we are not surrounded with a lot of loud people, and we can actually hear each other talking. And we get served in a timely pace, and are finished well before 10pm.

 

Plenty of time to get to the show at the Queens Lounge which featured Buzz Sutherland, the comedian, and Peter Cutler, the singer. A different type of party was held in the Crow’s Nest this evening. It was a costume party for April Fool’s Day and started from 9 to 11 pm. If that was not enough, there was a late night party that ended the day with a cow milking competition, also in the Crow’s Nest. Oh yeah, it was an April Fool’s Day joke……..

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

Tomorrow……………….Petra……..awesome.

[Ferry Beach Kayaker]

Hi Marianne and Bill,

We sailed on the first half of the world cruise from FLL to Singapore and I miss that DAM ship. I am very much enjoying reading your posts. I can almost feel that I am still onboard and immensely enjoying the days. Thank you

Edited April 2, 2015 by Ferry Beach Kayaker
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[WCB]

Report # 94 Aqaba, Jordan April 2, 2015 Thursday Partly cloudy & 88 degrees

 

Well, today’s port of call was Aqaba, Jordan, originally scheduled for Saturday, April 4th, but changed to this day due to the deletions of the Egyptian ports. For us, it did not matter, because we were headed for a full day in Petra, the ancient rose-red, rock-hewn Nabataean city. But first, some details are in order about the country of Jordan.

 

Situated in the middle of conflicts between Iraq and Israel, Jordan has tried to maintain an oasis of stability. Biblical stories, mysterious lost cities, and Lawrence of Arabia have placed Jordan at the center of great historical importance. The capital of the country is Amman, and the population of the country is 6,342,948 citizens. The total square mileage is 34,486, with the official language being Arabic. Because of King Abdullah’s vision of the future, most everyone has learned to speak English, and quite well at that.

 

What is there to see? Well, number one on the list is Petra, of course. Petra is the location of incredible monuments, including the Treasury (reportedly holding hidden treasure), a Greek Theater, and Royal Tombs…..all carved out of the rose-red colored towering cliffsides. There is truly no other place in the world like it.

 

The Crusader Castles and the bastions in Karak and Shobak, and Mt. Nebo, where Moses looked out upon the Promised Land, are also famous sights. Wadi Rum and Bedouin camps make for interesting day tours.

 

Things to do: How about a dive in the Red Sea? Take it from us, it is an exhilarating experience, mostly because it is cold and colder. Floating in the Dead Sea is another “stinging” way to spend some relaxing time, while bobbing in the water that is more salt than liquid. Never done it ourselves, but have heard many stories about the swim. You can hike the Dana Nature Reserve, or see Amman, the capital, for a hip and sophisticated city tour.

 

What do the locals eat: Meat called mensaf, a spit-roasted lamb, basted with spices, and served with platters of rice and pine nuts. The favorite drink is tea, a symbol of Jordanian hospitality.

 

And finally, a random fact: Bethany Beyond the Jordan is where Jesus is believed to have been baptized, authenticated by the Pope in 2000. Another random fact we would like to add is that at one point in the Red Sea near Aqaba, one can see the countries of Jordan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Pretty cool, huh?

 

We would share the dock with the Pacific Princess, once again, as she was in Dubai when we were. This ship was the former Renaissance Three, before Princess put her into service in November of 2002. She holds over 688 passengers, and we assume they are also on a world cruise.

 

The city of Aqaba, with 110,000 citizens, is a resort area with some nice hotels, restaurants, and shopping malls. According to what we heard later in the day, we did not miss a whole lot here.

 

Jordan exports large amounts of potash, a white substance obtained from wood ashes, and phosphates, a fertilizer with phosphates. Bet this is the substance we saw and smelled being loaded on a ship while we were in Salalah, Oman.

 

As for religion, our guide mentioned that 88% are Sunni Muslim, while the rest are Christians and Jews. They all seem to get along with each other in Jordan. He surprised us by saying that there is a large Chinese population, who probably control many of the businesses here.

 

And now, on with our tour. Even though we have visited the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Petra twice before, we looked forward to walking it again. The first time was in 2001, and again in 2011. We noticed a major difference with the numbers of donkeys and camels in the complex. There must be four times as many as in 2001, 14 years ago.

 

Anyway, Petra was the center of the caravan route for the trade between Egypt and Persia, but was virtually unknown to the Western world until 1812. This famous “lost city” got that name because it was forgotten for 1000 years. Ever since the 1st century BC, this area grew on the trade of frankincense and myrrh. An earthquake destroyed much of the city in 363AD, resulting in the city being abandoned.

 

We booked this tour at the last minute, intending on seeing the city of Aqaba on foot. However, tickets became available through our travel agency, so we used shipboard credit to buy them. It was a no brainer. But there was a down point. Our two buses would leave after the seven or more HAL buses left. That computed to a loss of one hour of the tour at Petra. We know this because we ran into Thom, the future cruise consultant, who told us they left Aqaba at 7:30am and would leave Petra at 3 pm, the same time that we were leaving.

 

It took two hours to reach the site, but the ride was interesting all of the way. No one slept on the bus. Everyone listened to the guide, Raed, who gave the history of the area, and also a rundown of the country. Although he was Jordanian, he spoke English well, thanks to the vision of King Abdullah, who provided the funds necessary to education the kids from primary level through college. He praised the king for his visionary attempts to promote free education and affordable, but good health care to all.

 

While we photographed numerous herds of goats and sheep being taken to greener pastures by their Bedouin shephards, Raed continued educating us all about the desert and the wandering nomads that frequent the desert and the valleys and clifftops.

 

He told us an amusing story about how the government, wanting to make life more comfortable for the tribal people by building them rock housing, which consisted of a brick building, surrounded by a walled garden and large patio. The Bedouins put their animals (goats and sheep) in the house, then set up their traditional tents in the garden area. They preferred living under the stars, like they have for centuries. Very funny…….On a side note, a Bedouin woman weaves the tent cloth on a loom even these days. Impressive.

 

Outside of the cities, for every 6 Bedouin houses, they have a school for the kids and shops for food and clothing. Water in these remote areas can be a problem. So every house has a water tank on the roof, next to their satellite dishes. Yes, they do have the same TV programs that we do, but one exception is UTube, which is censored.

 

Leaving the city behind us, we passed through a road block, where the customs checkpoint occurred. Every tour bus had their under luggage compartment checked. Then we continued onward. But every local bus was unloaded of passengers, while the coach was searched. This could take an hour, and the officials do not care.

 

Raed continued on about education. School is compulsory from 6 years of age through high school. Tuition is $6 per child per year, while their uniforms cost about $10. The government will pay for that if the parents cannot. At the high school level, the kids are tested. If they cannot pass, they do not advance to the higher levels of education. Only those with good grades are allowed to advance. Private schools are expensive, but anyone can go if they have the money. For those parents who work for the government, the schooling is free.

 

Health insurance costs $87 a year for an individual. Marriages are not arranged, but the females in a large family will become “spies” as they search for suitable mates for their sons. If their choices work out OK, then the wedding costs are totally on the man’s side. The Bedouins will have a feast, inviting hundreds to the reception. That is usually a feast that could feed up to 1000 people.

 

We passed the valley of Wadi Rum, where most all of the produce is grown. Also located in this valley were numerous slaughter houses, where cattle are kept, fed, and butchered. Locals have been complaining for years about the awful smells from these animal houses. So eventually, they may be moved elsewhere.

 

Camels roam this desert, but belong to the local people. They are branded, and the females are used for milking. Our guide said they are milked early in the morning to feed the babies in the villages. Camel milk is also used by the locals in traditional cooking.

 

On a more serious note, convicted criminals are publicly hung in this country. No waiting, they simply do it. It has been a deterrent in curbing crime in the larger cities.

 

Finally, although we see many locals, especially the Bedouins in robes and burkas, most all of the younger crowd have chosen not to wear them. You could see the kids and teens in jeans and t-shirts , dressed just like us. Oh yeah, alcohol is allowed in Jordan, much to the delight of our guide. Yes, he admitted to being Muslim, but he also said he liked to drink alcohol.

 

On the way, we stopped for a restroom break and a chance to do some shopping for souvenirs. It was surprisingly cool and breezy when we got out of the bus. The altitude up here must have been over 1000 feet, so that explained the cooler weather. One vendor in the shop put a necklace on me that matched my blue earrings. It was tight, and he took it off before I choked. We are sure it costs more here than in Petra.

 

We arrived at the site of Petra by 10:30am after climbing the barren mountains and coming down into the valley. The views from the top of the city of Wadi Musa above Petra (population 30,000) were stunning. Besides rocks and sandstone, the only greenery we saw were some very old olive trees and desert brush. The hillsides would soon come alive with grassy weeds, while their tilled fields would be planted with wheat. The rains would begin soon to water it all.

 

Once the bus was parked, our guide pointed out our restaurant, which was in the Movenpick Hotel, located right outside the site. We needed to be here around 2pm. Raed then led us to the ticket gate, where he paid the 50 Jordanian dinar per person, which equates to $71. From here, most of us who decided to go on our own, did so. While the rest of the group stuck with him for the narration and slow walk down the Siq pathway to the Treasury area, we estimate, well over a mile.

 

The Siq is the most beautiful of passages, with a narrow pathway with jutting high walls in hues of red rock. You can imagine the force of nature that created this crevice. Must have taken one huge earthquake that would have opened up this canyon. Then perhaps, it took the flow of water to chisel it out more.

 

Once inside the gate, a horseback ride was part of our ticket price (not including a $5 tip). You can either ride going down or coming back from the Visitors Center to the entrance of the Siq. Back in 2001, we rode back, since that is the steepest walk. Today, we chose to walk the entire length going and coming back. Your other options were to ride a carriage from the Visitors Center to the Treasury, the most famous of the monuments. Local legend says that there was a treasure buried there. On our first visit, we were allowed inside the building carved in the rock, but now it is roped off. This arena was the most crowded when we exited the Siq. Shops are built on one side, while camels were available to ride on. We remember when you could get a photo while riding the camel for $5, but to get off of the camel, it would set you back $10. Don’t know if they are still playing that tick on folks.

 

Going beyond the Treasury, you can hire a camel or a donkey ride to the very end at Oasr Al-Bint, where there is a Crown Plaza restaurant, of all things, and a museum. We have never had enough time to visit the Ad-Deir Monastery at the very end, because there is not enough time. This distant site can also be reached by another set of donkeys near the restaurant.

 

The center valley we walked contained intricate facades of tombs, a theater, a temple, and a few churches. They are not buildings, but carvings in the existing mountains. The only free-standing monument is Oasr al-Bint, built on a podium. It was the main and most important temple, and still stands 76 feet high. It is reached by a stairway of 26 marble steps, and the temple is estimated to date back to 500AD.

 

Many small stands and little shops are set up along the way as you get deeper into the valley. We stopped at a small table, where an elderly lady sells some trinkets. We have purchased some necklaces from her in the past, and did so today as well. A beaded royal blue necklace added to the collection. One nice thing is that there are many more restroom stops along the way than there used to be. Drinks and food are sold as well. They have very strict rules too. You must take care walking on the many types of walkways, which include sand, rocky creekbed type roads, many rocks, large and small, and giant cobblestones, not necessarily even. You have to watch every step you take or risk injury. And yes, there were injures today. One must have occurred before we got to the Treasury, because an ambulance appeared on the road to take someone away. Later on, we heard of many falls, and one broken shoulder or arm.

 

We were not allowed to collect any colored stones. And we were requested not to buy any such stones from the kids selling them. We did see about 6 kids selling postcards and stones, but no one was buying. That encourages them to go back to school, where they belong. They ask for reports of animal mistreatment….the donkeys, horses, and camels. Our only complaint was that the riders rarely gave you notice that you were about to be run over.

 

Natural hazards can occur, such as flooding, landslides, or earthquakes. We seem to recall a story about sudden floods here recently, where some tourists drowned. Caught in the Siq area, you would not have much of a chance to escape the rising waters. Also, the slopes of the Siq are prone to crack and fall, even though it is being monitored by experts. Other than these warnings, it was a wonderful place to explore today.

 

We have never seen so many local kids as we saw today. And here some folks were worried that the Princess ship was here today. They were a drop in the bucket.

 

Lunch at the Movenpick was a buffet. We had to go through xray to get inside the hotel. The food was really good, but the restaurant itself was crowded and noisy. Hoping to have had the place to ourselves, we found we were sharing the room with at least four of the HAL buses. It was like “hit and run”, since we had to be back to the bus by 3pm. The best part of lunch was the ice cold beer that really was a long time in arriving. The waiters had their hands full. Lunch food included sliced lamb right off of the whole lamb, rice, lamb stew, chicken in a sauce, and fresh, cooked vegetables. Then there was rigatoni with a red sauce and parmesan cheese, fish, more chicken, and bread. Many kinds of rolls, French bread, and flat bread, like pita bread were available. There was an entire island of fresh salad fixings, which we avoided, since none of it was cooked. And then there was the dessert table with various cakes sliced in cubes, as well as creamy chocolate pudding. We both had a little of everything. Three o’clock came around all too soon.

 

Most all of us were at the bus, and ready to go. There are always a few stragglers, so we waited while they undoubtedly shopped on the way out of the site. We did good today, the $5 necklace was our only purchase. We already have the usual souvenirs from here.

 

We had one stop on the way back, shortly after leaving Petra. It was at a shop that was tiered off of the Cliffside, with spectaculars views of the valley below. Too bad only one of us went inside, because the guide said it was only a 5 minute stop. Yeah, sure, 5 minutes when there is a big, fancy store with tempting souvenirs? We think not. Came back to the coach with only photos.

 

We made it back to the ship by the all onboard time of 5:30pm. What a great day it had been. Exhausting, yes, but not quite over yet. We attended the sail away, enjoying the breezes on the aft deck. The On Location belly dancer was supposed to perform there, but she was leaving when we got there. Why, we don’t know.

 

We had to leave to get ready for dinner in the Pinnacle Grill at 7pm. Usually, we eat at 8pm, but we had invited guests who needed to dine by 7pm the latest. Our guests this evening were Henk and Christel, the Hotel Director and his wife, the Guest Relations Manager. We had a great visit with them, despite the interruptions Henk got due to schedule changes at the last minute. It was announced that our transit through the Suez Canal, planned for Saturday, had been upped to tomorrow at 11am in the morning. That would take a speed of over 19 knots to arrive early in the morning. The Captain does not call the shots here, but has to conform to what they dictate. Since the Pacific Princess would be doing the same transit, they also had their itinerary changed. It would further change tomorrow, but that’s another day. This one had been a marathon day for all, and we happily turned the clocks back one hour. It would only last until we exited the canal, but we will take it as a gift for today……we certainly need the extra sleep.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

PS The lights were back on tonight on the promenade deck when we walked outside after dinner. Our security guard buddy, who we see every evening on duty, said he was a target for sure now.

[Nursekaye]

Dear Bill and Mary Ann - Thank you so much for taking us along on your world trip - I have followed your travels for several years. I so enjoy your threads. I have learned so much from you!!!! You talk about the pictures you take. Is there some place to view them?? I know last year your son posted them, but you had said he probably wouldn't be able to do that this year.

 

Thank you again for all of the time you spend relating your travels. By the way, I heard on local news they have instituted some water restrictions in California. I am un Northern Illinois, so only going by what I heard on news.

 

Nursekaye

[WCB]

Report # 95 Transiting the Suez Canal April 3, 2015 Friday Partly cloudy & 85 degrees

 

Although all of the ports in Egypt were taken off of the itinerary for the world cruise, we still made the crossing through the country via the Suez Canal. You are never more reminded of the military presence as we began our entrance into the “big ditch” at 3:30pm today, later than expected. Captain Jonathon had announced that we would be delayed further, due to dredging. We would be required to convoy in one way traffic, given the position of # 29 in that convoy. The Pacific Princess, who have also had to amend their cruise, would be following behind us. Until that time, the Amsterdam dropped anchor, and cooled her heels, surrounded by many other ships waiting patiently. A job for the crew while we waited, was taking off the razor wire that we have been sailing with since Mumbai, India. Bet that will make the folks happy on decks two and three, as the wire was making terrible noises with the strong winds we had the last few days.

 

We never knew that the Suez Canal was nicknamed “The Highway To India”, but considering that we have recently traveled from India to here, it makes sense that it is the trade route for both the old and the modern day shipping traffic. This canal, built in 1869, saves time for vessels sailing from Asia to Europe, instead of having to go around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope. The current passage of this canal is 120.11 miles long, 79 feet deep, and 673 feet wide. (2010 estimates) There are no locks, like in the Panama Canal, and the sea water flows freely from one end to the other. Some super tankers still cannot traverse this canal, because of their size. However, some of those ships can offload part of their cargo, which reduces the draft, then continue their passage. They will reload at the other end of the canal. The Canal is currently owned and maintained by the Suez Canal Authority of the Arab Republic of Egypt. Needless to say, it is a most sensitive place in the world, and the most protected.

 

What did we miss by not stopping here? Trips to Luxor to see the Valley of the Kings and the Karnak Temple. Also, the Pyramids of Giza, the last intact Ancient Wonders of the World. The Sphinx and the Cairo Museum, mosques and mausoleums are also must-see attractions.

 

We lost the chance to snorkel in the Red Sea, or watch a sunset from the summit of Mt. Sinai. Sailing on the Nile River in a traditional felucca is really fun. Going on a camel safari is also a thrill.

 

What are the favorite foods in Egypt? Try fuul, a salty fava bean paste. Felafel or keshari is also popular. This is a noodle, rice, with black lentil with dried onions. It’s served with a fiery tomato sauce. Their favorite drinks are fresh fruit juices, mint tea, and Turkish Coffee. A random fact about Egypt is: Don’t bring your umbrella. Egypt is in one of their driest country in Africa. Their average annual rainfall is 1.73 inches. All of their irrigation water comes from tributaries of the Nile, and resourceful waterways making this area the bread basket of Egypt.

 

Most of the Suez Canal is flanked by high rock walls and massive sand dunes. Every few miles, there are houses that are really lookout stations for the military watch. It is most common to see well-armed guards as we passed by. Yes, they may wave at us, but be certain, they are prepared for anything. Portable pontoons are stationed on the banks for instant blocking of this passage if necessary.

 

We did see some of the pigeon towers, where these ancient-style towers hold hundreds of perches with holes for the birds to nest and lay their eggs. On the inside, there are ladders for the farmers to access these eggs. Quite clever invention, and an easy source of food. Also, a most useful by-product of the tower is bird droppings….the best fertilizer used by the farmers.

 

The best sighting was that of a desert fox. He was moving on the slope of the sand dune, checking cubbyholes as he went. Obviously, he was hunting. With so many growing fields nearby, we can assume these dunes are full of hiding places for varmints such as moles, gophers, rabbits or rats. The fox blended in so well, if he was not moving, we never would have spotted him.

 

We watched the sailing of the Amsterdam until sunset. It actually got cool when the sun went down. It was nearing 7pm, but we hung in there until almost dark. Few us of were brave enough to weather the sharp breeze. The sunset was nice, but not stunning, since there were no clouds….just a sand haze that is always present. If we had waited a bit longer, we may have heard the hundreds of minarets sounding the call for prayer.

 

By our estimate, the Amsterdam should be clearing the exit of the canal after midnight. Other than coming back to a ship near Port Said after an overnight tour in Cairo and the pyramids 14 years ago, we have never seen the canal in the darkness. It was kind of nice seeing the towns lit up as we ate dinner tonight.

 

And of course, we did receive certificates for today’s transit of the Suez Canal, although the date had been crossed out, and the new one substituted.

 

Tomorrow will be a slow sailing day as we head for Israel. The Captain mentioned that some folks were quite crabby about another port not being substituted for tomorrow, but it is not that easy to drop in unexpected in any given port. Speaking for ourselves, the day in Jordan was such a marathon adventure, we look forward to some down days, where we do not need to rush anywhere, if we chose not to.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[AmazedByCruising]

It's very nice to read about your cruise! Did you know the Captain's story is also on line? http://captainjonathan.com/

[WCB]

Report # 96 Sailing Towards Ashdod, Israel April 4, 2015 Saturday Partly cloudy & 85 degrees

 

Today would be a sea day, sailing at a speed of 8 knots. You would think by sailing at that slow speed, we would barely feel the movement. But as the Captain explained at his talk today, we are unable to use the stabilizers at that speed. So now , we are experiencing a rolling motion we don’t usually feel. The reason for the slow-down is two- fold. First, we had to race to get to the Suez Canal for the earlier transit time. That used a whole lot of fuel. And with the itinerary change, we have an extra day to get to Israel. We are not that far away, so it will be necessary to travel a little out of the way, in a northerly direction, then swing towards the coast of Israel later in the day.

 

We got some mail this morning which included an update of our shipboard account. Although it is not a segment, they must have to send these statements every so many days. At least if there are mistakes or problems with it, you have the chance to fix it.

 

The Israeli Immigration Procedures were sent to us. Tomorrow, before anyone will be allowed off of the ship, we will have to have a face-to-face check in the King’s Room. That should begin at 7:30am, and we can be among the first to go through the inspection. We received our letter with the magic “S”, which represents either President’s Club, or suites on deck seven. Our time to proceed is anytime we wish to go…..first or last, whatever conveniences us best. Since we have booked a tour that will leave at 9am, we intend to be first. Wonder how many folks will show up with numbers 13, or 21, or 29??? They always do. By the way, we shall be handed a land card, and will be required to pack our passports with us at all times while off of the ship.

 

Lastly, we got a transfer notice for the event in Ephesus, Turkey, on April 8th. Our group with the 20 or so Presidents Club members will have a special bus to take us, and will leave ahead of the rest of the coaches. That should make the ride much simpler, not having to fight the crowd. Actually, we noticed other cards for transfers in the mail slots on our way to breakfast, and they all had different numbers on them. So it should be a very organized transfer after all.

 

There is no way the temperature was going to be 85 degrees today, as our newsletter promised. We guess it was more like the low 70’s. Once we entered the Mediterranean Sea, the colder it got. Felt it was a great idea to purchase a couple of pashminas that the ship’s store had for sale. Forgot to bring one on this trip, and I know it will be useful somewhere along the Med. Perhaps, even tomorrow in Israel.

 

Our walk after breakfast was brisk and invigorating. For a change, the heavy humidity was gone, and the strolling was enjoyable once again. Could have gone on much longer, but we knew we had work to do, so we headed back to our room.

 

It takes time to keep track of the details of our last tour in Petra. When we entered the complex, a map with pictures and complete information on the major sites was given to each of us. We were able to use this to match the photos with the correct set of ruins. Since the complex was so crowded with many kids, it was difficult to read all of the signs among the way. Now we had the info at our fingertips.

 

The clocks went ahead one hour at 2pm. Now that it was 3pm, we thought we better head for some lunch. Trying to keep it light, we ended up with small sandwiches, but also had to try the fresh pizza that they just brought out of the oven. Both were good.

 

In order to find out about the availability of complimentary shuttles for the rest of this trip, and also for the 2016 World Cruise. Taking the HAL booklet with us, Barbara H. highlighted the ports left on this trip, which are few. Next year, there will many ports with shuttles, so that is always a factor on whether we book a tour or not. It was also Barbara’s birthday today, so we had to stop by a wish her a really good one. She had wanted to keep it quiet, but Gene, our CD, announced it for all to hear. So much for the quiet part………..

 

The Easter Bonnet Parade took place in the Ocean Bar, where some clever ladies modeled their fancy creations. Last year, a man won the contest, upstaging the ladies. It was hysterical.

 

The guest speaker, Kate Ross, told the story of Bethlehem and the birth of Christ. As many folks will be going into Jerusalem tomorrow, this information should be helpful for them. They will be getting a taste of many religions namely Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

 

While reading the Daily Times Digest, we came upon a small article titled “Deadly Attack in Egypt”. It said that militants in North Sinai simultaneously attacked two army checkpoints before dawn on Thursday. Thirteen Egyptians soldiers were killed and two civilians. There were car bombs, and gunfights where at least 15 of the militants were also killed. Being that we came so close to that area during our transit of the Suez Canal, we understand why the ports in Egypt had been cancelled a few weeks ago. There is so much more behind the decisions made for our safety than we will ever know. It’s no wonder the Captain made the comment that we need to get out of this area as fast as we can.

 

On a lighter note, we were invited to a 70th birthday dinner party for our friend Ellen B. Meeting 10 years ago, we have sailed together on most all of the world cruises ever since. What a night we had with her and Aart’s closest friends onboard. Dinner was at 7pm, but we stayed until 10pm, enjoying the conversation with all. With a total of 15 guests, we took over the back room of the Pinnacle Grill restaurant.

 

Tomorrow will be interesting, since we will be on a short tour to walk the old town of Jaffa, and see the city of Tel Aviv. Wonder what it will be like on Easter Sunday???

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[alibabacruisers]

Well I have finally caught up with your travels thus far and have enjoyed them immensely! I appreciate you taking all this time to include us on your trip! Like many others, I am so amazed at your level of detail in your blogs and found it interesting that "one of you" takes a journal to note name, etc. I cannot imagine trying to remember every detail of a day and then writing about it, so inclusively and descriptively, later when you have time! You are a wonderfully amazing and talented person! Thank you!

 

If you have time, I had a few questions that I was hoping you could answer.

 

First of all, you describe taking pocket maps with you at various ports, can you tell me if these are made by you or are they purchased ones?

 

Secondly, how in the world do you remember where and when you buy a specific piece of jewellery enough to know you need a matching bracelet or earrings? It seems it would be so confusing to remember that you need a matching bracelet and you bought it in "X" for "$".:confused:

 

Lastly, what kind of camera are you using to take your thousands of pictures? Does it take batteries or do you charge it and if you charge it how long does a charge last? We used our new, inexpensive digital camera and a full charge never seemed to last an entire day, depending on how many pictures I took.

 

Thanks again for all of your work!! I will be anxiously awaiting your next installment.:)

Edited April 6, 2015 by alibabacruisers

[WCB]

Report # 97 Ashdod, Israel April 5, 2015 Sunday Partly cloudy & 68 degrees 87 pictures Part # 1

 

Happy Easter to all!! May the Easter Bunny be good to you……….

 

The Amsterdam arrived to the port of Ashdod, Israel, just as the sun was peeking over the horizon. The first business of the day was to present ourselves to the Israeli Immigrations officials for a face-to-face passport check. For us, this would be around 7:15am, since we had the magic “S” number on our letter. Once again, we had been advised to bring the letter, but it was not collected. The officials stamped our landing passes, but not our passports. These cards and our passports would be kept with us while on shore.

 

Skipping breakfast in the dining room, we got our things ready, and went to meet for our HAL tour at 8:50am. When we walked into the Queens Lounge, there was no one there, except Leslie. He said the group had just left, and we needed to get our stickers, and head for the bus. This is one reason that we have stopped doing these tours. Now that we were the last to get down to the bus, we knew there was going to be a problem with getting seats. We were right. Some folks had taken two seats, one for themselves and one for their stuff. Some of the couples had also split up, each taking a seat. Do you think one of them would have moved for us to sit together? No, we walked to the back of the bus, where we squeezed into two corner seats. It was tight, but at least we sat together. Another couple got on after us, and had the same problem. They had to split up. We blame the HAL rep that accompanies us on the tour. He should have informed the people before they got on the bus that they had to sit together. This would not have happened with our travel agency’s tour. First of all, they would never fill the bus so full, and they would not hesitate to tell folks to sit together. It is what it is………….

 

This excursion was a 5 hour trip to see the old city of Jaffa, then go to see the modern city of Tel Aviv. Because it was Sunday, a holiday, the traffic was fairly light on the freeway. It only took about ½ hour to arrive to Jaffa, which was good considering how tight we were in the back row of seats. But before we get there, some info on the country of Israel should be mentioned.

 

The capital of Israel is Jerusalem, and the population of the country is 7,233,701. The country consists of only 8,520 square miles, making Israel a very small country. The official language is Hebrew. One of the most contested terrains on earth, Israel has experienced turmoil ever since its creation in 1948. Rich in sacred history, Israel is important for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Both Israelis and Palestinians consider it to be their homeland, with 6 decades of conflict and tension. Despite the politics, Israel is full of biblical holy sites, beautiful beaches, and natural beauty.

 

The worst time to visit? During major religious holidays, especially Easter. Our timing could not be worse.

 

What things are there to see? Try Jerusalem’s Old City. We did back in 2007, also during Holy Week. What a zoo……. Much was closed too. We saw the Western Wailing Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Mount of Olives, and Tel Aviv, the city that never sleeps. More sites to see are Caesareas Roman Ruins, the Crusdaer Castle, and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Akko.

 

What is there to do? Float atop the Dead Sea, tour the city of Galilee, and the Sea of Galilee. You can hike the Golan heights, another disputed area. Exploring the desert of the Negev and climb Maktesh Ramon Crater. Sunset views of the Red Sea, Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia from Mt. Tsfahot are fabulous.

 

What’s to eat? Hummus, in any and every form is the national obsession. Their favorite drinks are award-winning wines from burgeoning boutique wineries.

 

And finally, a random fact: Israeli films have received the most Oscar nominations for best Foreign Language Films than any other Middle Eastern country.

 

OK, back to the tour. Jaffa is an ancient settlement, dating back centuries. It w s also the one and only port to the land of Israel back in those early days. Built on a steep, rocky hillside, Jaffa has stone buildings, arches, and narrow winding cobblestone alleys. They are filled with artists’ galleries, boutiques, churches, synagogues, gardens, museums, restaurants, and cafes. The Old Gates, ancient drinking fountain, a wishing bridge, and a customs house are located above the sea wall and marina. Back in the 1960’s, this entire village was re-constructed under a massive and detailed restoration project. Their hard work has proved to be well-rewarded for them, as well as the tourists.

 

The plan for today was to make a visit to the new Jaffa Tales Visitors Center. Here we went down a narrow path to enter a dark chamber with displays of archaeological finds. Pictures showing what the ancient village and port looked like over the centuries, helped us understand its turbulent history.

 

We did have a different tour guide, who gave the narration, but she was hard to understand, due to her heavy Hebrew accent and speed talking.

 

Our group was led into another chamber where a recreation of the old houses of the city would have looked like. We noticed a set of seats in one section, and realize when the lights went out, we were going to see a virtual performance, digitally-enhanced, bringing past heroes to life. Too bad there were not enough seats to accommodate everyone, because from our angle while standing, we could not get the special effects of the film. It told the story of the prophet Jonah, St. Peter, Simon, the tanner, and Andromeda, the daughter of Jaffa’s King. The tale goes on that she was tied to a rock, awaiting the sea monster to devour her. That should have saved the city from total destruction. She was saved, however, by a hero who rescued her by slaying the sea monster. Of course, she married the man, and all lived happily ever after.

 

The second the exit door opened, we happily went outside. Now we were free to explore on our own with our handy maps to follow our path.

 

The touristy area we were in was called Kedumim Square. We would need to meet back here by noon. That gave us 1 ½ hours to walk. According to the tour’s description, we were supposed to have our guide take us on the cobblestone pathways on the hillside. But she told us quietly, that after assessing the age and capability of this group, she decided against the hike. Since steep cobbled stairs were involved, and having folks using walkers and motorized wheelchairs, she kept her narrated tour at St. Peter’s Church and the Hapisga Garden, all within close proximity to the square. That was fine with us.

 

We found our way down the zig-zagging walkways and stairs, taking us through the narrow channels and under the arches. We reached the sea wall and the Old Jaffa fort and Marina at the bottom.

 

Following the seaside promenade, we found that this was where all of the locals were hanging out this morning. By the hundreds….with their young families enjoying this Easter morning. Since most all of locals were Jewish, this particular holiday was not on their agenda today. So it was more like a typical Sunday, than Easter.

 

Many elderly fishermen had their lines cast off of the sea wall. Perhaps these men were not as old as we estimated, they just looked “weathered”. We never did see what they were catching, but we did notice that the lines were full of very small hooks. Restaurant and café people were throwing old stale bread into the water, in hopes of attracting fish.

 

The marina was full of old wooden fishing vessels, as well as some tourist sightseeing boats. The buildings that lined the pier, formerly old warehouses, were full of cafes, bars, restaurants, and coffee houses. Many were open for business, but not all of them yet. Our guide said the crowds are late night people in Israel.

 

We noticed that some of the younger crowd were riding green-colored bikes. These are provided, at a very reasonable fee, to help eliminate the traffic jams in town. You can rent a bike, then leave it at a station. As you continue, you can rent another one.

 

We stayed as long as we could, before we made our way back, via a steep staircase that wound between the old, remodeled stone buildings. They now have shops, as well as individual homes. Bet it is very expensive to have a flat here. But the views of Tel Aviv in the distance must be beautiful. As we passed a house, two little dogs stuck their heads out to watch us. Yep, they were enjoying the view.

 

Back at the square, a little out of breath, we walked up to the top of the Hapisga Garden, where several sculptures are erected. It also has the best view of modern Tel Aviv and the ocean with gorgeous beaches for miles. A map helps to identify the buildings of the city directly below us.

 

We paid a visit to St. Peter’s Catholic Church on the square. A very nice, conservative church, we were surprised to find it undecorated for Easter Sunday. No flowers or other indication that today had been the most important holiday of the Catholic Church.

 

Before we boarded the coach, we found a couple of pairs of earrings to buy as a momento of or visit to Jaffa. We were back in our cozy, tight seats, ready for the ride to Tel Aviv. That’s when out of the blue, we had an unfortunate incident on the bus. In fact, in all of our travels over the years, we have never had such a moment.

 

Long story short……….the nice people seated next to us, politely asked the man in front of them to please open his curtain that was just drawn over the window. The sun was shining brightly at the moment, but the rest of our tour was going to be sightseeing from the bus. None of us in the back row could see anything out of the right side window. The man that had drawn the curtain told the man next to us to go to the front of the bus if he wanted to see something. Duh, there were no seats in the front. So, the man next to us told HIM to go up to the front. That’s when the man went “berserk”, pulled the curtain further, and proceeded to pull the last curtain closed. But the nice man’s wife had it so tightly held, she was not going to let it go. That’s when the curtain ripped to shreds from the top of the window. Oh no………..this was bad. Thought there was going to be a fist fight, but the man next to me was in his high 80’s, and the other bad guy much younger. Not to mention the fact, that the nice man next to us was a retired judge. He knew well enough to keep quiet, and the rest of the ride was like being on pins and needles. How were they going to explain the ripped curtain??? Later on, when seeing this nice couple before dinner, they told us that they went back to the guide, explained the situation, and offered to pay for the damages. She kindly said NO, and mentioned it wasn’t the first time such things had happened on tours. All we know is that we will stay far away from the “crazy” guy at all costs. Never a dull oment on these world cruises……….

 

Tel Aviv is nickname the “White City”, because of its highest concentration in the world of buildings called Bauhaus. They were a creation of a German architect back in the 1930’s, who was escaping Germany at the time of Hitler’s rise. They are unique-looking art-deco style homes with balconies. Tel Aviv is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the country’s economic and cultural center. From what we saw winding through the streets was a mix of the old with the new. It had only been recently, that the city’s leaders have wisely thought to preserve the old structures instead of leveling them for high rise apartments. In fact, our guide said that too many apartments have flooded the market, and are too pricey for the young couples to buy. Therefore, many of them remain unoccupied at the moment.

 

Tel Aviv has the most lively port and sea promenade that extends all the way from Jaffa. The white sand beaches stretch for miles, and were full of sunbathers today. The water must have been too cold, since few of them were in the water.

 

Our guide said the nightlife begins rather late at 10 or 11pm, and can continue until 5am. That’s how long the bars and nightclubs stay opened. So like NYC, it is a city that never sleeps.

 

Now the traffic in the city is a BIG problem. Locals were out and about today, jamming the streets with cars and buses. Our driver took us past the most important buildings, but it was super slow going. The most notable building was Rabin Square and City Hall. It was on the stairway from City Hall that Rabin was shot and killed back in the 1990’s. There are flags there, at the bottom of the stars , to commemorate the spot he died. We drove down Rothschild Boulevard, also famous, and the side streets. By then it was 1pm, and we would need to head back soon.

 

Our driver turned the bus around near the airport, and followed the coastline all the way back. We were supposed to stop and walk part of this promenade, but our time was limited, and the folks could not walk anyway.

 

We were back to the ship by 2pm, but first we had to have a guard board the coach and ask two questions. The first one was does anyone have a weapon on them? Yeah, sure, who will admit that if they did? And, did anyone give us a package and ask for it to be taken onboard the ship? Again, if you were packing such a package, you would not say yes. Thankfully, all said no, and it was the truth. They trusted us.

 

We went right to the Lido for a quick sandwich, then went right back out to jump on the complimentary shuttle. We really did not need anything, but we just wanted to see where it went. The bus was running every 15 minutes, and dropped us off at the Sea Mall, a 10 minute ride from the ship in Ashdod. The mall was basically small, but you could get some necessary items you cannot find on the ship. Most of the crew members took advantage of this free ride. Oh yeah, it looked like there was free WIFI there as well.

 

If you walked a little ways, you could access The Blue Marina and an area full of cafes and restaurants. We heard there were nice beaches there too. Running into our biking pals, we found out they were able to go many miles in Ashdod, keeping busy all day. At least they had been allowed out of the port with their bikes. That would not be the case tomorrow in Haifa. Security was much stricter there.

 

Dinnertime came all too quickly, and we joined our table to find a new couple there. Maureen had offered for them to share our table, since they had missed their dinner at 5:30pm. Barb was gone, since she went overnight to Jerusalem, and will be back tomorrow night. Long day, but a good one.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

PS Waiting for us in the room after dinner: two packages of candy bars from Seattle’s Best with cards for Easter gifts……………..SWEET

[WCB]

Thanks for the compliment……….they are always appreciated.

 

All of the maps we get are gotten locally, or we use the ship’s map (not always the best). It is a good idea to print a map for each port before you start the cruise.

 

Jewelry, sometimes costume, sometimes real, is always purchased for fun. If it happens to match, it is mostly by accident.

 

We use two different cameras……one for the best photos we can possibly take (Canon), and a pocket-sized Olympus (waterproof). One of us also uses a video camera. We have several spare batteries we take with us on tours. On the overland, we took the chargers for all of the cameras.

 

Hope this answers your questions.

 

Bill & Mary Ann