Travel The World with Bill & Mary Ann HAL's Grand World Voyage 2007

[WCB]

Hi Mountainmare,

We have done several ports on our own, but not overlands. It can be so much more fun with a good group, and that's what we had to the Taj Mahal. In any new port, we usually take a tour to get the layout and backround first. Then feel more confident doing it on our own the next time we may come.

 

WCB

[ger_77]

I can't tell you how much I am enjoying your adventures. Your writing style and attention to detail makes me feel like I'm on the tour with you. Are you having trouble resisting the vendors in every port? I'm afraid I'd have to bring along an extra couple of suitcases just to bring home my purchases! Thank you for all the work you're putting into your posts.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[WCB]

Report # 56 3-22-07 Wednesday Mumbai, India Day Three

 

Finally rested up a bit more from our overland tour and yesterday's excursion, we were ready for another morning of touring Mumbai. The excursion we chose today was called the Marvels of Mumbai. A very unusual laundry place called, Dhobi Ghat, was out first stop once we made our way by bus from the pier. Completely built out in the open air, this facility has hundreds of large concrete tubs for soaping, soaking, and boiling clothing and linens. Then these clothes, towel, and sheets, etc. are literally beaten, aired, pressed, and wrapped for delivery within a week. Now the best part, this is all done manually by men! Our guide joked by saying this was the hardest we would see men work in Mumbai!! That got a few chuckles from the ladies! And with all that hard work, the cost of cleaning one item of clothing cost seven rupees or about ten cents a piece. Good deal.

 

Next, we visited the modest home of Mahatma Gandhi called Mani Bhavan. We understand that this home belonged to his friend, and Gandhi used it as his Bombay base between 1917 and 1934. Now a museum and a memorial to Gandhi, his daily life and story of his leadership of non-violent protests were displayed. His library as well as his private quarters gave us a close up and personal idea of who he had been as a young husband, father, and lawyer, then finally transformed into a monk-like figure of admiration. One room was dedicated to a display of miniaturized scenes telling the story of his life and his tragic death.

 

Continuing on, we drove past several government buildings, one being the Court House surrounded by lush green gardens. Another impressive building we passed was the Victoria Terminus railway station. Built by 1853, this massive stucture of domes, spires, Corinthian columns, and minarets is a mix of Gothic, Baroque, and Victorian architecture. Half a million commuters pass through this station every day. And by the hordes of people coming and going from there this morning, we guessed there were at least half of that amount there already!.

 

Our final stop was at the Prince of Wales Museum. This structure was Mughal (Muslim) style with it's white dome and lacy patterened walls. We only had a short time to explore in here, but we saw a wonderful mounted animal and bird collection on the lower level. The upper floors contained displays of jade, Mughal weaponry, 3rd century terra cotta figures, Indian paintings, Hindu rock carvings, and ancient silver pottery and jewelry. By the time we left, several groups of school children were just starting their field trips through the museum. It was clear to us by their cute smiles that they were just as amused seeing us foreigners as they were seeing the museum. Kids are cute no matter where you are!! Even if we all speak different languages, those smiles are universal, aren't they?

 

On the way back to the ship, we had a brief stop for picture taking at the Gateway of India. But lucky for us, the bus parked in front of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, so we took advantage of the opportunity to see the inside. It was very nice, just like we had heard............a civilized oasis in the middle of the hustle and bustle of this pulsating city!

 

We spent the rest of the day trying to catch up on these reports and pictures! A four day absence without our computer set us back a bit, so with a couple of sea days ahead of us, along with gaining two more hours on the clock should get us back on track!

 

Oh yeah, two more gifts came our way tonight...........two boxes of Holland America classic note cards and envelopes, very useful gifts again.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[tomko2]

Do you get gifts everyday? You will need a suitcase just for all the gifts you have received so far. Does everyone on the ship receive these gifts?

Enjoy your two restful days at sea before Dubai.

Wonderful reviews - thank you.

[OldCodger73]

Bill and Mary Ann you mention taking photography quite often. When you find time could you possibly describe what you've brought along? I know you mentioned having a small 4x6" printer. How is that working out for you?

 

Thanks

[Mauitraveler]

Aloha Bill & Mary Ann:

 

Have a fabulous time!!!!!! Hope to hear your fun tales. If you're cruising thru the Hawaiian Islands, I'll wave......... My husband and I are on the Amersterdam on last cruise to Alaska in September. She leaves for another world tour right after we get off....... I can't wait to read your updates..... Aloha Cindy (Mauitraveler)

[WCB]

Report # 57 3-25-07 Sunday Dubai, United Arab Emirates Day One

 

The Morning Tour

 

The Amsterdam arrived early (4 am) to the port of Dubai, due to a medical emergency that had developed the previous day. Just a two day sail of 1172 nautical miles from Mumbai across the Arabian Sea, we entered into the Arabian Gulf...........a completely different part of the world compared to India.

 

The city of Dubai is totally civilized. With a population of 900,000 people, it is the second largest of the seven emirates which make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE, for short). The UAE did not exist as a body until 1971, when a treaty gave a council of Sheikhs the power to control the region. The current ruler is His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashim Al Maktoum. He also holds the titles of Vice President and Prime Minister to the UAE. And can you guess what the number one reason for this opulent metropolis with a wealthy lifestyle? You've got it.............OIL!! That is one of the reasons that Dubai is the leading center for business and tourism in the Middle East. And that is apparent especially in the month of March when sales abound in gold jewelry, designer clothing, electronics, and oriental silk carpets. We would see these sales in action this morning!

 

The temperature started out quite warm today at around 90 degrees with a very smoggy horizon, but sunny skies above. That was a comfortable temperature, considering that it can rise to a whopping 118 degrees in July, which we call "fry an egg on the street" weather! And considering that the citizens of the Emrirates are primarily Muslim, most of them wear the traditional robes, men in white with turbans, and women in black with veils and/or head coverings.

 

We filed out of the ship and proceeded to the new cruise terminal built just a few years ago. Inside the building, we had to put our bags and cameras through xrays before leaving as well as returning. Also in the terminal, were two Arab fellows with their hooded falcons. We have seen programs that showed how these birds are trained for killing quail for their handlers. We have also seen them used for keeping pigeons away from the Burj Al Arab Hotel, therefore keeping it clean.

 

Alongside with us at the pier were the Silver Whisper and a Costa cruise ship. We hope there are enough buses to accomodate us all of us for the tours!!

 

Our tour this morning will take us to the neighboring Emirate of Sharjah. This city was voted the Cultural Capital of the Arab World in 1998 because of its rich Islamic heritage. Getting out of Dubai was not too easy, because a lot of road work as well as traffic slowed us up a lot. And this is a Sunday. We wonder what it will be like on Monday? After crossing the Dubai Creek, and passing the international airport, we entered into the more rural Sharjah. We happened to be here in 2001 on another cruise, and remembered that we had taken this same tour. Only today, we were stunned at the number of new highrise buildings that were being built.Our guide said that scores of immigrants came from China, the Phillipines, Indonesia, Pakistan, and especially from India to work here.

 

Our first stop was outside the King Faisal Mosque, then we drove to the Quran Roundabout. Here there was a panoramic view of buildings made in the traditional Arabian design. In the center of the roundabout, was a huge casting of the Book of Koran . It was actually facing in the direction of the holy city Mecca, in Saudi Arabia. It is important for Muslims to know which direction to face when praying. Even public buildings and hotels have an arrow painted in the ceiling or on the floor to point out Mecca's direction.

 

Continuing on, we drove past the Sharjah Ruler's Palace and the Souk Al Maharrah with its golden dome. With pictures successfully taken, we hopped back on the bus for a ride to the Al Hisn Fort, built over 200 years ago for the ruling family. It has been restored and now houses a museum which displayed old photographs from the early days to the present. In the beginning, this fort was by itself, surrounded by desert. Now it sits in the middle of modern day buildings, banks, and stores. Antique weaponry, cannons, daggers, swords, cooking utensils, and carpeted living rooms were displayed in separate small rooms of the fort. We even saw a fort prison, complete with leg irons and chains. Bad Karma in there!

 

From here, we walked to the age-old Al Naboodah House, another museum-type structure. Almost more interesting, were the old merchant houses with lacy towers that helped trap the breeze and cool off the cement homes.

 

Right off of the main courtyard of this house was the Souk Al Arsa. The word souk translates into central market. Once inside this bazaar, narrow winding alleyways led us to dozens of small shops with treasures like incense burners, tobacco, water pipes, sheathed knives, wooden camel bells and dhows (boats), t-shirts, chunky silver and gemstone necklaces, silk carpets, and bejeweled clothing. And that was just a few of the things!! We only had 40 minutes there to do some serious bargaining. A special souvenier from here was a framed picture with seven colors of sand from the seven emirates. Each time you tilt the picture, the sands move independantly creating shifting sand dunes. It's so clever that we had to buy one. We also found a sand design bottle, t-shirts, a silk embroidered shawl, a revolving crystal Burj Al Arab Hotel figurine, and some jewelry. Good thing our time was short here! One of us just loves this bargaining game!!

 

Our final stop was at the Blue Souk, a more modern two-story shopping mall with 600 shops, mostly with blinding 24 carat gold jewelry, carpets, antiques, and perfumes. We entered the domed building where a coffee shop was near the entrance. It was stange to see only men, dressed in their white robes and turbans, drinking coffee in groups. Perhaps their wives were off shopping for gold bangles for their daughters and serious "bling-bling" for themselves!

 

Back at the ship by 2 pm, we had just enough time to eat lunch, and get ready for another tour at 4 pm. Gosh, this is hard work, but somebody has to do it, right?

 

To be continued.....................

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Here are a few answers to your questions.

We receive gifts about every three to four days. Anyone that is sailing at the time of the gift giving, will receive them too. And they already gave us two large roll-on duffel bags to stash our goodies.

We shipped a full size printer, and it has been super for creating our own personal postcards for mailing, pictures, or anything else we may want to copy.

We brought two digital cameras, one is a point and shoot for e-mailing, and the other is a Canon 30D. We also have a new small Canon camcorder.

 

Bill

[2bout2c]

We would love to see a photo of the two of you. I know I would love to put faces with this journey.

[Grumpy1]

We would love to see a photo of the two of you. I know I would love to put faces with this journey.

Here's pics from 2005 in Phuket, Thailand. I didn't have one of the them together, so i had to use one of MaryAnn that has another passenger in the pic with her.

[WCB]

Report # 58 3-25-07 Sunday Dubai, UAE Evening Tour

 

Our afternoon tour named The Arabian Nights: An Evening Safari with Camel Ride left at 4 pm. We figured, by reading the brochure, that this tour would be a ride to a camel farm with a BBQ dinner to follow. Well, we were in for a thrilling surprise!

 

A total of 28 four wheel drive vehicles were lined up outside the terminal waiting to take our group, four to six at a time, to the desert. Once the cars were loaded, we convoyed out of Dubai towards the vast expanse of the desert. Again, there was a lot of traffic, and it took over an hour to get out of town. Our driver, Owen from India, pointed out some interesting sites along the way. Then at one area near a gas station, all the cars pulled into a parking lot, and each driver proceeded to let some air out of their tires and put the vehicles into four wheel drive. Wonder why they were doing that??

 

Now, it got interesting once we left the main road which led to huge mountains of shifting sand dunes. Owen put the pedal to the metal and before we knew it, we were climbing the dunes, spinning the wheels, going air-borne over the peaks, and sliding sideways down the slopes! The car in front of us was kicking up sand five feet high on all sides, and we knew we were doing the same thing. We just held on tight and enjoyed the ride, trusting Owen's driving abilities. But we were very happy that we were not in the front seat! We could hear some spicy words coming from Jeff, our friend, who had that special seat! Pictures were almost impossible to take, since all we were shooting was the dash, the roof, and the car sticker # 13 on the windshield. We didn't notice that number when we got inside the car. Hope it isn't a bad sign!! And was that a rosary we saw hanging from the mirror? That may help us! The more we hooted and hollered, the faster Owen went. It was funny to see the cars around us with the passengers wide-eyed and shaking their heads in protest. We suspect that the drivers sized up their passengers before they took them on a wild ride. Or else, they risked these same people storming the shore excursion desk the next morning with major complaints. You know how that goes!

 

Eventually, what seemed like hours, but not, we all met at one location, where we could walk around, drink some bottled water, laugh about our wild rides, and watch the sun go down on the dunes. As the rest of the four wheelers came sliding down the slopes, we got some great pictures and video of what we had already experienced. Dangerous? Yes, but thrilling anyway!

 

Next was a drive to the camel farm, or really their feeding station inside a barbed wire enclosure. The peculiar animals are used for racing, freighting, and as pets in this part of the world. With their double row of eyelashes, and long slits for their nostrils, these beasts are called the ships of the desert. And they are capable of drinking 45 gallons of water all at once. In the past, they were the only way to transport spices and silks for the Arab traders. We took several pictures while they munched on dried grass and twigs in the troughs. Most of them were hobbled, legs tied together with a rope of 3 feet in between their hoofs. That way they could be caught by the ranchers, instead of being chased at 25 miles per hour.

 

Continuing our drive through the desert, we arrived at a campsite hidden in a valley of sand dunes. Separate huts of pipe smoking, henna dying, sand art in jars, and a bar for refreshments surrounded several very low tables with blankets and chairs made from red pillows. A middle section was left clear for what we knew would be the stage for the much anticipated belly dancing show.

 

Our car # 13 turned out to be lucky, because we were the first ones to arrive to the campsite. Therefore, we were the first ones to climb on the camels (two of us on one) and have our ride. If you've ever taken a camel ride, you'll know the crazy forward and backward jilt you get when the beast gets up from the ground. It looks so easy when you see this done on TV! Hanging on for dear life, we zig-zagged up and were off for a 25 foot ride, turn around and come back. OK, just long enough for a picture. These poor camels had to repeat this ride for about 190 more people!

 

And if that didn't break our necks, then we could have tried sand boarding on the hillside. A few adults did (not too successfully), but that was more for the kids. The Busby's with their three daughters had fun doing it over and over.

 

We headed down the pathway to the campsite for a beer break. While we drank the cold beer, we watched some of the ladies have the intricate red henna designs painted on their arms, legs, or hands. By leaving the clay-like paint on them for an hour, it left a red stain design that would last up to two weeks. I passed.

 

Some fellows and gals stopped for a smoke of the shisha, the Arabic water pipe commonly seen everywhere. They said that it was apple flavored smoke. We passed on that one too.

 

In the last stall, was an Arab man creating designs in small jars with colored sand. It was mesmerizing just watching him make sand dunes and camels in a few minutes. When he was finished, he poured hot wax on top to seal it. We're sure they were not cheap, though we didn't see the price posted. He was also selling the shifting sand pictures we had bought yesterday. They're so neat!

 

Finally, dinner was ready. We lined up quickly for salads, desert flat bread, rice, lentils, cooked veggies, and delicious BBQ lamb chops, hamburgers, and chicken. Yum, we had one of each! Water and coke was complimentary. Dessert was a mountain of apples, bananas, and grapes. A sweet roll with dates in thye middle finished the meal nicely, along with tea or coffee. It was more fun, because Ken and Gloria joined us for the evening. It was nice to catch up with each other's news, remembering the good time we had on the 2005 World Cruise.

 

And last, but not least........a torch was lit on the dune's slope to announce the start of the belly dancing. One festively dressed young Arab woman appeared in the center arena, performing her belly dancing skills to the traditional erotic Arabian music. Hmmm, the men in the crowd looked very happy! Eventually, she started bringing in the ladies to dance with her. But the best was when she picked the young Busby girls. They were quick learners, as most kids are, and got the biggest applause from the audience. Of course, there was a video available for sale with clips of all of us during our tour today. All this for $25.00.

 

Well, it was over all too soon, and we reboarded our waiting cars for our return to the Amsterdam.

 

This tour was over the top.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Hi Grumpy,

 

You've been a big help! Thanks. Hope you are feeling better also.

Say hi to Slinky for us!

 

Bill

[Ella2]

I so look forward to each installment of your trip! It's my morning reading while I have my coffee. Makes me feel like I'm right there with you. :)

 

That Dubai evening excursion sounds WONDERFUL! Can't wait to read more...

[WCB]

Report # 59 3-26-07 Monday Dubai, UAE Day Two

 

After going on such a super tour last night, we thought nothing could top that. However, at noon today, we have an exclusive excursion that will take us through the financial hub of Dubai to the Palm Islands development, and to an elegant tea at the famous Burj Al Arab hotel. We have been looking forward to this sold out trip, since we missed our chance to see it six years ago. We were not going to be disappointed!

 

We left the ship with about 60 other passengers, all dressed in our required finery. No shorts today! The bus ride was really slow for two reasons this afternoon..............the Monday commute traffic and an accident on the Sheikh Zayed Road. Guess what? There are "looky-loos" with car wrecks here too, just like at home. Speaking of cars, most of those we saw were Mercedes, Rolls Royces, Jaguars, and Hummers. And to ease the traffic congestion, a much needed metro system is being built.

 

Passing through the financial district, our young German guide gave us many interesting facts on Dubai. Among these facts are that the capital of the UAE, Abu Dhabi, has at least 120 years of oil production, while Dubai's supply will be exhausted in 10 to 15 years. So therefore, the Sheikh has poured "big money" into massive construction projects to create the world's ultimate travel destination. We were stunned to see the hundreds of towers of business and residential buildings going up everywhere we looked. Our guide said that 20% of the world's cranes are here in Dubai! And 500,000 construction workers are working around the clock, seven days a week to complete this monumental job.

 

Another amazing fact is that 80% of the drinking water in Dubai is supplied from desalinated seawater. The grey water is then used to irrigate the landscaping, making Dubai the green city of the UAE. Money is no object, oil money, that is!

 

The most famous landmarks we saw on the way were Dubai's World Trade Centre, the Emirates Towers, and the new Burj Dubai. This building, when completed, will be the world's tallest, at around 800 meters or more. But construction has temporarily been stopped, because the foundation has sunk 8 centimeters recently. The engineers are figuring ways to stabilize this problem. Another new building, the Ski Dubai, is a new indoor complex of five ski slopes, with the longest run at 400 meters, and a fall of 60 meters. Imagine skiing in the snow and ice in the middle of the desert! Attached to this ski park is the Mall of the Emirates, full of every high end store you can think of.

 

Our buses made their way to the Palm Island's sales office, where we saw a scale model, as well as a 3-D presentation of this fascinating development. It's difficult to describe this project, but we'll try. The Palms are three huge man-made islands in the shape of palm trees. Each island will have residential, leisure, entertainment, and shopping venues. They will be a city within themselves, virtually self-contained. To get an idea of the mass of this development at Palm Jumeirah, the first to be built, 92 million cubic meters of sand and 7 million cubic meters of rock was used for this one island complex. Now, if all these materials were placed end to end, a 2 meter thick wall could be built that would circle the earth three times! Unbelievable!

 

Included with these three islands is The World, several small islands grouped in the shape of every country and continent in the world. The World will be the ultimate paradise, where each island is sold for one home to be built on it. They will have their own gardens, pools, and boat docks. Perhaps when this area is completed, it will earn the reputation of being the "eighth wonder of the world".

 

Now the question on everybody's minds was where will all the people come from to live here in such decedent opulence? We're talking big bucks, folks! Only time will tell the story.

 

After the presentation, we boarded a luxury boat for a tour around the Palm Jumeirah and the developing coastline property. Even from the top deck of the boat, it was hard to see much more than the outside ring of the breakwater. It was created with tons of sand, covered with a layer of waterproof textile, and then covered with piles and piles of large rocks. Sitting with Gloria and Ken, we enjoyed sipping our cokes and sailing in the warm breeze.

 

Taking a short bus ride after leaving the boat, we arrived at the world's tallest, most luxurious hotel, the sailboat-shaped Burj Al Arab. All we can say is WOW! This is the seven star hotel we had imaged seeing for the last six years. A short well guarded bridge connected the mainland to the hotel. No one is allowed past this point, unless you have reservations for the suites or the restaurants. We understand that the hotel is booked for everything for months in advance, so this tour was our ticket inside!

 

Our buses were not allowed past the gate, so we either walked or took the golf cart ride to the entrance. The hotel is designed to resemble the sails of an Arabian dhow boat, and it soars to the height of 321 meters. Walking into the stunning lobby, we first saw the colorful dancing waters of the tiered fountain. On either side, were the escalators with huge fish tanks built into the walls all the way up to the next level. Surrounding this atrium were boutiques and shops with the most expensive items one may wish to buy. Marble floors with Arabic designs, massive gold pillars, and shimmering crystal chandeliers dazzled all of us.

 

Looking straight up, we could see the 27 floors of suites, each floor with their on concierge. As for suite prices............for a one bedroom deluxe suite of 1830 square feet, the cost was $2645 dollars! And that was for one night only! The Royal suites, with 8396 square feet was 50,000 dirhams, or $17,646 dollars. Ouch! And get this, the hotel has a 98% occupancy during their peak season. Unreal.

 

We were led past more fountains and beautifully tiled floors to the elevators that took us to the 27th and highest floor. What a thrill to have afternoon tea in the Skyview Bar and Restaurant. Two earlier groups from our ship were served in the lobby cafe, so we lucked out! From this elevation, we had a panoramic view of the Jumeirah beach and hotel, and the Palm Jumeirah we just sailed around. Now we could see the shape of the palm tree islands. Truely incredible.

 

Finally locating a table for four, Gloria and ken joined us for tea and goodies. A unique metal-framed replica of the hotel's sailboat shape, held four plates of food. The top plates held finger sandwiches and mini rolls of tuna, egg salad, cucumber, salmon, shrimp, and beef fillings.The last two plates had slices of fruitcake and banana bread. The bottom plate had petit fours. As we snacked on the sandwiches , the waitress offered to refill the plates as many times as we wished. Guess we looked hungry. By the time we got to the dessert level, the waitress brought scones with jams and creams. We all had been smart not to eat lunch before we came here! This had to be the nicest teatime we have had anywhere.

 

Having only 15 minutes left for picture taking, we strolled past the store fronts, fountains, and lobby area. We saw many couples and families that would fit the description of oil barons, sheikhs, and European jet-setters. It's easy to see why the Burj Al Arab has earned the reputation as the world's most luxurious hotel. We completely agree, hands down!

 

After a short ride back to the pier along the coastline road, we got back to the ship just in time to say goodbye to the Oriana once more. Bet we see them again soon.

 

The Amsterdam slipped quietly out of her space at the pier at 11 pm, ending our wonderful visit here. We hope to have the opportunity to come back in a few years to see the finished city, which is expected to doiuble in size.

 

Looking forward to two lazy days at sea,

 

Bill and Mary Ann

[WCB]

Here is a picture of us in Hong Kong on this trip.

 

Bill and Mary Ann

[WCB]

Here is our photo from Hong Kong on this trip.

 

Bill and Mary Ann

[DeltaBC]

Don and I left the ship in Singapore,we have been enjoying your reports on the places that we are missing and also the previous tours .Some of the ones that we were on:).It is wonderful to be able to sail the rest of the voyage through your reports.Thank you Iris

[2bout2c]

I believe UAE is my favorite stop so far. Thanks so much for the pictures. The digital one of the two of you, but most of all for the written pictures of the trip.

[RuthC]

As I read your description of your tour in Dubai I couldn't help but think of the contrasts in lifestyles. It's all relative, isn't it.

I see posts about, and have been to, Domenica and realize how rich we must seem to the natives with their poverty. And now I think in Dubai I would be the impoverished one.

[jjb415]

Thank you for these postings, I've followed along the whole way. You are fantastic!!!:-)

[innlady1]

Here is our photo from Hong Kong on this trip.

 

Bill and Mary Ann

 

Thank you, Bill and Mary Ann!

 

I've enjoyed your travelog!

 

It's nice to put a face with a name! ;)

[WCB]

Report # 60 3-27-07 and 3-28-07 Tuesday and Wednesday Two Days at Sea

 

Two more gifts arrived last night...........refrigerator magnets with the 2007 world cruise logo on them. Even though we consider them useful, many guests were annoyed at receiving these. See, we told you we were getting spoiled!

 

Well, here is an update while we sail the 952 nautical miles towards Oman, passing the Strait of Hormuz, and heading south in the Arabian Sea. The skies are clear, and so is the air, for a change. Halleluiah!! Except the sun is shining HOT!

 

The new speakers are Bill Bryson, a writer of humorous travel books, and Dr. Howard Clarke, an author of books on mythology and antiquity. We will catch up on these talks on TV. We 've been told that Bill Bryson is really good.

 

There was a grand show buffet at lunchtime today, the last one to be held on the world cruise. The theme was Egyptian and included a pyramid made from tents, and the Sphinx. One of the waiters told us that many workers stayed up the previous night until 2 am to decorate the dining room for this buffet. Unfortunately, we missed the buffet for photos and eating, since we were busy elsewhere.

 

The port talk by Barbara was about Oman, and the many things we needed to know about their culture and attractions. We'll also catch this later on TV. Barbara's talks are OK, but she is no Frank Buckingham, who we had the pleasure of knowing on the 2005 world cruise. His talks were well done and interesting with his added touch of dry British humor.

 

Our travel group held another festive cocktail party in the Crow's Nest Tuesday evening. The theme for this formal night was India, and many of the ladies wore their satin sarees or pajama-type blouses and pants with a scarf. It became obvious that many of the gals had the same taste, and bought identical outfits! Being good sports, they had their picture taken together. A few of the fellows wore the Indian garb of an Emperor, Tom, our host, and Woody, our tablemate, being two of the best. Others cheated by wearing the Indian shirts with a silly hat, and escaped the evening of being dressed in tuxes. The cocktails, however, were perfect!

 

As far as the entertainment goes, we were told by many friends that the comedian, Dougie Webb was awful. Shortly after starting his bad routine, people walked out to the point where few were left. He mistakenly taunted those few guests, and cut his show short. The singers and dancers of the Amsterdam did their 2nd rendition of "Dancin' in the Streets". Darn, we missed it again.

 

Thirty seven people left in Dubai, and 50 newbies got on. And they had their own private lifejacket drill and we did not have to attend.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 61 3-29-07 Thursday Salalah, Oman

 

We arrived to the port of Salalah, the capital of southern Omani province of Dhofar. Salalah is the second largest town in the Sultanate of Oman, as well as the birthplace of the Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the current ruler. The Sultan lives in Salalah instead of Muscat, Oman's largest city.

 

Salalah is what we think Dubai must have looked like 30 years ago, before the Sultan poured money into Dubai's infrastructure. Truely desert, the area is flat, hot, and sparsely populated. With a population of 120,000, Salalah is the third largest port in the middle East, with Saudi Arabia as first, and Yemen the second. About 2.5 million people live in Oman, with the capital, Muscat, housing 600,000 residents. Lying in the Arabian desert, Salalah has a comfortable climate through most of the year. This area is subject to monsoons from June to September, turning the hillsides and lowlands green. Agriculture is the third resource because of the monsoons. Wheat, date palms, alfalfa, bananas, and coconut palms are grown in the lowlands. It is the only place these successfully grow in the Middle East. But the most important product that put Oman on the map centuries ago, was frankincense. It is harvested from the Boswellia trees that line the mountain stream courses. The resin was rare and was considered as valuable as gold during the time of Christ. Frankincense was deeply believed to have miraculous curative properties, and was used in almost every religious sect from the Middle East to the Greek and Roman Empires. Being Catholic ourselves, the strong aroma of the incense was a familiar smell for us, since it is used during Mass and other ceremonies. Even though the trade eventually declined, slowing Omani's development for a time, the frankicense and myrrh is sold throughout the region today, along with the necessary items used to burn it. Modern Omanis use the smoke to deodorize their homes and keep insects away. It's powerful stuff!

 

We were here in 2001, and there have been few changes since then, as far as we could see. The port may have added more cranes for loading and unloading containers, but that's about it. The reason for docking here, instead of the larger city of Muscat, eludes us. However, making the best of the situation, we booked a five hour tour to the outlying city of Mirbat, and the ancient ruins of Sumhuram.

 

Before we were allowed to disembark, we had to wait for the delivery of Omani landing passes............couldn't leave home without them! Once in our hands, we left the ship to join our two buses for the excursion. As for the bus we had, well, we guess it could be described as an accident waiting to happen. At a high speed, the vehicle swayed from right to left violently. It was obvious to us that there were no shocks, and definitely out of alignment. Going slower was the only option, or else we would have rolled off the steep shoulder of the road! Bad feeling!!

 

There must have been a hundred taxis waiting at the terminal gate. We heard that a ride to Salalah ran about $50. a cab. We know that many of our tablemates were planning on going that route with a trip to the Crowne Plaza Hotel or a four wheel drive to the mountains. Going with a group in a taxi would be pretty cost effective.

 

Our Omani robe-clad guide gave us a brief history of his country while pointing out the nearby powerplant, cement factory, and flour mill factories. He claimed that oil and gas production (over 700 thousand barrels a day), was the number one export, with fishing still the second largest industry (2% of the gross national product). He also pointed out a massive new resort and golf club that was being built, funded by the Japanese for future tourists. A newly constructed international aorport was completed here recently too.

 

Today, being a Thursday, was the start of their weekend here in Oman. being Muslims, Fridays are their prayer day like our Sunday is for us. business days are Saturday through Wednesday, with shops open from 8am to 1 pm, and 4pm to 7pm.

 

Maybe because today was Thursday and the start of their weekend, we noticed the strange absence of natives in every town we visited. It was as if they were forewarned of our arrival, and told to stay indoors. We do know that men and women live almost separate lives here. This became apparent when we saw three different wedding parties in progress. Only the attendants were men, just men. Our guide said the ladies and children party at home, and the two groups would meet later at the mosque where the ceremony and eating and dancing took place before the sun set. And as for the ladies, we saw one, fully robed and veiled, hiding her face in an alleyway while we drove on by. The only children we saw were two boys running for cover.

 

We passed some stables for Arabian horses. They were shipped from this area centuries ago to all parts of the Arab world. We also passed orchards of date palm trees, coconuts, and bananas. Even though this is the desert, they looked quite healthy.

 

OK, back to the tour. Our first stop was at a park-like setting called Ayn Razat. It was located at the foot of the Qara Mountains, and had a natural spring fed creek with flowers, greenery, and small fish.. However, we spotted a warning sign stating not to touch or eat the snails, since they carried a serious bacteria causing sickness and/or death. Feeling the temperature of the water, it was warm, not cold. Gee, we hope we don't come down with the sickness now! There were bathroom facilities here, but they were the typical hole in the ground. Small caves could be seen in the hillsides as well.

 

With our 15 minute stop over, we headed towards the next stop at Sumhuram, the ancient ruins of an old frankincense port. Along the way, we passed roaming cattle, camels, and goats. Our guide said that the goat hides would sell for $150. a piece, and the goats were slaughtered frequently for celebrations, such as the wedding parties we saw. The loose cattle and camels were also responsible for most of the car accidents here. They're not too smart these animals!

 

We also passed several Bedouin, or gypsy camps, that were dotted along the hillsides. These nomads raise the goats and cattle for profit. They set up camp, and stay as long as the feed and water is available for their animals. Once depleted, they pull up stakes and move to another site. Power is supplied for their tents, and clinics are available nowadays for their convenience. Their existance has not changed much since the Biblical days.

 

On our way to the ruins, we had an unscheduled stop at a town called Taqah for a photo stop. We drove high above the town for a stunning view of the stark white concrete buildings and the miles and miles of white sandy beaches and cliffs. One of the best things up here was the beautiful breeze off of the ocean. The bumpy ride on the pitted gravel road, you could keep.

 

Finally at Sumhuram, we walked the gravelled pathways up and around the crumbling ruins. Natural lagoons, fed from the waterfalls cascading from the mountains, made this site the perfect place to build the town. Our visit was very short, and it was a good thing, since the sun was high and it was unforgivingly HOT!

 

Twenty six kilometers away was the town of Mirbat, with a drive through the ruins and old homes, and a visit to the fishing pier. Surprisingly, the fishermen's boats were old small fiberglass boats with outboard motors. They were only allowed to fish the nearby coastal waters, where the commercial ships were able to fish further out. Common catches here are sardines, tuna, and sharks, with an abundant collection of mussels, clams, oysters, abalone, and spiny lobsters. And as for the sardines, they are harvested at the rate of 80,000 kilos a day. They are dried and used as fodder for the cattle, and fertilizer for their farms.

 

Nearby Mirbat Castle, built 300 years ago, was our next brief stop. Close to this area, we stopped for a visit to a Muslim cemetery and a tomb of a revered Imam, or teacher/priest. This resembled the Tomb of Job that we saw six years ago in the mountains. A small white building in the shape of a mosque, contained the 10 foot long, triangular shaped tomb, draped in silks. It appeared large enough for a family of five, but our guide said that the size of the tomb revealed the importance of the Imam, keeping with Muslim beliefs. We took pictures from the outside, since only a chosen few ere allowed access to the inside. The tomb area reeked of incense too.

 

On our precarious drive back towards Salalah, our guide explained more about marriage and children in Oman. He said that a man may have two wives, only if the first wife was incapacitated from illness. It was a rarity nowadays because most men could not afford it. And it created problems with the sharing of wealth between the wives. In the past, the average number of children per couple was 9 to 12. Today, three is the normal amount, due to the rising cost of living. Sounds familiar doesn't it?

 

Then we arrived to the shopping souk, Al Husn Market of Salalah. This souk had not changed at all in the six years we saw it. Two blocks of shops containing frankincense, myrrh, elaborate burners, strong oils of fragrances, ancient knives and sabers, spices, sticky dates, and colorful clothing were displayed in abundance. Having been here and done that, all we took were pictures this time. One alleyway had stall after stall of barbers, beauty shops, and tailors. One barber shop owner wanted us to come in for hair dying. Not today, thank you! The tailor shops seemed top have various colors of cool cloth used for making robes, we suspected. With three busfulls of us here all at once,it was amazing how quickly souveniers were bought at break-neck speed. We're proud of our fellow passengers!!

 

With one more drive-by photo shooting op, we passed the Al Hosn Palace, belonging to Sultan Qaboos. All we could see were the tops of the towers and mosque, surrounded by very high cement walls. Guards stood by the heavy wooden gates, and that was the l;ast thing we saw as we drove away.

 

All in all, we saw a lot more today than we expected, and found out later that we had the best excursion that was offered her in Oman!

 

The ship left at 6pm, and we headed south towards our next port of Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt! Until then, bye!

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[tomko2]

Thanks for posting the lovely picture and WOW you are both much younger than I envisioned! It is great to have faces to put to these terrific trip accounts. Have a wonderful day.

Kathy

[sfocruiser]

The theme for this formal night was India, and many of the ladies wore their satin sarees or pajama-type blouses and pants with a scarf. It became obvious that many of the gals had the same taste, and bought identical outfits! Being good sports, they had their picture taken together. A few of the fellows wore the Indian garb of an Emperor, Tom, our host, and Woody, our tablemate, being two of the best. Others cheated by wearing the Indian shirts with a silly hat, and escaped the evening of being dressed in tuxes. \

 

 

Was curious on a cruise of this length if you see more of your "Grumpy Gusses" or are most of the passengers more easy going and well traveled?