Day 80 - At Sea

 

 

Date:  March 29

 

Location:  Day 80 – At Sea (Cruising the Arabian Sea)

 

Next Port:  Muscat, Oman, March 30-31

 

Report:  We spent this sea day catching up on a few things, exercising, playing bridge, attending a lecture on Oman, sorting through our photos and drafting our journal reports.

 

We also spent considerable time musing among ourselves and others about our visit to India.

 

Our daily devotional meeting evolved into a general discussion about our experiences in Mumbai and Agra – as did our lunch and dinner conversations.

 

Many of the 160 travelers who made the trek to and from the airport through the heart of Mumbai and onward to Agra had similar feelings to those we expressed in yesterday’s report.  The India we saw – both from the ground and the air – seemed to be an almost hopeless situation. The poverty, personal hygiene and living conditions of so many people have created a desperate situation.

 

Some of the guests, who didn’t go to Agra, did have a more positive experience. They enjoyed lunch at the large colonial-style Taj Hotel and visited some nice shopping areas. Others saw some clean parks and residential areas.

 

A few more stats:

 

·        80% of marriages are still arranged

·        In Agra, 50% of the population are Hindu, 35% Muslim (15% in the rest of the country), 15% Buddhist (all living side-by-side in harmony)

·        Mumbai has 6 times the number of rats as its population of 20+ million

·        India is one of the few democratic countries where religion and politics do mix – and according to our guide that is a problem

·        Farmers own their land and it is passed down from generation to generation with each child (including women) getting a share

·        10,000 people a day visit the Taj Mahal, only 20% of them foreigners

 

We decided we would end this report on positive note, with a few truisms from our great guide, Atul:

 

·        In America you drive on the right-hand side of the road. In Britain they drive on the left-hand side of the road. In India it is optional!

 

·        To drive in India you need a good horn, good brakes and good luck!

 

 

Larry and Karen

 

Photos of our cruise are available at the following web site:

picasaweb.google.com/larryworldcruise

 

 

 

Day 79 - Mumbai, India (Trip to Agra - Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri)

 

Date:  March 28

 

Location:  Day 79 – Mumbai, India (Visit to Agra: Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri)

 

Next Port:  Muscat, Oman, March 30-31

 

Quick Summary:  Our sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal was a great experience. We were among the first inside the gate and were able to take photos with no one else in the pictures. After breakfast, we traveled to Fatehpur Sikri, the “City of Victory,” built by Emperor Akbar the Great. This vast imperial city was only inhabited for 14 years. On our return to the Agra airport, we had one last surprise stop.

 

Report:  We departed the hotel in electric buses at 5:45 a.m., so that our group would be at the outer gates of the Taj Mahal when they opened at 6:00. We were among the first dozen or so through security.

 

Therefore, we were able to get photos of the dome in the reflection pool without any people in the pictures. We made our way through the complex and enjoyed watching the Taj be bathed in the changing colors of the rising sun.

 

We returned to the hotel for breakfast. Larry obtained a few more photos of the beautiful hotel. It’s a shame we didn’t have time to use the magnificent pool.

 

We were offered three optional excursions before catching our 12:45 p.m. charter flight back to Mumbai. (Some folks just decided to spend the morning enjoying the hotel’s facilities.)

 

Seventeen of us chose to visit Fatehpur Sikri, “The City of Victory.”  You may remember that Emperor Akbar the Great built the huge Red Fort in Agra that we visited yesterday. By the time it was completed in 1571, Akbar had established himself as a great and powerful monarch and the Mughal Empire was at its height. He decided to build a magnificent city on a rocky ridge 37km from Agra.

 

It took 10,000 workers to construct this imperial capital of more than 500 buildings. It was abandoned though after only 14 years. Some say this was due to the drying up of the city’s water supply from the man-made lake. Others say it was because of politics and fear of marauders. Now, only about 10 percent of the city – its central core – remains. But it is in splendid condition.

 

There are red sandstone palaces, mosques, administrative buildings, tombs, pools and other perfectly preserved structures – many with domes. Atul was again our guide and provided a running commentary about Akbar and life in this city of 30,000. He explained how many of the walls and friezes would have been painted; how large canopies would have covered the courtyards and that there would have been cushions rugs and finery everywhere.

 

We know that some people didn’t take this excursion because of the 1:30 hr bus ride. But we have found such rides good learning experiences when visiting new places. One can learn quite a bit about how others live and their culture by being observant and asking questions during such treks. This was certainly the case today.

 

It took us quite a while to just get out of Agra with market traffic, wandering cows and water buffalo, zigzagging tuck-tucks, overloaded trucks and buses, etc.

 

Once into the countryside, we observed that wheat was the main crop in this area…and it was all being harvested by hand. (Atul explained that machinery would put people out of work.) Mostly women were squatting in the fields and using small curved knives to cut the wheat. Then they would stack it in small bundles every yard or so. Women also seemed to have the task of making cow paddies and setting them out to dry so they could be used as fuel. They frequently did this in groups and could later identify their portion of the drying chips by leaving a handprint in one of them!  We noted that village homes were surrounded by these chips stacked in intricate designs.

 

Stacked by the side of the road were piles of bricks and stones to be used in road widening…which again was being done mostly by hand. There were also stacks of garbage and debris everywhere…much to the delight of pigs and piglets who were rummaging for food. We also saw several roadside barbers at work…one who had his mirror tied to a tree.

 

On the return trip to the Agra airport, we had a few minutes of spare time, so Atul made an unscheduled stop in the village of Parara. Our bus pulled up in front of a small house right on the main road. Three Hindi brothers and their families share very small living quarters. We were invited in to meet them and see their small kitchen, courtyard (where they sleep) and two other rooms. Karen had some “pillow chocolates” which the children and the grandfather really enjoyed.

 

We all then walked down the road about 50 yards – waving to neighbors and being trailed by many – to the small village temple. We were quite the show! It was a great serendipitous experience.

 

We returned to the airport and met our fellow travelers for the return flight to Mumbai. Once again we enjoyed the first class seating. We were sure they would switch them around on the return flight, but they didn’t.

 

However, our bus rideback to the ship through Mumbai was anything but first class. The bus was the only really dilapidated one we’ve experienced in 79 days of travel. It had cracked windows, torn curtains and padding, broken arm rests, etc. Thankfully the air conditioning functioned almost adequately.

 

But the 1:15 hr ride was even more depressing. We went through miles and miles of shanties – and worse. We did hear later from those that stayed in Mumbai that there are some affluent sections of this vast city. We certainly didn’t see any. It is hard to imagine how this city will ever improve the situation for these poor, poor people. These are visions that will be indelibly imprinted in our memory.  We had never before seen such squalor and poverty and hope never to see it again.

 

We eventually made it back to our sanctuary, the Voyager. After quick showers, we joined our fellow cruisers for the sail away on the upper deck. While we had been gone, the QE2 docked behind us. This time their captain responded to Capt. Dag’s departing three long and one short horn blasts with the QE2’s famous deep-throated blast.  It still sounds like those ships of old that we’ve all seen in the movies. This is the last time we will cross on our respective World Cruises.

 

We will have to think more about our visit to India. The beauty of its past certainly was impressive and a sight to behold. And we know that there are many more beautiful lake and mountain regions to explore. But the immensity of the poverty and living conditions in both the big cities and the countryside are beyond comprehension.

 

One can only pray that the government will be able to more adequately address the people’s needs and that the numerous aid organizations and their workers are able to provide some relief.

 

Larry and Karen

 

 

Photos of our cruise are available at the following web site:

picasaweb.google.com/larryworldcruise

 

Photos of our second day in Agra have been added.

 

 

 

Day 78 - Mumbai, India (Trip to Agra - Red Fort and Taj Mahal)

Date:  March 27

Location:  Day 78 – Mumbai, India (Visit to Agra: Red Fort and Taj Mahal)

Next Port:  Muscat, Oman, March 30-31

 

Quick Summary:  Our overnight trip to Agra to see the Taj Mahal and other historical sites was everything we had hoped it would be. A visit to India attacks all the senses. It is an assault that these authors probably won’t be able to adequately describe. Rather, it is one of those things that truly has to be experienced. But in the end, the Taj Mahal is as beautiful as we’ve always heard.

 

Report:  The Voyager pulled into the hazy, busy port of Mumbai at about 6:30 a.m. Once known by its British colonial name of Bombay, Mumbai is home to some 20 million people, with 2,000 new inhabitants arriving daily. (India is only 1/3rd the size of Europe, yet its population is more than one billion people – fully 1/6th of the world’s population.) Mumbai is the country’s financial center and is called the Gateway of India.

 

A world unto itself, Mumbai hits you with an intensity all its own. The guide books say the “culture is contemporary, vibrant and often aggressive, reflecting both the poverty and affluence of its population.” Well, in our bus ride to the airport for our flight to Agra, we didn’t see any of the exciting trend-setting boutiques, exclusive restaurants, or clean neighborhoods mentioned in the guides.

 

Being a bank holiday and early in the morning before the streets were filled, our bus cut through the center of town. We only had a few quick glimpses of the large stone colonial buildings and then drove for a bit along the bay. Most of our drive was spent going through miles of abject poverty. It was certainly an eye-opening experience. Shanties with corrugated metal roofs…piled high with debris (or belongings?) dominated the street scenes. People sleeping, bathing, cooking and just existing were everywhere. Everything was caked in dirt. We did see trash trucks being filled and people sweeping some sidewalks, but there is no way they could keep up or even make a dent in the trash and garbage.

 

We arrived at the small domestic airport for our flight on Jet Airways. Being a charter flight, our departure logistics were somewhat easier than normal. We received our boarding passes before leaving the ship. (Luckily, we  were assigned to the 32-seat Club Section of the Boeing 737-900. We’re not sure of the selection process – though they may have been allocated according to the sign-up date for this extra excursion.) Our overnight bags were checked through security in a group and delivered directly to our hotel rooms in Agra. The personal security check was segregated by sex, but was fairly efficient. The women were checked in a screened room.

 

After settling into the jet, we sat and sat. (Thankfully we were in the roomier front section!) The flight attendants passed out small bottles of lime water; then they passed out Diet Pepsi. And still no word from the cockpit…other than one announcement that there was some miscommunication between their company and air traffic control. After about an hour on the plane with no movement, the cruisers began to get restless! The aisles filled with folks visiting and using the lavatories. Larry had an opportunity to talk to the pilot as he was taking a break in the galley.

 

Thepilot explained that the Agra airfield is basically an India Air Force base. It is not normally serviced by commercial jets…only a few small Air India and Deccan Airlines turboprops. Jet Airways had obtained flight approval the day before from the Air Force and it had been reconfirmed that morning. But when the pilots began to start up the engines, the clearance was denied by the Air Force. (I explained that after working for the U.S. Air Force for 21 years, I was familiar with such bureaucratic SNAFUS!)

 

Finally, after almost a two-hour delay, we were off on our 1:40 hr. flight to Agra. The crew served a very good Indian lunch, with real silverware! As we circled to land, we got our first glimpse of the Taj Mahal on the banks of the Jamuna River.

 

We had a 35-minute ride through Agra to the hotel. Agra was the capital of the great Mughal Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries. Now it’s a sprawling city of about two million people that serves a poor agricultural region and provides services for the 10,000 people a day who visit the Taj Mahal.

 

Cows wandered everywhere and lay down wherever they wanted. Our guide explained that the cows lying in or near the road benefited by the draft of the traffic keeping off the insects.

 

The luxurious Oberoi Amarvilas Hotel is truly magnificent. Every bedroom and almost all the public rooms have a direct, unobstructed view of the Taj Mahal…which is less than a mile away.

 

After enjoying small portions of an Indian buffet (yes, I know, we had lunch on the plane!), we headed off by bus to the huge Agra Fort built near the bend of the river. The fort’s imposing gates, walls of red sandstone and moat dominate the center of the city. It was built by three different Mughal Emperors. Akbar the Great erected the walls, gates and first buildings during the years 1565-1573. Emperor Shah Jehan built the impressive quarters and mosque. Emperor Aurangzeb added the outer ramparts.

 

It was also here that Emperor Shah Jehan (who had the Taj Mahal constructed) died as a captive of his son Aurangzeb, passing his final days gazing at the Taj Mahal.

 

We arrived at the Taj Mahal in the late afternoon. For the half mile, we had to transfer to small electric buses – one effort to cut down on the pollution in the area.

 

The Taj Mahal was Shah Jehan’s enduring monument to love. This beautiful mausoleum is a place of astonishing beauty and an architectural marvel. It is understandable why it is one of the Seven Wonders of the World and the iconic symbol of India.

 

Emperor Shah Jehan, fifth of the great Mughals, was devoted to his second wife Mumatz Mahal (“Jewel of the Palace). She died at the age of 39 giving birth to their 14th child. He went into mourning for two years – turning away from running an empire and becoming more and more involved with his other great love, architecture.

 

The Taj was built over a period of 22 years from 1632 by 20,000 workers and artisans. It is constructed of whileIndian marble. As many as 35 different types of precious and semi-precious stones were used in the inlay work.

 

The Taj Mahal is placed on a high plinth (platform). Four tapering minarets at the corners frame the tomb. (They lean slightly outward so if there were an earthquake, they would not topple into the dome.) The tomb is square and beveled at its corners. A central bulbous dome crowns the structure. It is surrounded by four domed canopies supported by pillars.

 

The dome is an important component of the Islamic style of architecture, as it is believed to be the link between heaven and earth. While the structure of the edifice represents the material world, the dome symbolizes the vault of heaven. The octagonal part symbolizes the transitional phase between heaven and earth.

 

There is a large entrance gate built of red stand stone whose arch frames the distant Taj. To each side of the tomb’s raised platform are two identical red sandstone buildings. The one to the left contains a small mosque. The beauty of the Taj Mahal is accentuated by the garden laid out in the Persian four-garden style.

 

Everything, including the tile pavement designs, is symmetrical and laid out with precise architectural alignment. The only asymmetrical object in the Taj is the casket of the emperor which was built as an after thought alongside the queen’s.

 

Atul, another very great guide, kept us moving through the large complex – ensuring that we had perfect spots for great views and out of the massive crowds.

 

We certainly felt lucky to enjoy for ourselves the changing colors of the sunset being reflected on this great monument to love.

 

We met our group near the entrance and took the electric buses all the way back to our nearby hotel. We enjoyed another Indian buffet and turned in shortly thereafter – with our alarm set for 5:00 a.m. for our planned sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal.

 

Karen and Larry

 

 

Photos of our cruise are available at the following web site:

 

picasaweb.google.com/larryworldcruise

 

Photos of our first day in Agra have been added.

 

 

 

 

Day 76 - Cochin, India

 

Date:  March 25, 2007

 

Location:  Day 76 – Cochin, India

 

Next Port:  Mumbai, India (Trip to Taj Mahal), March 26-27

 

Quick Summary:  We enjoyed our first experience in India with our visit to Cochin. We explored thewaterways, watched fishermen use the famous Chinese fishing nets, witnessed village life along the river banks and saw two wedding processions. We met delightful children in the old town shopping area and among those who came to watch Voyager’s Sunday evening departure.

 

Report:   Cochin (pop. 1 million) is the anchor of low-lying central Kerala, a region dominated by lazy inland waterways, rice fields and fishing boats. It is one of the largest and oldest ports on India’s west coast. The city is spread out over the mainland, a peninsula and several islands. The airport and port facilities are located on a man-made island.

 

The state of Kerala has a population of 32 million. Surprisingly, in this Hindu nation, 45% of the Keralans are Christians. That’s probably due to the Apostle Doubting Thomas setting up a series of churches in the region and the colonization by the Portuguese centuries later.  The people are very proud that all the religions and races get along in harmony… something we’ve found in many of the places we have visited. (It’s too bad there are so many other areas of the world where they can’t.)

 

We pulled into Cochinthrough a hazy sunrise right behind the larger QE2 (Queen Elizabeth 2), also on its World Cruise. (She was to remain overnight, but we should see her again in Mumbai. We understand she’s going “round the world in 80 days” vs. our 111.)

 

We passed by a series of the famous bamboo and teak structures hovering over the waterfront – the famous cantilevered Chinese fishing nets. (We’d see many more on our backwater tour.)

 

Voyager’s welcoming committee included three elephants with colorful headpieces, costumed riders with umbrellas, dancers with huge headdresses and a loud band. Capt. Dag and Staff Capt. Daniel fed the elephants some fruit while we waited for customs to clear the ship.

 

It was just a short bus ride to a small tourist boat for a ride along Cochin’s river and backwaters. We saw people fishing in small round boats, more of the Chinese fishing nets and stakes in the water that were connected to other seine nets. We also passed by a tremendous number of small ocean-going fishing boats – many were gaily painted. Many of the boat names were written in English and were of a religious nature.

 

Along the shore we saw a wedding reception from which our boat attracted lots of smiling and waving boys and men. We also saw a village festival that included some elephants. We passed a large Catholic church and could hear the singing of a children’s choir.

 

Our tour ended at the Taj Malabar Hotel where we had refreshments and a performance of kathakali, an ages-old Indian dance drama featuring elaborate masks, costumes and many special posed moves depicting various emotions and situations. It was pretty complicated and not particularly exciting sitting under a canopy on a hot, sticky day!

 

Larry found another local wedding reception going on in the hotel and was able to take some delightful photos of the wedding party. He was unable to take one of the bride as she was another room, and he didn’t want to intrude.

 

After a quick lunch on Voyager, we headed off in a cab with Judy(Kirk decided to keep the ship running while we were gone!) for the shopping in the old part of Cochin. Larry went along to see the sights.

 

We had a fun time while the ladies made a few purchases…including a silk sari and lamp globes by Judy and two skirts by Karen…plus a few presents.

 

We returned to the ship via tuck-tuck…three-wheeled, three-passenger, covered motor scooter taxis. Quite a precarious ride. Thankfully it was Sunday and the traffic was fairly light.

 

Upon returning to the ship we were once again besieged by poor vendors selling primarily postcards and feather fans. Karen had some of her “pillow chocolates” and gave them to a few of the vendors for their children. We then noticed that lots of families dressed in their Sunday best were beginning to gather for the Voyager’s 6:00 p.m. sailing.

 

We went to our suite to get some more of the chocolates – Karen has been saving hers for just such purposes. Well, it was a great experience – the highlight of our day. We enjoyed talking to several families and sharing the chocolates with beautiful, smiling, appreciative children.

 

Our sail-away party included band music, dancing, champagne and special cocktails on the pool deck. Voyager’s departure – accompanied by loud booming horn blasts by Capt. Dag – must have been the major Sunday attraction in Cochin. As we went down the river and out the channel, the sides were lined with thousands of Indians…including one large beach area where there were crowds standing in the water.

 

We enjoyed the last of the sunset in the Observation Lounge, a couple dances to Frankie’s music, and then dinner in La Veranda with Judy and Kirk. A very enjoyable first day in India.

 

Now it’s one more sea day before our arrival in Mumbai (Bombay) and our overnight in Agra at the Taj Mahal!

 

Karen and Larry

 

 

Photos of our cruise are available at the following web site:

picasaweb.google.com/larryworldcruise

 

Photos of our day in Cochin have been added.

 

 

 

Days 73-75 - At Sea

 

Date:  March 24, 2007

 

Location:  Days 73-75 – Cruising the Indian Ocean

 

Next Port:  Cochin, India, March 25

 

Quick Summary:  We have enjoyed three beautiful sea days as we have sailed west from Malaysia around the southern tip of Sri Lanka and north towards our first landfall in India. Karen has included a special report on what transpires on a typical “sea day.” See March 23 report below.

 

Report:

 

Day 73, March 22:  This was a fairly typical sea day…but two events deserve special mention. The Seven Seas Society is Regent’s frequent cruiser recognition program. On each of the six segments that make up the World Cruise there are special SSS events. Last evening, Jamie, Laurens and their teams decorated the Constellation Theater for a “Diamonds & Ice” cocktail reception. The stage was full of ice bergs, the balconies and poles were wrapped in sheets and Chef Tobias’ team provided 8-10 ice sculptures. And there was plenty of caviar!  Guests were invited to wear black and white attire to go with the ice theme.  It was a formal evening and many of the women were also sporting new finery from China and Southeast Asia.

 

After dinner, political satirist Mark Russell kept everyone in stitches with his political and shipboard humor.

 

Day 74, March 23:

 

 

A Day a Sea

 

Many of you have asked, “What do you do all day while at sea?” I thought about this last evening while I was winding down and decided to a write a special report about Friday, March 23rd, a day spent cruising the Indian Ocean.

 

Our “self-alarms” woke us about 6:15 a.m., after a night where we were able to gain back one of the hours lost on our voyage eastward. That helped with getting out of bed more easily. Larry headed for the gym and I spent some time checking e-mails and answering our dear friends and family who have been keeping up with us. I then walked down two flights of stairs for a 45-minute Pilates class that began at 7:15. Larry and I met back in the cabin, showered and dressed for our Morning Christian Devotional Group that began at 8:45.  At 9:20, we headed up to the outdoor aft deck to enjoy breakfast alfresco.

 

I then headed across the pool deck to the Observation Lounge for my “advancing beginners’ bridge class” which I have been attending fairly regularly. (Larry dropped out early on when we quickly found out we didn’t belong in the very serious “intermediate” bridge class. I haven’t been able to talk him back into the class I am taking now). Larry spent 45 minutes on the bridge. Capt. Dag opens up the bridge each sea day for 90 min. in the morning and the same in the afternoon – weather and traffic permitting. Larry enjoys talking to the watch officers, watching the boat traffic and learning the operations of this beautiful ship. He then returned to the cabin to work on the blog and download his recent photos. I decided to stay the hour after class to play some social bridge while Larry attended Mark Russell’s celebrity presentation, “A Career in Comedy.” He truly enjoyed the political satirist who had entertained all of us the evening before and once last week. As you can imagine, Mark has much material to work with from the current political climate.  He was also able to share some of his interesting observations made of life on the ship that has everyone talking. I was sorry I missed “his best performance of all three,” but fortunately, the presentation is being shown on our ship’s TV channel.

 

Larry and I met back at our cabin at noon.  He continued to work on his photos, and I worked on my writing assignment for the afternoon Writer’s Workshop I recently joined. This is a class encouraging people to begin writing their “life stories” and is being taught by Dana. Many of the “writers” have been attending since the first segment, but I have just joined.  Each segment offers the six-part series that uses the writing process of freewriting, drafts, revision, publishing and sharing. It has been quite interesting hearing stories shared by several of my shipmates. 

 

We ventured back upstairs for a quick curry lunch by the pool before I went off to class. Larry joined his team for the daily water volleyball game which he has just recently joined. The game is open to all, with teams headed up by Capt. Dag and Lars. I was able to make it back from class to see the final game and act as a runner for errant balls. The weather today was some of the best we have had, with low humidity and temperatures in the 80’s. We both stayed around the pool and enjoyed visiting with friends and enjoying the sun. I then headed to the fifth deck where I was able to have a nice walk under the covered outside walkway while listening to my book on tape and enjoying the beautiful sea.

 

I returned to the cabin around 4:00 and joined Larry on our balcony for some reading. It was so pleasant and peaceful.  At five, we showered again and got ready for a special evening “Sundowners Event.”  Everyone gathered on the bow of the ship on Decks 6 and 12 for a party to enjoy the sunset. (The area forward is usually restricted to crew use only, so it was a real treat to be able to go all the way out to the front mast – and get our “Titanic” photo.) The wait staff was serving wine and champagne as well as canapés while the Voyager Quintet played sunset music and the Voyager singers sang. It was magical as the sky was offering a magnificent backdrop for this event. (See Larry’s beautiful photos.)

 

At 6:30, we joined Judy and Kirk from Fresno and Mary and Rich from Philadelphia in the Observation Lounge for the final colors of the sunset. We then shared an enjoyable dinner with them in the Compass Rose. This evening’s entertainment was a magic and humor show that especially appealed to our younger travelers. Larry topped off the evening with a quick visit to the casino where it didn’t take very long to lose (though the evening before he was a “significant winner” at three card poker – at least at the dollar level he plays. Thankfully, he hasn’t spent much time in the friendly casino.)

 

We returned to the cabin around 11:30 where we were very happy to turn our clocks back another 30 minutes. We turn back another 30 minutes tonight, too, as we continue our trek west. 

 

It was another very full, very enjoyable day aboard the Seven Seas Voyager. I hope you now have a better idea of how we spend our days at sea.

 

POST NOTE:  In case you don’t think any of the above might interest you, other choices for the day included more exercise classes (Body Sculpt, Gentle Stretch and Relaxation, Cardio Sculpt, Cardio Mix and Core Strengthening), computer class, needle pointing (with a variety of kits offered), watercolor art class, craft class, cooking demonstrations, games (board games, skittles, jeopardy, trivia, bocce, shuffleboard tournaments, paddle tennis courts, table tennis and bingo), art lectures (today on “Old and Modern Masters”) and auctions, a watch seminar, afternoon teatime, blackjack tournaments, lectures on “Gerald Ford,” and “Spying on the Soviets: So You Want to be a Spy,” and a feature length movie, “Fly Boys,” offered in the afternoon and evening..” An evening Oneg Shabbat service and a Catholic Mass were also being celebrated today. Other very popular activities for many on board are the ballroom dancing classes and evening dance parties.  As this is an all inclusive voyage, all of the above are available without any additional costs. I am tired just thinking of all the other activities we could be joining.  No wonder we haven’t read as many books as we had planned!

 

Karen

 

Day 75, March 24: At 7:45 a.m., as Larry was finishing up his exercise on the top deck, he noticed that the Voyager was making a 90 degree turn towards the hazy coastline of Sri Lanka. A few moments later, Capt. Dag announced that we were slowing down in order to go fishing.

 

Of course this was fishing the luxury cruise line way. We lowered a small outboard – driven by Jon, the chief engineer – along with our expert fisherman, Chef Tobias, and a videographer to record it all.

 

The first fishing boat that we pulled up to waited patiently while the boat was lowered to the water. Capt. Dag tried to hail them from the port wing bridge, but the Sri Lankans could not understandus. We are sure they were wondering in awe about this massive ship that appeared out of the mist. Unfortunately they didn’t have any fish for Tobias. Jon movedon to an even smaller outrigger boat and Tobias was able to bargain for one fish.  We all moved forward about two miles to a group of five small fishing boats.

 

As our team approached, the water between the boats and our bow erupted with about 100 dolphins (porpoise). They were streaking and leaping through the water at a very good clip. It was an amazing sight.

 

After a few moments, Jon radioed to the ship that yes these boats had fish, but they wanted cash, not the offered whiskey and cigarettes. So Jon came over to the ship to pick up some currency from Lars.

 

However, when they returned to another one of the boats, bargainer Tobias was able to buy 4 fish with the whiskey and cigarettes.

 

The “fishing expedition” took about an hour and provided great entertainment and photo opportunities all of us lining the rails. And the fresh fish was served at the Pool Grill for lunch.  

 

At 9:15, Jamie conducted our normal Protestant church service, since tomorrow (Sunday) we will be in Cochin. The rest of the day was spent reading, playing bridge and pool volleyball, attending the writing class and working on the journal/photos.

 

Tomorrow it’s India.

 

Karen and Larry

 

Photos of our cruise are available at the following web site:

 

picasaweb.google.com/larryworldcruise

 

Photos of our three sea days have been added.

 

 

 

Day 72 - Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia

 

Date:  March 21, 2007

 

Location: Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia

 

Next Port:  Cochin, India, March 25

 

Quick Summary:  Georgetown was a fun day. In fact, we have enjoyed all five ports in this area: Kuala Lumpur and Georgetown, plus Singapore, Kota Kinabalu and Brunei. The Malay and Chinese people we have met have been gracious, happy and easy to talk to. In Georgetown, we thoroughly enjoyed our 3-1/2 hour tour of the city via trishaw.

 

Report:  Georgetown is the capital of the Malaysian state of Penang and is located on the Island of Penang. Some 24km by 12kkm, this island is connected to the mainland by a long suspension bridge and numerous ferries. Known as the “Pearl of the Orient,” this mountainous island with beautiful beaches is a major vacation destination. Its population is mainly Hokkien Chinese, though there is a sizeable Indian community as well as many Malays.

 

In 1786, British Captain Francis Light struck a deal with the local sultan on behalf of the East India Company. He acquired the island (then called Pulau Pinang) in return for protection from the sultan’s powerful neighbors. In 1832, Penang formed part of the British Straits Settlement with Melaka (Malacca) and Singapore. Georgetown became the crossroads for many traders and settlers, particularly the Chinese.

 

We dropped anchor off Georgetown about 8:00 a.m. and had but a short tender ride to the city docks. Awaiting us were a multitude of gaily decorated trishaws – three-wheeled cycles. We joined a convoy of about 21 trishaws and a guide for a half-day tour of the city. We each had a separate trishaw and these “kings of the road” took that designation seriously. We weaved through and around traffic; frequently ignored traffic lights; and sometimes went against traffic on the wrong side of the road. All the time we were accompanied by two very cute dogs. It was quite a parade!

 

We saw the Victoria Memorial Clock Tower commemorating Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. Built in 1897, it stands 60 feet all and is slightly off kilter due to bombs dropped nearby in World War II.

 

Next we passed Ft. Cornwallis, built on the site where Capt. Francis Light landed on the island in 1786. (Yes, it is named for that Gen. Cornwallis. After surrendering at Jamestown, he spent the rest of his career in what is now Southeast Asia.)

 

Our caravan’s first stop was in Little India at the Mahamaraimman Hindu Temple. Built in 1833, it is the oldest Hindu temple in Penang. There are many decorated sculptures of gods and goddesses, including the gem-encrusted statue of Lord Subramaniam that is paraded through the streets during the annual Thaipusam festival.

 

Next we stopped at the Penang Museum that is housed in what remains of the colonial-era Penang Free School. It contained interesting exhibits on the colonial settlement and people of Georgetown and Penang.  The beautifully woven historic dresses especially interested Karen.

 

We passed by St. George’s Anglican church, dating from 1818. In front of the church is a memorial to Capt. Light who died in 1794.

 

Continuing through town, we passed the Goddess of Mercy Temple, the first built by early Chinese settlers in 1800; the Kapitan Keling Mosque built in the early 1800s with its ochre-yellow façade and dome reflecting Islamic architecture of Moorish influence; and the stark-white Eastern & Oriental Hotel, established in 1885 by the Sarkies brothers – the same pair that started Singapore’s famed Raffles Hotel.

 

Our last stop was the Khoo Clan Ancestral House. It’s in the middle of a warren of now-vacant three-story buildings. These stores and apartments had been built to be rented to poor clansmen. But the state did away with rent control and instituted mandated rents that are 10 times higher. All the low income folks had to move out. Clan redevelopment plans have yet to been approved.

 

The ornate and intricately crafted Khoo Clan House was constructed by 19th century craftsmen who left virtually no surface unadorned. The Khoo clan came primarily from China’s Hokkien province and was among the wealthy Straits Chinese of the 17th century in Malacca and early Penang. The genealogy tree in the house tracks 60 generations of this huge clan. And the ancestral rooms contain memorials to many of the oldest and most prominent…including those still living.

 

We walked through alleys to a quaint restaurant housed in a 19th century restored shop house. It is named Edelweiss (that serves German beer!) and is run by Indians. We were offered Chinese tea, Indian savories and fresh local fruits. Such it is in these lands of contrasts!

 

Then it was a Le Mans-start trishaw race via various routes back to the dock. All-in-all, it was a most memorable tour.

 

We took the shuttle bus over to the Eastern & Oriental Hotel to walk through its public spaces and check out its view of the harbor. Then it was back to the tender station.

 

We enjoyed before-dinner refreshments with Claude and Ken in the Observation Lounge and were then joined by Hilde and Jarmo in the Compass Rose for dinner. It was good to catch up with Ken and hear about his experiences off the ship for five days in Cambodia. After dinner we enjoyed the show by vocalist Steve Washington.

 

We are now enroute to India with great anticipation. It will be the first visit for both of us. After three sea days, we will dock in Cochin – on India’s southwest coast – on Sunday.

 

Our westward trek is picking up speed. We set our clocks back one hour this evening and another hour tomorrow night.

 

Karen and Larry

 

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Photos of our day in Georgetown have been added.