Tuesday, March 31, 2009
March 31
Now in the Arabian Sea, just about to leave the coastal waters of Oman and head into the waters bordered by Yemen and Somalia. Passed what looked like a patrol boat some miles back. Otherwise only a lonely freighter on the horizon, headed the opposite direction. We have several sea days until we reach Aquaba, Jordan. There I'm on a tour to the ancient city of Petra, what I've heard is a long hot walk but a worthwhile venture.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Dubai
3/30. Dubai yesterday: a beautiful modern place that seems stopped in time right now - with many huge construction project cranes sitting still. Towers half built, islands in the making, roadway work suspended. Apparently 300,000 people were laid off and presumably sent home to their countries. Of course, there’s still evidence of vast fortunes. [Another surprise - for them and us - it rained.]
The world’s engines have slowed down affecting everyone - from tourism in Mumbai to towers in Dubai, from unusually still container ports in Nagasaki to closed companies in Saipan.
I’ve seen so much. At this point my mind is just recording what I see and hear. What it all means will have to become evident as time passes. There are five days at sea now, good for thinking time if we don’t have any pirate excitement, but after that the ports will come quickly one after another In one case there are four days in a row without a sea day in between - Ephesus, Istanbul, Mykonos, Athens.
All in all I will have visited 37 ports in 25 countries since January 10th. When I say this is mindbending, I am not overstating the case!
The world’s engines have slowed down affecting everyone - from tourism in Mumbai to towers in Dubai, from unusually still container ports in Nagasaki to closed companies in Saipan.
I’ve seen so much. At this point my mind is just recording what I see and hear. What it all means will have to become evident as time passes. There are five days at sea now, good for thinking time if we don’t have any pirate excitement, but after that the ports will come quickly one after another In one case there are four days in a row without a sea day in between - Ephesus, Istanbul, Mykonos, Athens.
All in all I will have visited 37 ports in 25 countries since January 10th. When I say this is mindbending, I am not overstating the case!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Arabian Sea
Day 76 from NY. 2 pm NY time, 11 PM our time . . . Passed Pakistan as we sailed in the Arabian Sea; right now we are in the Strait of Hormuz between Oman and Iran. Have been able to see the coast of Iran for quite some time - traveling this way makes geography real. We bear left after Oman and arrive in Dubai at 8 am. [Bound to be a contrast to our last port of Bombay.] We’re now 27,302 nautical miles from NY and 1,015 from Bombay. Temperature mild (75) but we may have rain tomorrow. Maybe not - we’ve been so lucky with weather on this trip. Just saw flocks of small, glowing birds, probably white reflecting the ship’s lights but they seemed phosphorescent in the night, flying above the water - quite mysterious. Could see them well enough to know they were birds and not flying fish but otherwise have no clue.
Several crew members are leaving in Dubai, heading home for their break - my cabin steward John Elasin, wine steward Andres Gallegos, and assistant waiter Demetrio Sandoval - I will miss them!
Eager to see Dubai, then head into the Red Sea. see Petra in Jordan, and then transit the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean.
Several crew members are leaving in Dubai, heading home for their break - my cabin steward John Elasin, wine steward Andres Gallegos, and assistant waiter Demetrio Sandoval - I will miss them!
Eager to see Dubai, then head into the Red Sea. see Petra in Jordan, and then transit the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
India
After Mumbai
When they say Mumbai is warm and humid, they aren’t kidding. With its 14 million people, the city swarms and traffic is wild. Visited two temples, including the Mahalaxmi temple (goddess of wealth) and one to Ganesha (god of prosperity) - both were busy and flower-filled; a veritable fashion show of saris; stopped by the Gate of India and went into the Taj Mahal Hotel. Drove by many other well-known sites, e.g., Chowpatty Beach, Victoria Terminal. Enough for me; good to see but hard to comprehend. Next port will be a big contrast - Dubai.
When they say Mumbai is warm and humid, they aren’t kidding. With its 14 million people, the city swarms and traffic is wild. Visited two temples, including the Mahalaxmi temple (goddess of wealth) and one to Ganesha (god of prosperity) - both were busy and flower-filled; a veritable fashion show of saris; stopped by the Gate of India and went into the Taj Mahal Hotel. Drove by many other well-known sites, e.g., Chowpatty Beach, Victoria Terminal. Enough for me; good to see but hard to comprehend. Next port will be a big contrast - Dubai.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
India - Cochin
Leaving Kochi (Cochin) in Southern India - the area known as Kerala - after a great day touring Willingdon Island where ship is docked, Mattancherry, and Fort Kochi. Did NOT shop, but did stop in a spice store for a few gifts to bring home. The spice and sari shop turned out to be The Chendamangalam Weavers’ Co-Operative Society. Saw the Chinese fishing nets in action and visited the 16th Century Portuguese Dutch Palace as well as the Portuguese church and Vasco Da Gama’s gravesite (till he was moved to Portugal in 1538). Our last stop was in a home - coincidentally, the elder woman of the house has a son living in Pennsylvania whom she hasn’t seen in 10 years - I will carry her hug back to him when I return home.
The economic crisis affects India, as our tour guide explained, including the IT companies and workers here. As I travel from country to country it is clear that the economic crisis affects people all over the world and they are watching us. I hear that many Republicans are treating business in Washington in a partisan way - how inappropriate in the context of a world crisis. We need to work together in the same way that the nation pulled together in the time of WW II.
Coming up in two days - Mumbai (Bombay), then a totally different environment - Dubai.
The economic crisis affects India, as our tour guide explained, including the IT companies and workers here. As I travel from country to country it is clear that the economic crisis affects people all over the world and they are watching us. I hear that many Republicans are treating business in Washington in a partisan way - how inappropriate in the context of a world crisis. We need to work together in the same way that the nation pulled together in the time of WW II.
Coming up in two days - Mumbai (Bombay), then a totally different environment - Dubai.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Phuket
Patong Bay, off Phuket, Thailand
Morning walk along beach in rain. . . great Thai coffee and new fruit for me - Keau mangkom. . .conversations with Thai shopkeepers Mari-Am and Rocky, who survived Tsunami. . . lunch in fabuous restaurant by the beach - Baan Rim Pa. Another place to revisit.... This part of the world, from disciplined Singapore to warm Patong Beach, is a land on the rise.
Morning walk along beach in rain. . . great Thai coffee and new fruit for me - Keau mangkom. . .conversations with Thai shopkeepers Mari-Am and Rocky, who survived Tsunami. . . lunch in fabuous restaurant by the beach - Baan Rim Pa. Another place to revisit.... This part of the world, from disciplined Singapore to warm Patong Beach, is a land on the rise.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Singapore
March 20: Line from Passage to India particularly interesting: “It matters so little to the majority of living beings what the minority, that calls itself human, desires or decides. Most of the inhabitants of India do not mind how India is governed. Nor are the lower animals of England concerned about England, but in the tropics the indifference is more prominent, the inarticulate world is closer at hand and readier to resume control as soon as men are tired.” Of course that doesn’t deal with the environmental damage than man can do to the habitats - those beings are (we assume) unaware of man’s role.
Ah, Singapore! Multicultural but maintaining traditions of each culture. Quaint history in such places as Raffles Hotel but gloriously creative modern architecture across the way. City coexisting with its rainforest. Must return to see the Botanical Garden and its orchids, along with so many other sites, and talk with more people living there. [Yes, Dan, it is a rigidly enforced safe and clean place - had to remember not to drink even bottled water while walking along the street].
On this trip I have the sense of being a traveler to distant lands, not really a tourist.
One of our earlier ports - Tonga - has had a violent undersea eruption, but it appears the danger of a tsunami is past. Traveling around the world makes me so much more aware of global weather. And more aware that the US is but one country in a big world.
Ah, Singapore! Multicultural but maintaining traditions of each culture. Quaint history in such places as Raffles Hotel but gloriously creative modern architecture across the way. City coexisting with its rainforest. Must return to see the Botanical Garden and its orchids, along with so many other sites, and talk with more people living there. [Yes, Dan, it is a rigidly enforced safe and clean place - had to remember not to drink even bottled water while walking along the street].
On this trip I have the sense of being a traveler to distant lands, not really a tourist.
One of our earlier ports - Tonga - has had a violent undersea eruption, but it appears the danger of a tsunami is past. Traveling around the world makes me so much more aware of global weather. And more aware that the US is but one country in a big world.
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