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Journey with Bill & Mary Ann on the Amsterdam's 2016 Grand World Voyage - 114 days +

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Report # 84 Kulu Camp and Yala Drive to Galle March 24, 2016 Thursday Part #1 of Still extremely hot Pictures Morning Drive Block # 1

 

http://cruisingwithbillandmaryann.blogspot.com Link to Blog

 

Wake-up time came all too soon at 4:30am so we could be ready to shove out of camp at 5:30am. The road was bumpy as we headed to Block # 1, slowing down to avoid the ruts for ½ hour. We arrived at the gate by 6am, and were among the first through once we picked up our ranger. Right before we started up, one of the British fellows in back of us, yelled and jumped up suddenly. Yikes! A mouse had jumped from a tree, no less, and joined us briefly. Running around our feet on the bottom of the jeep, Manjue got a towel and scooped it up, dumping it overboard. Can you imagine if the rodent had climbed up our legs? Good grief.

 

Wild boar were begging food from us, as well as the monkeys following suite. Time to leave. Driving to a flooded plain, we spotted an eagle hawk perched over the grey-looking pond. It was an eerie morning as the jungle seemed to be steaming with a low fog. It cast a strange look to the rising sun, turning it an orange color.

 

A ruddy mongoose darted across the road as we traveled to a substantial bridge crossing the river. On one side of the bridge is Block # 3, and the other is Block #4, not accessible to safari traffic as of yet. We understand that the same is true for Block # 2, as we never drove into that section.

 

Two jackals, probably a pair, ran ahead of us on the road. They like to travel on the dirt roads instead of staying in the brush. They really have no enemies, except the leopard or the sloth bear. So they are not worried about hiding. We saw what looked like a pile of elephant dung in the center of the road, but when we got closer, a ruddy mongoose stretched out full length, and took off.

 

Nearby a water buffalo was enjoying a cleaning from a couple of mynah birds. If we were in South Africa, the birds doing this job are the ox-peckers. While we were fixated on the cleaning, a large spotted deer came by on a run. Wonder why? That’s when we heard the monkeys “barking” an alarm call. Our guide stopped the driver, and we waited for five minutes to listen and wait for movement. A whole herd of spotted deer, a huge buck in the lead, crossed the road right in front of our vehicle. Something big was happening for sure. That’s when we saw two leopards in the tree line, chasing this herd. Just as the majority of the herd took cover in the brush, one small doe stopped, turned around, and ran directly back towards the two leopards. The buck stopped, turned around, and watched as if to say what are you doing? Was it possible we were going to see a kill? At that point, they gave up when the doe ran like the wind, right past the pair of cats. Then she was gone, as were the leopards….out of sight. We wondered if a strike was made, but Manjue said no, we would have heard something. It was only 7am, so the leopards would probably still be close by, biding their time. The rest of the herd simply walked away, slowly, at that, like nothing had occurred.

 

We also decided to move on, but stay close by, and have a munchee break at 7:45am. This time it was in the jeep. That way, if we heard the langur calls once again, we would be free to drive quickly.

 

The monkey calls came again…very close. We drove towards the sound, when Manjue spotted another leopard walking in the trees. Our driver followed slowly, when the cat turned, and went the opposite way. Now we were backing up quickly to keep up with her. Many other vehicles were appearing, so we were stuck in the middle at this point. Suddenly the large female leopard went up a tree right towards the barking, startled langur monkeys. She had a cub at the base of the tree. We had a perfect spot to see the action, but the other drivers were getting so close to each other, that there were only inches in between the vehicles.

 

The leopard did not pay attention with all the commotion going on, since she was intent on grabbing one of those monkeys. We are still wondering how the branches held the weight of that cat. She went right to the very end, hugging the thickest part of the tree limb. Now the monkeys simply sat there, knowing they were out of reach, but not panicking. Curiosity took over their thinking as they held their ground, not running. Almost teasing the leopard. As a result, the cat eventually gave up, slithered down the tree, and slowly disappeared with her cub in the thick brush.

 

Now we had a dozen jeeps jamming the road. That’s when it happened……one of the drivers opened his door to stand on the edge of the jeep to take photos. His door flew open, and another moving jeep darn near took his door off. Oh boy, somebody is going to be in trouble over that one. Even Manjue got out his camera, and took pictures of the damage and both license plates. The jeep door was tweaked enough that it would not close. Oops, bet this happens often. At least no one was hurt.

 

Guess that was enough excitement for our final game drive. We had the extreme luck of having spotted ten different leopards in the four days of safari game drives. Cannot be any better than that. The rest of the wildlife sightings were frosting on the cake.

 

It wasn’t over yet. Once we were outside of the gate, several wild boar with a ton of babies strolled on by us. They are certainly prolific, and capable of reproducing at a very young age. Our guide called the piglets bacon on the hoof.

 

On the way out, we passed a weaver’s nest. They are a small bird that literally weaves grasses into hanging nests. As we took photos, several buses of school kids passed by our jeep. They were on a field trip, and the boys were in one bus, while all of the girls in another one. The boys were singing, having a fine noisy time, while the girls sat quietly, acting like perfect young ladies. Kids are the same no matter where you go.

 

We arrived back to camp by 11:15am, giving us the needed time to resume packing. Brunch was served immediately at our table over-looking the pond. Breakfast was a bowl of sliced sausages with roasted bell peppers and onions. Served with it were slices of rice and coconut milk. Assorted fresh fruit was brought along with diet soda and coffee. We had time to zip off a few emails, while downloading the last of the morning photos.

 

We took care of handing out the tips, but not to individuals. We were advised to give the tip money to the general staff, where it is distributed evenly. That was fine with us, as we had had different drivers on most every drive.

 

We said our goodbyes, and said thanks for such a unique experience. Our two pieces of luggage had been picked up, and loaded into the jeep, where we joined Manjue for our ride back to Kataragama. One last climb into the safari jeep. On the way, Manjue asked if we could send him some of our most special photos from the trip. Ten minutes later, he pulled into a temple area, where our driver, Lucky, was waiting for us. Sure nice to see things connect easily like this. Lucky had been advised of the heatwave in this area, and unknown to us, had checked daily to see how we were doing. Also nice to know they cared for our safety. No wonder the camp staffers were always reminding us to drink lots of fluids.

 

We assured Lucky that we survived the heat, but sure were looking forward to a cool drive to Galle in his air-conditioned car. Our drive began at noon as we headed south towards the UNESCO World Heritage city of historic Galle. Once we got past the rural dirt roads, the ride was smooth and yes……very cool.

 

The scenery was interesting as we watched burning fields of recently harvested rice. Again we witnessed flocks of ibis and egrets gobbling up the frogs. These little critters must be in the fields by the millions.

 

By 1pm, we had passed Hambantota, where the ship had been docked about 5 days ago. The schools were getting out, and the roads were crowded in the villages. The kids were all dressed in uniforms – the boys in starched white shirts and blue shorts. The girls were all dressed in white skirts and matching blouses. Neat and tidy.

 

We arrived to the city of Tangalle by 2pm, where Lucky pulled over so we could have a quick pit stop at a restaurant. As we were following the beach, this restaurant had a nice view of the ocean. Funny how all of the villages had so many buildings blocking this view, you would not know the ocean and beach were right there.

 

At this point, we had wrapped around the southern-most tip of the island, and arrived to Matara city by 3pm. This city had been badly damaged by the 2004 tsunami. We passed a Buddhist shrine and a statue of a woman depicting the height of the flood waters that took this village out to sea. The statue had to be 12 feet tall. Very chilling to imagine the horror of this incident. There is also a lighthouse here that is the tallest one in the country.

 

At this point, it was 43 kilometers to Galle, our destination. We drove by Weligama, a resort village known for its surfing and old fishing boats that are pulled up on the beach. Judging from the tourists we saw walking through town, most of them were young couples and families. We would say all of the tourists were European, especially from Germany. Also an interesting sight were the stilt fishermen, who fish with a baited line while sitting on a single stick erected in the surf near the beach. It is the strangest-looking art of fishing we have seen. These days, according to Lucky, they really don’t fish for a living, but do this for the tourist industry. When people stop to take photos, someone is there to collect donations. Always an angle.

 

Shortly, we were in the middle of heavy traffic as we neared the city of Galle. Lucky pulled to the side of the road several times , lowered the back door window, so we could get some quick photos of the fort and the surrounding points of interest, such as the fruit and fish market, sunbathers on the beaches, and boats floating in the surf.

 

We drove through the gates at the Galle Fort, and went right to the front of the Amagalla Hotel, an old colonial building with a wonderful past history. It was like going back into time as we were led by the traditionally-dressed Sri Lankan staff to the waiting area to check in. There was no lobby desk, but a simple writing desk with a few fellows to help us. Immediately, we were handed chilled scented wash clothes to use, followed by a refreshing cool drink of fruit juice. Quite civilized for sure. The only thing they needed were our passports. With them checked, everything was in order with our pre-booking, and we were led to our room.

 

We went down a flight of ancient granite stairs, obviously original from the hotel, where the building would have ended. This guest wing must have been added later on. Passing the neatest sitting room with a library, we went down a few more stairs, turned, had more stairs, then found room # 31 through a garden path. (Not a facility for the handicapped.) We were right next to the beautiful pool area, buried in frangipani trees in full bloom. The staff was decorating the area for a private dinner for a visiting family of eight later on, we were advised. The affair would include a Sri Lankan dance team and a band. Worried that the party would be loud, it occurred while we were at dinner in the main dining hall. Unfortunately, we missed the entire thing. Too bad, because we heard there was a belly dancer. We did, however, heard the beat of the drummers while we ate dinner.

 

In the meantime, we were in heaven as we cooled off in our room with the help of a glass of iced tea given to us as the hotel guide showed us around the room. He had returned our passports at this point, which we put in the safe. Another plus was that we would have internet for our stay. Fast and free. Perfect. A bowl of tangerines was on the end table, and they helped tide one of us over until dinnertime. The refrigerator was also full of complimentary waters and sodas, which we soon enjoyed.

 

Since it was getting dark, we wisely decided to stay at the hotel for dinner, and not go venturing into the fort. Actually, our itinerary included a guided evening walk with Lucky as our guide. But we chose not to do it, as it was way too hot and we were tired. Truthfully, we were just here last year on a day tour with our travel agency, so we knew we could do it on our own. It had been a long day, and we could see bus after bus leaving the fort filled with school kids, obviously on field trips. It worked out that our visit here coincided with one of the their major holidays, so the locals have flooded of these typical tourist sites too.

 

We had checked out the Amagalla dinner menu, finding it very pricey. Having expected that, and it didn’t matter. We were more concerned about the choices that were offered. At this point we were ready for some “un-spicy” cuisine, and had no trouble finding many items that fit the bill.

 

So we were greeted by the pretty sari-clad hostess who led us to a table for two on the veranda’s railing. For our meal, we both ordered lentil salads, and the roasted chicken with potatoes and green beans entrée. Dinner rolls including bread stick arrived first. Since we had missed lunch, the food sure tasted good. We must have consumed ten glasses of water, realizing how easily we had become dehydrated during the heat of the day. The temperature was still in the high 90’s, but the overhead fans helped to make us comfortable.

 

You can imagine how wonderful it was to have a warm shower before going to bed. It was tempting not to continue with computer work, but we both needed to keep up-to-date with photos and writing, so we stayed up until midnight. Then we crashed. Tomorrow will be another whole day to explore the fort.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

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Report # 85 Galle, Sri Lanka March 25, 2016 Friday Hot and clammy (new word) 81 Pictures Part #1 of 2

 

We had a wonderfully comfortable evening in the Amagalla Hotel last night. It didn’t occur to us until bedtime, that we had no TV. Certainly a hotel of this caliber would include television in their suites. We were sure it was hidden somewhere in the armoire, or behind a cabinet door. Nope, looked everywhere, no TV. So we checked our hotel description in our printed itinerary , and found that with the listing of a TV, it said with request. Oh, we must have missed that little detail. Still, that was odd to us. In all truthfulness, a TV would have put us to sleep even faster. But we would inquire about it.

 

One of us got up at 5am, to resume some computer work. Some folks have the ability of waking up, fully ready to begin the day no matter what ungodly hour of the morning. That’s not me (Mary Ann). Bleary-eyed for ½ hour, minimum, completely waking up takes longer than that, since rolling over in bed is always a better option. It’s called “beauty-sleep” for a reason, right?

 

Anyway, breakfast in the hotel dining room was complimentary, and served a la carte off of the regular menu. They opened at 7am. The restaurant is located in what they call the Great Hall or Zaal in Dutch. Again, it was like stepping back into colonial times. The ambience has been preserved with the original hotel being kept up over the century, changing little. To sum it up in a nutshell, the hotel is described as The New Oriental Hotel (NOH) that overlooks the inner harbor atop the eastern ramparts of the ancient Galle Fort. It is the oldest surviving hotel here, a traveler’s haven that exudes the sense of a romantic past. For those who have an inner sense of history and place, the Amagalla, as it is called today, possesses a more mysterious inner character. Have you ever heard in your head, “If only these walls could talk?” Well, this whole fort and hotel yells this out with every turn of the corner. A printed flyer was given to us at the hotel, which we intend to read thoroughly when we get time.

 

OK, breakfast was delicious and ample. We ordered fresh-squeezed orange juice and cappuccino coffees. Greek yogurt (probably buffalo curd-based) was served with a bowl of diced fruit. Bananas, strawberries, pineapple, pomegranate, and papaya topped the bowl of yogurt. We ordered the “Amagalla” breakfast inclusive of any style of eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, mushrooms, and two types of toast. A basket of assorted pastries included a walnut bread, chocolate croissants, and plain croissants. Wow. We ate until we could not eat anymore, since every bite was delicious. Besides that, lunch was going to be on our own, and we had no clue where we would end up.

 

Since it was Saturday morning, the roads were already crowded. We passed by produce and fish stands, as well as hawker stalls and clothing booths. Following the coastline, we came upon a fish market on the road. We saw some pretty large tuna, jack mackerel sailfish, prawns, and crabs. Nearby, is a large factory where locals bring their catch for canning.

 

The traffic was heavy, since it was Good Friday. Many religions are tolerated here, but Catholic seems to be one of the biggest here, with Buddhish being first. We noticed that many men were wearing the white robes with turbans, while the ladies wore the traditional saris, carrying umbrellas. Some fellows wore a skirt, while the young school boys had on modern-day t-shirts and shorts with flip-flops. All the girls wore white uniforms.

 

We passed beaches with old boats and nets, already back from fishing. Following a river, we passed by beachfront villas, inns, hostels, and resorts. Obviously there are famous tourist spots with fabulous beaches here.

 

At one point, we turned left and headed inland to Handunugoda and the cinnamon and tea plantations. Rice fields were being harvested, with large pieces of machinery processing the rice from the grasses. This was being done along the roadside on very narrow streets. Following a rocky dirt road, we arrived at the cinnamon plantation around 10:30am. It is located on the property of the Villa Mayurana, a hidden gem of a luxury resort. Small in size, this villa was located behind a locked gate. Lucky stopped outside the gate, and honked his horn. A security guard appeared to let us inside.

 

Once at the top of the hill, the resort appeared, and so did the spectacular views. It is typical in this part of the world to be greeted with ice cold scented towels to wash our hands as soon as we got out of the car. Very civilized. From here, we were introduced to the plantation manager, who led the three of us down a flight of steps to a roofed patio.

 

The manager welcomed us, and began the presentation of the workings of this cinnamon plantation. Bet everyone that is reading this has grown up with the spice of cinnamon, mostly used in desserts and pastries. We learned today that over the centuries, cinnamon has been used as a medicine as well as a preservative for meat. The manager said due to no refrigeration, even these days, cinnamon keeps the meat from turning rotten. Nice to know.

 

He spoke about the distinct quality of Sri Lankan cinnamon. The specific variety on this island is considered to be the best in the world, and it is not imported. Europeans stumbled upon this island purely by accident, finding this treasure. Eventually, it brought them back from several countries to create the trade for it.

 

A master cinnamon cutter joined us. He showed us the cinnamon plant, which is grown like a shrub with branches no bigger than an inch or so in diameter. A stick the length of four to five feet is used. The cutter sat on a mat, legs crossed, then proceeded to use a sharp shaver to strip the bark off. The pile of trimmings is used as compost. With the cambian layer exposed, he rolled a stick like a rolling pin over the bark to loosen it. Then he made cuts around the bark at one foot intervals, at which time, he cut strips off of the stick. They came off cleanly and easily. Once he had the cut lengthwise, he peeled the rest of the bark off. All of the strips he had taken off, were put back into the longer length of bark. He rolled it tight, and added all the pieces together to make one five foot long stick. This was the final product…..only the rolled bark without the wood. Each five foot stick was added to a bundle, which was tied into a twelve inch round log for shipping. Cinnamon in the raw. Labor-intensive, this type of cinnamon is the most expensive product on the market.

 

The manager gave us some crumbled bark to taste. It had an intense, almost burning flavor to it, which sets it apart from what we buy at home. The ground cinnamon we use at home comes from India, very good, but nothing close to the intensity of the flavor of Sri Lankan spice. When we had arrived to this demo shack, we had been treated to an ice cold flute of cinnamon tea with a lime slice. It had to be the tastiest ice tea we have ever enjoyed. Asking how it is made, the manager said the cinnamon sticks were boiled in water first, then the tea was added later. Also, there is a product of cinnamon oil that is used in cooking. In hindsight, we could have purchased a tiny bottle of it here if we had the time, but we assumed that it could be bought elsewhere in Galle. Turned out, the only oil that was sold was strictly for use on the skin, not for eating. Too bad. We also could have bought some small bags of the cinnamon bark, with a shelf life of 2 months, we would not be able to use it on the ship.

 

Sure would have been nice to relax on their outdoor patio café on the hillside, but we needed to head out. Bill took the time to tour the resort property, seeing the lobby, a room, and their swimming pool. A small resort, there were only four or five rooms that we could see. But they were modern and luxurious, and more than likely, very expensive. We didn’t ask, but can research more on the computer later. Anyway, it was an excellent tour, and the manager even congratulated us for asking some very in depth questions regarding the cultivation of the cinnamon plants. He said that never in his 7 year career there, and anyone asked such detailed questions. The good thing was that he had all of the answers, showing his knowledge of agricultural practices. Excellent, excellent experience.

 

On our way back to the main road, Lucky said we could tour a tea plantation, but he thought it was not on our itinerary. Should have brought our printed booklet with us, because it was on the day’s tour. We should have gone there, but Lucky discouraged us, saying it was more of a sales pitch to buy tea, than it was a plantation tour. Visiting a tea plantation out of Jakarta last year, we knew the process, so we said no thanks.

 

He did suggest, however, that we may be interested in a moonstone factory (a precious gemstone). Sounded intriguing, but we were not in the market for jewelry. So we said no thanks. Prior to arriving to Hambantota, Sri Lanka, we were warned about buying gemstones here. Unless you were taken to a top of the line shop, don’t buy them, as they are probably fake. Not that Lucky would take us to any store like that, we would never take the chance.

 

The scenery on the way back to Galle included passing much more crowded beaches, especially at the famous Unawatuna Beach, noted as one of the ten top beaches in the world. Many European guests were walking the road in all forms of dress, or undress, as they were on their way to the sandy beach from their inns and hotels. A holiday weekend, this place was very crowded. We did stop to take photos all the way back.

 

We arrived at the hotel by 12:30pm, where we took a newspaper back to our cool room to try to catch up on news. The weather has remained the same…..still hot and sticky with temps in the high 90’s. May articles in the newspaper told about heat-related problems that all needed to know. It has been so unusually hot, that the Department of education has warned all school principals to suspend all sports events, and keep all the students inside out of the intense sun of the afternoon. These sports events would resume next month when the weather normally cools down with the start of monsoon rains.

 

So what did we do? Turns out this was the only chance we would have to tour the fort. We went out with plenty of water and soda around 1pm. Crazy, but it was now or never. Here is some basic information about the sprawling town of Galle. This city was a Portuguese stronghold since 1625, before the Dutch took it over. Between 1658 and 1796, the Dutch developed Fort Galle as the most secured fortress in Ceylon (Sri Lanka). It has an area of 128 acres with 14 bastions to protect the colonial residents.

 

In the old days, it was the center of trade with the rest of the world….specifically the spice trade.

 

Portuguese and Dutch buildings that have survived are the Great Church, the Catholic Church, museums, old hospitals, a mosque, and a lighthouse and huge clocktower.

 

The British took over in 1796, and stayed in power until 1948, when Sri Lanka declared their independence. Today the fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. The town of the fort houses trendy small shops, cafes, bars, and hotels. They sell silver, gemstones, homewares, and souvenirs.

The fort not as crowded as

So we hiked down the street with the help of a map. Our hotel is located right near the gates of the fort, so it was convenient to venture out. We’ll describe this hotel later.

 

We found the fort not as crowded as it was on last year’s visit. Sure, it was hotter than heck, and no one was out in the heat of the day. Also, it was Good Friday. Many of the local boutiques and cafes were closed from noon to 3pm in the Catholic tradition. The shops that were open offered the same souvenirs we bought last year.

 

We did go inside both churches, before climbing the path that took us on top of the rock ramparts. The view of the Indian Ocean was spectacular and so was the breeze that blew over the top of the wall. Down below the wall, were locals swimming in the rock-strewn surf. The tide was up so there was little beachfront.

 

We wrapped around the end of the wall, and walked past the Meera Mosque, rebuilt in 1909. Nearby, we walked around the lighthouse, where carrier pigeons used to be flown from here to Colombo. It was their “post office” pigeon service. Later on, electric lights were used, and the lighthouse operated as a real beacon for ships.

 

We looked for a place for beer and pizza, but found none. So we slowly made our way back to the hotel. We passed by a local man who had a cobra and a monkey on a leash. If you took a photo, he asked for money. We have heard people say they would pay him to take the snake away.

 

The afternoon was partially spent writing and doing photos. The swimming pool was calling us. Let us tell you that going from our cool room to the outside patio was like entering a sauna with the steam cranked up high. We are not sissies when it comes to tolerating heat, but this is different. Extreme.

 

Even the water in the pool was not refreshing, because the temps must have been in the 90’s. But it was wet and so nice to take the plunge. Only one other couple were stretched out on the over-size teak lounges with thick pads covered with towels. This was so nice.

 

We could have used one of the retreat bungalows with real bed-size lounges and overhead fans. We knew that would put us to sleep immediately. Instead we alternated between a little sunbathing and dunking into the water. One side of the rectangular pool had a series of steps where you could sit on them comfortably.

 

One of the pool attendants came running with glasses full of ice water, probably thinking we were nuts to be in the sun. Even though it was 5pm by now, it was still warm.

 

With no TV, we were still in the dark with the world news. Truthfully, we have not missed TV all that much. We will have one in Colombo, so that will bring us up to date.

 

Dinnertime was at 7pm on the veranda of the dining room. Dinner choices was similar to what we had the previous night. Only it seemed to taste even better. We were finished by 9pm, and could have walked the fort again if we wished. We know that evenings can be crowded because the heat of the day had let up. A shower and shampoo sounded way better. By 11pm, one of us was fast asleep, and the other very close to it. When typing mistakes occur every other line, it was time to quit.

 

One last thing to do was read the Animals of Yala book from the hotel library. So bedtime was finally midnight.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

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Report # 86 Galle to Colombo March 26, 2016 Saturday heat wave hot Part # 1 of 1 52 Pictures

 

Well, we sure could have slept later this morning, but we seem to be creatures of habit, waking up with the chickens. Actually, around 4 or 5am, we woke up to the familiar sounds of peacocks….same as chickens, only louder. There had been some strange calls during the night, and although we never saw these birds, they must be large based on the loudness of the yelps.

 

The plan for today was fairly simple. Breakfast at 7am, hang around doing more photo-downloading, pack our two pieces of luggage, then check out. After we would settle our bill, Lucky, our driver, should be outside by 10:30am for our transfer to Colombo.

 

So we headed to breakfast at 7am on the nose, and decided to compute how the a la carte items added up for our free meal. Having the same items we ordered yesterday, the total came to 9250 rupees, or $65.60 US. And that was for one only. Yes, we did get our money’s worth.

 

Every morning before our food was served, one or two of the wait staff came and visited with us. Since we always have questions, they were most happy to share info with us. Mostly, the fellows wanted to know where we lived in the USA, and what’s it like to live there. Much cooler, was our first response.

 

We had some time to kill after our breakfast, but it was already blistering hot to go for a walk. Nothing in the fort was open until after 9am. So we spent the time on the computer and a little time in the hotel library.

 

By 10am, we went to the lobby and checked out. Paying the bill was easy, since we only had two meals on it. The nice thing is that we were able to use US dollars. Using a credit card would have been just as easy, but cash was better. By the way, any credit card was accepted at this hotel. We filled out our comments (all positive) in their guest book. When we were done, the manager handed us a bamboo fan as a gift. Nice touch.

 

Back at the room we called for the luggage pick-up. One of our houseboys came and packed them up all of the flights of stairs. Funny there is no easy way to access these rooms. No elevators. Guess that would ruin the colonial ambience of this property.

 

Waiting on the veranda, our driver was one minute late. We knew he would be there, but one of our hosts insisted on calling him. A minute later, our driver Lucky showed up, while talking on the phone to the hotel host. Lucky apologized profusely, but it really was no big deal.

 

We left the bustling city of Galle, then proceeded to the fairly new toll highway towards Colombo. Lucky made a stop at a local gas station, where attendants still fill your vehicle for you. We calculated the price for gas per gallon was around $3.41 US. Wonder what the going price is at home right now?

 

The ride was so smooth, we slept some of the way. Being on this same highway last year, we did remember that the scenery was basically green and lush, mostly jungle. It was also the perfect time to catch up on writing the diary, while watching the countryside go by.

 

Around noontime, we had arrived to the outskirts of Kaduwela, where Lucky exited the freeway. We did not realize that the bulk of the transfer was over, as the ride was so fast with little traffic or horn-blowing.

 

This would not remain the same once we joined the Saturday morning traffic of the city folks doing their Saturday shopping. Originally, we were supposed to have a tour of a few of the major sights in Colombo. Most of these we by-passed, with our permission, such as the Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple, the Pettah area, Memorial Hall, Cinnamon Gardens, a park, church, and Independence Square. We could have passed the Gale face Green and the Galle Face Hotel. Since we have been there several times, we asked to be taken directly to the resort. It was still too hot to stop at any of these sites.

 

Expecting a hotel near the airport would be a basic hotel, we were pleased to find the resort in Kotugoda, north of Colombo, was a jewel hiding in the jungle.

 

The Wallawwa was one the country estate of the head Chieftan of Galle. Now it is a really neat property with an informal garden setting. There ws a veranda restaurant, open-air with ceiling fans, a spa room, a tiny not-for-profit shop, and special gardens with fresh produce that is used in the kitchen. The swimming pool was surrounded with lounges with a spacious lawn area down below.

 

Guess what? There is satellite TV in our room. Also good news….there was free WIFI throughout the complex.

 

The room was really cool, literally. It is 55 square meters, with a canopied bed, and over-size armchair, a window seat, and a private garden. There was the usual safe, a ceiling fan, tea and coffee making machine, and a hairdryer. Waters and sodas were all complimentary. We made good use of them.

 

The bathroom was really modern with terrazzo-lined floors and walls. In the center was a vaulted skylight, letting in natural light. The room itself was spacious with a writing desk and coffee table. However, there was little space for a lot of clothing. No chest of drawers or much space to unpack your cloths. There was a small space with a clothes rod, a shelf, with a few portable tables here and there in the room. For one night, it was OK.

 

We went exploring at 3pm. We needed to pre-order breakfast for this restaurant Sunday morning, since we would be leaving at 6:30am in order to get to the airport three hours before our fight. A long as we requested it, the restaurant staff promised to open up ½ hour earlier at 6am. That would give us plenty of time before we had to be ready to leave.

 

Exploring the resort, we met a family from England next door to us. They were on their way to Yala with their two kids for a leopard safari. They were more amazed at our tans, guessing we had been here for some time. Sharing our travels with them, they were really riveted when we talked about the camp we went to. They were headed to the same area tomorrow, and we could tell the kids were excited after hearing our stories. Sure hope they have as much luck with wildlife sightings as we did. It’s the luck of the draw.

 

Going directly to the restaurant, we spoke to the manager to arrange our breakfast time and check out the menu. Again we would have a served breakfast of our choice, and not a buffet. We really like that much better. The food was quite similar to the meal we had in Galle. All very tasty and filling.

 

Sure hope we can order from the lunch menu at dinnertime, because we found some entrees we cannot live without. Pizza and burgers….nothing better than that.

 

In the meantime, while checking out the garden pool, tea was served under the veranda. How civilized is that? Peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies were put out, along with Ceylon tea with milk and sugar. Once the cookies disappeared, which was fast, since many families were here with kids, they brought out a tray of frosted brownies. We got ours before they disappeared too. This would definitely tide us over until dinnertime.

 

Since the pool was full of mostly teenagers, we chose to work on the computer and watch some TV. The only news feed was CNN, which had the basics. We watched a few sitcoms of Outdoor Man and other recently popular comedies.

 

Dinner was at 7:30pm, and by the time we arrived, the room was full. Only one table for two was left for us. And yes, we did order a margherita pizza to share (excellent), and two bacon cheeseburgers with fries (very good). No room for dessert, we went to sleep early by 10pm. It had been a long day, but all went smoothly.

 

Tomorrow, we will be in Dubai, and re-join the ship.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

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Rotterdam

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its a wonderful read every time...every year!!!!

 

 

FYI - gasoline here in NY(Long Island when I was visiting there Easter Sunday) was $2.05 a gallon of regular- self serve! High test was $2.95.

 

Safe travels.....and cheers from NYC!

 

 

PS - can you get HAL to have their future World cruise start & end in NYC once again please!

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Gas in Concord is between $2.50 and $2.80 gallon. Loving your blog. The game reserve and photos are amazing. Thanks so much.

 

I'm also re-reading your South Pacific thread from the Fall.

 

Cheers, Denise

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Report # 87 Colombo to Dubai March 27, 2016 Sunday Happy Easter Still a heat wave 9 Pictures

 

We got up very early this morning, like at 4am. Had to finish packing, take a shower, and try to catch up on world news on BBC. Trouble is today is Easter Sunday…..Happy Easter, by the way…….and the programming was pre-recorded.

 

A modern coffee and tea maker was in our room, but it needed bottled water to use in it. Yesterday we had plenty of bottles, but we drank most of them. Kept a few to take with us this morning also. So we waited until breakfast in the dining room for coffee.

 

As promised, the staff was there before 6am to serve us our pre-ordered meal. Coffee was ready as was the juice. They like strong, full-bodied coffee here, so we needed to use milk and some sugar. The juice was a blend of papaya and pineapple, almost like a smoothie. While we waited for the omelet, they brought us a basket of assorted pastries….all fresh-baked, still warm from the oven. A plate full of watermelon, papaya, pineapple, and bananas topped off the ample meal. We finished by 6:20am with enough time to retrieve our bags and leave the hotel. But before we left, we paid cash for our meal the night before. There were no formalities like when you stay in a regular hotel, such as registering a credit card, or even checking out online. All we had to show them was our passports, the same as we did in Galle.

 

Lucky was outside waiting, which was easy for him, since he lives in Colombo. They loaded up his car, and we were on our way to the nearby airport, Bandaranayike International, just north of Colombo. There was no traffic to speak of, because it was Sunday and a holiday at that.

 

It was busy at the airport departure entrance, however. We were met by an A&K rep, who was introduced to us by Lucky. We said our thanks and goodbyes to him, then proceeded through the security check at the door. The first thing we did was an xray check with luggage and purses on the machine. No shoes, jackets, or belts off at this check. For some reason, I (Mary Ann) was the only one frisked by a woman guard. Not a big deal. Random search, we guessed.

 

Next, we lined up for the Emirates check-in counter. Us and hundreds of others. Thinking we would have been early arriving three hours ahead of the flight, turned out to be wrong. Everyone was doing the same thing here. A long line was forming and weaving back and forth like Disneyland. Eventually more agents came and the line moved quicker. The check-in was easy with our printed information. The weight on the luggage was 30 kilos, and we were way under that amount.

 

The next step was a mandatory check-in with immigrations officials. Passports and tickets needed to be seen. Again, a short wait for this check.

 

The second xray screening came after immigrations. Still, only our hand carrys had to go through the screening. From here, we went up an escalator to the upper level, where a large number of duty free stores were located. Many cafes, boutique shops, and souvenir stalls were there for the looking. Last chance for a trinket from Sri Lanka. Tried finding a key ring with a leopard on it, but all we could find were everything but the big cat. A red elephant in diamonds would have to do. They are considered good luck, right?

 

We checked out all of the shops simply to kill time…..we had over two hours to spare. Passing some of the little cubbyhole shops, we found they were willing to bargain. Trouble is, we already have many of these knick-knacks so passed on the opportunity. We saw wooden masks, carved elephants, leather (or close to it) handbags, silk scarves (possibly), tunics, and costume jewelry. Tea in one thousand varieties could be bought in a dozen small shops. Most of it was expensive. Searching for the edible cinnamon oil was not successful. All of their oils were strictly for the skin.

 

There was a Burger King, where a whopper meal cost the equivalent of $12 US. Having not eaten there for a long time, we are not sure those meals are that expensive at home in the US. Between the two of us, we had 40 rupees, but would need them for bathroom stops. Even at the airport, the bathroom attendants have their hands out when handing you TP and paper toweling.

 

We found the gate in the terminal, and waited outside for a while. We had to go through a final xray at this point, in order to access the waiting room for the flight. Showing our passports and boarding tickets, this time we were required to remove our shoes, jackets, and belts before going through the checkpoint. Pockets had to be emptied and watches off. They are truly serious about security in this part of the world, and it is understandable. We would never question the why of the checks, at least not when you could be overheard. Remember, you are not in Kansas anymore.

 

The huge room at gate 7 filled up quickly, and we were glad we had searched out seats where we could watch the planes coming into the gate. We would be flying in a Boeing 777, a very nice but big plane. A strange scene occurred while we watched the cleaning team leaving the jet we were to board. Each and every person cleaning the plane had to be frisked by security guards down below on the tarmac. Not sure what they would have been looking for. We did not ask.

 

The flight was delayed about ½ hour, due to too many planes landing at once. Instead of boarding at 9:20am, we got on the plane by 9:50am. The fight was boarded beginning with the back of the plane, then first class, business class, and finally the middle. Of course, we were in the middle, but had good seats for economy……aisle 18 J & H. Only one nice fellow was seated at the window, and he was nice enough to help me figure out the remote for stopping and starting the movie.

 

Emirate flights are nice, although the seat widths are not extremely roomy, there is plenty of legroom. The best part is the TV in the seat ahead of us. Pulling out the guide book, we saw a list of new movies, which included “The Revenant”. We’ve been wanting to see it, and here was our chance. The only thing we feared was falling asleep in the middle of it, because we had gotten up so early this morning. Let us tell you, there is no way we would ever doze through this movie. In our humble opinion, it was one of the most powerful films we have seen in many years. It was riveting, visceral, and well-acted. Although brutal in subject, it dealt with a period of early American history that was violent and dangerous. A must see.

 

There were only a couple of times that the Captain put on the seat belt sign, due to air turbulence. Otherwise, the four hour flight went smoothly. The movie took up over two hours of it, with a lunch break in the middle. The lunch menu included our choice of tea, coffee, soda, wine, and/or beer. The appetizer was a small salad of diced cucumbers, tomatoes, on a bed of lettuce with a minced mutton patty on the top. There was a hint of mint in the vinaigrette dressing.

 

The main course, was a choice of minced chicken masala or BBQ chicken. They had run out of minced chicken, and we were happy they did, as the BBQ chicken was good. Wild rice, broccoli, rolls and butter were served with it. We even had real silverware with knives. None of that plastic stuff. Pineapple upside cake with a vanilla sauce made us happy campers. An added treat was a square of semi-sweet chocolate candy. Great for airplane food.

 

Dubai’s International Airport is huge and extravagant, like everything else here. With the time change one and ½ hours back, we landed shortly after 1pm. The way to the baggage claim area was accessed by a humungous elevator that took us down several floors. But first, we had to pass through Dubai’s immigrations. Every one of the agents was dressed alike….in a white robe and headscarves, wearing white sandals. And they were not particularly friendly, but being nice is not the description of their job. Security is number one, and we realized how serious when we had to look at a mounted camera alongside their desk. It is just a guess, but we figure that these cameras verify your identity as compared to your passport photo. Simply speculating…..

 

Anyway, we passed inspections and helped ourselves to a piece of mint candy at the desk as we were released. Baggage pick-up was at carousel one, directly in front of us. We could see our two bags going around in circles before we got there. So we picked up a free luggage cart, and proceeded outside to the taxi line. There was no line, and there were plenty of cars and vans available.

 

A nice well-dressed Indian fellow pulled over his SUV, and we were off to Port Rashid, a fairly short distance from the airport. We would say about 10 miles or so. The driver talked all the way to the pier, pointing out the major sites along the way. He talked a lot about his home country of India. Sensed a bit of homesickness. So much has been built since our first trip here back in 2001, that we barely recognized the area.

 

Before he could drive us through the port security gate, our driver had to get a pass. At the gate, we had to show our cruise cards, proving we were passengers. We had failed to even ask what the ride would cost, and figuring that he was driving this larger vehicle, it would be more than we paid last year. He did the conversion, and came up with $30 US dollars. Yep, same as last year.

 

At the terminal, we had to pass through xray inspections again. That makes four times in one day, at least. One good thing, when this is done onshore, you don’t need to do it on the ship too.

 

It was really nice being greeted by so many of the crew members as we hauled our luggage up the gangway. It was a fantastic trip, but it was sure nice to be home. When we reached our door, a cute welcome home sign with two foil-covered chocolate bunnies was taped on it. Now who would have done that? Obviously, someone with a great sense of humor. We had an idea of who, but we were not sure until tomorrow.

 

We had our work cut out for us, whether we felt like it or not. Sorting through a week’s worth of mail, the pile of NY Times papers, shipboard statements, and even gifts left in our absence took time to check out. Unpacking our stuff took longer. We produced four bags of laundry to go out tonight. The rest of our stuff took an hour to put away. We took the time to record our expenditures for the last seven days, and found they were minimal. Since this trip had been planned months ago, we only had tips and a few meals to cover. The rest had been pre-paid. Sure made everything easy.

 

Dinnertime came all too fast, and we found four of our tablemates had other plans for the night in Dubai. Greg and Heo had gone to watch the light show at the fountain at the Dubai Mall. It is impressive and a great way to spend an evening at the mall. Bonnie and Paul had booked the HAL tour with some friends that took them on the 4x4 dune ride and camp in the desert. We have done the same tour, and had a blast. We know they will love it.

 

The dining room had been decorated with everything Easter. The waiters were dressed in pastel shades of vests and bowties. They had a surprise for us when we opened the menu. They had printed a welcome back sign with our names printed on it. That was thoughtful, and nice to know we were missed. For the Easter dinner, although it was not formal (gala), we both ordered the 24 ounce porterhouse steaks. One of us polished off the entire mastodon, mostly because beef was not on our menu all week long. We sure made up for it tonight, or at least we tried. Have to say it tasted pretty good. Dessert for one of us was jello with a fruit plate. Excellent. The evening went by quickly as we all shared what we did for one week. It was fun for us to re-live the leopard sightings, as well as talk about the tent experience. Very different, indeed.

 

As usual, we walked the promenade deck, and discovered razor wire had been added to the lower railing. This is done every time we are in these waters, so it wasn’t a surprise. We did have a letter left on our bed explaining the need for the extra security measures. Will share the details tomorrow.

 

For a change, we decided to attend the local Dubai Traditional Music and Dance performance in the Queens Lounge. Showing up at 9:45pm, nothing had started. We waited for a little while, but we were so exhausted, we left. Remember, we had gained the extra hour and a half, and were almost dead by now. Sorry we missed the show, as we heard the next day that the whirling dervish from Lebanon was the best ever. Figures, they just got a late start.

 

Looking forward to a full day in fabulous Dubai tomorrow. Love it here in “la-la” land.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

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Report # 88 Dubai, United Arab Emirates March 28, 2016 Monday Part #1 of 2 84 Pictures

 

It was so good not to have to get up at 4am this morning. Breakfast in the dining room at 8:30am was good as always. Had lots of head waiters inquire about our safari, while some other waiters assumed we had gone to India to see the Taj Mahal, as many folks had done. No, our adventure was unique, so there was much interest.

 

The bad news was that the kitchen had run out of all bananas and fresh berries. The new delivery would be tomorrow, and we would look forward to it.

 

We promised to tell you all about the security letter we had gotten. In a nutshell, it read:

1. We will be in a high risk area from the Straits of Hormuz between Iran and Oman, and later while we round the Arabian Peninsula into the Red Sea towards Jordan, then finally, the Suez Canal.

2. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization (UKMTO) will coordinate warships in this area, assigned to anti-piracy operations. The Amsterdam will be tracked by them. (Good to know.)

3. A close radar watch will be kept on the bridge.

4. Extra ship security guards will be rotating on a 24 hour anti-piracy watch from the lower promenade deck.

5. We have four LRADS, rigged, manned, and ready for immediate use (Long Range Acoustical Devices).

6. Charged water hoses will be stretched out on the lower promenade deck, as well as razor wire rigged around the perimeter of this walking deck. If a boarding were attempted, it would be from deck three.

7. In case of any emergency involving piracy, a special announcement would be made with one long blast of the ship’s alarm. Followed by “testing-testing-testing”. We would move out of our staterooms, and stay in the hallways, sitting down on the floor. If the Captain had to suddenly turned the ship, we would fall over if we were standing. Yes, this clarified the subject perfectly. Thank you…………..

 

So, today we found out that 70 folks left the ship, and 60 will join tomorrow, when a new segment begins.

 

Also, we are not alone in Port Rashid as the Splendour of the Seas is also docked next to us. She is slightly larger at 69,130 gross tons. A three-star ship, the Splendour was built in 1996 and holds from 1804 to 2064 passengers. This ship attracts families for shorter cruises.

 

A complimentary shuttle for us was taking guests to the fabulous Mall of Dubai, the world’s largest mall, about a 25 minute ride in downtown. The shuttle ran from 8am to 8pm. We also had this excellent transfer last year.

 

We left the ship around 11am. It was warm outside, but much more tolerable compared to the temps in Sri Lanka. We have traveled far enough north to have escaped the worst of the humidity. Thank goodness. There was a hovering shroud of powdery sand in the air, indicating that the desert winds were active in the area. Quite common this time of year, and we know it could be much worse.

 

In the massive terminal, we had to pass through xray, where the officials get you coming and going just like in Singapore. Once on the coach, we noticed friends Bill & Leta heading our way. We visited all the way to the mall. The Dubai Mall is beyond description. Opulent, showy, so large you need a map not to get lost. Most impressive.

 

We entered the main lobby or Grand Atrium on level G, having ridden up an outdoor escalator to get here. An old car show had taken place over the weekend, and there were a few cars remaining inside the atrium. The name of th show was Emirates Classic Car Festival. Really a big hit with the guys.

 

Among the hundreds of high-end stores (highest end in the world), are several main attractions. “Luxury” is the name of the 90 flagship stores on Fashion Avenue. There’s even a real full size dinosaur skeleton display appropriately named Dubai Dino. It was found in Wyoming and shipped here for a massive fee for sure. Money here is no problem….there is lots of it.

 

Nearby is an Olympic-sized ice skating rink large enough for figure skating events, as well as hockey matches and ice shows, concerts, and special events.

 

In the center of the mall is the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. It spans all 4 levels of the complex. This aquarium holds 33,000 aquatic animals, among them sand tiger sharks and stingrays. A glass-bottom boat ride and a shark dive are options for a price.

 

Saved the best for last….the gorgeous Dubai Fountain, located outside the back end of the mall. Named the most spectacular fountain in the world, it is located in a sprawling shallow lake between the Dubai Mall and the Souk Al Bahar. The fountain sprays over 150 meters in the air, as 6000 lights create an extravagant water and sound show set to dramatic music. It is most impressive at night, but daytime is good too.

 

What a perfect place to run into Barb, Ellen and Aart, where we all listened to the song, “Time to Say Goodbye”, a song we remember well as the Seabourn Sun used to play it when leaving every port on their 2001 world cruise. The three of them had just come from the Souk Al Bahar, where they were able to enjoy beers and a mango juice, which cost them $35. The entire Dubai Mall is “dry”…..no alcohol is allowed to be sold according to Muslim law. However, across the bridge at the other souk, they have the rights to serve liquor. Want a beer? You pay.

 

Watching the boats in the lake under the fountain, as well as the brave people riding the zipline through the water blasts was thrilling. A moment to remember for all. The show lasted for at least 6 minutes, and would be repeated in another hour or so.

 

Since time was flying by, we said our goodbyes, and continued on to explore the smaller mall. On level three of the Souk Al Bahar, there are many cafes and restaurants where you can dine and drink while watching the view of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building at 2716 feet. It has 163 stories, and is a tour in itself just to make your way to the top. Tickets are sold for every level inside the Dubai Mall, and an underground tunnel connects the two. We understand it is quite pricey to get to the top, and probably takes a half day to do it if there are crowds.

 

Making our way back into the mall, we decided that chicken tostada salads and a margherita pizza would be tasty at one of our favorite restaurants…..The Cheesecake Factory. Perfect place to relax, although we were lucky to be seated right away. It was crowded even at 2:30pm. Lunch was every bit as good as what we get at home, and the sodas were re-fillable. Expensive? Yes, but not all that bad. It was worth it.

 

After lunch, one of us had a mission to find some cosmetics, which should have been simple. In hindsight, this should have been purchased before the trip since it was only eye shadow with brushes. With all the traveling, the old ones had begun to fall apart. And the little brushes were also disintegrating. The only place we could find cosmetics was in Bloomingdales. There must a premium price on these items, like a luxury tax, because even the smallest kits were the equivalent of $90 US dollars. Really? Even a small brush was $50. What? Must have been made with mink hair. Guess this purchase will have to be made elsewhere. Not that desperate, we said thanks, but no thanks.

 

Time to leave, as it was nearing 5pm. On the way out, we saw Sandra and Allan enjoying a nice cup of coffee in the center of the main hall. We chatted for a while, having trouble hearing by now, since the area had filled up with locals and their children. The noise level was rising by the minute. We had spotted many tour groups from both ships, as well as other foreign groups probably from the local hotels. This area was a perfect meeting place for these groups, adding to the noise.

 

Moving on, we found the shuttle outside where we had been dropped off. As the coach pulled away from the parking spot, we saw Konnie and Dell walking towards the entrance. Wonder if they had been geo-cashing? They sure have fun, that’s for sure.

 

It was close to 6pm when we got back to the terminal, due to some traffic jams on the way back. But we still had time to check on the few souvenir shops before re-boarding. Our only purchase was two keyrings, a camel and a teapot, as reminders of our stay here. Since the vendor was coming up with $7.50 and we had no change, we gave him $8 and got a postcard as well.

 

The sun was down by 6:33pm, and we went up to deck nine to get some photos. When the elevator door opened, our former tablemate, Ruud, was standing there. Hugs and handshakes, we were happy to see him, as he will be joining our merry group until Rome. With the addition of Sharon, a friend of Greg and Heo’s, we will need two tables for dinner.

 

We chatted all evening with everyone, especially Paul and Bonnie, who missed dinner last night. We enjoyed the 24 ounce porterhouse steak that was on the menu for Easter dinner. We certainly got our “beef” fix all in one night. It was jello and sliced fruit for one of us after that ample meal.

 

The show for this evening was “Spotlight”, the recent picture of the year. Way too tired to attend, we hope it will eventually show up on TV.

 

Looking forward to a much needed day at sea tomorrow.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

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Report # 89 Sailing Towards Muscat, Oman March 29, 2016 Tuesday Partly cloudy & 82 degrees

 

Finally a day at sea, but not one to do nothing. Is there ever a day to do nothing? No. We are desperately trying to catch up with photos and reports. We know we will be glad that we put the time and effort into finishing it, but it’s not so easy. OK, enough whining…..just do it.

 

The weather has cooled down nicely once we left Dubai. Speaking of Dubai, we missed listing some of the tours, so here they are for anyone who is interested.

 

Dubai highlights was 4 ½ hours, with drive-bys of the major attractions including the Burj Al Arab Hotel, Jumeirah Mosque, the old Dubai water towers, the museum, and a souk for $60.

 

Northern Emirates was a ride to several other emirates for 9 hours for $130.

 

Abu Dhabi for 9 hours included a tour of the capital with the main site being the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the third largest mosque in the world for $135. Strict dress codes applied to both men and ladies at every mosque.

 

Deluxe Dubai for 9 ½ hours which must have done lots, because it was $500.

 

Tea at the Burj Al Arab and tour for 4 ½ hours was $230. Been there, done that twice. It was a wonderful, elegant tour. Highly recommended, as you cannot easily access this hotel without being in a group.

 

The Dubai Ho-Ho bus was 4 ½ hours for $65.

 

Arabian Nights and Safari and Camel Ride for $130. Included a 4x4 dune ride, camel farm, campsite with henna painting, sheesha pipe smoking, a BBQ dinner and a belly dancer. We have done this tour twice and it was a hoot.

 

Back to our day at sea. During the morning, the Amsterdam sailed through the Straits of Hormuz, a very security sensitive area with a checkered history. Many guards were present in their designated posts. There will be another choke spot when we wrap around the Arabian Peninsula near Yemen, where the space between shores is narrow. There will be similar security watch then too.

 

Konnie joined us on our walk this morning, and we found out who our secret “Welcome Home” sign with chocolate bunnies was. Of course, it was Konnie, the only person we know who could have pulled this off, and make us laugh. She really is sweet.

 

President’s Club gifts arrived today - another spring flower bouquet and 4 cases of Coke Zero. Always welcomed.

 

The biggest event of the day was having Maureen and Barb join us for lunch in the dining room. We find the conservative entrees much to our liking, and even though we are eating earlier, we are more ready for dinner at 8pm.

 

Shipboard life continued as usual with talks in the Queens Lounge. Barbara H covered Salalah, Oman, not one of our favorite stops, while new guest speakers began their series today. Timothy Runyan discussed the underwater world and archaeological finds. This is right up our alley. In the afternoon, Vivian Rowan spoke about the 7 ancient and new wonders of the world.

 

The jewelry salepeople are promoting cartouches, the Egyptian pendants with personalized hieroglyphics carved into them. We have seen these pendants, bracelets, and keyrings while in Cairo and Luxor, and if done in 14 or 18 carat gold, they are pricey.

 

The absolute best surprise we encountered was unexpected sightings of two whales and a hundred dolphins. Yes, what appeared to be humpback whales were swimming and diving not far from the ship around 6pm. We had gone to the promenade deck to watch the sunset, and got more than we bargained for. When we spotted the plumes of the blows, we thought we were seeing things. Then suddenly, we heard slapping on the waves, and there were dozens of dolphins keeping up with the ship’s speed. Besides the security guards, there were only a few of us outside to see this display. It was too cool as the dolphins flew out of the water, turned to look at us, then slapped the water as they landed. It seemed to go on for at least ten minutes before they got tired or bored, and swam away from the ship. This was the best sighting we have had since leaving Florida back in January. Usually, we pack the small camera, but this time we did not. If we had, they would not have come, right?

 

Showtime in the Queens Lounge was far different than what is usually expected. Tonight, a performer by the name of David Keller, performed a one-man show of Shakespeare Around the Globe. His subject tonight was Hamlet: “Cut to the Bone”. Although we did not attend, we heard mixed reviews. Some liked it, some did not. The only problem we gathered was that he did not use a microphone, so much of the dialogue was lost to some. Even at its best, understanding the language of the era was a chore in itself.

 

For us, we stayed up late to complete a few more days of our overland tour. Now that we are writing about it, we realize how totally busy it was.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

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Hello Bill & Mary Ann, your world cruise reports are truly a treat to read, I steal a bit of time if not daily then every couple of days to enjoy vicariously your trip. Your writing style truly makes it "real".

 

This is a huge time commitment on your part so I want to add my appreciation for your efforts. Enjoy the rest of your travels!

 

On Cruiser,

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