Being back in Dubai for a couple of days was wonderful, so many things that I didn’t see on the visit before. We left the ship and hopped on the Big Bus to tour the city. Just like in Abu Dhabi we were able to get on and off at our convenience. We spent the remainder of the afternoon going to Palm Island and the Atlantis Hotel. The amount of money spent and the luxuries of housing, light rail, and the monorail system was amazing. The island was beautiful and it would be fun to have the address “Frond F”, wow.
At the top of the Palm sits the Atlantis Hotel, as with its predecessor the Atlantis in the Bahamas, it boasts the huge water slide and extravagant rooms and property, but of course, bigger. It also has an Aqauadventure park which is a massive water park as well as dolphin cove where you can swim with dolphins. It was fun to see and spend some time there, we even went to Coldstone Creamery!
The following day we disembarked the ship with our luggage and got back on the Big Bus. We toured the city listening to commentary and then got off near our hotel. After dropping off our luggage we walked to Dubai Creek just a few blocks away and went for a Dhow ride, included with our bus ticket. The Dhow is a wooden boat used to transport goods and people not only up and down the creek but to other countries for trade as well. It was fabulous to see the hustle and bustle of the locals going about their business.
The remainder of the day and evening was spent going to local shops and exploring the neighborhoods around the hotel. Dubai is known for its low crime rate and it was a pleasure to be able to walk after dark and feel comfortable. The shops and vendors stay open later after taking a break in the middle of the day (due to the heat) and it was fun to have such activity at night.
This was a great trip and Dubai is a great place, I hope to return someday.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Mina Sulman, Bahrain – January 23, 2010
This was our last port stop before returning to Dubai and it was great. Mina Sulman is one of the major ports in the Middle East and is home to the Royal Bahrain Naval Base. Bahrain is an island located off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf and is connected by a 17 mile long causeway.
I took a tour that incorporated my two favorite things, birding and racing. We began the day with a visit to Al Areen Wild Life Park reserve established in 1975. This three square mile enclosure is planted with over 100,000 plants and trees and more than 500 animals are accommodated here. It was created as a place to conserve species that were becoming extinct in the wild and aid in their preservation.
We took a smaller tour bus through the park and when boarding we had two crested cranes drinking water from the air conditioning unit on the bus in front of us. This was just a reminder that we are in a desert even though this place was planted and looked lush and tropical (no expense was spared).
As we drove past the enclosures more crested cranes and ostriches wandered throughout the park and periodically we had to wait for them to move. The animals were rare gazelle, zebra and deer from India, Africa and Bahrain. These animals were magnificent to see with some no longer existing in their motherland.
We took some time and were able to walk through the Aviary Park and of course I was thrilled. Lakes full of Greater Flamingos and waterfowl of every color shape and size were beautiful to see. Many waterways had the Wood Duck and Pintails like the USA species. Storks , Cranes and other Indian birds reminded me of my visit to India and much to my surprise I remembered most of their names. It was great to get back to nature on this excursion.
From the Wild Life Park we went to the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) one of the world’s largest and newest Formula One Raceways. The facility cost 3 Billion dollars to build and it showed. We were able to see the grandstands, finish line, and welcome center. Then came the good part, we went to the tower overlooking the whole raceway and saw it from a royal’s point of view and it was spectacular. We got a bonus while we were there because the Air Show was taking place at a facility next door and the tower was a great place to watch it from.
From the tower we went to the control room full of TV’s and monitoring systems and then to the press room with hundreds of screens and stations for reporting the race. It was great fun and I even sat in one of the race cars. I can't wait until the CART racing season starts!
Tomorrow we return to Dubai.
I took a tour that incorporated my two favorite things, birding and racing. We began the day with a visit to Al Areen Wild Life Park reserve established in 1975. This three square mile enclosure is planted with over 100,000 plants and trees and more than 500 animals are accommodated here. It was created as a place to conserve species that were becoming extinct in the wild and aid in their preservation.
We took a smaller tour bus through the park and when boarding we had two crested cranes drinking water from the air conditioning unit on the bus in front of us. This was just a reminder that we are in a desert even though this place was planted and looked lush and tropical (no expense was spared).
As we drove past the enclosures more crested cranes and ostriches wandered throughout the park and periodically we had to wait for them to move. The animals were rare gazelle, zebra and deer from India, Africa and Bahrain. These animals were magnificent to see with some no longer existing in their motherland.
We took some time and were able to walk through the Aviary Park and of course I was thrilled. Lakes full of Greater Flamingos and waterfowl of every color shape and size were beautiful to see. Many waterways had the Wood Duck and Pintails like the USA species. Storks , Cranes and other Indian birds reminded me of my visit to India and much to my surprise I remembered most of their names. It was great to get back to nature on this excursion.
From the Wild Life Park we went to the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) one of the world’s largest and newest Formula One Raceways. The facility cost 3 Billion dollars to build and it showed. We were able to see the grandstands, finish line, and welcome center. Then came the good part, we went to the tower overlooking the whole raceway and saw it from a royal’s point of view and it was spectacular. We got a bonus while we were there because the Air Show was taking place at a facility next door and the tower was a great place to watch it from.
From the tower we went to the control room full of TV’s and monitoring systems and then to the press room with hundreds of screens and stations for reporting the race. It was great fun and I even sat in one of the race cars. I can't wait until the CART racing season starts!
Tomorrow we return to Dubai.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Abu Dhabi, UAE – January 22, 2010
Abu Dhabi is my favorite of the seven Emirates with a great combination of city life and natural wonders. The downtown is very compact with gorgeous buildings like Dubai, all built with oil money. Directly across the bay from downtown are miles of sandy beaches, picnic areas and wonderful beachfront restaurants.
A great way to explore Abu Dhabi is by taking a tour with the Big Bus Company which operates here and Dubai. It is a double-decker tour bus and provides ear buds to hear commentary along the way with hop on and hop off service at stops around the city. Over the course of a day, we made 11 stops with a visit to a Tower to see a 360 degree view, a museum, the Emirates Palace, the Grand Mosque and many Souks.
Our next stop we will be leaving the UAE and visiting the island of Bahrain.
A great way to explore Abu Dhabi is by taking a tour with the Big Bus Company which operates here and Dubai. It is a double-decker tour bus and provides ear buds to hear commentary along the way with hop on and hop off service at stops around the city. Over the course of a day, we made 11 stops with a visit to a Tower to see a 360 degree view, a museum, the Emirates Palace, the Grand Mosque and many Souks.
Our next stop we will be leaving the UAE and visiting the island of Bahrain.
Fujairah, UAE – January 21, 2010
Fujairah was an interesting city. It is the only United Arab Emirate that looks out over the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Visiting this port was a challenge due to the fact that the city itself was very sprawling. It sits on the shore with the Hajjar Mountains within a quart mile and virtually no public transportation.
Unlike other cities we have visited there is no evidence of oil money and the resulting luxuries from it. Many of the hotels and buildings stood vacant with no sign of construction crews.
We made the most of our visit by hiring a taxi to take us to Sandy Beach Hotel for a day by the ocean. It took 45 minutes to get to the hotel and then the driver waited 1 hour for us to visit and then took us back to the ship. This cost $50 American Dollars and half way he tried to change the cost to $75; we refused and he honored the original price.
The water was beautiful and it was fun to get my toes in the sand. It was wonderful to relax and enjoy the sun and sights.
I am looking forward to seeing Abu Dhabi tomorrow.
Unlike other cities we have visited there is no evidence of oil money and the resulting luxuries from it. Many of the hotels and buildings stood vacant with no sign of construction crews.
We made the most of our visit by hiring a taxi to take us to Sandy Beach Hotel for a day by the ocean. It took 45 minutes to get to the hotel and then the driver waited 1 hour for us to visit and then took us back to the ship. This cost $50 American Dollars and half way he tried to change the cost to $75; we refused and he honored the original price.
The water was beautiful and it was fun to get my toes in the sand. It was wonderful to relax and enjoy the sun and sights.
I am looking forward to seeing Abu Dhabi tomorrow.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Muscat, Oman – January 20, 2010
Oman is situated on the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. It is surrounded by magnificent mountains with wonderful sandy beaches along its coasts.
As we approached the dock I was taken by the contrast of the view before me. The volcanic mountains were black and jagged as opposed to the smooth white houses and structures of the city. All buildings are required to be white or beige because it is the color of peace in the Islam religion, this also aids to reflect the sun as it can get to 150 F in the summer months here. Today was 84 F and it is the winter season.
The other eye catcher is the large Frankincense burner (6-7 stories tall) painted in white. Along the coast are numerous forts that dot the tops of peaks and are still used for security by local authorities today.
Oman is known for its Pashmir (cloth from India usually made into scarves) and Frankincense. At the souk (market) there were thousands of stores with dealers all trying to sell these items as well as silver and gold, shoes and clothing. If you haggle with them you can get some great deals or “free stuff”.
We took a tour bus and visited the Oman museum, the world’s 3rd largest mosque, the local souk and the Sultan’s palace. This city reflects the fact that the economy is based on black oil and it is thriving. Oman is however looking toward the future and boosting tourism for the day that oil supplies are depleted.
Tomorrow we will explore Fujairah, UAE.
As we approached the dock I was taken by the contrast of the view before me. The volcanic mountains were black and jagged as opposed to the smooth white houses and structures of the city. All buildings are required to be white or beige because it is the color of peace in the Islam religion, this also aids to reflect the sun as it can get to 150 F in the summer months here. Today was 84 F and it is the winter season.
The other eye catcher is the large Frankincense burner (6-7 stories tall) painted in white. Along the coast are numerous forts that dot the tops of peaks and are still used for security by local authorities today.
Oman is known for its Pashmir (cloth from India usually made into scarves) and Frankincense. At the souk (market) there were thousands of stores with dealers all trying to sell these items as well as silver and gold, shoes and clothing. If you haggle with them you can get some great deals or “free stuff”.
We took a tour bus and visited the Oman museum, the world’s 3rd largest mosque, the local souk and the Sultan’s palace. This city reflects the fact that the economy is based on black oil and it is thriving. Oman is however looking toward the future and boosting tourism for the day that oil supplies are depleted.
Tomorrow we will explore Fujairah, UAE.
Dubai, UAE – January 18 and 19, 2010
Dubai is such an impressive city; it is clean, beautifully landscaped and says “wealth”. As Mike said “This is the Disneyworld for the rich” and I agree. It prides itself on having the biggest and best of everything including 5-7 star hotels, artificial islands like Palm and the World and even an indoor ski slope.
The economy looks to be booming as evidenced by the number of new construction sites and how many people are working. Many locals were working on the construction sites but many were also scrubbing the brick patios, pathways and walls with brushes and sponges one brick at a time.
We arrived at the Dubai Mall and it was overwhelming. Every major merchant from the US and the world has a store here. Besides the variety of merchants it boasts two 3-story wall fountains, hundreds of large TV screens and restaurants. The Gold Souk (market) alone had 222 different stores!
When we left the mall we were at the central plaza. Here in the city center was the largest water fountain in the world as well as the tallest building. At 6pm we saw the water fountain show and it was incredible, we are in a desert aren’t we? The water cannons would shoot water 40 – 50 feet in the air and sounded like fireworks bursting in air. The second show at 7 pm was even more spectacular, after dark it included a beautiful light show.
Next week when we return we will be ascending the world’s tallest building and I look forward to it. We want to also visit Palm Island (a land reclamation project which is in the shape of a palm tree), the Mall of the Emirates with over 1200 stores, an Olympic-size ice rink, a Fashion Catwalk and an indoor ski center (Ski Dubai). Another excursion to we would like to take is a wooden boat (dhow) down Dubai Creek which runs through the center of the commercial heart of the city to the east (Deira) and the city’s historical district to the west (Bur Dubai).
Off to the city of Muscat, Oman tomorrow.
The economy looks to be booming as evidenced by the number of new construction sites and how many people are working. Many locals were working on the construction sites but many were also scrubbing the brick patios, pathways and walls with brushes and sponges one brick at a time.
We arrived at the Dubai Mall and it was overwhelming. Every major merchant from the US and the world has a store here. Besides the variety of merchants it boasts two 3-story wall fountains, hundreds of large TV screens and restaurants. The Gold Souk (market) alone had 222 different stores!
When we left the mall we were at the central plaza. Here in the city center was the largest water fountain in the world as well as the tallest building. At 6pm we saw the water fountain show and it was incredible, we are in a desert aren’t we? The water cannons would shoot water 40 – 50 feet in the air and sounded like fireworks bursting in air. The second show at 7 pm was even more spectacular, after dark it included a beautiful light show.
Next week when we return we will be ascending the world’s tallest building and I look forward to it. We want to also visit Palm Island (a land reclamation project which is in the shape of a palm tree), the Mall of the Emirates with over 1200 stores, an Olympic-size ice rink, a Fashion Catwalk and an indoor ski center (Ski Dubai). Another excursion to we would like to take is a wooden boat (dhow) down Dubai Creek which runs through the center of the commercial heart of the city to the east (Deira) and the city’s historical district to the west (Bur Dubai).
Off to the city of Muscat, Oman tomorrow.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
The Gulf of Aden – January 15, 2010
At 1:00 am on January 15th we entered the Gulf of Aden. For the next 27 hours the ship was on pirate watch. We cruised between Somalia and Yemen via the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor. This corridor keeps traffic in the middle of the Gulf and less likely to encounter problems with these criminals.
For the past few weeks attacks on ships have been daily so we had to be diligent. The promenade deck that goes completely around the ship was closed at night and into early morning for crew lookouts and the 12th and 13th decks were dark as well running in stealth mode at approximately 23 knots (top speed for a ship this size). We were required to close curtains directly after sunset and to use minimal lighting in our staterooms and even had a knock on our door at midnight because of a 2 inch gap…wow! The stern of the ship had barbed wire wrapped around the rails as an additional precaution. A special drill took place to practice procedures in case they did try to board. The drill went very smoothly with the intention of keeping us from windows and outside walls.
During the daylight we saw many other ships in the Gulf and some were military as well as helicopters and planes watching from above. The TV channel that had the ships’ GPS location for the last 14 days was taken down and there was no guest communications such as email or cell service.
At 4:00 am on the 16th we were through the Gulf and the critical zone and all procedures had returned to normal as well as closed areas being reopened.
No pirates were encountered and our passage was uneventful.
We spent most of the day cruising along the coast of Oman and looking forward to reaching Dubai in two days.
For the past few weeks attacks on ships have been daily so we had to be diligent. The promenade deck that goes completely around the ship was closed at night and into early morning for crew lookouts and the 12th and 13th decks were dark as well running in stealth mode at approximately 23 knots (top speed for a ship this size). We were required to close curtains directly after sunset and to use minimal lighting in our staterooms and even had a knock on our door at midnight because of a 2 inch gap…wow! The stern of the ship had barbed wire wrapped around the rails as an additional precaution. A special drill took place to practice procedures in case they did try to board. The drill went very smoothly with the intention of keeping us from windows and outside walls.
During the daylight we saw many other ships in the Gulf and some were military as well as helicopters and planes watching from above. The TV channel that had the ships’ GPS location for the last 14 days was taken down and there was no guest communications such as email or cell service.
At 4:00 am on the 16th we were through the Gulf and the critical zone and all procedures had returned to normal as well as closed areas being reopened.
No pirates were encountered and our passage was uneventful.
We spent most of the day cruising along the coast of Oman and looking forward to reaching Dubai in two days.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Safaga, Egypt – January 12, 2010
This port city is known for its exports of phosphates from local mines. As with other cities along the western shores of the Red Sea it is expanding to host more tourists by building hotels and resorts.
About 33 miles north of Safaga is one of the booming resort cities, Hurghada. It took a little over an hour to reach by motor coach and gives you an idea of how the road system is in Egypt compared to other countries…slow. We then boarded a small boat to get out to a platform to board a submarine. It was so exciting to be in a sub which I have never done before and see the beautiful blue water of the Red Sea. Before leaving the platform we were treated with a good view of a lion fish directly out our window and it was beautiful. We spent about 50 minutes exploring a reef and sunken ship seeing so many fish including parrot and angel fish. I now know why this is a favorite scuba diving destination.
Upon returning to Safaga we took a shuttle to a shopping district of course. I was pleasantly surprised by the respectful shop owners who enjoyed visiting with us and no hard sells or tricks to get our money. Some of the sellers wanted nothing more than a picture with us and anything “American” that we could give them for a souvenir.
It was a great day and our last port until we reach Dubai. The next five days will be spent at sea with the 15th being the most interesting day. We will be passing through the Gulf of Aden, a hot spot for pirate activity, but we will be monitored by many agencies and are fully prepared.
About 33 miles north of Safaga is one of the booming resort cities, Hurghada. It took a little over an hour to reach by motor coach and gives you an idea of how the road system is in Egypt compared to other countries…slow. We then boarded a small boat to get out to a platform to board a submarine. It was so exciting to be in a sub which I have never done before and see the beautiful blue water of the Red Sea. Before leaving the platform we were treated with a good view of a lion fish directly out our window and it was beautiful. We spent about 50 minutes exploring a reef and sunken ship seeing so many fish including parrot and angel fish. I now know why this is a favorite scuba diving destination.
Upon returning to Safaga we took a shuttle to a shopping district of course. I was pleasantly surprised by the respectful shop owners who enjoyed visiting with us and no hard sells or tricks to get our money. Some of the sellers wanted nothing more than a picture with us and anything “American” that we could give them for a souvenir.
It was a great day and our last port until we reach Dubai. The next five days will be spent at sea with the 15th being the most interesting day. We will be passing through the Gulf of Aden, a hot spot for pirate activity, but we will be monitored by many agencies and are fully prepared.
Aqaba, Jordan – January 11, 2010
Aqaba is Jordan’s only access to the Red Sea and is known as a year-round resort destination. The country of Jordan has about 5 million people which are predominately Arabs. It was very exciting to be this close to Israel, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Iraq. The locals like to think of themselves as the diamond in the rough of the countries surrounding it, I would agree completely.
Jordan was beautiful with clean streets, colorful buildings, fountains and friendly people. English was spoken by a majority of the people and any form of currency was accepted; Jordanian Dinar, Euros, Pounds and US Dollars which made spending money easy. Luckily for me it is the custom to bargain and so I made some good deals. I felt completely safe and welcome here as opposed to Egypt.
We headed out to the town of Petra for the day, Jordan’s most famous attraction. In Greek, the word Petra means “easy to cut stone” and we saw why. This Nabataean Kingdom’s capital built 2,000 years ago contains more than 800 monuments, buildings, temples and tombs carved out of solid rock from the side of the mountain.
The most famous temple was used in the Indiana Jones Movie, the Last Crusade. It was a downhill hike of about 1.5 miles on ancient roads and through steep canyons; the views and engineering of this city was truly amazing. The inhabitants had created dams and waterways using the natural features of the rocks to catch the rain, store it and distribute it throughout.
After the long, hot, uphill climb we were treated to a Jordanian buffet with the best lamb and hummus I have ever eaten. Many of the salads and fruits I had never seen before but enjoyed tremendously. I polished off a liter and a half of bottled water with lunch and wondered how these desert people survive.
Tomorrow is Safaga, Egypt.
Jordan was beautiful with clean streets, colorful buildings, fountains and friendly people. English was spoken by a majority of the people and any form of currency was accepted; Jordanian Dinar, Euros, Pounds and US Dollars which made spending money easy. Luckily for me it is the custom to bargain and so I made some good deals. I felt completely safe and welcome here as opposed to Egypt.
We headed out to the town of Petra for the day, Jordan’s most famous attraction. In Greek, the word Petra means “easy to cut stone” and we saw why. This Nabataean Kingdom’s capital built 2,000 years ago contains more than 800 monuments, buildings, temples and tombs carved out of solid rock from the side of the mountain.
The most famous temple was used in the Indiana Jones Movie, the Last Crusade. It was a downhill hike of about 1.5 miles on ancient roads and through steep canyons; the views and engineering of this city was truly amazing. The inhabitants had created dams and waterways using the natural features of the rocks to catch the rain, store it and distribute it throughout.
After the long, hot, uphill climb we were treated to a Jordanian buffet with the best lamb and hummus I have ever eaten. Many of the salads and fruits I had never seen before but enjoyed tremendously. I polished off a liter and a half of bottled water with lunch and wondered how these desert people survive.
Tomorrow is Safaga, Egypt.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
The Suez Canal - January 10, 2010
Most of the day was spent passing through the Qanat as Suways, the Suez Canal. It is about 100 miles long and provides a route for ships from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea.
This area was covered in fog as we entered, which is highly unusual at any time of year, and made the passage to Bitter Lake very challenging. The canal is a single lane until about half way which opens to Bitter Lake; it is here that we wait and allow the north bound ships to pass before continuing on. At times I could not even see the water by looking straight down from the balcony….intense.
After waiting at the lake, we were the first in line to continue, due to this being a passenger ship. The remainder of the canal is a single lane again until the Red Sea. The fog had burned off and we were able to see both sides of the canal. To the west it was lush with Palm trees and vegetation where the royalty of Egypt lived and to the east it was completely sand, arid and desolate. Military presence was considerable on the east side with guard houses about every quarter mile and a huge training camp doing drills. They waved their guns and whistled as the ship went past but I felt no threat at anytime.
It was quite an experience and I am looking forward to seeing Jordan tomorrow.
This area was covered in fog as we entered, which is highly unusual at any time of year, and made the passage to Bitter Lake very challenging. The canal is a single lane until about half way which opens to Bitter Lake; it is here that we wait and allow the north bound ships to pass before continuing on. At times I could not even see the water by looking straight down from the balcony….intense.
After waiting at the lake, we were the first in line to continue, due to this being a passenger ship. The remainder of the canal is a single lane again until the Red Sea. The fog had burned off and we were able to see both sides of the canal. To the west it was lush with Palm trees and vegetation where the royalty of Egypt lived and to the east it was completely sand, arid and desolate. Military presence was considerable on the east side with guard houses about every quarter mile and a huge training camp doing drills. They waved their guns and whistled as the ship went past but I felt no threat at anytime.
It was quite an experience and I am looking forward to seeing Jordan tomorrow.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Cairo, Egypt
We docked in Alexandria, Egypt this morning for a full day of touring. We took a motor coach inland to the capital city of Cairo.
Our first stop was on the west side of the Nile River to see the Pyramids of Giza; one of the seven wonders of the world. The pyramids, a total of three, rose from the desert floor and were magnificent. The largest Pyramid, the Great Pyramid, was built with about 2.5 million blocks of stone and climbed to approximately 460 feet tall. When we disembarked the coach we were met with locals selling camel rides and souvenirs. These Egyptians were professionals and reminded me of gypsies, living off of the people by conning them. I would caution anyone coming to this site to be prepared to be tough and not let them take you, easier said than done. Despite this barrage of locals I enjoyed a camel ride and a good visit at the pyramids and also at the Sphinx just down the road.
For lunch we dined at a 5-star resort in Giza and saw how the wealthy spent their time. The buffet featured local dishes and an array of fresh salads including one made completely of artichokes and olives…yummm.
We continued over to the east side of the Nile to downtown Cairo and the Papyrus Institute; where they demonstrate the ancient art of making paper out of the Papyrus plant. It was a fun and educational stop with a shopping excursion, of course, before getting on the motor coach. I enjoyed picking up my Cartouche; a charm representing an Egyptian scroll with my name and a good luck symbol, a scarab beetle, engraved on it. My name is represented by a hand (D) and two reeds (E) in ancient hieroglyphics and is a nice memory of my visit.
The last stop of the day was at the Egyptian Museum. It was a fantastic collection of artifacts including mummies and relics from the tomb of the Pharaoh Tut-Ankh-Amun.
Tomorrow we will head to Port Said and begin our cruise through the Suez Canal.
Our first stop was on the west side of the Nile River to see the Pyramids of Giza; one of the seven wonders of the world. The pyramids, a total of three, rose from the desert floor and were magnificent. The largest Pyramid, the Great Pyramid, was built with about 2.5 million blocks of stone and climbed to approximately 460 feet tall. When we disembarked the coach we were met with locals selling camel rides and souvenirs. These Egyptians were professionals and reminded me of gypsies, living off of the people by conning them. I would caution anyone coming to this site to be prepared to be tough and not let them take you, easier said than done. Despite this barrage of locals I enjoyed a camel ride and a good visit at the pyramids and also at the Sphinx just down the road.
For lunch we dined at a 5-star resort in Giza and saw how the wealthy spent their time. The buffet featured local dishes and an array of fresh salads including one made completely of artichokes and olives…yummm.
We continued over to the east side of the Nile to downtown Cairo and the Papyrus Institute; where they demonstrate the ancient art of making paper out of the Papyrus plant. It was a fun and educational stop with a shopping excursion, of course, before getting on the motor coach. I enjoyed picking up my Cartouche; a charm representing an Egyptian scroll with my name and a good luck symbol, a scarab beetle, engraved on it. My name is represented by a hand (D) and two reeds (E) in ancient hieroglyphics and is a nice memory of my visit.
The last stop of the day was at the Egyptian Museum. It was a fantastic collection of artifacts including mummies and relics from the tomb of the Pharaoh Tut-Ankh-Amun.
Tomorrow we will head to Port Said and begin our cruise through the Suez Canal.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Spain to Egypt
Barcelona, Spain was quite the contrast to any of the cities I visited in Japan. It was dirty and smelled of bad things most of the time, the locals did not seem to care about their city and I observed many of them just throwing trash on the street. The most pleasant smells came from bakeries and flower shops scattered throughout where I would take a “breather”. If I return, I want to get out into the country and see the rural parts of Spain.
I was happy to board the ship and set sail into the Mediterranean sunset. The water was beautiful but the air was quite chilly; as we headed south for the next few days it became warmer and more like the place I expected. When we arrive in Alexandria, Egypt tomorrow it is supposed to be 76F and quite pleasant.
We will be taking the Classic Cairo tour for 12 ½ hours by motor coach, which will be a good mix of the city, museums and my favorite, the pyramids. I am excited to see what I have only read and seen pictures of. I will also be visiting the Nile River and viewing the locals that rely so much on this water source. Enjoying the cruise so far and look forward to getting out on land.
I was happy to board the ship and set sail into the Mediterranean sunset. The water was beautiful but the air was quite chilly; as we headed south for the next few days it became warmer and more like the place I expected. When we arrive in Alexandria, Egypt tomorrow it is supposed to be 76F and quite pleasant.
We will be taking the Classic Cairo tour for 12 ½ hours by motor coach, which will be a good mix of the city, museums and my favorite, the pyramids. I am excited to see what I have only read and seen pictures of. I will also be visiting the Nile River and viewing the locals that rely so much on this water source. Enjoying the cruise so far and look forward to getting out on land.
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