Tomorrow, Tuesday, May 14th…Petra Jordan excursion….Gone all day…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment

We’ll be back on Wednesday with photos and the story of our 10 hour expedition to Petra in Aqaba, Jordan.  Please check back for details.

“Lost City” of Petra Still Has Secrets to Reveal

A person standing in the doorway of the Monastery at Petra, Jordan, shows the enormity of the ancient building’s entrance. Carved into the sandstone hill by the Nabataeans in the second century A.D., this towering structure, called El-Deir, may have been used as a church or monastery by later societies, but likely began as a temple.

Passage through the Suez Canal…A profound revelation…Tom speaks!

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Early this morning we arrived in Safaga, south of the red star as indicated on this map. On Tuesday, we’ll be in Aqaba, southeast of the red star on this map.

It wasn’t merely an experience of real estate, of a narrow waterway, maintained through continuous dredging for over 144 years to provide access for ships from the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.  For us, it was so much more. Beginning Sunday morning at 5:00 am, our eyes were transfixed on the long canal, brought to life so long ago. 

Our first early morning view of a town along the Suez Canal, all partially built apartments whereby renters must installs windows and door as floors from the bottom up are rented.
Haze is everywhere from both blowing sand and pollution.
Shortly after stepping out on the balcony at 5:00, we passed under the Friendship Bridge.

Standing on our balcony at precisely the correct moment, amid busily getting dressed for the day, we were enthralled when the massive Friendship Bridge passed over our heads, our camera clicking wildly to get a good shot, none nearly as good as this link.

Please check the link below for details on the relationship between Japan and Egypt in building this suspension bridge, vital to the management of the Suez Canal.

As we witnessed 7 plus hours of the 13 hour transit, whether on our balcony for a few hours or in our perfect placement by the windows in the Windjammer Café, we were reminded of the awe inspiring experience only four months ago of our passage through the Panama Canal. 

Tugboats accompany each ship as it makes its way through the canal as a precautionary measure in the event of an emergency.  Fifty ships per day transit through the canal.
There were 14 tugboats in our immediate area.
These ramps are used for unloading equipment.
These ramps continued to appear at various locations, although we didn’t see any in use.
Al-Firdan Bridge, the largest swing, double-cantilever bridge in the world.

We took this shot of the bridge as it opened for us while having breakfast in the Windjammer Café.

At this point, I can’t say which I enjoyed more. Tom emphatically states, he preferred seeing the Panama Canal, due in part to the better seminars leading up to it on the Celebrity Century and, in his own previous knowledge. 

We assumed this must be military housing along the Suez Canal.
It appears that with the immense population in Middle eastern countries, many live in apartment buildings as opposed to single family homes.  The cost of living is very high in Egypt.
Although these may appear as single family homes, upon closer inspection, we felt certain they were upscale multiple unit dwellings.
Mosques were abundant in all the villages we past along the passage through the canal.
Many areas appeared modern and well developed.

For me, I went into both of them with little knowledge or interest, with only the intent of embracing a whole “new world” in the discovery of their wonder and significance as many ships, over many years made the passage.

A ferry, taking off into the canal.

Yesterday, a new element entered the picture, the literally hundreds of soldiers staggered along the 110 miles of the canal, rifles and machine guns in hand, protecting the rights of passage on the canal, vigorously waving to us as we passed by. 

Slightly more than halfway through the canal, we encountered Great Bitter Lake, a salt water lake a part of the Suez Canal that leads to Small Bitter Lake.
This interesting building was under construction in the Great Bitter Lake area.

They whistled, (Tom whistled back), they cheered, they jumped up and down, mile after mile, expressing sheer joy in seeing a passenger ship as opposed to the hundreds of freighters passing through each year, cold, stark and unfriendly. Many of the passengers stood on our balconies cheering and waving, surprised by the continually enthusiastic reception, milepost after milepost.

The peninsulas in the Bitter Lakes area were intriguing with armed soldiers standing on the shore waving at us.
More soldiers and citizens waving as we sailed by.

As we traveled the streets of Alexandria and Cairo, we experienced the same warm reception from people on the streets, little children in front of rundown hollow houses, and teenagers sitting on a fence by the road as our air conditioned bus flashed by. We couldn’t resist waving back.

Cheerful, friendly teenagers, waving at our bus a few days ago.

Our perception of this part of the world; fraught with fear, prejudice and preconceived notions, perpetrated by the sensationalized 24/7 news, evaporates at the wave of a hand, a friendly smile and a welcoming cheer. 

From time to time, we’d see luxury homes along the shores.

No, this doesn’t make us careless about our safety. It was only two days ago that we wandered about in the area of the Pyramids feeling paranoid and overly cautious with Mohammad, our loyal Uzi armed security guard at our side most of the day. Even us, finding ourselves momentarily afraid of him.

A large mosque on a peninsula in Great Bitter Lake.

No, we won’t let our guard down, not for a moment. But we will, relish in the commonality of the human spirit, to embrace others, to find joy in a simple act of kindness or acceptance wherever we may be, if only in a wave, if only in a smile.

In the poorest of areas, well maintained mosques were easy to spot.

This, is why. This, is why we took this risk, this journey, leaving everything and everyone we knew and loved behind.  We have so much to learn, to understand, and to accept about the world around us, about ourselves and about others.

The barren shore along the Suez Canal.
And perhaps, in a way, we were meant to share a piece of it, however small, with all of our worldwide readers.
During our transit, two other cruise ships were making the transit, but most of the ships were well-packed freighters. Later in the afternoon, around 2:30, we stood on our balcony as we began the final exit of the Suez Canal, an experience we will always remember.

Tom’s take on the above.. “There is evil in the world.  But, overall, 99% of the world’s population are good and law abiding. For example;  anywhere in the world, you can be driving down a two-lane highway at 50 MPH with oncoming traffic and all that is separating life and death is a single dotted white line. That same 99% of the people abide by that line. We’re no more at risk traveling the world than we were on that two-lane highway.”

Part 2…The Great Pyramid, the Sphinx and more photos…Suez Canal photos tomorrow….

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
The Sphinx was massive but not as huge as expected. 

At 4:45 am this morning, we both awoke with a jolt, immediately jumping out of bed, running to the sliding door to toss aside the heavy drapes to reveal the narrow body of water as we traversed through the Suez Canal, a sight that took made us gasp in wonder. 

Breathtaking!

Having passed through Port Said and the Friendship Bridge, we couldn’t wait to find a seat with a view in a café, pour a cup of hot coffee and partake of the power and beauty of this magnificent man-made creation connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. Another extraordinary experience!

Every angle presented an interesting perspective.

Now, at 5:45 am, we’re sitting in the partially opened Windjammer Café, showered and dressed for the day, comfortably ensconced at a window table, our MiFi glowing a bright hot pink, indicating full service, and at last, we can write and post photos with ease.

This mosque was one of many in Alexandria, the second largest city (Cairo is the largest) in Egypt and the largest port in Africa. 

(More on the Suez Canal tomorrow after completing our adventure two days ago).

Trash is littered everywhere, with no public trash removal in the past two years since the revolution.
Difficult to get a good shot while the bus was speeding along the road. This shopping mall has many familiar stores such as The Gap, Old Navy, Ralph Lauren, etc.
Contemporary office buildings are scattered along the road to Cairo, including Microsoft, Dell, Oracle, and more, along with multiple international banks.

How long the signal will last, we don’t know. My fingers fly across the keyboard, taking advantage of every moment of a decent connection while reminding myself to send Mother’s Day wishes for all of our daughters, daughters-in-law, siblings, and friends, all deserving a special wish on this day of recognition. Tom mentioned that, most likely, this is a day celebrated only in the US. After all, Hallmark???

This grouping of pyramids indicates a king as the largest, his queen as the second in size, and the two smaller structures for the two children that passed away pre-puberty.
Camels were everywhere—the more adorned, the safer the ride. We didn’t choose to partake with an air of caution, fearing injury putting an end to our travels.
Another camel, proudly trotting along with his owner. The camels exhibited what appeared to be genuine curiosity about their surroundings. It’s no wonder they bite and spit, carrying around inexperienced riders in the scorching heat.
The 5-star hotel where we stopped for a buffet lunch. I found several items suitable for my diet: chicken, green salad, and cooked vegetables. Water was bottled and set at the tables. Tap water in both Alexandria and Cairo is not potable.
At the Cairo Museum. Signs were posted but primarily unreadable, leaving us no opportunity to describe each item.
Viewing these statues, thousands of years old, was awe-inspiring.
A smaller sphinx at the Cairo Museum.
King Ramses II, too heavy to stand up, viewed at the Cairo Museum.
The opposite side of King Ramses II.
Based on current views, my temptation is to write about the Suez Canal now and its breathtaking beauty. Alas, we’ve yet to complete posting the photos from our visit to the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum, the famous Step Pyramids, and the Papyrus Institute.
By the way, as we write this, now at 7:30 am, Sunday, May 12, 2013, we just entered the country of Jordan as we traversed the Suez Canal.
Window and door shops are big business in Egypt since most rental properties are only partially built, and renters moving in are responsible for buying and installing windows and doors.
These types of buildings are rented from the bottom up, as the new tenants bear the cost of adding windows and doors.
Children of all ages waved and smiled as our bus traveled along their roads.
It was common to see herds of sheep, goats, packs of dogs, and a wide variety of donkeys and horses used for farming, recreation, and hauling.

Whew! Our brains are working overtime absorbing all this visually stimulating scenery and history. We’re hoping all this new brain activity will serve us well in keeping our aging brains active and healthy. 

A chart of hieroglyphics. One can take their name to determine their qualities. Mine starts with “J” for intelligent, and Tom’s starts with “T” for eats too much. I sure got a chuckle out of that.
Throwing in the significant amount of walking we’ve been doing lately. Hopefully, we’ll recall each other’s name in 20 years, not other people’s.

Part 1…Visit to the Great Pyramids, the Sphinx, and photos…More will follow when we can get online…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 2 Comments
Here they are, the Great Pyramids of Giza.
It was hard to believe we were there!

Yesterday morning, Friday, we boarded one of 25 air-conditioned buses with 40 passengers each for a 12 1/2 hour excursion to visit the Great Pyramids of Giza (most renowned), the Sphinx, The Pyramid of Zoser, The Egyptian Museum and the Papyrus Institute.

The streets of Cairo.

The almost three hour drive from Alexandria Egypt to Cairo was a mixed bags of desolate desert landscape and a scattering of small villages along the traffic laden toll roads and narrow highways.

View along the drive from Alexandria to Cairo.

The traffic was lessened by the fact that it was the Egyptian weekly holy day although you wouldn’t have known this as we whizzed along the dangerous roads with trucks and cars seemingly oblivious to staying in their own lanes or observing any speed limits.

Many times, we nearly missed having an accident both on the drives to various locations during the day and again at night on the return drive to the ship in the rain, in the dark. Our hearts in our throats, as the bus veered in and out of wildly erratic traffic, the ride back to the ship, left all of us stressed and exhausted.

Pottery for sale along the busy highway.

The day? Surreal. I recall seeing the Pyramids in history books as a child, wondering how and when I’d ever be able to behold their wonder. Tom felt the same. But somehow, while there, among the camels and pushy vendors, there was little sense of reality.

Oddities were in abundance, odd to us that is. The black suited security guard sitting on the front seat in the bus as we sat back a few rows, unintentionally revealed a machine gun which Tom surmised was an Uzi.

The chaos on the streets was comparable to what we’ve seen in movies.

Much to our curiosity and surprise, Mohammed, our security guard, glomed on to us as we walked the uneven stones and steps around the various sites we visited throughout the day. 

Often staying close at our sides, while others wandered on their own, Mohammed frequently offered me an outstretched hand down rough terrain and up and down steps, leading and pointing us to short cuts and steering us  to particularly interesting artifacts. 

Kids as young as 8 and 10 years ago were driving these motorized tuk-tuks.

He’d obviously worked this tour many times in the past, going as far as leading us to a clean restroom when we requested, where we each paid US $1 as we were handed a dollop of toilet tissue.

We tipped him at the end, unsure of this would insult him. It did not. At times, Tom and I giggled that we had our own ‘security”. At other times, as he guided us toward narrow and winding desolate paths, we both hesitated, wondering, if his attention was some sort of ruse, for us to be kidnapped by awaiting cohorts, for our kids to be contacted with ransom demands. 

 We did our best taking photos as the bus sped by the vendor stands.

The vendors…we’ve never seen anything like it.  They touched us, shoved us, trying to make
eye contact, trying to make a sale.  It’s a good thing we decided against a camel ride. We saw firsthand, that the camel owners offered a ride for US $2, only to be charged, $20-$40 in order to get down the 8′ from the back of the camel. 

We heard women from our ship discussing how they were invited by a camel owner to take a free photo of a camel, to have their camera snatched, only to be returned for $60. Aware of this and determined to get a few camel shots, I pretended to be taking photos of the background scenes, thus explaining why our included camel photos are from the side.

Note the cars cluttering the road. 

Although much was included in our tour, the ride, entrance to the sites, the elegant buffet lunch in the 5 star hotel in Giza, two bags of water and snacks (we gave ours to Mohammed and the bus driver) for a total cost of $169 each, the constant pressure to spend money was overwhelming.

Buying one single item put the vendors on a frenzy to almost attack the shopper as “live bait.” We only spent $1 for a decent stack of postcards to send to family (if we can find a way to get stamps, a real challenge), immediately hiding them in a pocket to ensure we weren’t hounded further.

We were also warned not to rent horses.

Several times, Mohammed shooed the vendors away from us. For the times we were alone, we kept on our sunglasses, eyes peeled on the ground to avoid tripping on the rough terrain ignoring every vendor in our path.

At one point, as we walked along a narrow path, Mohammed only 10 feet from us, a group of four officers, identically attired, with guns, uniforms, hats, starched white shirts with epaulets, all sitting atop four militarily adorned camels began waving at us as we approached them. 

Struggling to take camel photos without our camera being snatched, it was tough to get a good shot.


I couldn’t resist taking a photo of this scene, only to discover, that they too held out their hands as we passed, looking for money. We scurried away, unwilling to succumb to their plot.

For a time, we wondered if their “outfits” were a scam when we heard that there were numerous photographers dressed in Royal Caribbean attire, pretending to be “official RC photographers”
when in fact they were not.

It was so interesting, so far removed from our reality and simple lives.

Yes, we appreciate the poverty in this area of the world and respect these relentless individuals working seven days a week in the scorching heat in an effort to feed their families. But there was no way, any one of us could save them from their plight by buying a single useless trinket.

We were told before departing that tourism in Egypt was down considerably. But with multiple buses from multiple ships, we couldn’t imagine room for any more tourists in our midst. The lines to enter various sites were lengthy and uncomfortable in the scorching heat.

The desert was eerie…so unfamiliar to us.

To our good fortune it was only around 90 degrees at the sites. Toward the end of our day, a sandstorm came up, our eyes becoming irritated and scratchy, mine particularly with my contact lenses. 

By 6:00 pm, we commenced our return journey to the ship, back to Alexandria, will proved to be a three hour drive in the rain and in the dark on the traffic jammed highways.

The Pyramids have become greatly commercialized over the decades.

By then, we felt dirty, hungry and exhausted, needing to eat more out of necessity than hunger.
Luckily the buffer, the Windjammer Cafe, stayed open until 9:30 leaving us no time to shower and change for dinner.

Back in our cabin, we couldn’t wash the sand off our bodies quick enough and crawl into our comfortable bed quickly drifting off into oblivion.

Mohammed in black leading the way for us.

A once in a lifetime opportunity was not wasted on us. We will always be grateful for the experience. The history of the sites we visited from our knowledgeable tour guide in the six plus hours of driving time, could never be shared here with our limited access to the Internet. 

Mohammed posing with the three security guards on camels.

Many great web sites exist that are readily available for your perusing. Unfortunately, our MiFi is not working in Egypt as we’d hoped. We expect that some type of “block” is being utilized preventing our access. As a result, we cannot spend time finding links to share at this time. 

Here we are, in front of the Great Pyramids of Giza.  What an experience!

However, we’d be happy to answer any questions to the best of our ability via comments on our blog or personal email.

We captured this photo during the sandstorm.  It was windy most of the day.

We’ve included as many photos as the poor ship’s connection will allow. Tonight at 1:00 am we will begin our transit through the Suez Canal. The captain explained it will take approximately 13 hours for the full transit.  In the dark it will be impossible to see anything. 

The Step Pyramid, one of many we saw yesterday.  There are 110 pyramids in Egypt.

Our goal by sunrise is to find ourselves a perfect spot to witness the transit as we did when we traveled through the Panama Canal, a mere four months ago.

 The artwork on the handmade papyrus was astounding in detail.

Tom’s desire to check off two items off his “bucket list” will be fulfilled: full transits through the Panama and the Suez Canals.  Little did I know that when we booked these experiences,  that I
too would be entranced by their rich history.

 If we owned a “wall” we may have been tempted to purchase one of these works of Egyptian art.

Nor did either of us have a clue as to what wonders we’d discover at every turn, including even the scary parts, much of which await us and some of which are behind us. Soon, the Gulf of Aden, the upcoming emergency drills, the guards on board with yet more Uzi’s, the lights off at night…

 Photo of artwork at the Papyrus Institute, our last stop on our excursion.

Preparations for the upcoming trip to the Pyramids…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment

Digging through our two remaining large suitcases, we pulled out our Africa clothes. In in After all, tomorrow we will be Africa, an appropriate time to wear our lightweight bug resistant pants and long sleeve shirts. 

The ship’s excursion staff explained in our daily bulletin that no matter the temperature when visiting Egypt and the Middle East, we must not have any exposed shoulders, knees or cleavage. 

With the recent donation of our three large suitcases, I began worrying that I didn’t have a remaining pair of “below the knee” Capri pants in a light color. We both only have shorts and blue jeans.

Tom to the rescue!  He dug out the suitcases to reveal the new clothing we’ve yet to wear that we’ve been saving for going on safari in Africa; lightweight, cool, made of natural fibers and, the bonus of insect resistant with a non toxic fruit derived substance.

Our clothing, shoes and desert hats (that cover the back of the neck) are neatly stacked for an early morning start when our group will gather in the Savoy Theatre at 7:15 am in preparation to disembark the ship and board the awaiting air conditioned buses for the 3 1/2 hour drive to our destination. 

_____________________________________________

Getting connected while out to sea has been difficult to say the least. Tom is unable to
download his daily Minneapolis StarTribune newspaper on his Nook app. I have been trying to buy one of our precious young grandsons a birthday gift but unable to bring up Amazon.com since we left
Barcelona on Monday.

Without photos, I can post by continuing to try to get connected, however weak throughout the day. Going to any website with photos is a lost cause. From time to time, we can receive and send email.

The process of going through the required multiple steps several times a day in an effort to connect to the ship’s WiFi is time
consuming and frustrating. It’s difficult to get the login page to appear.

One of the ship’s officers approached us as we sat in our familiar comfy booth this morning, apologizing for the poor service.  He explained that even “the bridge”
was having difficulties with the satellite signal which is vital for their navigation.

From time to time, we get an unexpected steady green light, as a sign of life on our Xcom Global MiFi. 


When the light is a steady hot pink, we’re fully connected.  The steady green allows us to get email but unable to open web pages.

By early tomorrow morning, Friday, the ship will dock in Egypt. By 7:30 am we’ll be departing for our 12 1/2 hour excursion to Cairo, the Pyramids and the Sphinx. If we both do well crossing the desert on foot for 3 1/2 hours, we’ll book another excursion for early next week. We shall
see how that goes.

The thought of an opportunity to visit a Bedouin Tribe was appealing until we talked to others having experienced this excursion on other cruises.

Apparently, something is lost in translation when such a visit day after day to the same tribes, as it’s orchestrated for tourists,.The
authenticity of their lives is lost in the cruise-lines-designed commercialization. 

Perhaps, while we’re in other parts of Africa for nine months beginning August 31, 2013, we’ll encounter opportunities to visit various
tribes in their natural habitat in a less contrived manner. 

This same commercialization is evident on all of the excursions offered by the cruise lines. (I realized that I’ve mentioned this many times). In order to see historic sites such as the upcoming events of tomorrow,
it makes sense for the sake of safety to go along on the excursion rather than
venture off on our own. 

We’ve heard enough horror stories on the news of wandering tourists being snapped up in life threatening scenarios. That won’t
be us, carelessly wandering about in a high risk area during political unrest.  We’ll always chose safety over adventure.

The shopping on the excursions is the equally frustrating, often with one quarter to one half of the time designated for the
excursion. The endless array of trinkets, wall hangings, pottery and jewelry,
although appealing to many tourists, have no place in our stuff free lives. 

For example, tomorrow’s tour requires approximately 5 hours of driving time, 3 1/2 hours of walking to see the exhibits, 1 1/2 hours for lunch in Cairo, ending in what may prove to be a full 2 full hours of shopping.

Most certainly, we’ll look at the handcrafted items, taking some photos, appreciating the quality, hard work and dedication of the
craftspeople striving to earn a living as they spend the better part of each
day in the sweltering heat.

In one of two seminars we attended yesterday, we were told not to give money to beggars and to keep our sunglasses on when shopping. Apparently, one’s dilated
pupils are a dead ringer for expressing interest in an item.  The vendors have learned to read this sign resulting in their relentless pursuit of making the sale, hoping desire for the item will win over desire to negotiate.

If I did in fact, want to make a purchase, my inclination would be to pay the asking price, if at all reasonable.  These people are very poor, living in war torn and ravaged countries to which tourists have shied away.  (We were told yesterday, that we’ll encounter few tourists in many areas as opposed to a few years ago, due to fear of
political unrest). 

As a result, their economy has greatly suffered leaving many vendors scrambling to feed their families.  Haggling seems petty when us tourists have been able to spend $1000’s to go on a luxury cruise.

In an effort to keep our eyes wide open, we try to learn as much as possible from our fellow travelers and visitors to our blog,
many of whom email us as opposed to posting in “comments” available at the end of each post. 

Please, feel free to do either. If you post comments offering us suggestions
or sharing your own stories, we are able to share them with all of our readers on our site. We love hearing from people we meet, family and friends and our readers from all over the world.

Last night we joined our new friends for dinner in the Sound of Music dining room for yet another good meal, impeccable service and attention to every detail in my limited diet.

After dinner we walked along the “Royal Promenade” to the Savoy Theatre for a rip roaring laugh fest with a hilarious comedian. Could Tom laugh any louder?

Last night for the third night in a row, I slept
through the night, a full seven hours.
This is a rarity for me.  No melatonin, no Tylenol PM and no Formula 303 was necessary to get me to drift off into much needed oblivion. 

The comfortable bed, blankets and pillows, coupled with the smooth seas must be a
factor in this uncommon phenomenon. 

These next 12 days hold much for us to behold, adventures beyond our wildest dreams, with the ongoing opportunity to engage with world travelers of varied interests and experiences. 

This, my friends, is how we’ve envisioned ourbtravels…full of wonder, swept up in the rich history of each area all the while in awe of its people and cultures that helped shaped our world. 

We’ll be back on Saturday with photos of our visit to Egypt,  In port for four days, we’ll be able to use our MiFi for a fast connections enabling us to upload photos.

Joyfully, we carry on…

Current cruise itinerary…Gulf of Aden…Pirates? Warning from the Captain…See letter and map below…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
After we go through the Suez Canal, we’ll enter the dangerous waters of the Gulf of Aden. Of course, it will be a relief once we depart this area.
(Correction:  Yesterday, I wrote that we visit the Pyramids on Thursday when it is actually on Friday. It’s easy to lose track of the days of the week lately.)
Bite-sized pieces. That’s our lives, living one day at a time, taking in all that we care to, at our own pace, free of expectations, and one adventure at a time, if at all possible.

Our Current Cruise Itinerary

May  6, 2013, to May 21, 2013

Royal Caribbean – Mariner of the Seas, departs 5/6/13, 15 nights

Mon
May 6, Barcelona, Spain, 5:00 pm

Tue
May 7 At Sea

Wed
May 8 At Sea

Thu
May 9 At Sea

Fri
May 10 Cairo / Giza (Alexandria), Egypt 7:00 am

Sat
May 11 Cairo / Giza (Alexandria), Egypt 3:00 pm

Sun
May 12 Suez Canal, Egypt (Cruising)

Mon
May 13 Luxor (Safaga), Egypt 7:00 am 10:00 pm

Tue
May 14 Petra (Aqaba), Jordan 9:00 am 10:00 pm

Wed
May 15 At Sea

Thu
May 16 At Sea

Fri
May 17 At Sea

Sat
May 18 At Sea

Sun
May 19 At Sea

Mon
May 20 At Sea

Tue
May 21 Dubai, United Arab Emirates 6:00 am

Last night, after an enjoyable evening out to dinner with our new friends, a good meal, a great Broadway-type show in the Savoy Theatre, a stop in a Lotus Lounge, and a leisurely stroll along the Promenade, we sauntered back to our cabin.
Early birds that we are, up by no later than 6:00 am most days, we try to get to sleep by 11:00 pm, which is not always an easy task. Our body clocks are back into our regular schedule after struggling with the nine-hour time difference from Belize to Barcelona. It took us almost three weeks to adapt.

My earlier prediction that sailing across the seas slowly would make adapting easier was shot, as the daily changes across the ocean took us deeper and deeper into “biological clock” hell. 

At the end of last week, we lunged into a massive change by getting up at 6:00 am with much difficulty, falling on our faces by 11:0 pm that first night. In 24 hours, we were back on track.

Anyway, last night, as we entered our room, we discover the usual next day’s program of activities and two other items:

One…this cute “towel per” elephant on our bed:

“Towel Pet” wearing my sunglasses.

Secondly…this letter from Captain Flemming, Master, Mariner of the Seas, purposely placed in plain view next to the “towel pet”

Letter awaiting us when we returned to our cabin after our evening out.

On the last ship, the Norwegian Epic, we met a couple who had cruised this route a few years ago, telling us intimidating stories of guards with machine guns guarding the ships at night, frequent and strict drills, and a similar protocol as indicated in this letter.

We’d anticipated the likelihood of certain procedures being put into place necessary for safe sailing through these high-risk pirate-laden waters. Perhaps, not to this extreme, until we talked to the couple on the Epic, whom we thought at the time, was enjoying getting a reaction out of us.

Although, in essence, it may not have been intended to elicit fear any more than our recent telling of the 50-foot swells and 65 MPH winds we experienced for three days on the Atlantic crossing of the Epic.

Are we scared? No. This huge ship has many security measures in place, along with a very important drill coming up on May 15th at 10:30 am, a full day before we enter the dangerous waters of the Gulf of Aden.

Finally, in our new home for the next few weeks…On Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas!…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
The pilot boat approaching our ship to let the pilot on board to guide us out of the Port of Barcelona

Prior to leaving the Hotel Grums at 10:30, we asked the reception desk to order us an SUV type taxi.  Within two minutes a small taxi appeared on the street with a taxi driver insisting that he was the one called. 

This five mast sail boat was touring with passengers when we stopped in Mallorca Spain on the way to Barcelona.

With our multiple bags on the curb, we waved a hand showing him how much we have and he claimed in unintelligible Spanish that he could fit us and the bags into his small cab.  Not possible.

Views as we pulled away from Barcelona

As we shook our heads “no” a second equally small cab appeared saying he was the taxi called.  He commenced arguing with the first driver.  Another 60 seconds later, a larger SUV taxi appeared just as I began to walk back into the hotel to ask for their help.

The Windjammer Buffet, very nice, great food, comfortable ambiance.

The three cab drivers stood on the street yelling profanities (from what I could determine) at one another.  The hotel desk guy came running out into the street yelling at the first two cab drivers, explaining that he’d ordered the SUV taxi not the two smaller taxis.

Four of them were yelling all at one.  Finally, after an obscene gesture by cab driver #1, the two drove off in a huff, leaving us grateful to the hotel guy for interceding in our behalf. 

Apparently, they all heard the request for a cab at the same time, scuttling to our location hoping they’d be chosen.  Twenty Euros (US $26) later and a short 10 minute drive we arrived at the Porte of Barcelona.

The process of boarding Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas was disorganized and time consuming.  This was our worst boarding to date with over 2000 passengers boarding speaking in at least 10 languages all seeming to arrive at the Port of Barcelona, earlier than the suggested 1:00 PM arrival as stated on the cruise documents.

Arriving at the pier at 10:45, our nine items were tagged and quickly whisked away including one of our two rolling luggage carriers which we kept to hold our carry on bags:  our prescription bag, two computer bags, my handbag and one small bag with a newly broken zipper. 

View from the ladies room by the Windjammer Buffet. 

At this point, we proceeded to the lengthy line waiting to go through the first round of security, with a newfound interest in paying special attention as to what we put into the white plastic bins and what came out after the knife incident (see post of May 1 about this incident).

With our vitamins scattered throughout our bags, now checked we felt at ease going through security.   Our year’s worth of prescriptions were in my hand as always in a wrapped cloth bags with accompanying documents in a computer bags.  We made it through without a hitch with two more checkpoints yet to go.

A full three hours later we used our new key card/ship credit card to unlock our balcony cabin with nary a moment of disappointment as to its amenities. Roomier than most other cabins, it was clean, comfortable and well stocked.

In the casino this glass floor was a sight to behold.

Soon, our delightful Chinese cabin attendant, Jing, stopped by to see to our needs:  ice daily, morning and night, a few laundry bag (we had hand washed small items but had 16 days worth of wash with no laundry facilities on board the Epic nor here on the Mariner of the Seas.

Shortly after unpacking a few items, we were herded of to  our muster station to be left standing in one spot for over an hour while they waited for dallying passengers to appear for the mandatory emergency evacuation training.  In our minds, they should have begun on time requiring the late comers to attend a separate training.

It was frustrating and annoying as unconcerned passengers lollygagged to the area at their own pace with little regard for the process.

More of the playful décor in the casino.

However, the passengers on this ship is of entirely different demographics, mostly retired travelers, (although over half are non-English speaking), leaving us feeling more comfortable in the less noisy, less rowdy party-like crowd we experienced on the Epic, especially over the last four days of the cruise when many new passengers boarded in Barcelona.

With our diminished inventory of clothing after ridding ourselves of five large suitcases since April 13th, we can’t go for long without getting our dirty laundry washed. Today, we loaded 25 items into the ship provided laundry bags, handing them over to Jing to be returned to us tomorrow, most likely at a cost of over $100.

Right now as I sit here in the Café Promenade along the “street” inside the ship, entitled the Promenade, I am wearing a nice tee shirt and my solitary remaining pair of workout capris. Literally all of my few remaining casual shorts and jeans are being laundered.

The Savoy Theatre where we attended two seminars today.

Ugh!  Tonight is dress-up night.  We will be forced to wear casual dressy (if such a thing exists).  Tom’s suits and sport coats where shipped to Julie, my sister in LA, and I donated all of my dressy dresses, leaving me with but a few casual dresses to dress up with costume jewelry.

All future photos of us will be with us wearing the same darned clothes over and over.  Sorry.  Its the nature of the beast. Tom always comments when he’s wearing the same shirt over and over in photos.  We’ll wear these clothes until they fall apart, replacing them one item at a time.  I even donated five of my bathing suits, leaving me with a tiny inventory.  Oh well.

The Promenade, an actual street with shops, bars and restaurants.

So, this ship?  Do we like it?  Love it? Or what?  Its early to say for sure, but so far, we love it!  It reminds us of our favorite Celebrity Century, although its 1000 passengers larger.  Its an older ship like the Century possessing the “old Hollywood charm” we so much love.  We’re content as we could be.

More treats in the Café Promenade, none of which we could eat.

In two days, we’ll arrive in Alexandria Egypt.  At 7:15 am we join a shore excursion to see the Great Pyramids, Giza ad the Sphinx at $179 per person.  The 12 1/2 hour expedition requires hats, sunscreen and bottled water, includes a buffet lunch in a fancy hotel in Cairo, five to six hours on the bus and…a three and a half hour walk in the desert, mostly uphill to arrive at our destinations. Oh.

Café Promenade “outdoor” bar.
Café Promenade, all foods and beverages are included in the fare.

This morning, after a seminar on our upcoming ports of call: Egypt, Jordan and United Arab Emirates including some history of these countries, I headed to the health club to test my ability to walk uphill for on the treadmill for 40 minutes.  All went well but in the upcoming 100 degree heat, the desert sands blowing in our faces, it will be a totally different experience than walking on a treadmill in air conditioned comfort.

Décor in the playful casino.

There many passengers much older than us with walkers, wheelchairs and medical conditions affecting their ability too walk.  If they can do the 3 1/2 hours, so can we.  The key will be staying hydrated during the entire period.

If we are back with photos on Friday morning, then we made it. We’ve heard many stories of the difficult hike.

Another pool view later in the day as it warmed up slightly.  Brave souls in the cool air.

As we’ve determined, we won’t be riding the camels after hearing many horror stories of people being thrown off the camels or, the camels being run out further into the desert by their swindling owners in order to rob unwary passengers, left to fen for themselves miles from civilization. Then there’s the stories of the camels turning their long necks to bite the riders, leaving many severely injured.  No thank you.

While in the Savoy Theatre today.

Tonight, we’re meeting our new friends, Adele and Wally for dinner at the Sound of Music Dining Room.  We met them while at the Hotel Grums in Bareclona this Sunday, only to discover that they were also boarding this ship on Monday.  Small world.

As for dinner last night…heavenly.  Yes, they also will require me to pre-order for the next night but, they are more accommodating than any other ship, running circles around me to provide me with the perfect three course dinner.

My view this morning while working out on the treadmill.  To the left of this photo is the bridge which we can peer into through windows down a short flight of steps.

The food was fabulous:  a seafood salad made with homemade mayonnaise and excellent seasonings, a dinner salad of fresh greens, vegetables and giant chunks of perfectly cooked rare sliced tenderloin with a side of steamed veggies.  For dessert:  a plate of cheese comparable to the fine cheeses I devoured daily in Belize from Cavesbranch Cheese Factory in Belmopan.

Tom enjoyed his dinner as well.  The service is extraordinary everywhere we’ve been on this ship in the past 24 hours. Perhaps, its a little early to say we love this ship although, we have a feeling the pleasure will continue all the way to Dubai.

The health club, well-equipment, good views.

We’ll be back tomorrow, Wednesday and again on Friday with photos and stories of our adventures to Egypt, the only remaining ancient Wonder of the World.  Gee…sounds like us, ancient wanderers of the world.

A night in Barcelona….Hotel Grums…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 4 Comments

With our camera packed away, we won’t have photos until tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by!

Last night was our first night in a hotel since arriving in Scottsdale, Arizona over six months ago.  Booking the hotel on Expedia with four star reviews put our minds at ease that it would not only be close to the Port of Barcelona but also acceptable by our relatively picky standards.

At $169 a night for a “standard deluxe” room for last night chose to select this hotel for last night and again on June 3, 2013.  We wanted to ensure we’d like the hotel to avoid the need of cancelling an prepaid reservation.  Thus, we were willing to pay a little more for that luxury.  For this, we weren’t disappointed.

The room was modern, clean and comfortable with plush king bed with comfy covers, a spacious seating area with sofa, lots of storage (which we didn’t need since we didn’t unpack), a flat screen TV with one English speaking channel, (BBC news) and alas, our first experience with 220 electrical outlets, with which neither our computers or smart phones could be charged.

We did bring a litany of adapters and converters befitting travel anywhere in the world.  Unfortunately, they were tightly packed away in our “not to be opened” luggage, now consisting of two large suitcases, two carry on bags, two duffel bags, two computer bags and a couple of peripheral hand carry bags. 

As mentioned earlier, our goal is to ditch all but the two large suitcases, two carry on bags, two computer bags and my handbag by the time we leave Dubai to fly back to Barcelona for the remaining one night at the same Hotel Grums. The next day, on June 4th, we’ll be boarding yet another cruise on the Norwegian Spirit through the Mediterranean Sea for 15 nights.  (We’ll post the itinerary for that cruise at that time).

Back to the electrical issues.  Without easy access to our adapters and converters, (we try to remember every detail but some do fall through the cracks), we asked the front desk if they had the necessary adapters/converters for recharging our US 110 equipment. 

“No, problemo,” stated the handsome young man at the desk, as he began rummaging through a box of 50 various plug-ins.  After a few minutes, he enthusiastically pulled out what he believed to be the correct adapter.

Wary of plugging our digital equipment directly into the plug into which could potentially “blow out” our phones or laptops, we tried it using the only other electrical item we’d be willing to part with if something went wrong…the oldest of three surge protectors we had in our possession.

Poof!  Yes, poof!  It blew the power out in our room and fried our surge protector. We tossed it in the garbage. For some odd reason, we both had suspected it wouldn’t work although it was indicated as a US converter. 

Getting back on the elevator, I went back to the desk requesting an adapter that would work.  Again, the cutie dug through the box finally pulling out a much more elaborated plug.  I told him our power in the room was out asking if he’d send someone to flip the circuit breaker. 

No one in the hotel seemed to know where the breaker box was located in our room, after six attempts to find it by one person and then three attempts by a second person.  Finally, a third person appeared and found the box hidden behind a false wall.  Once the power was back on, Tom held up the new adapter again asking, “Will this work for US plugs?”

The employee emphatically stated it would work.  Finally an hour later, Tom spending much time as the power continued going out, he managed to get everything working to ensure we wouldn’t fry our laptops or smart phones.  At this point, all of our equipment was deader than a doornail.

By the time everything was charging, we were anxious to find a great restaurant to head out for dinner.  Oh, no such luck.  All the nearby restaurants in Barcelona are closed on Sunday except, the fine dining restaurant in the hotel.

With little English spoken in the hotel, I went online and found this gluten free chef card in Spanish to which I added, handwritten in Spanish, after researching Google Translate:  sugar free, low carb, starch free, grain free, no beans, rice,  or soy.

Handing this to the waiter at dinner resulted in his giving it to the chef for a perfect meal of salad with fresh greens, blue cheese, tomatoes, onions, olives and no less than eight giant prawns sautéed in olive oil  (with heads, guts, brains included) with a freshly made olive oil dressing that was absolutely delicious.  I will continue to print these Chef Cards in various languages to use as we travel from country to country.

I hadn’t had that good of a meal since the night we dined in the specialty restaurant on the Carnival Liberty almost three weeks ago.  Tom opted for a bun-less veal burger topped with veggies, cheese and a fried egg.

Exhausted, we slept through the night bolting out of bed at 6 am this morning  to get ready for the day and down to the restaurant for coffee.  As typical “cruisers” we decided to wait to eat until we were aboard Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas for the “free food.”

So now at 2:00 PM, Barcelona time, we’re sitting at a comfy table in the Windjammer (buffet) Restaurant having had a rather perfect GF lunch with tender roast beef, grilled fish, egg salad and green beans. 

Our ship sails at 5:00 PM inspiring us to go online now while taking advantage of our MiFi working, although slowly, while we’re still in port.  Before the muster drill at 4:15, we’ll meander to the Internet Café to sign up for the ship’s WiFi, a necessity with many upcoming days out to sea.

Tomorrow, we’ll post our current itinerary for this cruise to Dubai along with photos of our “new home” for the next 15 days as we commence our journey through the Suez Canal along our way to the Middle East. 

Teaching an old dog…disembarking the Norwegian Epic soon…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment

Disembarking Day.  We’re getting off the Norwegian Epic, at long last.

It was is with much pleasure that we’re leaving this ship. The
crowds, the lines, the noise and the chaos over the past four days since
departing from Barcelona on May 1st has been unnerving for both of us.
This ship, although modern, clean and attractive leaves much
to be desired.  The food, the service, the
entertainment and the floor plan are severely lacking. The service staff is
exhausted, overworked, all of which is evidenced by the fake smiles plastered
on most of their faces in a futile, although well intentioned, effort to seem cheerful.
Our sweet cabin steward, to whom we gave $60 tip, started
out cheery and animated.  Halfway into
our 15 day cruise, he started going downhill, forgetting towels, ice, and other
amenities.  Many of the crew members
became ill during the three days of 50 foot swells, never seeming to get back
on track.  Most of them were used to the
calm seas of the Caribbean Sea as opposed to this rough transatlantic crossing.

The food: frightful.  The only item I found
delicious, other than the dinner in the “pay for” restaurant, was the
“real eggs” omelet I had every morning, especially after I told them
to stop adding the 1/3 cup of oil to the pan and to use the spray instead.  Tom said nothing was memorable including the
specialty restaurant. 


Their compliance to my low carb, grain free, starch free,
and sugar free diet was a gallant effort but the resulting food was dry, bland
and unseasoned.  Every night, my “steamed”
vegetables, a staple of my meals, were either undercooked or sautéed in gobs of
butter, making them inedible.  Whether I
had fish, shellfish, chicken, pork or beef, it was a miniscule overcooked
portion. 


Our final bill for the 15 days was $1021, including $200 in Internet fees for days out to sea, cocktails, beverages and tips charged on our bill daily of $24 (totaling $360), one night in the specialty restaurant plus $150 for the excursion to Marseilles, France.  This proves to be around $400 for all beverage and tips for beverages for this extended period. 


Hopefully, tomorrow when we board Royal Caribbean’s Mariner
of the Seas for a 15 day cruise to Dubai, we’ll find the food and service more
to our liking.  Based on conversations
with many passengers, they’ve particularly enjoyed this older ship’s attention
to detail, something we found to be the case on the older Celebrity Century,
our favorite ship thus far.

At the moment, we’re sitting in our favorite booth in the
Garden Cafe as passenger’s colors of their luggage tags are called to proceed
to disembark the ship, go through customs and find their way to their next
destinations.

It’s now 8:00 am.  Our
color has already been called but we’ve chosen to disembark “last” since our
hotel room won’t be ready until 2:00 PM. 
We’ve done this on each of our last cruises which resulted in a shorter line
going through customs.  Hopefully, this
will be the case today as well.

Once outside, we’ll grab a cab for the short ride to Hotel
Grums, where we’ll have them store our luggage until our room is ready while we
wait in the lobby for our check in for the one night.  With books to read on our phones and our MiFi
we’ll busy ourselves reading and writing.

Speaking of luggage…OK, here’s the final tally.  After donating the three 30″ orange
Antler bags, we’re down to one 30″ orange bag for Tom and one slightly
larger black Samsonite bag for me, one carry on, one computer bag plus…two
duffel bags with our dirty clothes that we couldn’t fit into the suitcases and a
small bag with the cords for our digital equipment and a small doctor bag with
our toiletries.

As for the vitamins, I took 80% of them out of the bottles
placing the pills in Ziplock bags and scattering them throughout the luggage.  I should have done this to begin with but
then again, who knew we’d be held up for 24 hours by security over
vitamins?  Live and learn.  It’s all a part of the process.
Our goal, at the end of the upcoming cruise as we pack for
our 13 night stay in Dubai, is to be rid of the two duffel bags, the doctor bag
and the other overflow bag.  It will
require us donating more “stuff” or throwing it away.  After the disposition of the three bags,
we’re ready to let go of more of our favorite items.

The clothes we’re wearing today are the same clothes
we’ll wear to dinner tonight and again tomorrow since we don’t plan to open any bags
other than the computer bags and the doctor bag with overnight toiletries while
we stay in the hotel tonight. 


In my old life, I wouldn’t have imagined wearing the same
clothing two days in a row, let alone the same clothing during the day as when
going out to dinner in the evening. 
Alas, we keep adapting and somehow, in the process, we find these
adaptations to be liberating and to a degree, life changing.

Yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks. Learn enough new
tricks and perhaps the old dog isn’t so old anymore.

A romantic day in Marseilles…Photos…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Le Grand Hotel in Marseilles, France.

He went kicking and screaming. My dear husband Tom, not one to do lines, participate in group activities, ride on a bus with tourists or wander through crowded areas, tentatively agreed to go on an excursion with me to Marseilles, France. 

Now a popular department store.

Had he chosen not to go, I would have gone on my own, determined not to miss seeing the second largest city in France’s southern coastal area.

Lifestyles of the rich and famous, an endless array of watercraft, some small and unassuming, others stunning and opulent, all a part of the resort atmosphere of the city of Marseilles.

No doubt, the prospect of being herded like cattle onto the bus was most annoying to him. But the bus was newer, air conditioned and surrounded with massive windows suitable for photo taking.

As we looked out at the island of the Count of Monte Christo, the tour guide explained that no such person actually existed.  But tourists arrive from all over the world to see the supposed island of the fictional Count.

Packed in the narrow seats, we took off from the parking lot near the pier for a full afternoon of
experiencing the sights and sounds of the city of Marseilles. As mentioned yesterday, the cost for two for the excursion was $150 which included a 21% VAT (value added tax).

Historic church we zoomed past.  Couldn’t get the name.

As we arrived at our first destination,  the famous Palais de Longchamps, renowned opulent “water tower” (it didn’t resemble a water tower in any manner) Tom grumbled as we exited the bus, preferring to wait on the bus while I got off to enthusiastically take photos.   

Palais de Longchamp is not a palace, instead a tribute to importance of the water supply in Marseilles. Please click here for historical significance.
Unfortunately, we only had 10 minutes at this site, preventing us from further exploration.

With only 10 minutes until we were required to return to the bus, he had a ready-made excuse to hurry me along. So impatient! I didn’t protest while doing exactly as I pleased, all the while ignoring his grumpy demeanor, which I’d learned to do long ago. 

Sidewalk café where Tom ate his ice cream.
The selection of gelato was mouth watering. 

I don’t fight. Nope, I won’t fight. I refuse to participate in the idle ranting of a grump. Have you ever caught anyone fighting when there is no audience? We don’t fight without a willing participant. 

The gelato shop, Regal Glace Café was located on the Place Gabriel Peri, a quaint location down the road from massive marina.  See Tom in the foreground enjoying his gelato as I took the photo.

So, long ago, I decided to be void of reaction to his occasional grumblings, knowing in a short time he’d lose interest and go back to his generally cheerful self.

Back on the bus, he mumbled under his breath, “Next time we stop, I’m not getting off the bus.”

“OK,” I calmly retorted, a smile on my face as I peered out the window at the wealth of beauty, a feast for the eyes, as we drove along the coast.

A short time later when we arrived at the Arche en Bord de Mer, I said “Excuse me, Honey,” as I unbuckled my seat belt in preparation for getting off the bus. 
Tom happy in front of the Arch.
 Me, equally happy that he is off the bus.
A kindly passenger on bus offered to take a photo of us together. 

Immediately, he stood, extending his hand to me as we made our way down the steep steps of the bus together both grinning from ear to ear. 

A little sandwich shop along the street. 

Thus, our romantic day in Marseilles began leaving us with memories we’ll treasure forever. 

Sycamore trees beginning to bloom as spring approaches.  The weather was cool.

Whether it was a walk along the busy streets near the marina, Tom’s chocolate mint and coconut cream, gelato cone from a shop along the street where a purchase is required to use the restroom (always the case in France, so we learned), or again sitting at a minuscule table on the sidewalk watching passersby, we were in heaven.

Taking photos while the bus zipped along the winding road was difficult through the glass.

Marseilles, a city of great food, entertainment, art, interesting architecture, massive estates of the rich and famous, was made picturesque by it’s close proximity to the Mediterranean Sea.

Love this street sign!

With its seeming endless array of marinas, yachts, beaches, restaurants, bistros, coffee shops and patisseries along the coast, it was easy to become entrenched in the romanticism of this city of 850,000. 

The narrow streets were a wealth of one interesting building after another. Marseilles is a very clean city, a delight to behold.

For us, the hustle and bustle of the city was a delight to behold as a visitor, but such a life would not appeal to us in the long term. We’re not “city people” preferring a more quiet lifestyle surrounded by nature and wildlife.

Taking this photo on foot, as we had an opportunity to walk the area, was the fastest moving 40 minutes of our lives.

Marseilles, although rich in character and style, was void of vegetation with a but a smattering of trees which most likely would be adorned with colorful flowers later in the season. It was still quite cool, the summer season soon to arrive. It’s temperate climate is comparable to California, adding to its draw for the affluent, tourists and retirees.

An old merry-go-round amid the office buildings and shop seemed perfectly in place in this charming city.

Our tour guide explained that a tiny two bedroom appartment near the coast would begin at no less than US $1.5 million, not necessarily affordable for most retirees. 

Arriving back to the pier at 5:30 PM, we were practically floating on air from a glorious day in Marseilles. Now, I am as determined as ever that we’ll spend such a day (or more) in Paris sometime in the future. 

Maybe then, he won’t go kicking and screaming as he recalls our memorable day in Marseilles.