Livorno, Italy…Later…

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As we pulled into the port of Livorno, Italy.
Views from the ship were limited.
Historic buildings lined the streets in Livorno.

Yes, we have now been in Italy for the past 24 hours, yesterday in Livorno and today in Civitavecchia, the port that brings us within an hour and a half drive to Rome.

It may have been easy for us to board the bus and visit Rome now. But, the excursions priced at as much as $395 per person, would leave us only five hours to explore. We’d decided awhile ago to save touring Italy including Rome when we can drive on our own from Florence, where we’ll spend the summer with a car. 
Exactly how we envision Italy, isn’t it?
At $865 per month for the rental car, most certainly we’ll be heading out to explore the many points of interest all over Italy throughout the summer,perhaps staying overnight in a few areas in the process.
The cruise ships and ferries were lining up to let off the tourists.
Boarding yet another bus with sneezing and coughing passengers was hardly appealing to at this point, let alone while still recovering from our recent illness which lingers in its annoying subtleties.

As the time nears to move into the house in Tuscany, we’ve contacted the owners to complete the payment.  Originally, they’d asked for cash in Euros for the balance for the two and a half months. With all this cruising and frequently moving about, we’ve preferred not to carry much cash with us based the dangers of pickpockets. 

From afar, we could see the Norwegian Epic, the ship we didn’t like due to poor design and…where we experienced the 50 foot waves while crossing the ocean.
When one travels for a few weeks, it’s no big deal to get cash off of a credit or debit card at a cash machine, paying fees upwards of 10% in a foreign country. For us, traveling constantly, this would be an outrageous expense. Carrying around large sums of cash is also foolish. Thus we’ve used PayPal and credit cards (not debit) for rental payments which has worked quite well up to this point.

With the owners  of the Tuscany property asking for cash in Euros for the extended period, we’ve been in aquandary. We could go to any bank and pay more fees to have our bank wire the funds to us to convert to Euros. 

We could use a cash machine each day in order to accumulate smaller amounts, paying huge fees, or we could open a bank account at a European bank which we’d prefer not to do, not knowing at this point how long we’ll be in Europe for the long haul.
This is not an issue for any of our future rentals. Thus, it didn’t make sense to go through all of this. As a result with angst looming, yesterday we contacted the owners of the property by email, offering to pay PayPal or credit card fees which most certainly would be considerably less than the up to 10% fees we’d pay at a cash machine.
An old grain elevator close to the port.
Much to our delight and gratefulness, they wrote back (using Google translate since they don’t speak English), telling us not to worry and that we could pay however we’d like, at any time we’d like. Their kindness prompted us to offer to pay the entire amount now using a credit card, paying the appropriate fees. We shall see how this rolls out but at least we can stop fussing over this at the moment.
It’s peculiar to us how the worries of our daily lives have changed as we’ve traveled; transportation from here to there, dirty laundry, exchange rates, runny noses, decent food, and most of all, time zone differences allowing us to Skype with family.  
The sunset shortly after our shipped pulled out of the harbor.

Cruise Itinerary, easy boarding…Here we come Eastern Mediterranean!…

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Here’s our upcoming cruise itinerary:

Norwegian Spirit, departs 6/4/13, 12 nights

Tue Jun 4 Barcelona, Spain 7:00pm
Wed Jun 5 Toulon, France 8:00am 6:00pm
Thu Jun 6 Florence / Pisa (Livorno), Italy 8:00am 7:00pm
Fri Jun 7 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy 8:00am 7:00pm
Sat Jun 8 Naples (Capri), Italy 8:00am 7:00am
Sun Jun 9 At Sea
Mon Jun 10 Mykonos, Greece 7:00am 3:00pm
Tue Jun 11 Istanbul, Turkey 9:00am 6:00pm
Wed Jun 12 Izmir, Turkey 11:30am 7:00pm
Thu Jun 13 Athens (Piraeus), Greece 8:00am 6:00pm
Fri Jun 14 At Sea
Sat Jun 15 Venice, Italy 2:00pm
Sun Jun 16 Venice, Italy Disembark

We were out the door of the Hotel Grums at 11:00 am,  we were on our way to the Port of Barcelona to board the Norwegian Spirit, an older ship in Norwegian’s fleet.  Although only rated a four out of six stars, it had been remodeled two years ago. 
Outdoor deck on the aft end of the ship, Norwegian Spirit.

Based on the convenience of the dates that we’re scheduled between our vacation homes in Dubai and Tuscany, this cruise was a logical choice. Also, this gave us an opportunity to visit the eastern Mediterranean.

With our recent arranged car rental when we arrive in Venice on June 16th, we’ve decided to forego visiting the Italian ports of call excursions of which there are three in the next week.The money we’ll save will pay for 1/2 of our entire car rental for the summer.

More importantly, it will leave us with day trips to enjoy while driving our rental car all over Italy, seeing the sights on our own time, on our own dime, and free of germ-ridden bus tours. Thus, we’ll stay on the ship for at least the next week.

Today’s excursions are for Toulon, France. We’ve decided to get off the ship on our own to explore this exquisite resort community, posting story and photos tomorrow.
The bar outside the Raffles Restaurant where we had breakfast this morning and worked on today’s post.

Hopefully, by the time we reach Istanbul, the unrest will be over and we’ll feel safe to explore. So often on the news we hear awful stories about tourists getting caught in uprisings resulting in death or injuries. Our health and safety will always remain foremost in our minds. Nothing is worth the obvious risks.

Yesterday, arriving at the port at 11:15, our bags were whisked away, and of all things…we finally have cruised enough on Norwegian to warrant our Latitudes status to be Silver, allowing us priority boarding. When they called #1 and #2 boarding passes and we were #2, we boarded the ship along with the top Latitudes Platinum level passengers and Penthouse level passengers. Finally, a perk has materialized!

By noon, we were dropping off our carry on bags in our cabin and ready to be some of the first passengers in Raffles Terrace restaurant on the 12th deck, where most likely we’ll dine for breakfast each day. The lunch was good with lots of excellent options for me.  By far, this was the quickest embarking we’ve experienced so far.
Much to our disappointment there are no “comfy booths” in which to park ourselves each morning to write to you here. Wandering around the ship, we found a perfect spot, an observation area, Galaxy of the Stars also on the 12th deck with comfy sofas, chairs, places to put our legs up and another spot, where we are now, outside the Raffles Restaurant.
Our MiFi is working perfectly but we did, as usual purchase the ship’s Internet package for 250 minutes for $100.  With a special they offered for early sign up and our Silver status, we earned an extra 50 minutes for a grand total of 5 hours of time.  With this two sea days, this will supply us for adequate time when we can’t use the MiFi.
As we sit here ensconced in new comfy zone, writing amid pleasant idle chatter. Also, there are
less germs away from the dining area. Fully unpacked, our cabin steward Kelly will fulfill our twice daily ice requests has already provided extra hangers and we’re already settled in.
Dinner last night was in the Garden Restaurant, the more casual of the two included large dining halls.  Seated at a table for six, we sat with a young friendly newlywed couple and two charming widows from the UK.  The conversation was upbeat and full of shared quips about life and travel adventures.  It couldn’t have been more fun!

By 9:00 pm, we were tucked in bed in our cabin, reading our books on the Kindle app on our smart phones, my eyes were closing, in between paragraphs in a futile effort to stay awake until 10:30.  As I pushed the off button on my phone it was 10:00 pm and slumber enveloped me, to awaken at 6:30 am, raring to go, feeling better.

Breakfast was mediocre at best this morning in the  Raffles buffet; eggs under-cooked; bacon too fatty and under-cooked; decaf coffee hard to find and difficulty finding a place to sit when we arrived at 7:45 am. With no pork in Dubai, we’d so looked forward to crispy bacon with none to be found

All I could think about were the germs everywhere.  For that reason alone, I’ll be happy to stop cruising for a while.  Otherwise, I could cruise forever.  Actually, we’ve talked about cruising long term, but lack of good food and exposure to illness would be the predominant deterrents, even if the price was right.  We shall see.

Poolside today, a visit to Toulon, France taking photos, a workout in the fitness center and of course, meeting more interesting people from all over the world, on what we expect to be a very pleasant next 11 days.

More photos tomorrow!

Planning for our arrival in Tuscany begins…Also, tomorrow’s a big day…

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Tomorrow, we’ll be gone the entire day visiting many exciting places of interest in Dubai. Of course, the cameras will be clicking, hopefully getting great shots of the sights this unique area has to offer. Please check back on Tuesday when we’ll post the story and photos of our private day trip with our cab driver Umer, as we travel in air-conditioned comfort in a newer SUV.

How far ahead we plan our means of transportation from ships and airports to vacation homes is determined by several factors; the availability of transportation to our final destination, the accessibility to the location, the likelihood of a string of cabs ready to transport passengers, the time of day of our arrival and, the urgency of our desire for peace of mind.

In our case, peace of mind is at the top of the list. Tom, worrier than he can be, finds comfort in planning well in advance with directions and a map in hand. I’m perfectly comfortable planning a few weeks in advance, rationalizing that “last-minute deals” might be the way to go. However, my ultimate goal is to keep Tom from worrying and get us to our location with the least stress. 

We plan to get to the airport in Dubai the following Monday for our flight to Barcelona, where we’ll stay for one night at the Hotel Grums again. The next day, we’ll grab a cab to take us to the port of Barcelona to board our eighth cruise since January 3, 2013, on a 12-day trip through the Mediterranean with almost daily stops in unique ports. (This will be our last cruise in 2013, with our next cruises scheduled in 2014 as we work our way to Hawaii to meet up with our kids for the holidays).

On June 16, we’ll disembark the Norwegian Spirit (I hope we like it!) in Venice, Italy, where we’ll have spent two days perusing this romantic city. 

The challenge: finding our way from Venice to our renovated 17th-century stone farmhouse in Tuscany, where we’ll spend the summer, a three-plus hour car ride. After the summer in Tuscany, we’ll fly to Mombasa, Kenya, a long flight away.

Over a year ago, when planning this leg of our journey, we accepted that a rental car for the entire two and a half months is vital, allowing us to take day excursions to other parts of Italy from this convenient location. 

With no nearby grocery stores and only a few restaurants, there is no way we are willing to feel trapped for the entire summer. The cost of renting a car, however small or economical, is outrageous. People have said, “Oh, I went to Italy and rented a car for $350 a week.” Well, let’s do the math. We’ll be there for ten weeks. We budgeted this expense, having checked on the pricing over a year ago.

Contemplating numerous options, we’ve come to the most stress-free solution to accomplish our goals: When our ship disembarks at the port in Venice, we’ll take a cab to Marco Polo Airport, a mere four miles, to pick up our awaiting rental car and drive ourselves to our awaiting property in Tuscany.

When we’re ready to fly to Kenya, we’ll drive the rental car back to Venice (it appears most flights to Mombasa depart later in the day), drop it off at the airport, and off we go to our awaiting flight.

We’d also considered; taking a train to Tuscany from Venice to rent a car in Florence, but then we’d have to get to a bigger airport to fly to Kenya. Returning to Venice is our most straightforward, least costly, stress-reducing option.

Today, we rented the car. We’ve heard horror stories about renting cars in Italy. Good grief. If you go online, you can find horrible stories about everything we’ve done so far. Refusing to spoil our experiences with needless speculation about “what ifs, would haves, and could haves” is pointless, sucking the life out of a potentially great opportunity.

As we know, things do go wrong. After all, I still have major sinus problems from that annoying ship-borne illness. After all, we’re practically trapped in our condo from construction at every turn, making walking outdoors nearly impossible. 

After all, is said and done, it’s all going to be OK as we continue to have the times of our lives, living on the roads, the seas, the skies, the mountains, the valleys, the canals, the deserts, and on and on.

Inside the Gulf of Aden..All is well so far…Making final plans to arrive in Dubai in three days…

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Due to poor internet connection we are unable to post photos today.

After another uneventful night at sea in the Gulf of Aden, we’re looking forward to nearing Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Its hard to believe that our seventh cruise is almost over, with the eight to begin on June 4th.

In three days, we’ll be in Dubai, settling into our condo, unpacking everything with the intent of further trimming our load and, much to our delight, doing our laundry.

As we get close to arriving at our next location, we find a fair amount of communication is necessary with the property manager or owner of the property to fine tune the details such as:

  1. How do we get a key?
  2. What time can we get in?
  3. If we arrive early, where can we wait, if waiting is necessary?
  4. What’s the situation with maid service, if, available.
  5. How will the security deposit of US $300, to be paid in cash be refunded to us?

In the case of Dubai, there is a glitch that we knew would transpire with little we can do about it.  The property, being a condo hotel, has a check-in time of 3:00 pm.  Our ship arrives in the port of Dubai at 6:00 am. 

We’ve found that we can take our time in order to disembark the ship approximately four hours after arriving in port eventually grabbing a cab to the property. At most, this will take us to 10:30 am. The property manager agreed to meet us at the Elite Residence Hotel at 2:00 pm, leaving us approximately 3 1/2 hours to kill.

At the moment, we’re awaiting a response from him as to the availability of a lobby at the property. Waiting there would be an ideal situation as long as we have access to a restroom and a place to sit.  We can easily entertain ourselves using our MiFi or reading books on our phones.

We’ll have breakfast on the ship before we disembark, so food during the waiting period is no issue for us since we only have two meals per day at most, breakfast and dinner.

As for the maid service for the 13 nights, we’ve asked the property manager to arrange a cleaning one week after we arrive at a cost of US $20 including tip. What a bargain! 

Yes, we certainly could have cleaned the condo ourselves, but we’ve decided that if maid service is available at our vacation homes for a reasonable cost, we will take advantage of it.  This avoids the necessity of purchasing cleaning supplies only to leave them behind and spending time cleaning and thinking about cleaning.  Of course, we clean up after ourselves daily, doing laundry, cooking and dishes.

This particular rental requires a US cash deposit of $300.  Most often, they prefer to snail mail a refund check after vacating the property, at times not until two weeks later.  This isn’t the easiest solution for us,  although our mailing service in Nevada will send the check to our bank at our request, using the addressed envelopes we left with them.

Last night, we attended a huge disco party on the Royal Promenade, the well designed “street” mid ship, lined with shops, bars and restaurants.  On the bridge over our heads, the ship’s professional singers and dancers performed many familiar songs of the 70’s while the crowd danced in the “street.”  Having arrived early for seats in the “outdoor café” we couldn’t have found a better spot.

The people watching was stupendous, the conversation loud and animated and we had a blast, reminiscing of earlier days in our lives.  Watching “old timers” many 10 to 20 years our senior, dancing along to the music warmed our hearts.  We couldn’t wipe the smile off our faces, staying until the music ended.

Actually, a smile on our faces has become a normal state of being for us.  No matter the hassles, the luggage, the comings and goings, every day we meet new people, experiencing new adventures as we learn more and more about our world, its cultures and its people.  We’re very grateful.

Security loaded on the ship while out to sea…Gulf of Aden, here we come…

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Tonight we enter the Gulf of Aden.

Yesterday morning as we were reminded of yet another time change to be effective at 11:30 am, our Captain Fleming announced that a boat would be coming to ship around 4:00 PM to drop off “security equipment” for our upcoming remaining three days through the Gulf of Aden.

Tom was determined to see this event occur as was I.  Watching the clock throughout the day, we were pleased when the Captain’s voice sounded over the loudspeaker as he explained that the boat would be arriving soon and the ship would be slowed down accordingly.

It’s helpful for worried passengers to be alerted to such events.  Captain Fleming has been conscientious about making such announcements in an effort to diminish fear and its resulting rumors.  For us, we wanted to see this firsthand in order to take photos. 

Our view at the bow of the ship as the “security boat: approached.

Unsure which side of the ship the “security boat” would deliver the “security equipment” we headed for the bow of the ship where there is row of viewing windows to the bridge. If we watched the officers in the command area, we’d be able to see which direction they were looking through their binoculars.

Peering into the bridge, we had a clear view of the blue radar screens, noting three objects, one on the port side forward, and two on the starboard side forward.  Wondering which would be the delivering boat, we waited patiently while Tom, using his trusty Swarovski binoculars kept a lookout.

Around 3:30 PM, we saw the delivery boat approaching our ship approaching dead ahead, to finally veer to the port side.  We were on the move!  We wanted to get as close as possible and yet not so close that we couldn’t get a good shot.

Each of us had a camera, old and new, in our hands.  Much to my frustration and unbeknown to me, one of the settings on the new camera we had changed in error, preventing me from getting any good shots.  Luckily, Tom had the old camera and was able to take the photos we’ve posted today.

As crew members hung onto the “security boat,” two uniformed soldiers got on board our ship, each carrying two large black cases as shown in the photos. Captain Fleming had referred to these black rectangular boxes as “security supplies.”  Duh?

When asking an officer about the contents of these black boxes, it was obvious to us that his response was rehearsed, “Oh, those are night goggles, binoculars and such.”  Why wouldn’t a large ship such as ours, Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas, keep night goggles on board along with all their other such equipment?  Why were two soldiers dropped off?  To use night goggles?  Hardly.

The “security boat” as he approached our ship.

We’re assuming that the ship staff, in an attempt to avoid fear and panic, have been instructed to report the contents of the black cases contained “security equipment.”  We understand their reasons to lie to us and in essence, respect it. 

After a hysterical time at dinner last night at a table for eight with non-stop laughing, we meandered back to our cabin, smiles on our faces from yet another enjoyable evening at a “shared” table.  One couple was from Australia, another from England and a third from Florida, whom we’ve made plans to meet up with again tonight.

When we returned to our cabin around 10:30 pm, our room darkened as instructed, drapes tightly pulled, we settled into bed.  Minutes after dosing off, I awakened to a sensation of a bright light filtering through the crack in the drapes.

As the boat took off, after unloading the two security personnel and the black boxes.
Awakening Tom, he bolted out of bed, running to the window to peek out. Seeing the light, he cautiously opened the balcony door only to discover that the cabin next to us had not followed security protocol by having their drapes wide open and lights turned on.

What’s with people?  It was a simple requirement, easy to follow, affecting the safety of everyone on board.  It’s the same mentality of guests who become ill while cruising and don’t bother to stay in their cabins during the infectious period, infecting everything they touch resulting in the illness of many others.

This morning at 8:00 am, after our good night’s sleep, Captain Fleming’s voice once again blared on the loudspeakers, thanking us all for our cooperation, reporting a safe uneventful night. 

After the boat departed, we found our way to an observation deck and shot this photo of the pool area, as it thinned out in the late afternoon.  (This shot was taken after I figured out the incorrect setting on the new camera.  Bear with us, as we learn to each use it properly).

Hopefully, expectantly and most likely, we’ll hear such announcements each morning as we continue on our journey to Dubai, to arrive next Tuesday.

We’ll keep you updated as we continue on and on, and on.

Part 2…A day to remember…Petra…Aqaba Jordan…photos, photos and more photos…Plus pirate drill!

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Part 2.  Our experiences in Petra, the lost city.  Part 1 was posted yesterday on May 15, 2013.
For the detailed history of Petra, please click here.

Yesterday morning, after posting our Part 1 of our expedition to Petra, everyone aboard ship was to participate in a mandatory drill in preparation for our upcoming passage into the Gulf of Aden.

All passengers in the inside cabins would be required to stay in their cabins in the event pirates boarded the ship. Passengers in balcony cabin (us) and suites were to move to the hallways after locking their cabin doors staying in place until directed otherwise. 

The drill lasted 30 minutes as security maintained their stations to ensure all complied. The quiet was unsettling. 

As described to us, most often, pirates attack larger ships during the night. Thus, we’ve been instructed that tonight and over the next three nights, beginning at sunset and ending at sunrise, to keep our curtains closed and all outdoor lights off.  Also, all outdoor nighttime activities will be suspended during this four day period.  Walking along the decks at night will also be prohibited.

After speaking with a ship’s officer a short time ago, he explained upon my polite pressing, that an escort convoy of naval ship from multiple countries will be accompanying us over the next four days as we navigate toward and through the Gulf of Aden.

Are we frightened?  Not at all. The likelihood of pirates boarding a cruise ship at full speed with naval escorts is slim to none.  Although, we must admit that the excitement of it all adds to our varied experiences as we travel the world.

Who we are as individuals is comprised of all of our life experiences, good and bad.  Every step of our journey, now almost seven months since leaving Minnesota, has changed us in subtle ways, has changed our view of the world and, our view of our world.  These discoveries continue each and every day as new opportunities and challenges are presented to us, such as the visit to Petra.

__________________________________

Now, back to where we left off yesterday in Part 1 ending with this photo as we inched closer and closer to the Treasury at the lost city of Petra, Jordan:

This was the photo we posted at the end of yesterday’s Part 1 of our trip to Petra.
This was the next scene as we entered “the city” to see the world renowned “Treasury.”
We couldn’t stop shooting.  It was breathtaking!
In Jordan, the camel owners proudly let us take photos.  In Egypt at the Great Pyramids, either they’d grab your camera and smash it or demand $50 to get it back.
More of the Treasury, illustrating the rose hue to the daunting structure.
Actually, Tom was much happier than he looks in this photo!
Imagine, they said tourism is down.  What would it have been like if that wasn’t the case!
Check out the intrigue detail of Treasury performed by craftsmen over 2000 years ago. The twelve pillars represent the twelve months of the year.
The seven cups along the border illustrate the seven days of the week
After the long walk, sitting down for this not so smiley photo was a huge relief. The grates behind me at the front of the Treasury are protecting more intricate design.
Much to our surprise, vendors were set up by the Treasury but in Jordan, they weren’t “pushy” as they were in Egypt at the Pyramids.
We continued on past the Treasury to yet another area full of wonders.
This camel posing for us preferred his side view!
Visitors aren’t allowed to enter the various tombs and chamber.

The ride back was nerve racking, the bus bobbing along on the rough roads. Luckily, the day was cool which made a huge difference in our three hour walk. But when we got onto the bus, the driver put the heat on full blast. It was so hot, it felt as if it was burning our feet as it blasted out down below. No one on the bus said a word.

This donkey, high above us was standing on the rocks, waiting to be beckoned for his next passenger.
Tom, sitting on the aisle jumped up and approached the driver, kindly asking that he turn off the heat and put on the AC.  He agreed and the people on the bus cheered as the cool air came on.
Our tour guide positioned himself in an advantageous spot in order to take photos of passengers in our group using each of our own cameras.  He took the photo of us at the top of this page.

The ride continued on until about five miles from our ship.  Suddenly, a warning sound on the bus blared, startling all of us.  The driver stopped the bus, turning off all of the lights, as he pulled toward the curb.  Moaning ensued by the passengers. 

Wouldn’t it be interesting to crawl into these openings?

We heard one person say, “Oh, I knew this day was too good to be true.”

The open area by the Treasury make me wonder what it would have been like 2000 years ago filled with townspeople, animals and vendors, typical of the era.

My mind was spinning. It was already 7:30 pm. We could be stuck on this road for hours waiting for another bus, a hazard on the road with no taillights turned on.  Both the driver and the tour guide were speaking in Arabic on their cell phones trying to figure out what to do. Fifteen minutes passed.

More interesting formations.

Tom looked angry. I was worried. Soon, they both got back on the bus and the driver started it up. It sounded alright. We could see our ship at the far distance, its lights twinkling in the dark. Much to our delight, we were on our way once again, the driver mumbling something about a “bad sensor.”

More interesting entrances.

We didn’t get back to the ship until 8:00 pm. We were hungry, exhausted and anxious to move about. Rather than spend time showering and dressing for dinner, knowing the main dining room closed at 9:30, we dropped off our heavy bag, changed into clean clothes and headed to dinner.

Imagine the hard labor for the artists who crafted these stones.
Falling into bed by 10:30, we had smiles on our faces over an overall enriching day that neither of us will ever forget.
A doorway to…
Thank you, Jordan, a peaceful country rich in history and treasures they have gifted to the world to see.  We’re grateful, once again.

Part 1, A day to remember…Petra…Aqaba Jordan…photos, photos and more photos…

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A fantastic day for both of us. Yesterday, we were before the world-renowned “Treasury” in Petra. 

It was a trying day, a walk beyond the difficulty of any walk I’ve ever experienced. It was a full three hours of rough, rocky, uneven terrain, downhill on the way to Petra and strenuous uphill on the return. 

This bus fleet was waiting as our ship approached the pier in Aqaba, Jordan. Yeah, the cattle herding thing… but we said “moo” with a smile this time.

We were enchanted by the history and beauty of this two-thousand-year-old ingeniously built gift to the world and were proud of ourselves for making the arduous trek.

Water was found in this area, resulting in this fertile green farmland. Enough water was discovered to supply Jordan for the next 60 years.

Leaving at 9:45 in the morning, we were herded to about 40 awaiting air-conditioned buses with a modicum of chaos, finding ourselves good seats in the front of the bus. No security guard was needed on these buses. 

The black goat’s hair Bedouin tents are shown in the back. The white structure appears to cover some type of equipment, protecting it from the elements.

Much to our surprise, we discovered that Jordan is now a peaceful country, its citizens warm and friendly, and its streets clean, although poverty prevails. We did not feel or sense any unrest, as we had in Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt.

As we entered the area of Petra, the winding hilly roads were scattered with hotels, resorts, and restaurants to accommodate the endless flock of tourists from all over the world that also want to check Petra off of their “bucket list.”

On the two-hour drive, our tour guide pointed out that the borders of Israel and Jordan were a few miles from us. Also, the port to which we’d arrived is used by Iraq, which results in their using Jordan’s port for all their significant imports.

The rock formations along the way were breathtaking. Little did we know what lay ahead. (Due to the poor internet connection today while out to see, photos will be posted in varying sizes).

Again, as we had assumed that oil is produced in Jordan, we discovered our preconceived notions were wrong. Jordan pays exorbitant prices to buy oil from Saudi Arabia, as does much of the world.

 The further we walked, the more interesting the carved stone was.

The long drive to Petra was broken up by the occasional sighting of the black goat’s hair, Bedouin tents scattered throughout the barren desert, a flock of goats and sheep crossing the road, and an occasional herd of camels, donkeys, and horses.

When we approached this area, we thought we were there. We did not realize we had much more to walk to reach the Treasury.
Our guide explained that most Bedouin families are intelligent, successful entrepreneurs living thriving lives with little use of modern tools and equipment. However, they may own a vehicle for the movement and marketing of their wares. They are highly revered for their ancient ways by the Jordanian people.
Entrances to caves were everywhere.
Once we arrived in the Petra area, we were surprised by the hilly trek from the bus parking lot to the hotel, the Guest Houses of Petra. More anxious to get on our way than eat lunch, we followed the flock into the upscale restaurant sharing a table with four men, all experienced baby boomer world travelers.
It’s hard to believe the two-thousand-year-old craftsmanship.
The passageways became narrower and narrower as we continued along.
The raw beauty f nature, coupled with artistic skills, made the walk exciting, moment by moment.
Tom carried our heavy bag with water and supplies for the entire three hours of our journey.
Horses, donkeys, and wagons transported weary tourists to and from the Treasury.
We expected the Treasury to appear at each end of the long walk through yet another narrow passageway.
Hard to believe the feasts our eyes beheld.
 We thought we couldn’t make it through each time we encountered these narrow crevices, but we managed at each turn.
Looking up is more of nature’s wonders; we were enthralled.
Man and nature’s wonder combined was awe-inspiring.
Can you imagine the excitement of the Swiss adventurer that discovered this
find in 1812?
At last! The Treasury! This sight made us gasp with our hearts pounding wildly, less from the walk, more from sheer joy!

Part 2 of our fantastic expedition will continue tomorrow. With a poor Internet connection while out to sea, posting these photos has taken over an hour of online time. We’ll try to post some links about the history of Petra as well, but we’re having difficulty bringing up web pages.

And then, slightly more…
We can’t wait to share the remainder tomorrow! 

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

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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!

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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….

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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.