4 Continents, 3 Oceans, 3 Seas, 2 Hemispheres

Transit Panama Canal and Home

2009-05-06T07:14:00.000-07:00

May 1-7, 2009 Transit the Panama Canal and Home

On May 2 we passed over the “bridge of water.” The Panama Canal transit was an all-day event, and we spent a lot of time on the deck. Margaret G. emailed that she watched our ship pass the Miraflores Locks! That was so exciting to us – what a grand world! Big freighters in the locks next to us had only two feet to spare on each side. There are strong “mules” that run along tracks next to the ships and attached by cables – two off the bow and two off the stern (or more “mules” on the huge ships). Their function is to keep the ships from scraping the canal or locks. (Picture with Captain Jeremy) They have cogs to drive them up the hills on the sides of the water escalator. There are big targets on grassy lawns at the locks: these are for line throwing practice. Ships go through the locks on a schedule, and they can pass going each way when they get to the big lake on the crossing. Fourteen thousand ships go through the Panama Canal annually. “The land divided, the world united” is the motto.
While passing through the Canal, we were followed by frigate birds. We glimpsed two crocodiles on the banks of the jungle. When we neared the Atlantic side, we saw pelicans. In the Caribbean, the flying fish are again sailing over the waves and crashing back into the water. We are going to miss watching the endless sea every day.
We went around Cuba in the Yucatan Channel where the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico meet. We traveled with the flow of the Yucatan Current.
Classes are over, and I was surprised to be honored by both of my professors as a “Distinguished Individual of Academic Excellence.” Wendy had her final dance performance: the students showcased dances from around the world (picture of one). At the end, Wendy did a moving hula “thank you” dance for everyone that brought tears to many eyes (picture). Matthew’s MICE group presented their final concert yesterday. The two of them added a lot of interest to the academic life of the ship.
More music has kept the trip lively – staff member Bob Balsley entertains along with students. They even had a “Battle of the Bands” one night. We attended an Ambassadors’ Ball, which was a dress-up dinner, and eight of our eleven Shipboard Family students came for a “family photo” (pictures). We’re packing and saying goodbye to so many new friends – our wonderful crew, the students, faculty and life-long learners. The final “Pre-port Lecture” was a spoof presented by students. The security rating for the USA was “high,” and we viewed how visitors might be prepared for the USA.
It is hard saying goodbye to everyone, so we are waving, “see you again.” Parents are swarming the Fort Lauderdale dock with signs welcoming their children home. We’ll be renting a car for our drive to Miami where we’ll stay for our morning flight on May 7.
Processing all we’ve seen, heard, smelled, tasted and all the things that have touched our hearts will take some time. What we do with our new knowledge is yet to be discovered. For now, we will enjoy again our family and friends, our home.

Guatemala

2009-05-02T07:53:00.000-07:00

April 27-30, 2009 Guatemala

Our last stop was a surprise and pleasure. We didn’t know exactly what we would do the first two days – we wanted to do something special with Barrett. Wendy and Matthew were going to Antigua to ride horses and climb a volcano. We ended up in a cab heading south from Puerto Quetzal to Monterrico. We arrived on the edge of the rainy season, so it was quiet there. Our hotel, Atelie del Mar, was a group of buildings with palma roofs. The dining area is outside under a red mangrove and palma roof, and there is a large swimming pool on one side and a small one on the other. Barrett learned to get in and out of a hammock. Violetta, the wife of the owner, cooked the meals, but her real work is painting watercolors on silk. She is respected as an artist (we couldn’t afford even her smallest works), and it wasn’t until she took us up to her studio that I realized she is blind. She also has a lovely flower garden. Her husband is originally from Finland and speaks many languages.
Across the street was the beach that sounded like thunder from the hotel! The black sand was hot!! We had to wear our shoes down to the water line. I held on to Barrett’s hand because as we played in the foam, the water tried to pull him into the Pacific, steal him from me! It was a very steep and dangerous beach. We watched people launching a boat out into the surf. Then we went and did our swimming in the pool.
At five in the morning, we heard a knock. Eleazor, who works at the hotel, came to take us on a tour a los mangles de la Reserva Natural Monte Rico. A Guatemalan honeymoon couple and a communications professor from the ship, Jody, went with us. Eleazor had a pole boat, and we glided between the mangroves. We heard gray egrets laughing and saw big white herons. Social flycatchers were showing off their bright golden yellow breasts. Large termite nests of brownish mud were wedged up in the trees, and the sun rose orange between volcanoes. Ferryboats, flat barges with a motor on the back, carried one car or truck along the canal. Some men were fishing for shrimp, and we saw tiny set gillnets strung next to the mangroves that had captured Barrett-palm-sized fish. Best of all were the anableps anableps, four-eyed fish that look like frogs swimming and then skip across the water when they see us coming. Barrett called them “skippers.” I found out that they have two eyes, but four pupils with split corneas for air and for under water vision.
Walking back through the village, Barrett spotted big pigs running in the street. Then we saw a litter of piglets. Barrett and Jody followed them around while we waited for a man to make us coffee. Then the proprietor squeezed fresh oranges for Barrett to drink. As we walked on, Barrett noticed chickens running about. We bought some tortillas a lady was cooking on a flat grill, and a big green ball for Barrett.
The last day we traveled by bus to a village near Antigua called Alotenango or San Miguel Duenas (we never got that clarified). “Tourist police” followed us. These are now part of the government’s plan to help improve Guatemala’s reputation as a dangerous country. Our guide Leonel told us the story of his struggle growing up, getting an education. Out of all the information emerged a hopeful note: Guatemala is slowly gaining a middle class, and education is the key. In the village, we visited a private, free library for children, Open Windows Library. One of the founders, Theresa, said that she realized Christmas gifts for the poor children did not last, so she began the library in her mother’s empty home. It has grown, and the children are learning. They go to school in the morning only, so the library is open in the afternoon for homework, tutoring, computer use, and reading. Right now they need volunteers who speak Spanish and can teach math, as well as someone to open a teen center in the evenings. Wow, it is amazing what one person can do with their vision! We also went to a school, and the children were painting woven newspaper baskets with cardboard bottoms that they had made. Barrett was allowed to help paint.
For lunch we went to Antigua. Barrett had fallen asleep in the bus, and he slept on the wooded floor of the restaurant as we ate. Then we walked around the town. Barrett was begging for a lollypop he saw, and I said “No.” Low and behold, a parade of high school beauties came by with girls dressed to the nines atop cars, throwing candy to Barrett!
Guatemala was colorful and interesting. Now I really need to learn to say more that adios!! When we walked up the gangway, everyone was nostalgic – it was our last time to board the ship.

Hawai'i

2009-04-21T23:06:00.000-07:00

April 19-20, 2009 O’ahu, Hawai’i

Aloha! Today we rode bikes and ended up at the beach by the Royal Hawaiian and Moana Surfrider Hotels. Paddling in the aqua Pacific Ocean, I heard a little blond boy blow a conch shell, true and clear. His tinier brother then helped push off a large catamaran and pull up the boarding ramp for a tour off Waikiki Beach. These little boys helping with the family business reminded me of our boys when they were small.
Yesterday I visited Korean Buddhist Mu Ryang Sa, Broken Ridge Temple in Honolulu. Of all the temples, it was the most peaceful I have experienced. After we were led in a chant by Abbot Dohyun Gwon, we went into a meeting room for a discussion concerning, “Is a Nonkilling World Possible?” We listened to Dr. Ha’aheo Guanson explain the meaning of aloha spirit and how she is working for justice and reconciliation in Hawai’i. Professor Glenn Paige and others from the Center for Global Nonkilling also spoke. They treated us as honored guests with important contributions to make.
We had a luau at Kapi’olani Park on Queen’s Surf Beach. Les bought an inexpensive grill, and we cooked a variety of hotdogs, corn on the cob, and had pineapple, taro chips and a coconut pudding cake. Some others brought food to add. Matthew carried two big suitcases of his equipment into the park and set up electronics for a MICE concert. Some students came, and Wendy and her hula dancers showed up after sunset to eat and perform their dance moves on the edge of the waves in the dark. We included a homeless woman in our hot dog roast, and several Hawaiian families were gathered nearby and stopped to listen to the music. Barrett had several caregivers, so he got to feed fish, build a sandcastle, watch acrobats practicing handstand maneuvers and tightrope walking, and play with some children.
Les and I rented bicycles the second day and toured around the shore area between Ala Moana and Diamond Head. (It was exactly one year since I tipped off my bike in Palmer, AK and broke my hip! I’m celebrating my recovery!) We stopped for lunch at “The House Without a Key” at the Halekulani Hotel. We remember staying there with Mom and Dad when the boys were small. We bicycled by beautiful groves of trees, and saw little nook beaches. I swam at a beach by the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, and we had a fruity drink there. We walked through the hotel where my mother had stayed when she sailed to Hawai’i at age nine. It is still a beautiful old hotel, but it is surrounded by high-rises. How to stay glorious it the midst of giants!
Finally, we shopped at the Ala Moana Center and got some crackers, cheese and nuts. We heard some Hawaiian music and watched dancers in long dresses do traditional hula. Two days was not enough time at one of our favorite American states!
Now we are out on the wide Pacific again, heading for Guatemala, our last port before home. We will be at sea for the next six days.

Pacific Ocean

2009-04-14T14:32:00.000-07:00

April 11, 12, 12, and 13 Pacific Ocean

We are traveling from Yokohama to Honolulu about 3861 miles over the vast Pacific. Even though this is a long trip, it is only a bit of this ocean that covers more than half the surface of the earth. We are following a great circle route, the shortest distance between two points on a sphere. We headed north and east at first, and the weather became rainy and choppy. Behind our ship, we saw four albatross, the black-footed albatross and the Laysan albatross - - I was excited! They are smaller than the southern hemisphere ones, but still they have wide wingspans of about seven feet. They like to ride on the wind, hardly ever beating their wings.
We had two Easter Sundays on board. (My mom told me that when she crossed the International Dateline, she had two Christmases!) There was a sunrise service the first Easter, but it was cold, and I couldn’t hear anyone in the wind. The second Easter we had an Easter hunt for the four youngest children. I made bunny baskets out of bags, and Les hid M&Ms in the big dining room. One of the mom’s found four plastic eggs and had purchased some little chocolate bunnies somewhere. A college student made a pin the tail on the rabbit game.
Class work has been quite intense since we left Japan, and the evenings are jam-packed with activities. The students had a big test in Global Studies. I am working on my second “long” story and have turned in both field reports for nutrition. We had a Shipboard Family gathering with milk and cookies for supper one night. The kids wanted to have a “family vacation,” so we are planning a picnic luau on the beach in Hawaii next Sunday. There was an auction last night: Matthew bought a week’s stay on Molokai; we sold an overnight home-stay at our house. The money goes to support the ship’s service activities in the various ports. Tonight is a Deans’ Reception. There will be a play and a talent show this week, too.

more Japan

2009-04-11T04:13:00.000-07:00

Early the next morning, Les, Peter, and I went to the Nagoya Fish Market. We parked the car in a garage slot, where it went up on an elevator in the narrow building to a space somewhere up there. Peter did not have to give them the key, so the parking garage was automated. Aisle and aisle of fish were displayed, and restaurant buyers were there. Men on bicycles delivered packages within the market, and people rolled flat carts full outside. The large tuna were the most impressive among the dozens of varieties of fish. On our way home we stopped for breakfast at a fast food Japanese restaurant, and it was fast and filling.
We spent the rest of the day in Nagoya with Setsuko, Takashi, and Isao’s daughter Akiko who had a day off from work at the bank. Our first stop was Osu Kannon Temple. Akiko got a wonderful fortune there, the best she said, and she tied it onto the temple. Setsuko and I said a silent prayer together. We watched an amazing automated doll show with music that is shown every few hours in a glassed-in stage, and we visited Fuji Sengenjinja Shinto Shrine where Takashi and Setsuko rang the gong bell in prayer. We shopped in the covered street area of Osu, and Setsuko treated us to lunch in a lovely Japanese restaurant. I found a maneki neko (beckoning cat) for my souvenir, and Les got a sake set.
That night Isao and Kyoko treated us to a fancy farewell Japanese dinner at a restaurant. We ate many interesting dishes including about five kinds of fish, raw squids, raw baby sardines, soups, a whole bream, sea urchin row, seaweed salad, and sake. We ended the meal with miso soup, scorched rice, a sweets platter, and green tea. We all said “kampai” and drank to our wonderful time in Nagoya.
The last day in Japan, our friends Isao and Kyoko took us to the train station to say goodbye. We traveled on the Shinkansen and JR Line, the bullet train, with Setsuko and Takashi. They gifted us with this trip to Yokohama to meet our ship. The train goes 250 km/hr! We saw Mount Fuji on the way. Setsuko taught me some origami as we traveled. Then they came with us to see the ship and take a walk to a famous Yokohama park near the port. We finally found Matthew whom they were eager to see again. Then Setsuko, Takashi and I made a surprise journey to Yokohama City University with Matthew and his MICE students. We traveled for an hour and a half on the subway trains to get there. Matthew gave a talk, and the students played a couple of their compositions. Then they spent time showing the audience the instruments. Setsuko tried the ukulele.
We had to part with Setsuko and Takashi in the subway: they traveled back home to Niigata, and we returned to our ship and the voyage across the Pacific Ocean. Isao once said, “Life is full of meetings and partings,” and this was true of our time in Japan. We were not ready to say sayonara to our friends after such a short visit. We are hoping that they may come to Alaska!

more Japan

2009-04-11T03:48:00.000-07:00

Kyoko treated us to a real Japanese breakfast the second day: miso soup, salmon, rice, egg, green tea and more. She was off from work at the nursery, so was able to go with Isao, Les, and me to the Toyoto Automobile Museum. I wished that my brother Gary had been with us, but I had to settle with buying him a souvenir.
Les and I were just taking off for a walk around Isao’s neighborhood when Kyoko got a call – my pen pal of 49 years, almost a half-century, was nearby at the subway station. We met Setsuko and her husband Takashi, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her! I had never heard her voice, so I liked listening to her talk. I was happy just to be beside Setsuko. We shared photos, and she even had some of my first letters written in 1961. Setsuko had brought some homemade sushi (oshi!), and Kyoko and Isao loaded the table with many dishes and treats. I think we were eating together for at least three hours. Isao is such a good host - - we all had a happy time together! More ….

more Japan

2009-04-11T03:03:00.001-07:00

Isao, Peter, Kiriko, and we journeyed west to Kyoto the next day, again traveling in Isao’s car. It was the peak of cherry blossom time! We hoped to ride the bus to various temples, but our first ride was packed. The driver kept letting on more people, and I guess the bus just kept making room because we added at least twenty more after it was full! We made it to Nanzen-ji Temple and walked the beautiful grounds with ponds, mossy gardens, little running streams, peaked buildings with curved tile roofs, pines, and the flowering cherries (sakura) everywhere. Isao climbed with me to the top of the temple to see the view. We walked along the Philosophers’ Walk beside a stream with cherry tree boughs hanging over, stopping for lunch at a café. We then visited Kiyomize-dera Temple where we lit incense and saw people drinking the holy water coming down from Lake Biwa. At the end of the day we met Matthew, Wendy, and Barrett and all went for a Japanese “Viking style” dinner. We had divided trays and could try many different dishes. Matthew’s family were spending the night in Kyoto, and we drove back to Nagoya.
Isao and Kyoko have a house with a garden. The side of the house where we stayed had been his father’s home. We got to stay in a tatami mat room with comfortable Japanese beds. We had breakfast one day in the sunshine on their deck. More coming on Japan.

Japan

2009-04-11T02:33:00.000-07:00

April 6-10, 2009 Japan

Konnichiwa!
A Japanese fireboat, spraying twin spurts of water, and a team of drummers welcomed us to Kobe port. After processing by the authorities, we enjoyed hot coffee in a can from a vending machine. There were three levels in the port terminal, so a worker there helped us page Isao’s daughter Kiriko to meet us. (Isao was having his dialysis treatment that day.) We had prearranged for Kiriko and her husband Peter to come on the ship for lunch and a tour. As you can see, they are a beautiful couple. They hope to find work in Peter’s home country of Taiwan and then have their formal family wedding. They were both a tremendous help to us on our visit. Peter drove us east northeast to Nagoya where Isao’s family lives. We stopped at Biwa Lake rest stop, and Kiriko had to show me how to flush the toilet, there were so many buttons to push for various functions! We passed Nanzan University where Isao attended when he was an exchange student at Alaska Methodist University in 1965 and we became friends. We were welcomed by Isao and settled into a Japanese style sleeping room. That night we met Isao’s wife Kyoko and daughter Akiko who came from work and joined us for a Chinese style dinner at a neighborhood restaurant.

China

2009-04-04T17:01:00.000-07:00

March 20 – April 3, 2009 China
Motoring between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula, we felt as if we had journeyed into the future. Huge skyscrapers loomed everywhere. We should have seen superman swooping down! Only some little shacks clinging to the shore looked familiar. Bustling construction sites are everywhere. At night, Les stood amazed on Matthew’s deck, watching colored lasers and moving lights put on a spectacular show. This is Hong Kong! (Photo taken by Matthew from the Peak.)
Our first adventure as a family was to journey to the Sham Shui Po Market on the Kowloon Peninsula, the side where our ship was docked. Our inter-port student had told us that this was where the locals went to shop. We had a few false starts, going into subways that turned out to be under road walkways, but we finally found the underground metro. (Barrett & Wendy are by the ticket vending.) In Sham Shui Po we walked thru the market and visited the Golden Computer Store where Wendy replaced her broken camera. We ate dim sum in a tiny restaurant communicating by pointing at pictures, and bought roasted sweet potatoes and chestnuts from a vendor on the street.
That first night, Matthew & Wendy were part of a group attending a formal reception and dinner on board. Matthew’s MICE group presented a concert (pictured). We spent the evening with Barrett and watched the city lights and boats in the harbor area.
Les and I rode over to Hong Kong Island on the Star Ferry system the next day. The Star ferries (pictured) are from the British days and have quite a history. We walked around a bit, went to the post office, and had a bite of lunch. That afternoon I ventured into the upscale shopping center attached to our ship’s gangway. I bought a pair of shoes at Anchorage prices. Then we left for the airport and Guilin.
Guilin is in the tropical deciduous forest zone along the Li and Peach Blossom Rivers. It is a city of 700,000 that swells to 5 million in the larger area and with visitors. We arrived at night and immediately saw that they love colored lights: multicolored palm trees decorated the airport landscape and a bridge beside our hotel was lit with blue lights. In contrast, the Chinese people dress in dark colors, except when it rains. The rain brought out bright umbrellas and combined poncho/motorcycle covers that serve both the rider and machine.
Our guide was a young woman whose work name is Cherry, and she was enthusiastic and funny. Our group included 14 adults and 6 students. The main attraction in Guilin is the karst topography. We took a four-hour cruise down the shallow Li River to enjoy these amazing “gumdrop” shaped karst towers. It was misty but lovely. Little boats came alongside to barter or sell fresh food. Our lunch was cooked on the stern deck, and I watched the boat in front of us as they prepared the food. There must have been two dozen boats going down the river in a line. We walked around the village of Yangshuo along the river before climbing on an electric golf car to our bus and back to Guilin.
That night all the students, Les & I, and one other went for a massage. We had a one-hour foot massage, and the others had a full 1½ hour massage, but we were all together in the room and had quite a hilarious time. The workers were able to pinpoint problems with our bodies from working on our feet. (Cherry stayed to interpret and took the photo.)
We were kept busy for the next two days having a tai chi lesson, watching Chinese painting, visiting a tea plantation (see Judy in hat) including a Chinese tea ceremony (“tap two fingers if married three times on the table to say thank you for tea”), riding up a lift to the top of a mountain wearing rented Mao coats (it was cold), and visiting a 1500 year old banyan tree where we had our picture made with cormorants. We went to a pearl outlet and a silk factory where we purchased a silk comforter made from the chrysalis of twin silkworms. The twins do not produce a single unbroken strand of silk, so their silk is used for quilts. At the Traditional Chinese Research Center for Medicine, we had momortica tea and watched while student Bobby had his back cupped. (He threw up.) We went to the Reed Flute Cave. Deep within it we were treated to a light and bubble show – they do like their colored lights!
Les & I took an early morning walk in the rain by the Li River. We watched people swimming in the river, doing tai chi under the bridge, fishing in suits before work, and even ballroom dancing. On our drives we saw the rice paddies and neat little carefully tended garden patches. We saw people preparing their ancestors’ tombs for the Weeping Tombs Festival on April 5.
We flew to Shanghai and had two planned activities for my classes. Sunrise tai chi was held in a concrete park. We tried to follow the teacher’s moves as she stood under a huge statue of Mao in her red jacket. In the same park were numerous groups and individuals exercising. A group of older ladies were doing tai chi with colorful fans.
Then we explored two food markets and ate lunch at an expensive restaurant in one of the Shanghai skyscrapers. The markets have an abundance of green vegetables, fruits, chicken parts (“eat feet with beer”), pork, noodles, fresh water fish and bivalves. There are interesting items like ginko seeds, jellyfish used in soups, ching twan (bright green dumplings for the Tombs Festival), assorted mushrooms which are not expensive here, and eel-like fish that start their lives as males and then become females. Eggs are not simply brown or white. Chinese eat chicken, dove, duck, quail, and goose eggs. They have salted eggs that look as if they have been buried in dirt, but it must be dark impure salt. Blue-green eggs are fermented and are solidified and black inside.
We left China in the night, going through Shanghai down the long Huangpu River and out into the East China Sea. Our next stop is Kobe, Japan where we will be met by our friend Isao’s daughter, Kiriko, and travel with her to their home. Then I will meet Setsuko, my pen pal of fifty years!

Vietnam

2009-03-27T18:46:00.000-07:00

March 22-26, 2009 Vietnam

Xin chao! Hello and welcome to thriving HCMC (Ho Chi Minh City), remembered as Saigon. Waking early, we watched the sun rise as we motored up the Saigon River for two hours into the port area. Boats of all kinds were everywhere! Out in the ocean off Cambodia, we saw tiny basket bowl boats fishing. These coracles are paddled with a figure eight stroke, setting nets, and they are carried out to sea on larger boats. In the river were slim fishing boats dragging a net on two poles behind them, speedboats, junks, hovering ferries, and many scow-like boats with painted red prows and eyes looking forward. There were dozens of huge freighters, and rafts loaded with dirt and sand. Rafts carrying palm fronds looked like moving haystacks! Tugboats, pilot boats, and family boats loaded with watermelons and greens for the market passed by. Several boys jumped off their boat and swam in the river. A dog ran back and forth on the deck, and the father watched as the boys climbed up the anchor rope. We enjoyed watching the river activity and the water hyacinths float up and down with the tide.
The streets were just as interesting. There are four million motorcycles in HCMC, plus cars and buses, bicycles and rickshaw bikes. Helmets are now required by law, and many riders also wear masks. We spent a lot of time in downtown District One of the city, and crossing the streets was an adventure! Look for a slight lull, step deliberately into the street, not pausing, but keeping a steady pace. If you are crossing with others, go in a straight line parallel to the traffic. Look ahead with determination, but be watching traffic at the same time. And, as Wendy says, “Watch your toes!”
The water puppeteers who performed for us actually stand in the pond behind bamboo screens and move the puppets. (I actually had a puppet model at home from Ted & Ginny, so I recognized the characters.) The art originated in the 11th century in rice paddies in northern Vietnam where the art has been perfected.
Thien Hau Pagoda and another Cao Dai temple were colorful. The religion combines all major religions with native Vietnamese spirits, and it is the third largest religion in Vietnam. They believe in one God, the soul, and the use of mediums. In Thien Hau, I lit a spiral incense for Lee’s healing. It will burn for a month.
Ben Thanh and a smaller market were interesting. Lots of vegetables, meats, fruits, clothes, chopstick sets, live fish, coffee, jewelry, and pushy ladies grabbing us to sell blouses and shoes. We also shopped in upscale places, and I had an outfit tailored for me.
I visited Ket Doan Primary School with some university students from the ship. The children were all asking for our autograph, and I realized that I needed to write a sentence for each one so that they could hear me read it and practice speaking. Some of them were shy, and some bravely spoke English to me. During recess, they could go to booths set up in the play courtyard and buy drinks, soup, and toys. They seemed to have money for this. The boys played with a weighted, feathered toy that they kicked like a hacky-sack.
Our favorite day was a trip to the Mekong Delta. We passed rice paddies and fish ponds, but many had been drained and were being developed into modern business buildings and apartments. We traveled on a boat on the Mekong River, and then visited two islands. We rode in canoe boats through the canals, bumping along the narrow waterways in the jungle. We held a python, and Les tried wine with a snake soaking in it.
Now we have two days in the China Sea. We’ll be in Hong Kong on Sunday.

Thailand

2009-03-19T18:54:00.000-07:00

March 15-19, 2009 Thailand
Picture us speeding along the river and canals in Bangkok. We rode in a longboat, a narrow craft with a huge V8 engine mounted in the stern and a long shaft hanging behind into the water propelling us forward. We passed temples glittering with gold and gray rot-wood pilings holding up homes with flowers and many chimes in their windows. We saw children jumping into the canal and mothers bathing their babies in big clay pots. Catfish bubbled at the surface beside a temple, and we were given bread to feed their frenzy. A small boat pulled up to ours. A lady in a straw hat had it heaped with souvenirs for sale, and we bought a little model of her boat. Our longboat driver honked at canal corners, turning into another canal with floating lotus flowers. Back on the choppy, boat-busy river, we stopped at Wat Arun and climbed steep steps to the top of its pyramid shape. It was decorated with stone statues, tiles, and pieces of china from a shipment the king had once received damaged.
We stayed at the Baiyoke Sky Hotel in Bangkok for one night. Les and I were on the 38th floor, but Matthew & Aniseh were up on the 61st. Barrett loved the turquoise blue outdoor swimming pool on the 20th floor. We ate at a fruit bar: durian (which smells horrible and tastes delicious), dragon fruit, yellow watermelon, coconuts with straws, marina plums, pomelo, rambutan, mangos, assorted juices and candied fruits and more! Les and Matthew bought suits and shirts that were made to order in one day. We went to Suan Lum Night Market. Different kinds of colored lights for sale enchanted the evening! Our birthday dinner for Matthew was at the fancy Shangri-la, overlooking the river. We were entertained by Thai dancers in glittering costumes of birds, fish, or crowns of gold.
March and April are the summer season in Thailand. The air is steamy. Our port, Laem Chabang, is located away from towns in an industrial area. The port is amazingly neat with huge cranes loading ships efficiently, one container every thirty seconds!
Les and I went to Sriracha Tiger Farm one day. There were circus shows with tigers, crocodiles, and pigs , but it was also a place where the Thais are breeding and saving the tigers. In one room there were at least 20 baby tigers in separate cages. We paid extra to hold a baby tiger briefly. Baby tiger fur defines soft!
Finally we visited Pattaya Elephant Village. Here the Thai people keep some working elephants that are not used for work any more. They also have breeding programs. The elephants come right up to people, and we fed them bunches of bananas. Their trunks have a slightly slimy tip or finger. A dozen of us were allowed to ride the elephants into the water for a bath. The elephants’ heads are whiskery, and their ears are rubbery. It was amazing – I was laughing all the way! Les, Barrett and Wendy also got to ride the elephants. Climbing up on an elephant is somewhat tricky!
Matthew gave a talk at Bangkok University and performed some of his music with a few students. The Thai students participated in the MICE Squeak piece.

India

2009-03-10T06:19:00.000-07:00

March 5 – 6, 2009 Chennai, India
Varnakkam! That greeting is in Tamil, the primary language of the Tamil Nadu state in India where we spent our time. Our first and last days we spent in Chennai. Matthew had a concert at SRM University, Engineering College, and there were 400 people in attendance. The rest of us took off with our guide, Bala, for a City Orientation Tour. It was geared for English tourists, so we went to two churches and former British buildings. A Tamil Hindu temple to Shiva was colorful – the religion is complex, and the architecture reflects this with multiple carvings of gods, animals, and stories in many pastel colors. We drove by a long beach where all the small pointed-bow fishing boats were resting. They go out fishing at night and come home to this beach littered with nets and trash. Laundry is also spread on the beach to dry. Their homes are small: some are concrete apartment rooms, and some are grass huts. The best part of the tour was visiting Bala’s home. Her husband and a small granddaughter welcomed us into their quiet, large concrete home shaded by a variety of trees. By then, Barrett was napping on the bus with Les in attendance.
Wendy and I attended a Welcome Reception at night. We were given jasmine necklaces, and our hands were decorated with henna. Some of our students formed friendships with the Indian students present. We sampled Indian food, bought skirts, and watch two enthralling dancers.
The ship’s crew had prepared extensively for the pollution and dirt of the Chennai port: cardboard clad the entrance halls, but carpet at the bottom of the gangway was soon black with grime and if you touched the handrail, your fingers came away black. The deck furniture was all wrapped in plastic. When we went out the second morning, the first thing Barrett did was step in a crack full of greasy tar! Still we walked to the port gate and rode a “tuk-tuk” (a motorcycle driven carriage) into a large shopping center. By then we were all wearing identical black footprint designs on our clothes as we wandered, bought some books, and had a cup of delicious Indian coffee. The “tuk-tuk” ride was the best, but among our swervings, we almost collided with a cow!

March 6 – 9, 2009 Night Train, Nagercoil, Night Train

Les and I left in the late afternoon with two girls and my writing professor for the train depot. We boarded a night train for Nagercoil. Our guide, Prem Kala, met us at the train station and got us situated in the air-cooled sleeper car. Les and I shared a curtained room with a young family: we were on the bottom bunks, and they, on the top. They got off in the middle of the night, and another family moved in.
We understood that Nagercoil was a farming village, but, Incredible India!, the village was 350,000 or more and the farmers were owners of a rubber plantation and cotton factory as well as founders of a K-12 school! Their home was inside a guarded wall with gardens, trees, potted herbs and flowers, and a collection of birds and animals. We all slept in a cool room with a bathroom attached, and we were treated to delicious Indian cooking, sometimes served on banana leaves. We tried to eat the Indian style with our right hand fingers.
Our host family was gracious, true ambassadors. Their elder son is in college in California, and Vikram was home studying for exams before his specialization in the last two years of high school. Kumar took us to visit his rubber plantation and the family cotton mill where they produce thread for fabric manufacturing. We also visited Sri Sarada Ayurvedic Hospital, clinic, herbal garden, and production pharmacy where they concoct healing oils and pills.
Kumar’s wife, Latha, arranged a visit to Pioneer School where the students sang, danced, and designed rangoli (pictured). These are circular designs done with rice flour and then filled in with brilliantly colored flour. We each gave a short introduction. I showed them my photos, and they asked for our autographs.
Latha took us to Kanyakumari at the southern tip of India. Three seas meet there, and you can see waves coming into the beach from all three directions – the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea. At Gandhi’s memorial there is a hole in the roof where the light shines directly down only on his birthday.
Our guide Prem Kala went with us to a coconut fiber mat factory. At a movie theatre owned by the family, we watched half of a Bollywood movie, “1977” (pictured). Colorful characters danced on the beach. Martial fighting was followed immediately by music video scenes with the stars dancing in multiple sexy costumes. We had three guides accompany us for shopping. Les was going for a shirt, and I smile when I think of him with the seven of us plus seven store employees all observing or fussing around “helping” him try on shirts. One of his “ultimate Indian experiences.” We traipsed around barefoot (all but Les who had another “ultimate Indian experience,”) in a Padmanabhapuram palace filled with intricate wood carvings and mirror-black floors , and a temple for snake worship where milk and turmeric were poured over stone snake heads. (Stink!)
Our hosts sat with us and talked about life in America and India. None of us were ready to get back on the night train because of their kind hospitality.

March 9, 2009 Chennai, India

Wendy and I went out alone on the last day in India. We had some struggles with our “tuk-tuk” drivers. One wanted to keep changing our agreed price, resulting in our having him let us off. The next one stopped on a busy off-ramp and climbed over a wall. His brother ran over and hopped in with him, and then our trouble began because Brother spoke English and wanted to take us places not on our agreed destination. We made it to the City Center mall in a round-about way, not stopping at any of his selected locations. Loaded with groceries, bangles and gifts, we engaged another “tuk-tuk.” At the port gate, we got a bicycle rickshaw with no motor. Laughing and talking, Wendy said, “Do you need some help?” No sooner did I say, “He doesn’t understand,” than he hopped off and offered his seat to Wendy. She pedaled us all the way back to the ship with him walking alongside. We had everyone smiling and waving at the scene that so crazily defied the illegal but lingering caste system.

Crossing the Indian Ocean

2009-02-28T08:18:00.000-08:00

February 23-26, 2009 Indian Ocean

Four class days on the Indian Ocean with papers to write, chapters to read, quizzes to take. I was surprised that it will take us almost as long to cross it as it did for the Atlantic. The sailing has been smooth for Les and me. Today the ship slammed down some, and Wendy felt ill. We have had to change our clocks every night, setting them ahead one hour. Barrett is growing – he got new pants and new shoes in South Africa. He’s getting better at potty training, and he’s learning more about other people and their feelings. We have an alphabet Les has been making along the wall of our cabin; it’s already to Pp. Under each letter we put people’s pictures from the ship or from home, a lion, or flying fish, etc. Barrett’s journal is getting plump with experiences.

February 27, 2009 Mauritius

We sailed into Port Louis at 7 AM and are now leaving at 9 PM. Les and I went on an adventure trip today. Flic en Flac was our first stop, a soft sand beach on a blue lagoon. First we went to buy some Mauritian rum (sugar cane is grown all over the island), and then I swam in the warm Indian Ocean. Next we drove to Parc Aventure Chamarel in the Savanne Mountains. Flower bushes rimmed the sugar cane fields, pineapples grew, and coffee plantations thrive in this area. Les and I roped up (pictured) and walked over several swinging gap-plank bridges, one without handhold ropes. The vegetation reminded us of Hawaii, and we saw a beautiful fire engine red bird with black wings. The students adventured more strenuously on two-rope bridges and a zip line.
Mauritius was an uninhabited island when the Portuguese first began plying the Indian Ocean. The Dutch settled here, but later abandoned it. (Were they they ones who ate up all the dodo birds? I think.) The French took possession in 1715, losing it to the English in the Napoleonic Wars. The British freed the sugar slaves. At that time some of the slaves were in hiding on a steep mountain. English soldiers went up to tell them they were free, but, fearing capture for more years of slavery, the slaves jumped and plunged to their deaths. The mountain is called Mt. Le Morne (from the English word mourn). Today English is the official language, but French is most common. Our guide speaks five languages. I am in awe of the people of the world and their language skills!

*February 28 – March 3, 2009 Indian Ocean

The sea was orange oil this morning as the sun rose amid mirage cloud-islands. Sunset was almost as amazing. The sea is calm, the pool was filled, and the water did not slosh out in great gallons, raining down on the dining deck. The ship had a crazy Seven Seas Olympics day. The students are divided by deck into seas: Black, Baltic, Red, Mediterranean, Aegean, Adriatic, and Yellow. The adults, staff, faculty, families were called the Oddie-Cs. The contests were everything from volleyball to mashed potato sculpting to Sudoku. Les did the wheelbarrow race; Matthew was in the three-legged race with Wendy; Barrett tried the limbo; and Wendy & I joined the synchronized swimming contest (pictured).
I watched a red-footed booby resting on the mast. (Les said he’d seen enough boobies on board, thank you.) Another booby flew by in the early morning, and the two went off over the ocean fishing.
There was a Dean’s wine-tasting one night. The Turkish crew-member who led the commentary gave us tips on the ten wines and how to sample them. On Les’s birthday we were invited to Captain Jeremy Kingston’s dinner. His sense of humor and stories were a delight. The black forest cake slice for Les had a single candle, and the crew sang happy birthday. Second biology test, and I think I got a 78, which is my personal best. Our writing class is reading The God of Small Things. What a writer! I have “read” this book before on tape. Now I need to work on my long piece for class. We are beginning to think about travel in India. I can’t keep up with us!! A lady and two girls from India are on board to help prepare us for Chennai and India.

South Africa

2009-02-23T21:31:00.003-08:00

February 18-22, 2009 South Africa

Ah, South Africa: Cape Town in transition, Kariega Game Reserve, and Khayelisha! Cape Town is in a bowl like Anchorage, with Table Mountain and Signal Hill as a backdrop. They are preparing for the 2010 World Cup, so construction of a stadium and infrastructure work are in progress. On our first day, we explored the Alfred and Victoria Waterfront area near the ship, upscale shopping and dining. We tried boerewors rolls, a spicy hot dog with chutney and chips. There’s music everywhere, marimba, flute, Dixie bands. Matthew’s class had a concert in the Amphitheatre, so those present heard a different kind of music. In the evening, Matthew, Wendy and I went to Long Street to sample some foods and drinks. We tried African pancake, African bread filled with goat cheese & spinach, stuffed butternut squash, and crocodile with peanut sauce. Drinks were “hard tack” or “soft tack,” and we had both. Places say “Right of admission reserved.” It was a little “shabine” (sketchy/dodgy) at night, so we left early.
Our safari to Kariega Game Reserve left early the next morning. We had 38 in the group. We flew to Port Elizabeth and then took a bus to Kariega in the Eastern Cape area. The game drives bounced us along tracks where we got close to lions, blue wildebeest, buffalo, Burchells zebras, giraffes, white rhinos, elephants, water bucks and impala, duikers, kudus, bush bucks, elands, and nyalas. We saw warthogs run with tails up and lions take chase. At night we saw a hippo out foraging. Vervet monkeys were in the thorn trees by our cabin, and black backed jackals pounced on prey. We took a riverboat ride and heard birds welcome the day. Secretary birds high-stepped. Ostrich and fish eagles, hoopoes, ibis, and kingfisher flew nearby. One of the male lions has a big black front, looks like a bib of fur.
Today I took a trip out to a black neighborhood called Khayelitsha while Les did a harbor tour. Matthew, Wendy and Barrett went to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. My time in Khayelitsha was special. There are 4.5 million people on the fringes of Cape Town in these places they still call Townships. They all have to ride van-taxis into town for work, although many are still unemployed. We did not go into the poorest areas, but into parts where people have little businesses and some new concrete-block houses are under construction. Still, many homes are created out of scraps of corrugated tin and wood. The water is obtained from community spigots, and there are rows of outhouses. It was wash day today, and sparkling clean clothes were hanging everywhere. We visited two B&Bs owned by beautiful traditionally built African women. We went to a building with locally made crafts spread on tables for sale. Across the street was the Saint Michael and All Angels Harare Church. I stayed in there for about 30 minutes of their service spoken mostly in Khosa with some English. Many ladies wore purple at that church. There was a large wooded cross with a big figure of a black Jesus in front of it. A woman took notes on a large pad of paper as the preacher spoke, I suppose so the people could see important points as well as hear them. Singing of the Nicene Creed filled the room and spilled into the neighborhood. At the end of our visit, we took a walk around the neighborhood. Everybody was hurrying to a political rally for ANC candidate Zuma. We walked by the stadium where it was to be held, and the energy and high spirits reminded me somewhat of the Obama rally in Springfield, MO. Recently there has been a breakaway group from the ANC, and the strong one-party system may be challenged. A young man asked me how many political parties we have in the USA, wondering how it works for us. Then we drove back to the city proper, away from Honey House Take Away, God Is Great Hair Salon, and Vicky’s B&B South Africa’s Smallest Hotel. We left behind a place with no garbage collection, where people make flowers out of pop cans, where smiles and greetings are given out freely.

Namibia

2009-02-16T21:17:00.000-08:00

February 10, 11, 12, & 13 At sea off Africa

Weather is warming, and we have about 12 hours of daylight now. Since the pool is filled with sea water, it is now warm at 82 degrees. The sea is flat calm, so the pool has been full. I exercise in there mornings, and Barrett and I get in with all the other kids about four in the afternoon.
Our entertainment has been watching for flying fishes. Our Dean’s Memo says, “The ship’s passage startles these fish that live near the surface, and they take to the air to escape this big ‘predator’, the MV Explorer. Flying fishes are fish with very large pectoral fins. These fins allow flying fish to glide for long distances (up to several hundred yards), using their outstretched pectoral fins as wings. They become airborne through rapid vibrations of their tail, and they can remain airborne for up to 30 seconds and achieve speeds up to about 40 mph, skimming just above the waves. As they glide, their pectoral fins are kept rigid, without any flapping motions. When flying fish are swimming in the water, these pectoral fins are held flat against the body. Flying fishes primarily live in the open ocean, feeding on plankton. There are about 65 species of flying fish, and they are found in all warm seas. The ones around here are rather small, less than 10 inches long.”

February 14, 15, & 16 Namibia!

Our ship is docked at the Walvis Bay Port (pronounced more like Valfish) with an oil rig off our stern. No, they do not drill for oil here. The rig has been transported here from Northern Africa for repairs and cleaning. Men go up and down in a little cage attached to a crane! Meanwhile, lazy catamarans cruse by, pelicans fly, and little seals roll into doughnut shapes in the water. In front of our ship is a big cruise ship called the Mona Lisa. As we walk through the port area to town, we pass a huge pile of salt, railroad cars, containers, and men waiting for work by the port gate. Outside the gate are vendors selling African goods.
Namibia rates second after Mongolia for lowest population density. Their young independent government has set aside 14% of the land for parks, and eco-tourism is growing. Since 1990, the official language is English, but Afrikaans and German are still widely spoken by the white population. About half of Namibians speak Oshiwambo. Among other native languages are two click languages in which three different clicks precede other words. Barrett can name one prickly plant in click language. HIV/AIDS is a serious problem, and the population is young. Namibia has one of the highest rates of income inequality in the world yet literacy level is high. Many rural people farm for subsistence. Main exports are diamonds and minerals.
When we arrived, a group of young Namibian girls were on the dock singing and dancing to welcome us. They enjoyed a ship tour and lunch with some of the students, and they kept on singing for four hours. Beautiful children. I’m sending a little movie clip.
We took Barrett on a two-day camping trip in the Namib-Naukluft Park. We were pretty much just plopped down in a slot canyon in the desert with a long row of army-type tents. Highlights were the rock formations, a group of young Namibian men who came for singing and drumming, and watching Barrett climb rocks and play for hours in the hyper-arid gravel soil. The heat kept us drinking from our water bottles. Our “hosts” (Afrikaans speakers who also knew English) did not greet us nor give us any information – they were not happy campers! However, the students were wonderful, climbing around, playing and laughing together. At dark some birds trilled loudly from the high cliffs, and a young astronomer arrived with a telescope, but unusual clouds covered the southern sky. A couple of times a star peeked through, and I could tell that they would be brilliant under the right conditions. No southern cross yet!
Today we walked to town and spent over an hour trying to change dollars into South African rand. (The Namibian dollar is pegged to the rand, and both can be used here.) Right after we changed our money, the computer system went down. We went to the grocery store for crackers, South African wine, biltong, and little gifts for our shipboard family. Then we went out to the gigantic sand dunes (pictures). Earlier, while we were camping, Matthew’s class had a concert on a dune. They had microphones buried in the sand, and when the audience joined to dance, their feet added music. Matthew also got to play rocks in the Namib desert – they were iron rocks and rang like bells!
We went to “The Raft,” a restaurant out on a pier. There were white flamingos with black trim and terns feeding on little crabs. Matthew, Les, and I ordered kudu, ostrich, and oryx and traded around. We also ate banana/white asparagus/bacon pizza here. I tried a succulent used for survival while out on the desert– dollar plant – sour and bitter but moist. I got an ostrich eggshell necklace for Zoey.
Les has a cold, and I’ve learned to say Eseekee’sha (phonetic spelling) in Oshiwambo. That’s what they say when someone sneezes.
In the dark tonight, heading south, Matthew, Les and I went out on deck, and, voila!, we saw the Southern Cross and the False Cross.
“When you see the Southern Cross
For the first time
You understand now
Why you came this way…” (Crosby Stills, & Nash)
Tomorrow is South Africa study day, and then we’ll be there for five days.

Crossing the Equator

2009-02-09T11:49:00.000-08:00

February 6, 7, 8, 9, 2009 At sea off Africa

We are clipping along at 24-26 knots down the coast of Africa. Yesterday we stopped in Dakar, Senegal for bunkering. Nobody was allowed to get off the ship, but we took some pictures, and we thought and talked of Janet all day.
Our Burtner Shipboard family gathered for dinner. We have nine students in our family, three boys and six girls. Les & I had purchased little gifts for them all in Morocco. We will get together again tomorrow night for a cookie party in Matthew & Aniseh’s room. They are excited to see one of the big rooms.
I’ve had my first biology test and got back my first creative writing paper. Matthew is busy preparing for his classes, and his MICE group have a concert today in honor of crossing the equator.
Wendy and I are now Shellbacks! Today we had the ceremony for the equator. (We actually cross tomorrow, the 10th.) The captain dressed up as Neptune, painting himself all green. He had a queen and other attendants. First we went to a shallow pool where they poured green goo over our heads. Then we kissed a fish, bowed to the king and kissed his ring, and prostrated ourselves in front of the queen. Then we jumped in the pool, climbed out, kissed another fish, and were knighted with a big sword. We did all this holding hands as we were both a little cautious. Later Matthew followed us, carrying Barrett. Many of the students are then having their heads shaved as part of the ceremony. I have threatened to do this so I can look like Les, but I think we’ve decided I won’t. I do not want to scare my Japanese friends when we get there!

Morocco

2009-02-06T14:12:00.000-08:00

February 3 – 5, 2009 Morocco

Al-salaam aleikum!
Morocco has been experiencing a rainy winter. We arrived at Casablanca in the early morning and waded through puddles at the port to leave on our trip at 8 am for Marrakech. Les and I were in a large group, about 80 on two buses. At the same time, Matthew, Wendy, and Barrett left (a day later than planned) for Marrakech and the coastal towns near Essaouira. We all had a grand time and learned from our amazing guides’ expertise on their country.
Our guide was Hamadi. He wore the traditional Berber dress, a dgelaba. These are long robes with zippers and peaked hoods. Dgelaba are worn by both men and women for going outside, and they look effective in the windy rainy weather. Hamadi was very kind to explain his country and customs, and to tell us about his family. He speaks at least six languages. He remembers going to the square as a boy to sit and learn about the Qu’ran. This was his madrasa experience. They used bamboo pens and sheep horn charcoal for ink. Now Hamadi’s three daughters are becoming well educated, two already in the university.
Marrakech is one of the Imperial Cities of Morocco located on the Haouz plain at the foot of the Atlas Mountains. We could not see the mountains due to clouds. The old part, the Medina proper, is walled in reddish clay, and it is known as the red city. Outside the walls are the more modern areas. Inside are the traditional shops, the souk (covered market), the Kasbah (palaces), and in early times the Mellah or Jewish quarter.
The country going to Marrakech is very beautiful, open with green wheat fields, herders watching sheep and cattle, and small mud brick villages with whitewashed minarets in the middle. We stopped first for lunch. Salads were special, featuring separate bowls of lentils, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, beets, eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower, and hot sauce. Bread and olives come with each meal, and rice and couscous are also served. Big bowls of oranges are dessert, followed by sweet mint tea. A woman danced with a tray of candles on her head.
Our next destination was the palm groves for camel riding and visiting a traditional house. We were entertained in the house with more olives, Moraccan crepes and mint tea. The tea was poured from a silver pitcher. Several men played traditional instruments.
Our camel ride went through the palm groves and a village with mud homes that had torpedo shaped outdoor ovens and satellite disks on the roofs. I was on Ali, the lead camel. I tried to take some pictures as we rocked along. If you turn your heads, you can see a little film clip. Les said he’s done that now! I liked it.
Our hotel Ryad Magadore Opera was very nice. We had a big bed and a bathtub!
The lobby was like an indoor plaza with a huge hanging chandelier that hung down four floors. We woke to the sound of a call to prayer from the mosque nearby, had petite dejeuner, and took off for sightseeing.
First stop was the Al Bahia Palace where we met the watermen pictured. We saw storks nesting on top of communication towers and minarets. Inside, every surface was ornamented with carved plaster, intricately cut cedar, or tile mosaic. Between rooms are gardens. Hamadi told us an old saying as he showed us the wives’ apartments where each new wife had fancier quarters: First favorite wife is second mother; second favorite wife is honored for her education; third favorite wife is a beautiful jewel; and fourth favorite wife is God’s gift. Hamadi says it is very rare for anyone in Morocco to have more than one wife today. This palace, built at the end of the 19th Century, also had a room for the harem.
We also visited the Saadian tombs from the 16th century. Moslems bury people on their right side facing toward Mecca. The body takes up a spread hand’s width of space. They are dressed in white. Rather than flowers, people put dried fruit and nuts on the graves.
The rest of the day was devoted to markets, the government Moroccan-made store and the souk. We all visited a spice shop where we learned about herbs and spices, lotions and oils. Afterwards Les was buying me a scarf, and we got separated from the group. The old man, Miki, who was hired to ‘watch our backs’ was there, and he began to go with us through the labyrinth of the souk. He came in front of me and said with a laugh, “Follow me to the kazba!” We rushed through the souk passing dozens of shops, trying to find our group. We never found them. At one point, I asked Miki, “Etes-vous perdu?” No, he said, he was looking for the group. Les and I were smiling as we wound through the maze. Finally I told Miki that we were to meet in the Place Jamaa Al Fna. Because of the rush through the souk, I didn’t get to take any pictures. Here are Les and my memories:
•men running all the shops wearing takias (beanies) or fezes
•beams of sunlight coming through into the mostly darkened paths
•motorcycles and bicycles whizzing by, often with two astride
•sound of hammering metal, welding rebar, shiny brass, and wood shavings falling at our feet
•rocks, amanitas, and blood red lantern lights
•cloth and rugs – wools, silks, brocades, Berber & Marrakech weavings
•clothing - shoes, scarves, shawls, embroidered shirts, and baboosh (pointy toed slippers)
•mud, 6’wide cobbled street, puddles, and boards underfoot
•mosaic mirrors, antiques, filigree
•polished cedar ornaments
•piles of hides and leather workers
•tourists from Europe mixed with Moroccans wearing dgelaba, scarves, fezes, leather coats, takias, western dress, and even burkas

It was an overwhelming mix of color, sound, life!

Back in the square, we saw cobras, monkeys, fortune-tellers, shellfish and sheeps’ heads with tongues hanging out. Donkey and horse carts wove in and out among pedestrians. We heard music and saw large groups of men gathered in big circles listening to storytellers or music. Carts held piles of oranges or displays of dried fruits and nuts. Kebabs were cooking, and tagine pots were simmering. Around the square, people sat in shops drinking café au lait or sweet mint tea. There was a sense of living theater in Place Jamaa Al Fna.

Captain Jeremy Kingston gave us a warning before pulling out of the Casablanca harbor into the Atlantic. The boat tipped steeply for about ten minutes. We were in Matthew & Wendy’s room. We had tried to put everything away, but Les flew across the room in the chair, the trash can tipped over and spilled, and Judy slipped off the bed! We had a hilarious time saying, “Whooa” every time it rocked. Some of the students sit on pillows and slide across the union floor, but several people are bruised or broken from the rough water. We are headed down the African coast and will be at sea for eight days.

Gibraltar

2009-02-05T14:40:00.000-08:00

February 1 & 2, 2009 Sea and Gibraltar

We celebrated Barrett’s birthday today with all the young children on the ship. We were anchored alongside a fuel barge, bunkering at Gibraltar. We could see the “rock.” Barrett had a big chocolate ice cream cake carried in on our Jamaican waiter Mezraim’s head! The kids all played “Speedy Beep” with a big balloon ball that Eli gave Barrett. Barrett learned to hold up three fingers for his age by holding his pinky with his thumb.
An extra day was spent at Gibraltar. The fueling had not been possible due to rough weather. There were at least two dozen ships waiting there, maybe as many as fifty.

Spain

2009-01-30T10:09:00.000-08:00

January 28, 29, 30, & 31 Spain

We are docked in Cadiz, Spain. This part of Spain has a long history and this city may be the oldest city in Europe. This Andalucia province has Paleolithic and Neolithic remains, Phoenician and Celtic early civilizations, and Roman, Moorish, Spanish, and even French history. The architecture represents this rebounding of cultures.
The first morning we explored some of the old city of Cadiz which is within walking distance of our ship. The café con leche and the Mercado Central were wonderful. We’ve never seen a seafood market with such variety! Les, Wendy, and I attended a Flamenco Night in Chiclana near Cadiz. First there were horses dancing with ladies in the bullring. It came time for the bull. Les leaned over to see the big bull come out, and out ran a small, fuzzy young bull! It was a bloodless training session and fun to see. After that we went inside to tapas (snacks), sherry (an area specialty), wine, and sangria. The flamenco dancers put all their energy and spirit into their performance.
Today, the 29th, Les and I went on a bus and walking tour of the “White Cities.” Arcos de la Frontera and Ronda are heritage sites where all the buildings are whitewashed. The streets are cobbled and narrow. The doors are massive with little doors built in which are people-sized. The towns are in a mountainous area with buildings built along the cliffs of river gorges.
Today we walked along the coast of Cadiz. In Parque del Genoves are trees of many varieties, fountains, and trees and bushes clipped in spirals and other quirky shapes. We saw garden cats, doves, and green parrots. On we went to the Old City where we negotiated the post office (take a number), the ATM machine, and purchased a queso bocadillo (cheese sandwich) on a freshly baked bun. Tonight we plan to go out about nine for tapas and wine.
We’ll be in this area tomorrow, but will board the ship for Casablanca about four. The ship departs at eight, but the line is long and if you don’t swipe your card before six, you get “dock time,” where you miss activities at the next port.

Across the Atlantic

2009-01-26T01:09:00.000-08:00

January 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 Atlantic Ocean
At 1130 hours we had live streaming of Barack Obama’s inauguration. We went up to 7007, Matthew & Wendy’s room, to view it on their TV. Tonight there was an inauguration party to celebrate. I think the international crew is as excited or even more excited than we: they served a red, white, and blue cake and champagne to everyone.
The boat is moving at 20+ knots. At noon an announcement said that we had traveled 300 some miles and we had 3300 more to go. There are seven decks. Our room is on deck five. It has two single bunks, a bathroom, desk, refrigerator, and storage. When Barrett is with us we make him a nest on the floor between the beds for his nap. There is a large dining room on our deck as well as purser’s desk and offices. Deck six is the Union (assembly hall), coffee lounge, bookstore, library, computer lab, some classrooms and one cafeteria. Matthew’s deck has the staff lounge, wellness center, and bigger rooms. Part of deck two and decks three and four are student rooms.
Classes start tomorrow, but I won’t register for two days after students are all settled. I’ll visit classes tomorrow.
Wendy taught her first class today. We heard students talking excitedly about it. She herself said it was humbling. Matthew has met with all three of his classes. I have visited two classes, and I hope I can get in them. Tomorrow I will find out.
There are several children on board. They range from high school to about seven months. There is a program director for those from K through 12, but parents are still responsible for the bulk of their studies brought from their home schools. We often get together with Christopher (age 4), Abby (age 3) baby sister Lilly, and Eli (age 18 months) along with their mothers.
Jan. 24th and we are more than half way across the Atlantic. I registered for my two classes and am trying to catch up/keep up with the reading. Biology 105 is Nutrition Around the World and English Writing 357 is True Lies: Creative Writing as Critical and Trans-Cultural Consciousness. I realized that I have never taken a writing course! The two professors have different styles which makes it more interesting.
We have lost an hour most nights as we travel east. It means an hour of sleep goes by-by. Our days are full: early exercise, breakfast, go to Barrett’s room. One of us goes to the Global Studies course that gives everyone information on the countries, geography, and the ever-changing world environment which man has adapted to over time. The theme of the voyage is “migrations.” Barrett time in his room is play and stories, then we go outside on deck to play ball or try to swim if the pool has water, then in to our room for journal, stories, and “speedy beep” which is a ball game Barrett and Les invented. Lunch follows. Then it’s story and nap, during which I study and go to one of my classes. After nap is playtime with friends and then dinner. There are activities after dinner. Today we studied, went to salsa class, studied, went to a talk on food in Spain, studied, went to a meeting of preschool parents and volunteer university students who want to work with preschoolers (there were over 40 of them!), and then a walk around outside and more study. Now it is almost one AM on the new time, so I’m for sleep!

Bahamas

2009-01-20T13:56:00.000-08:00

January 18 & 19, 2009 Nassau, New Providence, the Bahamas
The 725 students are on board, and we have really begun the trip, heading out of Caribbean waters into the Atlantic crossing. The ambiance of the ship has changed dramatically with lots of young energy. Over 70% of the students are girls. The most students from any one campus come from the University of Colorado, and the most students from any state come from various California colleges. All in all, there are 235 colleges and universities represented.
We awoke on the 19th and raised our shade to a colorful scene: pastel and brightly colored building of Nassau. We learned how to disembark and all took a water taxi over to Paradise Island, which is touristy and rich. We saw the aquarium at the Atlantis Hotel where you wander through dark caves and see fish in among “shipwreck ruins.” I liked the mantas, and Barrett likes the moray eels. Although he doesn’t want to get close to the glass with big fish swimming by, he loves those eels!
Buses are called jitneys, and the cars drive on the left side. Ladies in the market called me “Honey” and sit in chairs while they sew and sell. In the grocery, the girls sit to do checkout. They must not get paid much because they have a tip jar. The police dress in white uniforms, and students have on white shirts and green slacks or skirts. Most of the people are tourists, and between meetings on the ship, we didn’t have much time to go far. I enjoyed walking through the straw market and talking to some of the ladies. We left Nassau at 1700 hours with hundreds of parents waving from dockside. It was festive!

2009-01-16T16:49:00.000-08:00

January 14 & 15, 2009
I heard a short-eared owl call from our neighbor’s ridgepole. The furnace quit ten days ago in subzero temperatures, and the truck broke down. Grammy was in the hospital. Jesse arrived, and we went to Charlie’s Bakery to meet Garrett, Sarah, Edison, and Jasper for Chinese chow. When we began to drive home, we noticed rain; then, as we climbed the mountain, wind and blowing snow. Rounding Kamakazi Curve, we faced a full-blown blizzard. We knew that by morning, the road would be plugged, and we would miss our flight. Fortunately we were all packed, so we put on our traveling clothes and called Margo. Could we sleep there? Margo and Howard to the rescue! The owl, the blizzard, dear friends all remind us that we are leaving our wonderful home in Alaska.
We made it to Miami. The moon is lying on its back like a smile. We speak the wrong language. Coconuts are ripening on the trees. We think we spotted the M/V Explorer across the water from our Continental Bayshore Hotel on Biscayne Avenue.
That was it, pier J. We met up with Matthew, Wendy, and Barrett and began orientation. At exactly 11 pm, the crew untied the ship from the dock. A tug Dade tied off on the port stern and began to pull us from the pier. We are on our way to the Bahamas! Time for the lifeboat drill.
Jesse says Alaska is mad at us for leaving: the weather has been wild, wild, wild!

Boat and classes

2009-01-04T18:12:00.000-08:00

Friends have been asking me about the ship we'll sail on. It is the M/V Explorer. It was built in Germany as one of the world's fastest cruise ship and completed in 2001 by Blohm and Voss shipbuilders. The gross tonnage is 24,318. Length is 590 feet with an 84 foot beam. Its draft is 24 feet, and the cruising speed is 28 knots (1.15 mph/knot). There are 418 cabins and six participant decks. It has a library and large hall for the entire student body to meet together. There are 196 crew from 20 countries. Approximately 32 professors will hold classes in nine classrooms. There will be up to 836 passengers.

Matthew will be teaching Technosonics, Mobile Interactive Computer Ensemble Tour (better known as MICE), and Ecoacoustics - Sites and Sounds. Aniseh will be teaching A World of Dance - An Interactive Study of National Dances.

My choices for possible classes include Theatre History - Theatre and Ritual, Studies in Poetry, True Lies: Creative Writing as Critical and Trans-Cultural Consciousness, Golden Peaches and Vermillion Birds: Introduction to Chinese Poetry, English as a Global Language, Classical Asian Philosophy, Physics for Mariners, International Service-Learning, Introduction to Biological Anthropology, Comparative Educational Systems, and/or Nutrition Around the World. They all sound pretty interesting, so it will be fun to see which two I can fit into my nanny schedule.

Judy

trip countdown

2009-01-01T20:18:00.001-08:00

Today is Jan. 1 2009 and we have two weeks before leaving Anchorage for Miami to board the M/V Explorer. It's time to button up loose ends and seriously begin packing for a four month trip around the world. Nothing was open today so tomorrow I'll start
marking off the list and check it twice and think of more to add as I drive around Anchorage in -15 degree weather.

LesB

Our itinerary - 2 weeks until departure!

2009-01-01T18:57:00.000-08:00

Miami Staff departs 15 Jan.
Nassau, Bahamas
Depart Mon. 19 Jan. 1700
Cadiz Spain Arrive Wed. 28 Jan., 0800
Depart Sat. 31 Jan. 2000
Casablanca, Morocco Arrive Mon. 02 Feb. 0800
Depart Thurs. 05 Feb. 2000
Walvis Bay, Namibia Arrive Sat. 14 Feb. 0800
Depart Mon. 16 Feb. 0800
Cape Town, South Africa Arrive Wed. Feb. 18 0800
Depart Sun. 22 Feb. 2000
Port Louis, Mauritius Arrive Fri. 27 Feb. 0800
Depart Fri. 27 Feb. 2200
Chennai, India Arrive Thurs. 05 Mar. 0800
Depart Mon. 09 Mar. 2000
Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand Arrive Sun. 15 Mar. 0800
Depart Thurs. 19 Mar. 2000
Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam Arrive Sun. 22 Mar. 0800
Depart Fri., 27 Mar. 0800
Hong Kong/Shanghai, China Arrive Sun. 29 Mar. 0800
Depart Fri., 03 April 2000
Kobe/Yokohama, Japan Arrive Mon. 06 April 0800
Depart Fri. 10 April 2100
Cross International Dateline – add one day
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA Arrive Sun. 19 April 0600
Depart Mon. 20 April 2000
Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala (Antigua, Guatemala City) Arrive Tues. 28 April 1100
Depart Thurs. 30 April 2000
Transit Panama Canal – Sun. 03 May
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA Arrive Wed. 06 May 0800

Change in Itinerary

2008-12-12T10:09:00.000-08:00

Our trip has been changed. We will no longer enter the Mediterranean Sea, going to Italy, Turkey, and Egypt. We will not go through the Suez Canal or into the Gulf of Aden. I will be renaming my blog! Now we are going to Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, and Mauritius. Instead of calling my blog 8 Seas, 3 Oceans, 2 Canals, I will rename it 4 Continents, 3 Oceans, 3 Seas, and 2 Hemispheres. We will get to see the Southern Sky which has always been one of my dreams. We are sad, however, that we will not see my Turkish sister Leyla and her husband Sener.

Getting Ready

2008-11-15T21:56:00.000-08:00

Les and I are sporting orange bracelets which read "Remember Oral Typhoid Vaccine." We each had two shots in each arm this week, and our passports with visa stamps have arrived. We are finding out that there is an enormous amount of preparation involved for a 3.5 month trip around the world! I am calling the blog 8 Seas, 3 Oceans, 2 Canals.