DUBAI -- A MID-EAST JEWEL

WELCOME TOURISTS!!

At this point in my life, I am too old, wise (?), skeptical and preconditioned to be impressed with anything but I must admit that Dubai has penetrated my innermost curiosity and iven me pause to consider its awesome accomplishment. You might say I am borderline envious. 

We awakened early Thursday morning in the Port of Dubai, looked out the window to the hazy but impressive skyline and hastened to prepare for our day. After “reupping” (checking in) for the next leg of our “odyssey" and enjoying an early breakfast we were off the ship and aboard a shuttle inbound on a 20 minute ride to a city mall. We transferred to a hop on hop off bus for a two hour tour of the city and an up close and personal view of the tall buildings and impressive architecture that makes thia city spectacular.  It ia a truly innovative vision that has transformed this desert into a bustling, high octane thriving metropolis. According to our recorded guide, the Sheik whose vision and planning it encompasses estimates that the current version represents only 8% of his dream.  (I am unable to confirm that number and thus, I am not sure that the percentage is correct but I was taken aback by the low number. I may not have it right – but no matter -- the Sheik is on a roll!)

Dubai is part of the United Arab Emirates which was formed in 1966 after Britain announced it would withdraw from the region. Dubai occupies an area of approximately 1,500 miles and in 2013 its population was 2,106,177.  (Our tour guide estimated the current population as 2,400,000.)

Dubai, the largest city in the United Arab Emeritus (UAE), is located on the southeast coast of the Persian Gulf and is one of the seven emirates that make up the country. It is a global city and business hub of the Middle East and Southern Asia and a major transportation hub for passengers and cargo.

According to Wikipedia, in the 1960s Dubai’s economy was primarily revenue from trade and, to a smaller extent, oil exploration concessions, but oil was not discovered until 1966. Oil revenue first started to flow in 1969. Dubai's oil revenue helped accelerate the early development of the city, but its reserves are limited and production levels are low: today, less than 5% of the emirate's revenue comes from oil. The emirate's Western-style model of business drives its economy with the main revenues now coming from tourism, aviation, real estate, and financial services. 

Dubai’s skyline of skyscrapers and high-rise buildings accentuate the inspiring and amazing magnitude of its building process and the number of projects in construction phase seems incredible with the world’s tallest building, the “Burj Khalifa” providing the “icing for the cake” that is still being baked.

 In case you are contemplating attending the 2020 World Expo to be hosted by Dubai, Wikipedia reports that in 2012  Dubai was said to be the 22nd most expensive city in the world and the most expensive city in the Middle East.  There is no graffiti, the streets are clean, housing is impressive and there appears no shortage of money and the good life seems abundant. It does not appear to be a hostel for tghe poverty stricken.

Our combination air conditioned and open air bus was comfortable and our English headset narration informative.  The history of Dubai was entwined with the sights before us.  There are three major routes (red, blue and green bus) that provide a thorough introduction to the cities, past, present and future in the form of new buildings in various stages of construction.  

We had committed to a desert tour and dinner at a Bedouin Camp for a genuine Arab experience and it quickly became apparent that there were not enough hours in the day to provide more than one tour and little, if any, time to examine the sites in any detail.  At the conclusion of our first tour a quick reference to our watches confirmed that we did not have enough time to do another tour and get back to the ship for our 4 PM desert departure.  Ken especially wanted to do the free water trips that were included in our hop on hop off selection but that had to be put off.  We grabbed a hamburger, took some photos from the mall and grabbed our shuttle back to the ship and prepared for our next adventure.

Our tour included old Dubai, the modern city with its many high rise apartments, skyscrapers and extraordinary architecture. An in depth history and background of the old city and elaboration on the vision of the current Sheik for the ongoing development of the new Dubai was shared.  Ken and Diane went back on Friday morning before our 2PM departure and did the Blue bus but alas, there was not enough time for him to do the water cruises or the green bus tour.  Perhaps if a fountain of youth is uncovered that will permit old bodies to be young bodies, and we can see the rest on another trip?

At 4 PM we were loaded into a caravan of jeeps for our Dunes dinner Safari. There were six passengers to a jeep and the seating was tight and getting in and out somewhat difficult.  A younger couple (60’s) shared our jeep and thoughtfully took the less comfortable back seat at our first stops for which Diane and  I were exceedingly grateful.

Upon leaving the four lane highway our group of perhaps 70 jeeps made a 5 minute stop at an obvious preset location and let the air out of the tires before striking off across the desert.  This was obviously not their first “rodeo’ (or in this case, caravan).  As promised in five minutes we were again on the road.  We now headed off across the open desert and our first stop, a falcon exhibition at the Dubai Desert Conservation Refuge. The falcon exhibition was interesting but the “featured falcon” was in a cantankerous mood and had some difficulty in following its regimen.  A further benefit of our stop was a “potty break”, water and stretch of our legs.  Mission accomplished we were now ready for the “dunes” experience.  Our information warned that people with a bad back or other medical conditions should consider their physical fitness before committing to this tour. Inasmuch as I have had some reoccurring reminders of back discomfort, I took two ibuprofen before we departed.

As we struck out across the dessert we were treated to an “E” (Disney special) ride of the first degree.  We climbed over major sand dunes, slid down them, tipped to the right, slid to the left, got stuck, backed up and did another take and curved past one dune into another until even the most sturdy among us must have felt moments of queasy discomfort in the pit of our stomach. I wondered aloud who the poor victim might be that would buy the used jeeps.  Bill thought that they would be junked and that seemed reasonable.  A final stop for a photo op of the deserts setting sun concluded our nerve wracking and exciting desert safari. It was a thrill that I would never intentionally commit to but one that I will never forget.  Be assured, however, that I am now a bit wiser and it is unlikely that I will ever commit to a repeat performance – not even for money!!

After our sunset stop we made our way to the Bedouin Camp where we were greeted by a camel caravan and treated to a photo op with real live camels and experienced a camel ride. We were introduced to the traditional activities of a Bedouin camp i.e; hand painting, aromatic water pipe, live music and belly dancing after an Arabian meal consisting of grilled meats, fresh salads, vegetables and sweets. It was a memorable day capped off with an unforgettable evening and experience. What a blast.

It was a full day with the stuff from which memories are made, remembered and treasured. 

Diane and Ken went back for more pictures from the Blue line before our 2PM departure Saturday but alas, there is much left to do should we ever get a second "go at it".  Tomorrow we are in Muscat Oman for another day of Arabian and mid-east culture.

REFLECTIONS

Our days at sea provide us time for introspect, reflection and reading. There have been many such days on this voyage but good reading material, good traveling companions and the varied and diverse cultures on board tend to fill our days with interest.

The ship is a marvel with great attention paid to our comfort, entertainment and interests. On a slightly spoiled note, sometimes we are bored with the same good food day in and day out. The ship has five restaurants, four that are sit down, service oriented and menu driven. A fifth is buffet style with variety of speciality serving tables of diversified foods I.e; Asian, Italian, international, salads and desserts. We refer to the buffet as the trough and the term seems appropriate inasmuch all of those delectable choices creating an urge to "pig out" in our desire to try different dishes. On the other hand, the menus at the other restaurants are changed every three days but remain the same for each leg. We are part of 400 people who are on the ship as part of Royal Caribbean's World Odyssey for five legs, the menu though outstanding in taste and preparation tends to take on a sameness that is boring. When you put that in perspective with the reality of the starving people in the world, can anyone feel any empathy with my shallow discontent? Of course not. Just reporting. There are also
'for fee" venues available but we are not THAT bored.

We have had a few moments of excitement. Our first night aboard we were told that snipers would come aboard and accompany us through the waters bordering the area frequented by pirates on our journey through the mid-east. Sure enough, in Aqaba Jordan, a team of five special forces came aboard for our five day transit through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Once clear of the pirate zone, the team departed the ship as we transitioned into the Persian Gulf on our way to Dubai.

As we passed by Gibraltar, four passengers, were evacuated due to medical emergencies and again, three were evacuated off Shillalah Oman. When in port, the crew and staff do emergency drills in preparation for unexpected events and their state of readiness has been apparent during our moments of need.

Tomorrow we arrive in Dubai and after five days at sea the feel of land is anticipated with an excitement bordering on glee.

Yes. We are having a good trip and our safety, comfort and care is being met.

FROM THE SEA

Unscheduled stop in Salalah.. Understand it is another medical emergency. Just glad not us.

FRIDAY MAY 22

AQABA JORDAN

As promised the Captain brought us into port with nary a scratch and on the stin departing for one of the three venues offered by the ship, Petra, the Rose Red Desert City; The Dead Sea Experience and Wadi  Rum, a 4x4 drive across red sands, mountains, rock bridges and other geological formations of the desert valley.

The only tour that had our interest (more specifically, Ken's) was the one to Petra which promised a walk through a winding gorge that forms the dramtic entrance to the ancient trading city founded by Nabateans. It's archietectural marvels include the spectacular Treasury, towering temples, tombs, Roman theatre and homes caarved from the red-hued rock  that gives the site its spectacular bequty. 

Ken obsessed over the Petra outing said to be spectacular and dramatic in beauty and architectural ruins.  However, the bulletin warned of the need to be physically fit, health wise and cognizant of individual limitations because the tour involved lots of walking, steps and strenuous activity.  For days, the subject had been bandied about between us. I had no question but that the trip was a no go for me but Ken held out hope that he could make the gtrip.

Our friends, Bill and Diane were supportive of my concern as I tried to discourage Ken’s urge to “have a go at it”.  I finally said, “I don’t want you to go. But you know your limitations so you have to decide.”  After consulting with one of the guides, he was ready to go.  He went down to sign up for the tour and the guide there reviewed the tour with him and he decided not to go.  On reflection and after hearing numerous comments from those who did go, he now knows that he made the right decision.

Ken and I joined Bill and Diane Herbert on a tour of the town that turned out to leave us feeling disappointed in the city sights, the quality of our tour and the value of our choice but alas, we are good sports. We chocked our day up to another experience.  As our friend Bruce Haselman would say, “We didn’t leave anything there that would be worth going back to retrieve”.  Not even the Petra tour would be worth another trip here for me but should Ken be successful in turning back the years on his calendar, I would not dare speak for him!  He is hopeless!

Our one hour tour with a taxi turned out to be little more than a car ride to a hill overlooking the city, a stop at a mall for shopping and a ride down the street for a picture of a camel.  You might say, we were “had” but then we helped the Jordanian and Aqaba economy in a small way so we met our charitable giving for the day! Aqaba is the only seaside community in Jordan and its claim to fame encompasses the seashore, tourism and the port.

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After lunch aboard ship Ken scurried out to explore the seashore with a premeditated interest in a Chinese junk that he had viewed from the ship.  As he snapped picture close up, he was informed by a guard on board that pictures were not allowed. In response to Ken’s inquiry about who owned the boat, Ken was told it belonged to the King. 

THE KING'S JUNK

Ken enjoyed his visit among the natives and found them friendly. He especially enjoyed the young children who wanted to have their pictures taken and seemed anxious to make him feel welcome.  He reported that there was no pressure to hustle him in any way and his quick take on his visit with the natives was positive. As they say – been there done that.

Swimming in a Berka?

We are not alone

WEDNESDAY May 20

SUEZ TRANSIT

I am not sure what I expected our passage through the great Suez would be like but I found it interesting and exciting.

We arrived at Port Said about 9PM. The Captain announced our departure through the canal was scheduled for 5AM.  Of course, Ken and Diane were up at the scheduled hour to capture photos of our entry into the canal. By 6 AM the ship was alive with the sight and sounds of our population of nearly 4,000.

By way of background, the Canal is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt that connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. It was opened in 1889 to provide ships travel between Europe and South Asia without navigating around Africa thus, reducing the sea voyage between Europe and India by 4,300 miles. The canal is approximately 100 +/- miles long and passage is single lane. The canal is owned and maintained by the Suez Canal Authority of Egypt.  In August 2014, construction was to construct a second canal, the “New Suez Canal” for half of the route of the canal, costing $8.4 billion which is anticipated to increase the canal’s capacity from 49 to 97 ships a day. Construction is expected to take a year?

As we passed by fields of lush green fields under cultivation I was puzzled by the barren desert sand on the left as compared to the green productive fields on the right. I was told that Egypt had invested heavily into providing fresh water to enhance development of the area, and it appeared to be working.

The barren side of the canal is part of the Sinai Peninsula which has been the source of numerous disputes through the years and now belongs to Egypt. There is no evidence of development or attempt to develop that barren land on the canal.

There are two bridges connecting the two sides of the canal, the El Ferdan Railway Bridge, the longest swing bridge in the world, runs from the east of the Suez Canal to the west into Sinai. It is open to allow sailing ships to pass and closed during passage of trains.  I thought that I heard that it is rarely used now but that may have been a lapse in my hearing. The second bridge, The Suez Canal Bridge, is a road bridge crossing the Suez at El Qantara (“The Bridge” in Arabic) that links the continents of Africa and Eurasia. This bridge was jointly financed by Egypt and Japan.

As we navigated the canal we saw men fishing from small boats, frequent security checkpoints that seemed to be every ½ mile to one mile and military bases located at close intervals to give assurance of safety and security. Towns and cities along the way suggested a comfortable lifestyle causing the casual observer to wonder why all of the disputes and unease. 

ATHENS MONDAY MAY 18

OUT AND ABOUT IN ATHENS

As promised, the Captain navigated us into our dock in Piraeus and at 9 AM clearance to go ashore was announced. We had planned to wait until 10 AM to disembark on our own independent tour of the sights to avoid the crowd.  We planned to do a hop on hop off city tour with our friends and traveling companions, Bill and Diane Herbert.  Bill and Diane had been to Athens before and Bill decided to stay aboard and avoid the rush.

As we headed to the waiting hop on and hop off bus, we were accosted by a taxi driver who made us an offer for a city tour that sounded good and we decided to do a taxi instead.  We made a good decision and although his English and ours tended to vary in translation (and perhaps translation) he was very competent and thorough. He did “due diligence” in showing us the highlights of the great gems that make Athens a memorable and significant part of this area’s historic past.   

Our first top was the Acropolis where Ken and Diane took pictures while I waited in the cab.  Neither Ken nor I were up to the climb up the steps to the site and thus we did not get to experience the full impact of one of the great wonders of the world.  Acropolis consists of four ancient buildings; the Pantheon, Temple of Athena, Nike and the Erechtheion and the Propylea. The Acropolis was built during the apex of Greece’s Golden age in the 5^th century BC. Throughout history, it has served as a military fortress and religious center.

 

From the Acropolis we drove past parliament and caught the changing of the guard and from there we had an “E” ride up through the narrow streets into the hills above Athens for a breathtaking view of Western Athens and then over to a nearby peek for a view of the East side.  The spectacular views from these two peaks was overwhelming and increased our appreciation for how large and spread out the city really is

Our tour concluded with Ancient Agora, the administrative center and marketplace of Athens from the 6^th century BC to the 6^th century AD, and Plaka, the older area of the city located on the north slope of the Acropolis.  We were driven by the Pantheon Stadium, constructed in 1896 for the first modern Olympiad.  

It takes time to see and explore antiquity such as resides in this vast area of the world but we felt that our thumbnail tour provided us a glance into the highlights of Athens that makes us yearn for more but our sensibilities tell us that if we are to see Athens with more depth it will have to be another trip or in another life!  That dratted ticking time clock again!

We also enjoyed talking to our guide about the state of the country’s economy.  He is native of Athens (his grandparents came here in 1924) and the state of the economy hangs heavy over his head.  We wished that his English was better (or ours more like his) in order that we might better communicate with him and better understand his personal stories. We remarked about the number of taxis on the street and he said there are 1700.  We certainly saw no reason to challenge him.  It was sad to see the number of buildings that are vacant, abandoned and in various state of disrepair.  The picture is sad and it is too bad that thinking people in our own country are examining the factors that have led to this place for Greece because there, but for the grace of our own decisions, go we!!!

Aren’t you glad that I was able to gain all of this remarkable insight into world affairs?  Goodness – what will come next?  Stay tuned – you can never know what wisdom I may reveal!

Wednesday

Have blog ready but wifi is squirrely so unable to send. Weather is warm and we start our suez transit tonight.

SORRENTO

SATURDAY MAY 16 

Our ship docked in Napoli, Italy at 7AM. Our tour was scheduled for an 815 AM departure for Sorrento and we left as scheduled.  Our on board guide briefed us on the sights and sounds of Naples as we passed through the city on our way to beautiful and enchanting Sorrento.  

When we visited Sorrento in 2013, Ken  admired a wooden inlaid carving of the Last Supper that we felt was too expensive for our frugally oriented budget (poverty stricken?).  He has lamented on his deprivation since that visit and thus, Sorrento had definitely been in his planning scheme for this trip. I wanted to be sure that I was along because I thought I had veto power. 

Our ride up the winding, narrow road into Sorrento was, as we expected, exhilarating and for the faint of heart unnerving.  Nevertheless, we were inspired by the view and admired the people who choose to live on a cliff surrounded by beauty and Italian (hot?) air. No cowards are they.

Our excursion was only 5 hours with our ride to and fro 1 ½ hours each way and 1 ½ hours there.  The missing half hour was reserved for “herding the cattle” that best describes the job of a tour guide on these outings. At least that is my view of the experience.

  

Once in the shopping area, Ken was off to shop while I found a place to sit and watch the people.  A delightful lady from England sat down beside me and entertained me with her travel stories. She has cruised extensively and her stories were delightful.

After 45 minutes Ken returned, carrying a huge bag that made me realize how misled I was in believing that I had any veto power whatsoever.  Yes, he got his last supper and he is lucky that I do not use the term literally.  I did give him a dirty look and chastised him for not having it shipped home.  I warned him that he was on his own insofar as getting it home.  He is now having second thoughts in his judgment but he has made his bed and he shall lie in it.

We had been encouraged to try the Margareta pizza and we tend to do what we are told especially if it involves eating. We shared one and yes, it was delightful.  All in all – the trip was a scenic delight, Sorrento is a lovely, welcoming and safe destination that we wished we had more time to enjoy.

Our ride back was just as anxiety riddled as the ride up but I had adjusted and I slept most of the way.  We wish we could see and enjoy more of the Italian countryside but alas, a ships tour must do at this stage of our childhood.

Today Sunday May 17, is a sea day and tomorrow we visit Athens.  Life is grand and we really are having a good time.  Stay tuned for our adventures especially as we transit into the Suez. We are all looking forward to the adventure!!

Rome

IF IT’S FRIDAY – IT MUST BE ROME

After two weeks of being inhibited by aches and pains of a back bruised by my own missteps and an ulcerated hammer toe (a new problem toe) I bit the bullet, rose early  donned my surgical boot, took two Aleve and joined Ken on a bus trip from Civitavecchia into Rome.  We traveled the same route two years ago on our Mediterrean voyage so the landscape was familiar. Nevertheless, the beauty of the rolling green hills, crops in various state of progress and grape vineyards are sights that never tire my old eyes.

The trip into Rome was expected to be 1 ½ hours but the traffic was horrible and our voyage bordered 2 ½ hours. Our drop off and pickup was at Piazza San Pietro (St Peters square) and from there Ken and I rushed to join the long cue for the hop on hop off bus for our “tour” of Rome. At 1230PM we boarded a very crowded bus and with ear phones to guide us in recognizing the points of interest that we would see, we were off – in a matter of speaking.

From St Peters we passed by the entrance to St Peter’s Basilica, past the Vatican Museum, St Peter’s train station, St Angelo Castle and National Museum, Piazza del Popolo, Borghese Gallery, Spanish Steps,  Barberini Palace, S. Maria degli Angel Basilica, Quirinal Palace, Trevi Fountain, Termini Train Station, Pantheon, Piazza Napo dei Fiori, Venice Square, The Capitol and Capitoline Museums, S, Maria Maggiore Basilica, Roman Forum, Coliseum, S. John in Lateran Basilica, Circo Massimo, S. Maria in Cosmedin Church, S. Maria in Trastevere Church.   If I ever get back there, I will make a point of trying to retain all of the historical data that was imparted to our ears but on this day, our main interest was an overview and that we received.  We visited St Peters Square, Basilica, Sistine Chapel, Vatican and Museum during a 1993 visit with my sister. 

Ken’s interest was in visiting the Coliseum where he planned to stop off during our swing around the city but alas, our ride about town took 2 ½ hours and a 4PM departure left too little time.  Nevertheless, we had a chance to share the frenzy that is uniquely Rome and participate in a day of Italian madness. I am convinced that one needs a day to adapt to the Italian lifestyle before daring to expose oneself to the Italian experience on the street.  One man said that he accomplished two trips to Rome that day.  His first and last.  I emphasized with him. His attitude and mine seemed to suggest a need for special dispensation of some sort from the Pope but alas, he was unavailable so no kudos to him either.

Back aboard ship we envied the relaxed, laid back and carefree attitude of Bill and Diane, our traveling companions who stayed aboard and saved themselves the frustrations of Rome.  They had been there and decided to pass on a redo.  No fools, they! 

Aside from my frustration with the traffic and crowds, Rome is eternal and the grounds hallowed. Any visit to that city so abundant in architectural ruins, beauty, art and history awakens our senses and sharpens our awareness of our own venerability. 

THURSDAY

Today is a sea day and we have been rather inactive in transit from Barcelona to Rome.   Tonight is a dress up night which will be the highlight of our day!  Do we live an interesting life or not?

Tomorrow we will spend the day as tourists in Rome and hopefully, I will have a blurb on our adventures and explorations for the day.  We visited Rome in `1993 and of course, expect nary a change from our visit then -- including the amount of vim and vigor in which we will devote ourselves to the experience..

Until rtomorrow, hope all are well and the good life is shining bright on your abode.

LEG TWO BEGINS

May 13, 2015 – BARCELONA

Today we start the 2^nd leg of our “odyssey” which will transit from Barcelona to Dubai.  We were somewhat provoked that we had to rise early to check out and check in again. This seemed to be an inordinate amount of inconvenience on an estimated group of less than 1,000 people.  Only 400 of the guests leaving from New Jersey are doing the entire gig but others are getting off at other destinations.  

There will be a luncheon today for those aboard who are “consecutive cruisers” and presumably, we will have an opportunity to voice our complaints at that time.  The first leg has been good but as could be expected, not without room for improvement.  All in all we have enjoyed the trip thus far and we enjoy our comrades Bill and Diane Herbert.

 

Thus far, I have been a little limited in my ability to participate in shore adventures.  A combination of a toe that is resistant to healing and some back discomfort from a fall before we left has limited my enthusiasm for large scale activity.  Every day I improve and I fully expect to be up to speed by the time we get to our next port. Yesterday I even felt well enough to indulge in a little personal “feeling sorry for myself” but alas, I could blame no one but myself. Ken had gone ashore so as my mother would have told me to do, I just had to “grin and bear it”.  (Should that be bear or bare – computer says bear and it is smarter than me.) I am fully aware of how lucky I was that my fall left me only bruised and that I did not break anything.  That would have really ruined by day!

Enough for today.  We are off to lunch with fellow “consecutive cruisers” and a day of lounging in port while new cruisers arrive one by one – or – two by two as the case may be.

Onward and hopefully not upward!

PALMA DE MALLORCA

Today our port of call was Palma De Mallorca, on the Southern tip of the island of Mallorca on the Mediterrean sea.  According to Wikipedia, half of the island’s population lives in Palma De Mallorca.

Ken went ashore and did a  trip on the hop on hop off bus which included a visit to the Gothic Cathedral, La Seu, which he reports as similar to the one in Barcelona and, I believe, designed by the same architect or at least incorporates some of his ideas. According to Wikipedia, the Cathedral is built on the site of a Mosque which in turn was built on the site of a Roman Temple. What goes around comes around?

Ken, whose passion is boats was impressed with the number of beautiful yachts in the marina and wished for a closer look at the mega yachts that occupy space there. 

 

CARTAGENA SPAIN

We docked in Cartagena, the third largest port in the world, at 10  AM.  From our starboard side balcony, we had a great view of the city and the marina before us. The activity ashore seemed to suggest a relaxed, unhurried lifestyle and the town itself, picturesque. 

According to the web’s Encyclopedia Britannica, The harbor is acclaimed as the finest on the east coast of Spain. It is a deep bay surrounded by hills and approached through a narrow entrance guarded by batteries. It is the site of Spain’s chief Mediterranean naval base.  

Cartagena exports some olive oil, dried fruits, and minerals and has an arsenal and extensive dockyards. As you might suspect, the busy deep water port is a primary source of employment as well as tourism is an important sector in the local economy "as evidenced by the expansion of cultural institutions such as ARQUA (the National Museum of Underwater Archaeology) and the excavation and restoration of Roman ruins."

 

Ken enjoyed a stroll through the city and got a view into the Roman Theatre for a brief step back in time.  What history must abound in the silence of those reclaimed ruins.

As we enjoyed a wonderful diet conscious dinner in a restaurant appropriately named Devinely Decadence, the ship eased away from the dock, into the channel and tomorrow' destination, Palma de Mallorca.  

  

DAY NINE ABOARD QUANTUM OF THE SEAS

Another two days at sea and we are still finding new and interesting things to occupy our time.  Yesterday Ken, Bill and Diane did a bit of exploring aboard ship and capped their afternoon off with a 360 degree view of the ship from the North Star.  All returned to earth enthusiastic with the experience and anxious to go again.  I do not do heights so I did not regret missing the adventure.  However, there is a movement aboard that would have me push aside my earthly limitations and experience the adventure.  I have agreed to study the experience from a distance before saying my final no. 

Today, mother’s day, cards from both Gary and Terri expressed their acknowledgment of my right to celebrate in very pretty cards with very special personalized messages that brought a tear to my eyes. We capped the day off with dinner in the Grande Restaurant (the grandest of the restaurants aboard ship) in proper festive attire to add a bit of flair to the day. 

As we were finishing dinner the ship made a stop off Gibraltar to medivac some fellow passengers ashore for medical treatment.  Our travel so far has met expectations in comfort, service and the entertainment has been superb.

Tomorrow we venture ashore to explore Cartegena, Spain. That will be the subject of another discourse.  

DAY 7 OF OUR WORLD ODYSSEY

FRIDAY LAND AHOY

The first realm of our great Atlantic crossing is complete and after a sun draped day fit for a land lubber in Ponte Delgada, we are back on the sea and headed toward our next port of call, Cartegena, Spain. Before we reach that destination we have two more time changes and two days at sea.  Mind you – this springing forward is about to get up and went in relation to my enthusiasm but alas, I do not control the time.   

As we arrived in Ponte Delgada, Ken was up early to observe the Captain’s “docking” techniques. Later he and Diane (Herbert) went ashore for pictures and to pick up some incidentals from shore. Bill and I relaxed while our “spry” mates run the errands. Bill doesn’t do mornings and residual aches and pains as a result of a fall a few days before our departure continues to plague me. Every day brings improvement until soon I will have nary an excuse for avoiding exercise and activity.   Mind you,  I will think of something to avoid overdoing.

Ponte Delgada is the administrative capital of San Miguel Island in the Azores.   In 2011 the population was 68,809 covering an area of approximately 40 miles long and 25 miles wide.  Ken (who knows everything) says that agriculture is a dominant feature of the island’s livelihood with emphasis on dairy farming and cheese making.  Actually, I think he was apprised of that by a “passer by” while on shore.

From the deck of the ship the island appeared to be a bustling, modern configuration of activity with beautiful green fields as a backdrop.  In short laid back, relaxed and inviting if one is not atune with the big city syndrome of culture and action.

There you have it straight from the “mouth of the ship”.

  

WEDNESDAY FROM THE SEA

Settling into our lifestyle of comfort.  Had a wee pinch of concern yesterday when the Captain informed us that they were working on the electrical failure and all would soon be righted.  We were dead in the water for a brief 5 minutes or so as well as people on the elevators were hanging still for the duration. Ken’s immediate response was a disconcerting, “It will take two days to get a tugboat here.” 

True to the Captain’s word we were soon back on line and making way.  Just a little something to blast us out of our boredom and something to write home about. (Sometimes small things make ones day?)

Last evening we enjoyed a lovely dinner with Bill and Diane at one of the many restaurants to choose from aboard ship. However, we skipped the entertainment of Beatlemania.  We opted for bed early in an attempt to keep up with the daily 1 hour time change.  One more tonight and I think we will be settled in for a few days insofar as “going forward” with the old clock.

Our days are filled with rest and relaxation from the stress of the good life aboard ship.  Life is tough!