Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE)

            Monday, 27 Mar 2017 – There was great disorganization this morning when we were trying to join our tour group and then exit the ship.  When we were arriving at the meeting place onboard the ship at 8:45 AM, the time set for the meeting, we met (coming toward us) a large group of people already dismissed from that room and heading into the hall to receive their bus number. People in line told us that we needed an “In Transit” sticker for the front of our shirts, which had been sent to our room – but we didn’t have them.  The crew member giving out bus number stickers said that the bus number was more important than the “In Transit” sticker, and to stay in line.  When we were close to the ship’s exit, our line totally stopped for at least 20 minutes.  Today was the end of the cruise for many people (only 400 out of the 2500 passengers, including us, were not disembarking).  At first, groups of disembarking passengers were called to leave the ship (normal procedure for disembarkation so that their exit is kept orderly), but then those people filled up the area near the exit where our line was standing.  But there was also a long line of ship staff boarding at this time, and the exiting passengers were completely stopped while they boarded.  Only Jesse (and a few other tall people) could see the boarding people; everyone else wondered what was happening.

            Due to that mess, our bus was a half hour late (9:30 instead of 9:00 AM) in leaving the pier to begin our 4.5 hour tour “Discover Dubai – Old and New.”  Dubai is often referred to the Golden City.

            At the pier, we saw the ship, Queen Elizabeth II, which will soon become a floating resort.  Also, new cars filled huge parking lots.  Our guide said they import cars and then export them.

Jumeirah Mosque

            A drive through Dubai consists of great photo opportunities.  Our guide told us that their ruler wants to attract tourists here, which is a big reason for such impressive buildings.  The dazzling hotel Burj Al Arab, designed to resemble a billowing sail and dominating the Dubai coastline, is one photo opportunity; another is the Jumeirah Mosque, an impressive example of Islamic architecture. 

Our guide mentioned that If someone is seen riding on the metro with gum or candy in his/her mouth, they could be fined.  (This is an effect to keep the surroundings clean, but Sally felt sympathy for any residents who might have a severe shortage of saliva as she does!)

            Since the sun was under clouds during some of the day and apparently there had been storms not far away, we were lucky to experience quite comfortable outdoor temperatures in this entire area.  The bus stopped for about 10 minutes by the beach.  Our guide told us that there are no fishermen here from Dubai; the former fishermen are now rich, only foreigners are fishermen.  Since everything is imported, prices are high here.  Although men here can have four wives, they are becoming more modern with “family values,” so that most have only one wife.  “Locals” (citizens) receive 40 percent discounts at grocery stores.  The ruler of Dubai also gives $20,000 or $30,000 US to each male citizen getting married to start his “new life.”  A mosque is present for every 10 houses; if this is not so, citizens can petition the government, and a mosque will be built.

            This guide talked about camels and camel racing.  Since camels can never be tamed, their front feet are tied at night so that they won’t wander away.  In the past, camels were raced using small children (of 5 or 6 yrs) on their backs; if the child cried, the crying caused the camel to run faster.  After human rights people objected to this practice, technology had also progressed to the point that a small box could be tied to a camel’s back, with sounds like a crying child emitting from the box – with the same effect.

            It is difficult to believe that barely 30 years ago, this gleaming metropolis was a little more than a desert-strewn wilderness, where nomadic tribes roamed the sands and a cluster of settlers crowded around the banks of Dubai Creek.  When we visited the Dubai Museum, located in the 200-year-old Fort Fahidi, we viewed a collection of monuments and artifacts.  Much of it was quite dark, as visitors filed past reproductions of people as they lived in previous times.  Because of the darkness, it was difficult to see some of the exhibits; and Jesse wasn’t able to get good photos because his camera’s flash wasn’t working well.

            Incidentally, two people on our bus had received extra “In Transit” labels, which they gave to us; therefore, when we approached the pier, we had no problem in re-boarding the ship.  Later, when Jesse checked more carefully, he discovered that we had never received any “In Transit” stickers, though we did receive the letter that should have contained them!  All’s well that ends well!

            After reaching our cabin, Sally napped for about 45 minutes before we had to attend the mandatory lifeboat drill again, as we had when we boarded in Singapore 18 days ago.  Although it seemed unnecessary for us to repeat the procedure, it was a requirement.  After dinner, we danced for a longer time than usual, which somewhat made up for not swimming at all today.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Sunday, 26 Mar 2017 – Today we took a 4-hour tour of Abu Dhabi.  Since it was to start at 3:00 PM, we ate a very late breakfast.  On shore, we were given our passports, just in case we needed them (but returned them to ship custody when we returned to the ship).

The first stop was Heritage Village, which houses a small museum and depicts the daily activities of the Arab community prior to the discovery of oil.  Founded in 1761, Abu Dhabi is situated on a small peninsula surrounded by a cluster of islands.

UAE Heritage Village

            Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), known as the Manhattan of the Gulf due to a profusion of ultra-modern glazed skyscrapers, contains gleaming white mosques and elegant high-rise apartments overlooking the city’s magnificent skyline.  Our guide pointed out one skyscraper built by a “member of the ruling family.”  So that we could also see the skyline from a little further away, the bus drove to at least one island.

            Our bus stopped for one hour at the Sheikh Zayed Mosque – also referred to as the Grand Mosque – for an interior visit.  This is the largest mosque in the UAE and the eighth largest mosque in the world.  Before we entered, our guide inspected each woman to see that arms were covered to the wrists, legs were covered to the ankles, and that the head was covered with a veil.  Although men were allowed entrance with short sleeves, Jesse wore his sweater in an effort to be somewhat fair!  When one woman had a blouse that was considered too transparent, another passenger loaned her a shirt to wear over her clothes.  Also, before entering, everyone removes his/her shoes and places them in small cubicles for that purpose.

Grand Mosque (Interior)

Grand Mosque (Exterior)

            Someone later asked us which is more beautiful, the Grand Mosque or the Taj Mahal.  Certainly the Grand Mosque is huge; the exterior is gleaming white.  Inside, the largest hall (where men pray) is 7,000 square meters, with an Arabian rug of continuous design.  The chandelier in that room is beautiful but so large (and heavy) that special support of the ceiling was necessary, though not noticeable in the design.  However, much of the grandeur of the Grand Mosque is due to its impressive size, whereas the intricate artistry of the Taj Mahal is incomparable.  The Taj Mahal is a work of art, whereas the Grand Mosque seems built to impress.  (That’s Sally’s opinion!)

            Our guide told us a little about society here.  Since cows need water and grass, 95 percent of cow milk is imported; therefore, instead of cow’s milk, camel milk is used.  The relatively small number of original people here were fisherman or whatever, but they are now the “citizens” and privileged members of society.  These citizens are “given” private houses, usually quite large because the eldest son usually stays there for life with his parents.  On the other hand, “foreigners” such as our guide (a Russian woman) live in apartments, and can never become citizens.   However, 85 percent of people living in Abu Dhabi are foreigners; half of their army (between the ages of 18 and 26) are foreigners.  Education and medical care is also provided to citizens at no cost.  Although citizens are allowed as many as four wives, royalty can have 6.  Foreigners have few, if any, benefits and can never become citizens, and must leave the country upon retirement at age 65.

            It was 7:00 PM when we arrived back at the ship terminal, where there was free Internet.  We stayed there about an hour while Jesse downloaded photos he had taken with the I-phone (because the battery in his camera died as we were entering the Grand Mosque).

            At our table during our late dinner was an unusual couple, Pete and Glenda: he was born in Germany but has lived most of his life in Switzerland, while she still has her house in Ontario, Canada.  However, they spend much of their time together traveling.  Pete speaks four languages: German, French, English, and “Roman.”  Apparently Roman is now a rare language spoken by only a few thousand people but is taught in schools in at least part of Switzerland so that it will not disappear.  [We found a similar situation in the Barcelona area, where they are keeping an almost obsolete language, Catalan, alive by teaching it in schools.]

Muscat & Khasab, Oman

Friday, 24 Mar 2017 – Today we were scheduled to meet for our “Hop On Hop Off Muscat City Tour” at 10:15 AM; however, since we could see the cruise staff loading the open-top, double-decker buses from our cabin window, we waited for an opportune time for walking the short distance to go ashore.  This allowed us to get very good seats on the upper deck in the front, covered section.  The cover provided great protection from the alternating sun and rain sprinkles, though it was still very windy.  Jesse was comfortable wearing his light jacket, and Sally held her hat tightly around her ears!

Muscat Marina

Although ten stops were available, we later told people we had taken the “Hop On Stay On” bus because very few people got on or off; certainly we did not.  Listening to the recorded narrative over ear buds, we obtained some explanation of what we viewed.  Muscat is a beautiful city, rich from oil, free of crime, and ruled by Sultan Qaboose.  Located in a bay protected on three sides and inaccessible by land because of mountains, forts were built in the 1600’s on both sides of the bay as protection from the Ottoman invasions.  Some highlights of this tour (some of which we could see from the exterior) included Muttrah Souk, Royal Opera House, Al Shati, Natural Mangroves, Qurum Beach, Qurum Park, mountain pass, Parliament, marina views, and the Sultan’s Palace.

Although we went to the ship’s pool this afternoon, it was too cold for Sally, who watched while Jesse swam for a few minutes.  He was the only person in the pool at that time except for a teenager from CA, who swam very briefly.

Khasab Fort

Saturday, 25 Mar 2017 – This morning we took a 3.5 hour excursion, “Picturesque Khasab & Surroundings.”  Since it had been raining, very large pools of water on the pier caused us to look for best ways around or through them to reach our bus.  We were glad to stay on the bus for most of the time because it rained from time to time.  Only about one or two miles from the ship, we stopped at Khasab Fort, a 17th-century stronghold build by the Portuguese who sought dominion over the maritime trade in the Straits of Hormuz. 

Although we had scenic views of the coast, today was so cloudy and foggy that any views were not very impressive.  As the bus traveled on a winding road between blasted rock and the ocean, at one point Jesse asked Sally to “hang on” to him because the drop-off from the cliff looked dangerous.  Our guide’s Arabic accent was so heavy that we understood only part of each English sentence; most of the time, no one on the bus understood much of what he said.  However, he showed us a map, which showed how his country is located on a peninsula, surrounded on three sides by water; Iran is a close neighbor.  He mentioned something to the effect that the US monitors his area closely, but they have no problem with the US.  (At least, we believe that this is what he said.) 

We stopped at a second Portuguese fort that had a large, strange hole in the ground with grating above it, which we understood to be a prison.  Before returning to the ship, we stopped for about 15 minutes at a very small market.  (One man on our bus bought a suitcase for $30 US, which seemed a fair price.  Small markets and taxis all accept $US in this part of the world.)  Our bus had left the pier at 1:05 PM, and we were back on the ship about 4:30 PM.

Fujairah, United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Thursday, 23 Mar 2017 – After breakfast, we made our way to the Stardust Theater just before the 8:45 AM meet-up time for our “East Coast Highlights” 4.5 hour shore excursion.  Our bus left the pier at 9:00 AM and headed first to the Fujairah Museum.  Here, we noted that traffic was traveling on the right-hand side of the road, not the left as in India.

Inside the museum, we viewed displays of old weapons, traditional costumes, and artifacts, plus a remake of the interior of a house, probably before 1900.  There were Interesting displays and photos, but usually without dates.  However, before about 1950, life in this area was primitive.

300-Year-Old Fujairah Fort

 Next, we stopped at the 300-year-old Fujairah Fort; we climbed a lot of stairs to go inside, though some visitors stayed below!

Our bus drove along the east coast of the United Arab Emirates, a region known for its excellent beaches, the rugged Hajjar Mountain range, and some lush green areas.  On the west coast, the water is too hot to swim.  Although this area can very hot, it had rained here the day before our visit so that the weather felt like “late summer,” our guide told us.  One photo stop was the Oasis in Bithna, whose impressive fort guards the mountain pass.

The guide pointed out some small houses with thatched roofs which, though they appeared primitive to us, had been lived in by “wealthy” people; apparently others survived as best they could.  In the 1960’s some modernization started; however, television and phones didn’t come until the 1980’s.  Many traders would follow the monsoon winds to India (some went even to China); they would wait for two months or so before heading back to Fujairah, meanwhile learning local languages.  Many Indians came to Fujairah; even today, 40 percent of the population is Indian, our guide said.  Almost anyone can receive visas for Fujairah, but not “Jews” (we assume citizens of Israel).  Work permits are very strict.  This country is very safe, as are all of the UAE countries, with virtually no crime.  (No one dares to commit a crime!)  Being found with an empty bottle of alcohol can earn a person up to 3 months in jail.  Ship passengers were advised that “due to local culture, conservative attire is required for men and women.  Please dress appropriately – no bare shoulders, shorts, or skirts about the knee.”

Our bus stopped at a market, where we walked along the fronts of many small shops, mostly selling produce, but some also selling beautiful rugs and some furniture.  Although this is called the Friday Market, it is open seven days a week from morning to night, with bargaining being a requirement.

Al Bidiyah Mosque

Last, the bus drove through rugged mountains of white (limestone), red (iron oxide), and green (copper).  This country has no oil.  Wells dug into deep river bottoms fill up during the monsoons.  We made a photo stop at the Al Bidiyah Mosque to see the exterior; built in 1746, this is the oldest mosque in the Emirates.

We were back in our cabin by 1:40 PM.  Although we swam in the ship’s pool, it was the coldest yet; we didn’t stay in the water for very long!

2 Days at Sea

           Tuesday, 21 Mar 2017 – We set back our clocks again last night by 1.5 hours, so that we were awake by 7:30 AM and went to the pool to swim, probably the only time on this cruise we will swim so early!  The pool has usually been lukewarm, but this time it was much colder, perhaps 80 degrees or less.  Since there were only a few people in the pool besides us (and they got into the water within 5 minutes before or after we did and didn’t usually stay long), we were able to swim until we tired of it.  Then we went to breakfast, after which Sally napped again.   Lunch, dinner, conversation with other passengers, and dances to a few songs completed our day.

Wednesday, 22 Mar 2017 – This morning, we slept in and went late to breakfast.  About 1:00 PM, we went for a swim.  Since the water was cold again, we had plenty of open space in the pool to swim laps.  We barely made lunch time, going at 2:40 PM, but Jesse makes a point of eating three meals daily (which is really too much for Sally; however, she almost always goes, too, because Jesse doesn’t like going alone!  It was interesting to watch the big crowd rush to the buffet line five minutes before closing time. 

This evening, we decided to try dinner in the Aqua dining room instead of in the huge Versailles, where we have always eaten previously.  Sally liked the small size of the room and the shorter time at dinner; however, Jesse had a headache at the beginning of the meal and was not very conversant, despite the friendly couple (from central CA) seated at the same table.  He prefers the Versailles dining room for our evening meal, which has windows – though we usually sit a long way from them.  We danced to three or four songs in the atrium before retiring to our cabin and were asleep by 11:00 PM.

Mumbai, India

           Monday, 20 Mar 2017 – Although we were still exhausted from the Taj Mahal trip, we didn’t want to miss seeing Mumbai.  Therefore, we were up by 6:00 AM in order to eat breakfast before meeting for our excursion, “Highlights of Mumbai.”  Our bus pulled off by 8:45 AM to start our four-hour tour, with Ragina as our guide.

Mumbai was our last stop in India.  The fastest growing, most affluent and industrialized (and possibly the cleanest) city in India, Mumbai represents the ever-changing face of today’s India – the old coupled with the dynamic new.  First, we visited a structure built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary in 1911, which is a principal landmark in Mumbai, the Gateway of India.

 After removing our shoes to enter, we visited the beautiful temple of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), where we witnessed prayer chanting offered for the welfare of humanity.  Some people were prostrate on the floor, and the inside of the temple was beautiful.

Krishna Temple (ISKCON)

Next, our bus made a stop at the Hanging Gardens.  Then, at the Dhobi Ghat we saw thousands of pieces of clothing hanging to dry on lines; such items are sent each day to be laundered, dried, and ironed by Mumbai’s’ laundry men and women, the dhobi wallahs.  Although we had noticed men on bicycles sometimes near our bus carrying large bags of garments, we didn’t know where they were going until we saw clothes drying on lines.

Sally’s favorite stop was Mani Bavan, the Gandhi Memorial.  The photos of the important events in Mahatma’s life are very interesting.  However, Sally took a little too long studying the photos and reading the captions because, when we were ready to leave, we couldn’t find anyone from our bus.  But soon someone came for us; he led us across a busy street, telling us, “Stay right by me!”  Holding out his hand to stop cars in each lane, he led us across!

Our last stop in Mumbai was at the Prince of Wales Museum, built to commemorate King George V’s royal visit to India.  This museum contains ancient artifacts, ivory carvings, and terracotta figurines – basically items found by archeologist in that area.  By about 2:30 PM, the bus returned us to the ship.

We were surprised by the fairly mild temperatures in India, maybe because it was overcast while we were there (by smog?).  At least, it was not nearly as hot as we had experienced in Malaysia.

After lunch, Sally slept from about 4:00 to 6:30 PM, and soon after that, we went to dinner.  While we were still at the table, a server brought a small cake to share for Jesse’s [belated] birthday.  The waitress wrapped the remainder (most of the cake) in plastic, and Jesse placed it in the fridge in our cabin to finish off with ice cream the next day.  We were soon in bed!

Taj Mahal Overland (3 days & 2 nights) – Cochin/Delhi/Agra/Goa, India

            Friday, 17 Mar 2017 – Happy Birthday Jesse!  In order to be at our meeting place onboard the ship by 4:15 AM, we awoke to our alarm at 3:00 AM – no, that’s not a typo!  After a brief snack & coffee, we disembarked from the ship to board our bus, where we met our guide, Kapin.  Since our trip through Cochin was in the dark, we didn’t see very much of that city.  At Cochin airport, we received boarding passes and at 7:10 AM we boarded a plane (Air India), on which we were served breakfast.  Our tickets were for an aisle and middle seat, for which we were grateful.  However, an Indian family who filled two rows across the aisle asked if their boy (of 8 to 11 years) could sit in the aisle seat in our row (though his ticket was for the window seat; we reluctantly agreed, so that we were stuck in inside seats! 

At 10:56 AM we landed at the Delhi airport, where we met our Taj Mahal tour guide, Sunil, and boarded the Group 3 bus.  There were 26 people in Group 3, and we assume there were similar numbers in Groups 1 and 2.  A fourth bus was also present; it might have been a spare for emergency, but we believe it also carried some of our suitcases.

From the bus, we viewed some of the city of Delhi, capital of India.  Also, we each received a box lunch.  From Delhi, our buses traveled on the new Yamuna Expressway to Agra, which allowed wonderful views of India’s vast farming countryside.  We passed some small groups of cattle, which might have been raised mostly for their dung (used for fuel or fertilizer).  More often, we saw rather barren areas with holes being dug for clay, which was used for making bricks.  We passed numerous smokestacks close to the ground, which our guide said were used in the brick manufacturing process.  From the smokestacks rose black smoke, obviously polluting the air.  Our guide told us that such smokestacks had been removed from near cities; however, we noticed some air pollution throughout India.  And some areas were covered with small fields separated by hedgerows, much like in England.  Occasionally we saw a few people working in the fields.  Indian women wear colorful clothing, which includes often beautiful dresses that hang nearly to their feet.  We were very surprised to see women sometimes working in the field, perhaps even standing in water, but still wearing their beautiful clothes!

At about 4:30 PM we arrived at our hotel, Double Tree by Hilton, in the city of Agra, where we immediately received room keys to our very large, luxurious room.  Sally immediately fell asleep for a short nap, but our luggage arrived at 5:30 AM.  At 6:00 PM we all gathered in the large dining room.  After a demonstration of the classical dance form of Kathak by three dancers, we enjoyed a huge buffet dinner.  By 9:00 PM we were in bed!

            Saturday, 18 Mar 2017 – All three groups gathered in the hotel lobby at 5:15 AM for coffee, juices, & small cookies.  Then Group 3, led by our guide Sunil, boarded our bus to the parking lot for the Taj Mahal.  Although this viewing was supposed to be at sunrise, the sun was well up by the time we lined up for entry.  Security is extremely strict in India, even at our hotel entrance in Agra.  At airports, men and women line up in separate lines because everyone experiences a “pat down.”  It was the same at the Taj Mahal entrance, but apparently, the woman security guard was slow in arriving to start frisking the women; therefore, the women probably stood in line for about an hour, wondering what was going on, while the men moved right along in their line nearby.  (Since we couldn’t carry in any objects larger than a small purse – and we didn’t know then that even that was allowed – Sally didn’t have her fold-out seat that Jesse always carries like a backpack!)  Of course, Jesse and many men were waiting for women to enter. 

Taj Mahal, Agra, India

However, the Taj Mahal was definitely worth seeing.  With its incredible lacy white grandeur, it is perhaps the most perfect example of an architectural monument in the world.  In memory of his [favorite] wife, the Moghal emperor Shah Jehan planned this most extravagant and incomparable monument built for love.  Amazingly graceful from any angle, it is the close-up detail that is really astounding. 

Back at the hotel at about 9:00 AM, we enjoyed breakfast.  We intended to go to Fort Agra with our group at 10:15 AM, the next scheduled event; however, when the two of us arrived at the meeting place about three or four minutes late, the group had already left!  Although we were surprised that they hadn’t waited, our feelings weren’t hurt; we were perfectly willing to spend the time relaxing in our room.  However, the tour organizers in the lobby insisted on getting us to the Fort and called for a small automobile to take us there!  Our ride in that car to the Fort turned out to be an unforeseen, exciting adventure as the car wove in and out of traffic.  Driving in any city in India would be a scary experience and, although the two of us sat in the back seat, we held our breath for much of the distance!  Our guide, Sunil, later told us that three things are required to drive in India:  “a good horn, good brakes, and good luck!”  Very few stoplights exist; instead, vehicles attempt to work their way into traffic in frequent, disorganized roundabouts.  Lots of motorcycles weave in and out; usually no lines show on the road; and sometimes people or dogs walk very close to moving traffic.  (A few times when we were on the bus, we saw a cow next to the road in one of the cities, but fortunately not on that ride to Fort Agra.)  After that wild ride, we arrived safely at Fort Agra, where we met up with our guide and the rest of the group.

Agra Fort is a World Heritage site, credited to Emperor Akbar, India’s great visionary.  His sons and grandsons added to this imposing structure situated by the banks of the Yamuna River.  The palaces, mosques, and audience halls contained within its massive walls of red sandstone were embellished by the artistic fusion of Islam and Hindu tradition.

Later in the afternoon there were opportunities to visit the Tomb of Itmad-Ud-Daulah or to go “Shopping,” at some very expensive stores.  We opted out because we were very tired.  There was also a second visit to the Taj Mahal scheduled for a viewing at sunset, but most people (perhaps all of Group 3) chose not to return; it was a Saturday, and our guide told us that it would be even more crowded than it had been in the morning.  We felt that seeing it once was sufficient!  Dinner was at 7:00 PM, another bountiful meal; and we were asleep before 10:30 PM.

Sunday, 19 Mar 2017 – We arose at 4:00 AM; packed our bags which we left by our hotel room door for pickup; and then had coffee, juice, & rolls in the lobby.  By 5:30 AM we were on our Group 3 bus, and soon each of us was given a “box breakfast” (made by the hotel): ground chicken sandwiches, two boiled eggs, small roll, small banana, apple, cookie, and mango juice.  By about 8:15 AM the buses were in the outskirts of Delhi, and arrived at the Delhi airport at about 9:45 AM.

Since our fight was not scheduled to depart until 12:15 PM, we window-shopped at the various stores in the airport before boarding an IndiGo Airline plane.  This time we both had aisle seats, across from each other, which was fine.  We discovered that food was not necessarily provided on this plane, only if the ticket included payment for a meal.  The flight attendant took our flight tickets, tore off the end portion that entitled us to a meal, and then gave us a choice of three items plus a soft drink or water.  Since we soon discovered that all food choices were spicy, Jesse enjoyed two lunches, while Sally snacked on the cashew nuts that she had brought in her carryon bag!  At 3:00 PM the plane landed at the Goa airport, and our group split up to board the three buses for the relatively short ride to the pier. 

In our cabin, there was a cupcake and a note for Jesse’s birthday.  Though very tired, we went to dinner, sitting with a new friend from Group 3, along with his wife and friends who all live in the Vancouver area.  He was born in Canada, but the others were originally from Hong Kong.  For our exhausted bodies, dancing was out of the question; soon we retired for the night.