semester at sea and before

photos of home

2009-11-20T12:10:00.000-08:00

Heads and jug and image from zanzibar

2009-07-12T17:07:00.000-07:00

Theresa below are the heads and jug I spoke of. There is also this watercolour which you may use if you can upload the image.

More wedding pictures

2009-05-31T07:57:00.000-07:00

Everyone in these photos knows who they are so no names necessary. Suffice to say this was a beautiful, happy and delightful wedding Fiona and John.

The shower (& Bryn's speech at the wedding, # 8)

2009-05-25T17:29:00.000-07:00

Fiona and John's wedding

2009-05-25T13:56:00.000-07:00

Saying Goodbye...to all that.

2009-05-18T06:07:00.000-07:00

(1a) Final good bye to Nilo, Fort Lauderdale hotel.

(1) Our last sunset at sea

(2)Mindy communicating

(3) LL Pam Werner (4) Fantastical Linda

(5) "Awesome" Luke! (5) Cabin at sunset

(6) Charlie - theatre classmate and student extraordinaire!

(7)Prof John and Prof Faye (English literature, poetry and Art)

(8)Alex grandfather to Emmett and walking encyclopedia!

Carl and Lisa.

(9)Who are they? not sure....never did get to know them!

(10)Prof Sergio ...without Maggie..at home moving house!

(11)Danielle....our shipboard 'daughter'!

(12) Prof Louise and Librarian (and friend) Beth

(13) Prof and Director Ted

(14) Awful photo of lovely Prof Joyce.

(15) Sweethearts for ever...Annie (actor and musician) and Carl (Prof)

(16) Life long learner and seasoned traveller - Marjorie

(17) Conversation: Lisa (LLL) and Marathoner and Zimbabwean (Afro American!) Dee.

(18) LLL Joan....so popular! Bob the musician in the background

(19)Field Office: Kevin and Becca

(20) Academic Dean Reg Garrett

(21) Dr Anne....what would we have done without her?

(22) Alan....great steward and even better performer and juggler

(23) LLLs Linda and Dr Hugh

(24) Alicia: Student, classmate and friend

(25) prof Jody....fellow playwright!

(26) scrabblers: Emmett, moi, Sue and Theresa

(26) Joseph...favourite steward, always smiling, my Mr Lovely..."everything's lovely!"

(27) Mindy and Prof Mikey...flies as he lectures!

Fellow playwrights.

(28) Beth....a librarian at work

(29) Tammy.....shipboard "daughter".

(30) Michael Werner and LLL student and friend Emmett.

(31) Joe ...shipboard 'son'

(32) Kevin and the Explorer's favourite child...Elly!

(33) Gus, Sue and George on 6th deck outside dining room...Annie eating!

(34) "Daughter" Lindsay

(35)Cape Town-ians Terry and Lavinia with Nilo in the Union.

(36) Lindsay ....actor (The Persians) and beautiful singer

Our last sunset at sea. Wednesday 5th May 2009

Mindy....what we had to do to communicate!

LLL Pam Werner....where's Michael?!

Fantastical Linda....oh where are you now?!

"Awesome" Luke?! Assistant dean....

Cabin, sunset, last night on board.

Charlie... classmate, George's student (etxrordinaire) and gemologist?!

John and Faye..Profs both... poetry and Art

Alex - grandfather to Emmett

Who are these?!

Prof Sergio (without Maggie!)

Danielle (ship family)

Prof par excellence Louise and Beth

Prof and Director Ted

Prof. Joyce....bad photo of a lovely lady!

Annie, musician and actor, and Prof. Carl

LLL and traveller - Marjorie

LLL Lisa and "fittest on board" marathoner Dee from Zimbabwe.

Life long learner Joan, and musician Bob - two sweet people

Kevin and 'Becca - field office staff

Dean Reg Garrett

Dr Anne... what would I have done ......... ?

Alan - steward and performer par excellence!

LLLs Linda and Hugh

Alicia..student, classmate and friend

Prof Jody...fellow playwright!

Scrabble group: Emmett, moi, Sue and Theresa

Joseph, favourite steward, always smiling, Mr Lovely!

Mindy (Eli's Mum/teacher) and Prof Mikey (light on his feet lecturer) fellow playwrights!

Beth, dear friend and librarian.

Tammy (shipboard daughter!)

Michael and Emmett

Joe (ship family)

Kevin and our favourite toddler, Elly.

Gus, Sue and George lunching on 6th deck

The other Lindsay (ship family)

Nilo, Terry and Lavinia

With Lindsay, singer and actor

Saying Goodbye to Nilo in Fort Lauderdale, 7th May 2009

Lindsay, sweet singer and actor
Saying Goodbye to Nilo in Fort Lauderdale

Home?

2009-05-08T04:12:00.001-07:00

We are home at last! We spent a night in Fort Lauderdale in close proximity, although we didn't realise it at once, to other friends from the ship. Our first meal off the ship was shared with Nilo and Nasim in, of all places, Burger King! They were in the same hotel. Then, walking into Barnes and Noble which was accross the road from the Springhill Suites (my cheap Hotwire discovery!), we bumped into Mindy and Eli who were staying close by and arranged to have supper with them and Mikey. As we all sat enjoying Pizza that evening we were joined for a few minutes by students Amanda and Patricia and then for longer by Sergio who let me speak to his wife Maggie on the phone for some minutes. (Maggie had been on the voyage with us for a short time and it was great to hear her Scottish accent again!). When we finally called it a day and returned to the hotel I walked into the elevator in something of a daze (it is hard to be ashore!) knowing only vaguely that I was sharing he elevator with two young men. "How're you feeling?" asked one: I looked up and noticed their Semester at Sea T shirts...'OK' I replied 'How about you?' "Well....not bad I guess".....I think we were all somewhat "removed" from this stable American world. ('stable' in he sense that it was not moving!)

Our flight back to Toronto was bumpy most of the way but it was great to be 'in Canada' so to speak. Next to me was a young woman, newly married I think, who hated flying, with a young husband who was so scared his mother had given him pills to sleep whch he did all the way. She spent nearly the whole flight touching up her hair and make up. It has been a long time since i have witnessed such total narcissism in a beautiful young woman. I wanted to say to her "Why are you doing this? You are beautiful, you don't need all this stuff on your face, you do need to think outside yourself .....you need a semester at sea to get your priorities and values straightened out. Of course I didn't! I labelled her obsessive compulsive because of the way she returned over and over again to her mirror and some tiny perceived flaw near her eyes which had to be repeatedly dabbed and her hair which had to be similarly touched and moved into the correct 'frame' for her face. All the while she stared into her own eyes in the small mirror. It was really disturbing. Every now and then she would ask me a question or tell me somethng. I think she would have like to talk but I treasure plane time for reading and didn't cooperate. Because George and I both prefer aisle seats we were not sitting together.

When the plane finally bumped down the Toronto runway I felt a surge of relief to be in Canada again. Although I feel much more comfortable and at ease with our American neighbours than I did a few months ago it is a wonderful feeling to be back in sane (?!) old Canada. Most of the close friends we made on board the Explorer were like ourselves, sort of 'ex-patriots'. In retrospect I believe that certain Americans, certanly at the beginning of the voyage, were uncomfortable with our 'differentness'....is there such a word? They seemed to have come to terms with this during the last week (!) but were always a little suspicious of us until then. There were of course some noteable exceptions: Beth, Mikey & Mindy (and Eli), Ted, Pamela and Michael, the two Joans, Jodie and Louise.....and all the friendly and loveable students we met over those months. Alicia, Sonia, Amanda, Lara, Tracey, Grace, Molly, Stephanie, Tammy, Joe, and Danielle (the latter 4 our 'family') Jason and Tiffany (from class).

Did I happen to mention that our group received an A for our project "Othello in Johannesburg, South Africa during Apartheid? well we did!) Ted our teacher director seemed to drift away from his friends during the last few weeks. I think he felt totally lost without his family and hurried off the ship so that I for one hardly had a chance to wish him well. If you ever read this Ted, au revoir and good luck!

I realise this blog is going to make boring reading for most of you and I apologise. I am truthfully not quite here and still feel connected to all our friends....it was hard for all of us, living thousands of miles apart to say goodbye not knowing whether or when we will see each other again. I shall especialy miss Theresa and John, whom I felt I knew from the first day and in a sense I did as John and I had been emailing after being introduced by another Semester at Sea Alumni., Evelyn Hannon....thank you Evelyn! Theresa you will be sorely missed by us both, Calgary is sooo far away; Nilo and I had breakfast together yesterday....this time accompanied by Nasim and George, but we managed to have a chat! When George and I came down with ALL our luggage to get the Airport shuttle, Nilo had managed to sneak away to say a final farewell. Her cell phone rang twice and it was Nasim! I have a photo of her taken from inside the bus...

Emmett we shall be thinking of you, adjusting to going back to school. Good luck and see you soon I hope. You are not quite so far away and I think a visit to Montreal will have to go into our date book.

The end of our voyage

2009-05-06T02:11:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, 6th May

There have been a series of 'lasts': last class for George, last paper corrected, last lunch with 'family', last lunch and dinner, last 5 pm drinks in the Faculty lounge, last scrabble game with Sue, Emmett and Theresa, last time Theresa comes in to our cabin in the evening to chat and share a drink, last sunset which brough a huge collected groan from students, faculty and everyone else and this morning at 4.30 am for me first and last time of seeing a magnificent 'moon set'. I awoke to see through the glass of our balcony door a huge, round, red/orange globe in the sky. At first I thought 'is that a strange sunrise?' and then realised that it was the biggest moon I have ever seen, sinking slowly towards a black ocean. I rushed outside and watched; there was a sky full of sparkling stars, lights on the horizon (Miami? Fort lauderdale?) and this incredible orb slowly sinking and disappearing. What a gift for my last morning at sea!

Everyone's emotions are labile: lots of laughter and many, many tears, sometimes both at the same time. We have shared this incredible journey for nearly 4 months, living in such close proximity to each other....professors have never been so accessible to students. My prof/director for example is in the next door cabin. Profs are questioned as they line up for meals or when they're eating out on the dining room deck or there might be a tentative knock at their cabin doors.

Most importantly relationships and friendships have been formed in which more time has been spent together than would normally happen over years at home. Now, today, suddenly we are all going in our several and separate directions and for some of the students particularly this is traumatic. It isn't easy for us either. I can't believe that someone else will soon be in my cabin...my home! That Nilo, Theresa, Pam, Beth, Sue and I wil not be sharing any more women-only breakfasts or sharing our stories and our loot!!

Emmett said yesterday with youthful passion, after beating us again at Scrabble, "tomorrow is going to be the worst day of my life". This has been I think an amazing experience for this wonderfully intellient and delightful 14 year old (going on 40!) young man, whom we have all grown to love. He has a vulnerable quality alternating with brash confidence and often to our surprise behaves like any other 14 year old......one has to constantly adjust to Emmett! He lost his mother some years ago and I know I am very conscious of this void in his life. He goes to school in Montreal and has inherited his grandfather's(Alex) gift for languages. Both were excellent students in George's classes. His grandmother, Bea, is German, a language which Emmett has chosen apparently, not to speak. I think he will be visiting us in Ontario at some point; he will love being with all three grandchildren. He is a great companion for much younger and much older people in his life. He cries easily and there will certainly be tears shed today.

We have packed and our luggage has been taken away except for our back packs. Breakfast starts at 6 am (in 15 minutes...George is asleep an i haven't showered yet!) and we think/hope faculty and staff disembark first. We are spending one night in Fort Lauderdale (Springhill Suites, Marriott at the Airport) and flying home on Air Canada (Tango) to Canada tomorrow.

I shall write more when I get home. Greetings to Theresa's friends and Molly's grandparents, whom I have never met but who have been following our travels on my blog. I have enjoyed your company! Au revoir........

Our table at the Ambassador's Ball

2009-05-05T19:13:00.000-07:00

Our table at the Ball. From left to Right: Nazim, Theresa, Gus, Sue, Pam, Michael, me, George.

(Nilo left to lie down because of vertigo which comes if the ship rolls too much.)

Ambassador's Ball 3rd May 2009

2009-05-04T09:56:00.000-07:00

Pam and Michael Werner and the Thomases.

The Ambassardor's Ball takes place at the end of every voyage and the passengers, students, Faculty staff and all hangers on (like Sue, Nilo, Theresa, Annie, a few others and me) get dressed up to the nines and book tables and sit down to a really good and beautifully served and presented dinner. The problem is that we know nothing about it until we're on board so there is a panicat every port to find something suitably stunning to wear! Needless to say I didn't find anything so most of us made do or borrowed from Nilo who has a huge and glamorous wardrobe

which she very quickly tires of....beneficial for anyone her size! I realised that the students would make the biggest splash and made do. There were wonderful creations worn by the students; many appeared in saris or chong sams, literally and metaphorically let down their hair, looked stunning and had a marvellous time. I'm afraid I was camera'd out and didn't do them justice. More photos to come....

Ambassadors Ball

2009-05-04T07:31:00.000-07:00

1) Sue and Gus Gerrans

2) Nilo and Naseem Jawad

3) Gus, Theresa and John Mueller

4) George, Beth and Jodie

Panama Canal

2009-05-04T07:05:00.000-07:00

1) Span of centennial Bridge...half way across the Panama canal

2) George on our balcony looking out

3) Sustenance on our balcony table

4) Waterways and islands along the canal

People - John and Emmett

2009-05-03T10:26:00.000-07:00

Traversing the Panama Canal and Webcam image

2009-05-03T09:35:00.000-07:00

The Banks of the Canal....thick jungle rain forest.

Webcam image of the Explorer approaching Centennial Bridge...much better view than we can get!

Us on Webcam and approching the first lock

2009-05-03T07:36:00.000-07:00

Waiting for the Canal...

2009-05-03T04:18:00.000-07:00

Here we are at 6 am waiting our turn to enter the Panama Canal, This was the view I awoke to; other ships and freighters on all sides and vague shapes of hills and islands in the distance. There are a variety of birds flying in two's,( boobies I think) and flocks of smaller ones flying low over the water.

As I sit here looking out through the balcony doors we seem to have come to a stop. The sun is rising fast, the sky clearing and it promises to be hot and sunny for our passage. Two members of The Persians cast have asked to watch from our balcony as we go through the first lock. Alicia and Amanda will be here between 8.30 and 9am. We shall have to tidy up as we are in the midst of packing....we are sending 3 boxes ahead by UPS on the 6th to avoid having to cart stuff on to the plane. The boxes are packed and all items listed but they do clutter up our cabin. Wait till we really get started and the suitcases appear! George has gone to fetch us early cups of tea...it is just after 6.30 am.

He has just returned and reported that students have spent the night on deck...they don't want to miss a thing! He has just wandered on to the balcony and seen a frigate bird, cormorants and lots of brown pelicans. Panama is a bird watcher's paradise.

Linda has just dropped off our last bag of laundry plus pressed shirts and slacks.....oh dear, home was never like this!! We have been sooo spoiled. I have a large hot mug of Lapsang Suchong tea to drink....friends will remember the strong scent and be glad not to be near me! They will start serving breakfast at 7 am so am off to have a shower and then a bowl of delicious paw paw or papya, (picked up in Guatemala and a wonderful deep pink colour) hot croissants and lots more tea and conversation sitting out on the front 6th floor deck as we eat. Quel vie!

Panama Canal tomorrow

2009-05-02T19:47:00.000-07:00

Saturday 2nd May continued.

Tomorrow morning we start our nine hour journey through the Panama Canal. We transfer through a series of locks from the Pacific to the Carribean Sea. We attended a talk tonight by Joyce Salisbury, one of the Profs on board, and she made the Canal's history memorable. She told us of all the wrong decisions made in the early years so that there were three unsuccessful attempts to build such a waterway. Malaria and Yellow Fever were huge problems and workers died of both because no one was sure what caused these two diseases. Finally it was proved that the mosquito caused both: Malaria during the night and Yellow Fever during the day. With this knowledge and a huge amount of preparation the Americans eventually succeeded where the French had failed.

It had been thought that it could be built in the same way as the Suez Canal (which John and I went through on our way from Kenya to the UK in 1960) which was simply dug through at sea level from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. However this was not going to work as the builder of the Suez Canal (De Lesseps) himself discovered. It took the Americans, under President Theodore Roosevelt, to design a series of locks on a higher-than-sea-level 'river' of water and make a huge success of building the Panama Canal as we know it today. It opened in 1914.

Ships were initially pulled along by mules as they had to turn their engines off to make the transit. This name is now given to the huge machines which beetle-like pull the huge liners and freighters through...as we shall be pulled tomorrow. The water which is continually flowing through the canal to the sea comes from the surrounding rain forest's never ending supply...unless trees are pulled down and the forest destroyed of course.

We have also had interesting programmes about the Canal on our TV. It looks beautiful in parts and this will be a fascinating and exciting experience for us all.

If anyone is interested you can apparently watch us going through 'live' on Webcam, which has cameras on the beginning, middle and end of the Canal. I think the lock names are Miraflores, Pedro Miguel and Gatun. We shall be on our balcony. I don't know how much will be visible but we are the third balcony from the front of the ship, 5th deck, on the Port side! We'll wave!

Early morning - Saturday 2nd May

2009-05-02T04:47:00.000-07:00

Good morning on this Saturday, 2nd May. Here is my dawn picture. Ahead the clouds now are very black and there is sheet lightening all around. The sea remains calm...the calm before the storm? In the distance we can see islands of land, not sure what they are, perhaps Costa Rica.
As I look out now there are white caps on the sea and there is a wind...how quickly the ocean changes.

I see through the balcony door that we are still being followed by long winged boobies. The ship churns up the fish and they keep diving for their meals, we must be a godsend! Yesterday we watched as a school of dolphins leaped and played beside the ship, they are a joy to see because they are obviously having such a fine time.

Company such as this at sea gives one a feeling of somehow belonging and fitting in to the universe, although the evidence of careless behaviour by humans is too evident everywhere; plastc jugs and bags floating on the surface. We have desecrated the sea world below...there is no doubt we are the most destructive of animals.

Friday 1st May, sunrise, La Antigua and thoughts..

2009-05-01T09:47:00.000-07:00

Friday 1st May. Here is this morning's sunrise...

Guatemala was a gem at the end of our string of gems which stretch from Miami to Fort Lauderdale all around the world. We had been given such dire warnings about the crime in this country that some people were too anxious to stray far from the port. Thank goodness most of us took off and went further afield and were amply rewarded for doing so.

George and I visited a coffee plantation beyond La Antigua on the first day because he was the bus leader. It turned out to be a lovely introduction to Guatemala; we took the route to La Antigua and climbed to 5000 feet. We left behind the heat and the smog of Puerto Quetzal for vistas of volcanoes and clearer, purer, cooler air. As we gazed out of the bus windows one of the volcanoes suddenly belched forth ringlets of dense white smoke; it was errupting. It obviously happens often because the driver and guide took it in their stride, but you can imagine our excitement. The guide had told us to expect earth tremors daily but in fact the earth didn't move for me, for which I was truly grateful as I have an earthquake phobia. I had to force my mind away from thoughts of violent destruction, particularly in La Antigua which has been destroyed at least three times by volcanic erruptions or earthquakes. In fact it was the capital of Guatemala in earlier times but eventually it was decided to give that honour Guatemala city which seemed more stable!

At the plantation we were shown the processing of coffee from the stalk to being bagged for export....pre-roasted. The roasting is done by the country which imports them....largest importer is the United States and then I think Germany. Afterwards we sat on the wide stoep of the main building, overlooking beautiful gardens and sipped the best coffee we had tasted for some time. Conversation veered from coffee to the tempting shop behind us (which sold colourful, handcrafted bags, scarves, blouses and jade ornaments and jewelry. Guatemala has different coloured jade; green in various hues, white and black.) and ultimately to 'I can't believe this is our last port of call!' (This last sentiment pervades the ship now. We all know that even if we were lucky enough to do this trip again it will never be the same....this was the first time for us (not for everyone) and the friends we have made have been important and have added so much to our enjoyment of it. )

On our second day we hitched a ride from the ship to La Antigua on another Semester at Sea trip; this time to a textile school for women. The tour was absolutely fascinating because these are women who are trying to support families on meagre pay but are learning a craft which should continue to sustain them in the future. They show enormous artistic skill in colour and design: some designs going back to the Mayan civilisation. One sees them still in the fabrics of traditional and modern clothes and displayed in wall hangings, bedspreads and carpets.

We arrived in La Antigua central square at about noon having first been let loose in a market place...oh the temptations! The town is at first glance a grid of narrow cobbled streets lined by mostly small, one storey, painted houses....not so far to fall in the next earthquake? The busy streets and squares are thronged with men and women in traditional Guatemalan dress, school children in uniform, horse drawn carriages, mopeds, cars and little tuk tuks or enclosed two passenger motor bikes,(The latter a variation on those we saw all over Asia.) and of course tourists like ourselves.

George and I left the tour and set off to find our hotel. It was in the South of the town, overlooked by the Agua volcano which had been responsible for destroying it by flooding from a hidden inner lake during an erruption in the middle ages. (There were ruins being preserved everywhere to remind us of the town's many lives.) We found the hotel after a 15 minute walk and it was a wonderful surprise. Hidden behind a large dark (and locked) wooden gate/door was this beautiful villa built round a courtyard garden. The garden was bursting with exotic flowering bushes, echoing chimes, birdsong, potted plants and cobbled paths.

Our bedroom had a window and door facing the courtyard...needless to say we left both wide open! We had a large, high ceilinged room with brilliant red bedspreads and cushions and a terra cotta walled shower with more silver-toned bells and whistles on it than any I have seen. In fact it took me 20 minutes of peering through my spectacles to work out how to get any water from it! However, when it came it was piping hot, forceful and oh so soothing.

After a short break we hurried back to the central square to meet friends for lunch which we enjoyed in yet another courtyard garden. George and I then spent a long afternoon wandering through the streets, parks and churches of Antigua... I staring at the women and children and receiving smiles and greetings in return. They easily gave permission for me to take photographs of themselves with their babies, which I asked for very tentatively at first but they seemed delighted to be asked..... an unusual phenomenon world wide I believe. We had been warned that they might be afraid and angry but this was clearly not the case in Antigua......I suppose I do look more like a grandmother than a terrorist planning to abduct their children. (In Africa they used to feel that the camera might steal their souls but now they ask to be paid....) In Antigua they just walked away smiling when the photograph had been taken...they asked for nothing. There were beggars; old people sitting arthritically and awkwardly on the side walks, some children and mothers with children. Also cripples in wheel chairs... all holding out plastic bowls for Quetzal or dollars. Guatemala is obviously not a land of milk and honey for everyone no matter how attractive and appealing we find it. There is poverty staring you in the face.....

By the time we returned to the hotel that night we were pretty tired and just wanted to relax. We had no desire or need to dine out so watched Obama's 100 day press conference on the TV (me...news junky that I am) and read our books. I had been coughing alot and one of the staff (a gentle young woman called Lourdes) came and knocked on our door. Would I like some hot fruit tea, it would be soothing for my cough? I accepted with thanks and she brought a tray with china tea cups and a tea pot full of delicious, steaming fruit tea. Can you imagine that sort of spontaneous kindness and concern in a large impersonal resort? She emphasised that this was 'on the house'....unusual and generous in itself.

We had a relaxed morning after a delicious breakfast of fresh squeezed orange juice, home baked rolls, jams and, last but not least, delicious coffee with hot milk. We had arranged to meet up with friends to share (with ten others) a cheap ride back to Puerto Quetzal at 1.30pm in the town square. We decided to take a leisurely stroll down to the centre of town and find a good place for lunch which we did.

I apologise for talking so much about food but I must tell you that we had for lunch the tenderest steaks I for one have ever had.... ordinary knives just slid through them like butter. This was preceded by a delicious dish of mushrooms with garlic and cilantro (I have no idea how to spell that). I have a sudden vivid memory of Miss Van Aarde, my English teacher at St Cyprians in Cape Town, saying to me after reading one of my essays about a vacation 'Margaret did you happen to notice anything else on this holiday apart from the food?'....plus ca change, plus ca reste la meme chose....or words to that effect!

Our van ride back to the ship with 12 others at US$10.00 each (very cheap) was uncomfortable to say the least. We sat on the back seat, the shock absorbers were non-existent and the driver took the speed bumps at about 80 miles an hour...ouch! But we arrived at the port in one piece amazingly, no bones broken, and in good time which was all that mattered.

As I walked towards the gangway, my faithful back-pack which has journeyed round the world and Canada with me since I bought it at a stall in a Sudbury mall at least 10-12 years ago, broke at a crucial point.....I could have wept! So, to cheer myself up today I have bought the second to last 'Semester at sea Alumnae' back-pack in our on board shop. It has a life-time guarantee... I think it might well outlive its owner!

random shots

2009-05-01T06:06:00.000-07:00

Mother and child passing by - La Antigua

Bird of paradise and pot

Post Natal visits at Birthing Centre

Moorish ceramic fountain in our hotel courtyard -Hostal San Nicolas La Antigua

Through our bedroom window

People

2009-04-30T19:33:00.000-07:00

Top picture: Mindy and Nilo, then candid camera shots of 'family' members at a coffee plantation visit: Stephanie, Joe and a very serious Tammy. Lastly George, Donna (a student) and me having lunch in Antigua taken by Marquesa.

In the previous blog: Views of Antigua under the Agua volcano, the Fuego volcano erupting which happened as we were on our way to Antigua; view from our room at the Hostal San Nicolas into the beautiful courtyard and mother and child at a textile school we went to near Antigua. Probably in the wrong order as I can't see the blog!

La Antigua Guatemala or Under the Volcanoes

2009-04-30T18:42:00.000-07:00

Images of Guatemala - flowers

2009-04-30T16:46:00.000-07:00

Beauganvillia, tropical lilac, don't know and of course red hibiscus....gorgeous!

What a lovely, colourful, friendly and unexpected country this is....volcanoes all around, one actually erupting as we watch! More later.

Arrival in Puerto Quetzal

2009-04-28T05:52:00.000-07:00

This is the morning of monday 28th April (6.45 am) and we are sailing slowly into Puerto Quetzal. I can see a small tanker through the dense mist/fog outside. This usually means that the sea temperature is higher than the air around it....I have a feeling it is going to be a hot day ashore. We dock at 8 am in a commercial berth we're told; all the cruise terminals having been taken. This means we shall be a half mile or so from the port gate but we think there may be a shuttle. George is leading our tour to a coffee plantation this afternoon and buses often come right up to the gangway.

We were told last night to avoid non SAS buses as 69 bus drivers have been killed in hijackings so far this year! Hmmm. The SAS tours have a security officer aboard as we had in our drive to and from Marrakesh in Morrocco.

Guatemala is now testing for swine 'flu but no cases have been reported as yet. As Mexico is right next door I imagine it will just be a matter of time and the WHO has raised the 'alert' towards a pandemic to 4. However outside Mexico the cases seem to have been mild, which is reassuring. There is great anxiety I think amongst our students although some attempts were made to alleviate that by the Dean in last night's pre-port. We have a Diplomatic pre-port this morning which I always find fascinating.....seeing who the US sends out into the world to represent tham.

I can now see 2 man canoes,more tankers and a long stone pier. The sun is trying to struggle through and we have a tug boat called HERCULES gliding along beside us. The excitement always of entering the harbour in a new country! But i in my nightdress have to remain invisible ...peeking around the curtains!

There is one of those obnoxiously large cruise ships anchored at one of the terminals; these ships look like ugly floating apartment blocks. There seems, to my eyes anyway, no grace or anything that speaks of the sea in their design...they are quite simply people movers.

We are now moving into position next to a large, laoded, honest looking freighter, named Seoul Tower and another called the Pacific Hawk....I love ship names! Pacific Hawk is painted tan ad royal blue, quite striking....however as their crew can see right into our cabin I am just going to draw the curtains!

There are busy vans and lorries/tucks beetling back and forth and George, who has hogged the bathroom for the last hour, has finally emerged and will in a minute say 'Ready for breakfast?'
as he bustles round the cabin......it being patently obvious that I am not!

More later.....

Pre Guatemala

2009-04-26T20:02:00.000-07:00

Alot is going on in the outside world...the world we are shortly to re-enter. Swine 'flu. Health Emergency declared in the USA, 'flu reaches Canada and then on top of all this the dire warnings about travel in Guatemala. As someone remarked tonight 'lets just bunker in Puerto Quetzal and then start off round the world again!' (bunker, meaning to take on fuel). We all have such mixed feelings about 're-entry' and these news flashes are adding to the confusion and reluctance to start living a 'normal' life on terra firma.

On the plus side though, we have just been in the Union listening to our cultural pre-port given by one of the students who has legged it through Central America, loving it. He showed us slides of the country and it looks stunning. Theresa is climbing a volcano (bully for her say I!), students are going surfing and travelling to Mayan sites and like us to coffee plantations and La Antigua (the old capitol) to stay overnight. We shall all be as cautious as possible (I sincerely hope) and should be back on board by 6 pm Friday 30th ready for the last lap of the voyage.

In La Antigua George and I are staying in a 4 bedroomed hotel/guesthouse called Hostal San Nicolas. I found it on the Guatemala Tourist info web site and it looks lovely. Also read a rave review so looking forward to it. We have booked a private shuttle back to the ship on the 30th but are keeping our fingers crossed that we find a secure and good deal for transport going to Antigua from Puerto Quetzal. All this uncertainty adds to the sense of adventure....!

George heard one of the lounge stewards (from Ghana) translating a huge wall plaque hanging above one of the staircases and written in Greek script for one of the students who could be heard squeaking "You read Greek?!" What a lesson... learned right here on the ship....not ever to assume anything about anyone. Certainly not to stereotype....

We have on board the most amazing staff in the dining rooms, cabins and lounges. I watch them doing their jobs courteously and very efficiently day after day after day. They work long hours with few breaks and take an enormous pride in their work. I have 4 favourites; Linda, Joseph, Alan and Mardy.

Linda looks after our cabin and us. It is she who is responsible for making sure in an emergency that we are called out of our cabins, she closing the door behind us. (She has an inflatable dinghy which she says is the quickest safest place to get to (and into) before the life boats are lowered to the ocean...we remain unconvinced but none of us would dare say so to Linda!) She came into the cabin with hands full of cough lozenges when I was ill a few days ago and gave me a huge hug saying crossly "George didn't tell me you were ill!"...he was in trouble I knew and she spoke to him about not keeping her informed. She is a martinet at our boat drills....our section was on deck yesterday 15 minutes before anyone else on the ship! We all think we have the best lifeboat... B6. Beth and George have an ongoing 'discussion' about who is the least use on it...the librarian or the linguist! Needless to say the other potential occupants within earshot all put in their 2 cents worth! I'm not sure who is winning...

Linda comes from Guyana and is a single mum. She is the only breadwinner in her family and has to look after 3 children and her mother financially. The children stay with their father for whom she has little respect or time. If anything ever happened to one of her children she says fiercely "Sorry will not be enough!" I wouldn't want to be in his shoes. Her job is her life in the meantime. She works a very long day and spends her free time mainly relaxing in her cabin and sleeping. She is going home after this trip until December when she'll be back. However she says she will have to find a job in between to tide her over so will only give herself 6 weeks off. She is a truly remarkable woman for whom I have developed enormous respect and affection.

I'll tell you more about the men on my list tomorrow. Their story will inevitably be shorter as we haven't got to know them as well but they are all three delightful characters full of talent and humour.

Till then.......

Something of value

2009-04-25T14:23:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the book of that name about Mau Mau Kenya which was written by Robert Ruark in the 1950s I think? I have never forgotten it because I read it not long before going out to Nairobi to nurse.....not an encouraging story to read just before departure! Anyway that's not what I wanted to talk about although I have borrowed Mr Ruark's title.

Years ago the BBC did a programme about what gives an object value....particularly a desirable consumer food. What is it that makes French truffles or Caviar expensive and sought after? It is their rarity. The BBC decided to see what would happen if kippers were to become very scarce...would the public be prepared to pay exorbitant prices for them. As I remember it in their dramatised version of just such a situation the mobs clamoured for kippers and were almost into swapping them for homes, wives and children. Well that was a stretch of course but I should let you know that I am descending into that kind of behavior, only just short of swopping George, to get my hands on a banana.

Bananas on this ship are as gold! They appear only rarely in the dining room and I inevitably arrive too late to grab one. Students with their keen young eyesight spot them first and carry them off in bunches for family and friends....sometimes 10-12 at a time! By the time we slower, aged, doddery folk arrive on the scene there isn't one to be seen. Instead there will be a bowl of those tasteless apple/pear combination fruits which I eat just to avoid rickets and for no other reason.... A second best to bananas is the tangerine/orange. There although sans potassium one feels an easy to access load of Vitamin C.

I don't think there is a danger of arriving home with bow legs but if anyone feels like welcoming me with a gift....let it be a banana....please!

Sea Days

2009-04-24T13:41:00.000-07:00

We have had a few days at sea since Hawaii and have three more to go before Guatemala. I am revelling in these precious days because there are so few left. We go to sleep listening to the sounds of the sea rushing past the ship and awaken to it; it seems to provide a context for our lives and I feel that we shall be rudderless for a week or two when we return to life on land. As someone said at breakfast 'Who am I going to have these great conversations with at breakfast? There will only be.....' and mentioned her partner's name!

Students are more intense; final exams coming up and a few free days to revise and review. They all seem to be feeling tired and stressed but most say that part of that is the thought of leaving the ship and returning home. They have made such close friends, living in small crowded cabins on the lower decks. I have visited them when working on projects but as often as possible suggest we work in our cabin which I think they like: more air, more light, more space...and much quieter with fewer interruptions!

Just had a lovely evening starting, as it usually does, in the faculty lounge at 5 pm for drinks and chat and then tonight ending up with friends in the 5th deck dining room which sells wine with dinner......one Canadian/American, two South Africans, one Italian and us Canadian/Brits....that's the people not the wines! Tonight's red was Californian...

We were discussing amongst other things the dire warnings we have been receiving about travel in Guatemala. Buses are dangerous places: 11 MSU students were hijacked on theirs a month agao and had valuables taken away at gun point; other tourist buses have been stopped and there are drive by shootings from pillion passengers on motor bikes so the government has banned the passengers. A German travel company has just stopped all 2009/2010 tours to Guatemala because of these activities so we were basically wondering whether to get off the ship at all. George and I have booked a room in a guest house in Antigua which is quite beautiful we hear but as yet have no idea how we shall get there. On the first day we're doing an SAS trip up to a coffee plantation in "reliable" transport?!

We lose another hour's sleep tonight as we put the clocks forward, so we may well be grouchy at breakfast. We are back in our cabin, George correcting mounds of papers while I bash away at this computer....then to bed with a book, lovely!

More Hawaii

2009-04-22T09:27:00.000-07:00

Beth's 'smoothie' van

Hawaiians enjoying shrimp at the shack

Shall I or shall I not? George pondering.

Two days in Hawaii

2009-04-21T21:16:00.000-07:00

It was strange and wonderful to be in Hawaii. Strange because everyone spoke English, we didn't need to change and calculate each time we spent money, not all the American teenagers and young people were Semester at Sea students! Wonderful because although it is part of the United States Hawaii is quite different; exotic, exciting, colourful, tropical, Polynesian, Japanese, and American...all rolled into one.

It also has such diverse scenery; skyscrapers and Waikiki beach where everyone who wants to be visible shows up in a wide variety of skimpy, skimpier and skimpiest bathing suits and eccentric clothing. Then there are the Eastern and North shores with swaying palms, lagoons and beautiful uncluttered stretches of beach, low rise apartment buildings and gorgeous seaside homes and condos with weather beaten cottages crouching in between which have obviously been there since the year dot. The beaches have backdrops of woods and jungle and of course there are the mountains which are so volcanic, looking as if they had just been regurgitated up from the bowels of the earth, all craggy pointed peaks and rippling creases running down their sides and with the most amazing views when you find your way up to scenic points by car.

We rented a car and took off almost as soon as we were cleared to leave the ship. Beth our librarian spent the day with us. After picking up the car we drove up to one of the viewing places which george remembered from our previous visit.....16 years ago! (We were in the process of buying our cottage near Bancroft while we were in Hawaii.) We ooh-ed and aah-ed and snapped pictures and then we drove up the East coast, past lots of beaches until we found a lovely sea side park to sit and read and eat some of our picnic snacks. It was so restful, the weather so gorgeous and we were off the ship! Freedom!

I love the Hawaiian names. We drove past Kanoehe Bay, Walahole, Kualoa, Kaaawa, (yes 3 a's!), Kahana Bay,Punaluu, Hauula beach, Malaekahana State park where we stopped and George went swimming in the sea. We went to a shrimp shack (fresh shrimps cooked in all sorts of ways with rice) near the Kahuku sugar mill (for Karpal's benefit) and absolutely delighted in the food and the local atmosphere. Beth who is strict vegetrian had a wonderful fruit smoothie followed by a bowl of garlic rice. The food was scrumptious. We returned the same route but turnd off to drive round Diamond Head park into Kaikiki.

We finally checked into our hotel which turned out to be not the one I had thought but was right in the middle of the Waikiki main drag. I had thought we would be nearer the beach but actually it workd out well; we were able to wander around the crowded streets looking in shop windows and for the perfect restaurant in which to have our first non shipboard sit-down meal for some time.... believe it or not we went Japanese! We found a perfect little, very Japanese place in which we were the only westerners (always a good sign) and had another chopsticks meal. Somoene had remarked earlier 'Hey we don't have to use chopsticks any more!'....and where do we choose....?!

We took Beth to the ship later, easy because the Explorer was berthed at Pier 10, Aloha Towers right in the middle of Honolulu. Our room in the Sheraton was lovely; all white, very light, airy and tropical. We fell asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow-s. Although we had all felt that we were still walking on a rocking ship during the day, we slept soundly because of the very stable floor beneath us!

George and I decided to spend the next day in Waikiki. For me it started with a loong bath. I lay there and thought 'No overhead speaker telling us to get up (immigration the previous morning had been at 6 am and they woke us up with music??!), no schedule to follow, no play to worry about, no ANYTHING we don't feel like doing'. It's amazing how it gets to you after 3 months but fortunately one doesn't realise it until one is away from the ship.

So we made coffee and ate cookies and skipped breakfast. Then George wandered down to the beach, I did last minute shopping (we try to pick up cabin groceries) and then we met up and had lunch in a place we had frequented before right on the beach. Again....what shall we do without views of the ocean? We never tire of it.

We returned the car late afternoon and took a really grand 'taxi' (which was actually a leather seated limousine ordered for us by Enterprise car rental people) back to Aloha Tower. We found it hard to go straight on board so sat having a drink in a restaurant bar with, I have to say, the best looking bunch of waiters that I have ever seen in one place! George (of course) told one of them I had said this and he laughed and said 'the owner is gay and likes to be surrounded by good looking young men'!

We made it back on board by about 5.30 pm, the deadline was 6pm. I love our cabin/home so coming back wasn't all bad. We saw old friends and compared Hawaiian notes. At 8.30 pm it was back to the grind with four fellow drama students to work on our project....making a movie set in apartheid Johannesburg loosely based on Othello.

Almost as soon as we left Hawaii we ran into stormy weather and it has only just calmed down. Nobody slept well last night; we were heaving, pitching and rolling and there was a loud gale blowing outside. Thank goodness I don't ever seem to get sea sick but poor George has been feeling decidedly squeamish. We are hoping for a better night.

I am off now to meet in one of the student cabins to do more work on our project. It has amazed me how little they all know about Apartheid in South Africa although they almost without exception name Cape Town and South Africa as their favourite place to visit and return to. Ah well....they're young..............

Images of Hawaii

2009-04-21T00:33:00.000-07:00

Honolulu

2009-04-19T09:06:00.000-07:00

This was a wharf in Honolulu Hawaii at 6.15 am this morning. (Note the crescent moon.) We also had singers on the quay (miked!) and hula dancers! At 6.30 am we faced immigration and customs, then showered and had breakfast...I'm exhausted already! We have rented a car and will be staying one night at the Sheraton, Waikiki. It's where George had his conference a few years ago when we first visited Hawaii bur now the tourist situation is dire here(financial crunch etc) so we have discovered we can afford it!
On again tomorrow night @ 6 pm. Aloha!

View from our balcony at 615 am, Friday, 17th April

2009-04-17T10:57:00.000-07:00

This morning's dawn...Friday, 17th April. These shots are to remind me when I get home by the way. You may be wondering why the emphasis on sea views!

48 hours to Hawaii.

Two days to Hawaii USA!!

2009-04-17T02:39:00.000-07:00

Evening of the 16th April:

I can't believe we are very nearly back in the good old USA, it doesn't seem nearly 4 months ago that we left Miami, January 15th....glad we still have Guatamala and the Panama Canal after that, then back for good on the 6th May to Fort Lauderdale.

Tonight we had a line rehearsal for our last performance tomorrow night. I lost my cool I'm afraid because the 'in' thing seems to be to lie on the floor, stretched out, with your face down and it was well nigh impossible to hear cues that were spoken in a muffled voice very, very fast into the floor. They were not chastised or asked to at the very least lift their heads so that we could hear them. I finally lost it and said 'I can't hear a bloody thing!'

Our director them 'suggested' they keep their heads up but it didn't really make much difference. I had to tell myself that these kids (and they truly are that) have little or no theatre experience and absolutely no idea of theatre discipline. But they can learn lines so that they can spout them fast and furious with not whole heck of alot of feeling. They are also little-girl sweet and Because, they say, I have this foreign accent they remember my lines which is useful! So does Emmett who learned his lines as a 'ghost'in about two or three days...fluently. His grandfather Alex told me that Emmett has a photographic mind and can recite back lines after reading them through once...amazing and sooo enviable.

Ah theatah! theatah! I had to watch the movie High School Musical for my Shakespeare class....apparently it's based on Romeo and Juliet....well it's pretty awful (Disney) and I think it's a bit of a stretch to claim that. The other students say it's targeting 10 year olds and they mostly despise the movie. I did watch Patrick Stewart's King of Texas and thought he was great in it (bsed on Lear) but the students were complaining about his American accent which I thought was superb.....but truly what do I know? They live there........

My next class project with 4 students is to do a short version of a Shakespeare play in the culture of one of the countries we have visited. We have decided on Othello in South Africa during the apartheid era. Just when I thought I could relax after our final performance!

The talent show in the Union tonight was pretty good... more about it tomorrow.

Our everchanging view and early sea travels

2009-04-16T10:39:00.000-07:00

The first image was what I saw when I opened my eyes at 6 am this morning. The others, which in no way do it justice, are of last night's rainbow.

This ship was built for speed and we suspected that at night Captain Kingston ordered the stabilisers to be pulled in because we seem to roll as we swish along at speed and getting up during the night can be a sort drunken stagger if you're half asleep. So I collared him and asked and he confirmed our suspicions.

We had an interesting converation in which I discovered that he had spent his early years at sea working for the BI shipping line (British India) on which I had travelled as a child and adult on our way 'home' (UK) from India and many years later from Kenya. (I have counted up my sea voyages and they are nine or ten; India to the UK, UK to Zanzibar, Zanzibar to Bombay, Bombay to Cape Town, Cape Town to UK, Mombasa to UK, Lagos to UK , UK to Lagos, UK to Accra and Accra to UK.) And then, apart from cruises which don't count, there is this last voyage, nearly 4 months long from Miami, round the world to Fort Lauderdale. It explains why I feel so much at home on a ship. Of course sometimes we travelled by air to the various countries in which John and I lived and worked but our preference was always a sea voyage and with nearly three months home leave we had the time.

Two memorable voyages we took when I was a child were during the war (WW2). We sailed from Zanzibar to Bombay and Bombay to Cape Town at a time when there were submarines in the Indian ocean. The second crossing was made in convoy with other ships on the SS Britannic, which was also, at that time, partially a troop ship. I remember that as one of the only children on board I was spoiled with sweets and gifts and lots of attention. In retrospect I suspect these men were missing their own children or simply the normalcy of being part of a family. The gifts came particularly when I was 'out of action' with malaria.

I think of this voyage we're on now and the great pleasure of having children on board. There is one little girl of about two yrs old who is a real ship board child. She now walks happily with a sailor's gait and takes absolutely everything in her stride; boat drills, the huge crowded dining rooms, the swaying corridors, lining up to get passports, different countries and people..she never stops smiling. I don't think I have ever seen Elly cry! She is loved by all, students and others alike...

Later: Breakfast was a less amusing conversation this morning; Nilo, Theresa and Ted (director of The Persians) and myself. Our women-inspired (perhaps too lofty a word!) discussions have to shift focus somewhat if we are joined by a man and I always regret that. Interesting that there are things we would talk and joke about as women which are 'stifled' the moment a man joins the group...I suspect that this works both ways. (Feminism...or something..rears its ugly head!)

Something I feel inadequate to deal with and which happens frequently on board is the two way conversation at a table between four people, and it happens in larger groups. I am always tempted to quietly sneak away, however it is sometimes myself who has been engaged one way and I do feel trapped.

I have learned quite a bit about myself on this ship....my need for space and time out heading the list....then, my terrible sense of direction. ( It is really non existent..even on the ship!) If George says 'why don't you go off on your own' I panic, thinking, what if I get lost, what if I miss the ship, what if... what if...? This is definitely not the way I have felt before in my life when I would happily explore new places on my own. Perhaps advancing years play a part.

I have also enjoyed observing others. The most striking observation has been that some young people are unaware of the effect their actions have on others. It is not unusual in the dining room for instance for there to be a birthday party happening at one of the tables and there is not the slightest restraint in the excitement and noise emanating from that table; it is as though no one else was present in the room. Obviously birthday parties are fun. and should be. but the very fact that one becomes irritated and ultimately appalled at the racket is an indication of just how loud it is. Groups of students will gather on staircases, in corridors and in the narrow space where we line up for the meal buffets. They will not necessarily move, be aware of anyone attempting to pass or hear an 'excuse me'. When/if they do move aside they do so without a glance of acknowledgement, as if their position is an entitlement into which you are the intruder.

HOWEVER that said, there are students aboard this ship whom we have come to know and like enormously; they are sensitive, intelligent, mature and are, as one would expect from university students who have chosen to come on this long educational voyage, wonderful to interact with. They have great senses of humour and are unfailingly polite, good natured and un-spoiled. Many have worked very hard to be here and they have certainly reached a different level of maturity from those who Mummy and Daddy support most generously throughout the trip. I realise anew what a gift it is to give your children independence; my parents were certainly forced to give it to me and I think I passed it on to my own daughters willy nilly.....more by habit than good judgement. Fortunately I believe that our children forgive us more than we deserve!

Enough preaching...off to lunch on the deck to watch the albatrosses who are following the ship. Huge wing spans (up to 7 ft) skimming the sea-tops and swooping back and forth...lovely sight!

Another day gone by...15th April

2009-04-16T03:54:00.000-07:00

Our first performance is over and actually went quite well....I think. Although have only chatted with a fw people who saw it and they were husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends or grandparents! Needless to say they were positive and generous.

Thank you so much to those who wished me break a leg I felt very supported and close to family and friends. You know it's a short play and my part's not huge...why do I always take theatre so seriously. Only George really understood my concern....and obviously some of you. Apparently someone cut a scene by two pages but, apart from thinking 'oh are we there already...good!' I didn't notice.... and that's bad. There are so many pages of declaiming, which I'm nor in and it might even have improved the play to cut a couple!

I have been trying to put a photo of a rainbow over the calm sea on the blog, but with no luck so far. It was a double and reflected in the sea, so almost a triple,.....absolutely beautiful. The light today has been wonderful; the sea looked like opaque glass with a pearl sky arching over it....yes one tends to wax poetical in this environment! I shall miss the sea and the sea sounds so much and views like this seen by just sitting on the balcony at any time of day. We are so lucky!

We lose an hour tonight and looking at the computer time I see that we are going to be 17 hours ahead of Ontario...it is now 24.34

Too late for the actor's nightmare I think....George isn't feeing 100%; what else but post nasal drip, which, despite the hundreds of hours of patient simulation he's done and the fact that he sometimes acts like a wannabe physician, is his diagnosis for everything! anyway he is sound asleep.....I need to be too with such a short night...

What a calm sea looks like!

2009-04-15T21:40:00.000-07:00

The Persians...not geographically...

2009-04-15T04:36:00.000-07:00

It is 11. 45 pm on Tuesday 14th and we have just finished our dress rehearsal. I can't tell you how terrified I feel about performing this play; my nerves are frayed just trying to keep up with the speed at which it is being done and understanding the American accents! It is bad enough doing Greek tragedy but rushing it so that the speech is almost garbled defeats me entirely. However I do think the fault is mine, my mind has slowed down probably. I think the student audience will possibly find it hilarious which was never the intention! When we were being directed in our curtain call tonight the chatter of the cast never ceased, the whoops and giggles almost drowned out the Director's words.....I guess we are alot more disciplined in Community theatre than I ever imagined. This whole experience has been a revelation to me; I honestly don't believe Canadian university students, interested in theatre would behave in this fashion...none that I have worked with anyway. That all said though, these are delightful 'kids' whom I like alot....perhaps the fault lies with the Director. There are two students who play messengers who are excellent, one in particular is outstanding. The director does not exert much authority, but again he is such a likeable guy. Lisbie and Dia....I need you and miss you! George has lent his voice (recorded) but otherwise has kept well away. However he is very supportive of his moaning, groaning wife!

Sorry! This must make deadly dull reading but I know so many of you will sympathise. As I said the weather is now gentle and warm and the sea calm again. We have another five days to Hawaii and I am enjoying the peace of no ports....but as you will have gathered I am looking forward to Saturday when the play will be behind us. If you read this on the 15th or 17th send me a 'Break a Leg'!

And now to sleep perchance to dream....the actor's nightmare?!

Attempt to show a rough sea 2 days ago!

2009-04-15T04:16:00.000-07:00

Taken by me very unsteadily on Easter Sunday. There was a gale blowing and we hadn't yet secured our table and chairs. The storm finally abated after almost 48 hours!

Rough seas tonight

2009-04-13T02:32:00.000-07:00

12th April update. 8.45 pm

We are in about the roughest seas we have had to date and the ship is bumping and yawing all over the place. If ever there was a night not to envy us this is it! As someone remarked it is like the North Atlantic in a storm...well this is a Pacific storm. We have been warned to put everything out of harm's way in our cabins and keep them clear because the forecast for over night is even worse!

The poor students have their Global Studies exam tomorrow and had hoped to get alot of studying done tonight: it might be difficult. The profs are concerned that there might be alot of sea sickness and excuse-me notes to deal with tomorrow as this weather is supposed to continue into the morning. Our rehearsal tonight was a line run sitting down!

George has already gone to bed and I am on my way, oops. we shuddered through a huge wave at that moment. Good night I know you will sleep more soundly than we will!

Th Grey Heron, Kyoto Japan

2009-04-12T22:25:00.000-07:00

I thought you might enjoy this little snippet of video...taken by Emmett on my camera.

Coordinates: Yokohama to Honolulu

Time: 16.45

Lat: 33 degrees 36.9 N

Long; 160 degrees 24.19 E

Course: 100 degrees

Speed: 14.3 knots

Quiet days

2009-04-12T18:36:00.000-07:00

2nd Easter Sunday, April 12th! After crossing the International Date line.

I totally forgot about Easter! Until I received an Easter Card on line from my middle daughter, Tessa, and her family. (Thank you Tess!) So to all of you who do celebrate this festival we wish a very happy Easter.

Sundays on board ship are ordinary working days with lectures, rehearsals and meetings so we tend to lose track of the rest of the world. It is common to hear someone asking 'What day of the week is this?' and there is often a discussion following as to which day it might possibly be!

Today is grey and windy and the roughest seas we have seen since before South Africa. We were so spoiled with our weather in South Africa, Mauritius, India, Vietnam, Hong Kong, China and Japan...with hardly any exception the days have been bright and sunny. Of course there were times when the heat was overwhelming but lately the temperatures have been just right.

I painted the mask I made for the play today and that was fun. It is a mixture of black, white, grey (when they're mushed together) and teel blue highlights. I just hope I can see (without my specs) through the eye slits. As I mentioned before I am striving for anonymity!

George has been busy correcting essays and lecturing while I have lingered with friends over breakfasts, learned lines, read books and rehearsed. What a privilaged life I do lead....

Re the play of The Persians by Aeschylus this message is for Chris. The translation was done by Robert Potter and has been adapted by the director.

To misquote utterly...we shall wind our weaving way like snails to lunch.....

More pictures of Japan

2009-04-11T04:50:00.000-07:00

About to pass under the huge suspension bridge on our way out of Yokohama harbour.

Kamata where Beth and I went shopping...between Tokyo and Yokohama

The view from the 7th deck at dusk in Yokohama

harbour. The sky scraper is supposed to be sail shaped and you see the top decks of the large ship that blocked our view!

The Japanese as you know love cameras and technology; they photograph everything.

The Japanese want to make sure you understand how to use a sit-down, not a squatter, toilet. Many are the latter through Vietnam, China and Japan....and no this is definitely not meant to be funny! They have the most sophisticated, warm seated toilets with more press-buttons than a jet plane.

More on Japan

2009-04-10T23:04:00.000-07:00

Saturday continued.

On Thursday evening George and I had volunteered to help in welcoming some Japanese students, their English speaking professors and another group on board and showing them round the ship. (George will tell you that I volunteered him which is strictly true!) It was fun to meet the students and there were about 16 SAS students to welcome them also. I loved watching them interact without even the language to do it, somehow it worked and they took to each other like a house on fire. There were some very senior (in age) visitors who spoke excellent English and were volunteer tourist guides. (One of them gave me some stamps which I shall save for you Liam.) One of the students learning English had written down a whole lot of questions and cornered George to get answers....he of course enjoyed himself thoroughly after complaining that I had made him miss a baseball game in which the ever losing Yokohama team lost again!

Yesterday we spent near Mount Fuji, in fact we went up as far as one can by bus or car, the 5th station at 2,500 metres.

We left Yokohama at 7 am and travelled by bus. It took us nearly two hours through easy traffic and then into the higher ground the roads were quiet as we neared the mountain. The trees changed from deciduous to a mixture of pine and other evergreens and deciduous as we climbed. There were birch trees and of course the cherry trees laden with pink and white blossom. To cap all of this we had yet another perfect day. The temperature was about 70 degrees Fahrenheit and the sky clear and blue. We could see the snow capped peak of the volcano called Mt Fuji (pronounced Huji) from miles away and people who spent the day in Tokyo could see it too....a distance of about about 50 miles. It was a magical day as we ascended in a cable car facing the mountain, walked around in the bright sunshine and clean mountain air and sailed on one of the five lakes nearby. There were so many ways to appreciate the beauty around us and when we finally climbed on to our bus (called Sea poodle!) we were satiated and sleepy. I think the students slept both ways! I keep thinking what an incredible experience this whole trip is for each of them....and for us.

We sailed out of Yokohama after a trying customs procedure (we had face to face interviews on arrival and departure and we were also finger printed when we first stepped ashore). George had discovered by chance that we would require our passports to board the ship....the purser happened to mention it to him so we both had ours. No one else knew and there was a great rush to fetch them off the ship and return to the huge customs hall. As they did that the Field office staff brought all the passports down to Customs in drawer fulls! George and I avoided that chaos thank goodness. Definitely an omission by the Assistant Dean's office to let passengers know what was to happen. Have I mentioned before that the Japanese are meticulous about security? However, always extremely pleasant and polite.

We are happily back at sea today and the students are quietly and intensely studying for their exams. We both so much enjoy this life on the ocean blue and were saying how much we are going to miss the constant sound of the sea. We have started to cross the Pacific and the film showing on our TV is all about Pacific tsunamis! After all the talk we heard about Japanese, and especially the Kobe, earthquakes they now feel we should be educated in Tsunamis. I have an earthquake phobia and have experienced one or two tremors, in BC and Hamilton, and did not want those thoughts to detract from my enjoyment of Japan but it was as though someone was determined to remind me....and now this?!

We perform The Persians on Wednesday and Friday of next week and we have had no rehearsal for days. It is also well nigh impossible to get the Union to rehearse in. I dread to think what this is going to be like and I am extremely nervous. As you can imagine there is a huge difference between rehearsing in a small classroom and performing in a spacious, sloping and quite possibly rocking room as the Union often is. Also we were not able to get the costumes we wanted so I suspect we shall be in long T shirts or sheets! Ah well this time next week it will all be over...

It is nearly five pm and time to repair to the Faculty lounge for drinks....another thing we are going to miss! The drinks we can easily get at home but we now require constant, entertaining and stimulating company each and every day at five....any volunteers?!

Off to put on my face.......

Japan (Continued) Yokohama and Mt. Fuji

2009-04-10T13:08:00.000-07:00

Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji again, Emmet and me.

Saturday, 11th April

We left Yokohama and Japan last night and it is great to be connected to our email again; it was turned off in Yokohama.

We had had two wonderful days in this last city and were sad to leave, especially as we now have nine straight days at sea without sight of land until Hawaii! Japan has both enchanted and infuriated us. It's efficiency, physical beauty and the sweetness and helpfulness of the people is never in question. However it is regimented, obedient to a million religious and government rules and meticulously but laboriously slow in transactions of any kind (especially banking) and, in comparison to other places we have visited, very expensive.

On Thursday Beth, (the University of Virginia and ship librarian, a most delightful woman and great companion) and I went into Kamata on the subway to do some shopping for handicrafts she needed. The shuttle to the station was 'not available' we were told by the smiling tourist information officer at the port so we walked rapidly through the town following a map until we found it. We had thought there was only one train for quite a long period and it was at 10 am so we were practically sprinting as the station came into sight (mentally anyway!), only to discover that we would be travelling by subway and there was one every five minutes or so. The town we needed was between Tokyo and Yokohama and only five stations away. We found it and the shop she had been told about and Beth was in seventh heaven. As we entered and saw the myriad of possibilities for her creativity her eyes lit up and she wandered around entranced and also confused as to what her ultimate decisions should be. There were silks and wools and fabrics of brilliant and subtle colours and designs; there were pieces of material with typically Japanese motifs cut into small squares for quilts and hangings and larger squares for whatever you choose. Although as most of you appreciate I am not at all creative in these particular ways. I was fascinated by these little pieces of fabric and actually bought two (!) which I just like feeling and looking at but have no idea what to do with! Beth was very constrained in her purchases because I think she was totally overwhelmed by the number of options open to her.

Almost an hour and a half after entering the store I found a little step ladder and sat down gratefully....there wasn't a chair in sight. Beth kept saying in her sweet Southern accent 'I just can't make up my mind but I'll only be a minute' I enjoyed seeing her so happy but my feet felt hot and uncomfortable and it was a relief to park myself somewhere. I did receive a few suspicious looks. It is probably against the etiquette rules in Japan to sit on a step ladder in public just as Beth had informed me it is not done to blow your nose....well! I had allergies to something and both eyes and nose were streaming at times so combine that with the step ladder and I was in trouble.

We eventually left the shop and made our way out into the streets to look for a Japanese lunch. We found a little food bar and sat on stools eating soup and noodles with chopsticks; you can perhaps imagine the hilarity! Later, while strolling through one of the malls, we found ourselves back in the subway station so decided this was a sign that we should start going back to Yokohama. We were feeling by this time so confident moving from city to city without peering at maps....such a dead giveaway that you're struggling tourists. We boarded the next 'blue' train(we knew that was the colour of 'our' line) to come into the station and prayed we were going in the right direction....we were but didn't know for certain until we saw a station name that we remembered from going the other way!

I have decided that you can travel absolutely anywhere in the world with confidence if you have a compatible companion....or George. My sense of direction is very helpful....always go in the opposite direction to the one I suggest, you can't fail. However as I'm the only person who really has to experiment with my own compass it's just as well I have learned to ask the way and ask again if necessary to reach my destination. Not having a 'bump of location' is one of the great unrecognised disabilities of the world. ( I have a global perspective these days you notice!)

I am blethering (to use a good Scots word) so will shower no and go to breakfst.

I think the photos of Mount Fuji speak for themselves and I have taken a few of the Japanese I saw doing their own thing. Emmet, who doesn't have a camera of his own, loves borrowing mine and taking photos of George and me (in front of some thing or other to prove we were there....he says) so I thought he should be included.

More later.......

Images of Kyoto

2009-04-07T19:48:00.000-07:00

These photos are some of our visual treats yesterday, except of course for the one of Nilo, Theresa and myself (we were visual treats for the Japanese?!). The three young women may be Geishas in training, we were not sure. We did see Geishas but they were very surrounded by other photographers and a treat for the tourists so I only managed a distant shot of them. The little girl was so intrigued by George and me eating our picnic lunch her mum couldn't get her to look away. ( She was good enough to eat Frances!) The bird stalking in the water and catching fish was a Grey Heron.

A day in Kyoto

2009-04-07T04:09:00.000-07:00

I love Japan! The people are wonderful; helpful, kind, humorous and sweet. After only two days in Kobe and Kyoto that is our verdict....and that's not the Royal pleural it is the majority view on board the Explorer.

We have had our second glorious day in Japan, this time spent in Kyoto.....of the Kyoto Accord which hasn't been mentioned once by the citizens of the one nation which refuses to sign it! We have not been aware of any pollution since we arrived. Of course that doesn't mean there isn't any, but in any comparison to Chennai, Saigon or Shanghai, Kobe and Kyoto win hands down.

We had a wonderful little guide today (I'm even small for a Japanese woman she said), her name was Rumi. She worked so hard to make sure we saw everything beautiful there was to see in Kyoto: palaces, temples and gardens and the breathtaking display of cherry blossom everywhere. We seemed to walk for miles and miles but until the very end of the day when we took off to a little tea house where George had a beer and our young friend 14 year old Emmet and I (from Montreal, on board with his grandparents, very bright indeed and seems to enjoy us for some reason) shared a delicious dish of what looked like golden, transparent noodles in vinegar and mustard (and no we don't know what it's called!)because we were all feeling exhausted. You could choose to sit on the floor at low tables but we decided we might never get up again so sat on normal height chairs. Emmet and I caused great amusement as you can imagine using our chopsticks on our very slippery fare. However we earned the thumbs up sign as we slurped the last remnants of our bowls from three young women at the next table!

Words can't adequately describe the delicacy and beauty of the rocks, cherry blossom, the green pine trees (all like larger Bonsais) and the water which surround the Budhist and Shinto temples we saw today..... The Shogun's palace was beautifully designed outside and in, with smooth wooden and tile floors, rice paper paned windows and rich dark wooden walls. The rooms were large airy and sparsely furnished and decorated with beautiful murals of nature....again the three elements rocks, water and greenery with additional birds and animals. The roofs are in the pagoda style which we associate with Japan, often intricately carved under the wooden eaves and on the curlicuews edging the roof. The temples are similar in design but always with the smell of smoke and incense inside, colourful paper lanterns and prayer flags outside...the smooth floors here were much appreciated as we had to take our shoes off at times.

But surrounding everything, as I mentioned before, the exquisite gardens. Here (they will come out above) I hope are some photos.

Japan, Land of the Rising Sun

2009-04-06T14:27:00.000-07:00

Not very beautiful harbour view this morning;

Greetings from the land of the rising sun!

More Kobe

2009-04-06T05:41:00.000-07:00

Ropeway over the city

Hazy view of harbour & MV Explorer to the Right (from the stern) of photo

Street scene

Worker in flower & herb garden (Kobe is known for herbs)

Another street scene in town centre

The photos never publish in order so you might just have to guess which is which,multiple choice

Spring time in Kobe

2009-04-06T02:00:00.000-07:00

We have had a glorious day wandering in Kobe, Japan. First we walked round the central part of town where the Port Line train took us ($2.00 each)from the port. Then we walked up and up until we reached the cable car station which swings you up the hills surrounding the city. It was a spectacular ride. On the way to the cable station we saw so many trees in blossom; it is cherry blossom time, how lucky could we be?!

We saw families on outings with Grandparents (see photo) enjoying the top of the 'mountain' after using the cable car, called the Ropeway. The views from the ropeway itself and from the top were incredible.

We had lunch in a Japanese restaurant....you realise we're becoming expert with chopsticks?! We both ordered soup and I had "buckwheat noodles" (that was the English translation) in mine. Our chopstickes were much smaller than usual and these noodles were really difficult to manage, my expertise came to naught and it must have been disgusting watching me slurp them up! But the soup was delicious; karrie soup, (translated it was curry soup). I had told George I felt like an Indian meal and he said 'you can't have an Indian meal in Japan!'...so I had Japanese karrie soup instead....

Kobe is a very attractive city and Japan is very North American in many ways; terribly efficient, clean and sophisticated. Strange that I didn't really care much about coming here and I love it! I have never met such helpful, kind people. I emailed a woman who lives in Kobe to ask some questions on virtualtourist.com and she has responded twice; i asked the way twice today (George won't because he hates to admit he's lost) and on both occasions the woman i asked walked with us part of the way to make sure we didn't make a mistake. In a shop where I was given the assignment of buying material for costumes for the play the sales-woman took me all over the place looking for what I wanted. Not one of these three women spoke any English except to say "Sorry" for not speaking it....I was bowing almost to the floor in gratitude!

We are supposed to be eating out tonight with Ted and having a 'dry' japanese meal of beef, which you grill yourself right on your table. He was lecturing in the Kobe Women's university today and isn't back yet and we're all getting hungry so we're off to possiby do our own thing!

Day of Play

2009-04-05T04:38:00.000-07:00

Sunday, 5th April

Today has been a sea day. Its nice to have time to draw breath after a pretty hectic schedule in Saigon, Hong Kong and China....not complaining but I do need down time just to assimilate all the new experiences and the constant adjustments we must all make to different cultures, demands and expectations. Obviously none of us would have it any other way but its interesting how we do need space and time to reflect.

Today I made my first papier maché creation! It is a mask for the play The Persians. We have a wonderfully artistic and creative woman on board who is helping us, Jamie. She is another tag along like me. She taught us to rip up newspaper and soak it in a flour and water mixture and spread it over the cut-out mask she had drawn and cut out on heavy poster paper. I absolutely loved getting into a frightful mess and being responsible for what I would wear on stage. Jamie pressed the wet mask on my face so that it would fit, especially over my nose, and it has been drying in our cabin ever since. When it has dried completely we shall paint it. It has two slits for the eyes (of course!) and only covers half my face, so that my cheeks, mouth and chin are exposed. I plan to try and get some white make up in Kobe (a la Geisha) so that I look like the voice of doom I seem to be as Chorus number 6!

We had a line rehearsal at 1.30....just the Chorus which was quite fun as we did it in a supposedly empty dining room into which students kept trickling to study but ended up looking at us (spouting these heavy tragic over-the-top lines) with have they gone completely insane looks on their faces. I have been working very hard on my lines and felt a little better about them after realising that I was further ahead than a couple of others. My greatest fear at my great age is the sudden blanks which happen sometimes on stage....the stuff of nightmares. Hopefuly my mask will make it difficult to identify me!!

Tonight George and I organised a group of friends to get together to celebrate Theresa Muellers birthday two days ago. It was great fun and we had a lovely large cake (they really do us proud in these kitchens sometimes) but sadly I had to leave early to go to a rehearsal.

We are going to be out of contact for a few days while we are in Japan so although George and I will be staying on the ship overnight I may not be able to write a blog...so until after Kobe and Yokohama....good night.

Snapshots: Washing,garden,advertising,meditation room

2009-04-04T03:53:00.000-07:00

The many faces of China-Shanghai-Suzhou

2009-04-03T23:09:00.000-07:00

China for me at least has many faces; we experienced them in the two days (5 if you include Hong Kong) we were there. There are the sad and serious faces in the street, the rowdy school kids, the giggling teenagers, the worried grandparents, serene elderly, happy mums bespectacled and responsible fathers, blacksuited and sobre business men, hard working poorer classes washing their clothes in polluted canals and every one it seemed hanging up their clothes to dry on billions (I mean it!) of balconies in the miles and endless miles of tall apartment buildings which we barely managed to escape in Shanghai. There are clothes on lines outside shops and on tiny house verandas. The toddlers are delightful, taxi drivers are dour and unhelpful, young women in McDonalds and Dunkin' Donuts speak with American accents and actually speak English, our guides were smiling, helpful and spoke excellent English learned at school...no matter how fluent and colloqial they sound none had been outside China! Apart from them and a few glamour girls in stores and at the front desks of swanky hotels almost no one spoke English....perhaps the very rich and 'travelling class' but even then their English is often heavily accented and hard to understand.

Shanghai has a huge population, 17 million is the figure we were quoted. It is an attractive city in the centre; the sky scrapers are each of a different despign unlike the huge cubes and rectangles we're more used to. Some have fluted tops, some are so 'thin' they look as though they'd topple in a strong wind, some have roof top arches. From our balcony on board we could see a good selection and there is the tall red ball on top of a structure like the CN towe in Toronto but apparently not as tall...our guide actually mentioned the CN tower with some awe, we were quite puffed up!

Hidden among these towers are the old colonial buildings Liz of your era. Solid, gracious, attractive, obviously British or French built....all along the Bund which you might remember? This is the street where we saw most of these lovely buildings from the pre-WW2 days. I was told that you probably lived in what is called the French/British Concession where most of the expatriots lived. We didn't have time to find or visit it unfortunately, our days were too full. I don't think you would recognise Shanghai....even peole who had last visited a few years ago saw massive changes. China is building and building.....everywhere there is a hive of industry; helmeted workmen digging, climbing and drilling.

The roads are amazing, flyways upon flyways upon flyways. They are architecturally beautiful from some angles but I never managed to photograph them to advantage, we were speeding along in our bus or stuck behind the huge supports. This was when we were on our two hour drive to Suzhou....city of canals and gardens and, thank heavens, no skyscrapers. A world heritage site and glimpse of the old China when there was time to plan and grow things, time to enjoy and meditate. The gardens were utterly beautiful; rocks, trees, flowers and water all in wonderful balance and composition. As if the designer had studied beauty and knew all the angles ( in the literal sense) and how best to stir the spirit and emotions. If only we could have seen them people-less! Everywhere I turned was an unforgettable corner, a photo I mustn't miss, a place I just had to sit. We saw three gardens in all but the first and smallest was my favourite, the smaller sections had an element of 'cosiness' which the larger more open gardens, which were beautiful nevertheless, did not. They also seemed more crowded.

The food we had in China, apart from the wonderful Manchurian meal which Randy gave us, were disappointing in their almost consistent blandness. There were odd exceptions to this but not many. The tastiest meat we ate was lamb off a skewer and cooked on a street grill ( Chinese from the north) at Randy's behest...it was scrumptious!

China is a power growing in significance on the world stage; the Chinese people we met and spoke to were by turns cheerful, proud, sweet, jolly, dour, irritable....just like te rest of us you may say. However each quality was magnified and intensified because our encounters were so short and significant. Some people on the ship have discussed their fear that such a raw untutored nation (inevitable with its massive population I would suggest) could wield so much power in the future. I felt no such qualms but I am not knowledgeable about China and its politics.

Shapes,gardens,canals and faces of China, Suzhou

2009-04-03T07:01:00.000-07:00

Three generations

Lingering Gardens Suzhou

Mother and child

Suzhou Canal

Circular entrance Suzhou unitversity

Blue panes meditation room Master of the Net (Fisherman) Gardens, Suzhou

Images of Shanghai

2009-04-03T06:26:00.000-07:00

Monks in prayer at Tao Temple festival

Street scene

Older buildings in Shaghai

For Fiona

2009-04-02T08:17:00.000-07:00

2nd April.

Randy and Olya

Randy's wife Olya and ourselves, Shanghai

We have just had a wonderful evening with Randy, Olya and their friends. First we met the Eastmans and had a drink in a very classy place and then were taken to a Manchurian restaurant where we met up with 6 friends of theirs (all of whom speak Chinese fluently and most of them Russian as well!) and had a beautiful, tasty meal in a private room with a large round table in it. Manchurian decoration is red and green so it was all very picturesque. We both (G and me) found it fascinating to hear them speaking Chinese. Olya had to leave after supper because of baby sitting problems; her youngest daughter is only 4 months old and the oldest son is 14 with a middle daughter of about 9 I think.

Randy and a Tartar friend of his fortunately decided to take the taxi back to the ship with us because the driver refused to understand where he was to go! Randy's friend speaks several Chinese dialects and was finally able to get the taxi company on the phone to give the driver instructions...which he still didn't seem to understand. In the end someone was found who spoke to him on the phone and then the driver said that he had known the way all the time! Randy says the level of frustration here is sometimes high but they do love the people the know. Olya feels they should move some time in the future for higher education for their son who is at a very goodChinese school at the moment but will have to go 'international' soon. The taxi dropped us literally at the foot of the gangway!

For Liz...entry into Shanghai

2009-04-01T16:16:00.000-07:00

2nd April.

First sights of Shanghai from the ship. Liz I'll take mnore during the day so keep looking.

Chewing the cud

2009-04-01T00:40:00.000-07:00

Wednesday April 1st.

Such a quiet day on board. It has been a rough sea, grey and almost greasy looking at times when the sun struggled to bring a sheen to it. There have been fishing boats doing more than bobbing on the surface; they have dipped and rolled and at times have appeared to take on water. We were glad of the solid bulk beneath our feet! Apparently we are now in the East China sea and only about 100 nautical miles from Shanghai.

I sat in the Faculty lounge on the 7th deck this morning reading and going over my lines. There are quite a few VIPs on board, some of whom were responsible for financing the Semester at Sea programme and also those who had the vision of such a programme in the first place, and they were up there chatting with old friends. We have been told to be nice to them (!?) but actually no one has thought to introduce us. I think I might have guided the President of the University of Virginia off the boat in Hong Kong, but if so he was anxious and disgruntled and didn't introduce himself so I may never know!

Have I mentioned before the hierarchy on this ship? It is an almost tangible thing which is fairly widely discussed by members of the Faculty (those on the lower echelons) and Life Long learners whom we have come to know. As a tag-along I don't of course expect to be acknowledged by the Dean who has occasionally said Hi but obviously has no idea who I am and has things of greater import on his mind. However, he hasn't spoken to George either (or John I don't think)which after three months at sea is fairly unacceptable. After all the on board faculty is not huge....perhaps 35 in all?

But all that said the Semester at Sea organisation has given us the most incredible experience, one I would not have expected to have in my life time and for that we are most truly grateful....so what's a high minded dean or two in the grand scheme of things. This is a small community though and gossip and rumours abound!

We have been invited to attend a farewell celebration for Sylvia tonight before 'the dinner'....what to wear?! We have all exhausted our wardrobes several times over by now so that slightly exotic clothes bought in the last three ports have started to appear. Some of the women reading this will understand the dilemma! There is something called the Ambassador's Ball happening after Hawaii which has upped the anxiety level. We had all decided to have a gorgeous creation quickly 'run up' in India, Thailand, Vietnam or Hong Kong....I mention each port because it didn't happen in any of them...there was far too much else to do, sightseeing and absorbing the cultures it was not possible to fit in (pardon the pun) a visit to a Tailor and all that would entail. So thequestion remains hanging in the air.....what to wear to the ball Cinderella?

Off now to search my vast selection of glamorous togs....

Dinner and random thoughts

2009-03-31T05:39:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely sit down dinner tonight of fruit salad, a delicious vegetable soup, steak and grilled veg., and a light sponge with raspberry sauce...plus free wine! Not high cuisine I suppose but very much appreciated by all of us. We had a 'fun' table: Sue and Gus (South African), Pam (American), Sergio (Italian) John Mueller (Canadian/American....Theresa is in Beijing) and us.
Sergio is married to my name sake Maggie. who was only on board for a very short time but we enjoyed her company very much. She is Scottish of course which might explain it!

Apparently this dinner is being repeated, without the free wine, tomorrow night so there are definite advantages to staying on board between ports when the majority have taken off for China proper. I missed being with Nilo, Nasim, Ted and Sylvia who had also saved seats for us. It was one of those awkward moments which occur in the dining room when people invite you to join them you from different directions. (George and I sitting down to dinner on our own at home is certainly going to lack spice.)

This blog is probaby boring but gives you an idea of the relationships which form over time on any ship but also what fun it is to be part of such a diverse group of people on this one. Gus happened to mention travelling from the UK to South Africa on the Athlone Castle years ago and I realised that the Athlone was the ship which had carried me back to the UK from Cape Town to meet my parents after WW2! We compared notes on the tiny cabins with bunks that were the norm in those days and are the reason that I find our cabin so overwhelmingly luxurious. He told me that on her farewell departure from Cape Town she sailed right along the coast past Sea Point and Camps Bay and that people were standing cheering her on the shore and waving good bye...what a lovely, nostalgic picture. I have always found ships to be almost 'human' with character s and oersonalities of their own and that crews and passengers retain a huge loyalty to any ship they have worked or travelled on....food for thought.

Once again I have to report that George is fast asleep although we are listening to Mozart on this computer and it's only 9 pm. He hasn't even managed to climb into bed...obviously too much exercise today. I do often wonder if all this obsession with exercise is healthy! my mother and grandmother who both lived into their nineties never had a work-out in their lives but both walked alot. In her final years my Gran used to go for long walks in her imagination all around the countryside near Haddington in East Lothian, not far from Edinburgh. My mother didn't imagine it, she did it, almost up to the last week of her life. So is it conceivable that walking is the answer to longevity?!......More food for thought?

Coordinates again for Liam and Katie:
Time: 21.13
Speed; 17.5 knots (very slow!)
Course: 35 degrees
Lat: 25 degrees 0.52 N
Long. 119 degrees 43.4 E

Judging by the map on the TV screen we are between Taiwan and the mainland China coast and are sailing through the Straits of Taiwan.

Good night and enjoy your day....we are exactly 12 hours ahead of you now.

Good bye Hong Kong

2009-03-30T23:09:00.000-07:00

The Kowloon Ferry terminal from the ship at night, as we left.

Good bye Hong Kong!

How relaxed should one be waiting for the emergency boat drill?

On our way to Shanghai

2009-03-30T21:13:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 31st march: We are ploughing through a much heavier, rougher sea than we have experienced for some time. As I look out of our balcony doors, apart from watching the horizon rising and dipping I see long white capped swells and large waves hitting the sides of the ship and spraying high wide arcs of white foam. Quite picturesque really if you're not susceptible to nausea or vertigo which some passengers certainly are. George has taken the ever available sea sickness pills from the clinic but I seem to be, as George puts it so delicately, tough as old nails....charming.

George has gone slightly mad and actually excercised seriously this morning in the presently empty gymn and wellness spa. He has been sound asleep for the past hour but has now recovered enough to knock back a few health drinks....Pernod in this instance! I, having exerted myself not at all, am into the red wine....well a third of a glass before lunch to celebrate no classes or rehearsals! The afternoon is set aside for 'firming up' my lines....so was this morning but I'm reading such a good book (Coastliners by Joanne Harris) I decided to put off the evil hour.

We are having a special sit down and be served dinner tonight as there are so few of us on board; apparently it is as good as the Captain's dinner which was wonderful. Let's hope the sea calms down or there will be even fewer people in the dining room! Poor Nilo is feeling very ill again and there are a number of greenish faces in the corridors.

Will end this until later or tomorrow and finally run lines with George..........oh dear!

Remarks on departing Hong Kong.

2009-03-30T07:58:00.000-07:00

Sunday Market in Hong Kong
The ferry from Kowloon to Hong Kong Island

I wrote as we sailed in to Hong Kong and now as I sit here writing again we are sadly leaving. The time is 11.30 pm and the city lights are all on and they stream on it seems for miles and miles. I tried to put some more photos up but as soon as we drew away from the quay side the disconnect happened.

I have fallen in love with each port we've visited; each departure is difficult...what does the song say? Every time we say goodbye we die a little....sounds corny but it's so true. Did I say that Hong Kong was still so British? Well it's not.....English is hardly spoken in some areas, especially little shops and in the restaurants and markets. I was surprised. I'm sure after such a short visit I have many misconceptions but I really loved the atmosphere. I love the daring and flare which puts up higher and higher buildings of stunning design and colour so close together in the confined space. I remarked to George that HK must surely be on bed-rock because the thought of what would happen if there was an earthquake doesn't bear consideration.

I went into FaceSS to get a cleanser today and realised that in some places there is over employment. There were all these beautiful young women, dressed in black representing all the great cosmetics we know; Clinique, L'Oreal, Lancome etc etc, about 4 to each counter. They were chatting and putting on make up, looking in hand mirrors as they perfected their already perfect faces, not really interested in assisting anyone. One I spoke to had false eyelashes that were not only long but so thick we wondered how she could possibly keep her eyes open...George was intrigued! When I asked if they had those wonderfully convenient and easy cleansing 'wipes' she raised her eyebrows, pouted her bright red lips and said disdainfully "Oh no...we do not." I slunk away shamed.....

We had a boat drill tonight and it was fun. When I remember how stiff we all were the first few times we did this and how friendly and relaxed the whole operation is now that we know each other I realise how comfortable we have become with our friends on board. Sylvia, Ted, George, me, Nasim and Nilo are lined up together. We got into trouble tonight for laughing and making too much noise.....shamed again! George and I were a little disconcerted yesterday to discover from Linda our Guyanian cabin steward that we shall be getting into her 'raft' if necessary in an emergency because it's quicker to inflate that than to lower a life boat. Well our life boat, number B6, looks so huge and roomy and comparitively safe...but we didn't say anything to Linda who obviously prefers rafts....just to each other afterwards...Did you hear what she said!?

We now have two days at sea before Shanghai. (Liz I shall take lots of photos of your birth place I promise. ) The ship is fairly empty, so many have flown ahead to Beijing and the Great Wall. We plan to relax....but that plan started off on the wrong foot tonight when the captain announced the 9.15 boat drill! So keep your fingers crossed for smooth sailing and peace from calamity!

HK today.

2009-03-30T03:57:00.000-07:00

After crossing from Kowloon to Hong Kong island on the ferry, George and I have had a lovely day just wandering the streets of Hong Kong and eating Chinese food and another capuccino and latte where we were yesterday. I did more shopping than I have been able to manage up to now because a) there hasn't been time between tours and b) George hates it and rushes out of sight with the money! Today I put my foot down, got my debit card to work finally in an ATM machine and succeeded in forcing G. to stay around whilst I browsed....great fun!

I loved walking in the narrow sky-scraper-shadowed(!) streets. Do you think we could at first find a Chinese restaurant; there were Thai, Indian , short order Western but no Chinese! eventually we saw a menu at the end of a lane and decided to search it out. At the end we found it and we were the only foreigners there, usualy a good sign. however this food was laden with fat, sugar, and more carbs than any we have had so far. Never mind the atmosphere was definitely Chinese....miseable, irritated (with each other mainly and shouting) staff.

We walked down to the ferry and took it back to Kowloon. Here I hope are some photos.....we have just had supper on the dining room deck with a million dollar view of the city of Hong kong lit up as it is every night. See photo above. Can you imagine what you would pay in a restaurant to have a table with that View? I'll publish this before I lose it....I know I'm getting a little paranoid!

Photos of Hong Kong ...hopefully!

2009-03-30T02:12:00.000-07:00

(1) Old photo of what is now the Peninsular Hotel and about a mile inland. (The land has been reclaimed and built on. (2) Folded umbrellas at the roof garden pub where we had our last drink in Hong Kong. (3) Ted and Sylvia at supper last night. (4) Hong Kong and me at night....Explorer to the Right.

Hong Kong continued

2009-03-29T16:25:00.000-07:00

It seems compulsary, or at least inevitable, that we should be taken to visit a church in ex British protectorates and colonies so yesterday we were taken to St John's Anglican church. It was attractive in itself but for me the interesting point was that it stood right next door to a lovely red brick building with large windows and dark green shutters which one could imagine had been 'lifted' from Boston or Washington DC, and which turned out to have the ominous title of "The Court of Final Appeal"....

We also had the chance to visit a Tao temple but a small group of us, feeling 'templed' out spotted a cosy looking coffee house where we enjoyed the best coffee since leaving home. It was oviously the haunt of resident expatriot Americans and Europeans who regarded our intrusion on their peace with some hostility and suspicion....but who cared ? we revelled in the aroma and taste of true coffee. Only George who daily enjoys Ian's gifts of Indonesian rich coffee on board, was not euphoric!

Off to breakfast...better publish (sounds so grand doesn't it?!)

Hong Kong at greater length...hopefully

2009-03-29T15:53:00.000-07:00

Our introductionto Hong Kong yesterday was a resounding success. A fairly large group of s were on the orientation tour which was excellent and we had a guide who spoke the best English we have heard since India. As I think I have mentioned before fluency was not the problem in Thailand and Vietnam but understanding the accents was.

Hong Kong seems familiar in a number of ways. Firstly because most of us have seen photos and TV programmes of it or heard other people's accounts and secondly for George and me because it remains so British! The double decker buses particularly are evocative of London or Edinburgh; the order of the traffic after the chaos and danger even of crossing a road from Chennai to Saigon....it was great to see the little universal green figure telling us it was safe to cross!

Yesterday was a cool, grey day here, a welcome relief from all the heat we had been experiencing. It made the view of the city and harbour from Victoria Peak a little blurred and softened but nevertheless spectacular. The long steep climb up there in the bus was in itself revealing because of the different angles of viewing the endliess and architecturally fascinating sky scrapers and ostentatious residences which climb the hillside.

We ate our boxed lunch (identical to the one at Catien!!) standing with friends, looking down at our ship-home from Victoria Peak. I loved watching the visiting Chinese, often grandparents, with tiny children, attempting to manage and discipline reluctant two and three year olds. One couple in particular were at their wits end as their grandson, who was spectacularly beautiful, smilingly refused to comply with anything they asked him to do. I thought to myself that he would go far in life, always his own person and so charmingly but stubbornly getting his own way! I had a feeling that part of the show was for my benefit and had to turn away from his grandparents helpless stares! It was one of the times I would have loved a video camera...

Earlier we had gone on a sampan ride round the harbour, but although again we had a marvellous sea view of the city, there were so many tourist boats that we seemed in imminent danger of small sea tragedies; Semester at sea participants end up in Hong Kong harbour on sight seeing tour after multiple sampan collision...

We were allowed time after descending from the peak on a fenicular tram to wander round a typical Sunday market selling vegetables and tempting"medicines" which cured everything from a simple cold to balding heads. We noticed that the behaviour of teen agers is universal now; ipods, ear phones, giggles, jeans or a weird layered concoctions of tops and skirts for the girls and tatoos and sunglasses for the boys.

Blog has started to misbehave so am going to publish....more later.

Hong Kong (briefly)

2009-03-29T07:44:00.000-07:00

Hong Kong from a sampan.

We have had a wonderful day seeing Hong Kong. It is an amazing city of sky scrapers higglety pigglety crammed into a small space with 7000,000 people, green hills, a harbour filled with all manner of vessels from small fishing boats and junks to huge passenger liners, and very obviously a huge discrepancy between the very rich and the not so rich. If you own a house in Hong kong as opposed to an apartment you are very probably a millionaire or billionaire.

We travelled today by bus, sampan, fenicular tram, on foot and finally the bus again to bring us back to the ship.

Photos and Entry into Hong Kong

2009-03-28T15:24:00.000-07:00

A rather fat centepede in our room at Catien.

Student Megan, me and George on the ferry from Catien going home.

We are just steaming full speed into Hong Kong, the sea has been quite rough but now we're in the centre of hilly islands, can see lights on the shore, with heavy clouds over the tops. The weather forecast says 50-60 degrees and rain! What a change.....trying to remember what warm clothes look like! We dock right next to a huge shopping mall...oops!

We shall be staying on board from now on until Hawaii so hopefully will be able to continue blogging. Three quarters of the passengers on this ship are flying to Beijing and on to the Great Wall where apparently there is SNOW! Snow....what's that?!

Fiona we are meeting Randy and his wife for dinner on our first night in Shanghai.....will of course be sending reports home!

Off to shower and breakfast and watch us docking...we have slowed right down and....wow here is Hong Kong. Dark misty hills and then massive white sky scrapers right down to the shore. (Just dashed to the doors of our balcony and that's the view that met my eyes) we are in an hour early. Two tugs have just roared out and the pilot has come aboard to guide us in. I never really thought I would ever get to China: I have been reading books about it since Han Su Yin's Love is a Many Splendoured Thing. Latest the follow-on from Red China Blues (Can't remember the name). This is so exciting.....we are parallel with those sky scrapers now, they seem to go on endlessly We have slowed down to 14.7 knots....ah trees and about twelve gorgeous looking apartment buildings in a row. I'm typing as I watch our entry; Victoria Peak is right behind them and the shore is rocky with trees and bushes which I feel I could stretch out my arm and touch. Oh this is beautiful, fishing boats all lined up under the buildings and double decker buses rushing along the road, junks (who thought I'd ever see a junk?!)....more sky scrapers jammed together. There is obviously a lack of building space outwards so they have gone up up up! The depth backwards of these sky scrapers is astounding right into the foot hills. Lots of what we Scots call Highheedyuns are coming on board....that is a phonetic spelling. It means literall the "high head ones" or VIP's. ( yup... you learn something fabulous every day!).

This time I must shower because they prefer us not to have them in port as they stop turning sea water into frsh at that time.

More later.

Last minute thoughts before bed.

2009-03-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

Half way through the "great trek". One of the students enjoying a rest!

Have just been enjoying a small party given by our next door neighbours; my theatre prof Ted for his wife Sylvia who leaves us in Shanghai. There were nine of us drinking a toast to her, airing all our facetious thoughts about the hierarchy on the ship and the Cultural Pre-ports which are mandatory and waste alot of time which could be better spent on learning really helpful things about our next country. The tips about what to expect, the medical and security information are helpful but looking at family photos and hearing unhelpful personal experiences add little to our knowledge....still some of the students enjoy it so shouldn't grumble I suppose.

We arrive in Hong Kong in 7 hours so as I can't get any more photos on here I should go to bed. We'll be doing a city orientation tour tomorrow and then our own thing after that. Victoria Peak, the Ferry and Temple Road (a market) are musts apparently, and I think we shall be eating out quite a bit.

Good night! Present time is 1 am.

Hopefully some writing that resists cyberspace

2009-03-27T23:08:00.000-07:00

I'm going to attempt to get this blog published....I have lost two.

We are about half way across the South china sea on our way to Hong Kong. It is still very hot outside and as usual terribly cold in the Union! The sea is getting a little bit rougher but we have had fun watching the Red Foot Boobies flying around the ship and catching flying fish just as they leap out of the water.

To return to Vietnam; our stay in the Catien National Park was wonderful. it was very tropical and reminded me so much of Nigeria. I shall try and put a couple of photos of the bugs who visited our bedroom at night....like Texas everything seems bigger in Catien! It was a deja vu experience for us both sleeping under mosquito nets: I awoke with one of the little buzzers right in my ear. I did my instinctive slap, realised I had hit myself fairly hard and probably sent mossie down my ear canal....but no more problems from him. I was wary getting up to go to the loo wondering what I might feel underfoot but survived those trips too.

The highlight for me in terms of survival was the 'great trek' which I had been worrying about from day 1. The guides were insistent that I came because of the lunch that we would have half way and the rest then at the little thatched house overlooking crocodile lake. (I feel I have written all this before because I have...twice!) The trail was difficult because it was rocky and I thanked all the gods that I had splurged on some $17.00 (?!) runners in Cadiz. They functioned amazingly well. The heat was pretty overwhelming for us all but at least there was jungle all around and we walked mostly on a very narrow but shaded trail. The traditional meal was wonderful, all cooked on a wood stove in an airless hut by one man. We stayed there about two hours before the return journey so I found a cool and private spot and meditated before we set out on the return hike. I have never been so elated as when I walked out of the forest on to the dirt road and saw the rickety old truck that would take us back to our basic but oh so cool rooms!

George and I frequented the bar because it too was cool. It was an open structure, thatched and overlooking the river so there was almost always a breeze. Some of the students cycled on old rented bikes and explored the area more thoroughly than we did. Have I mentioned that we also did a river trip in an open but shaded motorised river boat, bird watching and river bank scrutinising? Well that's what we did before dinner on our first afternoon.

On the first evening after supper (and after dark) we went out on the aforementioned truck, tearing along the road, sitting on slatted wooden seats at the back, to look for animals. There are supposed to be elephant and even small tigers in the forest. All we saw were 4 boars and the tail end of a deer. The night sky was amazing, absolutely sparkling with stars, and made the whole drive worth while. We were nearly blinded and scratched a few times as the truck dashed along betweenthe over hanging trees and the guide (Chong) stood up front dramatically waving a huge flashlight into the bush and trees on both sides. I thought we were travelling far too fast to spot anything...any animal would have lots of warning of the on-coming blunderbus and would steer clear. That's obviously what they did!

There was another walk to a waterfall the last day but I stayed home and read my book. It was a good call apparently as George said they had to scramble over rocks most of the way. I think my runners would have finally given up the ghost!

Lunch was enlivened by the fact that there was a celebration going on for about 100 members of the Communist party and Ho Chi Minh league which you have to join if ever you want to get a decent job. We couldn't believe the noise they made....they were doing these ritualistic shouts leading up to a great roar, every few minutes. We asked Ve what it was all about and he said they were into the rice wine and it was simply One, Two, Three, DRINK! They became extremely merry and asked us to join them which we did. The rice wine tasted foul to me but G. and the students managed to knock back one or two and the whole occasion was very friendly.

We left and walked down to the ferry to cross the river at about 1.30pm and were back on board ship in Saigon at 4.30 ...not bad considering we hit rush hour. We were so sad to leave Ve; he gave each of us (George and me) a huge hug and we all felt almost tearful. It's hard to accept that you will never see someone again whom, in the space of a very short time you have become close to and truly appreciated.

I listened to the student reflections on Vietnam that evening in the Union. Most had visited either ambodia and the Killing Fields or the Saigon war Museum and were deeply distressed and emotional when they spoke. Few had known much about either and the impact was great.

I can't believe I have made it this far into the blog so before anything happens I'm going to publish it. Possibly more later. it remains only to say loud and clear,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATIE...HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Catien National park (Cont.)

2009-03-27T21:46:00.000-07:00

The frangipani bush between the thatched roof of the bar and the tiled roof of the kitchen.

Our group during our trek gathered in the base of a massive 1000 year old tree.

Catien National Park (continued

2009-03-27T21:32:00.000-07:00

Putting on our leech protective socks before leaving for our 10 km hike through the jungle on rocky trails and in extreme heat (but in the shade at least). 5 km to the traditional lunch and 5 km back....phew! I never dreamed I could do it but I did. This is all viet kong territory during the war.

More photos of Vietnam, Catien National Park

2009-03-27T09:38:00.001-07:00

The river Dong Mai and jungle.

Above: Half way through our 10 km trek through the jungle...traditional meal.

Boarding the ferry for Catien National Park. 17 students and us., Catien

Catien National Park Vietnam

2009-03-26T06:37:00.000-07:00

Well we made it there and back and it has been quite an experience. I feel that George and I have together and separately experienced more of the culture and countryside in this country than any other on this amazing voyage. We did an orientation tour of Ho Chi Minh city, which I and many South Vietnamese prefer to call Saigon. We certainly got a feel for the size, population, pollution and traffic here. I went to the Mekong Delta and enjoyed that experience very much particularly the markets and travelling on the Mekong river which I have already mentioned. That day George took his students on an FDP to the Vietnam National University and had a delightful time with the students there; he said that watching our students and theirs interact and enjoy each other was wonderful ....and should be arranged more often. On our third day we took off early in the morning for our 4-5 hour bus ride to the Catien National Park.

There was a couple of hours of crowded city and town driving before the landscape started to change. Suddenly we were in a rural area with volcanic hills, huge round boulders and fields of cashew trees, rice paddies, banana plantations, villages and far, far less traffic and general 'buzz'. We felt the pace of life slowing outside and people seemed to be more leisurely, sitting in the shade under bridges and trees, swinging in hammocks (under bridges and trees!), sitting in groups chatting, waving to us on the bus; children coming home from school and more cyclists than motor bike riders. We eventually arrived at a river crossing ...the Dong Mai river. It was hot! We lugged our back packs off the bus and made our way down a hill to 'the ferry'. It took only a few minutes to cross the river at this point and we were just steps away from our destination.

I should mention our wonderful guide Ve (pronounced Vay). A small Vietnamese man, about 30 years of age with a wonderful grin and a sweet personality who has for the last few days taken the greatest care of our group which consisted of 17 students, George and myself. (of the students there were 7 men and 10 women). Ve took charge and led us to the park headquarters where we handed over our passports (always worries me that does!) and were allocated our accomodation. We had been warned that it was very basic but actually we were all pleasantly surprised because the rooms were spacious and wonder of wonders air conditioned and with fans and mosquito nets. Each room for two people had three double beds!

We have all been having terrible trouble with our broadband and publishing posts....I have lost two so am publishing this partial one before I lose the connection. More later.

Images of Saigon & Mekong Delta & friends

2009-03-23T06:20:00.000-07:00

These are photos I took today when I left Saigon and went to the Mekong Delta. A group of us, students and Faculty (and hangers on like me) went in an air conditioned (thank goodness) bus driving for two hours to reach the town of Mekong....much smaller (20,000 pop.) than this city and very pleasant with shady treed streets and sitting of course on the river. On the way we went to a gorgeous Vietnamese market where we walked through open mouthed at the varieties of fruits and vegetables and always lots of different types of rice. I also took from the bus window photos of the motor bikes zooming into Saigon to work. (We left the ship at 8 am so right into the rush hour.)

We took quite a large boat down the river from Mekong for about ten minutes and then transferred after a short and very hot walk through fairly thick jungle to another part of the delta and travelled from then on in canoes paddled by one man or woman while another steered from the back. Our ship librarian (and friend) Beth and I were in one and Nilo and Nasim (my Karachi 'sister' and husband) in another. The students and other 'adults' (!) were about five to a boat. Our boats left the wooden pier last but you have no idea of the competition there was to keep in the lead. Our lady captain was one of the most aggressive and at one point as she was slamming through tied up empty canoes we became stuck and in her efforts to free us we nearly capsized! The water is shallow and very muddy so we were relieved to have kept afloat!

We leave for Catien park at 7 am tomorrow so must go to bed. The photos above are a woman working on an old Singer type sewing machine in the market, Nilo with fan, fruits and rice in the market, two delightful young boys we found on our way to a jungle lunch, canoes in the delta and our 'captain' on paddling her own canoe at great speed!

Will write in more depth on our return. We are away for 2 nights. Bon Soir....there is a really French feel still about this part of Vietnam. By the way I prefer the name Saigon to the correct Ho Chi Minh City, hence the label for this blog!

Our day in Saigon

2009-03-22T08:50:00.000-07:00

Saigon, Ho Chi Minh city, whatever you care to call it it's fascinating, busy and still looks French. Some of the architecture is very European looking but the life on the streets is strictly Vietnam. I have never seen so many motor bikes on the road and they swarm like armies at lights and crossings. Local people just start walking across any road they want to cross. the trick apparently is not to hesitate because you think you're going to be killed by a motor bike: he already has you in his sights and has mentally adjusted his route; if you hesitate you are, literally. lost! I didn't even attempt to cross a road I was too terrified. "If you stay here six months" our guide told us " you will just do it naturally and it won't seem strange" No I thought, because I'd be dead!

Can was her name....our guide. She was friendly, professional and very knowledgeable and her English was excellent, but she couldn't turn down the heat which we would all have appreciated. One burns up from the inside and you can feel your face burning red....I think it might well have been 100 degrees.

None of the buildings we visited...the President's palace, Notre Dame Catholic cathedral (built in the style of the one in Paris although didn't much resemble it), the Post Office (built like a large french railway station) , the History Museum and a water puppets show...were air conditione. only the beautiful Vietnamese restaurant where we sat down to an amazing meal, beautifully presented and cooked and delicious....there we were content and cool. It's amazing how good food makes people happy. Fortunately our bus was kept cool and air conditioned even when it waited for us.

The water puppet show was delightful. It took place under a corrugated roof, with risers for the audience to sit on. There was a small green pool in front of us, a dense simulated green forest on one side. Shimmering coloured puppets of dragons, ducks, fish and humans were manipulated from behind green curtains hung across the back of the pool. The puppets swam and fought and cavorted around in the water...then two little sparsely garbed humans arrived on the scene to play with and try to catch them and ultimately succeeded to loud applause. That was fun.

Because of the fumes of thousands of motor bikes and cyclos (a bicycle behind the rickshaw) and cars, nearly every one wears surgical masks and also the lovely chinese style straw hats or baseball caps or veils or both to protect from the sun. Some are wheeling barrows or cycling ordinary bikes....it may be pictureque but it looks like very hard work.

This evening Joh, theresa, George and I sat opposite the ship on the docks in a lovely open air restaurant where no one spoke English and it took ay least five of the staff to make out our order. All the more surprising that it came as it should and tasted delicious. You had to hang on to plate and drink just in case because our waiters had been given two instructions: fill their glasses even if they shake their heads and shout No more please! Secondly clear plates and glasses the second they're empty....take no notice of their shocked faces, they can come for more tomorrow. It was stressful until we got used to the hoverers and ignored them even when we crossed arms and hands and fingers got tangled and knocked over a few glasses...even then we just glowed in the atmosphere of beer, wine and roses. Our bus which George was leading had some good people on board, we called ourselves the seniors bus its meaning being superior rather than ancient!

i shall have to continue impressions tomorrow when I get back from he Mekong Delta or before we leave at 8 am. i am failing fast...goodnight.

Images in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

2009-03-22T03:31:00.000-07:00

Some images from today. Will explain in next blog.

2009-03-21T19:47:00.000-07:00

This the view from our balcony now that we have docked in Ho Chi Minh city! Talk about being in the centre of town! A second view looking the other way.

The low buildings to the Left are a restaurant/bar. The pink pillared building in the back ground on the Right is a school; the children, all in uniforms of black and white, have just gone into class.

We have just had our Diplomatic briefing by representatives from the US embassy here. Everyone talks about the Vietnem War but as one of the embassy officials reiterated Vietnam has a very young population so most of them weren't even born when it took place. There seem to be for us allvery positive feelings here towards the Americans....that's good for us all! Sometimes I have wanted to say "Look I'm British/Canadian....not one of them!"....just occasionally!

George is leading the orientation tour of the city so we have to be down at the buses by 10.30 to leave at 11.00. Standing on the wharf in 98 degree weather, waiting for stragglers is not fun so we're hoping everyone will be on time.

Will write more about our visit later.

2009-03-21T16:09:00.000-07:00

Sunrise over the Saigon river looking back from our balcony as we turn slightly round a bend...

1st day in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon

2009-03-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

This morning after we have had our Diplomatic pre-port lecture in the Union we shall be going ashore. Apparently we dock only about a mile away from the city centre which sounds very convenient. We gather that the traffis consisting of motorbikes, mopeds, cycle rickshaws, motorised rickshaws AND cars is dense and scary and that crossing a road is an adventure!

A heads up: As we shall be on board for the next two nights I should be able to enter a blog. However we shall be away in cat Sien park after that for 2 nights when I shall not be writing. Thank you to those of you who have recently written long emails to me, I appreciate it so much; Dia, Jo and Fiona. The broadband from the ship has been letting us down so badly I am not writing emails unless there's a very good reason and I'm getting up early to get into the blog so that you all receive our news.

A plea for help: Could you all make sure you keep in touch somehow with Dylan Moumblow, I heard from Ron Hebbard that he has been in touch and would like to involve Dylan in some way at DLT. Any ideas? Sally and Stan? I gather the chemo has not worked so far and Dylan may be in for more surgery. shall now leave this in your compassionate, capable hands......

I have just been out on our balcony and we are going up a narrow river with heavily wooded banks (exciting!) and the sun is rising but on the other (starboard0 side of the ship Must shower and get dressed and rush to assist the pilot and captain.(?!) A few years ago the previous SAS ship sunk a rice barge on its way into Saigon!

Sunset and fishing boats - Vietnam

2009-03-21T14:54:00.000-07:00

S Sunset over the hills and islands of Vietnam, taken last night, Saturday. At this momrnt (5.14 am) the pilot, who came on board at 4 am is taking us up the narrow river which leads into Ho Chi Minh City harbour, You may remember from the Vietnam war, those who are old enough that is, that this city was previously known as Saigon. where we arrive at 8 am.

Apologies,images and a new day

2009-03-20T16:11:00.000-07:00

Saturday, 21st March

I do apologise for the abrupt ending to the last blog. the rest went into cyberspace and I could not retrieve it; instead it published a photo I had given up on!

This image is taken in the grounds of the Grand Palace Bangkok.

I have tried to put up other images this morning but no luck.....it's only 6.30 am and I thought it would work as. hopefully, most students should be sound asleep and not on their computers. Perhaps everyone has thought the same way!

Last night after a 7 pm rehearsl we had a pre-port lecture given by two "inter-port" passengers from Vietnam. Unfortunately, although their English is good, their accents are very difficult to penetrate. George and I disobeyed orders and watched on our cabin TV which at the very least meant we could get on with other things; polishing lectures for George and learning lines for me, and we didn't freeze which is my main problem with sitting in the Union as I've mentioned before. Following that the MV Explorer crew gave us a show which was at times hilarious and at others we sat amazed at the talent they have hidden from us up to now. There were quite a few professional standard singers, comedians and jugglers. Our crew members mostly come from the Carribean and the Phillipines, but there are also a few from South Africa, the UK, Canada, Ukraine, Germany and other countries I have forgotten. They all stood together at the end of the show,each holding a small flag of their particular country and sang 'We are the World", it was very moving. The ones we know best of course are our cabin stewards and dining room staff, but there are in all 198 crew members....we shall be looking at them quite differently from now on. Theresa Mueller took both video and still cameras and is going to try to send something I can insert on the blog....keep your fingers crossed?!

The sea is a different blue today; we are on the southern edge of the South China Sea, strange how the colour differs depending where we are. One tends to think of the sea as simpy being blue or grey but there are a hundred and more variations of that theme believe me. It's rather like fabric; yesterday a heavy silk, today a crinkled crepe, sometimes shantung!

I'll put up the co-ordinates later for Liam and Katie. We arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam at 8 am tomorrow. George and I are doing a city orientation tour and the next day he has his FDP (Faculty Directed Practicum) at a college where they teach studens to work in English and I shall be spending the day travelling to and seeing the Mekong Delta. The third day we leave for two nights in the Cat Sien Park (Description in our tour book: very rustic and basic, hot and humid, no hot water, bring hiking boots, insect repellant, sun screen and a hat!) Oops what have I let myself in for? I'm an air-con person in the tropics these days, I could certainly regret this decision!

More later....

At sea continued.

2009-03-19T21:13:00.001-07:00

This photo shows the river in Bangkok taken from a boat when we were on our way to see the temples and palace.

I have just listened to an emotional apologia by two American professors (married) of the Vietnam war. It was a little hard to listen to because they became 'choked up' frequently and Dan the husband had alot of ums and ahs in his speech pattern which tended to prolong the lecture. George sometimes has the same problem but works hard to overcome it. Unlike their fellow profs around me in the Union I did find it moving and thought it probably had to be said to remind the students of that other terrible American mistake which was the Vietnam War. Before they are let loose in Vietnam! I remember how I felt about the British Raj

At sea

2009-03-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

Imagine a mother of pearl sea and sky running into each other so that it's rather like being inside a gigantic, glowing shell: that's what it looks like from our balcony at this moment. The ship is moving at 10.2 knots, the slowest that we have ever travelled on a sea day I think....we must be too close to Vietnam to move faster. How shall I ever get used to living on dry land again?

Last night before rehearsal I went to a gathering of 'reflections on Thailand' by the students. There is no longer any doubt in my mind that they are changing in their attitudes to life and within themselves as they experience and feel other cultures. They used two phrases often; "go with the flow" and, interestingly, "we're all so different....but the same". I think that once we all realise the second, we begin to be concerned for all humanity and think outside the American/Canadian 'western' box....they had some amazing (sometimes bordering on irresponsible) adventures. Two of them decided to sail a kayak from deep in the countryside somewhere to Bangkok! They bought the kayak first (?!), started off in spite of the fact that they were told it would take most people a month to do; literally 'fell' down some waterfalls that spiced up their river route until it dawned upon them that just because they were Americans didn't mean they were able to accomplish something that more realistic wisdom had already informed them was not possible. They had been helped along the way by Thai children and adults who smiled and hauled them out of one scrape after another. The trick for them (both males) will be to keep the confidence but in a more accepting and realistic form....to become more humble, more Budhist!

It is appalling to me how badly these university (mostly rich) kids speak English....have I mentioned this before? it has been annoying me for some time. Without the use of the word 'like' they would be unable to form a sentence. "Like he told me like he was going to like walk those two like long blocks to like a great restaurant with like great food but I was like scared to go down that like busy lane with like tuk tuks and cars like coming from all directions...like I was really like scared man!" No exaggeration, like honestly! My fellow actors in The Persians speak the lines and then when they break into conversation with each other or the director that is exactly how they speak....it becomes almost unbearable.

Today one of those fellow actors is coming to our cabin to experience the forgotten luxury of having a bath. She will have the cabin to herself for an hour or so and may even sit on the blacony alone for a while...she is so excited. You might imagine how guilty this joy at such simple things makes us feel! We discovered while having lunch with our 'family' the other day that 4 out of 6 of them have no window in their cabins. They like the cosiness when its stormy outside but miss dreadfully the loss on a daily basis of natural light.

Off to breakfast of fruit, yoghurt, hopefully oatmeal/porridge, (far too rarely made, we have biscuits and grits every day!!) the inevitable scrambled eggs (G. thinks made with egg powder as during WW2!), croissants or Danish's which are very good. My waistline is not shrinking Oh I forgot to add, the most revolting coffee you have ever tasted! I shall go armed with my Semester at Sea insulated mug and a Lapsang Suchong tea bag....Ian gave us three bags of Indonesian coffee which I had yesterday and it was superb....again thank you Ian!

More later.

Thai text, The Burma railroad, images and dessert.

2009-03-18T20:52:00.000-07:00

Thailand! What a wonderful mixture of order and chaos, air conditioned cool and overwhelming humidity and suffocating heat! Images of sudden beauty that take your breath away and then crowded lanes , traffic fumes (which also leave you breathless) and over populated streets! The sweetness and patience of puzzled Thais as you try to explain something or ask a question....the totally wrong answers they give which take you miles out of your way until you realise just how badly you have been misunderstood....the quick frustration of Westerners!

The greatest miracle of Bangkok, since my first visit twenty five years ago is the Sky Train; it rushes frequently from station to station above the traffic jams and ear piercing horns of cars and tuk tuks and takes you where you want to go in minutes instead of the hours one would spend in a taxi or tuk tuk. I just wanted george to believe me that the heat would be crushing and that we should take a cab from our SAS 'delivery' bus which dropped us in the middle of a street many miles from our hotel. Oh no says he (who has been pouring over Lonely Planets Thailand for days) we'll use the Sky train. I was not happy, what did he know? I had been there before. Full confession? He was absolutely right and we used it constantly. It is air conditioned and one usually stands all the way but for five minutes no hardship.

We went to the Golden Mount, (a Budhist shrine up a few hundred curving steps)the standing Budha and the Grand Palace all by tuk tuk for 30 THB which is about one US dollar! These particular tuk tuks are Government regulated and that's all they're allowed to charge. They are not air conditioned in the accepted sense but in every other.... you get blown to bits and cool off rapidly! They sound like motor bikes and weave their way through dense traffic fast....second only to the sky train.....

The temples and Palace are utterly beautiful and magnificent; the graceful Thai design of sharp peaked and sloping roofs, glittering gold in the sunlight, studded with brighly coloured "jewels" of glass(?) intricately painted. Every now and then you stumble across a quiet spot, hidden and shaded with deep crimson bougainvillea or white and pink frangipani hanging over heavy dark iron bells with perhaps a jasmine garlanded Budha sitting upright and cross legged in green or gold...a perfect corner for meditation and peace. Wreaths of tightly woven cream and highly scented jasmine are being made and sold on every street corner. When you look over the city of Bangkok from any height you see oases of trees and the sparkling red roofs of temples jutting through in the centre of tightly packed sky scrapers where you least expect to find them. You see a city of amazing contrasts laid out before you.

We met my cousin Ian on our second evening and in many ways this was the highlight of my visit. We hadn't seen each other since before my cousin Marjorie's (Ian's mother) death six years ago. Ian lives in Bali and his brother Jeff in Sri Lanka...we are all 'colonial children' who feel at home in the tropics; however my memories go back quite a few years further than theirs! Ian knows Bangkok well and we spent time eating and shopping. Ian I shall try to insert a photo of my last dessert in Bangkok....just to let you see how much I enjoyed the lunch you treated us to.... Mangoes and sticky rice!

George and I decided to take a day to visit The Bridge over the River Kwai, (This should be pronounced 'kway', which means 'river' so we've all been wrong for years...), and the site of the infamous Thailand to Burma railroad built by many thousands of Asians and European POW's and the death of thousands of them.

We were picked up from our hotel at 6.15 am (with a boxed breakfast of tuna sandwiches!) and after picking up another 5 people in our air conditioned Toyota van we set off through the countryside for the three hour drive. The others on the trip were an Australian couple (correction, he was from New Zealand) and and another couple from Yorkshire or Lancashire (I can never distinguish between those two accents) and, thank goodness, a delightful young German man who told me he had been proposed to three times already by young Thai women and he had only been in Bangkok a week! I have to say that by the end of our day I felt that if I were not to hear another Australian or North cuntry accent for a century it would be too soon! I am constantly amazed at 'tourists' (which they certainly are...not travellers) who talk about utter inanities when a foreign and fascinating country is literally passing them by. They complained bitterly that, having come all this way, they ultimately missed the wooden structure of the original old bridge which we crossed by train. This in spite of the fact that our Thai guide had told us about it at least twice.

We crossed the replacement steel bridge built in the nineteen fifties by the Thai government on foot. George went steaming ahead, I followed more cautiously (there was a long drop into the river which we could see below us as we walked, through the railway ties and steel girders) and I was followed by the young German. At the far end of the bridge I turned to speak to him, (his name was Jo for Joachim), and found him pale and sweating. He said to me "I am a fire fighter in Germany..I climb up ladders of burning buildings and I never think of the height or look down, I just focus on what I must do. But this bridge is different, I look down through the bridge and rails and see the river below....I am very frightened." So I walked back about two feet in front of him, very slowly, talking all the time until we reached the safe part of the railway over solid ground. I think he was really shaken because he stayed close to George and me for the remainder of the day.

From here we took a speed boat built in Thai style; a long slim canoe, painted and decorated in Thai style, with a motor. This to the train station from where we would take a train over the original wooden structure which the POW's and Asians had built. It was a journey of about one and a half hours in a train with wooden slatted seats. no window panes so lots of pretty hot air through the big windows, through mostly tropical jungle....very humid and lots of mosquitoes.

We tried to imagine what it must have been like to be forced in to manual labour to build a railway hundreds of kilometres long in this obliterating heat on little or no food (some rice with salt occasionally); being whipped, scorned and left to die (if you were not fast enough or fit enough) by the supervising Japanese soldiers. It must have been a living nightmare. The survivors in photographs look like the survivors of Auschwitz and Belsen. Earlier we had visited a reconstruction of the camp where the POW's were housed and a museum to their memory paid for and supported by one of those Japanese officers who so ashamed of what his country had done and that he himself had been a part of, he felt that this was a way of making amends. A statue to his memory stands overlooking the river.

I knew many men and one woman who had been Japanese prisoners of war in Singapore and in Malaysia and men who had worked on this railroad in Thailand, contempories of my parents. They spoke little about it; one Dutchman I knew well, Bill La Lau, (a great friend of your parents Ian in Calabar) was very forgiving, as I believe many of them were. The woman, Cheska, Bill's wife, whom we visited in Bilthoven (Holland), became totally frigid. She could not remain in their marriage and left to live alone...I know this because she waited for our visit to leave! There had been sexual abuse of the prisoners by the prison guards in the womens' camps and apparently many came out as Cheska did. We easily forget don't we, the impact of war on thousands of lives?

George and I found this whole experience very moving, especially when we visited the Allied graves in a beautifully cared for cemetry. There is a section there for the British, another for the Australians and another for the Dutch POW's. Each headstone has a small flowering plant beside it, lovingly tended by Thai gardeners. There are trees and flowers everwhere. Some headstones have personal messages from parents and loved ones, others have simply the name, regiment and age of the deceased. The ages ranged from 37 years down to nineteen where I looked; each body lying there had been found and identified.

To move on to somewhat lighter themes: we had wonderful meals in Thailand. We have always loved Thai food which George cooks often during the summer months at home. But this was even better....sorry George! We ate only in Thai restaurants which had gracious service; so correct and ordered. We had to ask how to go about eating our meals because obviously there is an order to doing so. Ian was a great help in this respect. All the food was placed gently and neatly on the table, everything. Soup, rice, starter, main course, water , wine and a finger bowl and bowl for bones and shells of shrimps etc. One eats it all together in various ways; have a spoonful of soup, a shrimp dipped in a tiny bowl of sweet/sour sauce. Then pour a couple of spoonfuls of soup over your rice (delicious!) before having another shrimp or some steamed vegetables, fresh steamed fish or satay chicken...........mmm good! End with a delicious dessert of fresh sliced mango and sweet sticky rice....I really got hooked on this....thank you Ian!

Shopping was fun. huge mall/markets full of tiny stalls, one after the other, with clothes, bags, hats, jewelry, shoes....you name it and it's there...somewhere. Same in the tech. market; binoculars, cameras, mice (pleural of computer mouse!) computers, all kinds of technical gadgets. One little treasure which Ian possesses is a translator of languages; vocabulary and phrases from the English into about five or six different languages, including Thai....very tempting to buy but we resisted.

It was all almost too much, there was so much choice I found I couldn't make up my mind so actually came out with very little. George bought binoculars, a new mouse and a new pair of sandals, this last from a tiny shoe display on the side walk and the whole transaction done in about five minutes....left his old falling-apart sandals there and walked away in the new which he has been wearing comfortably ever since. That's his kind of shopping.

We returned to the ship last night after a last supper in a little Thai restaurant near the Davis hotel, (which by the way was very nice.....lovely comfortable bedroom, and bed,...with a bathroom which was about the same size and had a huge glass wall into the bedroom....no privacy at all!) Our last meal was again beautifully served and we enjoyed every mouthful of the soup and rice. The soup made with lemon-grass, lime and spices in a fish base with four huge shrimps lying on top of the bowl. By this time we had learned the correct way to say thank you to those who served us and were younger than ourselves....no hands placed together as if in prayer, and a bowed head, which I had mistakenly done on our first visit causing giggles from the head waiter and a gentle correction; just a smile and nod of appreciation, if that. The level of your hands when you do show respect is determined by the status of the person you are addressing. The higher the esteem in which you hold them, the higher your hands. If you were to address the king you would hold your arms and hands above your head.

Speaking of the King of Thailand, there are photos of the Royal family everywhere you look. Many of him alone but others taken with the Queen at his side....huge posters above the buildings and on the sky train station walls. Smaller ones in shops and restaurants.

Tonight we are expected to rehearse and I am so steeped in Thailand I can't bear to make the necessary shift to The Persians. However discipline demands that I go and read the play yet again and see how much I remember.

Images of Thailand, our visit (some photos)

2009-03-18T19:34:00.000-07:00

Above are Thai temples, a wandering elephant near the River Kwai, cousin Ian and myself eating lunch in Bangkok, Ian and George on a Bangkok street and the wonderful gold leaf paintwork at the entrance to a part of the Grand Palace, Bangkok.

Last blog before Thailand.

2009-03-14T06:19:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we leave the ship at 10 am and we'll be in Bangkok for three days until the 18th. We get a bus at about 1 pm on the 18th and that (3 pm) will be my first chance to get back to my blog....yes 2 hours later! That's how far we shall be from the docks.

We plan to meet my cousin Ian and then do some day tours, one possibly by train from Bangkok. You'll hear all about it on the 19th when my thoughts are in order!

I have a rehearsal tonight after the pre-port which we're watching on our TV as I write ie.
9 pm! We are feeling a little panicky because we have such a full port programme for the rest of the voyage. However we could all do without one tonight!

We have clothes lying all over the place trying to decide what to wear in 98 degree weather which we have just been informed is the forecast....oh wow! Of course we have to dress respecfully, this is a Budhist country so nothing sleeveless.

So 'talk' to you soon.....good night!

Saturday 14th March

2009-03-13T16:54:00.000-07:00

Coordinates for Liam & Katie;

Time: 06.55
Lat; 05 degrees 27.0 N
long: 103 degrees 33.8 E
speed: 20.0 knots
Course: 340 degrees

Lovely milky calm white and pink sea, glowing in the sunrise. Lots of clouds and we have had quite a bucket full of tropical rain but the sun is trying to push through. We hear the temperatures are 90 - 100 degrees in Bangkok...ouch!

After half a voyage (we reached half way yesterday) we have discovered how our bath plug works (I know I know it's pathetic...) so George has taken to having loooong baths. He has a class at 8 am, it's now 7.20 am and there is still breakfast... (I took a break to talk on the phone to Dia. my most faithful correspondent...hence the time leap). George has just appeared all excited because he have found a clothes line we didn't know was there!! We shall finally know this ship when we arrive in Fort Lauderdale in May!

We have been so spoiled; no cooking, laundry done beautifully and all these fantastic places to visit....had you told us a year ago that we should be sailing round the world I would have guffawed loudly. There is nothing I could appreciate more at this stage in my life, except perhaps good health. To have this opportunity, perhaps even more so for George now that he is retired, is a priceless gift. Whenever we complain about anything (and believe me everyone does even here!) we always stop and think and end up saying...but aren't we lucky?!

I have breakfast with two friends: Nilo from Pakistan, also born in Karachi so we are soul sisters we think and Pamela from Florida. Pam is a Life-long learner ,travelling on her own with a large family at home. Michael her husband joins the ship in Guatamala for the final week. Nilo is vivaciou and funny and we usually have a hillarious meal. George and i have lunch with 4 of our family; Lindsay, Tammy, Stephanie and Danielle. More about that after the fact. We look forward to hearing about their adventures in India.

George with Mani, our driver in Pondicherry

2009-03-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

Singapore and on to Thailand

2009-03-13T05:58:00.000-07:00

We finished our 'bunkering' in Singapore this afternoon an our next stop is Bangkok, Thailand. It was amazing to count the tankers and freighters gathering in the docks of Singapore, there were more than we have seen anywhere else.

I was disappointed that very little was told to the students about this island/city/nation. As Brits we are so aware of the history of the place during World War 2. No one imagined that the Japanese would attack and take Singapore from Malaya (now Malaysia), It was thought that the attack would come from the sea and that Singapore was adequately defended. They were wrong on both counts and Singapore fell easily. It was a great loss to the allies strategically and thousands of expatriots became POW's (prisoners of war) and spent the next few years in camps and many died in those camps under harsh Japanese rule. The Japanese occupied Malaya and Singapore from 1942-45. None of this was spoken of; the notorious Changi prison where many POW's were incarcerated has not been mentioned. .

Singapore became independent and separate from Malaysia in 1965.

Of course we were not allowed ashore and I suppose this is ancient history which does not interest Americans...it was after all prior to their entry into the war! However we were told about the fact that the population of Singapore all live in highrises and condominiums! The fact that entire communities (like Chinatown) were obliterated to achieve this and that these highrises (with shops below so that no one needs to travel outside to buy necessities) wiped out the sense of community was not talked about either. Ah well, 'nuff said!

The weather has cooled pleasantly and as I write and look at our coordinates and map on TV we are sailing North to Thailand and are at this time off the south east coast of the Malayan peninsular. We reach Bangkok the day after tomorrow.

I'm off to bed with a mug of Lapsang Suchong and a good book!

friday 13th bunkering in Singapore

2009-03-12T16:18:00.000-07:00

Above "a job for life: This lovely, cool lady is sweeping the tiles at the shore temple in Mamalapuram. Sand drifts in constantly from the beach and she just keeps sweeping.

Above her is the shore temple at Mamalapuram.

Above again are more temples and sacred elephant at Mamalapuram

At the top are some of the stunning rock carvings at Mamalapuram.

We are as I write sailing into our bunkering dock at Singapore. It is a huge harbour because we have been passing land and a multitude of ships for at least an hour. I've missed the sun rise and the sky is grey and the air already hot. I'm going to try for a few more photos.

Thursday 12th March Straights of Malacca (correction)

2009-03-12T03:30:00.000-07:00

Coordinates for Liam and Katie:
Speed: 20.6 knots
Lat: 03 degrees 49.2 N
Long; 099 degrees 55.13 E
Course: 136 degrees
Time: 17:37

Today has been extremely hot outside and b----- freezing inside! I sit in the Union for our mandatory Global Studies lectures in the mornings wrapped up in one of my woolen stoles like a cocoon. We eat our meals in the shade on deck and it is very warm indeed. Today's talks were given by two American medical students who came on board at Chennai. They talked about HIV/AIDS in India, Thailand and Vietnam. They told us stories of "sex workers" in all those countries and of the spread from/to foreign tourists especially in Thailand. For some women struggling on their own to support parents and children in rural areas, going to the cities and working as prostitutes is a way of making more money than they could possibly earn working on the land in their own villages.

George has just stated from our balcony that this is the dirtiest ocean we have sailed through so far. There is litter everywhere and it's mostly plastic...and we all know what that does to the underwater life of the world's seas. This is the world's busiest shipping lane and we have seen many many tankers, freighters and fishing boats in the distance. I saw land this morning: small peaks on the horizon at dawn. Not sure where it was, perhaps Phuket. Although George has been saying all day that we must be near K.L....he loves that Noel Coward way of saying Kuala Lumpur! I told him he couldn't impress me because our family have been calling it that for years!

I had great success putting photos on here at about 6 am his morning; there was a drasmatic and glorious sunrise which I could get not my camera to reproduce adequately.

I have a 7 pm rehearsal (40 minutes from nw) so must go to dinner. May add more photos later if possible, if not early tomorrow again.

2009-03-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

This morning's sunrise! Above: A family who befriended me in Mamalapuram. Mum, responding to a compliment about the wonderful colur of her sari asked to have her photo taken with me on their camera...the second person to do that. I guess to them I was something of a rarity!!

The Persians and the Beetles

2009-03-11T09:02:00.000-07:00

Wednesday 11th March.

Today has been back to work and normalcy after our no-lecture day yesterday. I have dropped one of my lectures so that I have more time to learn a considerable number of lines in The Persians...it certainly isn't conversational stuff with cues that naturally lead you into your dialogue! We actually had an hour of the rehearsal in the Union tonight which is where we shall be performing: it helps to fix the blocking and give us some sense of the space we shall have. The Union is used almost every evening for something or other and it is a battle to get it at all. A couple of times I have thought we could very easily turn this play into an uproarious comedy...in fact that's what it looks like quite often!

We are entering the Straights of Molucca between the Malaysian peninsular and Indonesia on our way to Singapore to refuel. I remember Singapore and sitting in a huge peacock wicker chair in the Raffles hotel tea lounge under whirring ceiling fans, sipping Lapsang Suchong tea and consuming cucmber sandwiches, curried yokes in halved hard boiled eggs and scones with strawberry jam and devonshire cream! What a fabulous mixture of colonial delights! I was all by myself (on that trip to Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand nearly 25 years ago) and felt wonderfully decadent! This time I shall have to gaze from afar as we are not allowed ashore when "bunkering".

Then on Sunday we arrive in Bangkok at 8 am and our docks are about a two hour drive from the city. We are staying in what looks and is reviewed to be a lovely Boutique Hotel, The Davis, (in fact the first of that genre in this city) and there was a really good booking deal on line. George has been avidly reading the Lonely Planet's 'Thailand' so will as usual know far more than I and he hasn't been there! Once again much as we are enjoying this voyage and ship it will be good to be on terra firma for a while. It is also wonderful to eat a different diet and we both love Thai food.

I have been listening to The Beetles while writing this and thinking how fast time flies...John and George gone; Paul doing stirling work composing, singing and playing and Ringo I presume enjoying his life and his fortune. We thought of them often in India where they spent so much time with their guru/yogi on an Ashram; George tells me that Windmills of my Mind was written for him...one of my favourites.

Another day gone and time for bed: I promise the coordinates tomorrow Liam and Katie.

Colonial Heritage Guest House Pondicherry

2009-03-10T22:26:00.000-07:00

A small corner of our room in Pondicherry. N.B. Very necessary mosquito net.

Am having no luck publishing more photos so this will have to suffice...sorry!

Two images of India

2009-03-10T10:03:00.000-07:00

An afternoon sleep on a Chennai street and the Brahmin family whose home we visited.

India one day later

2009-03-10T09:18:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 10th March:
Time 22.20
Making our way accross the Bay of Bengal to Singapore
Lat: 09 degrees 37.09 N
Long: 088 degrees 28.94 E
Speed: 20 knots

Listening to others experiences and memories of India I realise that I have become over the years in third world countries somewhat immune to poverty, dirt and all the many sights that are found so distressing in the West. I don't say this with pride but rather with wonder that i am taking in my stride what should shock and disturb me. I felt happy when I was wandering the streets, trying to cross roads in wild traffic and searching for tiny tailor shops to get alterations done in Pondicherry. It was fun to walk into little out of the way Indian shops....where Indians shop...and be shown with great friendliness and warmth anything I was interested in....absolutely no pressure, just helpful assistance. I liked the people and felt remarkably at home.

The students loved India for the most part; faculty and staff who had been before were like me I think, but some seemed to dwell on the negatives and find little to like or admire. two students were bothered by the fact that an auto rickshaw driver (cyclist) "stalked" them as they walked from place to place trying to persuade them to use his vehicle. I suggested that he was expecting them to tire from the heat (as many of us do) and was desperate to make a few rupees by taking them around. They would not see it that way.

We had an awful thing happen when we returned to the docks; our Pondicherry car and driver were not allowed into the Port as he was not 'registered'. We understood and got out. An auto rickshaw driver who was came and offered to take us and our backpacks and bags of purchases back to the ship...quite a distance to walk. We loaded ourselves into the rickshaw and he started his motor. It quit after about 200 yards! We wanted to get out but he absolutely insisted that he would pedal his bike....I tapped him on the back after a few yards of watching him strain and said it was too much and we should get out. He was annoyed and stubborn as he could be, refused to stop pedalling and shook his white head vehemently. I have never felt so uncomfortable and guilty and George wanted to get out and walk....the old man just kept on pedalling with his head down until he dropped us near the ship. I paid him far more than the usual fare and all he asked us for was a coke which we could not provide. Judging by the condition of the rickshaw and his clothes and body weight I would judge him to be one of the very poor....and very desperate. I wanted to weep. In retrospect perhaps I'm not as immune to some aspects of Indian life as I previously remarked.

Everyone who saw the Taj Mahal was deeply impressed by its beauty....I shall have to make it next time but the thought of airports and security and non stop travelling put us both off...as did the price!

I had a rehearsal tonight while in the Union people were discussing their impressions of India. A student was speaking when I went in late. She had been in a home stay situation when she felt she should have brought a gift and she had nothing. A woman said to her when she mentioned it "Give them your smile, it is a great gift which will be returned in good measure". I thought how wise and true that was because every single person I smiled at in India smiled back and often greeted me or spoke a few words.

Two young women in our cast had decided to fly to Mumbai on their own. They rented a car and driver and found a small hotel. The driver stayed with them for the whole duration of their visit, took them anywhere they wished to go and was very reasonable in price. I agree with the Semester at Sea Dean who said to the students before we went ashore, "India will change you, you won't ever feel quite the same again." I believe he was right.

Farewell India

2009-03-09T08:38:00.000-07:00

We sailed out of Chennai port about an hour ago and I felt sadness that our visit had been so brief. The general concensus on board ship is that one can skip Chennai on a visit to India but go to Pondicherry, Mamalapuram or Kerala, Delhi and Agra (of course if you can afford to) or if you want to be in a western atmosphere completely stay at Fishermans Cove a few miles out of Chennai which could be any tropical beach resort and belongs to the Taj group of hotels. (It was the Taj in Mumbai which was bombed recently). We stopped in there for coffee on the way back to Chennai and our driver, Mani, asked us how much it cost which was 270 rupees, ($4.75): 'It would feed my family for a week!' he laughed. It is all very beautiful and in the huge grounds has more frangipani trees with their beautiful creamy white and yellow blooms than I have seen for many a long year. Also red, pink and yellow hibiscus bushes and flame trees. We sat on their pillared stoep overlooking the turquoise pool and the sea with a gentle breeze cooling us and felt ridiculously pampered. Our driver Mani who had been eating meals with us turned down our invitation to accompany us and I realised why.....it is very expensive (for India) and more importantly caters for Europeans and wealthy Indians; he would have felt uncomfortable.

We have eaten very well indeed in Pondi.. We went to the Rendezvous, Madame Shante's and the L'Orient hotel dining room, all in the nearby streets. The first two have roof gardens which are shady and cool for chota hasri and tiffin (google them!) and deliciously cool in the evenings. We ate only Indian food except for desserts of Creme caramel (which I can never resist) and chocolate mousse (ditto!). There is absolutely no doubt that we are both eating far too much; a cooked breakfast and two 'dinners' on the ship every day. We dare not step on the scales! We wish they would cook more Indian, Indonesian or Thai food. Perhaps it is too much for the American pallate...who knows?

I could never have enough of watching the Indian people; they fill the streets with life, colour and an amazing energy which is certainly missing in most N. American and European cities I have been in....perhaps Edinburgh at the height of the Festival? No can't touch it! The towns are unique, exotic, noisy and frequently very grubby but so ALIVE!

Talking about that....I am fading fast; George is already snoring (ssh not a word!) and I have a good book to put me to sleep.

For Fiona Wilson and Ian Tattersall

2009-03-09T02:52:00.000-07:00

Monday 9 th March in Chennai Port.

Fiona thank you for the very lovely book you sent me which was lying on our cabin bed when we returned from Pondicherry (or to be Indian-correct) Puducherri. I had a glass of wine, some South African biltong and read the beautiful poem....all I can say is a heart felt thank you. It seemed so amazingly relevant to you and me.

Ian thank you for your lovely long email. Your experiences in Pondi were fascinating and yes we are coming into the dock you mentioned which is about 2 hours out of Bangkok. I shall look for a hotel for us in the link you gave. And let you know by email before we arrive where we shall be staying. We arrive on the 15th and sail again on the 19th.

We found a driver and air conditioned car to share with another prof and her daughter on the morning we had to get to Pondi.. It took us about 4 hours in all to drop us at our guest houses. Ours was a dream; in the White Town on Rue Romain Roland....Colonial Heritage. It was an old house and we entered into a lovely courtyard with trees and palms, a veritable little jungle...cool and green. Our room was huge with fans and air conditioning...thank goodness as it was hot and humid. There were statues and pictures of all the Indian gods around the room and 'patio'. In the evenings they burned incense....lovely! We had our own bathroom/shower....pretty basic and there were lots of mosquitoes in there but the rest of the "apartment" was lovely and cool and comfortable. I felt immediately content just to be there... in Pondicherry, in India. We found the people everywhere to be either totally indifferent as they went about their business or, if we spoke to them or asked anything, warm, friendly, gentle and fun to talk to.

Interestingly, although English is the official language here very little was spoken fluently in Pondi.. Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi are more popular. My mother always said that I spoke Hindustani fluently as a child....hardly, considering I was only two years of age when I left the first time and I remember wanting only to speak English or Swahili ( in which I was fluent having spent the previous six years in Zanzibar) when I returned at the age of eight, both utterly useless with my Hindu ayah who spoke neither! She I remember had a habit of grinding her teeth in frustration with me ( I wasn't a good child) and cracking her knuckles as she lay beside my bed when my parents were out at night. She put up wih me because she had been my ayah since I was a few weeks old and in fact she actually spoiled me rotten. When we left Karachi again to go to South Africa my parents completely underestimated our feelings for each other. We went by train to Bombay and Ayah was changing at Hyderabad and promised to say good bye to me there. Hyderabad is a junction and the station was packed with thousands of people but I caught a glimpse of her in her white sari in the dense crowd. I opened our carriage door, jumped down on to the platform and rushed into the crowd towards her, but my father came after me and hauled me back into our compartment. I never saw her again and was heart broken. When I told my mother this story many, many years later she looked at me in puzzlement and disbelief...'why would you do that?' she asked!

In Pondicherry George and I walked almost everywhere and what struck me was the inherent sense of colour that Indian women have; their sari's and blouses might seem to clash in our culture but look ravishing in theirs. Pinks and mauves, peacock blue and red or orange, maroon with black or pink...an unending variety. Transport was mostly, for both men and women, on bicycles (with children hanging on the back or perched on the front!), mopeds or motor bikes, auto rickshaws...and a few cars. One auto-rickshaw which should barely seat four might have as many as eighteen people in it all chatting and laughing and hanging on for dear life! We walked along the sea front (which had been slightly affected by the Tsunami but there was less destruction than on the Chennai coast)on Sunday evening when all the families came out to stroll and walk along the boulevard; there was a constant hum of chatter and laughter and the shouts of children and concerned parents: it was a blaze of colours and lights. Traffic on the road was constant and crossing it, as everwhere we have been here, is a life threatening operation.

Yesterday we got a car and driver to take us to Mamalapuram (2 hour drive from Pondi..) to see the excavated Temples there. It was terribly hot walking round them but they were absolutely stunning. No bare feet (thank the gods!) as they are not functioning but they are exquisitely beautiful. They are sculptors and carvers in Mamalapuram and in little stalls near the temples and in the town streets were small shops with hundreds of intricate and delicately carved images of the gods and elephants and birds. I bought a small one of my favourite God, Ganesh. Ganesh has an elephant head (so you sort of get a two for one deal!), I think a god of well-being. I am going to attempt to put some photos on this blog so will stop here for now.

Chennai/Madras

2009-03-05T09:34:00.000-08:00

Thursday 5th March.

We arrived in Chennai at 8 am this morning and I felt excited at the thought of setting foot again on Indian soil after so many years; the land of my birth!

The air was murky in the early hours but cleared enough to see the buildings which stand behind West Quay number 4. They are a mixture of grimy 1930 edifices and the exotic domes and spires dating from the earlier years of the British Raj. The forecast temperature for today was 95 degrees. We dressed in our cool airconditioned cabin but went out on the dining deck for breakfast. The heat was bearable but the smokestack of a neighbouring freighter belching black, sooty smoke sent most of us scurrying for cover.

I had managed to book us into the Colonial Heritage hotel in Pondicherry tomorrow for three nights but, after doing so on the phone, ran out of time on my card at almost exactly the moment the ship ran out of phone cards. So as yet we have no car and driver to take us there! Hopefully we can arrange that tomorrow.

This afternoon I took a bus tour round Chennai while George took his students to an Outsourcing Centre. The bus picked up our group at the bottom of the gangway, which was as well as the temperature had soared with the humidity and waiting on the tarmac wasn't pleasant. We literally dripped on to the bus and sank thankfully into comfortable seats with nice cold air conditioning. We had a delightful Indian lady as our guide and she filled us with information almost non stop through the entire five hours of the tour. Interestingly we visited first two Christian churches followed by the old British Fort and its officers club, a craft and sari centre, a Hindu temple and finally a home visit to our Guide's huge and beautifully cool home.

All this was accomplished by driving through streets thick with all kinds of traffic; bicycle and motorised rickshaws, little three wheeler cars (both of these forms of transport look dangerously vulnerable) four wheeled cars of all shapes and sizes, three wheeled bicyles, carts being pulled and cows and goats strolling! There are no distinct lanes and the driving is hair raising to say the least....weaw many near fatal near misses! Our guide wore a bright orange salwar kameez and carried high over her head a floral sunshade. She marched death defyingly out into these terrifyingly busy streets and held up her hand; the traffic screeched to a halt and then she beckoned us to follow her across. Which we did timidly and anxiously looking all ways for stray maniacs who might conceivably mow us down before we reached safety. "Safety' was edging our way along crowded streets filled with curious men and women, the latter wearing stunningly beautiful saris in vivid gem colours and in an amazing variety of combinations. Believe it or not I felt elated and at home amidst all this brilliant chaos. I, was pouring with perspiration, hatless (it was just too hot to wear one!), feeling grubby and nervous but enjoying every minute!

But into every life some rain.....there were maimed beggars, and homeless figures wrapped in filthy cloth, sleeping on the sidewalks; appealing children pleaded for money as did a stately white haired lady wearing a classy silk sari in the Fort's club museum. There were women younger than me, bent and coughing (alot of the elderly were coughing desperately....dust? TB?) struggling to carry their precious bundles home or to work. We drove past fishermen's Government housing which looked like slums across the road from their fishing boats lying on one of the world's longest beaches. Oud guide described it all in matter-of-fact and almost loving tones and I realised that we, seeing it for the first time, are raw and sensitive and critical, whilst those who live here and see it every day of their lives have lost any critical perspective and all is accepted and acceptable.

We visited a Hindu Temple. They take religion so much more seriously than we do: it is a part of their day. To come to temple at 4 o'clock and walk nine times round a representation of the planets, to pray and spread rice flour and to be given ashes by the priest to mark your forehead...earth to earth and dust to dust...seemed familiar! I had to walk barefoot because I had forgotten to bring socks. This meant leaving our shoes in a little booth and walking down crowded none too clean streets and into the temple courtyard on blazingly hot tiles where I was forced to skip and finally to run to avoid blisters! But you know what? I have NEVER appreciated my old sandals so much.....shoes actually are a luxury and I didn't know!

On our way back to the ship at about four o'clock the whole colourful population of Chennai seemed to be drifting across the golden sands to talk, hold hands, laugh and run and generally clear away the cobwebs of the day. It was a beautiful sight....I am fast running out of superlatives....we had been fed and watered at our guide's home, met her husband and two and a half year old grandaughter out from the UK and already felt more settled and part of the scene..a ridiculously rapid acceptance because we had been bombarded with impressions and emotions and were tired.

The ship sat there waiting to envelop us and keep the bogey men away....it was a welcome relief to come on board and throw ourselves on our beds or in the shower and to wash our hands and feet....especially mine!

We sat and compared notes at dinner with our Pakistani friends, Nassim and Nilopur; she accepted me almost as a sister the moment she discoverd we were both born in Karachi! Nassim is lecturing on Islam and Nilo is a charming woman with an impish sense of humour who is not afraid to show affection to her British 'sister'! She comes to life in port but suffers dreadfully from vertigo when the ship is moving. The trip has been an on going struggle for her.

Enough! it's bed time and my brain has succumbed to a sort of stupor.....good night.

The day before India

2009-03-03T18:53:00.000-08:00

Wednesday 4th March.

We passed the southern tip of Sri Lanka last night and I emailed a greeting to cousins Jeff, Janneke and Findlay Tattersall in Gaulle; we even saw a haze of lights on the distant horizon. This morning eating breakfast on the deck behind the dining room, (we eat all our meals outside now) we watched dolphins, their black shiny bodies curving through the air before disappearing under the sea, what a joyful way to start the day! The Indian ocean has been wonderfully benevolent to us and today is no exception. It is calm and blue, with a hint of breeze to temper the heat of the sun. I gather Chennai is very hot, humid, full of traffic and fumes and crazy drivers! We shall be spending the first day there and while George is accompanying his student to a "resourcing centre" I am doing the city orientation tour to have a quick look at, the place of my parent's last posting in India. I shall ask where the National Bank of India stood (where my father worked) and hope to have an idea from that and from photographs which hotel they lived in. It was the only place during all their years abroad where they didn't have a home and I have never understood why.

They were only in Madras for two or three years as my father took early retirement because of ill health and returned to Scotland. After over 30 years in India and Africa he found it hard to settle down to life in the cold rather dismal climate of his homeland....so did I! My stoic mother never complained but spoke often and with huge affection of both countries....especially Zanzibar as my daughters will remember with some horror! We knew all her stories off by heart and it only took a few introductory words from mum to realise where we were heading !! Today I am wishing I had listened more attentively to the details.

Iam awaiting replies from the one or two Pondicherry hotels I have written to asking for rates and availability of a double room. So far nothing. So I am reminding myself that in warmer climes the sense of urgency and rush we feel and act upon in Europe and north America is rarely felt in either Africa or India. It's a healthier attitude on the whole I think but hard to adopt when one has become accustomed to the pace of life in the northern hemisphere. I have accepted that we may never hear and might have to arrange things on the spot...which is fine.

Off to Global Studies and more cultural talk on India and also the Languages of India given by...guess who....that's right a slightly nervous George as he has never been there and there are so many 'experts'on board! I find it difficult to sit through because I am more nervous than he is..it's like watching one's best friends act on opening night!

Wish us luck....