Personal Musings March 29-31, 2006
March 29, 2006 Total Eclipse Day
The last several weeks we have had 3 astronomers on board explaining the stars, the sun, eclipses, etc. And today was the big day. Around noon the moon’s shadow began to take bites out of the sun and within 90 minutes the sun was totally eclipsed. As it gradually grew darker, the temperature dropped precipitously. We had been out on deck with short-sleeved shirts on, but quickly made a dash for that sweater or coat. The total eclipse lasted for less than 4 minutes, but it was amazing to be able to look at the sun with our naked eye and see all of the activity shooting out around the shadow of the moon. Some of the older people said that this day was worth the entire 4 months of cruising.
I have gotten to know one of the astronomers because he and I are in the gym at the same time each day. He is training for a marathon and actually enjoys working out. We talk and I have gleaned much that I would have never known about astronomy without our informal chats.
March 30, 2006 Kusadasi, Turkey
Turkey has been a treat. The people are pleasant, although a little more pushy here than in Antalya. I think we were the first tourist group of the season and all were anxious to have us “take a look” at their wares. Alemitu and I got out early and she bargained hard with a shop keeper, only to walk away because he wouldn’t give her a price she thought was reasonable. He came after her and she did make the purchase at her price of choice. Since it was the first purchase of the day, he insisted that we not pay him, but put the money on the floor. That is supposed to give them good luck for the rest of the day.
We spent the afternoon at Ephesus. This is definitely the most impressive ruin I have ever been to. They dropped us off at the top of the hill and then we walked down, thru the excavated ruins. It is amazing how organized and healthful these ancient people were. They had sewage systems, clean water systems, baths, even toilets. Each home had running water – and this was 300 BC. Impressive.
I feel as though we might be getting back into a world with the services we need. We have had a hard time finding razors and general hygiene products. We have yet to find a notary, but we are hopeful that one will be available in the next few ports.
Our room flooded, source unknown. Carter asked for some assistance, but nothing happened. The next morning, Alemitu, unbeknownst to us, went up to the front office and within an hour, 2 men were in the room sucking up the water and they placed a huge fan in the room which eventually dried it out.
March 31, 2006 Iraklion, Crete, Greece
Last night a little after midnight the general alarm went off, meaning muster at your life boat stations. Carter didn’t wake up, even tho there was an extremely loud alarm ringing in our room. I grabbed the apnea machine and tried to pull it off, saying, “What is that alarm for?” He knew that he was supposed to muster in the infirmary, so off he went. I pulled on heavy clothes, thinking of the Titanic and how cold those people got. I didn’t want to suffer from hypothermia. Then I realized that Alemitu wasn’t here. She had been in a crew room below our deck and materialized at a run. She was dressed for dinner in a cute spaghetti strap dress, so I told her to get on something warm and went out to see what was going on. Almost immediately a crew member ran by and said it was nothing, to go back to bed. I wanted to hear the word from the captain…..Within a minute or two he came on the loudspeaker to say that there had been an overheated dryer in the main laundry, but it was now taken care of. So within minutes, Carter was snoring, Alemitu was back with her friends and I was just processing what would happen in a real emergency. Makes you appreciate all those drills.
Winnie
April 1, 2006
Welcome to Piraeus, Greece
Piraeus, or Peiraeus is a city in the periphery of Attica, Greece, located south of Athens and the capital of the Piraeus Prefecture. It was the port of the ancient city of Athens, and was chosen to serve as the modern port when Athens was re-founded in 1834. Piraeus remains a major shipping and industrial center, and is the terminus for Line 1 (the green line), the electric train service now incorporated into the Athens Metro. It consists of a rocky promontory, containing three natural harbors, a large one on the northwest, which is an important commercial harbor for the eastern Mediterranean Sea, and two smaller ones used for naval purposes. The port serves ferry routes to almost every island in the eastern portion of Greece, the island of Crete, the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, and much of the northern and the eastern Aegean. The name Piraeus roughly means the place over the passage. In very early antiquity Piraeus was a rocky island (the settlement of Mounichia - the present Kastella) connected to the mainland by a low-lying stretch of land that was flooded with seawater most of the year and was used as a salt field whenever it dried up. Consequently it was called the Halipedon (salt field) and its muddy soil made it a tricky passage. The area was increasingly silted and flooding ceased, and by early classical times the land passage was made safe. It was then that Piraeus assumed its importance as a deep-water harbor. Themistocles was the first to urge the Athenians to take advantage of these harbors. Foreseeing a new attack by the Persians, he built large fortification works and turned Piraeus into a military harbor in 493 BC. In 460 BC the fortifications were completed when the Long Walls connected Piraeus with Athens. During the Peloponnesian Wars, Piraeus was the major Athenian port. In 404 BC, Thrasybulus and the exiles from Phyle, who then defeated the Thirty Tyrants in Athens, seized Munychia. The three chief arsenals of Piraeus were Munychia, Zea and Cantharus, which could contain 82, 196 and 94 ships respectively in the 4th century BC. After the end of the Peloponnesian Wars, the walls would be torn down, the triremes found in the harbor surrendered to the Spartans or burned, while the renowned neosoikoi (ships' houses) would be pulled down and indeed in an almost festive manner-with music, dancing and songs. After the reinstatement of democracy, Konon rebuilt the walls in 393 BC, funded the temples of Aphrodite, the sanctuary of Zeus and Athena, and built the famous Skevothiki of Philon, the ruins of which have been discovered at Zea. The Roman Sulla who captured Piraeus in 86 BC quashed this revival of the town. The Goths under Alaric completed the destruction in 395 AD. With the creation of the modern Greek state and the proclamation of Athens as the capital in 1832, the port again acquired a reason for existence and growth and developed into a great commercial and industrial center. The town flourished and lovely buildings were constructed.
Solar Eclipse-When Day became Night (for 4 minutes)
March 31, 2006
Welcome to Iràklion, Crete, Greece
Iràklion, also know as Heraklio and Heraklion, is the major city and capital of the island of Crete. It is also the capital of the prefecture of the same name. It has an international airport named after the writer Nikos Kazantzakis. Iràklion is close to the ruins of the palace of Knossos, which in Minoan times was the biggest center of population on Crete. It is, therefore, very likely that there was a port here as long ago as 2000 BC. There is however no archaeological evidence for such a port. Other very important Minoan era ruins are found in or around Archanes village (a few miles after Knossos), in Anemospilia, Fourni and Vathipetro. The Saracens (an Arabic Muslim people) founded the present city of Iràklion in 824 AD. They built a giant ditch around the city for protection. They named the city Khandak, meaning moat, after the ditch. The Saracens allowed the port to be used as a safe haven for pirates, much to the annoyance of the nearby Byzantine Empire. In 961, the Byzantines attacked and defeated the city, slaughtered all the Saracens, looted the city and burned it to the ground. They remained in control of the rebuilt Khandak for the next 243 years. In 1204, the city was bought by the Venetians as part of a complicated political deal, which involved among other things, the Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade restoring the deposed Byzantine emperor Isaac II Angelus to his throne. The Venetians improved on the ditch by building enormous fortifications, most of which are still in place, including a giant wall, in places up to 132 feet (40 meters) thick, with 7 bastions, and a fortress in the harbor. The name Khandak became Candia in Italian. The city retained the name of Candia for centuries, and the whole island of Crete was often called Candia as a result. After the Venetians came the Turks of the Ottoman Empire. They besieged the city for 22 years in a bloody war in which 30,000 Cretans and 120,000 Turks died. The Venetians eventually handed it over in 1669. The city was renamed during the Turkish occupation to Megalo Kastro (big castle). During their occupation, the harbor silted up, so they moved most of their business to Hania in the west of the island. The city only became truly Greek with the withdrawal of the Turks in 1898. At this stage, the Greeks decided to rename the city to something Greek, so they chose the name Iràklion, meaning City of Heracles (Hercules), after the port of Heracleum which had existed somewhere in the locality in Roman times.
Say it in Greek
Greek is thought of by many as the oldest European language, dating back over 4000 of oral traditions, 3000 for written.
Hello Yasas
Goodbye Andio
Yes Ne
No Ohi
Please Parakalo
Thank you Efharisto
Sorry/Excuse me Sighnomi
My name is… Me lene…
Do you speak English? Milate anglika?
I don’t understand Dhen katalaveno
How much does it cost? Poso kani?
Where is the bathroom? Pou ine tobanio?
Customs in Greece
• Although punctuality is not often practiced it is necessary and appreciated.
• Be patient when negotiating.
• Refusing seconds of thirds at meals can be considered an insult.
• Greetings can take many forms, even at the first meeting, such as shaking hands, embracing or a friendly kiss on the cheek.
March 30, 2006
Welcome to Kusadasi, Turkey
A mecca for sun worshippers and historians alike, Kusadasi has long attracted visitors heading to the famed Ephesus. However, in past years, Kusadasi has developed into a tourist stop as well. Carpets and leather, two products for which Turkey is famous, attract both the locals and visitors. The Kale district is the oldest and most appealing part of the town. Surrounded by walls, it houses many traditional establishments, including the Kale Mosque. Connected to Kusadasi by a causeway stands the retreat of the infamous Barbarossa brothers, responsible for the pirating of many ships. Ephesus, located only 16 miles (26 kilometers) from Kusadasi, is by far one of the best-preserved ancient cities. Reportedly founded by the Amazons, its original site was near a harbor, which was the secret of its success in ancient times. Ephesus's archeological significance illustrates the advanced culture that once resided here. The Great Temple of Artemis, completed by the Ephesians, is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, discovered in the late 19th century. Presently, only a lone Ionian column remains. If you want to leave Ephesus feeling like a true Greek god, it is believed that if you stand between the Gates of Hercules and simultaneously touch both columns, you will have the strength of Hercules.
History of Turkey
Anatolia (Asia Minor), the landmass that is now Turkey, had been a cradle to a wide variety of civilizations and kingdoms in antiquity. The Seljuk Turks were the first Turkish power to arrive in the 11th century as conquerors, who proceeded to gradually conquer the existing Byzantine Empire. Their Turkish successors, the Ottoman Empire (named after its first leader Osman Gazi), began as a small tribe of nomadic Turks who would come to dominate the region for 600 years. Throughout the 19th and early 20th century the Ottoman empire began to lose a foothold on its territories, first with Algeria and Tunisia, then Greece, Egypt, Libya and the Balkans in the 1912 Balkans war. Faced with territorial losses on all sides Turkey forged an alliance with Germany who supported it with troops and equipment. In World War I Turkey entered the war on the side of the Central Powers and was defeated. On October 30, 1918, the Mondros Armistice was signed followed by the Treaty of Sèvres on August 10, 1920. These sought to break up the Ottoman empire and force large concessions on Turkey in favor of its rival Greece who had fought against the Germans. Greece, France and Italy were awarded parts of the coast of Asia Minor. The city of Izmir (Smyrna) was awarded to Greece. The Greek army took it over on May 15, 1919 and triggered the War of Independence. A nationalist movement led by Mustafa Kemal, rejected the Sèvres and organized an army that repelled Greece from Turkey. By September18, 1922 the country was liberated resulting in the Treaty of Lausanne of 1923, recognizing the new borders of Turkey. On October 29, 1923 The Republic of Turkey was proclaimed and Mustafa Kemal, later taking the last name Atatürk (meaning father of Turks), would be her first president.
March 29, 2006
Personal Musings from the Mediterranean(Mar 25-28)
March 25, 2006 The Suez Canal
Again, another place that isn’t what I expected. The Canal is wider than I thought, and the scenery is so populated. I thought it would be total desert. The Egypt side is first crawling with armed military men – didn’t seen any women. Then, beyond that are green fields and row after row of apartment buildings. After a while, the cities seemed to become less frequent, while the armed guards never varied. The Sinai side was as I had expected – one sand dune after another. Occasionally there would be a war memorial, or a park which looked very new, but the population there was almost non-existent. It is mind-boggling that wars have been fought over this land…..One of the passengers is Israeli and he explained what it was like when he was fighting here.
March 26, 2006 Alexandria, Egypt
I was so worried that we would over-sleep today. Alemitu was to be on the bus for the Pyramids by 6:45am. Well, never fear. We arrived in Alexandria at 5:30am and the band, which was standing directly out from our porthole, struck up a racket at 5:45am. Carter’s comment thru his sleep was, “What they don’t have in quality, they made up in loudness.”
So, Alemitu was off to the Pyramids with stories upon her return.
Carter stayed on the ship for the day, so I was sad at breakfast that I would miss the Alexandria Library until another passenger said he wanted to go there too, but his wife wouldn’t let him go alone. I offered to accompany him and we both started laughing. What protection would I offer? I know I have been working out…..So that afternoon we took off on foot for the 6 mile round trip trek. It was a down and dirty vision of Alexandria, as well as an adventure in money changing and then the astounding finish of seeing the library. Words are inadequate to describe the magnitude of the library. It is built on the site of the original library built there in ancient times, with ancient and modern artwork, a gorgeous setting, multiple accompanying museums, and a library that has so much room to grow. The students who were studying there were so interesting. Most of the women wore headscarves, and those also wore long skirts and long-sleeved blouses. Some wore the highest of heels and others wore tennis shoes. Many of the outfits were made of denim. There was even one young woman covered completely except for her eyes. She even wore heave gloves – even tho it was warm (70 degrees). It was such a wonderful, exhausting experience – and I didn’t have to shop for a minute!!
March 28, 2006 Antalya, Turkey
Kit wrote yesterday that the water department contacted him saying that our house was using an inordinate amount of water. He assured us that he wasn’t taking too long showers. Oh, my. We are worried!!
March 28, 2006
Antalya, Turkey is by far one of my most favorite places on this trip so far. I loved the people they were so kind and nice. When I was shopping they weren’t really pushy like most of the places we have been to. The people here were more inviting than forcing the things in your face. I loved all the things they had in their little shops. I bought a lot of things like a Indian/ Turkish bedspread, wall hanging, pillowcases, and a really cute bag and a bracelet that has a ring connected to it with a cool chain connecting it; it was such a good price that I could not pass it by.
I really liked this city because of how clean it looked than most of the places we have been to on this trip. Most of the people here in this city live in apartment buildings I did not see one house. It was huge nice looking apartment building with beautiful mountains and the sea to look out. I really loved this place and I am really sad we are leaving tonight. But I am still glad that I got to spend the whole day here. I hope I will return here someday.
Always, Alemitu
(p.s. One man offered dad 1,000 camels for me as a bride price. He told me he loves me, he says his heart goes boom, boom near me.)
March 29, 2006
Total Solar Eclipse
A solar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Moon and Earth are on a single line with the Moon in the middle. Seen from the Earth, the Moon is in front of the Sun and thus the Moon eclipses part or all of the light of the Sun. Thus it may seem that a piece has been taken out of the Sun, or that it has suddenly disappeared. The Sun’s corona can only be seen during a solar eclipse. Total eclipses both occur when the Moon lines up with the Sun exactly, but since the Moon's orbit is not perfectly circular it is sometimes farther away from Earth and doesn't always cover the entire solar disc from an Earthly vantage point. A solar eclipse can only be seen in a band across the Earth as the Moon’s shadow moves across its surface, while a total or annular eclipse is actually total or ring-formed in only a small band within this band (the eclipse path), and partial elsewhere (total eclipse takes place where the umbra of the Moon's shadow falls, whereas a partial eclipse is visible where the penumbra falls). Total solar eclipses are rare events. Although they occur somewhere on the Earth approximately every 18 months, it has been estimated that they recur at any given spot only every 300 to 400 years. And after waiting so long, the total solar eclipse only lasts for a few minutes, as the Moon’s umbra moves eastward at over 1,056 miles per hour (1700 kilometers per hour).
Total solar Eclipse schedule
12:31 pm Eclipse begins as partial
1:48 pm Start of total eclipse
1:52 pm End of total eclipse
Start of partial phase of eclipse
3:08 pm Eclipse totally over
Eclipse Safety information
It is extremely important to follow the following guidelines during the eclipse to maximize your enjoyment and to protect your eyesight against serious permanent harm.
When the Sun in partially eclipsed or not eclipsed at all:
• DO look at the Sun through the safe viewer.
• DO NOT look at the Sun without using the safe viewer.
• DO NOT stare through the viewer for long periods.
• DO NOT look at or near the Sun through binoculars or a camera viewfinder.
• DO NOT use sunglasses instead of the safe viewer.
When the Sun is totally eclipsed:
• DO NOT look through the viewer. It is safe to look directly towards the Sun by the naked eye at this time. You will be unable to see the magnificent spectacle of the Sun’s corona through the viewer.
• DO listen for the announcement that totality is about to end and have your viewer ready. Look away quickly or use the viewer immediately if you see the first brilliant flash of the Sun appearing.
March 28, 2006
Welcome to Antalya, Turkey
Antalya, formerly known as Adalia, is a city on a bay of the south Mediterranean coast of Turkey in the Antalya Province. It apparently dates from at least the Hellenistic period and the ruins of several ancient settlements are located nearby. Antalya was founded as Attalia or Attaleia by Attalus II, the King of Pergamum in the second century BC. There are numerous ancient cities in the regions, called by their historical names such as - Lycia in the west, Pamphylia in the east and Pisidia in the north. Combining history and culture, Antalya deserves the title of “Capital of Turkish Tourism”. Kaleici, where quaint Turkish and Greek houses are under protection, is the most popular center in Antalya. Traces of Byzantine, Roman and Seljuks architecture and culture can still be seen in the rustic old town. Take time to visit the archeological museum, which houses treasures belonging to historic ages of Anatolia. Inside the city Yivli Minare and Kulliye, Karaalioglu park are in our host of places to see. The Konyaalti and Lara coasts are well known for their crystal clear waters. The prominent sites accessible by daily tours are Side, Perge, Manavgat and Alanya. It is a must to add the Kursunlu and Duden waterfalls to your list. Enjoy beautiful and exotic Turkey!
Say it in Turkish
Turkish is the official language of Turkey and has dialects around the world, from Belgrade to China. Although it is distantly related to Finnish and Hungarian, Turkish is now recognized as a unique language group.
Hello Merhaba
Goodbye Hosçakal
Yes Evet
No Hayir
Please Lütfen
Thank you Tesekkür ederim
Do you speak English? Ingilizce konusuyuor musunuz?
Where is the bathroom? Banyo nerede?
How much is it? Ne kadar?
I’m just looking Sadece bakiyorum
Customs in Turkey
• Better deals will follow from an exchange of pleasantries and small talk.
• Be patient with negotiating as it may take a while to achieve the necessary results.
• Handshakes are the general greeting between men. Men should wait for a Turkish woman to be introduced and initiate a handshake before acknowledging her.
• Displaying the soles of your feet is insulting so mind how you sit.
• Public displays of affection should be avoided.
• Although nodding your head up and down is considered yes, nodding your head from side to side means I don’t understand. To indicate no, tilt your head back and lower your eyelid (as though you are looking through bifocals).
• When entering a mosque, you should be dressed modestly. Women must have their head, shoulder and arms covered as well as pants or a dress well below the knees. You must also leave your shoes outside the entrance.
March 27, 2006
Explorations Speaker Dan Benedict
Astro-journalist Dan Benedict describes himself as “a professional journalist and an amateur astronomer”. His interest in astronomy began in earnest one August night in 1960 when his father gathered the family in the front yard to watch America’s first successful communication satellite, Echo-1, travel overhead and disappear into Earth’s shadow. An award-winning photojournalist whose work has appeared on CBS Evening News, ABC’s World News Tonight, and Cable News Network, Dan has been affiliated with CNN’s New York bureau since 1985. In 1994 he also founded his own news agency, Eye on the Sky News Service, to bring astronomy news “down to Earth” to non- astronomers. It specializes in items of interest to the casual stargazer that can be easily seen with the unaided eye, such as the appearance of planets, bright stars and their constellations, satellites, meteor showers and eclipses.Dan has written astronomy articles for Porthole and Shipboard magazines and has a particular interest in astronomy aboard cruise ships. Dan writes a weekly astronomy column for The (Trenton, New Jersey) Times and is a volunteer for the National Science Foundation’s Project Astro-Nova, a program which places amateur and professional astronomers with school and youth groups, and is a member of Nantucket’s Maria Mitchell Association, a nature organization named after America’s first female astronomer of note.
Maarch 26, 2006
Welcome to Alexandria, Egypt
Alexandria is at the western extremity of the Nile River delta, situated on a narrow isthmus between the Mediterranean Sea and Lake Mareotis. The city is Egypt’s leading port, a commercial and transportation center, and the heart of a major industrial area where refined petroleum, asphalt, cotton textiles, processed food, paper and plastics are produced. Much of ancient Alexandria is covered by modern buildings or is underwater; only a few landmarks are readily accessible, including ruins of the emporium and the Serapeum and a granite shaft called Pompey’s Pillar. Nothing remains of the lighthouse on the Pharos, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and the site of the royal palace lies under the older (east) harbor. Alexandria was founded in 332 BC by Alexander the Great and was the capital of the Ptolemies. The city took over the trade of Tyre (sacked by Alexander the Great), outgrew Carthage by 250 BC, and became the largest city in the Mediterranean basin. It was the greatest center of Hellenistic civilization and Jewish culture. The Septuagint, a translation of the Old Testament into Greek, was prepared there. Alexandria had two celebrated royal libraries, one in a temple of Zeus and the other in a museum. The collections were said to contain 700,000 rolls. A great university grew around the museum and attracted many scholars, including Aristarchus of Samothrace, the collator of the Homeric texts; Euclid, the mathematician; and Herophilus, the anatomist, who founded a medical school there.
Alexandria’s History
Julius Caesar temporarily occupied the city in 47 BC while pursuing Pompey, and Octavian (later Augustus) entered it in 30 BC after the suicide of Antony and Cleopatra. Alexandria formally became part of the Roman Empire in 30 BC. It was the greatest of the Roman provincial capitals, with a population of about 300,000 free persons and numerous slaves. In the later centuries of Roman rule and under the Byzantine Empire, Alexandria rivaled Rome and Constantinople as a center of Christian learning. It was (and remains today) the seat of a patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The libraries, however, were gradually destroyed from the time of Caesar’s invasion, and suffered especially in 391 AD, when Theodosius I had pagan temples and other structures razed. When the Muslim Arabs took Alexandria in 642, its prosperity had withered, largely because of a decline in shipping, but the city still had about 300,000 inhabitants. The Arabs moved the capital of Egypt to Cairo in 969 and Alexandria’s decline continued, accelerating in the 14th century, when the canal to the Nile silted up. During his Egyptian campaign, Napoleon I took the city in 1798, but it fell to the British in 1801. At that time Alexandria’s population was only about 4,000. The city gradually regained importance after 1819, when Muhammad Ali, who developed Alexandria as a deepwater port and a naval station, completed the Mahmudiyah Canal to the Nile. During the 19th century many foreigners settled in Alexandria, and in 1907 they made up about 25% of the population. In 1882, during a nationalist uprising in Egypt, there were anti-foreign riots in Alexandria, which was subsequently bombarded by the British. During World War II, as the chief Allied naval base in the east Mediterranean, the Germans bombed Alexandria.
March 25, 2006
The Suez Canal
The Suez Canal, west of the Sinai Peninsula, is a 118-mile (163-kilometer) maritime canal in Egypt between Suez on the Red Sea and Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea. The canal allows two-way north-south water transport from Europe to Asia without circumnavigating Africa. Before the construction of the canal, some transport was conducted by offloading ships and carrying the goods over land between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. The canal comprises two parts, north and south of the Great Bitter Lake, linking the Mediterranean Sea to the Gulf of Suez on the Red Sea. The canal has no locks because there is no sea-level difference and no hills to climb. It allows the passage of ships of up to 150,000 tons displacement, with cargo. It permits ships of up to 50 feet (15 meters) draft to pass, and improvements are planned to increase this to 72 feet (22 meters) by 2010 to allow supertanker passage. Presently supertankers can offload part of their cargo onto a canal-owned boat and reload at the other end of the canal. Some 25,000 ships pass through the canal each year, about 14% of world shipping. Giuseppe Verdi’s opera masterpiece Aida, written to commemorate the opening of the Suez Canal, was completed too late for the 1869 opening and premiered at the Cairo Opera House in 1871.
Suez Canal History
The canal had an immediate and dramatic effect on world trade, playing an important role in increasing European penetration and colonization of Africa. Said Pasha's successor, Isma'il Pasha, sold his country's share in the canal to the United Kingdom in 1875. The Convention of Constantinople in 1888 declared the canal a neutral zone under the protection of the British. Under the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936, the United Kingdom insisted on retaining control over the canal. In 1951, Egypt repudiated the treaty, and by 1954 Great Britain had agreed to pull out. After the United Kingdom and the United States withdrew their pledge to support the construction of the Aswan Dam, President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the canal. This caused Britain, France, and Israel to invade in the week-long 1956 Suez War. As a result of damage and sunken ships, the canal was closed until April 1957. A United Nations force (UNEF) was established to maintain the neutrality of the canal and the Sinai Peninsula. After the Six Day War in 1967, the canal was closed until June 5, 1975. In 1973, during the Yom Kippur War, the canal was the scene of a major crossing by the Egyptian army into Israeli-controlled Sinai; later, the Israeli army crossed the canal westward. A UN peacekeeping force has been stationed in the Sinai Peninsula since 1974.
March 25, 2006- The Med!
Personal Musings March 16-25
March 16 & 17, 2006 Mumbai (Bombay), India
We went on a guided tour of Bombay, seeing interesting sites such as the laundry, a hanging garden (the garden in above the city, not actually hanging), many of the government buildings and Gandhi’s home and a museum. At the garden Alemitu announced that she needed to use the restroom. We asked our guide and she sent us to a small building that was falling down. After paying about 2-3 cents, we were told to enter the building. The toilet was a hole in the foundation (not too clean) and there was a can full of water – no toilet paper. This was the first time Alemitu has used a non-Western toilet in 10 years. She never said a word…. Mixed among these sites were the constant barrage of beggars and people selling anything you can imagine. Alemitu found beautiful clothes to buy and had the patience to find what she wanted despite having a beggar right at her elbow, and to then bargain for what she wanted. I finally just told Carter to take me back to the bus. I needed some personal space.
Our tour guide seemed to sum up India for me. She said that here was no part of India where you don’t have the extremely poor and the extremely rich living side by side. That is totally true. There are some nicer parts of town, but there is always a slum around the corner (within the same block). The odors are also such an assault on your senses. There may be the interesting spices or a multitude of incense, but there is also that of old urine, oil spilled on the pavement, body odor, unpleasant sour smells. You see so much upward mobility within the population, with so many chances for a better life, and then the raw realities of the poor. It is hard to process.
The last day Carter took the morning to buy computer equipment. He took too much time there and the nurse who had been promised time to buy fabric was left in the cold. Carter called me one hour before the ship was to leave and asked me to go with the nurse to do some quick shopping, just 5 minutes from the ship. We took off in a run, but couldn’t find the shop for a good 20 minutes. I started to get nervous because I knew the ship would leave without us – no questions asked. Well, she shopped with a little more leisure than I would have and then we took off in a run the other direction. Thank goodness I have been working out every day. I didn’t want to die of a heart attack on a Bombay street. We arrived back at the ship with only 2 minutes to spare. It must have taken an hour to get my pulse down, but we were on the ship and I knew I wouldn’t have to spend the night in Bombay with no clothes and only a credit card…..I will NEVER go shopping 1 hour before the ship leaves. It was far too stressful! Winnie
Sunday, March 19, 2006 At Sea, near Oman
One of the tours to Agra had a bus accident as the bus tried to avoid a sacred cow and collided into another bus. One lady broke her ankle, numerous others were tossed around and sustained huge bruises. I'm sure the anti-coagulants didn't help. Also, Air India served something on the flight to Agra that has caused huge amounts of diarrhea. So all in all, the trip to Agra wasn't spectacular - but it has enhanced Carter's revenue for his department.
Monday, March 20, 2006 Salalah, Oman
As we cruised into this port, there is an overwhelming sense of sand. Everything is the same yellow-pink color with an occasional palm tree in clumps. The intensity of the sun is unbelievable. I was sure I would instantly melt, but in the shade, it was actually comfortable – at least until 8am. This country used to be exceedingly poor until the discovery of oil in the 1960’s. Now it is totally going in the other direction…..and the first place to feel the change is in the cab fares. In India we were able to engage a cab driver for $10 for 4-5 hours. The driver would stay with you while you shopped, drive you anywhere you might request. In Oman, the going rate for the trip into town (20 km) was $40-50! And one of the biggest problems was that once the cabs had dropped you off in town, it was extremely difficult to find one to bring you back to the port.
I’ll let Alemitu explain their trip into town. Of course, she was with some of the best bargainers around….. Winnie
Tuesday, March 21, 2006 Arabian Sea
We just saw the account of probable pirates off the Somali coast. I’m not totally relaxed about this transit. I’ll feel better when we are in the Red Sea and across from Djibouti.
Winnie
Friday, March 24, 2006 Red Sea, close to Suez Canal
Well, we made it without incident. As we would pass some of those smaller fishing boats (looking exactly like the pirate boats in the photos), I would just take a deep breath and hope they were actually fishing. I guess they were.
Carter has been more than busy with all of the hacking coughs that are attacking everyone. Some of going into pneumonias. Also many passengers are starting to run out of their medications. Most of them claim to have counted incorrectly….so there are numerous communications with Egypt to try to obtain what is needed. I hope I counted correctly. We are happy to have the e-mail available because Carter and I are starting to miss home and our lives there. Alemitu hasn’t quite reached that state. We have been told there will be a change in itinerary and we won’t be able to go to Libya. We will go to Malta and another island in Greece.
Winnie
March 25, 2006
Hi y'all,
We are well just finished sailing through the Suez Canal....Very interesting! To Alexandria tomorrow where I will stay aboard while others visit the Pyramids. Hope to visit the new World Library late afternoon if open there. Heading East!
Carter
Carter and the Suez Canal
March 24, 2006
Ancient History of the Suez Canal
Perhaps as early as the 12th Dynasty, Pharaoh Senusret III may have had a west-east canal dug through the Wadi Tumilat, joining the Nile with the Red Sea, for direct trade with Punt. Evidence nevertheless indicates its existence at least by the 13th century BC during the time of Ramesses II. It later fell into disrepair, and according to the Histories of the Greek historian Herodotus, Necho II undertook re-excavation about 600 BC, though he never completed the project. King Darius I, the Persian conqueror of Egypt, finally completed the canal about 500 BC. Darius commemorated his achievement on a number of granite slates that he set up on the Nile bank, including one near Kabret, 81 miles (130 kilometers) from Suez. The Darius Inscriptions read:
Saith King Darius: I am a Persian. Setting out from Persia, I conquered Egypt. I ordered this canal dug from the river called the Nile that flows in Egypt, to the sea that begins in Persia. When the canal had been dug as I ordered, ships went from Egypt through this canal to Persia, even as I intended.
The canal was again restored by Ptolemy II about 250 BC. Over the next thousand years it was successively modified, destroyed, and rebuilt, until finally being put out of commission in the 8th century by the Abbasid Caliph al-Mansur.
Explorations Speaker Series lectures
Join Explorations Speaker Dr. Jacqueline Mitton at 11:00 am in the Queen’s Lounge for Heavens Above. Become a stargazer with this leisurely tour around the constellations, with special emphasis on the Zodiac – the celestial Circle of the Sun. At 2:00 pm in the Queen’s Lounge, Dr. Pat Abbott presents The Lost Continent of Atlantis. Tales of the lost continent of Atlantis has captured human imagination for over 2,400 years. When we consider and reconcile ancient literature, archaeological excavations, and geologic history, it seems quite likely that the mystery of Atlantis is solved.
March 23, 2006
Naming the Red Sea
The sea was called the Arabian Gulf in most European sources up to the 20th century. This was derived from older Greek sources. Herodotus, Straban and Ptolemy all called the waterway Arabicus Sinus, while reserving the term Sea of Erythrias (Red Sea) for the waters around the southern Arabian Peninsula, now known as the Indian Ocean. The name of the sea does not indicate the color of the water. It may signify the seasonal blooms of the red-colored Cyanobacteria Trichodesmium Erythraeum near the water surface. Some suggest that it refers to the mineral-rich red mountains nearby which are called Harei Edom. Edom, meaning ruddy complexion, is also an alternative Hebrew name for the red-faced biblical character Esau (brother of Jacob), and the nation descended from him, the Edomites, which in turn provides yet another possible origin for Red Sea. There is also speculation that the name Red Sea came from a mistranslation of what should have been the Reed Sea in the Biblical story of the Exodus. One hypothesis is the name comes from the Himarites, a local group whose own name means red. Another theory favored by some modern scholars is the name red refers to the direction south, the same way the Black Sea's name may refer to north. The basis of this theory is that some Asiatic languages used color words to refer to points on the compass.
Explorations Speaker Series
At 11:00 am in the Queen’s Lounge, join Explorations Speaker Dr. Pat Abbott as he presents Volcanoes – Some Erupt Peacefully, Others Explosively. Different types of tectonic-plate edges host different styles of volcanic eruptions. Magmas vary in composition, and thus in explosiveness. We will put these factors together to understand volcanoes. Then we will look at volcano examples near our cruise – Vesuvius, Etna, Stromboli, Vulcan and more. At 2:00 pm in the Queen’s Lounge, Dr. Simon Mitton presents a non-technical description of the Sun as a star. How old is the Sun? Where does it get its energy? What is solar weather? Find out about sunspots, climate change and the aurora. Discover some of the phenomena you might see in the forthcoming Eclipse: the corona and solar prominences
March 22, 2006
Physician Dr. Carter Hill
Dr Hill has been a ship physician and consultant for Holland America Line and Windstar Cruises since 1988. He resides in Seattle, Washington where he practices full time Emergency Medicine at Highline Medical Center where he works 18 night shifts each month. His Medical School training transpired at the University of Minnesota and Residency in Internal Medicine at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle and Fellowship in Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine at the University of Washington. His academic interests include teaching in areas of Cruise Ship and Maritime Medicine, tropical medicine, fitness education, and third world medical training. An inveterate world traveler, he and his Travel Medicine practitioner/wife (Winnie) have volunteered in mission hospitals in Papua Guinea, Nepal, Kenya, and most recently Vietnam. Perhaps his most significant achievement has been the co-production of 3 natural born sons and the acquisition of 3 adopted daughters (hailing from Korea and Ethiopia) who range in age between 17 and 25 years of age. He and Winnie are just beginning to see the light at the end of the proverbial vocational tunnel, as the youngest are getting ready to head out on their own. This World Cruise is a dream for Carter and Winnie as visiting the Southern Hemisphere and Antarctica was always a bit out of reach until now.
March 21, 2006
Pinnacle Grill Chef Jody McLeod
Chef Jody McLeod thinks of himself as the all-Canadian boy. Born in Toronto, he grew up in Edmonton and got his first paying job there at the age of sixteen working for one of his dad’s friends in the kitchen at the Château de Combe - the top rated restaurant in Edmonton at the time. While Jody will nott tell us how much he got paid, he did work there everyday after school and during the summer for three years, eventually finding himself as Sous Chef at the Calgary Tower at the age of nineteen. Eventually adventure called and from 1998-2001, Jody found himself as Executive Chef at the Sci-tech Hotel in Beijing China, under the tutelage of Master Wu. Jody finds it amusing that although he has been in the kitchen his whole life, including working under his dad as small child, he has never had to ever wash dishes! He joined Holland America Line in 2002 and has been on the ms Ryndam, ms Zaandam, ms Zuiderdam, ms Statendam and now the ms Prinsendam. When not working he enjoys Bacardi, fishing, 4x4 off-roading and hunting - not necessarily in that order!
March 20, 2006
Welcome to Salalah, Oman
Salalah is the capital and seat of the governor or Wali of the southern Omani province of Dhofar. It is the second largest town in the Sultanate of Oman and a traditional stronghold and birthplace of the Sultan Qaboos bin Said. The Sultan traditionally lives in Salalah rather than in Muscat, the capital and largest city in Oman. Salalah, despite lying in the Arabian desert, enjoys a temperate climate through most of the year. The town is also subjected to the southeast monsoons between late June to early September. Visitors from across the Persian Gulf flock to Salalah to enjoy the monsoons and avoid the harsh heat faced by the rest of the region during the same period. Also in this period, the town's population nearly doubles and various fairs are organized. The town has a large expatriate community, mainly from India, as well as a private Indian School, known as Indian School Salalah. The city of Salalah is known as the perfume capital of Arabia. The city is a popular destination for tourism due to the natural attractions of the Jabal al Qar mountains and abundant stands of frankincense trees lining mountain stream courses. Around the city and into the mountains the countryside is lush and green with the vegetation supporting herds of cattle. The beaches and coastline are also major attractions for scuba diving and bird watching. Salalah is a city of antiquity, boasting both the ruins of a palace reputed to have belonged to the Queen of Sheba and the resting place of the biblical prophet Job in the nearby Jabal al Qar. It is also the alleged resting place of Nabi Imran, father of the Virgin Mary. Modern Oman is also represented by the Port of Salalah, located approximately 9 miles (15 kilometers) to the southwest of the city. The strategic location of this port has made it one of the major entry points to India, the Middle East, and Africa.
March 19, 2006
Explorations Speakers Drs Jacqueline & Simon Mitton
Drs Simon and Jacqueline Mitton are British astronomy specialists who each have over 30 years experience bringing their subject to the public through books, talks and the media. They have bachelor degrees in Physics from the University of Oxford and doctorates from the University of Cambridge. Jacqueline’s special interests are stars and planets. She is the author or co-author of over 20 published books, the expert consultant on many more and an award-winning children’s author. Her books range from Zoo in the Sky for very young readers through to a comprehensive dictionary of astronomy and include several on the exploration of the planets. Simon’s current interests are the history of astronomy, the nature of the universe, and the new science of astrobiology, all of which will be featured in his presentations. He too is the author of several books, as well as an experienced radio and television broadcaster. Jacqueline and Simon have often worked together giving courses and writing books. In 1990, the International Astronomical Union named an asteroid “Mitton” in their honor. They participated in the ms Ryndam’s Total Eclipse cruise in 1998 and the 1999 Total Eclipse.
Personal Musings of Seychelles-India (March 10-15)
March 10, 2006 Just left the Seychelles
The Seychelles were similar in timing to our visit to Singapore back in the 70’s. We had been in some very poor countries, with difficult sanitary conditions, and suddenly we were thrust into a very friendly, clean environment. There were no beggars, no one trying to “give you a good price”. The food and water were safe. What a difference! And to be in the middle of nowhere.
Carter, Alemitu and I split up, partly by design and partly by mistake. I had agreed to go with another group to go visit the Botanical Gardens early in the morning, in hopes of avoiding the heat and humidity. Well, we ended up shopping for several hours (not my idea of fun), but we did visit the local market before going to the Gardens. We took a wrong turn, so added about a mile to our jaunt, but did get to see the ancient, giant turtles, a ton of fruit bats and some beautiful flora. I sweat thru everything I had on and almost had to put it in the dryer when I returned. It will take several days just to recover from the heat.
Carter and Alemitu had signed up for a snorkeling expedition, but Carter got pulled by patients on the ship, so he was unable to go. Alemitu went for her first time snorkeling and was awed by the clearness of the sea and the sea life. I’ll let her explain it.
Today we are seeing pods of porpoises and schools of flying fish. It is amazing. Alemitu also saw a whale spouting this morning. The seas are so calm and beautiful, however the air continues to be warmer than you can imagine.
We are having social obligations with the guests, which are stressful for me. I hope I don’t get left at the table alone again….We shall see. We also are expected to entertain guests for dinner and go to tons of cocktail parties. How anyone can get thru this experience the same weight, and sober is a question. I am drinking quite a bit of Perrier. Carter says his weight has stabilized and Alemitu and I have lost a little, but have spent many hours in the gym.
Someone asked about why there is extra security on the ship. Well, I guess it is because of the threat of terrorists and the cruise industry has been implicated. We also will be passing by Somalia and they have shown that they do have pirates and many of the places we have just left and will visit soon are not too happy with the US foreign policy. So there is just a more visible presence that I can ever remember. Makes life a little less carefree.
Alemitu’s comment as she rose from her nap: “Why can’t we live like this forever? Why do we have to go back to real life?”
March 11, 2006 At Sea in the Indian Ocean
Well, last night’s dinner was ok. The dinner was help just for the people who have suites and each week or so they try to have dinner in an unusual place on the ship. This time was out on the deck right under the bridge. It was a gorgeous night with a full moon and many, many stars. It was also rather windy. The napkins were handed out individually and several wine glasses were blown over, as well as rolls and garnish from the plates, but the ambiance was interesting. Most of the women were upset because they had gone to the hairdresser to have their hair perfect for this special dinner, and here they were blown to pieces……The dinner was 7-9 courses and after 3 hours Carter announced that he didn’t think there was enough food. Honestly, that man ate everything on each plate. There was one plate of tarts and I thought it was dessert. Carter wolfed his down with nary a word. I thought there was a custard tart and one with cream, so I took a hefty bite out of one, only to find that this was the cheese plate. I got one huge bite of a blue cheese tart – not a favorite!! Carter just laughed because he knew I wouldn’t like it, but he was not going to give me a clue. Winnie
March 13, 2006 Cochin, India
Alemitu and I headed off the ship with another couple, all 4 of us piling into a motorized rickshaw. It was definitely exciting (terror!) to see oncoming trucks in our lane, or to almost hit a bicyclist during a moment of inattention by our driver. I just held on and closed my eyes. Sense of personal space is very different and the population explosion is certainly felt here. Winnie
Cochin, India is a very interesting place; I was able to go out with mom and another couple that sits with us at dinner time. We ended up taking a taxi that cost 10 dollars for all 4 of us, which was a very good price because the taxi driver said he would stay with us until we finished shopping and would take us back to the ship afterwards. I thought it was nice to have the taxi driver with us where we went shopping because it was safer having someone that knew about the places we were going. I ended up buying some things like two really nice shirts for 4 dollars each and a bag for 3 dollars and two circus elephants that you can hang in your house. I had a fun time just looking and shopping. The people were very aggressive to sell you things and when you said no they still kept on bugging you. I found it annoying when they would just get in your face when you said no. I enjoyed the experience of the place; it is true this place is full of people in the streets and everywhere. One of the things I really liked about the place was how the people were dressed in there beautiful saris. Anyway our next stop is Mumbai, India and it’s supposed to be even bigger and the people won’t leave you alone.
Always Alemitu
My 2 hour highspeed tour around Cochin in a tut tut (motorized three wheeler) was indeed exciting and educational. Saw some great shops, old churches (Catholic-Portuguese, Anglican, Hindu, Mosques, and the Dutch Palace where 300 years of Maharajah’s). The palace had these incredible murals with the Hindu gods in various explicit sexual poses with a background of fornicating animals of ALL types (including elephants). The women were all very full breasted which raises the question of artistic license or historic fact. The female guide winked at me and “permitted me to photo” when no one else was in the room….for a tip of course at the end. I was wisked to the beach, the Chinese fishing nets which during high tides scoop up huge tiger prawns, and fish of all kinds into the beach-based fishing contraption. People selling “everything” for a great price. Witnessed a snake charmer with his two cobras on the street as well as a primary school with beautiful children in uniforms. India is so diverse, noisy, aromatic, with beauty, poverty, wealth, and sadness all mixed together in an amazing pot pourri of senses to stimulate. Winnie finds the heat and humidity plus the unceasing pressure to buy things and to bargain, a real hassle….I on the other hand rather enjoy the chaos. Got a patient to see with Chest pain. Off to the races!
Carter
March 14, 2006 At sea, on the way to Mumbai (Bombay)
We have an ex-ambassador on board who was in Iran for years, as well as Sweden and Egypt. His insight into the mess we are in as a US nation is refreshing. He said he teaches a class to all new ambassadors where they are told to not surround themselves with “yes men”, but to entertain criticism and dissention. He feels that if we just hear that everything is going well and none of the negative, we will make the wrong decisions. He tries to teach the new recruits to question their superiors. He feels he may not have made enough impression on the newer recruits. Sobering. Winnie
Continuation of March 14, 2006
Today while eating lunch on the outside deck, I was bitten by either 2 mosquitoes, or one mosquito twice. How can this be? We are 12 miles from land… Winnie
March 15, 2006 Mumbai (Bombay), India
We are here on the Festival of Colors. I guess it is something about the equinox – the change of the weather from hot to hotter, along with the coming of the rainy season. As we awoke, we smelled the odor of burning and the sky was so hazy that the sun couldn’t break thru the clouds. I know in some parts of India the burning is that of cremations, but I have no idea here. Maybe just pollution. The idea of the Festival of Colors is that people share colors with others, whether they want it or not. They have powders in many colors and will throw some on you as you walk by. We were warned to avoid any crowds, especially young men. We did pretty well. At 4pm, the Festival ends, so that was when we truly ventured out.
We were invited by some Holland America associates to go for a true Indian dinner. They drove us thru a business area that has some of the most magnificent buildings, mostly left from the British occupation. Then we experienced the dinner of fire for me and warmth for Carter and Alemitu. Even though my mouth and esophagus burned, the flavors were quite nice. I knew Tums awaited me upon return. All 3 of us have the rumblies this morning.
Our trip back to the ship was troublesome as we were accosted by a beggar who stood and just pounded on the window of our car, persistently, but not violently. Then the streets by 11pm were lined with the homeless sleeping on the sidewalks next to these huge buildings. The dogs were mangy and half-starved, but seemed to be guarding these people. We only saw one cat and it certainly didn’t look healthy. Winnie
Next Stop - Oman
March 18, 2006
Explorations Speaker Dr. Pat Abbott
Patrick L. Abbott earned a Ph.D. in Geology from the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Abbott is a Professor of Geology at San Diego State University where his Natural Disasters course serves 5,000 students a year. Pat is author of the best-selling McGraw-Hill textbook entitled Natural Disasters (4th edition) and he has just finished the second broadcast-TV video in a series called Written In Stone. Dr. Abbott’s research specialty is reading the history stored in sedimentary rocks and fossils, including continental drift, earthquakes, volcanoes, climate change, mass extinctions, and the role of the environment in the rise and fall of civilizations. Guests might remember Pat from his appearance on last season’s reality show, “The New Gilligan’s Island” where he portrayed the real live Professor. In the Queen’s Lounge at 11:00 am, Dr. Abbott will present Continental Drift - The Changing Positions of India, Africa and the Mediterranean Basin. Some 200 million years ago, the continents were together in supercontinents. The southern supercontinent, Gondwanaland, began splitting into separate continental masses and drifting apart. The “new” continents were India, Africa, South America, Australia and Antarctica. He will show a 200-frame computer animation of the continental movements at 1 frame per million years. India moves northward and collides with Asia. Africa moves northward and compresses the Mediterranean. These ongoing collisions create mountain ranges, earthquakes, and volcanoes.
Say it in Arabic
Arabic is the official language of all Middle Eastern countries except for Afghanistan, Iran, Israel and Turkey.
It is important to know that no matter what dialect of Arabic you speak and how poor your pronunciation, any attempt to communicate with the locals in Arabic will be graciously appreciated.
Hi Marhaba
Goodbye Ma’a Salāma
Please Law samaht
Thank you Shukran
How are you? Kayf hālak?
Pardon/Excuse Me ‘Afwan
Sorry ‘Assif
Do you speak English? Btah-ki inglīzi
I don’t understand Ma bif-ham
Yes Aywa
No La
How much? Bikam?
The Sultanate of Oman
Oman is an independent sultanate on the southeastern section of the Arabian peninsula, on the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It was formerly known as Muscat and Oman. It is bordered on the west by Yemen and Saudi Arabia and on the north by the United Arab Emirates, which separates the major portion of the sultanate from a small area on the Strait of Hormuz. For administrative purposes, the country is divided into six regions and two governorates. For the most part, Oman comprises a narrow coastal plain backed by hill ranges and an interior desert plateau. It is roughly 82,000 square miles (212,380 square kilometers). The highest point is Jebel Sham at 9,900 feet (3,018 meters). In the extreme north, dates, limes, nuts, and vegetables are cultivated, and in the southwest there is an abundance of cattle and other livestock. Fishing is an important industry. The major product, however, is oil, which was discovered in Oman in 1964 and first exported in 1967. Natural gas production and small copper mines developed in the early 1980s and are a part of Oman's growing industries. The inhabitants are mostly Arabs; there are also minorities of Pakistanis, Indians, Africans, Baluchis, and migrant workers of varied ethnicities.
March 17, 2006
Mumbai’s culture
A resident of Mumbai is called a Mumbaikar or Bombayite. Many residents prefer to stay close to major railway stations for easy access to their workplaces as a significant amount of time is spent on daily commuting. Thus many live a fast-paced life with very little time for other activities. Mumbai is known to be one of the most liberal and cosmopolitan cities of India, with the city embracing many concepts that would be taboo in other cities. Mumbai residents celebrate Western and Indian celebrations and festivals with great fanfare. Residents of all communities and religions observe festivals and celebrations. The metropolis has its own local roadside fast food consisting of vada pavs and bhelpuri. South Indian and Chinese food are also very popular in the city. A cosmopolitan city, residents have their unique tastes in cuisine, music, film and literature, both Indian and international. In 2004, Mumbai received three heritage conservation awards from the UNESCO. Mumbai is the birthplace of Indian cinema, with the oldest film shot here in 1896. It also boasts of large number of cinemas, including Asia’s largest IMAX dome theater, which feature mainstream Bollywood and Hollywood films. Besides cinemas, the city also hosts various plays and cultural performances. There are also two art galleries: The Jehangir Art Gallery and The National Gallery of Modern Art and a museum, The Prince of Wales Museum in South Mumbai. Built in 1833, the Asiatic Society of Bombay is the oldest public library in the city.
Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick (389 AD-461 AD?) is known as the Apostle of Ireland, Christian prelate. His birthplace is uncertain, but it was probably in southwestern Britain; his British name was Succat. At 16 years of age he was carried off by Irish marauders and passed his captivity as a herdsman near the mountain Slemish in County Antrim (according to tradition) or in County Connacht. The young herdsman saw visions in which he was urged to escape, and after six years of slavery he did so, to the northern coast of Gaul. Ordained a priest, possibly by Saint Germanus, at Auxerre, he returned to Ireland. Sometime after 431 AD, Patrick was appointed successor to St. Palladius, First Bishop of Ireland. Patrick concentrated on the west and north of Ireland, establishing his see at Armagh. His two surviving works, written in Latin, demonstrate his acquaintance with the Vulgate translation of the Bible. In The Confessions, he portrays himself as an ignorant yokel in an unequal contest with the powerful and learned adherents of Pelagianism. His reported use of the shamrock as an illustration of the Trinity led to its being regarded as the Irish national symbol. A strange chant of his, called The Lorica, is preserved in the Liber Hymnorum, and what purports to have been a hand-bell he used during mass is shown in the National Museum in Dublin. Ireland held few secular celebrations and parades on Saint Patrick’s Day; however, in 1995 the government of Ireland established the Saint Patrick’s Day Festival with the goal of creating a festival that ranks amongst all of the greatest celebrations in the world.
March 16, 2006
Mumbai’s Geography
Mumbai is located on Salsette Island which lies at the mouth of Ulhas River off the western coast of India in the coastal region known as the Konkan. Most of Mumbai is at sea level and the average elevation ranges from 33 to 49.5 feet (10 to 15 meters). The northern part of Mumbai is hilly and the highest point of the city is at 1,450 feet (450 meters). Within the metropolitan limits are present three lakes: the Tulsi Lake, Vihar Lake and the Powai Lake. The first two are present within the Borivali National Park and supply part of the city’s drinking water. Mumbai also has three small rivers within the city limits originating in the National Park. The coastline of the city is indented with numerous creeks and bays. On the eastern seaboard, large mangrove swamps rich in biodiversity occupy most of the region. Soil cover in the city region is predominantly sandy owing to its proximity to the sea. The underlying rock of the region is composed of black Deccan basalt flows and their acid and basic variants dating back to the late Cretaceous and early Eocene geological eras. Mumbai sits on a seismically active zone owing to the presence of three fault lines in the vicinity. The area is classified as a Zone III region, which means an earthquake of magnitude of up to 6.5 can be expected.
March 15, 2006
Welcome to Mumbai, India
Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra and is the most populous Indian city. It is located on an island off the west coast of India and has an estimated metropolitan population in 2005 of 17 million, making it the sixth largest metropolitan area in the world. Clustered along with its outlying satellite townships, it forms one of the world’s most populous conurbations. The city, which has a deep natural harbor, is also the largest port in western India, handling over half of the country’s passenger traffic. Mumbai is the commercial capital of India, and houses important financial institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India, the Bombay Stock Exchange, and the corporate headquarters of many Indian companies. Owing to the immense business opportunities available in Mumbai and the relatively high standard of living, it has attracted migrants from all over India and South Asia, making the city a potpourri of various communities and cultures. Within Mumbai is Bollywood, the epicenter of the country’s Hindi film and television industry, annually producing the world’s highest number of films. Mumbai is also one of the rare cities to accommodate a National Park within its municipal limits. The appellation Mumbai is an eponym, derived from Mumba: the name of the local Hindu goddess Mumbadevi and Aai, which means mother in Marathi. In the 16th century, the Portuguese named the area Bom Bahia, meaning Good Bay. Later corrupted to Bombaim, it is still known as such in Portuguese. After the British gained possession, it was anglicized to Bombay. The name was officially changed from Bombay to Mumbai in 1995. Bombay is still popularly used in the West and by many of the city’s inhabitants and institutions.
Politics in India
For most of its independent history, the Indian National Congress Party has controlled India’s national government. Following its position as the largest political organization in pre-independence India, Congress, usually led by a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family, enjoyed nearly unchallenged dominance over national politics for over forty years. In 1977, a united opposition (BJP) won the election and formed a non-Congress government for a short period. In 1996, the BJP, with its right wing ideology based on Hinduism became the largest single party, and established for the first time a serious opposition to the left wing ideology of Congress. In 1999, the BJP formed the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) along with smaller parties and became the first non-Congress government to sustain the full five-year term. Short-lasting governments, with seven separate governments forming within that period, marked the decade prior to 1999. In the 2004 Indian elections the Congress party returned to power after winning the largest number of seats, by a narrow margin. Congress formed a government in alliance with the Communist Party of India and with several mostly-regional parties. The NDA, led by the BJP, currently forms the main opposition. All governments formed since 1996 have required party coalitions, with no single majority party, due to the steady rise of regional parties at the national level.
March 14, 2006
History of Mumbai
Mumbai was originally made up of seven isles. Artifacts found near Kandivali in northern Mumbai indicate that these islands had been inhabited since the Stone Age. In the 3rd century BC, they were part of the Maurya empire, ruled by the Buddhist emperor Ashoka. The Hindu rulers of the Silhara dynasty later governed the islands until 1343, when the kingdom of Gujarat annexed it. Some of the oldest edifices of the archipelago Elephanta Caves and the Walkeshwar temple complex date to this era. In 1534, the Portuguese appropriated the islands from Bahadur Shah of Gujarat. They were ceded to Charles II of England in 1661 as wedding gifts of Catherine de Braganza. They in turn wereleased to the British East India Company in 1668 for a sum of 10 pounds per annum. The company found the deep harbour at Bombay eminently apposite, and the population rose from 10,000 in 1661 to 60,000 by 1675. In 1687, the East India Company transferred their headquarters from Surat to Bombay. From 1817 the city was reshaped with large civil engineering projects aimed at merging the islands into a single amalgamated mass. This project, Hornby Vellard, was completed by 1845 and resulted in the area swelling to 168 square miles (435 square kilometers). Eight years later, in 1853, India’s first railway line was established, connecting Bombay to Thana. During the American Civil War (1861-1865) the city became the world’s chief cotton market, resulting in a boom in the economy and subsequently in the city’s stature. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 transformed Bombay into one of the largest Arabian Sea ports. The city grew into a major urban center over the next thirty years, owing to an improvement in the infrastructure and the construction of many of the city’s institutions. The population of the city swelled to one million by 1906, making it the second largest in India, after Calcutta. It later became a major base for the Indian independence movement, with the Quit India Movement called by Mahatma Gandhi in 1942 being its most rubric event. After independence, the city incorporated parts of the island of Salsette, expanding to its present day limits in 1957. It became the capital of the new linguistic state of Maharashtra in 1960. In the late 1970s Bombay witnessed a construction boom, with a significant increase in population owing to the influx of migrants. By 1986 it had overtaken Calcutta as the most populated Indian city. The city’s secular fabric was torn in 1992, after large-scale Hindu-Muslim riots caused extensive losses to life and property. A few months later, on March 12, simultaneous bombings of the city’s establishments by the underworld killed around three hundred. In 1995, the city was renamed Mumbai after the right wing Shiv Sena party came into power in Maharashtra, in keeping with their policy of renaming colonial institutions after historic local appellations.
India
Northern India contains the snow-bound peaks and deep valleys of the Himalaya, and the vast Gangetic Plain, which separates the Himalayan region from the southern peninsula and stretches from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal. South of the plains, the land rises up into a triangular- shaped plateau known as the Deccan, which ranges in altitude from 985 feet, 300 meters, to 2950 feet, 900 meters. The plateau is bordered by the Eastern and Western ghats, ranges of hills that run parallel to India’s coasts and separate the fertile coastal strips from the interior. It has been said that India is less a country than a continent, and it holds as many variations in religion, language, customs, art and cuisine as it does in topography. For the traveller, this cultural feast is India’s great strength. Indian art is basically religious in its themes and developments, and its appreciation requires at least some background knowledge of the country’s faiths. The highlights include classical Indian dance, Hindu temple architecture and sculpture, the military and urban architecture of the Mughals, miniature painting, and mesmeric Indian music.
March 13, 2006
Welcome to Cochin, India
Cochin is both a city and a former state (known as Princely State) in southwest India on the Arabian Sea. Now part of Kerala state, the region of Cochin has one of the highest population densities in India. Agriculture is the chief economic activity. Ernakulam was the former capital and Kochi (formerly Cochin) the chief port. Thought of as the finest port south of Bombay, Kochi, with its naval base and shipbuilding industry, is the primary training center for the Indian Navy. After Vasco da Gama visited the city in 1502, the Portuguese established a settlement. The Dutch captured it in 1663 and the British in 1795. In adjoining Mattancheri there is a small community of descendants of Jews expelled from Portugal in the 16th century,thought to be the oldest Jewish enclave in India. India is a large, triangular-shaped country in southern Asia, buttressed by the long sweep of the Himalaya in the north and protruding into the Indian Ocean in the south. It’s bordered by Pakistan to the northwest, China, Nepal and Bhutan to the north, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. Sri Lanka is the teardrop-shaped island hanging off its southern tip. India covers a land area of some 1,281,930 square miles, 3,287,000 square kilometers, though disputed borders with Pakistan and China make this figure somewhat arbitrary; it still remains that India is the seventh largest country in the world.
A Taste of India
The sights, sounds and colors of India come alive with the local entertainment throughout the day. In the Queen’s Lounge at 9:00 am, be awed and marvel at the Kathakali classical dance form, explicating ideas and stories from the Indian epics and Puranas; Mohiniyattom, the distinctive sinuous dance of the enchantress; and Kalaripayattu, the great martial art form of Kerala. Then, at 2:00 pm on the pier, fully decorated caparisoned elephants as well as Panchavadyam and traditional dressed Thalappoli hostesses will greet you into the culturally rich country of India. At 4:45 pm on the pier there will be a special farewell of Kavadi with Shingari Melam. Enjoy all of the local entertainment that encompasses the essence of India!
India
India is home to some of the most ancient civilizations (and a center of important historic trade routes), including four major world religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. India, the country’s official name is derived from the Old Persian version of Sindhu. Bharat is also recognized as an official name of equal status, which is derived from the Sanskrit name of an ancient Hindu king. A third name, Hindustan, or land of the Hindus in Persian, was used from Mughal times onwards, though its contemporary use is unevenly.
Customs in India
• Indians have a leisurely attitude towards time, be flexible with your bargaining and take the time to make a great deal.
• Business is very personal; time will be taken for small talk and pleasantries.
• It is customary to refuse the first drink offer but accept the second. Refusing a drink altogether is considered offensive.
• The word no has abrasive connotations; therefore do not outright refuse an offer but find a vague way to get around it, such as
I’ll try.
• Keep small change on you as street merchants and taxi drivers often claim that they have no change.
• Tipping is a certain way to make sure things get done – it is more than a gift for a job well done.
• Keep your hands in your pockets when walking by temples, as street merchants will often make you pay for a bracelet they put on a free arm.
• Public displays of affection should be refrained upon at all times to respect the Indian culture.
• Women should not initiate shaking hands with Indian men.
• Never pat or touch an Indian’s head.
• It is rude to point with your fingers (use your chin to point), beckon with your palm up, whistling and winking.
• A side-to-side head movement denotes agreement” while an up-and-down head movement means no.
• Feet and shoes are considered unclean and should never touch another person; apologize if this happens.
• Men should wear pants rather than shorts. Woman should keep their upper arms, chest, back and legs covered.
• As cows are revered animals by Hindu people, wearing leather of any kind can be seen as offensive.
March 12, 2006
India’s Culture
India has a rich and unique cultural heritage, and has actively preserved its established traditions throughout history. It has also absorbed customs from both invaders and immigrants. Many cultural practices and monuments, such as the Taj Mahal and other Islamic architecture, have been inherited from the rule of Mughal emperors. Indian society is largely pluralist, multilingual and multicultural. Religious practices of various faiths are an integral part of everyday life in society. Education is highly regarded by members of every socio-economic stratum. The traditional Indian family values are highly respected and considered sacred, although urban families have grown into a nuclear family system, owing to the socio-economic constraints imposed by the traditional joint family system. Religion in India is very public, with many practices imbued with pomp and vitality accompanying their underlying spiritual qualities. A melting pot of many religions, India has rich festivals celebrated by everyone. The most widely known and popular celebrations include the Hindu festivals of Diwali, Holi, and Dussera. Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated by people belonging to all religions in Tamil Nadu. Rice and wheat (in bread forms) are the staple foods in the country. The gastronomy of India is extremely diverse, as ingredients, spices and cooking methods all vary from region to region. The country is notable for its wide variety of vegetarian cuisine and spices.
March 11, 2006
History of India
Stone Age rock shelters with paintings at Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh are the earliest known traces of human life in India. The first known permanent settlements appeared 9,000 years ago and developed into the Indus Valley Civilization, which peaked between 2600 BC and 1900 BC. From around 500 BC onwards, many independent kingdoms came into being. In the north, the Maurya dynasty, which included the Buddhist king Ashoka, contributed greatly to India’s cultural landscape. From 180 BC, a series of invasions from Central Asia followed, with the successive establishment in the northern Indian subcontinent of the Indo-Greek, Indo-Scythian and Indo-Parthian kingdoms, and finally the Kushan Empire. From the 3rd century onwards the Gupta dynasty oversaw the period referred to as India’s Golden Age. In the south, several dynasties including the Chalukyas, Cheras, Cholas, Pallavas, and Pandyas prevailed during different periods. Science, art, literature, mathematics, astronomy, engineering, religion, and philosophy flourished under the patronage of these kings. Following the Islamic invasions in the beginning of the second millennium, much of India was ruled by the Delhi Sultanate, and later, much of the entire subcontinent by the Mughal dynasty. Nevertheless, several indigenous kingdoms remained in or rose to power, especially in the relatively sheltered south.
During the middle of the second millennium, several European countries, including the Portuguese, French and English, who were initially interested in trade with India, took advantage of the fractured kingdoms to colonize the country. After a failed insurrection in 1857 against the British East India Company, most of India came under the direct administrative control of the British Empire. The Indian independence movement followed, eventually led by Mahatma Gandhi, who was regarded as the father of modern India. On August 15, 1947 India gained independence, later becoming a republic on January 26, 1950. As a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country, India has had its share of sectarian violence and insurgencies. Nonetheless, it has held itself together as a secular democracy. India has unresolved border disputes with China, which escalated into a brief war in 1962, and Pakistan, which resulted in wars in 1947, 1965, and 1971. In 1974, India conducted an underground nuclear test, making it an unofficial member of the Nuclear Club, which was followed up with a series of five more tests in 1998.
India-World Cruise-2006
March 10, 2006
The Economy in India
India has an economy ranked as the 10th largest in the world in terms of currency conversion and 4th largest in terms of purchasing power parity. It recorded one of the fastest annual growth rates of around 8% in 2003. Owing to its large population, however, India’s per-capita income by purchasing power parity works out to be just $3,262 (USD), ranked 120th by the World Bank. India’s foreign exchange reserves amount to over $143 billion (USD). While a quarter of Indians still live below the poverty line, a large middle class has now emerged along with the growth of a promising IT industry. The Indian economy has shed much of its historical dependence on agriculture, which now contributes to less than 25% of the GDP. Other important industries are mining, petroleum, diamond polishing, films, textiles, information technology services, and handicrafts. Most of India’s industrial regions are centered around major cities. In recent years, India has emerged as one of the largest players in software and business process outsourcing services, with revenues of $17.2 billion (USD) in 2004-2005. There are also a lot of small-scale industries that provide steady employment to many of its citizens in small towns and villages. While India receives only around three million foreign visitors a year, tourism is still an important source of its national income, contributing 5.3% of India's GDP. The actual employment generation, both direct and indirect, is estimated to be 42 million, or about 10% of India’s work force.
Say it in Hindi
Thought of as the most important Indian language, Hindi is only spoken as a first language of 20% of the population. Nevertheless, it is the official language of the Indian government and seven states of India. Although it is not easily identifiable to most English speakers, Hindi has many of the same grammatical features of English.
Hello/Goodbye Namaste
Yes Jee hang
No Jee Naheeng
Thank you Shukriyaa
Excuse me/Sorry Kshamaa Keejiye
I’m lost Maing raastaa bhool gayaa
How much for…? … kaa kiraayaa kitnaa hai?
Where is the bathroom? Gusalkaanaa kahaang hai?
Do you speak English? Kyaa aap ko angrezee aatee hai?
I don’t understand Maing naheeng Samjhaa
March 9, 2006
Welcome to Victoria, Seychelles
The Seychelles is a group of about 115 islands that lie 990 miles (1600 kilometers) off the coast of east Africa. The three central islands - Mahé, Praslin and La Digue - are granite, while the outlying islands are coral atolls. Unlike most similar islands, the Seychelles are not volcanic - they seem to be the peaks of a huge underwater plateau that fell off the edge of India about 65 million years ago. The islands are rich in vegetation, but most of it is either coconut palms or casuarinas. The Seychelles is home to the extremely rare giant coco de mer palm. In high, remote areas you might also find the insect-eating pitcher plant, as well as a veritable bouquet of orchids, bougainvilleas, hibiscuses, gardenias and frangipani. Victoria, on the island of Mahé is one of the smallest capital cities in the world, and the only major port in the Seychelles. It is also the only town in the country - every other settlement is a village. The courthouse and main post office in the center of town have been untouched since colonial times, but the streets emanating from the center have been rebuilt over the past 20 years, giving the town a clean and modern look. There are a few old houses and shops in the city center, giving the town a unique character. Victoria’s Botanical Gardens are highly recommended for short and shady walks among a variety of native and introduced trees. The Seychelles is, however, known for its beautiful beaches and serene waters, perfect for snorkeling or a relaxing day on the sand.
The Seychelles
Among the 115 islands of the Seychelles you will find the luxuriant, tropical paradise that appears in countless advertisements and glossy travel brochures. But however seductive the images, they simply can’t compete with the real-life dazzling beaches and crystal-clear waters. There are more shades of blue and green in the Seychelles than it is possible to imagine. Forming a backdrop to the relaxed tropical image of the Seychelles are the rhythms, colors and flavors of Africa. The Seychelles islands are the oldest ocean islands on earth. A micro-continent, isolated millions of years ago, evolving its own flora and fauna, from which man, and indeed all land mammals, were absent. There is a relaxed ‘mañana’ attitude that is in some conflict with the need to modernize and perform to the standards of a faster, busier world beyond the coral beaches. seychelles history
Nobody lived on the Seychelles until the 17th century. In 1609, a British East India ship made landfall, and in the next few years shiploads of pirates moved their operations to the Indian Ocean from the Caribbean and used the islands as their base. In 1742 the governor of Mauritius sent a ship to check out the islands. The ship’s captain named the main island after his governor and laid the way for the French to claim the islands 12 years later. In 1770 the first load of French settlers and slaves arrived on the island and started growing spices, cassava, sugar cane, coffee, sweet potatoes and maize, as well as harvesting the giant tortoise. By the end of the 18th century, the islands were looking pretty choice and the British were taking an interest. The governor at the time lowered the French flag and gave in when attack looked imminent, but the British sailed on and the flag was raised again. This happened 12 times until 1814, when Britain took charge of the Seychelles after the Napoleonic Wars. French, however, remained the main language and French culture lived on.
Say it in Creole
English and French are the two official languages of the Seychelles; however, Creole (a dialect of French) was made a semi-official language in 1981. Most Seychellois will conduct business in French, speak English to the tourists and Creole at home.
Good afternoon Bonzour
How are you? Comman sava?
What is your name? Ki mannyer ou appel?
I don’t understand. Mon pas konpran.
Where is…? Ol i…?
How much is that? Kombyen sa?
Can I have a beer? Mon kappa ganny en labyer?
March 8, 2006
The Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest body of water in the world, covering about 20% of the Earth's water surface. It is bounded on the north by southern Asia (the Indian subcontinent); on the west by the Arabian Peninsula and Africa; on the east by the Malay Peninsula, the Sunda Islands, and Australia; and on the south by the Southern Ocean. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the 20° east meridian south of Africa, and from the Pacific by the 147° east meridian. The northernmost extent of the Indian Ocean is approximately 30° north latitude in the Persian Gulf. This ocean is nearly 6,200 miles (10,000 kilometers) wide at the southern tips of Africa and Australia; its area is 28,400,000 square miles (73,556,000 square kilometers), including the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. Small islands dot the continental rims. Island nations within the ocean are Madagascar (formerly Malagasy Republic); Comoros; Seychelles; Maldives; Mauritius; and Sri Lanka. The floor of the Indian Ocean has an average depth of 11,000 feet (3,400 meters). The Mid-Oceanic Ridge, a broad submarine mountain range extending from Asia to Antarctica, divides the Indian Ocean into three major sections: African, Antardis and Australasian. The ridge rises to an average height of 10,000 feet (3,000 meters), and a few peaks emerge as islands. A large rift, an extension of the eastern branch of the Great Rift Valley that runs through the Gulf of Aden, extends along most of its length.
The Mid-Oceanic Ridge, along with other submarine ridges, encloses a series of deep-sea basins (abyssal plains). The ocean's importance as a transit route between Asia and Africa has made it a scene of conflict. Because of its size, however, no one nation had successfully dominated until the early 1800s when Britain controlled much of the surrounding land. The surface waters of the ocean are generally warm, although close to Antarctica pack ice and icebergs are found. The Indian Ocean has two water circulation systems: a regular counterclockwise southern system (South Equatorial Current, Mozambique Current, West Wind Drift, West Australian Current) and a northern system, the Monsoon Drift, whose currents are directly related to the seasonal shift of monsoon winds. The southwest monsoon draws moisture from the Indian Ocean and drops heavy rainfall on the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
March 7, 2006
Alemitu's impressions of Kenya:
March 7, 2006
We were in Mombasa, Kenya for 3 days and we had a really hot and nice time. I got to go on an overnight tour that was called Tsavo safari. On that tour I got to see all the different animals like lions, zebras, giraffes, elephants, deer-like animals, water buffalo and all the different kinds of birds. The roads were very bumpy and very uncomfortable to drive on because they all had holes in them. Some of the roads were very muddy and the smell of the streets while you are driving by smells of garbage and fire smoke. There is garbage everywhere while you are driving by. The people don’t seem to know how to take care of the environment. It is very different from America. It looks like here they are living in the past and we are living in the future.
The place we stayed was a lodge that was like a hotel/motel. The rooms were really nice. The beds had mosquito nets over them so that we wouldn’t get bitten by bugs at night. We had a pretty good view of where all the animals lived from our room. The people were very nice. They all would ask me if I spoke Swahili. Some thought I was from Kenya. One other person thought I was a Jew from Ethiopia. When we went back to the room in the evening, I went to wash my hands and the sink was full of bugs, some dead and some alive. I started shrieking, then cleaned out the sink with toilet paper. Later, my roommate went into the bathroom and she started shrieking, “There are so many bugs.” Later when I went back again, there was a huge cockroach on the seat. My roommate started shrieking, “I hate bugs. Kill it, kill it. Use your sandal. Make sure you get it the first time or it will fly out at you.” I said, “It flies?” Then I took my sandals off and I whacked it on the toilet while I was shrieking. She screamed along with me. Then I took the dead body in the garbage can. She said, “Where did you put it?” I told her and she went crazy, “You need to put it in the toilet or it will come back alive.” That was our huge cockroach incident.
Before I went to bed, I put mosquito repellent on so I wouldn’t get bitten while I was asleep. I still got bitten on my legs.
Besides that I had a wonderful time on the tour. While we were returning we got to stop by a Masai village. The tribe danced for us and we got to see the way they lived. Their houses were made out of cow poop and mud mixed. It was a very different life that they live. It was shocking to me because I used to think I wanted to live like that when I was in America. I am 100% sure that this is not the way I want to live, especially when there is no water in the house, and no bathroom. The kitchen is made out of firewood next to the bed. There is no room dividing the parents, the kids and the chickens. The smell is very strong. There is garbage everywhere. It is very different. I am very grateful that I got to experience this tour. It opened my eyes to a lot of things.
Always, Alemitu
Explorations Speaker Ambassador Edward Peck
Ambassador Edward Peck served as an American diplomat for 32 years and speaks four languages: Swedish, Arabic, French and Spanish. He was the chief of mission in Iraq from 1977 to 1980. He was an also an Embassy officer in Sweden, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Egypt and a Chief of Mission in Mauritania. His domestic assignments included Deputy Director of the Cabinet Task Force on Terrorism at the White House, Deputy Coordinator for Covert Intelligence Programs and Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs at the State Department, Liaison Officer to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a Fellow at the Institute for Higher Defense Studies at the Pentagon. Ambassador Peck retired to become Executive Secretary of the American Academy of Diplomacy in Washington, D.C., and was later named Chairman of Political Tradecraft programs at the National Foreign Affairs Training Center in Northern Virginia. He is a member of the Washington Institute of Foreign Affairs, a Distinguished Visitor at the National War College, and a Woodrow Wilson Foundation Visiting Fellow. The ambassador also serves on the Board of Directors of Americans for Middle East Understanding. A former paratrooper in the U.S. Army, Ambassador Peck rose from private to Captain. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from UCLA, and an M.B.A from George Washington University.
March 4, 2006
Mombasa, Kenya
Alemitu went off the ship for an overnight safari. She looked good, although she did her laundry last night so didn’t get much sleep. She will be rooming with one of the cruise staff, only a few years older than she and a native of Peru. Should be fun.
One of the nurses had the morning off and wanted to go into town, so I agreed to accompany her. She was on a mission to buy souvenirs, whereas, I was there to look. I don’t need anything new in my house! Plus, most of the things they are selling they were selling duplicates 30 years ago.
We took the shuttle bus into town and walked to the fort. On the way a guide attached himself to us and no matter what we tried to do, he would not budge. At first it was annoying, but since he was a pleasant fellow, he began to grow on us. After 3 hours, he was almost family! Anyway, he spouted history, led us thru alleyways to shops we would never have found, and eventually started showing us around “old town” which is much like Zanzibar with narrow, labyrinthine walkways, overhung by fresh laundry, full of mud and rubble. We saw markets like crazy, many Muslims in full garb, and smelled the putrid fish market. After a very short time, the nurse and I were lost. I began to get a little frightened because I would never have found my way out, but our fearless guide managed to get us back to where we needed to be so we could catch a car back to the ship. My friend had bought something more expensive than she had anticipated, so the shop owner let us use her driver and car to drive back to the ship where the driver waited until we returned with the money. The transaction was completed and we both collapsed from the heat and humidity. She, however, had to give up her wooden purchase for several days because the ship is freezing all wooden objects to kill the critters which inhabit them.
Win
March 5, 2006
Mombasa
Alemitu has returned with stories galore – many of them involving insects.
Security here on board has changed since we left Cape Town. We now have a security officer on desk 24 hours a day. The usual frogmen are here, but still most of the security is unobserved. Carter speaks with the officers all the time, so I am probably a little more aware than others. The men are particularly visible on the back end of the ship because there is less view for the officers on the bridge.
The dock area close to the ship is filled with vendors who have set up their wares on the ground. Many of the things are the same as the next guy’s, but the people are very friendly and very persistent. Alemitu is getting tired of them greeting her as “my sister”. They all promise a “good price” and Carter is in his element bargaining for hours. I just couldn’t stand the heat, so I left him with Alemitu and they continued the “work”. They will enter the room with their booty and be so proud of the prices they paid. As expected, Alemitu is stunning in her purchases. They definitely look more natural on brown skin.
Winnie
March 6, 2006
History of Kenya
During the 1950s and 60s, the anthropologist L. S. B. Leakey discovered the remains of hominids who lived 2 million years ago in north Tanzania. These persons, perhaps the earliest humans on earth, most likely also inhabited south Kenya. In the Kenya highlands, the existence of farming and domestic herds can be dated to 1000 B.C. Trade between the Kenya coast and Arabia was brisk by A.D. 100. Arabs settled on the coast during medieval times, and they soon established several autonomous city-states (including Mombasa, Malindi, and Pate). Farmers and herders traveled south from Ethiopia and settled in Kenya in 2000 B.C. There is also evidence that Bantu-speaking people and Nilotic speakers from the south Sudan settled in Kenya between 500 B.C. and A.D. 500. The Portuguese first visited the Kenya coast in 1498, and by the end of the 16th century they controlled much of it, including Mombasa. However, in 1729, the Portuguese were permanently expelled from Mombasa and were replaced as the leading power on the coast by two Arab dynasties: the Busaidi dynasty, based first at Masqat (in Oman) and from 1832 on Zanzibar, and the Mazrui dynasty, based at Mombasa. The Busaidi wrested Mombasa from the Mazrui in 1837. From the early 19th century there was long-distance caravan trading between Mombasa and Lake Victoria. Beginning in the mid-19th century, European explorers (especially John Ludwig Krapf and Joseph Thomson) mapped parts of the interior. The British and German governments agreed upon spheres of influence in east Africa in 1886, with most of present-day Kenya passing to the British. In 1887, a British association received concessionary rights to the Kenya coast from the sultan of Zanzibar. The association in 1888 was given a royal charter as the Imperial British East Africa Company, but severe financial difficulties soon led to its takeover by the British government, which established the East Africa Protectorate in 1895. In 1903, the first settlers of European descent established themselves as large-scale farmers in the highlands by taking land from the Kikuyu, Masai, and others. At the same time, Indian merchants moved inland from the coast. In 1920, the territory was renamed and its administration changed; the interior became Kenya Colony and a coastal strip was constituted the Protectorate of Kenya. From the 1920s to the 40s, European settlers controlled the government; Indians maintained small trade establishments and were lower-level government employees; and Africans grew cash crops such as coffee and cotton on a small scale, were subsistence farmers, or were laborers in the towns. In the 1920s, Africans began to protest their inferior status reaching a peak between 1952 and 1956 with the so-called Mau Mau Emergency, a complex armed revolt led by the Kikuyu, which was in part a rebellion against British rule and in part an attempt to reestablish traditional land rights and ways of governance. The British declared a state of emergency and imprisoned many of the colony's nationalist leaders, including Jomo Kenyatta. After the revolt Britain increased African representation in the colony's legislative council until there was an African majority in 1961.
