February 25, 2008 (Personal)
We have just left Brunei and what an interesting country. Of course, Carter and I can remember when the Sultan of Brunei was the richest man in the world, before Bill Gates came along. This country is so small and right in the middle of a rather 3rd world island, Borneo. The harbor is full of oil rigs. You would never know Brunei is in the middle of a malarious island. I guess that is what a little money will do. This was once a British protectorate, becoming independent only 24 years ago.
When we arrived, it was in a tropical rain squall. Had this been Seattle, we would have been under water. But they had an amazing underground system to take care of huge volumes of water. Some of the sidewalks were a little precarious because they had neglected to cover the culverts with grates, so you had to always keep your eyes open and pointed down. We couldn’t get off until early afternoon, but then we hopped on a bus that took 45 minutes, but gave us a good look at the countryside and dropped us in at a huge shopping complex. The women we were with were enthralled, but Carter and I took off to look around. Many of the women wore head scarves, but many did not. Every woman had her shoulders, knees and midriff covered. Even photos of the wives of the Sultan showed variety in wearing the headscarf.
We found the parade grounds still decorated from their independence day celebration that had occurred yesterday and while there we met the most friendly Brunei native who wanted to welcome us to his country and encourage us to see their national museum. He and his daughter directed us to the museum and as we were walking there, he passed us in his van and shouted encouragement out the window. He was quite a character.
The museum required that we all take off our shoes upon entry, as well as check everything. No photos were allowed which annoyed Carter…..I used the restroom, which was an experience. They were washing the floors with soapy, chlorox water, so there were flip-flops provided. That necessitated removal of my socks, which were fused to my feet with sweat. Then the toilet was one of those 2 foot prints and a hole. I had not worn my Capri pants – mistake!
The most impressive part of the museum for me was the fabric that the replicas of security guards all wore. They were either black or red with gold thread making the design. They also had the chariot that is used to transport the sultan and his wives – huge and also red and gold. Every living woman in the museum wore a head scarf, but they all made us feel quite welcome. The last time I was in Egypt, the women in head scarves weren’t too friendly…..Makes you think about being an American in a Muslim world. As we walked back to the bus stop there was the call to worship from the minaret. I had forgotten how loud that could be. In each store in the shopping mall, and in the central areas, there are red arrows painted on the ceiling, pointing to Mecca.
Once back to the ship, Carter was very busy with multiple accidents. I think the fact that everyone had to remove his/her shoes and walk on marble floors was a little unsettling for many of the passengers. Also we are getting just far enough into the cruise for passengers to have reached the end of their tethers. They were in just-barely-ok shape at the beginning and are now losing their edge. Thank goodness, Carter was trained as an internist to begin with. He is drawing on those skills more than he ever imagined.
February 26, 2008
Manila
We arrived in Manila early this morning and Carter was off the ship before 7:30am. He has meetings all morning, then back to the ship and more meetings here. He has been trying to encourage me to get off and go on the shuttle bus to yet another mall. I know Alemitu or Lisa would enjoy seeing one of the biggest malls in Asia, but that isn’t my things. I have spent much of the morning observing. There were bands and dancers on the pier for most the day, as well as the crew with their families. It is so heartwarming to see these men and women who take care of us being taken care of by their families. One of the cooks who I have never seen before had his family and proudly introduced his beautiful 9 year old daughter to me. She is just learning English and was sweetly shy, but proud of her father and SO happy to be with him. He seemed happy beyond belief.
There were crew who had never seen their newest babies and others who were reconnecting with their families after 6 months, knowing they have another 6 months without seeing them. The 2 other doctors had their mothers here and those women were amazing with their generosity. When they left, they had enough food for 10 of us, all wrapped in banana leaves, amazingly delicious. We even ate/drank something that we had eaten 30 years ago in a moment of dire thirst. We both became so ill afterwards, having bought it from a street vendor who was used to washing his dishes – ever. This time it was safe and tasted fantastic. It was a drink/dessert made from fresh grated coconut, coconut milk and green jello. Sounds awful, but it was great. We also had a dessert that was a bright purple, a little gelatinous, made from yams. Then Gracielle’s mother brought all sorts of dried mango, as well as little cookies. It is going to be trial not to gain weight…..
Carter’s meetings with the Filipino doctors was a great success. He was impressed by the organization that the land-based doctors had prepared, so all went well.
February 27, 2008
At Sea
Today we had to take the temperatures of very one on board. This is a Hong Kong requirement and it had to be performed no sooner than 24 hours before we landed in Hong Kong. This meant that the ship took the huge auditorium and had 3 stations with a temperature taker and a temperature recorder. The passengers filed in and their temperatures were taken with a little gun that is held about 2 inches from their neck. Of course, the temperatures were all in Celsius, so everyone was questioning what the translation was. Amazingly, it was rather quick. There were the usual complaints that it was too early (8-9am) and some people wore wide brimmed hats, scarves and were truly incognito. I guess the ladies were having trouble without their make-up.
Then 2 hours later we had to do all the crew. The crew all have numbers and the older an employee, the lower his number. Some of the numbers are 5-6 digits and most of you know that I am a little dyslexic. This was a challenge. After about 10 crew members, Debbie, the crew doc kindly suggested that we switch places. I was definitely stressed and she was stressed just watching me try to find these numbers. Sometimes she would give me the temperature before I got the number, so then we had to start all over again. Amazingly, she knew some of the numbers by heart, so once we changed places, it was lickity-split.
One of the dining room stewards came in and his temperature was bordering on hypothermic. I thought the machine was running out of batteries, so I tried again. Still got the same reading….Then I asked where he had just been, and he announced that he had been assigned to work in the freezer….Soon after, there were about 10 of the men who came in with sub-normal temperatures, but we already had that figured out.
February 28, 2008
Hong Kong
Yesterday and last night were difficult because we had 12-18 ft seas. I think anything over 10 is nasty. Carter and I finally went to bed at 8:30pm, just so we were vertical and couldn’t fall down. We didn’t sleep much, but both knew that something had changed around 1am. At last we didn’t feel as though we were standing on our heads one minute
Labels: Personal
Chinese Superstitions
One of the most prevalent superstitions in Hong Kong is the belief in the power in numbers. In the Cantonese language, many words share the same pronunciation as numbers. The number three sounds similar to ‘life’, nine sounds like ‘eternity’, and the number eight like ‘prosperity’. Lowest on the list is four, which has the same pronunciation as the word for ‘death’. Thus companies or homebuyers will shell out extra money for an address that contains one or more number eights. Each year the Hong Kong government draws in millions of dollars for charity by auctioning off automobile license plates, which feature lucky numbers. The Bank of China Tower opened on 08/08/88 - a rare union of the prosperous numbers. Couples rush to be married if there is an eight in the date, so August is a busy month! A few buildings around the city are missing their 4th or 14th floors, but overall people seem able to live with the number four, despite its ominous overtones. Some foods are also luckier than others. On birthdays, celebrants may eat noodles, as the long strands symbolize longevity. Sea moss, which in Cantonese has the same sound as ‘prosperity’, is always an auspicious ingredient. Peach juice is believed to be a life-giving elixir, while garlic and ginger can protect one against evil.
The chinese Dragon
The dragon is traditionally regarded as one of the four heavenly creatures of good omen in Chinese mythology. The fondness for dragons has lead to dances in his honor as the principal feature of festive procession and celebrations.
Labels: Travel information
Welcome to Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China
Hong Kong consists of a mainland portion located on the country’s southeastern coast and about 235 islands. It is bordered on the north by Guangdong Province and on the east, west and south by the South China Sea. Hong Kong was a British dependency from the 1840s until July 1, 1997, when it passed to Chinese sovereignty as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. When Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997, it had existed as a British colony for 156 years - not a long history for what is today one of the world’s great cities. Stand amid the forest of skyscrapers in Central and try to imagine the ‘barren island with hardly a house upon it’ that British naval officers surveyed as they hoisted the Union Jack over the empire’s newest addition in 1841. It is difficult to picture, for in its headlong dash toward ever-greater prosperity, Hong Kong has worked hard to bury its humble origins. The total land area of Hong Kong is small, comprising only 422 square miles (1092 square kilometers); the surrounding territorial waters cover 707 square miles (1830 square kilometers). Hong Kong’s mainland portion consists of the urban area of Kowloon and a portion of the New Territories, a large area that became part of Hong Kong in 1898. Lantau Island (also called Tai Yue Island), ceded to Hong Kong as part of the New Territories but often considered separate from that region, is the largest island. Located about six miles (ten kilometers) east of Lantau Island and across Victoria Harbor from Kowloon is Hong Kong Island. The city of Hong Kong (also known as Victoria) faces the harbor on the northern part of the island.
Colors and ustoms in Hong Kong
There is more to a color than meets the eye, at least for the Chinese. White is the color of death and mourners at traditional Chinese funerals will often wear white cloaks, sometimes with a black ribbon. Black on white is traditionally associated with funerals, and if you ever see a large circular flower arrangement in black and white, it denotes someone’s passing. It used to be that sending a white sheet of paper with black writing on it was a bad omen. Red is a far happier color, symbolizing prosperity. In traditional Chinese weddings the bride would wear red; today the red gown is usually only reserved for the wedding reception. Restaurants, temples and other places where people congregate are often decked out in red. However, it is not considered good form to write notes, letters or sign one’s name in red ink. Hong Kong residents do not seem too clear on why this is, but Taiwanese say that it implies the writer lacks intelligence. Yellow, which was always the color of the emperor, is believed to repel evil spirits, which is why temple fortune papers are printed on yellow paper. Black also stands for treachery, but this idea wilted under the forces of fashion - black clothing was all the rage among stylish young women during the 1990’s.
Say it in Cantonese
Hello Nei hou
Goodbye Joi gin
Please Ng goi
Thank You Doh je
Yes Hei
No Ng Hei
Cheers Yem xing
How much? Gei doh chiu?
Where’s the toilet? Chi soh hei
Early History of Hong Kong
Hong Kong has supported human life since at least the Stone Age. Until the British claimed it, the area was a neglected corner of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) inhabited by farmers, fishermen and pirates. The British took control of Hong Kong in 1841 following the Opium Wars. European trade with China had been taking place since the 16th century, but as European demand for tea and silk grew, the balance of trade became more unfavorable to Europeans, who were expected to pay in silver. In 1773, the British unloaded 155,000 pounds (70,000 kilograms) of Bengal opium, and the Chinese taste for the ‘foreign mud’ grew exponentially. Alarmed at the drain of silver from the country and the increasing number of addicts, the emperor banned the drug trade; however the Europeans and corrupt Chinese officials kept the trade in opium going until 1839. The British sent an expeditionary force to secure favorable trade arrangements and obtain the use of islands as a British base. The British pressured the Chinese into ceding the island of Hong Kong to them in perpetuity. Both sides repudiated the agreement, but Commodore Gordon Bremmer led a contingent of naval men ashore on January 26, 1841, and claimed the island for Britain. A series of conflicts followed, with the British backed by French, Russian and American interests, and a combined British and French force invaded China in 1859, forcing an agreement to the Convention of Peking, which ceded the Kowloon Peninsula and Stonecutters Island to the British. In 1898, the British also gained a 99-year lease on the New Territories, which they felt essential to protect their interests on Hong Kong Island.
Labels: Travel information
Welcome to Manila, Philippines
Manila is the capital of the Philippines and one of the cities that make up the greater metropolitan area of Metro Manila. Well into the 13th century, the city consisted of a fortified settlement and trading quarter at the bay of the Pasig River, on top of previous older towns. Manila became the seat of the colonial government of Spain when it controlled the Philippine Islands for over three centuries from 1565 to 1898. Beginning in 1898, the United States occupied and controlled the city and the Philippine archipelago until 1946. During World War II, much of the city was destroyed and it was not until 1975 that the Metropolitan Manila region was enacted as an independent entity. Today, the city and the metropolis thrive as an important cultural and economic center. The official name of the city under its Malay aristocracy was Seludong/Selurung, which was the same name given for the general region of southwestern Luzon at that time, suggesting that it was the capital of this territory. However, the city became well-known by the local name given to the city by its Tagalog inhabitants, Maynilad. The name is from the phrase may nilad, Tagalog for “there is nilad,” in reference to the flowering mangrove plant that grew on the marshy shores of the bay, used to produce soap for regional trade. It is from the name Maynilad that the city of Manila derives its modern name.
Say it in Tagalog
How are you? Kumusta ka?
I’m fine Mabuti po
Goodbye Paalam
Yes Oo
No Hindi
Please (asking for help) Pakiusap
Please (giving permission) Paumanhin
Thank you Salamat po
Welcome Mabuhay
My name is… Ang pangalan
Labels: Travel information
Welcome to Muara, Brunei
Officially the State of Brunei, ‘Abode of Peace’, Brunei is an independent Islamic sultanate on the northern coast of the island of Borneo. It consists of two separate areas, approximately 19 miles (30 kilometers) apart, has an area of 2226 square miles (5765 square kilometers) and is bounded to the north by the South China Sea and on all other sides by the east Malaysian state of Sarawak. Brunei achieved independence in 1984, after having been a British protectorate since 1888. The narrow coastal plain in the north gives way to rugged hills farther south. Its highest point is Pagon Peak (6070 feet or 1850 meters) in the southeast. The country is drained by the Belait, Tutong, and Brunei rivers in the western enclave and by the Pandaruan and Temburong rivers in the east; all these rivers flow generally northward to the South China Sea. The soils of Brunei are deeply weathered and highly leached and generally are infertile. Richer alluvial soils are found along the rivers and in some parts of the coastal floodplain, and these offer the best agricultural potential. Most of Brunei is jungle as only 15 percent of the country is cultivated, resulting in Brunei having to import approximately 80 percent of its food requirements.
Say it in Malay
How are you? Apa khabar?
Safe journey Selemat jelan
Please Tolong
Thank you Terima kasih
Sorry/Excuse me Maaf
My name is… Nama saya…
I don’t understand Saya tak faham
Can you help me? Boleh tolong
Labels: Travel information
February 23, 2008 (Personal)
I just wanted to relay a few of the emotions of our stop in Bali. About 40% of the crew are Indonesian, so just landing on Indonesian soil was a thrill for them. It is their homeland. Many of the crew could not have their families come to Bali due to the expense of travel and the length of travel, but those who were lucky enough to have family reunions were flying high. They had smiles on their faces that just wouldn’t leave.
The ship had to dock in the harbor, so we were all tendered in to shore. I felt so sorry for those meeting family because they had to wait until all of the passengers were tendered in. They were lined up in the crew area, so anxious to see their families. I had hoped that there would be one tender just for them, but the passengers are the paying customers, so the crew had to wait. I went down into the crew area, just to observe.
Gradually, families began to filter onto the ship and it was a joyous sight and sound. There were children’s voices, happy faces and tenderness shown by mothers and wives to their sons and husbands. While we were riding the tender back to the ship we observed a crew member with his mother, wife and children. The mother sat between the wife and husband, gently touching her son’s shoulder. Then the wife would reach behind her mother-in-law and gently stroke her husband’s back. I was almost in tears.
The families were allowed on the ship, taking tours of the passenger and crew areas. They also were able to eat in the Lido, the children SO happy to have ice cream. They all sat quietly, in awe of seeing their Dad’s workplace. It was impressive.
Then came the sad time of departure. I couldn’t stand to watch and had to return to the room. At 5pm there was a general announcement made that all visitors needed to return to shore. The time seemed so short and many of these people won’t be able to be reunited for 8-9 months……I guess we have to be happy that they had this time, even if it is only a snippet.
February 23, 2008
Quick note. Yesterday I decided I was going too gray, so I decided it was time to color my hair. I had announced to Carter that I thought he would be a good helper……He wasn’t so sure. I had tried to get one of the hair dressers to do it, but they are so booked that I have to wait several weeks. So after lunch, we headed downstairs to take care of business. On the way, Carter was mentioning this to a new friend (a nurse practitioner) and she volunteered to help. Carter instantly disappeared.
Well, my hairdresser from Seattle had sent along all the color, the brush, etc., so all I needed were the gloves and towel. So we set to work. We decided that each of us has sat there watching the color being applied to ourselves, so we could do it. And lo’ and behold, it doesn’t look bad! It is a little darker than usual, but that is probably because of the color itself. So far only one person noticed (not Carter), so I guess it is pretty good. I was worried because I had a little stain on the side of my face, but I scrubbed it clean – now it is a little red, but that is better than brown. Success!
Labels: Personal
February 22, 2008 (Personal)
Bali was much the same as I remember 30 years ago. The people were exceedingly friendly, very anxious to sell their wares, and the humidity was oppressive. The amazing thing was that once you get away from the towns, the countryside is covered with ferns, as well as a plant that looks like a cactus. It makes no sense.
The other thing that was one of my favorite things in the world was the fact that these people make offerings to the gods EVERYWHERE. They make little leaf baskets about 2-3 inches in diameter, fill them with little pieces of fruit, food, grains and place them on the ground, in trees, on little temples which are ubiquitous. One of the ladies on the ship said that we Americans could us a little of this humility and outward expression of thankfulness for all that we have. I agree.
Carter was entertaining 12 doctors from Indonesia, the ones who do all of the pre-employment physicals and post-care for the Indonesian staff. There were 2 competitive groups, so he wasn’t totally sure how it would all shake out. He was confined to the ship, so I took off with Sheila, one of the nurses and we went exploring. Neither of us likes the crowds, so we took off over a hill, found a temple that didn’t seem too popular with tourists (we were the only Caucasians) and then found a cute little café overlooking a beach. No ship passengers there, since it was rather remote.
It was funny because 2 very persistent sales ladies decided we were good marks. They had traditional batiks for sale, as well as postcards, wooden boxes, bikinis – you name it, they had it. We bought a little, then had a snack 2 cokes and a plate of papaya and shrimp (all for less than $3). Once the sales ladies tired of us, they moved on to a Japanese couple and out of nowhere produced a bag of shorts and tops. When we left, the sale lady was giving another bikini clad woman a massage. They were definitely multi-talented.
Once I returned to the ship, I was looking for Carter because I wanted to meet some of the people he had visiting. I searched everywhere, but managed to miss him. I wasn’t sure if he had a serious discussion underway, so I just left a message for him to call and returned to the room. As I was a little overheated, I decided to lie down and promptly fell asleep. The next thing I knew, Carter was calling my name, with 12 people entering our room. How embarrassing!! I had done the laundry earlier in the day, but the socks hadn’t completely dried, so our room was decorated with multiple pairs hadn’t completely dried, so our room was decorated with multiple pairs of socks, as well as several hanging dresses. Yikes! At least I was clothed and not drooling!!
Tai Chi has become a daily activity for me. This instructor is very low key and for once I think I got into the “zone”. I was doing the breathing correctly and not clenching my teeth because I can’t get the hand movements in the correct direction. When we first started, there was a turf war for space to do the routines. We do the class in the auditorium and with careful moving of the tables and chairs, you can make enough space for yourself. I finally moved up into the balcony area because there was less competition for space. We have a nice group of regulars up there, but there is one rebel. There is a man who insists on working at twice to three times the speed of the rest of us. It is so distracting. I must admit it is difficult to slow down, but this is ridiculous.
We also have several speakers every day on all sorts of topics. I love the ones on the history of the region. Yesterday was discussing the history of Indonesia and the Sultan of Brunei. Very informative. Maybe this will help make me a better citizen of the world.
Labels: Personal
History of Brunei
Early Bruneian history is cloaked in mystery, although it is believed trade links existed with China in the 6th century AD. During the 15th and 16th centuries, Brunei was a considerable regional power, controlling not only most of Borneo but parts of the Philippines as well, mainly due to its success as a port. Brunei’s power waned following the arrival of the European powers to the region. The Spanish and the Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive, but it was the British, who arrived in the region in the 17th and 18th centuries, who began to erode Brunei’s influence. In 1888, the sultanate itself became a British protectorate. Brunei’s territory was gradually whittled away until, with one last flourish of absurdity, Limbang was ceded to Sarawak in 1890, thus dividing the country in half. In 1929, just as Brunei was about to be swallowed up entirely, oil was discovered. British plans to make Brunei a part of the Malaysian Federation were quashed by a revolt in 1962. The Sultan then suspended the constitution and opted for independence. The two countries signed a treaty in 1971 confirming that Britain would retain control of Brunei’s external affairs; in 1984, Brunei became completely independent. In 1991, the sale of alcohol was banned and stricter dress codes have been introduced. At the least sign of internal dissent, the Sultan moved quietly but decisively to silence his critics, and thus far his power has gone more or less unchallenged.
The Sultan of Brunei
Hassanal Bolkiah is the eldest son of Sultan Sir Haji Omar Ali Saifuddin. He was educated privately and later attended the Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, England. In 1961 Sir Omar named him crown prince, and when Sir Omar abdicated six years later, Hassanal Bolkiah became Sultan on October 5, 1967 (his coronation taking place on August 1, 1968). For the next decade, however, his father remained the power behind the throne. After the death of his mother in 1979, his father withdrew from public affairs, and the Sultan quickly took the dominant role in the administration of Brunei. He made frequent trips throughout the country to listen to his subjects as well as to promote himself as ruler. In anticipation of independence from Britain, he began to create a native bureaucracy, replacing British expatriates in the civil service with Bruneians, and he cracked down on corruption. After having held Brunei as a protectorate for 95 years, the British formally withdrew on January 1, 1984. Although there were minor disagreements over matters such as the management of Brunei’s huge investment portfolio, relations between the two countries continued to be friendly. Sir Omar died in 1986, and on October 5, 1992 the Sultan celebrated the 25th year of his reign. In the 1980s and 1990s the Sultan regularly appeared at, or near the top of, lists of the world’s richest individuals, his fortune deriving from Brunei’s oil and gas.
Labels: 2008, Feb 21
February 16-18, 2008
(Personal)Perth, Australia and the Indian Ocean
What a difference in topography. Here it is flatter, much drier. Some of the kids who are 6 years old have never seen rain. We took a free hop-on/hop-off bus around the port town of Fremantle and decided we didn’t have time, nor the inclination to go into to the big city of Perth. Fremantle was small, quaint and manageable. They had tons of museums, so we chose to see the maritime museum and then visited the market. Honestly, that museum had far more maritime information that I thought was possible. Of course, Carter read every blurb, but I found some very soft benches and “rested” while he did a thorough investigation.
The sun here is intense, so you can understand why the people of Australia have more melanoma than anywhere else in the world. There was a cool breeze, thank goodness. The market was much like the Pike Street Market in Seattle, so we did some browsing and even found some crushable hats that offer great UV protection. Then we took our last money and bought some dried fruit – mango, papaya and apricots. Unfortunately, it was so good that none of it every made it to our room. It was eaten by the medical staff when we stopped by the infirmary to let them know that we were back on the ship.
Poor Carter has been constantly busy with work. As he says, he has only seen one detached retina in his career of ER and in the last 6 weeks, he has seen 2 cases. Then the next great challenge has been dentistry. This is the first year the world cruise has not had a dentist, so Carter is learning dentistry quickly. He had to have 5 dentistry consults just in Perth. Luckily, they had a wonderful dentist there and he had heard only rave reviews about her. Too bad we couldn’t kidnap her for a while.
Two days ago the Captain gave his 1pm report and said that we were heading into Typhoon Nicholas. He said he would try to stay away from it as best he could, but that in the early morning we might be experiencing rough seas and high waves. This was not reassuring, but what can you do? You are stuck on the ship and you go where it goes. I decided that losing sleep over it would be stupid, so I slept well that night and awoke to a little rolling, but no discomfort. Yesterday at 1pm the Captain announced that he was able to totally avoid the typhoon and although we would experience a little rain, we wouldn’t have the winds. What a relief!!
Carter has befriended one of the older women who lives in the Suites (in the olden days that would be the 1st class cabin). He was joking with her that he had heard that the toilet seats were made of gold – and she instantly invited us to tea for yesterday afternoon. The tea was lovely, with enough food for 20. Carter didn’t let much go to waste but he is working out hard this morning to try to limit the damage. The Suites are lovely, probably 3-4 times the size of our cabin, plus a verandah. But they are on a level higher than ours and I find the movement we get a little excessive. Carter announced after the visit that the toilet seats are NOT made of gold.
Bali is next. Carter has arranged for many visitors who work for the company in Jakarta. Hope the medical clinic isn’t crazy, so he can attend to the visitors and it isn’t my responsibility.
Labels: Personal
Welcome to Bali, Indonesia
Bali is an Indonesian island located at the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) east of Java and 8 degrees south of the Equator. It is one of the country’s 33 provinces with the provincial capital at Denpasar towards the south of the island. The island is home to the vast majority of Indonesia’s small Hindu minority. It is also the largest tourist destination in the country and is renowned for its highly developed arts, including dance, sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking and music. The island itself is surrounded by coral reefs with beautiful beaches; those in the south tend to have white sand while those in the north and west have black sand. Padang Bai, however, has both: the main beach and the secret beach have white sand and the south beach and the blue lagoon have much darker sand. East to west, the island is approximately 95 miles wide and 69 miles north to south (153 kilometers by 112 kilometers respectively). The highest point is Mount Agung at 10,308 feet (3,142 meters), an active volcano that last erupted in March 1963. Mount Batur is also active and, about 30,000 years ago it experienced a catastrophic eruption – one of the largest known volcanic events on Earth. In the south the land descends to form an alluvial plain, watered by shallow rivers, drier in the dry season and overflowing during periods of heavy rain.
Indonesian Etiquette
In Indonesia, the correct way to beckon someone is with the hand extended and a downward waving motion of all the fingers? The western method of beckoning with the index finger will not be understood, and is considered rude. Refrain from talking to someone with your hands on your hips, as this is considered a sign of contempt. Never give or receive things with your left hand, as it is considered unclean. Shaking hands is customary for both men and women on introduction or in greeting.
Say it in bahasa Indonesia
Welcome Selamat Datang
Good bye Selamat Tinggal
Have a nice trip Selamat Jalan
Yes/No Ya/Tidak
Please Silahkan/Tolong
Thank you Terima kasih
Excuse me Maaf/Permisi
Labels: Travel information
February 15, 2008
Rumors Abound (Personal)
Yesterday as I slogged away in the gym an Australian passenger came up to me to chat. He is an animal about working out, sometimes admitting to attending 3-5 times a day. He says he is obsessed about the gym the way others are obsessed about bridge. Anyway, he said that he was leaving the gym the day before and had passed a rather large man who had fallen out of his wheelchair and was wedged between the chair and the wall. There were numerous people around trying to help him, but the rough seas were making it difficult. I told him I hadn’t heard anything about this, so the conversation ended.
Then later that evening we were attending the 32nd consecutive Valentine’s Party given by two sisters. Can you imagine, they have been on the world cruise on the Holland America line for 32 years in a row? A very sweet woman came up to me and said, “Well, I guess it has started.” I asked her what and she said, “Well, the first death.” I was shocked and said I hadn’t heard anything about it and Carter hadn’t seemed at all upset about anything.
Then dinner and one of the ladies at the table said, “I heard that there was a death.” Carter shook his head. Then she said, “But the lady I spoke with saw them put the body in a body bag.”
Where did all that come from? I guess everyone is getting bored with the rocking seas and the frequent sea days. What next?
We have moved from the Tasman Sea to the Indian Ocean. Obviously, Neptune hasn’t changed his tune. We are under Australia, working our way to Perth. When you look at the map on CNN, it looks as though there is nothing here. I’ve got news for you. It isn’t all peaceful.
I’m having a harder and harder time doing my work for Seattle on time. Each new time zone makes it harder. We are now 7 hours behind, plus a day. I try to get up early, and I must admit there is very little competition for the internet at 4:30 or 5am, but then I feel worthless for the rest of the day. I have gotten into the habit of taking a daily nap, which will be hard to break when I return to real life.
Labels: Personal
Welcome to Fremantle, Australia
Off the beaten track is the port of Fremantle or ‘Freo’ to the locals. It has a strong local identity, but has nonetheless been absorbed into Perth’s urban sprawl. In 1987, the port was the site of the unsuccessful defense of what was, for a brief period, one of Australia’s most prized possessions – the America’s Cup yachting trophy. Fremantle has been substantially revamped and is now filled with outdoor cafés, old buildings lively markets and is imbued with a laidback artsy ambience. Perth’s city center is fairly compact, situated on a sweep of the Swan River, which borders the city center to the south and east, linking Perth to Fremantle. The western end of Perth rises to the pleasant King’s Park, which overlooks the city, then extends to cosmopolitan Subiaco. Further west, suburbs extend as far as Scarborough and Cottesloe beaches on the Indian Ocean. The railway line bounds the city center on the northern side, with Northbridge immediately north of the line. Perth was founded in 1829 as the Swan River Settlement, but it grew very slowly until 1850, when convicts were brought in to alleviate the labor shortage. Many of Perth’s fine buildings, such as Government House and its Town Hall, were built using convict labor. Even then, Perth’s development lagged behind that of the eastern cities, until the discovery of gold in the 1890s increased the population four-fold in a decade and initiated a building boom.
discovering Australia
The Australian continent may have been discovered by the Portuguese before 1542, and the Arabs even earlier, but no evidence is available to support this theory, and for practical purposes the exploration of the coast may be taken to have begun by the Spaniards and Dutch. In 1606 the Spanish explorer De Torres passed through the strait that now bears his name (on the north side of the Australian continent), but no mention is made in his records of sighting the Australian continent. In the same year, Captain Jansz in the Dutch vessel Duyfken passed along the west coast of Cape York in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Some of the landed crew were attacked by the Aborigines and made no attempt to investigate the country. It may therefore be said that Captain Jansz discovered Australia.
Labels: Travel information
February 12, 2008 (Personal)
We have been so impressed by the Australians. They have been so welcoming, helpful, friendly and expensive.
While we were in Sydney we had a friend who is in a wheelchair ask a bus driver if there were any handicapped buses available for one of those hop-on, hop-off buses. They said they only had one bus available, but that they would put it into service the next morning, if he wanted. The family agreed and this bus driver drove the bus all day, making a circuit each 2 hours, so that Larry and his wife could have a similar experience to the rest of us who can walk. It was so kind.
This today we were in Melbourne – what a clean, organized city!! We took a tram for several miles from the dock into the city, then got on a FREE hop-on/hop-off bus. We only had 2 hours, but we managed to see many of the sites. While we were on the tram, one of the passengers asked the driver where a specific street was. He wasn’t sure, so he made a general announcement on the bus that he needed some help finding this street. Several other passengers knew the answer, so this young couple knew just where to get off. Then an Asian lady, with limited English, got on the tram, lugging 2 suitcases and looking stressed. She asked the driver about where she should get off and he spent quite a long time studying her papers, then determined that she was on the wrong bus, so he got out of his seat, helped her turn her luggage around, reassuring her that she “would be right.” He kept saying it was only a 40 minute ride and that she would make it. I have never seen such caring in the US. We were quite impressed.
At the moment, we are back in the Tasman Sea and it is rocking and rollin’. I will have new respect for the Tasman Sea. Not a gentle sea. And today there is no storm!
Labels: Personal
February 12, 2008 (Personal)
We have been so impressed by the Australians. They have been so welcoming, helpful, friendly and expensive.
While we were in Sydney we had a friend who is in a wheelchair ask a bus driver if there were any handicapped buses available for one of those hop-on, hop-off buses. They said they only had one bus available, but that they would put it into service the next morning, if he wanted. The family agreed and this bus driver drove the bus all day, making a circuit each 2 hours, so that Larry and his wife could have a similar experience to the rest of us who can walk. It was so kind.
This today we were in Melbourne – what a clean, organized city!! We took a tram for several miles from the dock into the city, then got on a FREE hop-on/hop-off bus. We only had 2 hours, but we managed to see many of the sites. While we were on the tram, one of the passengers asked the driver where a specific street was. He wasn’t sure, so he made a general announcement on the bus that he needed some help finding this street. Several other passengers knew the answer, so this young couple knew just where to get off. Then an Asian lady, with limited English, got on the tram, lugging 2 suitcases and looking stressed. She asked the driver about where she should get off and he spent quite a long time studying her papers, then determined that she was on the wrong bus, so he got out of his seat, helped her turn her luggage around, reassuring her that she “would be right.” He kept saying it was only a 40 minute ride and that she would make it. I have never seen such caring in the US. We were quite impressed.
At the moment, we are back in the Tasman Sea and it is rocking and rollin’. I will have new respect for the Tasman Sea. Not a gentle sea. And today there is no storm!
Labels: Personal
Australia’s Early History
Australia's original inhabitants, known as Australian Aborigines, have the longest continuous cultural history in the world, with origins dating back to the last Ice Age. Although mystery and debate shroud many aspects of Australian prehistory, it is generally accepted that the first humans traveled across the sea from Indonesia about 70,000 years ago. The first visitors, called ‘Robust’ by archaeologists because of their heavy-boned physique, were followed 20,000 years later by the more slender ‘Gracile’ people, the ancestors of Australian Aborigines. Europeans began to encroach on Australia in the 16th century; Dutch explorers followed Portuguese navigators and the enterprising English pirate William Dampier. Captain James Cook sailed the entire length of the eastern coast in 1770, stopping at Botany Bay on the way. After rounding Cape York, he claimed the continent for the British and named it New South Wales. In 1779, Joseph Banks (a naturalist on Cook’s voyage) suggested that Britain could solve overcrowding problems in its prisons by transporting convicts to New South Wales. In 1787, the First Fleet set sail for Botany Bay under the command of Captain Arthur Philip, who was to become the colony’s first governor. The fleet comprised 11 ships, 750 male and female convicts, four companies of marines and supplies for two years. Philip arrived in Botany Bay on January 26, 1788, but soon moved north to Sydney Cove, where there was better land and water.
Australia’s famous instrument
The didgeridoo, a wind instrument of the Indigenous Australians of northern Australia is sometimes described as a natural wooden trumpet. They are usually cylindrical or conical in shape and come in all lengths. The longer the instrument, the lower the pitch. It is commonly claimed to be the world's oldest wind instrument and rock art in Northern Australia suggests that the Aboriginal people have been using the didgeridoo for about 1500 years. Authentic didgeridoos are usually made from hardwoods, especially the eucalyptus tree. The difficult part is finding a tree that has been suitably hollowed out by termites. Once a suitable tree is found and cut down, a section of the trunk or a branch is utilized to make the didgeridoo. The bark is taken off, the ends trimmed and some shaping of the exterior may happen. The instrument may be painted or left undecorated and a rim of beeswax may be applied to the mouthpiece end. Authentic didgeridoos are prized by musicians and collectors all over the world.
Labels: 2008, Feb 14
Aboriginals and Religion
The religion of the Aboriginal people is complex; combining spiritual ties with the land, rituals, totemism, mythology and magic. “Dreamtime” is the basis for all traditional thought and practice. This is the dawn of all creation, existing separate from time and space and linking the past, present and future. Elaborate rituals, which were established in dreamtime, are necessary for the world to continue. The tribal elders hold the responsibility and it is taken very seriously. Ritual is especially important upon death. It is believed that a person's spirit does not die with physical death and that ceremonies are essential to ensure that the spirit becomes embodied in another form such as rocks, trees, animals or another human. Mythology is also important, as animals are often given human and super human qualities in these "dreamtime stories". Lacking a written language, the Aborigines have passed on these stories for thousands of years orally, in traditional Corroboree ceremonies and with rock painting. Totemism, common to other religions is more elaborate in the Aboriginal culture than in any other. Tribes form a special bond with a totem, usually a plant or animal which takes on the role of protector, relative and companion, and acts as the symbol of group identity. Magic also plays a role in this religion. Religious leaders commonly cast spells and curses on adversaries that can only be broken by the spell of a more powerful elder. The belief that the world order was established at creation has given them no concept of progress and change, establishing a lifestyle that has remained unchanged for generations.
Australia’s “dot” art
The popular “dot paintings" of the Aboriginals were originally used in addition to the oral history of their dreamings, or creation legends, and made for cultural purposes, and not the art market. The dots are, in effect, a form of camouflage. Some artists were criticized for having revealed too much of their sacred heritage. As a result, detailed depictions of human figures and ceremonial paraphernalia were removed or modified. These designs and their 'inside' meanings, originally rendered in sand, were not to be written down and 'traded'. Dotting and over-dotting became a means of concealing dangerous, secret designs. Artists are only allowed to paint their tribe’s stories, and only with permission from the tribal elder. The viewing perspective is generally as though looking down from above. However, some artists are permitted to paint the “7 Sisters” dreaming or the “Milky Way” dreaming, an upward view. Since the 1970s this art form has continued to grow in popularity and most major museums in the world contain examples of this fascinating art form
Labels: 2008, Feb 12
Welcome to Melbourne, Australia
The second largest city in Australia and the capital of Victoria, Melbourne sometimes has trouble escaping Sydney's shadow. But life can be good in the shade; Melbourne reigns over Australia culturally and has been dubbed one of the planet's most livable city. Distinctive neighborhoods, leafy streets and the clean, efficient transport system means that Melbourne rarely feels like a city of 3.5 million people. The exotic fauna of Melbourne Zoo, the grizzly images of Old Melbourne Gaol, and the relaxing atmosphere of well-preserved Victorian residential neighborhoods draw thousands of weekend sightseers and world travelers, while the city's multiple Mediterranean and Asian communities enrich the city's cuisine. The 19th century architecture has been utilized, rather than mothballed in historical museums. Consequently, central Melbourne displays ornamental Victorian structures standing proudly beside steel and Melbourne's history is best charted through its iconic rivalry with Sydney. Settled by Sydney ex-patriots, Melbourne quickly established itself in the first year of Queen Victoria's reign and embarked on an era of growth and development that powerfully shaped the city's character. The mid-19th-century Victoria gold rush provided the wealth that built so many distinctive structures and established an extensive network of wealth and beautiful public green spaces.
Say it in australian slang
Billabong Ox-bow lake
Blowie Blowfly (Australia’s native bird)
Bodgy Inferior quality
Boofhead Nerd
Cockie Farmer
Dag Fashion victim
Fair dinkum True
Furphy Rumor
Middy 10-fluid-ounce glass of beer
Mug Gullible person
Smoko Coffee break
Tucker Food
Ute Pickup truck
Winger Whiner
Yobbo, Yob Uncouth male
Walkabout To excuse oneself,
usually without explanation
Labels: 2008, Feb 12
February 10, 2008 (Personal)
About to leave Sydney, Australia
That first day in the Tasman Sea was very difficult. As I said before, Carter was called down to do the clinic and truly had to struggle to hold it together. He had many patients, having to go throw up between them. He limped into the room at dinner time, shed all of his clothes and collapsed into bed. I went to hang up his coat and realized that it must have been several pounds heavier than normal – just in perspiration. Poor guy! As the evening and night wore on, the sea became more calm and he was able to feel more normal. Of course, it was the night of multiple phone calls and one return to the clinic. What a night!
We had another day at sea to recover and have had the last 2 in Sydney. Our stay here has been wonderful. We spent yesterday, while it was pouring down rain, visiting the Opera House and taking a backstage tour. As one of the perks of the tour, they give you a discount on a cup of tea at their outside café. That for me was so much fun because we were able to sit and people watch to the fullest. The two things I found the most interesting were that the roof is covered by millions of tiles and not all of them are white. When you see the Opera House from afar you think that the roof is just coverage with concrete slabs. The other things was that the architect used some Mayan ideas, hence the numerous steps in and around the place.
Then after the tour, since it was now drying out, we walked the town and finally the Botanical Gardens. Carter went nuts with all of the birds and bats in the place. There was one lower garden that was just covered with bats hanging from every branch. It gave me the creeps and I just wanted to rush out of there. Carter took tons of photos!! I am sure that we have many of the same photos from 30 years ago – it would be fun to compare.
Today we got off early, right after clinic, and met with a couple who had been on the world cruise 2 years ago. They are now chaperoning a group on another ship, which happens to be here, as well. These were the people we met each morning for breakfast, and another avid reader. We were just going to share coffee, but both couples wanted to go on the hop-on-hop-off bus, so off we went. We decided to eat in China Town, but found that there was a huge New Year Celebration and that tram stop was canceled, so we eat at the fishermen’s’ wharf instead.
The wharf was a confusion of people, cars, buses and we couldn’t figure out where the restaurants were. So Carter went up to 2 younger men (late 20’s) and asked them where they would eat. They looked at him funny, but asked, “Why did you ask us?” He said, “Well, you look well-fed and I want to eat where you would.” They just laughed and told us to come along with them. They led us into a huge warehouse-like building which was teeming with people and fish stands, some tables and chairs. The way this place worked was that you chose your fish (oysters, shrimp, scallops, white fish, salmon, octopus, calamari, etc.), bought it first, then took it to a cooking stand and they would fry it, steam it, sauté it, whatever you wanted. Kathy and I were sent to find a table and within 10-15 minutes, the men came back with a Styrofoam plank holding two huge platters of fish. One platter was fried and the other steamed. Under all the fish were fries. I couldn’t even look at those little octopi, but all else was devoured in no time….What an experience!
Labels: Personal
Welcome to Sydney, Australia
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia with a metropolitan area population of over 4.2 million people. It is the state capital of New South Wales and is located on the country’s southeast coast. The first European colony in Australia, Sydney was established in 1788 at Sydney Cove by Arthur Phillip who led the First Fleet from Britain. Built around Port Jackson, which includes Sydney Harbour, the city of Sydney has been nicknamed the “Harbour City.” Sydney is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Blue Mountains to the west, the Hawkesbury River to the north and the Woronora Plateau to the south. It lies on a submerged coastline, where the ocean level has risen to flood deep river valleys carved in the sandstone. One of these valleys, Port Jackson, better known as Sydney Harbour, is the largest natural harbor in the world. The Sydney region has been populated by indigenous Australians for at least 30,000 years. At the time of the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, 4000 - 8000 Aboriginal people lived in the region, with three language groups refined into dialects spoken by smaller clans. Urbanization has destroyed most evidence of these early settlements, however, Sydney and its environs are well known for numerous rock drawings and carvings in the sandstone. Several gold rushes, starting in 1851, brought waves of people arriving from around the world and the rapid suburban development that began in the last quarter of the 19th century continues today, giving Sydney its cosmopolitan flair.
Sydney Highlights
Bondi Beach is the grand dame of Sydney's beaches. The foreshore is an eclectic mix of ice-cream parlors, designer cafés, and surf fashion stores. Circular Quay is the focal point of the city and is built around Sydney Cove, combining ferry quays, a railway station and harbor walkways, restaurants, buskers and parks. Darling Harbour, once a thriving industrial port, is a leisure park including the Sydney Aquarium and Powerhouse Museum, the Australian National Maritime Museum, and Segaworld amusement park.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge carries rail, vehicular, and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district and the North Shore. In combination with the Sydney Opera House, the vista of these two landmarks has long been the iconic image of Sydney known all over the world. The bridge was the city's tallest structure until 1967. According to Guinness World Records, it is the widest long-span bridge in the world, the highest steel arch bridge with the top of the bridge standing 429.6 feet (134 meters) above the harbor, and the fourth-longest spanning-arch bridge in the world. In 1815, it was proposed that a bridge be built across the harbor but nothing came of this. In 1890, a royal commission determined that there was a heavy level of ferry traffic in the Sydney Harbour area, best relieved with the construction of a bridge. Pre-construction began in 1923 with the demolition of 800 homes and construction of the bridge itself began in December of 1928. Construction of the arch of the bridge began in 1929, and once the arch halves were completed the cables used to hold them up were slowly released to bring the two halves of the arch together. On August19, 1930 they were joined and have remained joined since then. The road and the two sets of tram and railway tracks were completed in 1931, along with power and telephone lines, and water, gas and drainage pipes. On January 19, 1932 the first test train safely crossed the bridge.
Labels: 2008, Feb 9
February 6, 2008 (Personal)
We are in the Tasman Sea and feeling its wrath. Our ship is being buffeted, huge waves and spray coming all the way up to our level, right under the navigation deck. I am truly hoping they captain and his helpers are able to see. So far nothing is falling off the shelves, but we have been careful to tie stuff down. Carter got called in to do a clinic that he normally does not run because the other doctor and one of the nurses are sea-sick. This all started early this morning and has continued to grow in intensity. We are supposed to go to a cocktail party this evening, but the thought of alcohol and the rough seas sound deadly. I have found that having a non-empty stomach is the best. I just keep drinking tea – as well as an occasional cookie, of course – and so far have been ok.
We had a great time in Dunedin, peaceful, a little windy, and a perfect temperature of around 58F. We took the long bus ride into town from the dock and then managed to contact a grad student at the university in Dunedin. She explained where she was studying and told us it was close to downtown, so we walked (ran) to her study house. She thought we had a car and was more than impressed that we had been able to walk to her place, find her, and do it in such a short time. That morning, when she went to her “desk” she said that the house next to her was standing. Everything was normal. By the time we reached her, the house was rubble and they were using a big backhoe to dig up the cement slab it used to stand on. Pretty impressive. She took us on a tour of the campus and went to a little café. I was very thirsty at that point, so we had tea, coffee and a passion fruit cake.
We were in Dunedin years ago, visiting with another student, so the memories were sweet. I know I would have loved to go to this school. The buildings look like those at Duke University – grey stones with off white lattice work. We have some photos of the buildings on the flickr site. Then we ran back to the bus and got to the ship before our deadline. I am so worried about missing the ship – so we get back earlier than we need to.
Yesterday was spent peacefully cruising Milford Sound. When we were here last time it was the middle of their winter, so the peaks were covered with snow. It was definitely different, but the regal feeling of these huge peaks is overwhelming. Truly a fjord-land. I thought of Kit and his experience living right on the fjord in Norway.
My greatest regret is that I didn’t get a chance to buy any Cadbury chocolate while we were in New Zealand. I wonder if Carter didn’t have that as an ulterior motive as he ran me from one place to the next. Oh, well. I know there is chocolate in Australia and I won’t miss this opportunity. Still haven’t found a decent brownie.
The denizens of the gym are thinning out. It seems that the commitment to working out can last about 1 month, but then it fades. Carter and his lady friends who work out in the early morning are no longer having to fight for the elliptical machines because the younger couple has stopped coming. I am finding little competition in the later afternoon, as well. There are several of us regulars and the camaraderie is emerging. It’s funny that many of the people are the same ones who exercised with me on the 2006 cruise. The big “gym story” right now is the concern that the scale is too heavy. Everyone thinks it is WAY too heavy. So several of the passengers got the weights (100 pounds) and were thrilled to show that they weighed 106. There was a ship-wide sigh of relief!! I’m not sure that is totally correct, but I’m not venturing an opinion. It would put a damper on the day….
Labels: Personal
Welcome to Milford Sound, New Zealand
Milford Sound is located in the south west of New Zealand's South Island within Fiordland National Park which is in turn part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. Milford Sound is named after Milford Haven in Wales, and is known as Piopiotahi in Māori, meaning “first native thrush.” The flora and fauna of the area is some of the best in world as the sound runs 9.3 miles (15 kilometers) inland from the Tasman Sea and is surrounded by sheer rock faces that rise almost 4000 feet (1220 meters) or more on either side with lush rain forests clinging to these cliffs. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled to catch a glimpse of seals, penguins, and dolphins that frequent the waters. With a mean annual rainfall of 6813 mm on 182 days a year, Milford Sound is known as the wettest place in New Zealand. Rainfall can reach 250 mm during a span of 24 hours and can create temporary and permanent waterfalls cascading down the cliff faces, some reaching over 3000 feet (9842 meters) in length. The beauty of this landscape draws thousands of visitors each day, with over 550,000 in total per year. This makes the Sound one of New Zealand’s most visited tourist spots, and also the most famous New Zealand tourist destination, even with its remote location and the long journey from the nearest population centers.
approximate scenic cruising times *
Enter Dusky Sound 8:00 am
Exit Dusky Sound 10:00 am
Enter Doubtful Sound 11:00 am
Exit Doubtful Sound 12:30 pm
Enter Milford Sound 3:00 pm
Exit Milford Sound 6:00 pm
* all scenic cruising times are approximate
Helicopter Hunting
As long ago as the 1920s, the park was plagued with introduced European deer, detrimental to the native New Zealand flora and fauna. The government placed a bounty on the deer, paying local hunters for each animal removed from the park. Combined with the market for venison and deerskin, by the 1960s this had proved a lucrative enough business for several hunters to invest in helicopters, the better to travel through this rugged landscape. The deer population plummeted as a result, and competition among hunters grew fierce. Arguments between men in helicopters with high-powered rifles resulted in more than one pitched battle mid-air over the park. The government soon stepped in to prevent such extremes; combined with a growing farm-raised deer industry, helicopter hunting has declined steeply in more recent years. However, its legacy lives on, as dozens of former hunting helicopters these days carry tourists on sight-seeing aerial journeys.
Labels: 2008, Feb 5
February 4, 2008 (Personal)
Carter and I got off in the morning in Christchurch. I thought we were going later in the day, but he and the other doc switched, so we were off about 9:30am. There was a shuttle bus from the pier to the middle of town. Once in town we stopped at the main square and caught a hop-on, hop-off bus around the town. It was great to see the sights and get off to explore whenever we wanted. It was raining intermittently, but we didn’t mind. At least it was cool. We just put on our Seattle clothes and were off. Our favorite spot was the Botanical Gardens. Carter took forever photographing most of the flowers, and I must admit, many of them were beautiful. I guess there has been a terrible drought here in New Zealand and even worse in Australia. Some places in Australia are going on 7 years without rain. So the feeling of the locals was one of great optimism with this rain. No one was apologizing for us having a rainy visit.
We then went to explore the Cathedral, which is in the middle of the city. I was hungry, of course, so we stopped for lunch in the little café that the cathedral runs. I thought of my mom as she often went to eat at the café in St. Giles in Edinburough. I had a meat pie and tea – how English – and Carter had a breakfast special and a milkshake.
We looked for chocolate and the needed toiletries, but will get them in Dunedin or in Sydney next week. It seemed that all we could find around the square were expensive shops catering to the tourists. We have the later ½ of the day off in Dunedin.
The saga of our water heaters in Seattle continues. Poor Ed. It seems that it won’t be simply a replacement because of something about the code has changed, necessitating other expensive changes that have to occur before they will put in new ones. What a drag!!
Labels: Personal
Welcome to Dunedin, New Zealand
Modern archaeology suggests the first human occupation of southern New Zealand around 1100 ACE. There are numerous moa-hunter sites in what is now Dunedin, several of them large and permanently occupied, particularly in the 14th century. There was a settlement in what is now central Dunedin occupied as late as about 1785 but abandoned by 1826. Captain James Cook stood off what is now the coast of Dunedin between February 25 and March 5, 1770. He reported penguins and seals in the vicinity, which led sealers to visit from the beginning of the 19th century. The early years of sealing saw a feud between sealers and local Maori. Permanent European occupation dates from 1831 bringing epidemics that reduced the Maori population. By the late 1830s the harbor was an international whaling port. The Lay Association of the Free Church of Scotland founded Dunedin at the head of Otago Harbour in 1848 as the principal town of its Scottish settlement. The name comes from Dùn Èideann, the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the Scottish capital. Charles Kettle the city's surveyor, instructed to emulate the characteristics of Edinburgh, produced a striking, ‘romantic’ design. The result was both grand and quirky streets as the builders struggled and sometimes failed to construct his bold vision across the challenging landscape.
Labels: 2008, Feb 4
February 2, 2008
Leaving Wellington, NZ (Personal)
I feel remiss. I have not been writing much lately. Those of you who can access your blog know that we have been dealing with a burst water heater. That is resolving; thank goodness we aren’t in a huge rush.
Our last 2 stops have been in New Zealand and I actually feel totally at home here. It is uncanny. We were in Auckland several days ago and as our “outing” we went to visit the air evacuation team that services the entire South Seas. They are so overwhelmed with work that the requested that Carter and Cindy (the head nurse) go out to the airport to see them, rather than they visiting the ship. I got to go along since the cost of the cab would be the same with 2 or 3 passengers. Auckland has grown tremendously since we were last here and our cab ride ended up costing $150 round trip. We were able to see so many different neighborhoods, as there was no superhighway to the airport. It was mainly little winding streets, very reminiscent of driving thru Vancouver, BC. The gardens weren’t quite as nice, but the greenery and houses were similar.
We were impressed by scope of their operation and Carter and Cindy gathered much information which will be helpful for future cruises and possible evacuations. They are expensive, but there is truly no other alternative out here. Carter had someone he needed to get off in Samoa, but there was no plane to take her for a week, so this would have been an alternative. Her illness wasn’t life threatening, but it certainly was life changing if she had not reached a specialist within a day or so. Luckily, she did ok, but it was rather nerve wracking.
Today we were in Wellington, NZ and were met at the ship by some Seattle friends who have decided to move permanently to New Zealand. They joined us for a Sunday Breakfast on the ship and then took us over the mountain to see their new home in Masterton. We even got to stop at the place where they filmed Lord of the Rings. Of course, it was beautiful – but the wrong season, as it is summer here and the vegetation was starting to get dry and brown.
The people here are so friendly and accommodating. We never experienced anyone in a rush or unwilling to be helpful. The smaller towns are quaint and look almost like McMinnville, with the old-time façades on the street fronts. Very charming. I certainly could see being happy here…..Our friends have 6 chickens and 3 sheep. We got to meet them all. The sheep are huge with wool (although she said they were too fat, as well). They are due for their shearing next week. The houses aren’t insulated, so heating costs are prohibitive. Their home was amazingly cool, despite very intense sun…..The roads are a little scary in that they have no shoulders and are mainly 2 lanes, but the local bakery, green grocer, etc. are fun to experience.
Christchurch next.
Labels: 2008, Feb 4
Welcome to Christchurch, New Zealand
Maori oral history relates that humans occupied the Christchurch area around 1000 ACE. Archeological evidence found in a cave in 1876 has indicated that the area was first settled by moa-hunting tribes about 1250. A party of European settlers established themselves in what is now the Christchurch area, early in 1840. The “First Four Ships” were chartered by the Canterbury Association and arrived on December 16, 1850, bringing the first 792 of the Canterbury Pilgrims to Lyttelton Harbour. The Canterbury Pilgrims had aspirations of building a city around a cathedral and college, on the model of Christ Church in Oxford. The name “Christ Church” was decided prior to the ships’ arrival, at the Association’s first meeting, on March 27, 1848. New Zealand’s first public railway line, the Ferrymead railway, opened from Ferrymead to Christchurch in 1863. Due to the difficulties in traveling over the Port Hills and the dangers associated with shipping, a railway tunnel was bored through the Port Hills to Lyttelton, opening in 1867. Christchurch became a city by Royal Charter on July 31, 1856. Many of the city’s Gothic buildings by architect Benjamin Mountfort date from around this period. from the navigator
We expect to be docked in Christchurch at 7:00 am. At 7:00 pm, we will set sail for Dunedin. The distance to be covered is 186 nautical miles, which requires an average speed of 19.5 knots.
Labels: 2008, Feb 3
Welcome to Wellington, New Zealand
In 1865, Wellington became the capital of New Zealand, replacing Auckland, where William Hobson had established his capital in 1841. Parliament first sat in Wellington on 7 July 1862, but the city did not become the official capital for some time. In November 1863 the Premier Alfred Domett moved a resolution before Parliament (in Auckland) that “... it has become necessary that the seat of government ... should be transferred to some suitable locality in Cook Strait.” Apparently there was concern that the southern regions, where the gold fields were located, would form a separate colony. Commissioners from Australia (chosen for their neutral status) pronounced the opinion that Wellington was suitable because of its harbor and central location. Parliament officially sat in Wellington for the first time on 26 July 1865. Wellington is the southernmost national capital city in the world, with latitude of about 41°S. It is more densely populated than most other settlements in New Zealand, due to the small amount of building space available between the harbor and the surrounding hills. Wellington has very few suitable areas in which to expand and this has resulted in the development of the surrounding cities in the greater urban area. Because of its location in the roaring forties latitudes and its exposure to omnipresent winds coming through Cook Strait, the city is known to Kiwis as “Windy Wellington.”
What’s in a Name
Wellington was named in honour of Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington and victor of the Battle of Waterloo. The Duke's title comes from the town of Wellington in the English county of Somerset. In Māori, Wellington goes by three names: Te Whanganui-a-Tara refers to Wellington Harbour and means “The great harbour of Tara”; Pōneke is a transliteration of Port Nick, short for Port Nicholson; and Te Upoko-o-te-Ika-a-Māui, meaning “The Head of the Fish of Māui,” which is a more traditional name, derived from the legend in which the North Island was fished up by the demigod Māui Tikitiki-a-Taranga.
Labels: 2008, Feb 2
