Red Sea, entrance to the Suez Canal, anchored (Personal)
I must gloat. We have met some Duke fans, very nice people, but they aren’t talking too much right now due to the NCAA basketball tournament. I think this is why this tournament is so much fun – it is totally unpredictable. Georgetown lost too. I can only cross my fingers for UNC.
We survived the Captain’s dinner, of course. This time I was seated between a retired commander in the Navy (almost 90 years old) and his wife (the same age) and on the other side a man who was a tool maker from Chicago, in his 70’s and an ex-table tennis champion. The older couple were both close to deaf, but wanted to talk. The other guy and his wife were very difficult to get going and didn’t want to participate in any conversation the older couple was involved in. Carter said afterwards that I was being rather loud and clear. He was 20 people away and heard every word. Well, I did try speaking softly, then medium volume, but just got blank stares. They when the older couple realized I was asking them questions, they leaned forward and I put out the volume. At one point both he and she leaned forward and he obscured her view of my lips, so she just swatted him with the back of her hand. I’m sure I registered shock on my face. He just shrugged and moved back. Must be a common occurrence.
Carter, on the other hand, was seated between 2 single women, neither of whom wanted much of their dinners. So, not wanting to waste good food, Carter managed to down at least 2 full meals. Surprise, surprise, he had the rumblies the next day. Anyone who eats 2-1/2 fillet mingons (sp) should have a digestive problem. Thanks goodness, he is back to normal, after a regular diet for a day or so.
We spent the day yesterday in a place called Safaga, Egypt. It is the coast town directly east of Luxor. 500 people from the ship piled onto buses to make the 3 hour bus ride to Luxor. They visited the town and the Valley of the Kings, as well as watching the light show at Karnak. I watched the buses leave, each with its own police escort. Honestly, I have never seen so many guns in one place. This place is sandy, mountainous – but no trees on the mountains – just sand, and hot and dry. I remember it only too well from 30 years ago.
I was on the bicycle in the gym this afternoon and got a full report from a very talkative passenger. I guess the tour was 16 hours long, hot and exhausting. At the same time he was in awe of the history he witnessed. As he described the crowds, the packed viewing of the tombs, and the short time he had for viewing due to the number of tourists. I think back on our trip year ago and realize how lucky we were. We had rented bicycles and drove out to the Valley of the Kings. We didn’t even have to lock up the bikes because there were so few people. I remember a guard here and there, but few guns and maybe 3-4 other people in the tombs or viewing the monuments. We were blessed and could take all the time in the world.
March 26, 2008 (Personal)
Suez Canal
Yesterday the Suez Canal entrance was gloomy, almost as if we were in the middle of an impending rain storm. Of course, there was no rain. I couldn’t tell if it was smog, or what. Today is more clear and starting to get hot. The entire environment looks like the pictures in the children’s Bibles – stone block houses surrounded by desert. There is a thin strip of green that has intermittent irrigation ditches. And of course, there are the ubiquitous soldiers with their guns. These make me nervous, not reassured that I am safe.
We were having dinner with another couple and they are devout Catholics. They told us a funny story about the priest. I guess one of the first Masses they went to, he looked around the room and said, “Looking at the age of the people in the room, I have decided to just go ahead and give you all the last rites now, as a group.” The woman was surprised, but she seemed to accept it rather well. She thought it made sense.
The ship is like a little town with unending rumors. Last night as we were waiting to see the show a woman came up to me and said, “Bob is dead again.” Bob is her husband. I thought I was having one of my hard-of-hearing moments and asked her to repeat herself. She said the same thing again. I must have had a totally confused look on my face, so she said, “I guess the rumor is going around that Bob is dead again.” Then I got it. About a month ago, it was reported that this man had died – so here we go again. Her husband found out who started the rumor and thought it was funny to go to his room and show himself. She was laughing and said he would have to have another resurrection moment. They are both Jewish.
Bert, the food and beverage manager, did a Marathon in Safaga because he had said he always dreamed of running in the desert. Cindy, the lead nurse, went along with his wife in a rented car as medical support. She had IV’s, and AED, tons of water, Gatorade, etc. They drove out into the desert and then turned around and he ran back. He said this was the easiest Marathon he has ever run (he has run 200 of them!) because of all of the fluids, glucose and attention. When he entered the port area, he didn’t even look winded. When all was said and done and Carter had checked him out, he had gained about 2 pounds – all that extra fluid. He was doing this run to support the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and managed to raise over $5,000. The ship put out an arch of pink balloons at the finish line, as well as served pink lemonade to all those who helped and/or watched. The funny thing was that there was a group of passengers and crew who decided to ride bicycles along side him for the last 10 or so kilometers. Unfortunately, they got the wrong directions and rode for 10 kilometers in the 110 degree heat before they figured out that they were not in the correct place.
Some passengers saw something on CNN that the US had bombed somewhere along the Suez Canal. I didn’t hear this and certainly there has been no mention on board. We shall see……
Labels: Personal
posted by Hills @ 12:45 PM
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