Arrived in Singapore at 6AM.  We were going to go on a city tour on the way to our hotel arranged through the cruise ship.  After consulting the expected time of arrival at Marina Mandarin Hotel following the tour (after 2 PM), we decided to  escape the cruise terminal and opt for a taxi to the hotel instead.  It was a little costly since the tour was prepaid BUT there was good reason. . . Marshall was scheduled for Flight Experience at 1PM.  Luckily, we got early check in! This hotel is beautiful and the location is outstanding and we were able to get a little breakfast and rest prior to the Flight and Flyer adventures.  

The flight simulator @ Flight Experience was exciting .  Marshall got to take off and land at  both Hong Kong airports, Reno, and Sacramento.  Finding that a 737 pilot must use both hands, feet, and whits to do the task, gave us a new admiration for that job.  The flight instructor said Marshall did an outstanding job (I thought so, too) and Marshall now has a DVD of his experience.   

The Singapore Flyer is similar to the London Eye which we will try later this week.  The views were breathtaking.  Variety and creativity were sen in every direction.  There was a floating stadium, hotel with a park shaped like a ship on top, and many other unique engineering masterpieces. From the top, we could also see the Voyager of the Seas, our "home" for the past 42 day. 

Tomorrow we will take that missed city tour; we have already explored several shopping venues (they tend to run into each other).  Sadly, we will not get to explore the city and surroundings in depth for we have a flight to London @ 11PM.  Guess we will just have to return to get a more in depth version of this outstanding, clean city. 

Live Wire Revisited and pics

LIVE WIRE REVISITED

It has been a long time on this ship.  I was not eager to repeat shows.  I did make the exception with the Beatles group after meeting the leader.  It was better the second time.  Though the entertainment crew of the ship changed by 50%, I did not go to the show.  Passed on the harmonica concert; Marshall went and said it was good.  Since Marshall has been a good sport and attended the show alone last night, I gave in and went to see Live Wire again.  Since I did not enjoy their performance before, my attendance was on the condition I could leave if it was equally as bad as previously. I stayed for the whole show!  

Live Wire must have had jet lag the last time they performed on this ship out of Nassau; they have to have been onboard for at least 2 days before today’s show AND it was apparent. The energy had them living up to their name.  The delivery of the patter was less plastic while the audience participation greatly increased--no sleeping through the rhythmic clapping  and sing along.  What a change!

24 days at sea down.  One sea day to go.  2 ports until Singapore.  What can I say?  Don’t worry, I will figure it out and be optimistic about it. 

Marshall enjoying the balcony.

A Passage FROM India

I was reminded that I have not posted in a bit.  Where did I leave off?  with the sketchy e-mail service on this ship, I am not sure what got through and what did not; therefore, I will just start where we are now.  Since being optimistic is the point, you will have to decipher this for yourself as you read on.   

Today we are doing the first of the last 3 days at sea.  We started out the day at the gym.  Yes, I did say we and gym in the same sentence. Marshall did the treadmill; I did several upper body weight machines and the rowing.  These have become my favorites and they are getting to be easy at the low level I use.  My next step will be to advance the weights and increase the time before we leave the ship.  hopefully we will both continue something when we get home. 

Back to India and the “experience’. Both ports in India were hot and humid.  Goa was less developed, but it had more to see than Cochin historically--at least on our tours.  From the distance across the port, Cochin was quite beautiful.  Each place visited had vast amounts of greenery and left-overs. Black mold is a bountiful crop in Cochin and to a lesser degree in Goa.  There must be a great deal of building going on since most buildings looked to be unfinished at this point.  We wondered where the call centers were located; we did not see any of the building as in China. 

A view of the street carts. 

As we were leaving the port, the city lights were beginning to come on.  The lights of the ferries glittered while  they crossed the bay.  Our harbor pilot, in his crisp white uniform, gracefully leapt from the ship to his awaiting boat and escorted us to the final exit marker light.  Pilot and boat crew waved a fond farewell as we slipped out into the Arabian Sea and on to our next adventures at sea. 

Pictures

This is the pic of Bob and Windee in Petra.

It is not working to send pictures at this time.  Will do that as soon as the internet allows.

One of the gun boats as mentioned before.



Us in Petra.




Yeah, finally got some pictures posted.

Adventures after the Suez Canal

It has been a very busy few days.  Since leaving Alexandria, we have traversed the Suez Canal, visited Petra in Jordan, and the Valley of the Kings and Luxor from Safaga.

We took a cart ride to the Treasury at Petra and started the trek to the back.  Not far along the was I spotted a man who looked very familiar.  Seconds later, I spotted a woman who looked exactly like my neighbor!  Yes, it was my neighbor, Windee, from Stockton!  We went half way around the world to greet each other.  WOW!  small world!

Port of call--Safaga, Egypt:  The desert reminded Marshall of Fort Erwin; it was  beautiful in a strange sort of way, even more so since we were on an air conditioned bus with plenty of cold water and it was in the high 90’s. 

The fabulous temple of Karnak was incredible.  It is amazing that the ancients could such colossal monuments while the builders of the Egyptian homes today are so many steps behind.  It was explained that the “unfinished” look is in preparation  for the sons to marry, build on top of the existing home and bring the wife home.  I like close, but that is just a bit too close.

Cruise on the Nile was relaxing while the breezes upon the water was a refreshing change of pace. Then, back to the bus and more sites to see.

I really love a bargain.  I love to barter a price, but some of the insistence really got to me.  No, NO, and NO. usually works in latin countries.  This was a new ballgame.  One guy finally got me laughing when he said he had all sizes of blouses and patted his stomach.  It was so bizarre   that I just kept laughing.  Yes, I did buy that blouse.  

The ride back to the ship would beat Mr. Toad hands down.  We were optimistic that we would get back to the ship without incident, but it was only by pure luck that we did not become statistics of those claimed by the roads of Egypt.

Grateful for the luxuries of the ship, we retreated to our stateroom following a large draft at the Pig and Whistle.  Suddenly, we heard strange sounds outside our balcony window.  I do not know exactly what we were watching, but I did take pictures and a short video.  I will post that activity a little later. 

@ present we are in the Red Sea and the internet is not working.   Will post this as soon as possible.

Cheers!

EGYPT

Spent 2 days docked in Alexandria.  Went to Cairo one day and one in Alexandria.  The pyramids are still there, demonstrators and all.  Went to the museum; small group gathered but NEWS said it was much bigger.  Must have used “fish eye” lens. 

Began the canal passage around 3;30am.  Will complete it about 12 hours later.  Going slowly--about the rate of speed we travel  to San Francisco on the MarMar. The water is like glass.  Smoother than the waters ofthe Delta.  The flies have been able to catch with us we are going so slowly. 

We are having a “pirate drill” later in preparation for the Aden.  This is the largest cruise ship to do the canal so far.  The ships are in a convoy--like Smokey and the Bandit. 

Scenery just changed as I was writing. We are in the Big Bitter Lake and there are tall barren sand hills all around.   Not on my list of places to return or retire.

More later, heading south, you’ll.

Egypt and the canal

EGYPT

Spent 2 days docked in Alexandria.  Went to Cairo one day and one in Alexandria.  The pyramids are still there, demonstrators and all.  Went to the museum; small group gathered but NEWS said it was much bigger.  Must have used “fish eye” lens.  

Began the canal passage around 3;30am.  Will complete it about 12 hours later.  Going slowly--about the rate of speed we travel  to San Francisco on the MarMar. The flies have been able to catch with us we are going so slowly.  

We are having a “pirate drill” later in preparation for the Aden.  This is the largest cruise ship to do the canal so far.  The ships are in a convoy--like Smokey and the Bandit.  

Scenery just changed as I was writing. We are in the Big Bitter Lake and there are tall barren sand hills all around.   Not on my list of places to return or retire. 

At the Egyptian Museum

Marshall sitting  @ the pyramids

The Saini side of the canal.

More later, heading south, you’ll. 

PS  We should be out of the canal soon.

April 29, 2011 One down and 2 to go.

We arrived in Valencia today.  When we exited the ship, we were surprised to see a long line of travelers and one Greyhound-Style  bus.  Hummm, several thousand passengers and crew and only one bus??  There was no way we could have possibly walked into the center of town.  Across from that buss was one that went to the terminal; from there one must take a taxi to the center of town.  The latter was our choice. We shared a taxi to the center of town where we, surprisingly, met 2 of our table mates.  

We, our jolly 4, walked about the city.  It was a sleepy city at that time.  Sunday and before 11:00 is not the time to expect shops  and other things of interest to be open.  We enjoyed the beautiful parks, horses on parade, and the architecture of the city. The walk was interesting and it was nice to walk on dry land without constant movement; that movement is wonderful for putting one to sleep.   

Upon returning to the ship, we went to the plentiful buffet and had lunch while gazing at the beautiful blue Mediterranean Sea.  It is hard to believe that it has been 16 days already and some of our new friends will be leaving us in a few short hours in Barcelona.   This is an adventure.  With luck, the rest of the cruise will be present more opportunities to see and learn new things. 

Good bye Atlantic Crossing!

These are the people we ate with on the ship.  The other picture is a traffic jam, worse than LA trying to get on the ferry,---no really; it is storage for new cars. 

here were protests the day we were in valencia.  Just because we told then to "get a Job" was no reason to get upset.