Farewell

May 3 was Panama Canal Day. The history of the canal was reviewed on ship in a lecture presentation and a television documentary. The need for a canal was recognized in the 16th century when Balboa realized there was such a short distance from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The project was not completed until the 20th century. Three failed attempts were costly in terms of lives and money. Ferdinand de Lesseps was the engineer for the Suez Canal, a sea level canal that opened in 1869. He was asked to work on the Panama Canal in 1880. He expected to build another sea level canal but that could not work because he had to dig too deep through the mountains and could not keep the sides from collapsing into the canal. Further, mosquitoes brought malaria and yellow fever to the project, killing thousands of workers. It was not until the engineering and the medical issues were both worked out together that a canal would succeed. Steps used to stop the spread of disease by mosquitoes were the use of quinine by workers, netting on sleeping quarters and water treatment, including spreading oil on top of standing water to thwart the insects. The engineering issues were resolved by the plan to build not a canal but a bridge of water. The rain forest looked like it would be a problem but is actually what makes the canal work by providing the water for transport. As you may know, you cross the stretch by going up 3 locks and then crossing the very large manmade Gatun Lake then going down three locks and out to the Atlantic. The whole 80 kilometer length takes nine hours to cross. Operators still make the canal work by hand from the control tower. Our ship paid $125,000 to cross. The least ever paid was $.36 by swimmer Richard Halliburton in the 1920s. 13,000+ ships cross every year.
In 1903 Panama claimed its independence from Spain and became a US protectorate. The Canal opened on August 15, 1914. After an historic struggle the canal now belongs fully to Panama as of Dec. 31, 1999. The US claims the right to protect and defend Panama permanently. The Canal has been widened twice. Plans for a new canal are under consideration now.
On the night of the crossing we celebrated at the Ambassadors’ Ball. This was our one formal event for the whole community. The fact that the male to female ratio is so skewed did not deter anyone from dressing up. Many students and staff had clothing made in Vietnam and Thailand. Ladies had lovely fitted dresses of all styles with high heels. Many males took advantage of the opportunity to buy quality tailored suits for their future careers and wore them to the ball. A few went for the ugliest suit award! Dinner was in two seatings with before and after parties all over the ship. Dancing in the union was crowded but fun.
The final days of the voyage were dedicated to departure and packing. Convocation was held on May 4. Seniors graduated; 4.0 students were recognized as were student leaders. The best speaker at convocation was the ship’s captain. The voyage staff also scheduled reentry preparation. The point of this was to prepare students (and us) for issues of going home. Many people have grown and changed and what they think is apparent and enormous may not be recognized and appreciated by others at home. Further, who has time to look at our thousands of pictures and to hear all of the stories? Students were encouraged to keep in touch with each other after the return home as a way to hold on to the experience. The final days saw extended cocktail hours for all, though the students were still forced to drink undercover. Photos were taken constantly as we all tried to get one last moment with favorite new friends and to catch the final sunset.
The ship arrived in Ft. Lauderdale right on time on May 6. Groups were released one by one so that we were not all in the terminal at the same time. After sending a large box by UPS we got a cab to the airport and headed out for the last leg to Philadelphia.
Being home is a treat and a bit strange. There is no currency exchange and I can easily purchase a lime without having to sneak it onto the ship. Our cabin steward has not shown up to make our bed and bring fresh ice. We have made wonderful friends and seen a good part of the world. It was a great experience. Thank you for sharing it with us through the blog. Looking forward to seeing you all soon.

Guatemala

Guatemala is my new favorite port! The most recent port is always the best. It was also our last port. I definitely recommend a trip to Guatemala for a not-too-far-away vacation. Guatemala is the size of Louisiana with a population of 13.7 million. There is 1 police officer per 1400 people; NYC has 1 per 400 people. Because of the considerable poverty we were advised to be especially on guard to protect ourselves & our belongings. Guatemalans rely on tourism for income &tourism with tourism down violence is up. The current president who was elected by the indigenous population is working on decreasing poverty. One thing they are doing is paying families to send their children to school. Children are expected to work so sending them to school reduces family income. This model has led to some success in increasing school attendance.
In the 1950’s Arbenz was the President. He moved to nationalize the land. This was during the Cold War and smacked of Communism to the US. Further an American company, the United Fruit Company owed 70-80% of the land there. In 1954, Eisenhower wanted Arbenz out of office. The US bombed Guatemala and killed 20,000 people. A dictatorship remained in place for the next 20 years. From the mid-80s to the mid-90s Guatemala went through its own civil war. We saw a church where people took refuge during that time & also artwork commemorating the violence & suffering of those years.
We had only three days in Guatemala & managed to make the most of them. Two of us planned the trip for seven people. We had drivers to take us on all legs of the trip which was easy to arrange & clearly the best way to travel. It took us 3½ hours to get from Puerto Quetzal to Panajachel, a village in the highlands. We stayed at the lovely little Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan. Three volcanoes surround the lake, Atitlan, San Pedro & Toliman. We enjoyed lunch on the open patio, did some walking, strolling the beautiful gardens, swimming in the pool, using the hot infinity tub & finally margaritas. Dinner was in town at Casablanca, owned by German expats. The night continued with cards and bourbon & then to bed.
Day 2 started with huevos rellenos on the patio & then we walked only 5 minutes down the drive to the Atitlan Nature Reserve where we adventured on the zip-line, Cables X-tremos. We hiked up to the first station & then zipped across the reserve from the eight stations. The longest run was 320 m & lasted 45 seconds. We loved the views of the land & the lake, the height & the speed. Great time! After that we hired an outboard to boat about 30 minutes across the lake to 2 different villages, Santiago & Santa Catalina. Our driver walked us through Santiago & recommended Restaurante El Pescadores for lunch. We saw the local church that I mentioned above. We went into a back alley Mayan church where one man was praying while kneeling & smoking to a mannequin icon of their god, who was also smoking, or at least holding a lit cigarette. The man in prayer had an intermediary who was helping him to express himself in the proper manner. Other people were in the room, some eating, some collecting donations from viewers & photographers. It seemed a bit of a tourist set up; we thought they were already conducting their worship there but did not object to raising some funds from spectators. See the photo of this unique experience.
Our group split up late in the afternoon Hóg & the ship doctor & her husband went back to Puerto Quetzal. Hóg was going on a one day trip to Antigua on day 3 & the doctor was scheduled to be on call that day. The other 4 of us went to Chichicastenango, an hour farther into the highlands. A couple in the group had spent time in Panama & Guatemala in the 70’s & wanted to see some of their former favorite places. We checked into Hotel Santo Tomas & then walked through town. We had a drink at the Mayan Inn where they had stayed years ago but they were disappointed that it was not as active & attractive as they remembered it. However, the same bartender was still working there! We went back to our hotel for wine & dinner and finished the night with more cards & bourbon. Chichicastenango is known for its huge market that draws people from 60 area villages. The market area bordered our hotel. After breakfast on day 3 we spent the morning hours in the market. Very few westerners were there; the market was filled with indigenous people in local garb. Bargaining is second nature to us now but sometimes you have to stop yourself when you are trying to get down 1 more dollar (8 quetzales) with someone who is relying on this small income for handmade work. A large part of the market area was filled with vendors selling local handicrafts. Some areas featured vegetables, meats & live chickens for sale. I could not resist a few more purchases in our last port. The trip back to the ship took us through many agricultural areas where all work was still done by hand.
While Lisa was gallivanting about the countryside, I was hard at work trying to graduate on time. On day 3, I went on a Mayan Calendar Divinatory Workshop, an SAS trip that was the culmination of my class on calendars, their math, history & culture. The lecturer, Vincent Stanzione, has written several books on the subject & Mayan culture. He speaks Spanish & several of the local languages including Mayan, Nahuatl & Yucatecan. The Mayan calendar is their genesis story & when you understand their calendar you are close to understanding their culture & their way of thinking. He explained the significance of human sacrifice & cannibalism in their culture. We talked some of the significance of your birthdate & how it effects what you will be in life. I find this fascinating stuff. Later we had some free time to wander Antigua, a charming city that once was the capital. Apparently it is fine during the day but several students were crime victims while out at night. Boo-hoo! Our last port is now history.
As we move on to the Panama Canal we are wondering about the growing swine flu pandemic, locally known as la grippa porcina.

Hawaii

Before 06:00 on April 19 we were being serenaded outside of our balcony by a Hawaiian singer, playing ukulele, & hula dancers. What a pleasant wake-up call! We were back in the United States! Our ship, the MV Explorer, docked at Aloha Tower for a two day visit. How easy it was to be “at home.” We used the US dollar, the phones, the buses and cabs, and shopped at Wal-Mart for familiar brands. It is the 50th anniversary of Hawaii becoming our 50th state. Tourism in Hawaii is down by 25% this year; some reports as high as 40%. However, it still looked active and busy and the weather was excellent. A bit of history- when the missionaries came to Hawaii in the 1820s they outlawed the hula and destroyed the temples. In 1872 when Kalakaua was elected King he made the hula legal again. When Kalakaua died his sister, Queen Lil, took the throne. The people loved her but the US overthrew her in a bloodless coup. She died years later in prison. In 1994 Bill Clinton apologized to the Hawaiian people for the illegal overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii which took away their self determination. Now we have President Obama, born in Hawaii, which may affect Hawaii’s sovereignty in a positive way.
Because we docked at such a convenient location we were able to make convenient trips in Oahu over our two days there. We enjoyed good coffee, not available on the ship. We walked a lot over the days, seeing areas that were familiar because we were close to where Tara and Gabe lived. Waikiki was beautiful. Lunch at Lulu’s was a pleasure; we ordered what we cannot get on the ship- great charbroiled hamburgers. Day two’s lunch was at Margaritaville. I went swimming both days and the water was great. We did a little shopping at the International Market Place and on the main street. We had plenty to do for our one night on Oahu. We met friends for drinks, music and sunset at the Halekulani Hotel. We moved on to Tokkuri Tei for wonderful sushi in a small restaurant that was crowded with locals & no other voyagers. Our sake cups were served in boxes. They overflow the cup into the box as a demonstration of abundance. From there we went to Duke’s for a birthday celebration. A huge ship crowd was at Duke’s and it was a great time.
Others enjoyed some things that we have done on Oahu and some that we have not done. Visits to Pearl Harbor and Diamondhead were popular. Many students got tattoos as permanent markers of the voyage. A big adventure for a large number was skydiving, apparently a rite of passage. A few had a surprise chance to see a polo game. Some drove around all or part of the island and came into rain to the north. The Dole Pineapple Plantation with Visitors’ Center was also on some itineraries. Some students in my Foreign Policy class wrote papers comparing their experiences in Hiroshima to Pearl Harbor. Once back on the ship we watched Tora! Tora! Tora! that sadly showed all of the warnings that were missed right before the bombing on December 7, 1941.
Shipboard life continues to be great fun for us. The students complain about academic expectations but that is just not a problem for us. The talent show was an impressive event which featured a great variety of acts including, singing, dancing, slam poetry, juggling and Chinese yo-yoing. A chorus of faculty, staff & lifelong learners sang a song backed up by guitar, djembe, egg (Lisa, of course, but no egg solo) & 2 ukuleles. Hóg was on 1 of the ukuleles, his first gig & in front of several hundred people, no less. The play presented this semester was a Greek tragedy and although well done was an odd selection for our student body. The fund raising auction raised over $12,000 for future voyages, scholarships and supplies. We donated a gourmet dinner for six so sometime this fall we will be expecting six Philadelphia area students to join us at our home. Students did not hesitate to bid up items like a map of the voyage route signed by the captain, the opportunity to be first off or last off the ship in Fort Lauderdale, choice space at the rail as we pull in there, and even a few vacation options. Another fund raising drive is underway now. We have been promised tacos if everyone donates. It is an easy crowd. Another recent event was a dinner with our family of orphans, the students who had no family visitors on our Cambodia trip. (Tristan, note the ties on napkins.) Last night three families competed in Trivial Pursuit for two and a half hours without a final winner. Today is Earth Day around the world. It is the 40th anniversary. 200 million participants are expected to be involved in 180 countries. Taiwan will be unveiling a new packaging product for beverages, India will be pushing for use of paper bags, and Mauritius will turn off lights and go to candle illumination for two hours. We continue to advance our clocks on many nights in order to match our travel to the east. Talk on the ship is focusing more on the end of the voyage. We have two weeks, one port, and the Ambassadors’ Ball left to enjoy.

Japan - baseball

Take me out to the ballgame!!!!!!

Japan - the pictures

Here are the photos that go with the previous post. Enjoy, we did!

Japan - pictures later

Our second trip to Japan was as great as the first one nine years ago but very different. That trip was in November, colder weather. This trip was in the spring; we had perfect weather for every day of our visit. The ship went to two different ports in Japan, Kobe and Yokohama. On the morning of our first day in Kobe we went to the Portopia, the hotel where we stayed in 2000. It was a short distance away on the monorail so an easy trip and fun for us to return there. Later that day we took the bullet train, the shinkasin, to Hiroshima. The ride was fun and definitely fast but expensive. We spent the afternoon at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum. Inside are two models of the three mile wide ground zero area, one on August 5, 1945 and one on August 6, 1945. The second model shows the whole area destroyed by the bomb. One building is standing, the dome which has been left outside as it was on that day. 40,000 people were killed instantly and another 160,000 died as a result of the bombing and its after effects. One little boy was riding his tricycle at his home and was killed instantly. He was buried at home with that tricycle. Forty years later his family buried him in a proper cemetery and donated the tricycle to the museum. It was so sad to see, as of course, the whole museum was. Some watches were displayed, all stopped at 8:15 when the bomb hit, destroyed by the heat. Temperatures were said to reach 7,000º C. It was quite remarkable to us that our Japanese guide was explaining details of what happened to us Americans. Though we were not alive in 1945 you cannot help but feel a sense of responsibility. We walked through Peace Park and left paper cranes at the memorial as so many others have. The Flame of Peace will burn there until all nuclear weapons have been eliminated from earth.
The next day we traveled to Kyoto. Kyoto was the capital of Japan from 794-1868. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom and the weather was perfect. We visited several places that we had seen before but that just made us enjoy them more. The Golden Pavilion is a breathtaking Temple, built in 1390s as a retirement villa and restored to keep its original beauty. The Chinese phoenix sits on top of the temple. From there we went to Nijo Castle, the shogun castle built in 1603 with its manicured gardens. We enjoyed lunch at Maruyama Park. I took many pictures as I enjoyed the area and its shrines, gardens, and people. Later we went on to the Heian Shrine, a huge shrine surrounded by gardens and water. It was spectacular, built in 1985 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of the founding of the capital. Back on ship we watched Lost in Translation again; some of the filming was done at the Heian Shrine and in the gardens there. Our final stop in Kyoto was Kiyomizu Temple. It was a long walk to the top and the views of the entire city were well worth the hike.
We stayed on the ship for the one day trip to Yokahama, though many chose to find places to stay in Japan. I still needed rest from the pneumonia. I do seem to be well now. Yokahama is the third largest city in Japan. Its parks and streets were filled with cherry blossoms too. We saw quite a bit of the city. On the first night we screamed with the rest of the crowd at the baseball game, Yokahama Bay Stars vs. Tokyo Giants. The Giants won 9-2 but that did not discourage the Yokahama fans. A male cheerleader works each section of the stadium, getting the fans to join in cheers, songs and claps, but not the wave. People clap plastic megaphones, beat drums, blow trumpets and wave flags. It is a hoot.
On our final day in Japan we went to Mt. Fuji and Hakone. Mt. Fuji is 3776 m high. It last erupted 300 years ago. 68% of Japan is mountainous and it is some of the prettiest scenery that we have ever seen. The peak is permanently snow capped. We could not go all the way up as hiking season is limited to July and August. We did get to the mid-point and walked in some snow. In the afternoon we visited Hakone National Park. We took a lift to the top where the views of the area with its lakes were fantastic. We ended the day with a boat ride across Lake Ashi. It really does look like The Sound Of Music country.
We are back on ship now with eight days of travel until we hit Honolulu. The students are studying for their second Global Studies exam and I am resuming yoga. Upcoming events are an auction and a talent show. The big end of voyage event is the Ambassador’s Ball after Honolulu.

China

We have just spent six full days in China. The greatest experiences were walking on the Great Wall and seeing the Terra Cotta Warriors. China is full of so much history that you see it and experience it everywhere. The trip fit perfectly with my class on the Qin and the Han Dynasties. Our days were so packed that I will not even try to tell you all that we did, just the highlights and some impressions. We were there for the 50th anniversary of the Chinese taking over Tibet, the 30th anniversary of China opening up and not just being a closed Communist society, and the 20th anniversary of the massacre at Tiananmen Square. We arrived in Hong Kong on March 29. China runs under two systems as agreed to when Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997. Hong Kong has its own currency, rules, regulations and passports. It has autonomy except in foreign affairs and national defense. The US maintains “strategic ambiguity” with the Peoples Republic of China and Taiwan. We needed to recognize the PRC; but we still maintain defense of Taiwan which China hates. What a huge and interesting port. We entered from the ship directly into a shopping mall, how is that for marketing? Hóg and I and our traveling group did not spend time in Hong Kong. Instead we traveled directly to the airport for a flight to Beijing. Beijing, the capitol, has eight counties and is the size of Belgium. That night we had a dinner of Peking duck. Besides the delicious main dish that you have seen with the pancakes, scallions and plum sauce we had numerous duck side dishes, including duck feet (crunchy).
The second day was our Great Wall adventure. Sections of the wall were started as early as 656 BC, before the states of the area were united. In the Qin Dynasty when the first emperor, Qin Shi Huang took control he conquered his internal rivals and then ordered that the wall be repaired, connected and extended to keep out nomads. It took ten years to complete this work. Dealing with nomads is a defining theme in Chinese history; Qin did not want to intermarry or have diplomatic relations so he ordered the wall to demonstrate superiority. The wall was repaired and the look changed to the more symmetric block pattern look that we know today during the Ming dynasty. The original wall in Beijing was almost 4000 miles so you choose a section to visit and you start climbing. We climbed the Ju Rong Guan section. We were walking up with one young student from Puerto Rico when it started to snow. She had never seen snow before and she just lit up. Of course, we took that picture, another SAS memorable moment! After walking until we could go no further we found a vendor selling “I walked the Great Wall” t-shirts. I had to have one, I earned it, but how does she get there every day?
We visited the Summer Palace where the Royal Family takes summer vacations. It was built in 1750, razed in 1860 and rebuilt in 1886. It is a beautiful, serene and relaxing place to visit. We viewed the Birds Nest and the Water Cube from the 2008 Olympics but only from a distance. That night a small group went to an acrobatic show. Juggler, contortionists, a slack wire balancing act, and the finale was twelve girls riding one bicycle. We found our way to dinner at a local place where one student ordered pigs’ fallopian tubes (chewy). Lisa tried to order a chicken dish and was told it’s too hot for you, she said to make it less hot and was told it’s not good when it’s not hot. She then tried to order a pork dish and the girl said no, you wanted chicken. Communication without a common tongue can be very entertaining.
Our final day in Beijing started with a trip to Tiananmen Square, the largest public space in the world. Our guide was not allowed to talk to us about the events of June 1989. It seems clear that our interport speaker from China had to get her materials cleared by the government too. The loop TV on ship did play the Frontline documentary The Tank Man, which showed the horrible sequence of events that led to over 2000 people being gunned down by their own troops. The Chinese Red Cross reported that 2600 civilians were killed but was forced to retract that and state that 200+ were killed. These events and what followed bring out all of the issues in modern day China. The government response to the repeated protests was that they would not stop the economic reform but they would stop the political reform. Today the state does not control all of the businesses as it once did. Individuals do. So there are millionaire capitalists, enjoying a new era. However, many subjects are taboo and censuring is everywhere. China has 30,000 internet police. Google is highly censured in China, see Tiananmen Square in China vs. US (not that you can but the difference is clear). People in rural areas are very poor with no way to earn more than a subsistence living. Some family members leave their rural families for the city to work. This way they may be able to pay for the education of a child at home. The city jobs are often factory jobs. Healthy young workers are recruited to live in dormitories and work seven days a week, thirteen hours per day for $120 per month. They get no sick pay, no compensation for injuries and no pension. They breathe in toxic dust without protection. Within 5-7 years they quit or get fired and many more people are waiting to fill the jobs.
We walked through the Forbidden City of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is the largest of China’s existing imperial palaces and the former residence of 24 emperors. Entrance to commoners was forbidden. The final stop in Beijing was the Temple of Heaven, a beautiful example of traditional Chinese architecture. I loved this place. Retirees have day passes and go there to share company, play cards, games, to dance and relax. I danced with them and tried a game and thoroughly enjoyed it. Our senior centers could learn from the Temple of Heaven.
We flew to Xian and went straight to an incredible dumpling banquet, way more than we could eat! Our guide in Xian was delightful but certainly not free to talk about all subjects. After a morning trip to the Lesser Wild Goose Pagoda and Xian History Museum, we went to see the famous Terra Cotta Warriors. Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor, had them built so that he could continue his conquests after his death. Over 5000 life sized warriors have been uncovered since their discovery by four farmers in mid 1970’s. They stand where they were found, not fully excavated; buildings have been built around them to create today’s tourist centers. Excavation continues. The first night in Xian featured dinner and a Tang Dynasty dance show.
The final day in Xian started with a calligraphy lesson which I thoroughly enjoyed and will keep working on. Our Chinese calligraphy teacher has studied for 30 years and could work at it for 30 more. There are 5 forms of calligraphy (think cursive and printing and three more). We worked with brushes and black paint and emulated his strokes. On the final day we also saw a Confucian Museum where the tablets of the 13 classic books as well as numerous other art relics are on display, the Bell Tower, the People’s Square, and the Han Yang Ling Museum, where thousands more buried terra cotta warriors and animals have been partially excavated but these are in miniature. There is so much more to tell, again, but it will have to wait.
The experience of China is a lot to think about. The cities are very clean and people are industrious and friendly. We did not travel in rural areas that tell a different story. Would anyone in government approve this writing to be sent out? It was a busy trip with so much more to know.
Lisa developed pneumonia by the time we returned to the ship & received medical care as soon as we boarded. She is doing well & recovering. (She was well enough to write the blog to this point so she really is doing OK.)
I went on our next excursion without Lisa, so now you will get the last day in China from Hóg’s perspective. I went on a trip with about 40 other SAS folks to the city of Suzhou. We first went to the university & then to The Master of Nets Garden, The Humble Administrator’s Garden & The Lingering Garden. We also had a boat ride on the canals for about an hour. This area seemed to be very focused on Confucianism & Taoism even though the country is communist. I have always thought that if I ever were to accept philosophical structure to my life it would be Taoist & these gardens have only affirmed that. They were beautiful, serene & understated. The only negative is that they are so appealing, they are tourist attractions & the serenity is often lost amidst the hustle & bustle of the visitors.
I have purposely avoided much of the news while we have been on this voyage but I do know that the worldwide economy still sucks & the G20 summit in London is going on. After seeing all the high rises in the cities we’ve stayed or passed through, I think I would buy stock in an elevator company that services the Chinese market. Whatever the market may do, the people will still have to get home & home is an elevator ride.

Vietnam & Cambodia

Vietnam Our next stop was Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. We spent only two days there, the first and last in port. In between we spent three days in Cambodia. The downtown part of Ho Chi Minh City is still called Saigon by many people there. The most immediately remarkable thing is the traffic. Streets are filled with motor bikes and scooters, cyclos and bikes, and a few cars and buses. It is a challenge to cross the street. Once you head out just keep on going and do not hesitate or change your pace. The drivers plan their routes around you. Many drivers wear face covers and often gloves that go all the way up and over the elbows. Helmets are required but are often not used. Some male drivers smoke while they move. Again we saw 2, 3, or 4 people to a cycle, sometimes an infant wedged between two adults. The first stop on our City Orientation was Thien Hau Pagoda, known for its profusion of incense coils that burn for as long as one month. We traveled to the History Museum that documents the evolution of Vietnam’s various cultures. It also featured a water puppet performance, a traditional Vietnamese performing art that dates back to the 11th century. Lunch was wonderful; dish after dish enjoyed by our group. We also visited the Presidential Palace where everything has been left much as it was on April 30, 1975 when the North Vietnamese military tanks crashed through the front gates and overthrew the South Vietnamese government. That night Hóg and I went to dinner and then to the Sax ‘n Art Jazz Club. A friend on the ship was to play there with the regular house jazz quartet. We thoroughly enjoyed the show. When the regulars took a break the Semester at Sea group members, who were all in the house, took over. The sax player, and club owner, joined them for a bit. He can play two saxophones at once with great energy. Our musicians were thrilled to play in Saigon.
On our last day in Vietnam we met some of our extended family for lunch. We went to Phó2000 and all enjoyed phó, the ubiquitous noodle soup, which was wonderful. I will be searching for more in Philadelphia. Bill Clinton ate there and we sat under his photo. Shopping in Vietnam is just too much fun. Currency is the dong with an exchange rate of 17,000 to the USD. Our lunch bill for 7 people was 444.000! As we walked the city I was offered a shoe shine while I was wearing flip flops! We bought several more things and are now concerned with how to get everything off of the ship as our pile grows.
Lectures and classes before this port focused on the American War. They call it the American War while we still call it the Vietnam War. Some SAS participants visited the Cu Chi tunnels, two hours away from HCMC. Many people lived and operated out of the Cu Chi tunnels, the 200 kilometer network of underground tunnels. The tunnels were built by the Viet Cong and used in wars against the French and the Americans. The Viet Cong could launch strategic attacks from the tunnels and then seemingly disappear into thin air. Within the tunnels were kitchens, a hospital, and meeting areas. Some people spent years in the tunnels. Babies were even born there. All of our memories of the Television War were stirred by this visit. We told students about the lottery for the draft, the protest movement, and conscientious objectors who moved to Canada. One sees many civilians with missing limbs getting around the city.
We were able to see Gran Torino on the ship, the new Clint Eastwood movie about the Hmong of Cambodia who fought as mercenaries for the US and then were abandoned when the US lost the war. Many now live in California, Minnesota and Wisconsin. See it if you can.


Cambodia Some of the shipboard community took a three day trip to the Kingdom of Cambodia. It is getting to be a joke on ship that the most recent country visited is always the new favorite; but it seems to be true this time again. Parents were invited to join the voyage in this port and many chose to do so. We were on the excursion with many parents; Hóg and I adopted the kids on our trip who did not have parents visiting and we thought they were great. We flew from Tan Son Nhat airport to Phnom Penh on March 23. We visited the Royal Palace with the beautiful Silver Pagoda. Most of the buildings have many tiered roofs that are topped by towers which symbolize prosperity. The King of Cambodia uses the Palace and its many buildings. Sihanook, who you will remember, has cancer and diabetes and is being treated at the age of 88 in China. His son is the new King of Cambodia since October 29, 2004. We moved on to the National Museum and then went for a sunset cruise on the Mekong River. Later that evening we visited the Palm Tree Orphanage which was started by two SAS graduates and is now partly staffed by SAS grads. 86 orphans from 3-17 years old greeted us. They grabbed each of us by the hand and showed us their home. We brought coloring books, stickers and toys for them but they gave us so much more in their warm smiles and immediate taking to us. It was a really wonderful experience. Still later we had a wonderful dinner and then checked into our hotel for the night.
On the second day in Cambodia we went to the Killing Fields of Choeng Ek. This was a frightening and horrifying experience and will be disturbing to read. Briefly, Pol Pot headed the Khmer Rouge beginning in 1975. He ordered the killing of all intellectuals, killing more than 2 million of his own people. That included teachers, doctors, monks, priests, and even people who wore glasses. He proceeded with the genocide until 1979 when the Cambodian Liberation Party with support from South Vietnam finally overtook him. Choeng Ek was just one of 343 such killing places in Cambodia. UNESCO built a 17 level monument on site to those who were disinterred there after the killing stopped. Skulls are displayed in the monument, separated by age and sex. Clothes are piled on the bottom level. More clothes and even some bone fragments are still visible as you walk through. We went on to Tuol Sleng called the Genocide Museum. It was a school turned into a detention and torture center for innocent and intellectual prisoners. Huge displays of photographs of the thousands killed there, mostly children, are displayed. Seven survived and one of the survivors was there on the day of our visit. The survivors have told the story of what happened. No one was unaffected by the action of the Khmer Rouge. Our guide lost three younger brothers and five aunts and uncles but feels fortunate because his parents survived. War criminals still live among the Cambodians, unidentified. The few trials that have taken place were a sham. The real questions were not asked. The same Prime Minister is now in office. Corruption and nepotism are big problems. There is an outward appearance of change but as our guide said, “there is a new bus but the same driver.” Many people wear a t-shirt that says Same Same on the front and But Different on the back. There is much more to tell here. It was all a very difficult and significant experience for us. Since the genocide of intellectuals, there are not enough teachers for all of the young students. School is held in two half day sessions to maximize the teaching resource. It is the goal at the orphanage to educate so that many of the orphans will become teachers. After return to the ship students and adult passengers have reflected on why and how it happened. The movie The Killing Fields is a good representation of the events. One aspect of this holocaust that we did not remember or were not told about was the exceptional cruelty and degree of personal violence involved. This was no Nazi killing machine and bullets were not to be wasted. People were stabbed, hanged, beaten to death; babies were bayoneted or smashed into trees. All performed by someone who looked you in the eyes and could have been a neighbor.
Also that day we went to the Russian Market for some shopping and bargaining and to lunch. We then flew to Siem Reap, which means Siam (Thailand) Defeated. Siem Reap is the location of Angkor Wat Temple, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. After a brief evening visit to Angkor Wat we went to dinner and a cultural dance show. Finally we checked into our hotel and joined others for drinks there. Cambodia and Vietnam are extraordinarily hot and we were not even there at the hottest time of year.
On the last day we got up very early to see sunrise at Angkor Wat then back to our hotel for breakfast. Over that day we saw several more Buddhist temples from the 10th to the 12th century. One was Ta Prohm Temple, the jungle temple where the Anjolina Jolie movie Tomb Raiders was filmed. Trees that are several hundred years old have grown in over the ancient walls. The photo shows what I mean. Another was Bayon Temple, an edifice of 54 towers, each carved with the four enigmatic faces of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. We made our third trip to Angkor Wat to see the whole interior in the afternoon. It was quite amazing. It took 30 years to build. The building was done by slaves and volunteers. As Buddhists the volunteers thought they were developing good karma by working on the project. Sculptors had to demonstrate and perfect their skills before they were allowed to work on the interior bas-reliefs.
We thoroughly enjoyed Vietnam and Cambodia and would love to return to Southeast Asia if only we can determine a cooler season. Hope you are all well. We're now in Hong Kong harbor. Happy birthday to Tara!

Thailand

Next stop on the voyage was Thailand, a favorite port for us. The country was beautiful, the people were charming and relaxed, and the ambience was excellent. As you know Thailand was called Siam until 1939. It is the only country in Southeast Asia that was never a colony. The population is 64.3 million. We used yet another currency in Thailand, the baht; 33.5 baht is the equivalent of $1USD. Thailand is led by a king. His pictures are everywhere and people are very proud of him. The second leader is the Prime Minister. There have been 4 PMs in the last three years. One was a billionaire who is still very popular with rural people. Though he was ousted by a coup in 2006 the country is still divided into groups of his supporters and detractors. He is on the run now, perhaps in London. The next PM was in office for 8 months and put out for taking money for appearing on a Thai cooking program! The next was in office for 3 months and removed due to election fraud. The next was impeached 4 days before we arrived. Debate will follow and possibly a new constitution. Thailand has had 3 new constitutions in the past 10 years.
Wherever we went we found evidence of the 26/12/04 Tsunami and people willing to talk about where they were on the day of the event. You may remember that the tides were low and large fish could be found close to the shore line. Then the tsunami hit and flooding was quick and massive. People ran for higher land and tried to help each other through it. Roads were destroyed and over 130,000 were killed. Escape routes for future tsunamis are now marked on the streets.
AIDS and commercial sex workers are prevalent in Thailand as they are in India. One significant difference is that Thailand worked to reduce the AIDS spread on multiple fronts with good results. Medications were made readily available as were condoms. Results were good until financial support for the programs was withdrawn. Under the new government in 2006 the funding was restored and positive results returned. You cannot travel in Thailand without being aware of the sex trade. Girls as young as 10 but more often late teens take up the work, often to support their families. Some are sold into it. The risks for this illegal activity are great, including abuse, medical complications as well as mental health and addictions issues.

We signed up for an excursion that took up our whole time in Thailand. When we arrived at port we bussed to Bangkok and then flew to Phuket. Phuket is the largest island of Thailand and is one of its 76 provinces. Phuket is known for its great beaches, rocky capes mountains, forests and farmlands. We stayed at the very nice Duangjitt Resort and Spa for 3 nights. Dinners each night were on our own so we tried the fabulous Thai food in three different restaurants. On one day we traveled through Phang-Nga province to Khao Sok. There we rode elephants (again!), trekked through woods to see rubber trees, and took in the natural scenery as we were paddled down a river in an inflatable canoe. On another day we had a great adventure, discovering the sea caves, Hongs and tunnels. A Hong is an open-air, cliff-lined, cylindrical tidal lagoon connected to the outside world only through stalactite-filled caves. This was a wonderful experience. We did not even know that such places existed. At high tide you would not be able to get into the Hongs as the entrances would be filled with water. We went when the tide was close to high and often had to lie down in the canoe in order to fit through the openings. Some of the larger caves were filled with hundreds of bats. A wonderful and full lunch was prepared and served on our boat. In the afternoon we took in Lawa Island. Many of us (including me!) jumped off of the top deck on our boat and swam to shore for some sun and relaxation.
The last night in Phuket was St. Patrick’s Day. We had massages at one of the many massage shops. Hóg’s heavy set masseuse crawled on his back with her knees and elbows pressing into him. After another wonderful dinner, that included satay with peanut sauce, crab relleno and mussels with lemon grass, we headed for Molly Malone’s Irish pub. As this was our second late evening there we knew what to expect. Entertainment was provided by a Thai band, featuring two singers wearing pleated plaid skirts and singing all of your favorite Irish tunes. They did very well with Tina Turner and the Cranberries. We were hysterical and it was a great time. About 100 SAS kids must have come through that night, drinking kamikazes and car bombs. Some things do not change. Several students had suits made at the superb tailoring shops. One had a Kelly green suit made for that night. I think it paid for itself in free drinks. (I still can’t understand why we didn’t go to the ping pong ball show the Super Pussy club.)
The next day our hung over crowd traveled back to Bangkok. We had dinner with several faculty couples at a seafood restaurant where we were the only Westerners. Fabulous squid in chili paste was our favorite. We walked through the night market which was bordered on both sides by the red light district. Some students described the shows they saw and at least two girls revealed their new tattoos to us. The last day included a trip to the Grand Palace which I thought was as spectacular as the Taj Mahal. It was built beginning in 1782 under order of King Rama I to be his home and the center of his administration. It holds the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Phra Kaew. The Buddha was carved from a single piece of jade in the 15th century. It sits on a Thai-style throne made of gilded-carved wood. Many interior walls are decorated with mural paintings. The coronation and diplomatic receptions are held in the Grand Palace. I think we took 200 pictures in the walled complex and look forward to sharing them when we get home. After I had a manicure, pedicure and massage for only 550 baht we headed back to the ship.
March 13 was the halfway point of the trip for us. We are still enjoying it all and can see that the end of the voyage will be a sad and emotional time for us all. Last night was the Crew Talent Show, a regular event that raises funds to improve crew life and accommodations on ship. The singing, dancing, and comedy acts were great. Next port, tomorrow, is Vietnam. The lectures, movies and music presented now are largely focused on the war that changed so many things in our lives. More on that next week. Thanks for reading. We love emails from home.

India

“There exists no politician in India daring enough to attempt to explain to the masses that cows can be eaten” – Indira Gandhi

Whatever you say about India, the exact opposite is also true. The magnificent image of the Taj Mahal is not enough to erase the memory of poverty and filth. These are some common sights in the parts of India that we saw: cows on the streets, people sleeping on the road dividers, men urinating openly, hard hats worn with flip flops, women in colorful saris working in the fields and at industrial sites, no doors on the trains, 70 people packed on a bus, three to five people on a moped with no helmets and one on a cell phone, very young and dirty children begging, people sweeping dust with handmade brooms at their small stands, crushing traffic slowed by cows, horses, camels, elephants, and goats, several people squatting and conversing. It is hard to stop the list; there is so much more to tell.
India is the oldest surviving civilization in the world. The population is 1.2 billion. After traveling there for 5 days it feels as if we saw all of them but we only traveled in the North. Crowds are everywhere. It seems that rush hour never slows down. Driving in India is something I have to tell you about. Drivers honk constantly. The horn is a button on the dashboard. They drive on the left and pass on the right. When they pass they honk to gain the right of way. The honking is incessant. When more than one truck is trying to pass at the same time the driver who honks most and is the most aggressive goes first. I told our guide that I can go weeks without using the horn but here a driver does not go for two minutes without honking. It was wild for us. There are pedestrians on the larger highways as well as the animals. In the cities they use bicycles, pedaled rickshaws and three wheeled tuk tuks, similar to a golf cart but not as substantial. Drivers pull right up to each other, within inches, to prevent someone else from cutting in. Traffic lanes are just suggestions, not followed. Our guide told us that to be a good driver in India, you need 3 things: good brakes, good horn & good luck.
The diversity of India is its most impressive trait. In 1991 it was estimated that there were 1576 languages in India, including dialects. A current estimate is over 300 languages, leaving out the dialects. 29 languages have over a million speakers. In 1968 a law was passed declaring that all people receiving secondary education must speak three languages, English, Hindi and the state (local) language. This proved idealistic and unworkable. Religious diversity is remarkable and harmonious: 42% Hindu, 37% Muslim, 13% Christian, 2% Sikh, less than 1% Jainism, Buddhism and others. The Hindu religion accepts one god but that god’s traits are displayed in its many different images, including the familiar Krishna and Ganesha. The goal in Hindu life is to reunite the soul, the atman, with Brahman. The soul is reincarnated until mokshe is achieved. Only those who have not reached the goal are still on earth. Sikh is a derivative of the Hindu faith that does not worship statues and has no caste system. Our driver was a Sikh; he wears a turban and in his turban are a comb, a knife for protection and a bangle to keep evil spirits away.
We arrived in the port of Chennai and participants in our excursion were immediately taken to the airport to fly to Delhi, the second largest city in India, after Kolkata. We met our guide and bus there and were given garlands of marigolds. Our first stop was the Qutub Minaret and Muslim Mosque. Next we traveled to a rug shop and then on to the LaLit Hotel that was extraordinary, maybe 4-5 star. After a lovely dinner, night and breakfast there we had bus tours with stops of Old and New Delhi and then traveled to Jaipur, the capital of the state of Rajahstan. We checked into our next hotel and then went to the City Palace and Observatory. The Observatory fit in perfectly with Hóg’s two classes on calendars and physics. On the third day we went to Amber Fort. Hóg and I rode an elephant to this walled Mughal city. On the way sellers tried to engage us by throwing things up to us. I bought a t-shirt and threw down the rupee note to pay. The bill blew all around, almost over the wall and finally landed on elephant dung. Next I was thrown a wooden Ganesha which I threw back down immediately. The vendor threw it back at least four times, lowering the price each time! It was a funny scene. Amber Fort was beautiful inside, especially the mirrored section. After taking many pictures we rode jeeps down and then bussed on to Fatehpur Sikri, a favorite for me. This was a petrified sandstone city and palace that were built but abandoned due to difficulties with the water supply. It is now a beautiful tourist stop. You have to be careful in the palaces as unauthorized guides try to engage you and then push to be paid. (I, Hóg, got suckered in by 1 of these guides here but he did take me to an area that we weren’t scheduled to see and I delayed our group by 10 minutes or so.) We were also approached constantly by people asking for money, children begging for food, money, and shampoo, disabled and badly crippled people with a hand out, and by vendors asking us to come to their stores. This was the most oppressive part of the trip for us. It was difficult to respond in the beginning and after several days it just became frustrating. Later we drove on to Agra and our third hotel for one night.
Early in the morning we headed out for the Taj Mahal. It was truly a breathtaking sight that gave me chills. It took 22 years to build in the 15th century. Shahjahan had it built for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth with their 14th child. She is buried there and he is also, arranged by his son who betrayed him. We took endless pictures and loved the memorial as well as its gardens, pools and surrounding buildings. Even here people try to show you exactly where to take photos and then request payment. It will be hard to limit the blog to five pictures.
On our last day in India I went shopping in Chennai with some students. We rode the tuk tuks and went to a silk shop and to a mall. I enjoyed the students and had fun making purchases. Again, it was a challenge to get the drivers to only go where we wanted to go and not to stop at shops where they were receiving commissions. Back in the port three children had their hands in the vehicle, begging for money, before we paid the driver.
One more lesson on India: AIDS was discovered in 1981 and since then 25 million people have died from it. By 1984 there was no AIDS in India. In 1986 AIDS was first found in Chennai in the commercial sex workers. By the 1990s AIDS had spread through every population in India. Now 2.4 million people of India have HIV. Education efforts have been largely unsuccessful as the subject is not discussed openly and because there is no common language to use for educational tools. India is one of the biggest producers of Antiretrovirals which have been very effective in slowing the progression of the disease but the drugs are largely unaffordable and inaccessible to its own citizens who are infected.
Hóg’s addendum: On the bus ride to the Taj Mahal, all of us on the bus were like a bunch of excited school children going to the zoo for the first time. Our first glimpse of it (well before we arrived) brought on squeals of delight. I can’t imagine seeing a more beautiful human monument than the Taj Mahal. Pictures certainly show how pretty it is but you have to be there to feel the grandeur of it. The grounds, pools and monuments surrounding it also contribute to its glory. It is truly spectacular.
When Lisa went shopping in Chennai, I stayed on board. I couldn’t take another day of the constant press of so many people and the detritus that comes from them. The air pollution got to me by the 2nd day, bringing watery eyes and a constant cough. Rumor has it that just breathing in the cities is equivalent to smoking 6 cigarettes a day. The ship itself was covered in black soot after the 5 days in port.

Minor news

I had some password issues and couldn't log on or administer the blog for a while but that is now resolved. Until now all the posts appeared to be posted by Lisa, whether or not it was Lisa, and I couldn't see the comments. I have now reviewed all the comments and approved all but the most person specific. You will also see the author at the bottom of the post, although the big posts are a joint effort. Thanks for listening!

Mauritius

If you are looking for a new beach to try with beautiful sand and the bluest water that goes as far out from shore as you can see then you should consider a trip to Mauritius. This tiny country east of Madagascar has a population of 1.2 million. Independent since 1992, it is a parliamentary democracy led by President Sir Anerood Jugnauth and Prime Minister Paul Berenger. Prior to independence Mauritius was ruled over four and a half centuries by the Dutch, then the French and then the British. Currency is the Mauritius Rupee, about 33 to the US dollar now. 13 languages are recognized on Mauritius; most common are French and English. The country has become a popular tourist destination for France, India, and South Africa. The borders are full of hotels.
Of special significance are the coral reefs and the now extinct Dodo bird. Coral reefs are under stress and reducing in size for a number of reasons. Sugar is the primary crop of Mauritius. Excess fertilizer from sugar production is running off the land and into the ocean, decreasing coral production. Global warming also takes its toll with more and larger storms as well as heat waves that all increase erosion. Conservation efforts have been in place since 1954 to protect the reefs. We took the opportunity to travel 35 meters beneath the sea in the cabin of a submarine to see the bottom of the ocean which was pristine with coral reefs and various fish species. A Japanese fishing ship was sunk purposely to encourage the development of more coral on its hull. This trip took us to a beautiful beach and out on to the water on a beautiful sunny day. Other students enjoyed a day at the beach, kayaking, scuba diving, snorkeling and travel on a catamaran.
The story of the Dodo bird fits with many themes of the voyage including migration and evolution. (We had a birthday celebration for Charles Darwin on ship.) The Dodo evolved on Mauritius. It adapted to not having any mammalian predators. The Dodo became larger and larger, up to 40 pounds, until it could no longer fly. This made the Dodo vulnerable to invading species. It was a revelation in 1840 when the locals realized that the Dodo had become extinct. Now there are Dodos for sale everywhere in every medium. Check our Christmas tree in ’09 for our souvenir. An interesting failed experiment in Mauritius involved trying to get rid of rats. Rats were attracted to the sugar cane and multiplied. In order to get rid of rats the mongoose was introduced. The problem was that rats are nocturnal and mongoose (mongeese?) are diurnal. No rats were eaten by the mongoose and later they had a mongoose proliferation problem too!
After our beautiful morning we enjoyed lunch with friends at an Indian restaurant called Namasté. The population is largely Indian, many first brought in as slaves or indentured servants. Later we did some shopping on the Caudan waterfront and then back to the ship. Mauritius was our only one day stop, an island paradise worth returning to.

Shipboard life: Immediately on the night of return from Mauritius the Sea Olympics started. This was a 26 hour event that was a competition among all participants, divided into teams called Seas. A Sea is comprised of students from one living area of the ship. Names and colors are assigned; we use actual sea names such as Adriatic, Baltic, and Caribbean. Our sea community is made up of faculty, staff and life-long learners. We were asked to come up with a sea-like name and chose the name Odyssey but elected to spell it Oddies-C. First night competition had to do with team building, best flag, best mascot and best cheer. Then came a full day of competition with no classes. Some events were volleyball, dodge ball, and relay races. Less physical events were Pictionary, a spelling bee and Sudoku. My favorite to participate in was synchronized swimming in teams of ten which, of course, was hysterical. Ours was choreographed to an opening Flamenco and then busted into James Brown’s I Feel Good. Oddies-C took gold for the cheer and the spelling bee, won by a prof for whom English is a second language! We also medaled in the scavenger photo shoot, the human knot, and the paper boat float. Of special note was the mashed potato sculpting. The winning group sculpted the Taj Mahal from only mashed pots and food coloring. I have attached a photo of the work in progress. It was a fun day, lots of screaming and craziness. Now we are back to classes and midterms. Midterms give life-long learners a free class session since we do not take exams, a notable benefit for being an old head on ship.
Last night the Dean and Academic Dean hosted a tasting of South African wines. We sampled eight wines in the faculty lounge, an area of the ship reserved just for seniors. Hogan favorites were the reds, specifically a pinotage and a shiraz. We extended the event in our cabin where we shared a shiraz that we bought in South Africa.
We have started lectures in preparation for India, our next port. Arrival is on Thursday. Thanks for reading and thank you to all who have sent us email. News and comments from home are wonderful to receive. We are especially curious to read of the snowstorm due to hit Philadelphia on the 2nd as we are near the equator.
Whew, it’s hot out!

South Africa

Oh my, South Africa was my favorite port so far for so many reasons! As with Spain, we are fortunate to have many people with South African connections on board and they did a wonderful job of preparing us for the port. As I told you one woman was Desmond Tutu’s Personal Assistant for 22+ years. She was directly involved in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. After Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years and finally freed, the commission met in order to promote healing for the country. Over 2200 stories were collected of people who suffered from the apartheid system. There was finally acknowledgement that these atrocities happened. Mandela was elected President. After Mandela resigned and Mbeki was elected there was great hope for the future and now there are massive disappointments. Money that was to be used to provide housing, education and services for people was used in the arms deals, arms that were not needed or used. One of our professors is very involved in exposing this. 1000 people per day of dying of AIDS though many are still AIDS denialists. There has been some progress. A leading judge has gone public about his AIDS. A new drug has been successful in stemming the automatic transmission of AIDS from mother to child. 18% of the children of South Africa are AIDS orphans. The population of South Africa is 8% white, 14% colored, and 78% black. Colored is the term they use for the lighter skinned often more middle class people who resulted from the intermarriage of white slave owners and their Indonesian and Malay slaves. The unemployment rate is 38-40%. The education system is three leveled, paralleling the racial breakdown. Math and science were first introduced in the black schools in 1992. There is so much more to share but that will wait.
We had one day in Cape Town before going on our four day safari. Our ship pulled right up to the V & A Waterfront (Victoria and Albert). It looked a lot like Baltimore. Hóg and I enjoyed some shopping, good coffee finally, beer at the German Beer Garden, early dinner at Quay Four, and then a night at the local theater to see Pictures of You. We were guests of the local opera season director, well known to our program because of his previous SAS voyages.
Early the next morning we headed out for safari, two flights and two rides later we arrived at Manyeleti Game Reserve. The second airport, Hoedspruit, had a terminal the size of one living room, two couches and 2 chairs. Manyeleti was the most delightful place. Everything was thought of for us, quite a luxury camping experience. Our tent was enormous, king sized bed with mosquito netting, sofa, full bathroom with double shower. In the morning guests are awakened by a drum beat at 5:30. Shortly after that your coffee, tea or cocoa are brought to your tent with rusks, carried on the head of the server. At 6:00 a.m. the game drives depart. We were on the roads of the reserve for 3+ hours. A second drive went out daily from 4:30 until 7:30 or 8:00. In between we would eat, nap, swim in the pool and relax. No drive was ever disappointing. We saw a dazzle of zebras, a herd of buffalo, numerous giraffes, a parade of elephants and finally, after searching and chasing, lions and leopards. In between there were impalas, rabbits, springbok, rhinos, hippos, wildebeests, waterbucks, bushbucks, vultures, golden orb spiders, many birds, heron, storks, owls, and the beautiful turquoise European roller. Only 20 people from our ship were on this trip which was perfect. We went out in three 4x4 vehicles with a ranger driving and a tracker sitting out over the left front headlight to spot.
The story of the male lions was the most extreme. We had been tracking them for several drives. The rangers talk to each other from car to car to give each other leads. We were told about the male lions and had to chase across the reserve to get to them; that ride was a hoot. We finally arrived and could just see the lions about 100 meters away. After a long period of watching and waiting they stood and did a roaring duet, back and forth to each other. Then they walked toward the water near us. Our ranger backed up to the water hole. Suddenly I saw the lion only 2 meters from our vehicle. He drank and then walked right behind our vehicle. The other lion did the same. We were scared and excited as were the other three girls in our vehicle. Most of us missed out pictures because we were so shocked. I was afraid to set off the flash so close to their eyes. The two lions then walked off. We all breathed again with relief and then moved on. We talked about it for the rest of the evening and back at the camp bar with the others. The energy after the drives was exciting as we all shared stories of our finds. On the last morning we finally caught up with the elusive leopard and her two cubs after a very patient waiting period. Again they walked very close to our vehicle, this time we got the pictures. We totally loved the safari experience.
Back at the camp we enjoyed gourmet meals provided by Mama G (Gladys). All meal times are announced by drum beat. Mama G has moved around among the different camps and they are thrilled now to have her at Manyeleti. Breakfast was made to order for each guest. Lunch and dinner were both three courses, displayed beautifully. Two great dinners were ostrich on polenta and lamb shanks in a wine reduction with mashed potatoes and vegetables. Guess what, those little ears of pickled corn actually start out fresh! I could go on and on about the food but I will tell you more when I see you. It is hard to return to ship cuisine after this treat.
Others on ship reported service experiences as well as other safaris. Many students went to the townships. Don’t think townships as in the USA. These are shantytowns. If I remember correctly, the current euphemism is ‘unauthorized settlements.’ These are very poor sections right outside of Cape Town. People live in single room homes made of corrugated metal and scrap wood. Their homes are much smaller than our tents were. 1.6 million people live in Cape Flats. The situation is embarrassing to the country and critical but those who live here do indicate that it is improving slowly. South Africa is known as the Mother Country because it takes nine months for anything to happen. Elections on April 22 will be significant for the future.
We love hearing from you. Messages from home are very special. If I have not written to you I may not have your email address here. If you write I promise to answer.