NOTE: Some pictures from last evening including our headwaiter Augusto who was starting to prepare the Veal Scaloppini for us. Some picture from the show last evening including afterwards when Anne Marie got into the act. J.
We were asked on the Blog if there has been a Liar’s Club on this cruise as of yet since once in a while this takes place and is quite a funny event. Thus far, this has not taken place and if it does we will be sure to post about it.
Most people that we spoke with last evening had an average opinion of their time in Zanzibar. Clearly, it is not anywhere like the ports of call we visited in South Africa as Mombasa will not be either. There are certainly nicer places around the world as there are places that are not as nice. For many of the people who live there, this is all that they know and they certainly make the best of their situation. This is a reminder to us about how fortunate we are. Many things we sometimes take for granted, most of the people who live here will not ever experience. This port was also a reminder about how diverse Africa is. Between Zanzibar and Mombasa we are seeing some of the areas that are very influenced by certain areas of the Middle East. For example, many of the women that we saw had their faces and heads covered. We are grateful for the opportunity to see first hand these varied places of the world and we also need to remind ourselves that within our own country there are many differences between areas and there are places within some of our own cities where people live in standards that are well below what most of us have ever experienced first hand in our own lives.
Some people have asked us about the market. We thought the fruit and vegetable and the spice markets were fairly nice. There was a very large selection of fruits and spices and a decent selection of vegetables. The fish market was pretty dirty with a terrible odor and flies on many of the fish. There was also one other market that we could visit but none of us except for one person walked which was the chicken market. The chickens were alive and either sold alive or slaughtered right in front of the buyer so we really thought this was one to pass on.
In many of the places we could not take pictures of the people except for the market area. We were told in order to take a picture we needed to ask the person. We stopped by one house and we did ask if we could take a picture of the woman and her two children and she mother said no. A few people ignored the rules but we chose out of respect to the locals to follow the rules. In some cases people may have posed for pictures if they were given money. This also will occur in certain countries in the Middle East that we will visit next month.
As mentioned we were very moved by the area where slaves were shackled for three to four days at a time without water and food. Some people on the tour could not even go into the room because it was so dark and others needed to leave fairly closely because they felt claustrophobic. Keith sat there the entire time that our tour guide spoke with us trying to envision what it was like and knowing that the experience was clearly horrific and a very sad time for our world.
Before dinner last evening we attended a very nice concert performed by internationally acclaimed classical pianist Rustem Hayrondinoff. He played several classical songs and each won was truly magnificent. He played Prelude from English Suite No. 3 from Bach, Ballad No.4 from Chopin, L’Isle Joyeuse from Debussy, and The Blue Danube Waltz from Strauss.
Afterwards, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner in the Main Dining Room. We had preordered our meal with our headwaiter, Augusto. We started off with a Caesar Salad, which he made especially for us and it was wonderful. For the third time of this cruise we did not have seafood. Rather, Augusto cooked for us Veal Scaloppini and it was the best Veal Scaloppini we have ever had. It was cooked beautifully and we also enjoyed some spaghetti with it along with some steamed vegetables. For dessert we had fruit.
Following the meal we attended a special world cruise cocktail reception. There was singing and dancing and the skit was wonderful. We really appreciated all of the effort that went into this production. We are always amazed at the amount of time and effort that goes into a show like this. The title of the event was Kamp Kwa Zulu and it featured our Cruise and Assistant Cruise Director, Our World Cruise Hostess, The Crystal Orchestra, Dancers and Singers.
We enjoyed another nice sleep as we made it to our next port of call.
Keith awoke quite early to get a nice workout at the Fitness Center. He was the only one working out except when John arrived midway though Keith’s workout. Since we had a rather early tour Anne Marie did not workout in the morning. Once again, Keith worked out on the stationary bicycle. On the positive side, Keith’s little toes are no longer black and blue and are just about looking normal again.
Alexander brought out breakfast at 6:30 AM as we need to get ready for a relatively early tour. We spoke about Mombasa as he has been there before and we have as well.
For many people Mombasa is considered to be the gateway to Kenya. It is the country’s most historic city and represents the largest port on Africa’s Coral Coast.
Mombasa is Kenya’s second largest city. The population of this city totals close to 800,000 people.
It is believed that sometime around 500 BC Phoenician sailors first arrived to this area of the world. By the late 1500’s Mombasa came under rule of the Portuguese, eventually being forced to give up control of this area when the Omani Arabs literally starved them out.
Foreigners have frequented Mombasa and its harbor for hundred of years. The look and feel of this town is of The Middle East rather than of being in Africa.
Today, many cruise ships stop in Mombasa as it provides the opportunity for visitors to see the Tasavo National Park and the Himba Hills National Reserve.
Our first visit to Mombasa was in 2007 and at that time we visited the Hima Hills National Reserve. This time around we thought we would visit the city. However, we do not consider this a place where we would feel comfortable walking out on our own so we took the Crystal Shore Excursion. Our tour was called Mombasa Medley and it began with a drive around the island. We then visited the Old Town area where we saw Fort Jesus. This 16th century fortress build by the Potuguese contains an etensive museum and a variety of atrifacts from the 17th century. We also strolled along the old quarter’s narrow streets which shelter rather ornate Indian-style architecture, exotic brass studded doors along with many mosques and of course a large bazaar. We visited a fruit/vegetable/spice market and a Temple before returning to the ship.
This evening we will forward the clocks forward one hour. As we understand including this hour we will be moving the clock forward three hours and thirty minutes before we arrive in Mumbai when this leg of the cruise ends. During our tour we learned that about 70% of the people who live in Mombasa are Muslim. The majority of men who are married have three wives. Unemployment is approximately 40%. Only about one in three women work. Most of the economy is centered on people selling and buying small items from each other.
After arriving back to the ship we enjoyed a nice lunch at the Lido Café.
Anne Marie walked for about ninety minutes on the Promenade Deck while Keith wrote, read and visited with some passengers.
Late this afternoon all passengers on board the ship received an invitation that read Dance the Night Away in the Serenity’s Rainforest Café. Enjoy music by the Crystal Sextet from 9:00 PM to 12 Midnight., Tonight, February 19, 2010, Stardust Club with Complimentary “Jungle Juice”.
Since the Stardust Lounge was all decorated from last evenings event it is nice that they kept the decorations in place to use for a party for all of the passengers.
This evening we will dine at the Silk Road Japanese Restaurant with three fellow passengers who we invited to join us for dinner. We will post more about this tomorrow.
TODAY’S THOUGHT OF THE DAY….
“To talk much and arrive nowhere is the same as climbing a tree to catch a fish.”
Keith and Anne Marie
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