Tuesday, March 2, 2010
NOTE:
We added some pictures from yesterday’s tour. This includes a couple of pictures of Buffalo that were roaming in an open field right by the church where we visited. Buffalo is plentiful in this area for their milk according to the tour guide. We also included some additional pictures of the 250-year-old home that we visited along with one of the churches. We also included a picture to try to show some of the youth who had painted their faces as part of the Hindu Holiday Celebration.
We also wanted to note how nice the tour was yesterday. It was very well done. Each tour group that was on our tour was had only about twenty passengers per guest. The tour guide spoke excellent English and most importantly communicated a good deal of information in a very thoughtful manner. We were very impressed with the three churches along with hearing about their history. The tour of Goa was very impressive and we greatly appreciate the route that the tour guide had our bus driver take which allowed us to see many areas of this city. It is a beautiful city with a very rich history. The home that we visited was beautiful including the interior and exterior of the home and we great appreciated the hospitality of the hosts. While we did not eat any of the food, there was ample food and drinks provide for everyone. While the description of the tour mentioned tea, they also provided various canapés and other food items, fresh fruit, bottled water and even beer for all those participating on the tour. We were fortunate to have had very nice weather. We also had a nice time on the tour as we stayed together with our friends Bob and Glo and with Barbara Rinella (the book reviewer/dramatist) and her husband. Collectively, all of this translated to a very nice day for us.
We enjoyed another wonderful dinner last evening. As we mentioned we dined with a couple who frequently takes one or two legs of the world cruise each year and we had met them on previous voyages. This was the first time we dined with them. We made arrangements with the headwaiter for the two of them to join us at our assigned table in the Main Dining Room since the table accommodates up to four people. We had a very nice time talking with them and learning more about each of their backgrounds. One of the nice aspects of traveling and particularly of cruising is getting the opportunity to meet so many nice people. After all, part of travel is discovery not only learning about each of the places we visit but also learning from others about their lives and their views on a wide range of subject. This couple will be on for the next leg of the world cruise as well.
After dinner we went to the Variety Showtime Entertainment, which included four acts. They were The Keatings, which features singing by a father and his son, Bruce Gold who is a comedian and magical entertainer, Jebb Fink a comedian and Penny Mathisen a vocalist. The Galaxy Orchestra accompanied these entertainers. It’s nice to have the finale shows feature a variety of entertainers. This way there is something for just about each guest to enjoy.
Today ends the third leg of the World Cruise and is the beginning of the forth leg.
During the course of the third leg of the World Cruise we sailed from Cape Town, South Africa to Mumbai, India. The total distance was 6,642 Nautical Miles or the equivalent distance of 7,638 land miles.
We begin this leg of the World Cruise in Mumbai, and then travel to Muscat, Oman; Bandar Abbas, Iran; Kuwait City, Kuwait; Manama, Bahrain; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and Dubai, UAE. Including sea days we this leg is a total of thirteen days. This along with the next leg of the World Cruise will take us to several places for the very first time and to some places that we would not visit on our own except by way of cruise ship.
Our first visit to Mumbai was in 2008 when we spent a couple of days visiting this city. At the time we saw much of the city and many of the key tourist attractions. In addition to taking tours, we did venture out a little bit on our own. For those of you who have never been to Mumbai there are very few cities like this one on the world. The city is essentially overcrowded with over 14 million inhabitants. Each year, more people arrive to this city from other areas of India hoping to start a better life by find work. Unfortunately, there is more demand for jobs than actual jobs so many of those arriving do not realize a better life. While we have seen first hand poverty in many cities around the world including those of our own country, we have never seen so much poverty in one city as we saw in Mumbai on our last visit. In fact, approximately six million of the inhabitants live in poverty. This is in contrast to others who also live in certain areas of this city where real estate is valued at higher levels than most places around the world. The challenge to this city is its sheer population.
Historians believe that Mumbai was inhabited by humans as early as 250 BC. Mumbai was initially a group of seven islands which were occupied by Loki fishermen. Mumbai was originally inhabited by Hindus until the islands were seized by Sultan Muhamed Begada. The Portuguese captured the Islands in 1534. Some of the Islands eventually were gifted to England and in time they were leased to the East India Company.
Mumbai quickly became an important trading post. With the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, Mumbai became a very strategic port and became the chief commercial an industrial city for all of India.
Bombay was renamed Mumbai fifteen years ago in 1995. Its population now totals close to 14million inhabitants and continues to grow at an alarming rate year after year. It has the second largest population of any city in the world. Mumbai has a very diverse and some might say very extreme economic structure. While almost six million of its fourteen million inhabitants live in poverty, Mumbai has some of the most expensive real estate of any city around the world.
Originally, we were signed up for a shore excursion called Museums and Galleries but unfortunately due to lack of demand this excursion was cancelled. Most of the other excursions included places that we had already visited so we decided not to take an excursion. We also decided not to venture out on our own. This is one of those cities that we think it is safer to be with others either on a formal excursion or at least in a group. Last time, we went through the challenges of not only negotiating a price for a cab but having to be very direct with the driver(s) to get from point A to point B without being taken on a several hour shopping spree. Also, last time we learned not to get a cab at the pier as it seemed to us that the local police authorities were working in collaboration with the local taxi drivers to inflate taxi fares. We also know passengers and crewmembers that had some bad experiences on the street. Even on our tour a couple of years earlier the tour guide constantly warned us each time we got out of the bus because many times just walking a short distances there would be throngs of people harassing the tourists. Because of all of this we decided not to venture into the city today. Instead, we went down to the pier where there is a fairly large area in the terminal with a variety of vendors who were selling goods.
This morning we awoke early to work out and to also go to a required Indian Immigration inspection for all guests. Keith arrived to the Fitness Center very early as he normally does and enjoyed a nice workout on the Elliptical Machine. Keith was the only guest working out this early in the morning. Afterwards, he stopped by the Lido Café for coffee. He spoke briefly with friends John and Linda.
We learned last evening that all crew and passengers would have to go through immigration this morning. Just like in Miami immigration can change each time the ship visits a particular location. Given the issues that India had in 2008 we can see how they have tightened up on security and on immigration. We had to go to the Galaxy Showroom, pick up our passport and our landing card and then meet with a representative from Immigration.
The immigration officer who Anne Marie met with asked her one question and then stamped her card and passport. The person who Keith met with literally looked at each and every page of my passport, stamped the landing card and passport and didn’t asked me any questions. The process only took about a minute.
After we went though immigration, we enjoyed a nice breakfast in the room and then Anne Marie headed to the Fitness Center for her morning workout. Keith read and wrote and took care of a few other items.
Afterwards we went over to the pier walked around for a while and then spent the rest of the day on the ship. We enjoyed a nice lunch up at the Lido Café and in the afternoon Anne Marie took another long walk on the promenade deck while Keith read, wrote and spoke with other passengers. We also greeted several friends who boarded the ship today in Mumbai.
This evening we will dine in the Main Dining Room and will post more about this tomorrow.
We are very excited about the next two legs of the World Cruise as we return to some familiar places and also visit several new places for the very first time.
TODAY’S THOUGHT FOR THE DAY….
“Remember, the greatest gift is not found in a store nor under a tree, but in the hearts of true friends.”
Keith and Anne Marie
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