India: The Taj Mahal, Mumbai

INCREDIBLE INDIA!

On March 22nd we docked in Cochin, in the southern part of India. New country, new customs, new people. The first thing that we noticed was the extreme poverty, rubble, rundown dwellings and beggars everywhere. We saw the Chinese fishing nets, many markets & aggressive street vendors and many tuk-tuk taxis, which is basically a motorcycle with covered back seat for 2 passengers. We tried Indian beer at the elegant Taj Malabar Hotel beach resort in Cochin. Our first taste of India!

THE TAJ MAHAL and MUMBAI

The Taj Mahal was incredible, we kept pinching ourselves to see if we were really there. There have been many breath-taking moments on this trip - the terra cotta warriors and the Taj are some. The white marble building is so beautiful, we had to put on booties to go inside to see the tombs of the Shah Jahan and his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal for whom he built the Taj as a memorial and whom he loved so much.

It was very hot, 95F and humid and lots of people. We had an elaborate Indian buffet lunch at the Mughal Sheraton. Every dish was spicey, flavored with a different kind of curry. After lunch we visited the red sandstone Agra Fort built in 1565 A.D.to protect the Mughal rulers.We shopped at local shops, gorgeous silks & saris, breath-taking jewelry, silk carpets, etc. etc. Then off to the Agra airport which is controlled by the military & lots of security everywhere. There were 97 of us, so we had a chartered 737 Jet Lite Indian airline. The flight attendants wear saris and have their belly buttons exposed - after all it is the center of creation according to Indian custom. We arrived back 'home' after midnight, a very long day but a memorable one.

The next day we spent in Mumbai, visiting the sights including lunch at the Taj Hotel where the bombings took place. Very tight security. Visited Mahatma Gandhi's home. Did you know that the spinning wheel was developed in India in 500 B.C. and was used to make the robes that Gandhi wore while he lived in this house for 17 years promoting his “non-violent non-cooperation” theory for independence from the British.
We saw the Dhobi Ghats where laundry from all over Mumbai is brought to be soaped, soaked, boiled and beaten by 6000 men who lease the stone cubicles from the government and the women do the ironing. We bargained for jewelry, purses and silks in the narrow streets of the Colaba market, were harassed by street vendors and beggars, and watched in amazement as cows took presedence in the streets. The poverty, filth, rubble and beggars everywhere certainly arouses many emotions but I feel fortunate to have been able to experience it.

That evening we had a special “India Night” on the ship. Svata and I wore our beautiful, silk saris (thanks to Denise) and enjoyed a delicious Indian dinner served by the Holland America waiters in their Indian garb. A lovely ending to a memorable visit to this incredible country.

Nha Trang, Vietnam; Singapore, Phuket, Thailand

NHA TRANG, VIETNAM
On March 13th we docked in Nha Trang, in the socialist republic of Vietnam. Its capital city is Hanoi and population is 86 million. In 1954 it was divided into north & south and in 1975 U.S. troops were withdrawn and unification began in 1976. It is a beautiful country with hills and beaches, many rice paddies and agriculture but it is a third world country and there is much poverty. We visited a pre-school in the country and a private home. Our next port was Kemaman, Malaysia. The smell from off-shore oil and gas deposits permeated the countryside and made breathing difficult. It too is a 3rd world country but trying hard to become an important port with its rich deposits of tin, rubber plantations, lumber: teak and oak forests. Much poverty everywhere.

SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE
We all loved Singpore! In August,1963 it gained its independence from Britain and the Malaysian Confederation and became an independent republic. It is a first world country in the midst of 3rd world neighbors, It has the highest income per capita in all of Asia. It is a beautiful city of modern high rises surrounded by areas of neighborhoods of different nationalities including Chinatown, Arab Town and Little India. It is a very clean city and there are many strict rules: no gum chewing (you cannot buy it or import it), no drinking, no smoking, no flammable goods, death to drug traffickers and you cannot say anything derogatory about Singpore. It is a world class financial center and important shipping port located strategically between the east and west. It is competing fiercely with Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing as a world class trading port.We stopped in the Long Bar of the Raffles Hotel, the home of the famous “Singapore sling”which we enjoyed immensely.

PHUKET, THAILAND
Phuket is a resort island connected by a bridge to mainland Thailand. It is the most visited island which thrives on tourism. There are beautiful resorts on white sand beaches, lush tropical vegetation, temples, markets and Sino-Portuguese architecture. Inland there are rice paddies, cashew nut, rubber, pineapple and coconut plantations. Svata and I ventured on a Siam Elephant Safari on a 35-year old gentle elephant. The ride was rather bumpy through a narrow path in the jungle.
We also saw how rubber trees were tapped for white liquid & how it is treated to form latex and then rubber products. Further on the safari we saw how monkeys are trained to pick coconuts by twisting them with their arms & legs and letting them drop to the ground.
An exciting day in Thailand!

Xi'an, China; Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, Beijing, Shanghai

On Thursday, March 5th, a group of 25 of us embarked on an unforgettable trip. We left the Rotterdam in Hong Kong and flew to Xi’an, China. Here we visited the world-famous Terra Cotta Warriors, an underground empire prepared for the after-life of Emporer QinShihuang. In 1974 local Chinese farmers were drilling wells searching for water when they discovered ancient bronze weapons and pottery fragments. The government stepped in and excavation began. There are now 3 pits open to the public, with hundreds of human sized, clay warriors, horses and relics. I was speechless when I first saw them.

The next day we flew to Beijing and climbed the famous Great Wall. Several young Chinese people motioned to me with their camera and I thought they wanted me to take their picture, but it was ME they wanted to photograph! This kept happening throughout China. I now have many new Chinese friends! Our visit to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City was also memorable. There were thousands of people celebrating Womens’ Day so we had to push our way through the crowded palaces and courtyards.

Besides visiting many mosques and pagodas, we stopped by Olympic Village and saw the Water Cube (which contains 5 separate swimming pools) the Birds Nest, hockey stadium and the athletes’ dormitories. We were treated to a Peking Duck dinner and Chinese beer – which is quite good.

We returned by air to Shanghai where we rejoined our ship. Shanghai on the Yangtze River, is a contrast of old and new: tall skyscrapers in the Global Financial Center surrounded by old mosques, temples, and people living in poverty in run-down shacks. We took the elevator to the 88th floor of the Oriental Pearl Tower (a 45 second smooth ride) to the observation deck. What a view! Shanghai is competing fiercely with Hong Kong and Beijing to become a world financial center and important trade city. However, I couldn’t help but see many empty cargo ships anchored off shore both in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Shipping has slowed down visibly. After 2 days in Shanghai, we set sail for Nha Trang, Vietnam.

Indonesia

After leaving Perth, Australia, we spent 4 days at sea and arrived on another continent, Asia in the port town of Lembar on the island of Lombok in Indonesia. It has been controlled by the Dutch since the 18th century but gained its independence on August 17, 1945 when it became a republic with its own president. The largest city is Jakarta, the capital, on the island of Jawa and the population is about 245,500,000. Indonesia is comprised of approximately 16,000 islands shaped in a half circle, but only 6000 of these islands are inhabited. The total area is 741,100 square miles. If flying from Sumatra on the west side of Indonesia to the farthest point east, East Timor would be like flying from Seattle to Miami. The official language is Bahasa and English, but there are about 350 dialects.

We also stopped in the city of Semarang on the island of Java. It is the fifth largest city with a population of 900,000. The volcanos which encircle Indonesia are called “the ring of fire” and the volcanic soil is very rich and produces many different crops including rice paddies, rubber, teak, coconut, spices, garlic, onions and coffee. Indonesia is the 3rd largest coffee producer after Brazil and Colombia. Hardwood timber from Indonesia is superb as is biofuel produced from palm oil which is 8 times more efficient than soy. There are rich gold mines, huge copper and sulphur mines and vast oil reserves controlled by the Pertamina Oil Company.

One of the highlights of Semarang was a visit to the Buddist temple Borobudur. It was built in the 14th century but soon afterwards was buried by a volcano. In the 1800’s it was excavated by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the governor of Sumatra. By 1873 tons of volcanic rock, dust and debris were cleared and 2 million cubic feet of stone of the temple was reconstructed. There are 6 square lower levels and the 3 top levels are round. There are 3 miles of walking to reach the top. In l983 it was dedicated as a Unesco protected site. You can see from the pictures that I made it to the top!

Another highlight was a stop in Slawi Bay on the island of Komodo. The inhabitants of this island are mostly descendants of former convicts, but the most famous residents are the Komodo dragons. It is the world’s largest type of monitor lizard and roams the island freely. They grow to 6-10 feet long and weigh up to 300 lbs. The komodo dragon has a yellow 18” tongue which senses blood from a great distance. They are fast and agile and can devour a goat in a matter of minutes. This is one of the few islands where these dragons are found; they are an endangered species and have been protected since 1938.

On February 28th we crossed the equator for the second time – we will be crossing it 2 more times during this cruise. After 4 days at sea, we will be arriving in Hong Kong on Wednesday, March 4th.