EmmJays Journal, Canada

EmmJays Journal

Canada

I came to Canada a few days before Christmas 1969. Friends whom I had met in Spain invited me to spend some time with them in Oakville, Ontario. After a few weeks I thought I should explore this magnificent land before moving on to my next place of interest. A few years later I met my husband here and we bought a house about a 30 minute drive from Toronto. I am still here!

Canada is a great place to live. It is considered a multicultural society as opposed to a 'melting pot'. In English Canada, multiculturalism is defined as all cultures living in harmony, a mosaic in a way, where diverse cultures coincide with each other but do not become diluted or overpowered by another. Well, it sort of works that way. However, in Quebec it is a melting pot. New immigrants are expected to become 'French'.

History Tidbit

The native Americans of North America, known as 'The First People' occupied the country known to them as Canada, an estimated 30,000 years prior to the arrival of any Europeans. Canada means 'village' in the Cree language. It is assumed that the first Europeans to create a settlement in Canada were the Vikings from both Iceland and Denmark. They settled on the east coast of the country and did not penetrate the interior. The conditions were harsh and there was no 'wealth' to be had, so after a short stay, they left. Christopher Columbus has been given credit for discovering North America, even though history has proven that he did not. In 1492 he reached some of the islands off the coast, but he did not set foot on the continent. He thought he had reached India and referred to the natives as Indians. Prior to the 20^th century, all natives were referred to as 'savages'. The word 'savage' is French for 'native' and was used throughout the world at that time as a reference to all native peoples. English speaking people used the word 'savage' also, but it had a derogatory tone and generally meant wild animal. Churches, both Catholic and Protestant once established in Canada, took on the education of the natives thereby destroying their culture, religious beliefs, language and way of life. Today the First People struggle with their identity and dignity.

Canada has two distinct cultures and two official languages, English and French. Both cultures exist in relative harmony under a single government. The Capital of Canada is Ottawa which is located in the province of Ontario, within walking distance of the province of Quebec. Canada's Constitution recognises Parliament as the seat of government and the Governor General as the Queens Representative. Canada shares its borders with the United States of America.

Critters of Canada

I have a great deal of respect and love for animals. Canada has a plethora of wild life which can be seen in both rural and urban areas. I see squirrels, chip monks, raccoons, red tailed hawks, deer, red foxes, coyotes and geese in my neighbourhood.

A few hours north of my home I am able to see black bears and moose. There was a moose on the main highway about 10 minutes from my home several years ago and it had to be tranquilized as it was standing right in the middle of 8 lanes of traffic, looking somewhat stunned.. It was transported several miles away for its own safety.

To see a polar bear, I would have to travel to the shores of Hudson Bay. Grizzly bears are located throughout Canada and an encounter with one of these magnificent beasts may be your last.

Seals are found on both the east and west coast, but the most controversial seal hunt takes place on the east coast. River otters occupy the fresh water lakes and streams all over the country. In the Atlantic Ocean off the east coast of Canada can be seen the Beluga and humpback whales and off the west coast on the Pacific side, one can see the orca.

Birds of all sizes are in abundance throughout the country. In early winter they fly south to basque in Florida's sunshine. Robins are the first to arrive after winter and they take up residence in my back yard. The red cardinal is a handsome crimson red bird that loves to eat the berries from the highbush cranberry tree that grows by the side of my house. Blue Jays arrive late and basically make a nuisance of themselves. They are thieves and they intimidate the smaller birds.

When the tulips are in bloom, the hummingbirds hover over the throat of the flowers to extract sweet nectar. They need the nectar to fuel their little bodies for the hundreds of kilometers north that they have yet to travel. Hawks circle looking for rabbits in the summer. The majestic Canada Goose, flying in 'V' formation make daily trips over the house to feed in the lakes and on farmers lands.

My home is a highway for squirrels. These very cute but invasive little critters gather food and bury it in my yard. In winter they make a nest of leaves in the trees that are planted around the neighbourhood. Squirrels will take up residence in your attic if they can get into your house. I had 4 grey squirrels that decided to move in with me and I had to hire a a man to trap them, repair the entry hole that they had made by chewing their way in and to release them in the local conservation area. A chip monk lives under my back deck and he is so very cute. I do get the occasional skunk visiting the yard.

My neighbour's dog got squirted on the snout by a skunk and had to be washed down with tomato juice to dilute the pungent spell from her coat. I am so glad that grizzly bears do not come to my yard.

Places

The north is not densely populated with people, but it does have a lot of beautiful trees and lakes. These are all fresh water lakes that are great for fishing, swimming and boating. A few hours drive from my home I can enjoy Haliburton and Muskoka, known as cottage country. There are some very nice camp grounds in the conservation areas that many people with young children take advantage of. The Great Lakes are just that. I have sailed on these lakes with friends and family. From my house I can see Lake Ontario.

The most spectacular of all sites has to be Niagara Falls. The Falls are just over a two hour drive from my home. The family has visited the Falls in both summer and winter, and to quote my brother, "Unbelievable". Niagara is Ontario's wine growing region and the wines are quite good. Most of the vintners are immigrants from Europe who brought grape root stock with them from the wine growing regions of France, Germany and Italy. Their hard work and knowledge has brought Ontario recognition and many international awards. Ice wine is very popular with the Japanese. I do not like ice wine, but it sells like hot cakes.

The Climate

It is damn cold here!

EmmJays Travel Journal, November 2005

EmmJays Travel Journal

November 2005

Hong Kong, China

We had a wonderful two days in Hong Kong. We left the terminal at about 9:30am and headed for the bus station outside the ferry terminal. There are two local buses that go to Stanley Markets and we wanted the one that took the scenic route. The buses are British Leyland double deckers, so on having purchased our tickets we climbed onto the bus and made our way to the seats at the very front on the top level. This was a route we had taken sometime before but we wanted to see it all over again. At Stanley Markets we browsed all the stalls looking for gifts for our loved ones. It was November and Christmas was fast approaching. We all bought 'stuff' and having satisfied ourselves that we had not missed anything, we were back on the bus headed for the ferry terminal again.

We bought lunch and enjoyed it by the waters edge. Caroline needed ballroom dancing shoes and she had been recommended a store in Hong Kong by one of the ships dance instructors. I located the store on a street map and decided on which bus we needed to take to get there. The store had some lovely shoes and Caroline eventually chose the pair she liked the best. We walked back toward the ferry terminal browsing along the way. We did get a few more bargains before getting on a bus to take us the rest of the way to the ferry terminal. It was now 5pm, so we returned to the ship and readied ourselves for the evening meal.

After dinner at about 9pm we were off to the night markets with a new friend we had made whilst on this trip. Of course we sat on the top level in the front seats for the ride. The markets were packed and we browsed and shopped until 11pm. We enjoyed a beer at a local street cafe then got the bus back to the ship. It was about 1am when we got back on board.

The following day we had decided on a trek to Lantau Island to see the Giant Buddha. At the ferry terminal I purchased four tickets, as one of the guys who sat at out table for the evening meal said he wanted to join us. The ferry took about 45 minutes to cross so we got a good look at the harbour. When we disembarked we had to get a local bus to the location of the Giant Buddha. The bus took about 25 minutes as it wound its way across the island. Over 200 steps straight up and we were all at the top of the structure and facing the Buddha. We explored the Temple and enjoyed the wonderful view before us. We bought lunch at a cafe on the island and I bought a bottle of wine to share with my friends.

It was late in the afternoon when we took the ferry back to Hong Kong. This time we were on the fast ferry (hydra-foil). It sat high up on the water like a praying mantis as it skimmed across the harbour. Our friend left us at the ferry terminal as we were off to find cashmere sweaters and knock off handbags. Margaret and Caroline bought several clutches which they were going to give as Christmas gifts. The cashmere sweaters were nowhere to be found. We browsed a lot and returned to the ship at about 8pm.

Singapore

We sailed the South China Sea for two days prior to reaching Singapore. Pat joined us today and as we made our way to Raffles as we decided that an open top-bus tour of the city might be fun. We spent time at Raffles on one of the verandas while Margaret made some phone calls home. We then walked to the City Bus Terminal and found that the bus tour that we were interested in had already left and that the next one was not until the late afternoon, so we ended up going to a butterfly sanctuary for the rest of the day. It was beautiful.

Perth, Australia

We crossed the Java Sea heading for Bali, Indonesia but on the way the Captain announced that we could not dock there due to a serious security alert. So having crossed the equator we were now headed for the Indian Ocean and Perth, Australia. This gave us five full days at sea to enjoy the ships activities.

Margaret was the ping pong maven but on this trip she ran into some major competition. Sandy, who was born in Thailand was very good and ended up taking Margaret's crown away from her. Margaret loved to play so we played everyday. She beat me 8 times out of 10. One day she was chatting up a couple young guys and talked them into playing doubles with us. We played them every day after that and it was so much fun. I even got to beat Sandy a few times because we had had so much practise.

Caroline won at golf chipping on several occasions. We played tennis and swam in the pool just about every day. Every afternoon we played volleyball or we would shoot basketballs. Caroline did not care for volleyball so she would head for the internet or library.

In Freemantle we got on a local bus to a small beach. We spent the day there even though we could not swim in the water. The Indian ocean only got to wash over our feet as we walked along the wet sand. Later that day we got the bus from the beach to a stop where we saw a restaurant. When we left the restaurant we could see the bus coming but we were on the other side of the road and nowhere near the bus stop. Caroline said that there was no way she could make the sprint required to catch the bus. Amazingly the bus driver had seen us and he looped around to pick us up. He said, 'Glad to see you ladies again'.

Adelaide, Australia

We had two days at sea, one in the Indian Ocean and the other, the Southern Ocean. We crossed the Great Australian Bight in relatively rough seas, arriving in Adelaide at about 8am. At the Shipping Terminal, Margaret bought an opal bracelet for her daughter and had not realized that she had left her visa card with the merchant. We had boarded a train that took us from the port to Adelaide itself.

We took a city ring bus and got off in front of a lovely pub where we had lunch and a beer. After lunch I had found a city bus that would take us to where we wanted to go next and luck had it, it was the right bus. We boarded a tram that took us for a 30 minute ride to Glenolg. We spent the some time there and that is when Margaret discovered her visa was gone. It was about 3:30pm when we boarded the tram back to the city. We boarded a city bus to get us to the train station and the train back to the Shipping Terminal. It was after 7pm when we found the merchant. She was packing up to go home for the day, so Margaret was relieved to have found her in time. She had the card in safe keeping.

Sydney, Australia

The ship ventured out into the Tasman Sea for the two day crossing to Sydney. It was a rough ride but the sail into the harbour was on calmer seas. We had only one day in Sydney and for me it was the most important day of the journey. Today I would see my family.

My brother, Neville picked us up at the Shipping Terminal early on the morning of November 19^th. He drove us via the coast to La Parouse. Having reached the house there were hugs all around. My brother, Raymond was there with my sister-in-law, Sabina as well as my sister-in-law Sheryl and my niece, Teagan. Teagan was very excited with the shuffle of adults and was not quite sure what to do with herself. Glenese, my most treasured girlfriend arrived later with her sister, Moira and their mum, Mrs Daly. We chatted most of the day and then celebrated my brothers 50^th birthday over a meal of Neville's favourite food, fish and chips. To Nev, fish and chips are a food group.

Late in the afternoon Glenese and family left and we had to consider the same. The ship was to leave at 10pm so we had to be on board by 8pm. Hugs all around once again and Nev drove us back to the ship. More hugs and he bid us farewell. We walked along the wharf for an hour or so, then boarded the ship.

Brisbane, Australia

We enjoyed another full day at sea, this time in the calmer Pacific Ocean before docking at Brisbane. We had a day in town just strolling around the city. Margaret needed to call home and was having a terrible time getting a connection. She missed Brisbane completely.

Noumea, New Caledonia

A day cruising the Coral Sea and we sailed into Noumea. In 1774 Captain Cook named the island New Caledonia because it reminded him of the Caledonia region of Scotland. The archipelago is one of the four richest territories on earth in terms of biodiversity, despite its relatively small surface area. We got a bus to a beach and enjoyed the serenity of its locale.

Suva, Fiji

It was very hot when we arrived. The craft markets were closed so we decided to look at the ones that were set up on the wharf. There were some beautiful wraps to be had as well as the usual tourist type junk. We took a local bus to a hotel to see what was happening there, and nothing was, so we bussed it back to the ship. With everything closed we decided to enjoy the ships amenities instead.

Samoa, Apia Upolu

The Pacific Ocean was calm once again and we had a beautiful sunny day to enjoy Samoa. We got into a school bus for a trip to the Piula Cave. Here we swam in cave waters by the sea. It was heaven. The drive from the pool took us to a restaurant overlooking a lagoon, where we had a delicious lunch of chicken and fruits. The drive around the island was magnificent. We passed small homes that were tucked away in the jungle type vegetation and bananas hung from squatty trees at every turn. American Samoa is not a wealthy island but it is certainly beautiful.

Christmas Island

We crossed the equator again as we headed north to Christmas Island. It took two days to reach the island so we spent the time on board involved with the myriad of sports events that we loved. The M&M pool got some good use as well. The captain could not get purchase with the anchor as the current was a force to be reckoned with, so the few passengers that had made it onshore via tenders that morning were the only ones to have set foot on Christmas Island that day. A full day at sea followed.

Honolulu, Hawaii

November had come to and end and so had our trek around the Pacific Rim. It was now December 1^st and we were in Hawaii. We got a local bus to Waikiki Beach and spent the entire there. We had 3 days at sea ahead of us before making port in San Diego, California. The final days at sea were filled with ships activities, farewells and some wonderful evenings with friends.

EmmJays Travel Journal, October 2005

EmmJays Travel Journal

October 2005

My travel companions, Margaret and Caroline had itchy feet in September 2005, so they decided that a trip around the Pacific Rim was in order. I had no intention of joining them as I was planning a flight to Australia in December to visit my brothers for their 50^th birthday. The emails were relentless and they finally convinced me that I could reach Sydney by ship instead of enduring that ghastly 20 hour flight to Australia.

I flew from Toronto to Seattle, Washington one day prior to the ships departure and stayed at Margaret's home. Caroline joined us the next day and Glenn drove us to a hotel where we met with our travel club. We had a lovely meal that evening as we reacquainted ourselves with friends. On October 6^th at 5pm, the Ms Amsterdam left Seattle with every cabin filled, 1300 passengers in all. We three shared a cabin as we had always done in the past. We had the sharing routine down pat, so adjusting to each others needs was never an issue. We shared the limited space with a great deal of good humour.

We had six days sailing the most northern parts of the Pacific Ocean en route to the east coast of Russia, via the scenic Aleutian Islands. In these northern waters during the month of October it is cold. Winter was announcing its approach. We spent these days involved in every activity the ship offered. Movies, crafts, ballroom dancing, golf, ping pong, yoga, crosswords, stretching exercises, aerobics and port info sessions. We made good use of the library and the internet. Friends gathered in the evening before dinner to exchange updates from home. We crossed the International Dateline on October 12^th.

Petropavlovsk, Russia

Since WWII Petropavlovsk has housed Russia's nuclear submarine fleet. The peninsula was only opened to visitors in 1991. Today, the city has a population of 200,000, roughly half of the population in the entire Kamchatka peninsula. We arrived at 8am and the authorities were on board to take possession of our passports. The gangplank was lowered after preliminaries had been finalized. We disembarked into the cool air to be warmly greeted by University students offering to be guides.

We were approached by two young ladies and we decided to accept their offer. They took us for a walk into town where we stopped at a statue of La Parouse. The French explorer had mapped the coastal area. We walked to an arcade for a bit of shopping and stopped at a cafe for a coffee and cake. We offered to pay for the girls but they would have none of it and they paid for us. We then walked to the university where we caught a local bus to the crafts market. The young ladies chatted to us all the way and told us that it helped them with their English (they spoke beautiful English). After the market we were back on the bus heading to another area of town. We explored the area and chatted some more. We walked down to the rock covered beach before the ship was scheduled to leave. We offered to pay the girls for their guided tour and they would take no money. Hugs all around and we left the port at 4pm.

Aomori, Japan

Aomori is located at the northern tip of the Japanese mainland. It means 'Blue Forest' in Japanese and 60% of the prefectures land is filled with thick forest. The area was declared a world heritage sight by UNESCO in 1993. Two days at sea preceded our arrival in Japan. We chose to enjoy the city on foot. We started by walking into town and along the main street. The humongous sized fruit caught my eye. The apples were the size of soccer balls and were beautifully displayed by the grocers. I wondered if they were real so I got as close as I dared , to take a sniff. I thought it unwise to touch anything. As I did this the shop owner greeted me with the typical bow and asked me in English if I wanted to buy. I asked if the fruit was real and she picked one up and sliced off a sliver. I assumed that this meant I had just bought this giant apple and I guess it showed clearly on my face. She said that a taste is a tradition and that I was not obligated to buy. It was delicious and I asked Margaret and Caroline if they wanted to share it but they did not, so the lady just bowed and smiled. She said not to worry, the apple would not go to waste. The weather was warm and we enjoyed our day just browsing. The following day we sailed through the Tsugaru Kaikyo Strait to Yokohama.

Yokohama/Tokyo Japan

We docked at 6am and the wharf was packed with people. The Mayor had arranged for a children's choir to sing for us as traditionally clad dancers performed so gracefully. The decks were lined with passengers as we watched and showed our appreciation with warm applause. A band of school girls, no more than 12 years old played several musical numbers as well as any adult band.

Our first stop was the Isezakicho shopping centre where we went to the massive food court. The food is packaged like Christmas gifts and is worth it just to see it. We bought a few small delicacies to taste and they were indeed delicious.

We were feeling brave so Margaret, Caroline, our friend Pat from a previous trip and I decided to take on the Japanese subway system. We entered a station and I bought tickets for us all to the main station in downtown Yokohama from an automated ticketing machine, by looking at icons on the screen. On having successfully reached the main train station without getting lost, I purchased tickets to Tokyo for us all from yet another automated ticket machine, once again using the icons on the screen.

We were now traveling by the main railway system not the subway so it was imperative that we get on the right train. I found the platform and we waited for the train. I was a bit nervous so I asked a man who was standing on the platform if he spoke English. He said, of course. I asked him if this was the correct platform and he nodded and asked me where I was from. The guy had spent several years in Toronto and knew it well. The planet is definitely shrinking!

In Tokyo we walked along the main streets, had lunch on a side street and then just explored the city for several hours after that. I made sure I remembered the route back to the main train station and was successful in relocating it for our journey back to Yokohama. I found the platform and we were seated opposite an elderly Japanese couple who struck up a conversation. We chatted the entire journey back to Yokohama. The subway was next, and on having managed not to get lost at all in this crowded chaotic system, we all had a sigh of relief when we could see the ship. I was now pronounced 'the' navigator for the rest of the trip. We wondered around Yokohama until it was quite dark and we felt very safe. Even though we had to walk back to the docks we never felt ill at ease here. We spent the evening on board with our friends who thought we were nuts. The ship left at 1am the next morning.

Osaka, Japan

We enjoyed a full day at sea prior to pulling into Osaka harbour. When we left the ship at 8am everything was closed so Margaret and Caroline headed for the phone booths to call home. I wondered around the harbour terminal, which was quite vast until I found a little alcove where a photographer was taking pictures of a lady wearing an extravagant Japanese kimono. It was made of silk and was very ornate. I watched them and he invited me to try the garment on. I was hesitant and the lady beckoned me to do so. I put my arms through the large sleeves and then she wrapped it around me and applied the centre sash. It was surprisingly heavy. He took two photos and gave them to me. I offered to pay and he said no. It was his pleasure and they both welcomed me to Osaka.

I met up with Margaret and Caroline and we walked down the main street to China Town. All big cities have a China Town and Osaka was no different. It took a full two hours to explore it and we then found ourselves in a very large shopping mall. Everything was marked in Japanese however if you wanted to buy, a person who spoke English would be summoned to assist. We left the mall after having browsed for a while and we made our way down the main street in front of the harbour. We bought some yen and purchased a few small items from a little store we found in one of the back streets.

Nagasaki, Japan

It took a full day and night of sailing the Inland Sea of Japan to reach Nagasaki. The ship docked at 7am and we were off exploring as soon as the gangplank was lowered. It was just the day to stroll about in the warm sunshine and watch boats come in and out of the harbour.

Cheju City, South Korea

The ship had docked several miles from the downtown area so we had quite a walk to make it into town. The town was hilly but we did eventually make it to the main square. It was not a very interesting place so we just checked out the market and a few of the main streets.

Dalian, China

The previous day we crossed the Yellow Sea. We were in the People's Republic of China, a communist country with approximately 600 million inhabitants. Dalian is a large bustling city which does not appear haphazard in its design. The main square was a traffic round-about that one entered with reckless abandon. Vehicles of all sizes enter and merge into its 10 lanes, then they dart across the lanes to execute their exit. I did not think we were going to get out alive.

The Chinese have 'western' shops for visitors. They provide high end goods to the visitor at high end prices. We browsed for a while then went out the back door. We walked up the street and entered a Chinese department store for a look around. It was multi-storey with mostly clothes, none of which would fit anybody larger than a size 2. There was perfume from Paris and jewelery from all over the world. The store had very few shoppers. Where was the 'real' China town? Everywhere in the world has a China town, except China!

Xingang, China

Xingang is the gateway to Beijing. Beijing has existed in one form or another since the 12^th century BC, and is currently the capital of the People's Republic of China. Margaret and Caroline had been to see the Great Wall of China before so they were not interested in seeing it again. They chose to take a two day excursion to Beijing to visit the Forbidden City and The Tomb of the Imperial Soldiers. I chose to spend my day visiting the Ming Tombs and the Great Wall of China. Pat came with me and it was beyond fantastic.

We drove for several hours and passed a lot of shanty towns. These are rural people who come into Beijing to work. They have no money for accommodations so they live in these makeshift living quarters. The government had just taken over the property of over one million residents of Beijing for the Summer Olympics scheduled for August 2008 and these people had received no compensation. They too were probably in one of these shanty towns. As we got closer to Beijing the streets were in much better condition and there were workers planting mature trees along the side of the road. When we gained access to the highway that was to take us through Beijing we got mired in the traffic. It was moving at about 15km/hour for several kilometers. Having cleared Beijing we left the main highway for a drive out in the countryside.

The Ming Tombs were in a Palace type surrounding. There were some beautiful artifacts dating back to the Ming Dynasty and the displays were nicely presented. We spent about two hours exploring the facility and then we motored on to the Great Wall.

The Great Wall which was in the distance was visible from the road as we headed up into the hills. It covers approximately 5000 km and was built during the 7th century. Within the hour we were at the entrance to the Great Wall of China. The path that is inside the wall goes at two different grades from the entrance. I climbed as far as I could go on the steep side and took a ton of video. Pat strolled in the opposite direction and we met several hours later for the trip back to the ship. I bought a brass bell, a jade dragon and a gift for one of the ships waiters.

The experience is one not to be missed.

For the next two days we sailed the Yellow Sea off China's coastline.

The month of October 2005 had come to an end.

EmmJays Travel Journal, March 2003

EmmJays Travel Journal

March 2003

Our journey in Chile continued after a three day stay in Valparaisso. The ship left at 8pm, March 1^st. There were no sports activities on this ship. We attended lectures everyday we were at sea. The ships outdoor pool was approximately 12' x 12' and could accommodate about 6 people, all standing. It was not meant for swimming. As we approached the Antarctic the weather had become cold and the pool was emptied. We still had cocktails on deck and everyone was very chatty.

Our evening dinner table included a man from the USA ,who was on some sort of religious pilgrimage, a guy who told us he was gay and his travel companion, a lady who was not gay. Margaret did not like the religious guy and spent most of her time talking to the gay guy. Caroline kept to herself and I got stuck with the religious guy. One morning at breakfast I was approached by the guy whom we had shared our taxi with in Panama. He asked me if I would join him for breakfast. I did and he was very nice. He was a retired college football coach and his name was Glenn. When Margaret and Caroline came down for breakfast I introduced Glenn to them, and it turned out that Margaret's husband used to teach at the same university that Glenn was the football coach. They had mutual friends.

Puerto Montt, Chile

We had one day in Puerto Montt. We spent the morning exploring the port, the Naval Academy and the town square. It was a quaint town with a large fish market. We took a train from the port to a local beach, walked around the beach for a while then took the train back to the port. Back on the ship we heard that Margaret's friend, Paul had been robbed that day. When the ship left the port at 7pm we were headed for the Patagonia Channels and the Magellan Straits. Hundreds of glaciers line the coast of Chile. We sailed through these waters for four days. The captain took us right into an inlet so we could get an up close look at a huge glacier. The water was calm as mist ran parallel to its surface. The glacier and the surrounding mountains were reflected in the water. It was fantastic.

Punta Arenas, Chile

The port offered us a shopping day. We walked to the craft markets about ½ mile away and spent the day looking through the merchandise. Everything was hand made and nothing had 'made in china' on the tag. In fact, there were no tags. There were some good bargains to be had here. At the end of the day we just made it back to the ship with 10 minutes to spare.

Ushuaia, Argentina

The ship was now headed to the city of Ushuaia, Argentina. This city is on the southern most tip of South America. We sailed into the bay at 2pm that day and everyone was on deck. The homes were small and spread out. Our travel club was in charge of our destiny today. They had booked 3 motor coaches to take us to Tierra del Fuego Park. It is the only park in Argentina that includes both sea and mountains. It has forests, bays, lakes, rivers, lagoons, peaks and glaciers. En route to the park we passed Mount Susana, the Pipo River Valley and the Southern Fuegian Railway where stood a replica of an old train, used by prisoners to transport wood into town. We saw a beaver building a dam and the park ranger told us that the beaver came from Quebec, Canada and he wished it would go home. He considered it a pest.

After a full day at the park the coaches took us up into the mountains to a fabulous restaurant where we had a sea food feast overlooking the Bay. The evening came to an end at 9pm and we had to return to the ship. It was a wonderful evening and everyone really enjoyed it.

The ship left port at about 10pm and we headed for our cabin for a good nights sleep. In the morning we would be sailing around Cape Horn, Chile. Yes, it is Chile not Argentina...we were not sailing in reverse gear. In our lecture on ports-of-call we were told that the Cape Horn crossing could be very rough. It had a reputation as a graveyard for mariners. Hundreds of ships had sunk trying to make this crossing, as the seas are like the Roaring Forties in the Southern Ocean , they can envelope a ship very quickly. As we sailed passed the Horn everyone lined the decks ... the sea was like glass!

A full day at sea followed as we headed east toward the Falkland Islands. The ownership of this group of islands is still in dispute. Argentina and Great Britain went to war over it twice. Nobody won.

Port Stanley, Falklands

The ship pulled into a Bay and dropped anchor. It then lowered its tenders and we all boarded them for the 20 minute scoot over the Bay to Port Stanley. Margaret and Caroline were seated behind me and I was seated next to the retired US Ambassador to Iraq. We chatted all the way to the port. We decided that we would walk along the main road to see what there was to be seen.

We saw a few homes squat to the ground with small garden plots. The surroundings looked bleak. One of the residents stopped to talk and we asked her where the Magellan Penguins were as we wanted to see them. She pointed and we started walking. About 15 minutes into our walk the resident pulled up along side of us in her SUV and said she would drive us to the penguin colony. We walked through the colony and we saw baby penguins in burrows all over the place. Some of the adults were swimming out at sea and others were walking up the cliff edge from the beach.

Having seen the penguins were started walking back to the town. We stopped by a sign in front of a very nice beach that read 'Swimmers beware of unexploded mines'. Now that gave us pause for thought! We carefully removed ourselves from the area and continued our walk. At the port we took a look in the shops until it was time to leave. The ship had moved a bit due to the incoming tide and the waves had picked up some height in the Bay. It was a wet ride but we all arrived safely on board.

Puerto Madryn, Argentina

A full day at sea and we met up with Glenn again. Margaret had some time to talk to him about old times. We were also taking Greek language lessons on the ship. It was very difficult so we later switched to Spanish lessons. At least we got to use what we had learned when we needed it.

We docked at Puerto Madryn at 6am and Laura had arranged two taxis for us. We piled in and we were off to the seals reserve of Punta Loma, three hours away. We passed a lot of Al Pacas and Llamas on the way and I think Laura took a picture of everyone of them. We reached a museum about one hour later and toured it for about 45 minutes.

The drive took us to the coast where we all piled out and headed for the cliff edge. There were elephant seals on the entire stretch of the beach. This is a breeding beach for these sea goers and there were a lot of tiny seals in clear view. The males were snorting at each other and every now and again a fight would break out. It was an incredible sight. We made our way down onto the sand keeping a respectful distance between us and the seals. We spent just over one hour taking in this amazing sight before it was time to leave. A couple of red foxes approached us as we were about to get into our taxis and one of the drivers said that they were tame and were looking for a treat. I had some walnuts and the driver offered them to the foxes. They were now only about 2' away from us. It was a 12 hour day trip in total and one of the best ever.

Montevideo, Uruguay

A full day at sea and more lectures. Our guest speaker this time was Tom Carpenter, one of the Apollo astronauts. He was the one who had to sit in the capsule while the other two walked on the moon. He talked about space exploration and why it is important to civilians and the military alike. The mission to the moon resulted in the MRI, fuel injection systems and many other beneficial technologies.

Montevideo is a beautiful city. It benefits from a mild climate and clear skies. It has charm that blends colonial with modern times. Margaret, Caroline and I took a bus into town and checked out an antique market for a few hours. I returned to the ship early as I had an upset stomach. A lot of people had the flu on the ship and it looked as though I was next. I spent the rest of the day on the ship.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

We had three days in Buenos Aires but I had the flu big time and spent the entire time on the ship. Margaret and Caroline went to a night club to see theTango Dancers. They enjoyed the experience.

Punta del Este, Uruguay

I had overcome the flu and was ready to explore again when we pulled into Punta del Este, Uruguay. This was a really pretty place. We strolled from the ship through some beautifully manicured streets to the beach. There was a giant sculpture of a hand reaching out through the sand toward the sky. We investigated then took our shoes off and walked the beach. In the afternoon we headed into town and did some shopping. Most of our shopping is browsing otherwise we would have to buy extra suitcases to take stuff home with us. The ship was scheduled to leave at 7pm, so we were back on board by 5pm and headed for happy hour. Our little group of friends had already gathered so we joined them.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The following day we were in Rio. Caroline now had the flu and it hit her very hard. We took her to see the ships doctor and he confined her to the cabin until she recovered. She was to be there for three days. Margaret had no symptoms and Caroline told us to go enjoy the day on shore. We set her up with crossword puzzles and crackers before we left.

We took a bus to Ipanema beach where Margaret purchased a lovely watch from Sterns. Sterns took us over to some plush chairs and served us a very strong drink while they completed the sale. The sales lady asked us what we were going to do while in Rio and we told her that we wanted to see the famous beaches first. She told us that we could leave our valuables at Sterns while we were on the beach if we wanted to. We did, and made our way to the beach. We took off our shoes and walked Ipanema and Copacabana on the wet sand. Several hours later we walked back to Sterns and they located our stuff and then called us a cab that took us back to the ship.

The following day Margaret and I went to the Botanical Gardens for a few hours then we took a cab through the down town area, then out of town and onto the suburbs. We got a good look at Rio. On our last day in Rio we went back into town and browsed through the shops on the main drag. We walked for hours, bought nothing but thoroughly enjoyed the day.

Salvador, Brazil

We sailed into Salvador da Bahia, Brazil at 6am. As we watched from the window in our cabin we could see a church, then another church, then another ... there must have been at least two churches every thirty meters. The barrios covered the sides of hills for miles. Once the gangplank had been lowered we met up with Laura and Norm and we headed out to the old town of Praca da Se. We visited the Sao Francisco Church, built over the course of 40 years beginning in 1597 and the Cathedral originally built in 1572. It was opulent as all Catholic churches are. We spent time looking at all the gold sculptures and ornately carved chapels. We then drove down to see the beaches which were quite lovely. We had lunch in a small town and took a round about route back to the ship in the afternoon.

We had drinks by the pool at the back of the ship before dinner. The ship left port at 8pm.

Fortaleza, Brazil

We had a full day at sea prior to arriving in Fortaleza. Our Spanish lessons were coming along and the lectures on Politics were also very good. Fortaleza is a very interesting place. It has a giant market that is packed with interesting merchandise and an old town that is very interesting to explore. Laura negotiated a van for the day and we started by climbing up a narrow winding street to the old town. He stopped at the top of the hill and everyone dispersed to explore the square. After an hour or so we were back in the van and headed out of town. The trip took us to a local crafts arcade that was multi- storey. Caroline was still recovering so she had not joined us. We spent hours here then the driver drove us back to the port. Margaret and I got out at the huge market and the others continued on back to the ship. We spent a few hours just browsing then walked back to the dock to be on board by 6pm.

Belem, Brazil

We were now headed for the mouth of the Amazon River. We would have three days to explore the Amazon up close and personal. Caroline was feeling better and she was getting cabin fever so we had to free her. The ship spent two full days in the Amazon and then docked at Belem. First we boarded a motor coach which took us to a river boat. The boat had two levels so we three clamored up to the second level. We chugged across a huge expanse of water for about an hour heading for Combu Island.

We reached Santa Maria do Acara where we embarked on a jungle walk. The guide pointed out the regional flora, local plant usage, animal life and tropical fruits. We passed a lot of very large spiders on the way and the jungle floor was very wet and slippery. We then walked down to the waters edge where we got into flat bottomed river boats that took us further up the Amazon. We passed several homes that were built out over the water. They were shanty in style and everyone had a few small fishing boats tied up to a wooden post. The children waved to us as we passed and we waved back. Our river tour took several hours before we were returned to the first boat that took us all back to where we started. We had a delicious meal at a restaurant right on the water. After supper we were driven back to the ship.

Devils Island, French Guyana

The captain successfully anchored the ship and we transferred to tenders for a day on Devils Island. This was my second visit to the island and I basically did the same thing I did last time ... enjoyed it.

Barbados, West Indies

The following day we sailed into Barbados, British West Indies. We were pretty pooped out so we decided to just enjoy the shops at the port for the day. It was a warm day and it allowed us a rest period.

Martinique, French West Indies

Laura had hired a van and we were all ready to see this beautiful Island. Our driver took us high into the mountains where we stopped at a beautiful waterfall to take pictures. The homes were exquisite and the tropical glowers were exploding with colour. Our driver took us to the base of Mount Pelee to a little village called Morne Rouge. This village had been totally destroyed when the volcano erupted in 1902. There was a festival getting underway in the town so the driver took us there as our last stop.

St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands

The month of March had ended, and the final stop on our trip was to be on April Fools Day in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. We took a taxi to one of their famed beaches and enjoyed the warmth of the air and water. Having spent several hours swimming and walking the beach we packed up and returned to the port. The port is a duty free port so we checked out all the shops for the remainder of the day. The ship bid this beautiful island farewell at 2:30pm.

The greek for good-bye is Ahdeeo.

EmmJays Travel Journal, February 2003

EmmJays Travel Journal

February, 2003

My friends, Margaret and Caroline had decided that they wanted to circumnavigate the South American continent while it was winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere. They convinced me that this would be a great trip to take so I agreed to join them. The ship, The Olympia Explorer was a small Greek ship that was designed to carry up to 400 passengers. It was to be a unique trip as Professors from Chicago University were on board giving classes for university credits and the retired US Ambassador to Iraq and Pakistan was a guest speaker giving lectures on Politics.

We left from Port Los Angeles late into the evening of February 7^th and headed out to sea.

Puerta Vallarta, Mexico

We spent a full day at sea before reaching our first port of call. The weather had warmed up significantly so out came the summer clothes. Having arrived at around 2pm we decided to just walk into the town and wonder around. We had no set destination or purpose. The downtown area had pebble stoned streets and a seaside promenade. We went to the market, checked out all their wares then wondered back to the ship around 6pm. The ship departed at 8pm.

Acapulco, Mexico

Our travel club had arranged to take us out when we arrived in Acapulco. The ship docked at 3pm and once the gangplank was lowered, all 25 of us were in taxis heading out along the scenic highway to a restaurant on a hill overlooking the sea. We were there for cocktails and to watch the sun set. The view from 1500' above sea level was lovely. We then headed out to watch the La Quebrada Cliff-divers. Local divers perform a ritual that requires not only bravery, but knowledge and technique as they hurl themselves at night, into a vertical free fall from a platform high upon the cliff side (the equivalent of diving off a 12 storey building). Divers must ensure that they propel themselves out horizontally a minimum of 30' to avoid crashing into the jagged rocks below. We had our evening meal there while we watched and cheered as several divers successfully completed their dives.

Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala

A day at sea allowed us to attend some excellent lectures on volcanoes, earthquakes and dinosaurs. Having docked at 7am we grabbed a taxi and passed by two active volcanoes as we headed for Antigua, Guatemala's capital located in the Elmita Valley. In 1775 this city was officially born. It is an enchanting city. It was once the former Spanish colonial capital of Central America. It has a blend of ruins, restored colonial buildings and some new buildings of colonial style. The central plaza included a Cathedral, the Municipal Government Building and the Palace of the Captains General. We spent all day in Antigua enjoying the city. On our return we stopped at a Macadamia Nut Farm where all of the equipment used to harvest the oil was antique. There was no modern machinery on the site whatsoever. All the ladies were given a facial with the oil and we all bought a bag of nuts to go. It was quite a treat.

Balboa, Panama

Two days at sea included more lectures on the earth's mysteries, global climate change and what we had learned in Guatemala. Many people saw hot lava on the ground from where one of the volcanoes had erupted the day before we arrived. Others, including myself had picked up some cooled volcanic rock as a keepsake. I was especially stunned to learn that there are 150 active volcanoes in Guatemala.

We were down the gangplank in Panama by 9am and looking for taxis. Caroline and I had commandeered one at the same time as two gentleman had flagged him, so we agreed to share. I got in the front with Margaret and the 2 men and Caroline got in the back; it was a tight fit. Once in town we went our separate ways. Panama is a city of contrasts from old to new. The strong indigenous heritage combined with the colourful Afro Caribbean influence has come to create one of the most intricate shopping experiences in the region. Woven baskets, masks, Indian woven blankets, delicate tagua carvings, wood and painted works filled the shops. Having shopped ourselves into exhaustion we got a taxi outside a huge hotel and returned to the ship about one hour before departure.

Manta, Ecuador

A sea day preceded our two day visit to Ecuador. A good number of the passengers had booked a tour to the Galapagos Islands so we had 2 days in port to accommodate this. At breakfast we had met Norm an American, and his wife Laura who was born in Panama. She spoke Spanish fluently so we asked if we could tag along with them today and they agreed. They were traveling with two friends, so our group was now 7. This meant that we could hire a van for the day instead of a taxi ... more room and more economical. We did a tour of the City of Manta, checked out the markets, the countryside and the coast road. The second day took us into the countryside again to a lovely town which was founded in 1535. The Spanish influence was apparent in the architecture and culture. We attended a catholic mass in a very old church. On the way back we did a little shopping.

Salavery (Trujillo), Peru

Our ship was new, fast and very light. When the wind whipped up the waves they slapped at the hull making for very strange noises on board. We had a full day at sea prior to making port in Salavery and this very condition existed throughout the day and during the night. Margaret introduced us to Paul, a friend whom she had known from previous trips she had taken. Norm and Laura had booked a ship sponsored shore excursion with their friends for Salavery, so Paul joined Margaret, Caroline and I for the day.

We hired a taxi and headed for Chan Chan, the ancient capital of the Chimu Empire (13^th century). It is the largest pre-Columbian City in the Americas and the largest mud city in the world. At the height of the empire it housed about 50,000 inhabitants and contained vast wealth. We spent half our day investigating Chan Chan, then our driver took us to a pier that had some touristy type trinkets where we spent very little time, then he drove us by Arco Iris Huaca, a Chimu pyramid temple located 5km north of Trujillo. After a drive around the city it was time to return to the ship.

Callao (Lima), Peru

An overnight sail and we were in Lima by 8am. This was a major stop as over fifty percent of the passengers were booked to fly from Lima to Cusco and Machu Picchu. Paul asked Margaret to join him but she decided not to. I know that I could not go because my asthma could become an issue at such a high elevation. Machu Picchu is a spectacular and imposing citadel located in the valley of the Urubamba River. The city rises 7900' above sea level. Oxygen tanks are on-site as it is hard to breathe in the thin air. Other passengers were taking flights to see the Nazca Lines, which are geometric designs drawn in the desert that are clearly visible from the air.

Laura negotiated a van/taxi for three days for the gang of 7 and we were off exploring Lima. We left the port of Callao for downtown Lima and the Plaza de Armas. In the middle of the plaza (this is a square, not a shopping arcade) there is a splendid bronze fountain dating back to 1650. We visited the Lima Cathedral which was almost entirely destroyed during the 1746 earthquake. Within walking distance of the square is the San Francisco Church. The colonial architecture included a monastery, the church and the chapels of La Soledad and El Milagro. We paid for a tour ticket and really enjoyed it.

Continuing our trek the next day at Miraflores, which had beautiful parks, squares and avenues. It was a lovely day just to drive around and enjoy the city and its suburbs. Our driver gave commentary to Laura who translated it all back to us Gringos in the back of the van. On our last day we left the port, traveled the Pan-American highway en route to the Pachacamac Ruins. The sacred city covering 4 square miles originated in the pre-Inca period. When the Incas conquered the city in 1470, they built a major city, one being sacred and the other temporal. We spent hours climbing steps and investigated alcoves. With the time spent at the ruins and the drive back, eight hours had passed. The ship left two hours after that.

Antofagasta, Chile

A full day at sea with more lectures in the ships lounge. This time the topic was Iraq and the impending war. The retired US Ambassador to Iraq was not in favour of the war and he gave his reasoning for this. As he had been the US Ambassador to Pakistan prior to taking on the role in Iraq he delivered a lot of grass roots knowledge to his point of view. He convinced me that George Bush and his administration was headed down the wrong path. We had a break out session after the lecture where we could ask the Ambassador questions. I attended and really enjoyed the debate.

In Antofagasta, Margaret, Caroline and I left the ship at 9am and walked into town. Margaret stopped to use the internet and Caroline and I enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the towns square and its park. Margaret joined us later and we expanded our walk to include the outskirts of the town. Having walked all day we returned to the ship for 'happy hour'. During happy hour we met the former UK Consulate General to the USA. She was very interesting to talk to.

Coquimbo, Chile

The following day we docked in Coquimbo, Chile. With Laura in the lead we headed for the downtown area by the way of the main square, the Plaza de Amas to La Herradura. The legends of the pirates and corsairs of Sir Francis Drake, Bartholomew Sharp, Davis and others who plundered these Pacific shores took refuge in this place and hid there treasure here. We did not find any gold but we did enjoy the incredibly engaging people of Chile.

Valparaiso (Santiago), Chile

We had three days to explore Valparaiso and Vina Del Mar. Laura had a van ready and waiting for us at 8am and we were on our way to Chile's sprawling capital city, Santiago. The countryside was so picturesque as we passed through the rich fruit growing valleys of Casablanca and Curacavi. We stopped at a winery for a tour and taste of the local grape. We all purchased a few bottles to take with us.

After having arrived in the heart of the city the driver parked and we continued on foot to the Palace grounds. We bought tickets and toured the grounds. The President of Chile was in residence when we were there, but of course we did not see him. We drove around the city viewing it from the van then we headed out of the city through heavy traffic to the countryside. Out of the valley and on to the cliff road we enjoyed this scenic drive tremendously.

EmmJays Travel Journal, April 2002

EmmJays Travel Journal

April 2002

Having left the Island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean we were at sea for 2 days. On April 1, Margaret and I had dinner with a meteorologist and his son. He invited us to come star gazing with him that evening. We grabbed our binoculars and made our way to the top deck of the ship. No islands, no continents, a calm sea and a clear evening greeted us. The ship only had its running lights on so it was pitch black outside. With the naked eye we could see the milky way in all its glory, the swirl of the galaxy, the clusters of stars in smaller galaxies, billions of distance stars, the alignment of the planets and space matter. With binoculars it took us even closer to the action. Absolutely fantastic!

Richards Bay, South Africa

I have always wanted to go on a safari as I love animals of all stripes. At 8:30am I was headed for a protected reserve 1 ½ hours from the Zimbabwe border. When we arrived we got into safari vehicles and our first encounter was two white rhinos. Beautiful impala grazed on the tall grasses and a family of wart hogs darted across the dirt track in front of us. Zebras were on the path so we crept along so as not to disturb them. Slender necked giraffe peered at us from on high and the buffalo paid us no attention other than a passing glance. A large family of elephants lumbered along a river bank as we watched from atop a hill. The day went quickly but it was filled with delight.

Durban, South Africa

The hills around the city are spectacular. The Zulus make up 80% of the population of Durban and many had recently left the countryside to get work and live in city. The wealth is concentrated in the urban areas and it was certainly apparent as we drove through the suburbs on our way to Tala Game Reserve. On reaching the reserve we boarded safari vehicles and drove no less that 1km before we saw a clutch of giraffe, about twenty in all. We stopped for about 15 minutes and silently watched them. They came over and stiffed at us ... it was marvellous.

Hippos munched on water plants in a water hole as birds of all sizes zipped back and forth in the trees. Once again we encountered a large herd of zebra on the track and as we edged our way slowly through I actually got to touch one. We passed gnus, ostriches and impala before stopping about 10' from a rhino. He grunted and kept his eye on us as we slowly crept away. Loved it!

Cape Town, South Africa

We endured a full day of rough seas as we sailed around The Cape of Good Hope. Wave heights of 20-30' and the indoor pool had its own wave action. On reaching Cape Town it was sunny and warm. The setting of this city is breathtaking. I wanted to go to 'The Cape' where you can see the Indian Ocean on one side and the Atlantic on the other. It was a nine hour trip through glorious countryside. We saw Table Mountain, Danger Point, impoverished neighbourhoods, wealthy suburbs and some wild animals. As we clung to the coast and the vistas were spectacular. We were told that there were some pretty big sharks in the water. At 'The Cape' I climbed to the very top and to the furthest point, and I was not one bit disappointed. It was rugged, wind swept and glorious. Back in town late into the evening I went shopping for an hour then made it back to the ship at by 11pm. We left just after midnight.

Jamestown, Island of St. Helena

We left Cape Town for 3 full days of sailing in the Atlantic Ocean. We had traveled 26,310 nautical miles to this point and we crossed the equator for the forth time since we left Los Angeles. We got news on board that some passengers from the QE2, which was in Cape Town the day after we arrived, had been robbed by armed assailants while on a ship sponsored shore excursion. At the same time another cruise ship had been detained in port by the authorities due to drugs having been found on board. As we were free of this nonsense we got to enjoy the wonders of the sea. We saw schools of dolphins surfing on the ships wake, flying fish, the occasional whale and stealth gliding albatross. A grasshopper landed on the deck. It was about 6” long and 1 ½ ” high.

I boarded a tender at 9am and headed for one of the most remote islands in the world, St Helena. A sheer cliff on either side of our landing point and a narrow road leading into Jamestown was our first glimpse of this incredible island. Jacob's Ladder beckoned some of the passengers but not me. It was a wooden ladder that took the brave climber to the top of the cliff. I and 5 others hired a taxi van for the day. Our driver took us up a winding single lane road, which we later learned was two-way, to the top of the cliff. At the top we looked back at the Amsterdam anchored just off the island and it looked so small from our vantage point. We then drove to Napoleon's grave site and then onto his house where he was imprisoned after his capture. He died on the island but was later exhumed and moved to Paris.

We drove even higher into the mountains and found ourselves in the clouds. We were now in a rain forest with giant ferns and dense vegetation. Around and around, and up and down we went. It was very very beautiful. Out of the mountains and heading down through green valleys dotted with small houses and a few farm animals, we stopped to meet Jonathan, a giant tortoise who was 170 years old. I touched his shell. This was one of the best places to visit.

Rio de Janiero, Brazil

It took 4 days at sea to reach the east coast of South America. The sea had been a beautiful shade of topaz blue and the temperature did not exceed 23C. We arrived in Rio at 6am and I escaped the armies of merchants on the dock and made my way by taxi across the longest bridge in the world, through horrendous traffic to Sugar Loaf Mountain. The cable car was being repaired so I took the train to the top. Within a few steps I was below the huge statue of Christ that overlooks the city. A lovely sunny day allowed a clear view of Brazil's famous Ipanema and Cococabana beaches.

I spent quite some time at the Botanical Gardens which had some lovely fountains, majestic trees, small lakes covered in waterlilies and soft green ferns. I then made my way down to the famed beaches. There were a lot of young people playing soccer and volleyball on the beach but nobody was in the water. I was told that the water is dangerously polluted and that nobody goes to the beach to swim. The drive through town revealed a lot of poverty and like most large cities, concentrated wealth. The barrios were in plain sight but I was told that it was not safe to go there. Brazil does not have compulsory education for its children, which I found quite startling.

Salvador, Brazil

Margaret's son, Peter joined us in Brazil for the remainder of our trip. We spent a day at sea then docked in Salvador, which used to be the capital city. Seventy percent of the population is black, who are primarily the descendants of West African slaves brought to South America by the Portuguese. Thirteen percent are white and the rest are of mixed race. We saw many families living on the street and we were told that the middle class had shrunk dramatically and that the majority of this well-to-do city was now poor. The misery was apparent even though the catholic churches in the city were numerous and extravagantly decorated with gold treasures. This is not a beautiful place visit, but it does reflect that harsh reality that the visitor needs to see and acknowledge for its mere existence.

Recife, Brazil

A hot humid day and a visit to the Cultural Centre, which was in actual fact, a prison. The prison had been converted into a shopping arcade. The cells, about 10'x10' each held up to fifteen prisoners . There were 3 levels with approximately 100 cells per level. They now contained the merchants stalls which were abundantly stocked with everything from fine linens to hammocks. Over the top of the cell door was the cell number and the iron barred doors were still in place. A few of the cells were not occupied so we checked them out. No toilet amenities, sink, light or beds were provided, just a concrete floor and four plain concrete walls. Caroline's sister had joined us and we spent the day browsing and shopping. We ended up spending the entire day at the arcade.

Devil's Island, French Guyana

Two days at sea and then the captain had successfully anchored the ship off Devil's Island. Ile du Diable is part of Iles du Salut, which is a group of islands off the coast of French Guyana. The island is best known for its harsh penal colony. Convicts were deported from France to spend an horrific sentence incarcerated on this island. The settlement was built in 1852 and its most infamous prisoner was Henri Charriere, aka Papillon. We arrived at 10am and another ship was not successful in setting anchor so we had the island to ourselves. The island itself is a tropical rain forest and has less than 5 inhabitants. We encountered monkeys about 8” tall, beautifully coloured cockatoos, chickens and iguanas running freely around the island. We circumnavigated the island by foot within the hour. There are no vehicles on the island and beside the prison there was only two other buildings in the centre of the island. The sea was rough and dangerous as it slapped at the rocks and cliff face. We spent all day on the island.

Roseau, Dominica

On our sea day prior to arriving in Dominica we took a tour of the ships kitchen. It was raining when we docked. We were 1200' above sea level in dense rain forest as we climbed over slippery rocks toward the Emerald Pool. Water tumbled from the mountain above into this small pool. It then cascaded hundreds of meters to the sea. We got right in under the waterfall. The island boasts nine dormant volcanoes and about 70,000 people. These people are the descents of African slaves. The gentleman who showed us around the island took us to Trafalgar Falls and then to a plantation house where his wife served us a fruit punch. We paid him handsomely for his wonderful commentary, which we appreciated and enjoyed very much.

Charlotte Amalie, US Virgin Islands

Azure blue waters and a coral reef circled the islands. It was rush hour for cruise ships when we arrived. They were coming and going in convoys and they were docked in small groups. Once clearing US customs and immigration we were on shore. I rode a cable car to Paradise Point for a view of the harbour below. On the other side of the harbour we could see Megans Bay, considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. We spent the afternoon getting Carolines stuff into boxes so she could ship it back to Washington. She had brought way too much stuff with her so we had to lighten her load. In all we packed 80lbs into boxes and got it to the post office. She had cleared US customs so her stuff would just go US post all the way to her house. We spent the late afternoon looking in the shops.

Florida, USA

It took 2 days in the Caribbean Sea to reach Florida. The first day it rained off and on. We passed the Dominican Republic at about noon and then several small islands here and there after that. On the second day it was sunny. We were now in the Bermuda Triangle where ships have been known to disappear. We were in a convoy of ships so if we went we would have a lot of company. On reaching Fort Lauderdale, Florida we were cleared to go ashore by 9:30am. Over 250 passengers ended their voyage here which left only 200 for the remainder of the segment. Cruise ships were docked everywhere, included three others from the Holland America line. It was Sunday and everything was closed, so we spent about 2 hours on shore then got back on the ship.

New York, USA

On our last day at sea the ship was cavernous with only 200 passengers on board. The Atlantic, which is usually an angry ocean, presented us with a velvety smooth surface all the way up the east coast to New York. We sailed into New York harbour at 7am. It was cold and windy. We passed Ellis Island where immigrants to the US used to be processed, then The Statue of Liberty, small and elegant, followed by Long Island, Staten Island and then the Island of Manhattan. All the passengers lined the decks, despite the cold, as we passed the location where the Twin Towers once stood. It had been a mere 8 months since the attack and the vision of that atrocity was still vividly planted in eveyone's memory.

My journey had come to an end and I flew home late that evening.

EmmJays Travel Journal, March 2002

EmmJays Travel Journal

March 2002

For three days we traveled parallel to the coast of Western Australia from Perth to the Temor Sea, which runs through Indonesia and across the northern coastline of Australia. Our destination was Darwin.

Darwin, Northern Territory

Rising early I left the ship and boarded a motor coach with 34 other passengers. We were headed for Kakadu National Park. The sun shone as we entered the park which was swamp covered on either side of the road. It was the rainy season. Reed grasses swayed tall between the gum trees and the area was lush with vegetation. The water level was too high for us to see the crocodiles, however we were informed they were there.

As we drove along a dingo walked alongside the bus and we saw a few wallabies hopping through the grass. We took a flat boat for a few hours and we weaved in and out of the narrow waterways. There were parrots, geese, storks, fishing birds and magpies to be seen. We saw termite mounds as tall as a man and a series of caves with aboriginal art hand painted on the rock. Twelve hours later we were back on the ship.

Cebu, Philippines

We spent the next 3 days at sea with hot sunny days and calm seas. We participated in all the ship's activities and on day two we crossed the equator again. The captain informed us that a cyclone was brewing approximately 800 miles from the Philippines but it was currently headed away from the islands. We passed several small islands. There are about 7000 islands that make up the Philippines and they cover about 1150 miles north to south and about 700 miles east to west. We entered Cebu harbour at 7:30am. The water was horribly polluted and the ships we passed were in poor condition. Shacks made of rotted wood were stacked closely together along the shore. There was garbage everywhere.

I took a bus through the chaotic traffic to the countryside. A good percentage of the people are excruciatingly poor and live at a subsistence level. We found them to be friendly and very curious. We stopped in a square outside a market. School girls swarmed the square on their way to class. One little girl took an interest in my video camera so I let her look through the viewer and record some footage. On the road again we passed a lot of rice fields, water buffalo and delapitated buildings. We stopped at a shoe shop and watched the workers make shoes of leather from scratch. Chickens pecked around us on the dirt floor. On a hill overlooking lush vegetation we attended an outdoor catholic service.

Hong Kong, China

We left Cebu at 6pm having dodged a cyclone and a 7.2rc earthquake that hit the northern islands of the Philippines. We entered the South China sea the next day and the seas were rough. Our sports activities were moved indoors and we had a ladies vs men competition. The ladies won 3-2. The winds whipped up to gale force and the ship rolled with the swell.

The ship docked at Tsing Yi Island, a 30 minute drive to Kowloon. From Nathan Street I took a bus to Victoria Peak. We were dwarfed by sky high apartment buildings, hotels and office complexes. Fortunately the weather cooperated and the view from the top was excellent. On the bus again I was off to Aberdeen and Repulse Bay. This area is dripping with wealth. I looked around the arts and crafts centre in the PRC (Republic of Communist China) store. There was silk, jade, linens, artifacts large and small all imported from the mainland. No knockoffs in this store.

The following day I went to Stanley Market. Lots of knockoffs here! Not far from the market there was a porcelain factory with vases, pots, animal sculptures, figurines, plates, bowls, you name it on several floors. It was worth a browse. In the afternoon I went into a jewelery factory/store to watch a group of workers sorting and cutting gems. The showrooms sparkled with baubles of all shapes and sizes. One had to admire the workmanship and beauty of the end product. I browsed in awe.

The weather was sunny and warm again the next day so I decided on walking through old Hong Kong. The air was polluted by the factories on the mainland and the exhaust from the heavy traffic in Hong Kong. You could taste it. I stopped for a custard tart and then navigated my way through the narrow alley ways packed on either side by business entrepreneurs. The first few streets were mostly fruits, vegetables and dried foods. Meats and poultry hung from hooks in shop after shop. Live fish, frogs and all types of aquatic life were displayed in shallow tubs. Birds of all shapes and sizes were caged ready for sale. Chinese medicines made from wild animal parts, all displayed in glass bottles in shop after shop. It was a fascinating place to explore but it also saddened me to see so much exploitation of wild life.

I entered a Buddhist Temple and watched as the followers presented their offerings. The temple included religious carvings and a huge Buddha was perched front and centre. Having left the temple I wondered through an antique market before returning to the ship.

Da Nang, Vietnam

A full day at sea enjoying ships activities preceded our arrival in Da Nang. I boarded a minibus at 7am and we headed for the mountains. The people were very poor but they showed pride in the little they had by keeping their surroundings and waterways free of garbage. The traffic was not chaotic but the drivers were suicidal. The majority of the vehicles on the road were motorcycles, mopeds and push bikes. The vehicles were overloaded with people, foodstuffs, live animals and building materials. Traffic heads in all directions with a total disregard for the centre line, traffic lights, cross streets or on coming traffic. One motorbike I saw had 6 people on it. Most bikes had at least three people on board plus some goods.

The minibus reached the Forbidden City in the City of Hue. The palace had been ransacked and had been damaged from the ravages of war. I met an American who fought in this location. He told me that the local people welcomed him when he returned. He thought they would be hostile, but they were warm and welcoming. After exploring the grounds the minibus returned us to the ship. Twelve hours of travel this day had slipped by very quickly.

Kampong Saon, Cambodia

Two days at sea with calm waters and we were docked at Shanoukville, Cambodia. This was a very special day for this town as our ship was the first cruise ship to stop at this port. The wharf had been built by the US during the Vietnam war. It took several tries for the Captain to get the ship tight to the dock.

Buses were waiting to take us to Phnom Peng, Cambodia's capital. This country had suffered many wars and as poverty gripped the people, the towns and villages were left to decay. This area had been 'cleansed' by the Khmer Rouge. We passed through a 15km stretch where millions of people, entire families lost their lives to Pol Pot. It is known as 'The Killing Fields'. As we traveled toward the capital we did stop a few times and were warned not to leave the road as there were unexploded ordinance everywhere. Farmers lose limbs and many children who play in the fields get blown to shreds.

In Phnom Penh we stopped and explored the museum and Royal Palace. The Silver Pagoda, dating back to 1860 is a Khmer version of Ramayana. The temple has 5000 silver tiles on the floor, each weighing 2 ½ lbs. We had to remove our shoes before entering this fortress of opulence. The King was in residence at the Palace when were were there. The gold Buddha in the palace temple is encrusted with 9584 diamonds. The haves and have-nots are very apparent in this country. We found the people engaging but shy. We were free to go wherever we wanted and I would have liked to have seen more.

Singapore

It took a full day at sea to reach Singapore. On our sea day the M&M pool got more visitors as the weather was warm and a gentle breeze blew all day. I won a camera at golf chipping which I gave to Margaret. She had won a lot of other events but never won the camera.

We found Singapore very clean and well kept. The downtown is beautifully manicured with tropical flowers, tall shade trees and stately buildings. Lots of mixed races greeted us here. They were curious and very friendly. We stopped by Raffles, but did not go in. I headed for Faber mountain to take in the view and later the Botanical Gardens to check out the orchids. The gardens were magnificent.

Port Kelang, Malaysia

After having cleared immigration and customs on the ship I boarded a bus to Kuala Lumpur. It took an hour. I took a photo of the Blue Mosque on the way. Malaysia is 85% Muslim. The remainder of the populous are Hindu, Buddhist and Christian. I particularly wanted to see the old commercial sector with its early 1800 architecture. There was a mixture of styles and all the buildings were in good condition. I also visited a bird sanctuary and butterfly house. Both were excellent.

I had a late lunch at the Governor Generals residence which is now a restaurant. It was a beautiful setting and the food was a bit expensive, but good. There was a good view from the grounds of the tallest towers in the world, The Petronas Towers. They are joined at the top by a bridge.

Phuket, Thailand

It was a very hot day in Phuket. I took a bus into town and walked along the main streets until I reached the beach. The Thai people were very shy but the people of Indian descent were pushy and in-your-face. I could not get away from taxi drivers who would chase me in order to get me to hire them. It was awful. Shopping was not a good experience either so I went back to the beach. Back at the ship in the late afternoon I saw that merchants had set up stalls on the wharf, so I meandered my way around these until the ship was scheduled to leave. I purchased 3 tops and a skirt in Thai silk.

Thai dancers entertained us in the Queens Lounge. The ship left late at night and we did not go to the dining room for our evening meal, instead we enjoyed a BBQ on the back deck by the pool.

Madras, India

Having had 3 straight days in port we had 2 days at sea. The sea was like velvet as a strong wind pushed the ship toward Madras. Margaret and I had the pool to ourselves again.

A friend had told me that India would insult my senses, but it did the opposite, it excited my senses. It was very hot and dirty, packed with people with limited amenities. The infrastructure could not support this many people but they were doing what they had to do to survive. There was wealth hidden behind huge stone walls and abject poverty for most. In the streets, bustling with people going in all directions there appeared to be no conversation. The men stared at us everywhere we went.

Margaret, Caroline and I visited the Elephant Caves at Mamallaouran and a Hindu Temple at Dakshinchitra. I loved the caves. The elephants were carved out of rock and they were the size of adult elephants. We were swarmed by street sellers when we arrived and a polite 'no thank you' meant nothing. They harassed us constantly and I found it very uncomfortable even though I knew deep down that these were poor people just trying to make a living. On the way back to the ship we drove through the countryside where we saw water buffalo soaking in pools thick with water hyacinths. We passed a lot of livestock on the roads and had to let them pass so as not to run them down. We stopped at a Tamil Village and looked at some of their artifacts as a group of musicians practised for a concert.

Seychelles Islands

Three days in the Indian Ocean preceded our next destination. We had already traveled 20,818 nautical miles. We rounded the coastline of Shri Lanka and it got dark. I had received my invitation to attend the Captain's table in the Kings room that evening. It was a table for 15 guests and 5 officers. The meal was elegantly presented and the food was excellent. It took 3 hours in all.

Victoria is the capital of Make, one of the Seychelles Islands. We arrived at 7am just behind the QE2. Tall cliffs surrounded the city which was very small but vibrant. I spent the morning in the town then grabbed a local bus with Adrianna, Myrna and Jitja and we headed for the mountains. The driver was a homicidal maniac but we did reach our destination in one piece. The beach on the other side of the mountain was almost deserted and the water was very warm. We swam and talked all day, then caught the local bus back in the afternoon. School children were coming home from school and were packing onto the bus. It was a hair raising trip down the mountain as the driver must have been related to the last one, only this one was completely insane. In town we stopped at a cafe and then as the day drew to a close we headed back to the ship.

Mauritius

The sea was rough all day and all night as we headed for Mauritius. Port Louis was mountainous and tropical. It is situated east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Six of us piled into two taxis before 9am and we headed for the beach on the north end of the island. The beach was absolutely beautiful and we snorkeled all day. Small fish darted all over the reef and the sea was calm. The taxi drivers hung around all day and at 4pm they were there to take us back to the ship. We stopped at the market and spent 2 hours shopping. I bought a silk sari. We had a beer under umbrellas before walking a mile back to the ship.

Reunion Island

Surrounded by volcanic mountains the ship docked at La Port, a 30 minute drive from La Possession. We jumped into a taxi and headed for a beach on the east shore of the island. We stopped at Gille de Bain. The sand was gritty and there was broken coral on the shore line. We swam all day then piled back into another taxi to get back to the ship by 5pm. We just made it back in time.

The month of March had come to an end.