Costa Rica - last port before Miami + Panama Canal

Update: I tried to publish this yesterday, but the internet was so slow, it wouldn't publish, so I'll try again. It is convocation evening with seniors graduating in the Union in life vests and bamboo hats from Viet Nam. Crazy times!

I had a wonderful experience in Costa Rica -- have you heard that enough from me? Twelve of us went to the Manuel Antonio Beach and National Park (3 hours from where the ship docked). The park was a combination of rain forest and beaches -- I love having trees near the beach! We went swimming in the afternoon and the water was warm . . just my style. We had a great guide who showed us sloths, iguanas, monkeys, a myriad of birds that the bird watchers really enjoyed and colorful red crabs. We stayed at a small hotel which reminded me of Roatan; it had the outdoor restaurants & bars and a great swimming pool. In addition, 4 of us went on a boat tour of the mangroves on the second day of the trip -- really interesting. There are 4 kinds and mangroves and we got to see them all + many kinds of flora in the area.

We passed through the Panama Canal yesterday -- an all-day process. It was a beautiful day so most of the passengers spent the day out on the deck, but I had to work part of the day, so I saw the beginning of the canal, the first lock and the end of the canal -- as much as we could see after dark.
Great feat of engineering.

We're on count-down to Miami and everyone is packing -- what a chore. My roommate is currently sleeping in another room because she had problems with the location of our room -- again, the squeaky wheel gets "the oil" so she was able to sleep in a room on the 5th deck. Now, as she packs she can leave her suitcases on her bed so that gives me a little more room to get my things packed.

One more day of work on the ship -- YEAH! I've been able to work mid-day and publish the Dean's Memo. I can sleep in for a while in the mornings and have a little more time late afternoons, but now that means packing. Anyway, plans are made: I'll arrive in Orange County on Saturday and see my children and grandchildren on Sunday for Mother's Day. Monday I will start the search for a place to live, and I'll go back to work on the 19th.

So I'll be seeing some of you soon.

Honolulu + subsequent days

Hello to everyone. It's Sunday, April 27 and I'm at work. It is quiet this morning, so I'll take time to update you on my latest experiences.

The day in Honolulu was perfect (and of course, too short). It was beautiful weather; not too hot and just enough breeze to make it very pleasant. A small group of us went to the Bishop Museum; the Polynesian exhibits are extensive and displayed in a huge structure that resembles a large house. We also saw the museum sponsored 20-minute outdoor show of the traditional hula dance. After seeing the exhibits and the dancers, we met with a friend of the anthropology professor on board and got to see some of her current projects and a "behind the scenes" look at the work of anthropologists.
We then went to the Art Academy's exhibit of Bhutan art. The Art Academy had a small cafe where we ate lunch -- wonderful food! The Bhutan art included the painted textiles of the 18th century, sculpture and videos of the dances they perform. We also heard monks from Bhutan chant and blow their horns. It was really outstanding.

The rest of the day was spent walking around, going to some shops and having dinner before returning to the ship. We planned our day around getting back to the ship early (~7:30) so we would miss the rush of the students getting on the ship at 9:00 pm. I went to work at 8:00 that evening and sent the ship packs of materials to University of Virginia. I had completed that job by 9:00 and went to my room.

Unfortunately, a small minority of the students are abusing alcohol and seem to think that getting drunk before getting on the ship is a "fun activity." There had been some circumstances in each port that caused (mostly) minor problems, but in Hawaii the drunken students pushed and shoved their way on the ship causing major disruptions. The administrative team did it's best to control the situation, but it caused a lot of problems.

This week the ship had the Ambassador's Ball which is the biggest event of the semester. The ticket cost of $27 was used for the cost of the meal, a glass of champagne + a glass of wine with dinner and student entertainment. I didn't participate because I felt that it divided the students who have a lot of money (the majority on board) and can afford the ticket price + their fancy clothes and the students who are here on scholarships and/or are work study students who don't have extra money to spend. There is a system on board where students can also buy a limited amount of beer and wine in the evening. To make a long story short, some students were able to drink enough (sometimes drinking other people's drinks) to get intoxicated. During the late evening/early morning hours (after adults had gone to bed), some of them decided to be destructive and broke some tables, chairs, & lamps and tore some signs off the walls. The administrative team again is having to deal with this situation and it's taking a lot of time and energy to deal with the trouble makers (and to determine who they are).

So it seems as we get closer to home, the trouble makers become more restless or ?? I certainly don't know or understand the reasons for this bad behavior and it is very disruptive to the community. We are six days away from Puntarenas, Costa Rica where we will have two days in port. Then it's only six days until Miami. I'll get off the ship on May 9th, stay in a hotel that evening and fly to O.C. on May 10th. So I'll be back in the U.S, very shortly. I'm not sure I want to return when I hear about the rising costs of everything!

till later,
Nancy

Japan and afterwards

It’s 17^th of April and my body is totally confused. We lived April 15 TWICE when we crossed the international date line and now, we are advancing our clocks by one hour every night and loosing sleep. This is our third day in the Pacific Ocean in fairly rough water, and we have an additional four days before we get to Honolulu. We’ll only be in Honolulu one day from 6:00 am to 12:00 pm. so I plan to visit the Bishop Museum with one of the anthropology professors on board. My son, David, suggested Honolulu might be anti-climatic after the "exotic" other ports, and I think most of us feel that way since many of us have vacationed there.

I (with two other Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who are on board) gave the Peace Corps presentation last night. There were 100 + students who attended, so there is high interest among these students. I imagine there will be some who carry through and apply.

Tomorrow is a "no class" day so I get to sleep in . . . yeah!!

The ship docked in Kobe, Japan and the arrival procedures went more quickly than we expected. To ascertain if anyone had a fever, we walked by an apparatus that looked like a video camera (with a red eye) and all our temperatures registered and we were all in the acceptable range. We picked up our passports (the ship’s Purser’s Office keeps them while we are at sea and during most of the trips, but Japan is one of the countries where we had to carry our passports as we traveled.) The next three steps were accomplished simultaneously – we showed the custom’s people our passports, we placed our forefingers on the fingerprinting pads and our picture was taken, and the process was complete. I was in the first set of numbers (at the beginning of the voyage each passenger was given number which was placed on their passport—and I became #707) to be processed, so I was off the ship by 10:30. A friend and I decided we would explore Kobe’s downtown area. There is rail system that connects the port with downtown and different parts of the city called the Port Liner. We took the port liner to the shopping area and stopped for a cup of coffee. First shock: I paid $4.80 for a cup of black coffee –quite a change from previous ports! As we looked in the stores, we realized there weren’t any bargains so we settled for a nice lunch – chosen by pointing at the menu pictures (Japan is not “English-language friendly). Nor is it credit card friendly; most of the stores don’t take credit cards.

Next day I (with 30 others) went to Hiroshima on the bullet train. The bullet train is remarkable. The times are set like 9:57 and the train is there exactly at that time and leaves exactly two minutes later. We first visited Miyajima Island and saw the “floating” Itsukusima Shrine – a very large Shinto shrine which was build in the water and there is also a large red pagoda in the same area. Then we visited Shukkeien Garden, a beautiful Japanese garden which was so very peaceful--it was hard to step outside into the hurried world. After spending the night in Hiroshima, we went to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum the next morning. The exhibits in the Hiroshima Peace Museum are very moving and it’s difficult to absorb all the death, suffering and devastation that the A-bomb caused. I personally think every politician who contemplates war against another nation should be required to see these exhibits. Talking about war and seeing the results are very different. We have had some very good lectures/discussions on board and some of the professors have given us information that was not widely known about World War II. I’m continually amazed that the American education system and the American news is so selective about what they tell us.

The next day we went to Himeje to see a very old castle which is a World Heritage Site. Some of the cherry trees were still in bloom so it was very beautiful. Everywhere we went in Kobe, Hiroshima and Himeji was exceptionally clean and well organized.

Japan was not one of my favorite ports. For the first time on this voyage, I felt I was someone to be tolerated rather than a welcome guest in Japan. I realize there are extenuating circumstances: I had/have a cold and am not feeling well as I would like, it’s the point in the voyage where we are all getting a little cranky, and I stayed in the city areas with shopping centers. etc. which I don’t particularly enjoy – I prefer the less sterile environment where I can get to know the people. I signed up for a Japanese home visit on our last day in Kobe, but when our group met the tour agent who planned the visits, the plans had changed and we went to a floral design school instead. All of us were disappointed, but were polite to the women at the floral school. At the beginning of the voyage, the administrative team asked us to be flexible; there have been many times during port visits that tours have been changed, so we have practiced being flexible a lot!

till later . . . after Honolulu when we have the longest stretch at sea before we reach Costa Rica

China

First, I’ll update you as of today: Thursday, April 10.
We’re nearing Kobe, Japan in rough water. It is cold and windy – quit a change from Vietnam and Cambodia. I’m wearing a jacket on the ship’ they know how to cool us down, but not how to warm us up! While we traveled in China, we had cool, rainy weather and lots of fog and smog. While some of us toured Beijing and Xian, the ship sailed from Hong Kong on April 4 and was scheduled to dock in Shanghai on April 7 in the early morning. Because of the heavy fog, the ship’s schedule for docking in Shanghai was delayed for about 14 hours—it was too foggy (even with the radar system) for the captain to get into the port. (That surprised me, but it didn’t affect me because my plane was delayed in Xian). When some of the SAS passengers who had been traveling arrived in port on April 7, the ship wasn’t in port. Surprise! Their “home” was not available. So they had to “hang out in Shanghai” until the ship docked. Luckily many of the students have international cell phones, so they called the ship and found out about the delay. Because many of us were traveling and everything was “off schedule,” there were about 600 of us who were in a huge line late at night to get “processed” to get back on the ship. I don’t think I have mentioned in the past that prior to each port, a “green sheet” is published by the Field Office (and I make 900 copies that are distributed to everyone on board). This green sheet contains all information that we might need/will need for that particular port. It is a life-saver when anything unexpected happens. So now, back to my adventures in China.
After arriving in the port of Hong Kong on Thursday, April 3, I left on a flight to Beijing and thus I (with 82 other participants on Semester at Sea) began my 5-day tour of Beijing and Xian. What a whirlwind! I felt like I did when I went to Egypt on a Grand Circle Tour – up early every morning and on-the-go until late at night. I’m exhausted and reaffirming that is not the way I want to travel. I am always conflicted about doing as many things as possible or doing a few things thoroughly (but like Egypt, I could spend a life time learning about the history and culture of China.) Upon arrival, the air was clear, but for the remaining days of our trip, the smog was very apparent (and I began coughing again.) Traffic was definitely a challenge--just as bad as Orange County or worse. All of us on trips are always grateful that we are not doing the driving.
For dinner the first evening, we had a wonderful Peking duck dinner. We were taught how to use the rice “tortilla” to wrap the pieces of duck, slivers of onions and sauce. Yummy! The tour company (all tour companies are owned by the Chinese government so we were shown only what they were instructed to show us – thus everything was very positive) had chosen a 5-star hotel for us which was quite extravagant. I roomed with another staff person who is a member of the mental health staff. (And yes, we do have two psychologists on board to deal with emotional problems which occur.)
On Friday, we took a bus to the Great Wall. I would love to report that I climbed the stairs to the top and walked on top of the wall, but we only had a little over an hour at the Wall, so I only was able to walk up for about 30 minutes and then I had to start down (which is just as difficult as walking up!) It was a perfect day – not too hot; we all wanted more time to explore the Wall, but our schedule also included lunch and a tour of the Summer Palace. A magnificent place!
On Saturday, we went to Tiananmen Square and visited the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven. We followed the advice of the pre-port lecturers and didn’t talk about politics or religion, but the guides volunteered information about the big demonstrations in the Square in 1989. They said “it was never determined how many people were killed and/or injured and the Chinese people didn’t know the final outcome.” I could write a book about each of these places, but I’ll spare you. I have pictures to share when I get back to the States. It was also exciting to see the preparations for the Beijing Olympics. It was surprising for me to see the wide streets that were built in past years – the engineers did a great job planning for future expansion. The newer buildings are architecturally varied and really beautiful. In preparation for the Olympics, Beijing is expanding exponentially and cleaning up the older areas. A friend and I took a rickshaw drive through a Hutong section of the city. It was old, very clean and the residents were friendly.
We saw the new stadium named the “Bird’s Nest” (I think) —still under construction—at a distance, and it looks very interesting. The guide said 80 percent of the hotel rooms are already booked at twice the regular price. I also learned the soccer games will be played in Shanghai. I have really mixed feelings about the protests against the Beijing Games. Of course, I abhor the attacks in Tibet, but do we punish the people of China for the acts of their government? And is the U.S. so much better that we can pass judgment?
After that exhausting day, we flew to Xian in the evening. Xian is a fascinating city where the entire city was surrounded by very large wall in the past. As the city grew, buildings expanded outside the city wall and our hotel (also very nice) was in a newer area outside the wall. While we were there, we visited the Bell Tower, which was one of the main towers built with specific functions in ancient times.
Sunday we toured the Terra Cotta Warriors exhibit. There is no way to describe this terra cotta army in a few words. Massive numbers of soldiers, horses, chariots, etc have been unearthed and in the last 20 years, the terra-cotta museum has become the largest on-site museum in China. And more and more valuable cultural relics continue to be unearthed. I bought the latest museum edition of the “The Qin Dynasty Terra-Cotta Army of Dreams” which was signed by the farmer who first discovered the soldiers. He is employed by the museum and was there the day we visited. He signs books in cursive calligraphy upon request. That evening we went to the Tang Dynasty show and dinner. It was comparable to a show in Las Vegas—many beautiful people in outstanding costumes and flowing gowns performing dramas and dances accompanied by various musical instruments (many new to me). Lots of glitz and glitter – and announcements of the performances in English. (China was our most challenging port for communicating in English. Many times the only English speakers were our guides.)
Monday we went to a center for retired people and a teacher explained the types of calligraphy and we experimented with brush, ink and rice paper to make Chinese characters. Fun! I wish I had time to practice. While visiting the center and listening to the director, I was reminded of the Asian tradition of the younger generation honoring and taking care of the elderly—that tradition seems to be supported by the government also. We visited a clinic in the area and had the chance to learn more about acupuncture and “cupping.” I won’t describe it here, but the young women who tried cupping, said they felt their back muscles felt better after being “cupped.”
Before we left for the airport, we visited the Han Yangling Museum. This museum is similar to the Terry Cotta Warriors and was opened to the public in 1999. The main difference between the Terra Cotta Warriors and these figures are that these were made in miniature. Again, an amazing amount of time and talent were required to sculpt these forms. As usual, I was impressed by the kindness the Chinese people showed us – and sometimes they got a good laugh when we were trying to eat (everything) with chopsticks. I forgot to mention, we had “hot pot” one day. The meal was thinly sliced meat, vegetables and freshly-made noodles. We each cooked everything in our personal hot pot (seemed to be boiling water with herbs). The noodles were especially challenging because they were very long and we had no way to cut them. The servers thought we were extremely funny as we tried to eat them. I’m glad we provided them with some entertainment!
As I got up from my desk at 6:15 this evening, I glanced outside and saw a beautiful sunset – just another joy of being at sea. The sun came out this afternoon and we’re hoping for sunshine tomorrow as we dock in Kobe, Japan. The ship is going through a rigorous inspection tomorrow morning: each passenger's temperature will be taken, we will be fingerprinted, a photo will be taken and face-to-face meetings with Japanese officials are required. All this is believed to be in retaliation for the screening of all visitors to the U.S. that the U.S. implemented after 9/11. We'll hope for the best.

Viet Nam and Cambodia

02 April @ 7:10 p.m.- Sailing toward China - Arrival time tomorrow at 0800!

Currently our voyage includes several ports very close together so I will only highlight some of the things/impressions of the countries that I visit.

27 Mar. - Arrived Viet Nam. I got up at 5:00 am to experience sunrise and our sail up the Saigon River. (It was cloudy and rainy so no visible sunrise.) Upon arriving in the port at Ho Chi Minh City, we were greeted by the Destination Asia Tour Company which provided about a dozen beautiful young women in traditional dress to meet our ship. I chose to go on the City Orientation where we visited the former Presidential Palace where many rooms with opulent furnishings are displayed, the National Museum which also introduced us the a water puppet performance which is the traditional Vietnamese performing art that dates back to the 11^th century (I enjoyed it and I’m sure my grandchildren would love it.) We saw the Notre Dame Cathedral, the elegant Post Office which was a building designed by the French, and City Hall. When the tour was nearing the end, almost everyone on the bus (including me) wanted to go to the large downtown market. The guide assured us that anything we wanted could be purchased at this market—and I found that to be true.

Another Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV), Jim Belisle, who I met in the O.C. Peace Corps Association, was visiting Viet Nam. We communicated via email and made plans to meet for dinner that evening. After shopping for awhile, I started walking to the plaza where we were to meet. (I had another one of those wonderful experiences when I stopped to ask a young woman for directions and she insisted on taking me there on her motorbike.) I found Jim and his Vietnamese friend waiting for me—made me believe it really is a small world—had pho for dinner, and walked back to the market for a short while because I now had a local person to help me negotiate prices. Bargaining is a challenge for me because I do not enjoy the process, but it is a necessity in most of the countries that we are visiting.

A comment about the traffic: There were more motorbikes than I could ever imagine – the streets were packed with them. We were told to be brave if we wanted to cross the street – pick a time when there were only a few, start walking across the street (do not stop) and the motorbikes will go around you. I was in that situation, and sure enough, I didn’t get hit!

28 Mar. – I went on a Mekong Delta Day Trip which was about a 2-hour bus ride from Ho Chi Minh City. This was a FDP (Faculty Directed Practica) with the professor on the ship who is also a RPCV. Every student’s curriculum includes participating in FDPs for each class in which they are enrolled. The professors usually require ~ 3 FDPs that are related to their class. On this trip, we stopped at a rice field to watch the (hand) harvesting of the rice, went to a coconut candy “factory” where we saw women making/packaging the candy, went on a boat ride on the Delta & a canoe ride in one of the canals, ate the most wonderful fruit – bananas, papaya, pineapple, and mango, and drank coconut juice out of the coconut. Lunch was prepared/served to us in a village. The main course was a fried (whole) fish that was delivered to the table and a waitress wrapped pieces of the fish and vegetables in rice “tortillas.” Tasted great!

29 Mar. – I (with 59 other students and adults) departed for 3-day trip to Phnom Penh and Angkor Wat, Cambodia. The flight to Phnom Penh was an hour and after arriving, we visited the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda – both very impressive. We also visited the Palm Tree Orphanage which houses and educates 100 orphans whose parents have died. The children are learning English so we could communicate with most of them. There are some who have damaged their brains by sniffing glue while they were abandoned on the streets. I understand there are many orphanages which are trying to help the street children.

On Sunday, we went to the Tuol Sleng Museum, a school that was converted into a prison camp and torture chamber by the Khmer Rouge. Thousands of Cambodians were incarcerated here before those who survived (some died of starvation and while being tortured) were taken to be killed. The only ‘crime’ committed by most of these victims was that of being educated. We then visited the Killing Fields where there are mass graves of more than 17,000 men, women and children were executed between 1975 and 1978. The most cruel stories were those of children who were held by their legs and their skulls were crashed against the tree until they died while their parents were forced to watch. The parents were killed later. Very, very depressing. I can not comprehend how the Pol Pot Regime (and others) were/are sooooo evil and inhumane. Our guides communicated openly with us about how they and their families had been separated during the war; some of them later found some of members of their family, but all had lost brothers, sisters, parents -- either to death or “I don’t know what happened.” One man saw his brother die of starvation because all they had to survive was rice water. These stories were so horrible that I could not hold back the tears. I don’t know how the ones who survived found the determination to live. These are amazing human endurance stories that I will always remember.

After a Cambodian lunch, we flew to Siem Reap where Angkor Wat is located. I have seen numerous pictures of the temple complex but the immense size was still a surprise. Seeing the massive stone temples and towers certainly made me wonder, “how did they do that?” We saw some of the temples at sunset and others at sunrise the next morning. The Bayon Temple has 54 towers, each carved with the four faces + numerous events/stories carved into the stone. Spectacular! I was surprised to learn that Americans are among the fewest visitors who come to see Angkor Wat. We endured 105 degree heat and humidity to see these temples; it was a challenge and I didn't climb all the stairs, but it was worth every minute of sweat--a free sauna!

Monday evening we flew back to Ho Chi Minh City and a shuttle bus delivered us to the ship where a long line of passengers who had been on various trips were waiting to “check in.” Checking in for the students means having their back packs (we are only allowed to take carry-on luggage) checked for illegal items so it takes a while for that process. A time is set for ‘on ship time’ and if anyone doesn’t get to the ship on time, dock time is issued (meaning at the next port, the late person is not allowed to get off the ship for a designated time—varies with length of time that you are late.) This rule didn’t apply to us since we were on a Semester at Sea trip, but those who travel independently sometimes have trouble getting back to the ship at the designated time.

Reflections: I thought I would be brief, but when I start describing my experiences, I want to explain as much as I can about the local people. In every port, the locals have been wonderful. As Americans, we were exceptionally grateful for the acceptance that we experienced by the people of Viet Nam and Cambodia. They can forgive, but I'm sure they will never forget.

Both countries are struggling, but have great airports with flights that take off on schedule and they have built (with assistance from other countries) great 5-star hotels for those who can afford it (and Semester at Sea booked us in two of these) and guest houses for those who don’t want to pay as much to enjoy their hospitality. They hope to attract more tourists and see the tourism business expand. The majority of the population is young – most of the people my age died in the wars that have plagued their countries. Again, it gave me cause to reflect on how very fortunate most Americans are; I am very grateful to live such a privileged life. If you are contemplating a vacation to Asia, I encourage you to visit Viet Nam and Cambodia. Many of us would like to return.

Malaysia

Hi everybody,

This post is a little different -- more personal experiences. I also did three Semester at Sea Tours -- all very interesting. I learned how to tap a rubber tree, saw beautiful batiks, and visited temples, mosques and churches. It seems Malaysia is another country where many cultures, many religions all get along. It was hot and humid and they get lots of rain so it is beautifully green and lush. So here's goes . . . .

While in Malaysia, I realized how cynical I have become—even about wonderful people who were offering to assist me. Many times, and four events in particular, the Malay people were so very helpful, honest, kind, and considerate. At each of these times, I thought, “This is not possible—they plan to take advantage of me.” As I have related the following stories to friends on board, they have correctly said, “These are the memories you will remember the most.” And many passengers have also related heartwarming similar stories.

First, the Malaysian tour company came on board, changed our U.S.dollars to Malaysian ringgits, provided post cards plus postage to conveniently purchase and offered to mail the post cards. In this instance, I thought, “Can I trust them to really take them to the post office?” Yes, I decided I could, and I feel confident every post card was mailed.

For the second “miracle” which happened to me, I have to tell you about a huge mistake I made -- I left my camera in the ladies room at the Eastern and Oriental Hotel after a friend, Mike, and I had high tea. It was 11:00pm in my cabin when I discovered that I didn’t have my camera with me. I was trip leader for a tour the next day, so I asked Mike to go back to the hotel and ask if anyone had turned it in to Lost and Found—all the while thinking “that would never happen.” Mike graciously agreed, and when he asked the woman in the gift store (the store was across the hall from the restrooms and we had stopped in there to look at the merchandise) she said, yes, she had found it and took it to Lost and Found at the Front Desk. Mike retrieved the camera—there were two in the Lost and Found and he identified my camera because I had asked the waiter to take our picture. What other place in the world would that have happened? I am truly grateful for their honesty.

I was restless on the evening when I was waiting to find out if I would get my camera back, so I went out for a walk and started looking for a food market for some snacks. When I saw two Chinese women walking in front of me, I asked where I could find a market. One replied, “The market is far, my car is right here, get in and I’ll take you.” I wondered, “Will they kidnap me?” but decided to go with them. They took me to the market, one went in with me, and the other waited in the car until I finished shopping. I began asking the one in the market with me about the local food. I picked up some biscuits, and she said, “If you want these, we’ll take you to the bakery and you can buy them fresh.” I purchased a few things in the store and got back in the car and they took me to the bakery where I sampled the biscuits, decided they were delicious, and bought them. Then they insisted on bringing me back to the pier. How wonderful of them to help a foreigner. I expressed my gratitude for their time and the transportation. I told them as I got out of the car that I hoped that if they ever visited the U.S., they would find Americans as helpful as they were. Somehow, I doubt that visitors to the U.S. are greeted with such respect.

On my last day in Georgetown, I wanted to go to the Komtar Shopping mall. I had been told that the city bus went to that mall, so I found the correct one, told the driver I needed to be told when to get off and he politely agreed. When I wanted to return, I went to the same place I had gotten off the bus, but two drivers indicated I needed to take a different bus even though the sign on them said “Jetty.” I was looking bewildered in the bus terminal when the first driver I asked pulled along side me and indicated for me to get on the bus. He said, “I will show you where you need to be.” He dropped me off across the street and said, “Take the next bus.” I did and it came to the pier. It is amazing to me how everyone went out of their way to help a stranger.

Dear Malaysia, one of my most favorite ports, I will return. I feel there are many marvelous people/great adventures still to be experienced.

It's Tues. night at 8:15 pm and I am sitting in my office watching the Cultural Pre-Port on Viet Nam on closed circuit. We'll arrive in Viet Nam on Thursday morning. I think one of my Returned Peace Corps Volunteer friends, Jim, will meet me for dinner for Thursday evening. He travels to Viet Nam frequently, so he will be able to give me some good tips while visiting Viet Nam.

We have been anchored off shore near Singapore today because the captain said fuel costs were less here. For the first time tonight we get to set our clocks back one hour -- yeah, an extra hour of sleep!

We've been having trouble with accessing the internet (again) so I'll see if I can publish this.

My life is wonderful and I wish the same for you.

India

March 17 @ 9:00 am

We're half way through our voyage! I doesn't seem possible.

India, India, India . . . so large, so many cultures, so many languages, so many religions, great people, wonderful temples, so much good food, beautiful colors, rickshaws, cars, buses, traffic! trash almost everywhere, horrible smog, and extreme poverty and disease in many places (and also extreme wealth in the upper caste); it's difficult to describe. Many of the students looked for a word to describe their experiences and the word I heard most often was 'amazing'.

Since I had seen the Taj Mahal previously, I didn't make the trip to Delhi and Agra where most of the students chose to go. Instead I went to the 'Art of Living and Dakshinachitra Hertiage Village Stay' where 30 of us participated in an intensive course of yoga, breathing exercises, meditation, and Eastern philosophy. (website: www.artofliving.org) Again, there was so much information, it was hard to absorb all of it. It was described in our information as a life-changing event and I believe it certainly could be if I practiced what I learned on a regular basis. I was the trip leader and there were 3 other women who attended; the remaining 26 attendees were students (included 4 young men). The students who chose to attend were 26 outstanding young people who were not the complainers and trouble makers so it was a completely relaxing and wonderful trip.
On the way to the village we visited an ancient historic monument, Mamallapuram (I believe it is these buildings that are a World Heritage site). Mamallapuram includes a 1,200-year-old temple, ancient sculptures and an ancient Hindu temple. Impressive! It is located near the ocean so I got to stand and watch the waves and think of Southern California.
In the village, we visited the recreated 19th century houses from four southern states of India. Years ago, an American woman married an Indian man and they were interested in creating a culture center for South India, so the houses were chosen from different places, torn down and reconstructed on this site. The houses contain examples of how the families lived. While we were there, school children and university students were visiting to study some of their heritage. There were also visitors from the Amsterdam cruise ship. Great place!
And we were served wonderful vegetarian meals. The first night, we sat on the floor, and were served the food on a banana leaf and ate with our fingers. Each meal was different, and the main course was always rice, and prepared in many different ways. Yum!
I spent some time shopping for clothes. Today I am wearing one of the white cotton blouses and a pair of shoes that I bought at a bazaar. I also went to a very modern shopping center where everything is available.
On the last day, I went to the Theosophical Society and Kapaleeshwara Temple which are within the city of Chennai. Both were interesting places.
Yesterday it was back to work for a half day -- it was a no class day for the students. Today it's a full day of work and we are sailing toward Penang, Malaysia. Tonight begins our mandatory pre-port meetings because we arrive in Penang on Wednesday -- a very short time at sea this time.
I tried to sign on my blog all day yesterday and was not able to sign in so I'll see if I can publish this. Internet access is still challenging.
till later . . .