Oh Man! I'm in Oman

Have you heard the expression "When in.." as in "When in Oman" ?  Well, I finally took the plunge, went out on  limb and did just that. 

Give me 20 minutes in the Muttrah Souq and what happens.....

Dubai

So what were my favorite things to do in Dubai? I  loved what everyone falls in love with, the Burj Al Arab the Burj Khalifa.

The only way to gain entrance to the Burj Al Arab is to rent a room for a minimum $2,000 to $18,000 a night or to snag a reservation in one of their restaurants.  We had High Tea and it was delicious. www.exploredia.com/most-expensive-hotel-in-the-world/#more-2249

I spent $27 to take the elevator up to the 124th observation deck at the Burj Khalifa.  Amazing to be up so high. This is the tallest building in the world right now.

We Got Him and I am in the UAE?

Just before 7 AM we turned on the TV and started to get ready for our tour of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. Originally we were signed up for a dune safari but having read about it, I did not think my hip would be up for the jarring bumps of the sand dunes. I canceled my tour. This morning David read exactly what I had read the day before and came to the wise decision this would not be good for his back either. So the old folks that we are signed up for a 5 hour bus trip with photo stops. 

The Gateway

If you are a photographer, India is a dream, a photographers paradise.  It was a perfectly clear sunny day when we embarked on a day long tour of Mumbai.  This is our first visit to this city.  We arrived by air just after our overland visit to the Taj.  No time to rest on this cruise, for sure.  Mumbai is a mix of everything from the uber rich to the desperately poor.  It is high energy without stopping for a rest.  While here, you get caught up in energy of the crowds, the craziness of the traffic, and the exciment of many things to see and do.  Eat, shop, wander and get lost in the hoards is what to do here. The first thing I noticed was the crowds.  Crowds (20 million plus) and traffic are a good description of what India is all about. But there is much more to India then that.  India is 1/3 the size of the US with 3 times the population.  

No Words, No Photo



..... Could Ever Do It Justice

How do you spell Magnificent?  It is spelled Taj Mahal.   No words, no photo could do it justice nor capture the beauty of the Taj or the feeling you have as you just sit and take it in from a tiny bench on her grounds. We parked ourselves right in front of the Taj, on a bench,  just as the sun was rising.  The magnificence of this monument is spellbinding.  It really is perfect.  From its history and its beauty I could have sat there for hours, just enjoying being in her presence.  We  had a great time on our overland trip to Agra.  We boarded a charter plane with 94 of our fellow cruisers in Cochin.  Three hours later we landed at the Military base in Agra, a stones throw from the Taj.  How perfect is that?   Even though the original plans changed from two days in Agra to a one-day-see-it-all- in the sweltering 115 degree heat, we braved it all, did it all and can now say seen it, done it and are very very happy we did. 

Back to India

Cochin, meaning harbor or small sea, is a vibrant city on the southwest coast of India.  Yes, we are back in India once again.  Cochin is the second most important city on the west coast after Mumbai. In our tour around the city we could see the influence of past visitors and conquerors to Cochin (or Kochi) the Portuguese, the Chinese, the Arabs, the Dutch and the Brits. This little port was part of the spice route trading its beautiful spices vanilla, cardamon, pepper, cinnamon and cloves to the world.  They also traded precious stones, diamonds, ivory and sandlewood.  In another time this area was considered rich for all the money and trade that was exchanged here.  At one time this area prospered.  At one time this was the center of the Ancient World.   Our guide told us that they are building a new port and when they do Cochin will rival Singaore and Dubai as a port city.   Nothing but dreaming big here.

Easter in Colombo

We cancelled Gallee due to weather and waves..... so on to Colombo we go......

Easter!  We were not forgotten... David 'hid' the chocolate eggs...he says..... I did not buy that.