Once More...

December 18 to 20, 2012:  Kona to Ft. Lauderdale   -- Travel Time or Welcome to “Cloud Cuckoo Land”

Departing Kona eastbound for the mainland is almost always a sleep-depriving redeye, and this trip to Ft. Lauderdale was no exception.  After the usual make-work activities of the TSA, and milling around for two hours in the Kona Airport, we boarded the American Airlines Boeing 757 with about 300 other hapless victims at about 9:30pm.  Fortunately, Silversea had provided us first class tickets, so we were a little less hapless than the other victims. 

The four and one-half hour flight to Los Angeles was uneventful, which was fortunate considering that if the AA Boeing had been a person, it would be residing at the local senior citizens’ home.  US airlines and their serious commitment to fly aircraft that are older than the cabin crews is a worrying feature of air travel these days, especially when there was no member of our cabin crew less than 40.  Troubling, very troubling!

We arrived on time at 5:30am and settled down for a two-hour wait for our onward flight to Miami.  The two-hour wait gradually turned into a four-hour wait as good old American Airlines could not find a big enough hammer to repair the scheduled aircraft (which was “in the hanger”).  But, we did get a lesson in the airline’s version of Chinese  water  torture  --  the drip-by-drip approach to announcing delays!  Every 15 minutes, there would be another announcement extending the delay,  and as a final coup de grace – the gate change,  which induces the mad rush of 300 victims through the terminal!  You have to really admire the intellect that designed a travel system which has been optimized to increase stress for all concerned.

At 10:30am, we finally left LAX bound for Miami.  Again, the flight was thankfully uneventful for the same reasons as before.  “American Airlines, the rest home for old aircraft,” should be AA’s motto.  It would be difficult to work into a logo.  We arrived in Miami about an hour and a half late and were pleasantly surprised to be met by a Silversea  greeter  and driver.  After about 45 minutes, the luggage was discovered and put on the carousel; all was well, and we were off on a one-hour ride on Florida’s infamous I-95 to Ft. Lauderdale and the Hyatt  Pier 66 Hotel, our accommodations booked by Silversea.

The Hyatt Pier 66 is located about 15 minutes from Port Everglades, where the Silver Whisper and numerous other cruise ships -- some larger than small towns -- embark and disembark passengers.  Pier 66 and several other close-by hotels are the port’s equivalent of airport hotels around LAX or MIA.  What this implies, without regard to branding, is that as a guest, you are dealing with Motel 66 on steroids.  We passed on dinner, except for some Oreo cookies J had gotten his hands on, showered, and went to bed.

The next morning, we went down to the public areas for breakfast (chit in hand) and found ourselves facing a queue that would have done any assisted-living facility in the US proud.  We are not keen on queues, but a queue consisting of senior citizens is a whole new level of unpleasantness. (Think about being attacked by a walker or a therapeutic cane.)  But, 30 minutes of queue later, we were shown to a table and fed the standard hotel breakfast buffet.  We lived.  Checking out at about 12:00pm, we milled around the lobby meeting and greeting friends from earlier cruises while hoping that our luggage got on the correct tour bus for the Silver Whisper and not the Silver Spirit (another Silversea ship simultaneously embarking passengers), or some other cruise ship.  Lots of checking, and more checking.

M/V Silver Spirit

Where the luggage could have gone, but didn't!

Port Everglades and the Intercoastal  Waterway

The Hyatt Motel 66 is located just to the right of the bridge.

Finally, at about 1:15pm, we boarded a tour bus and were driven to one of the Port Everglades cruise ship terminals, where we were screened by the TSA.  Typical TSA instruction:  “No, you cannot take your walker through the metal detector!”  And, after a final passport check, tickets were collected; ship id/key cards issued, and we were herded up the gang plank and boarded the ship.  On board the ship, we were imaged for security and escorted to our stateroom, which (much to our amazement) was full of suitcases that we had shipped FedEx on December 10.

E immediately attacked the cases, and the unpacking began.  E is a furious packer and unpacker and nothing else can be done until everything is in its proper place in the suite.  J mainly muddles about trying to help but largely getting in the way.  At 4:00pm, when boat drill was announced, we donned our life vests and paddled out into the hot Florida sun to be told about abandoning ship.  By this time, most of the unpacking was completed.

Abandon ship drill on a cruise ship is an exercise in futility.  There is no way bunches of 20-something hotel and entertainment staff are going to save themselves, let alone 300-plus, “me first” seniors.  So, the abandon ship drill is really a convincing demonstration that this is an abandon-hope drill, clearly illustrating that if anything seriously goes wrong, your best bet is to try prayer!

About 5:00pm, we got under way.  After crossing the Intercoastal Waterway, we entered the Atlantic Ocean and turned south along the Florida coast.  For about an hour after sunset, night lights of the greater Miami area provided a colorful background.  They were a very impressive display of high rise buildings for the next big hurricane to deal with.

 Where Bananas Come From

Dole banana boat entering Port Everglades

E (having finished unpacking) and J (finished setting up the computer and fooling with other electronics, namely, the electronic frame of Cooper pictures) went down to dinner.   It is nice not to have to go far for food, but it also requires moderation, not one of J’s strong areas.   Only two courses and no dessert later, we returned to our suite and went to bed as the Silver Whisper sailed almost due south bound for the Caribbean.

Goodbye Miami!

Miami at Sunset before the lights go on.

Sorrento, Monte Carlo & Home

Prepared October 14, 2012 at home Kona, Hawaii

April 27 and 28, 2012 transiting the Mediterranean Sea:  Why are all the ship's deck lights on?

After sailing from Alexandria on the evening of the 26, M/V Silver Whisper set a northwesterly course across a very calm, eastern Mediterranean.  All of the security of the Indian Ocean and Red Sea had disappeared, and suite drapes could be left open, with ship exterior lights lit and pool deck lights ablaze, reflecting on the sea surrounding the ship.  Of course, there were the usual diversions for guests, and most world cruise passengers were involved in farewell functions or packing.  Where did all this stuff come from?

The evening of the 27, there was a special six-course dinner in La Terrazza hosted by a Silversea Executive VP (who had flown in from Monte Carlo), the Captain, and the Hotel Director.  It was just the ticket to top off the 10-plus pounds that J had gained during the cruise.  But, without regard to the calories, it was a wonderful dinner, and the self-congratulatory speeches were mercifully short.

On late afternoon of the 28, we passed through the Strait of Messina between Sicily and Italy.  We had hoped to see the Stromboli volcano that night but the Lipari Islands were shrouded in fog and cloud.  Europe's most active volcano was not visible as we headed northward along the Italian coast toward the Bay of Naples.

The Strait of Messina with Sicily in the Distance

Sadly, no Sicilian port for us.

April 29, 2012 anchored off Sorrento, Italy:  What Euro Crisis -- The Rotten $ to € Exchange Rate?

At 8:00am, we anchored in the Bay of Naples off Sorrento, and after breakfast, we took the ship's tender into the Marina Piccola (Port), followed by a short shuttle bus ride up the sea-front cliff to the Piazza Antiche Mura.  This piazza is outside the remnants of Sorrento's medieval wall, which separates the medieval section of the city from its more modern districts. 

Mt. Vesuvius from the Bay of Naples

Early morning fog obscures all coastal development. 

M/V Silver Whisper Anchored Off Sorrento

We were fortunate to be the only cruise ship at anchor.

There are normally three or four (less, of course, Costa Concordia).

Tourist Map of Sorrento

The red dot is where the shuttle-bus terminal is.

We walked into the old city (which seems to be the focus of most tourist-related activities) only to discover that the main commercial street (Corso Italia) had been blocked off and turned into a pedestrian mall for the day.  Although it was Sunday, most shops were open, and there were puppet shows, carriage rides, and other on-street activities for tourists and local residents.

Sunday Promenade, Corso Italia

Locals, tourists, children and pets taking a stroll in the sun.

Puppet Theater -- Punch and Judy Do Battle

Even puppeteers use teleprompters these days!

  A Peaceful, Shady Rest in Front of the Church

Every place seemed fairly busy, except the churches.

After walking up and down the length of Corso Italia, we turned toward the sea and explored the side streets leading back to the sea cliff and the port.  Those streets were much less congested and led one to understand why Sorrento was such a famous tourist destination.

A Quiet Side Street

No Italian suicide drivers here -- go to Rome.

Cooper's Italian Cousin Catching a Few Rays

Yes, the dog is sound asleep in the middle of the street.

City Fathers Immortalized in Stone

Although not sure who these "founders" might be, it is fairly evident that one of them sent you on your way to the afterlife and the other determined the direction, up or down. 

Hotel's Private Garden with Terracotta Water Bowl

For a mere €600 per night, you may walk in the garden (of course only on the path).

We walked for about an hour in the back streets of the old city and found a number of beautiful private gardens.  Some of those gardens were associated with high-end hotels and some possibly with the city museum, which did not seem to be open.

Local Statue Garden

Yes, there is a plaque, but two years of high school Latin proved worthless. 

By now, our feet were getting tired and the sun was getting higher, so we stopped at a local gelato shop.  We  had wonderful chocolate gelato and espresso.  Thus, we were fortified for the long stairway down the sea cliff face to the port and our tender back to the ship.

Sorrento Sea Cliff and Bath Houses at Port

The stairway is cut into the face of the cliff.

Some of it can be seen in the extreme left center of the image.

Mt. Vesuvius, M/V Silver Whisper and Sorrento Port from Stairway

Taking photos was an excuse to stop and rest on the way down.

After climbing down the stairway and walking past the bath houses, we reached the port and waited in the small park by the port for the ship's tender to arrive.  Back on board, went to lunch on deck to enjoy Spring on the Italian Med. 

Ship's Tender (aka Life Boat) Preparing to Board Passengers

According to tourist literature, the Excelsior Vittoria Grand Hotel in the background is the local five-star establishment.  Italy does have earthquakes -- Right?

After lunch and a nap, we began to pack and sort.  Before we upped anchor and sailed for Monte Carlo, Monaco at 6:30pm, E had completed most of the packing.  Except for moving the bags, J has long been considered non compis mentis when it comes to packing.  This is largely because he is incapable of neatly folding clothing, or anything resembling folding for that matter.

Arrivederci Sorrento

A parting view from the Gulf of Naples off the Sorrento Coast.

April 30, 2012 at sea and in port: The Ligunan Sea and Monte Carlo, Monaco:  The Casino Royale and All That

The night of April 29 and most of the daylight hours of April 30, we transited the channel between Sardinia, Corsica, and Italy, and then the Ligunan Sea.  The weather was overcast, and there was some wind chop, but the main item of interest among the passengers was whether we would pass close enough to Isola del Giglio to see the Costa Concordia aground.  We did not, which was not surprising, since we were aboard an Italian-built and officered ship.

Although there were the normal range of at-sea activities for passengers, most were busy with packing and undertaking such administrative things as closing out shipboard accounts  and redeeming prize points won at bridge, trivial pursuit, bingo, etc. (Anyone got any use for four Silversea logo tee shirts?)  Most passengers were planning to have all these activities finished by the time we docked in Monte Carlo, because they had plans to help the local economy by dressing in tuxedo or evening gown and visiting the famous Casio Monte-Carlo (aka Casino Royale to all you James Bond fans) or dining ashore at one of the white tablecloth restaurants.  Remember, every additional fork in the table setting costs you $25.00 per person.

The plan of the day called for us to dock at 6:00pm along the Quai Rainier III; however, the ship was forced to lay off Monte Carlo for about an hour because another cruise ship was in our assigned berth.  After berthing, it took another two hours to clear the ship, so many of our revelers and gamblers ended up with greatly-reduced time to eat, drink and lose money.

Laying Off Monte Carlo, Monaco

We were to dock where the white cruise ship is moored.

Yachts in Inter-Harbor, Monte Carlo

Rumor had it that some where available at a "reasonable" price.

Casio Monte-Carlo (Aka Casino Royale), Bring Money

Sorry about the t-head crane.  The nouveau-riche have to live somewhere.

Since we had an early departure from the ship to catch a flight in Nice, we did not participate in any Monte Carlo activity.  After dinner, we watched a movie and went to bed early in anticipation of that peculiar form of torture imposed on modern humans -- air travel.

May 1 and 2, 2012 traveling by air: Nice, Frankfort, San Francisco, and Kona:  Air Travel Never Gets Any Better!

Since our flight departed Nice, France for Frankfort, Germany at 9:00am on May 1, we were up,  breakfasted, and disembarked by 6:30am for the 45-minute car ride from Monte Carlo to Nice.  The drive through the coastal mountains was very enjoyable, and our female driver gave us some local perspective about being a working person in the land of the rich and famous.  It can be summed up as "not so great."

Disembarking M/V Silver Whisper for the Last Time (World Cruise 2012)

It was very early in the morning and had been raining.

Monte Carlo Quay - Waiting for Our Ride to Nice!

How could J smile this early in the morning -- too much coffee?

Photo by Norman Rafelson, M/V Silver Whisper

The flight from Nice to Frankfort was uneventful; however, transiting the Frankfort airport from the intra-Europe to the intercontinental flights left one feeling like a rat in a maze.  J ran afoul of German bureaucracy when the immigration authority in the form of what appeared to be a 12-year-old, female bureaucrat decided that J's passport did not have a proper entry stamp into the Euro Zone.  The entry stamp had been applied by Italian authorities in Sorento, where we first entered the Euro Zone.  This officious young lady immediately declared that J was illegally in Germany.  To which J replied that he did not particularly mind--he would stay for a while at the German Government's expense.  This was not well received.  In the meantime, E was in a parallel queue, where the immigration agent was listening intently to the banter between J and the young lady.  That agent finally intervened, pointing out the passport page where the Italians had put the stamp in E's passport.  On inspection, this was confirmed in J's passport (although very faint).  With a certain amount of grumbling, J was stamped out of Germany (Europe) to which he could not help but comment to the German officials "You are going to have to spend more money to buy ink for the Italians."  The reaction was not positive.  

We made the Lufthansa Frankfort/San Francisco flight with maybe 10 minutes to spare, and got the Teutonic look from the stewardess that is reserved for barbarians from the New World who cannot be prompt.  Anyway, that flight was uneventful, and we arrived on time at SFO expecting to be met by a Silversea representative to take us to a hotel for an overnight.  It didn't happen.  Apparently, J misunderstood who was to make arrangements for the overnight in SFO, and only by luck (most hotels were fully booked) did we find a room in a nearby airport  hotel.  J got to write on the blackboard 250 times -- Always check in-transit hotel arrangements!

The next morning, May 2, we had a 10:00am United flight from SFO to Kona.  It was uneventful, but our luggage (for reasons only United's god might know) went to Las Vegas!  Why is it every time you get off a United flight you feel you should clean the soles of your shoes?  The good news is that J's brother and his wife met us at the Kona airport and all ended well!

It was a wonderful trip, and we plan to do it again in 2013, so watch this spot for J & E's continued adventures in the South Pacific, New Zealand, Australia and elsewhere.  And remember, always carry hand sanitizer for your shoe soles when you fly United.

"That's All Folks!"

And This Piece of Paper Certifies It!

Into the Mediterranean - Suez Canal & Alexandria, Egypt

Prepared October 1, 2012 at home Kona, Hawaii

April 25, 2012 transiting the Suez Canal:  Anyone know the Triumphal March from Aida? 

We sailed from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt mid-afternoon April 24 in order to arrive at Port Tafiq, Suez, Egypt in time to form up with the northbound morning convoy transiting the Suez Canal.  The Suez Canal operates on a convoy system with one northbound and two southbound convoys every 24 hours.  This convoy system is required because, although the canal has no locks, it has only one shipping lane and two bypasses at the Ballah Bypass and the Great Bitter Lake. "The first southbound convoy enters the canal in the early morning hours and proceeds to the Great Bitter Lake, where the ships anchor out of the fairway, awaiting passage of the northbound convoy.  The northbound convoy passes the second southbound convoy, which moors in Ballah-Bypass.  The passage takes between 11 and 16 hours at a speed of around 8 knots (15 km/h; 9 mph).  The low speed helps prevent erosion of the canal banks by ships' wakes." (Wikipedia, the Suez Canal)  Click "View Larger Map" for more geographic data.

View Larger Map

The Suez Canal and Environs

Silver Whisper, under the supervision of a Suez Canal Pilot, started the northbound transit at about 6:00 am.  We were the first ship in a convoy of about 25 ships, so when the sun came up, we had great views of the canal.  In addition, our Destination Lecturer, Jon Fleming, provided a narrative geography and history lesson as our transit proceeded.

The Suez Canal

The contrast between the desert and the canal is striking.

Northbound Convoy & Suez Canal Friendship Bridge

This bridge is the only highway bridge over the Canal.

El Ferdan Railway Bridge Across the Suez Canal

Largest swing-span bridge in the world.

Most of our approximately 11 hour transit consisted of sand to the right of us and sand to the left.  However, we did pass the city of Ismailia near the mid-point in the Canal and a number of military bases and Egyptian monuments to the endless Arab/Israeli wars.

Monument to WWI War Dead

This is a British monument.

Monument to Arab/Israeli War Egyptian War Dead

Wonderful art; the AK-47 memorialized in concrete and steel.  The dead don't care.

Egyptian Army Memorial to Yom Kippur War

What else you going to do with obsolete tanks?  Not much of the battlefield refuse remains probably mostly Chinese cars or appliances by now.

Operational Egyptian Army Post
Yes, that is American military hardware.  The only thing the US exports much of these days (and we have to give that away).

Besides these edifices to humankind's folly and watching for the occasional seabirds, the only other events of note was passing the southbound convoys at the Bitter Lake and  Ballah-Bypass.

LNG and Container Ships at Bitter Lake
Note:  The LNG ship's bow seems to be facing the "wrong way."  Who knows?

Bulk Carrier in the Ballah-Bypass
Capesize bulk carriers could not pass through the Canal until recent dredging.

As we approached the northern entrance to the Canal, just the hard-core history and geography buffs remained interested.  The rest of the passengers adjourned to lunch and the latest culinary excesses that awaited them.  J and E attended a special luncheon for their trivia team, most of whom had been together for the entire world cruise.  It was, as expected, an excellent luncheon, topped off by cherries jubilee prepared table-side.  "We're not in Kansas any more Toto,"  or for that matter Kona!

Cherries Jubilee for Those Who Are a Bit Peckish

The chap in the middle has a fire extinguisher in his right hand, just in case.

In the early evening, we exited the Canal near Port Fuad and turned to port, setting our course westward through the Med toward Cleopatra's city, Alexandria.

April 26, 2012 in Port, Alexandria, Egypt:  Avoid the Small Snakes.

We docked in Alexandria's Western Harbor, the Marine Station Cruise Ship Terminal at 7:00 am, just across the harbor from King Farouk's palace and the two Royal steam yachts that haven't moved since Gamal Abdel Nasser and the Egyptian Army overthrew him on July 23, 1953.  They are getting a little rusty.

View Larger Map

Alexandria, Egypt

The Western Harbor is in lower left corner of the map.

Ras El Tin Palace

The royal yachts are moored just to the left (not shown here).  

The palace is now one of the residences of the President of Egypt.

We had decided against the routine city tour, and after breakfast, we went ashore in the shuttle bus to visit two museums -- the Greco-Roman  Museum and the Alexandria National Museum.  The local tour desk functionary had assured us that the two museums where "near" each other and "close" to where the shuttle bus dumped us off at the Cecil Hotel on Alexandria's corniche.  After an hour's battle with Alexandria's narrow, congested streets, our bus succeeded in traversing approximately one mile as the crow flies from the harbor to the hotel.  (Of course, no crow could fly from the harbor to the hotel, because it would die of air pollution.)

Traffic, What Traffic?

This is mid-day traffic.  Anyone want to guess what rush hour would be like?

Finally arriving at a small plaza near the Cecil Hotel, we stepped down into the cries of taxi and carriage drivers loudly offering their services.  But, we and another couple (Pinky and John) declined their offers and decided to walk to the museums.  Armed with our trusty tourist maps and secure in the knowledge that Jerry was, after all, a geographer, we could find the museums without the hassles of cabbies.  BIG MISTAKE!  It quickly became apparent that the tourist maps we had been given bore little or no resemblance to the current street pattern of Alexandria, and there was this little problem that the street signs were in Arabic.  

We were about to give up, then decided to ask a traffic policeman for directions.  He gave us the blank stare of those without a common language.  But, our conversation quickly attracted a young school girl who spoke English, and as she was giving us directions, an older gentleman with close-cropped hair and no beard emerged from the local coffee shop and took an interest in the conversation.  After the student had finished her directions, "Keep going that way, you can't miss them.  They are in large white buildings.  The Greco-Roman museum may not be open."  The old man (we suspect a retiree from the Egyptian army or police) asked in English if he could escort us to the museums.  Gratefully accepted.  Starting off at a quick pace, he led us through the main and side streets of Alexandria.  For sure, without his guidance, we would have never found the museums with or without a geographer in our midst.

Our Volunteer Guide Leading Us To The Museums

He believed the sidewalks were too dangerous!

After about 30 minutes of walking, we arrived at the Greco-Roman museum, only to discover it was closed for renovations.  And, had been closed for several years.  So, seeing Cleopatra's snake was not on!

Greco-Roman Museum -- Closed for Renovation, Opening ???

Note the scaffolding and canvas on the front  and over the columns.

On to the Alexandria National Museum, where we arrived after another 15 minutes of walking through the city streets.  At the ticket booth, we discovered that none of us had any Egyptian Pounds, and the museum's admission tickets were sold only for cash, Egyptian Pounds.  Another walk to the local bank to change money and back to the museum.  After buying the tickets, we were allowed in, but no photos inside the museum.

Alexandria National Museum -- Exterior View

Our ad hoc tour guide is in the lower right corner.

He is supervising our street crossing.

Alexandria National Museum -- Entry Ticket

No Egyptian Pounds.  No Ticket!  No Entry!  Bureaucracy rules!

We spent about an hour viewing the exhibits, which concentrated on ancient Egypt and were well-presented and described in both Arabic and English.  However, very little of the material related to Ptolemaic Egypt (Cleopatra's time), which was somewhat disappointing.  When we finished, our ever-faithful guide escorted us back to the corniche and to the plaza for the shuttle bus ride back to the ship.  Because of road construction, the return trip to the ship took even longer, about two hours.  Crows were dropping to the right and to the left of us!

The Corniche, Eastern Harbor and the Mediterranean Sea

Would you eat the fish?  Would the fish eat you?

Marine Station Cruise Ship Terminal and M/V Silver Whisper

This is a new cruise ship facility.  About 300 feet from here, things begin to come apart.

We sailed from the Western Harbor at twilight and turned northwest toward Europe and our next port of Sorrento, Italy.  That evening was one of those dress-up-in-costume nights so favored by our English cousins.  E & J did their bit, although J's costume was modest, consisting of an Omani headdress.  The Middle Eastern dinner with a mesa and a number of other Arabic dishes made getting into costume worthwhile.

Twilight Depature, Western Harbor, Alexandria

King Farouk's Royal Yachts take up a large part of the image.

Arabian Night Dinner Invitation

No camel was served.

The Happy Band Mostly in Costume

On to Egypt -- Land of Mummies and Martyrs

Prepared September 16, 2012 at home Kona, Hawaii

April 16 to 20 at Sea:  Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden and Red Sea.

M/V Silver Whisper departed the port of Muscat at 5:00pm local time on April 15 and set course for the Red Sea port of Safaga, Egypt.  This was five and one-half days of sailing near the coasts of eight countries none of which, with the possible exception of Saudi Arabia and Oman, were more than two arms dealers away from an uprising of some sort.  So, it was full nighttime security, and a high level of novel rumors.

Destination Safaga, Egypt

View Larger Map

Since Joann and Danny, our favorite bridge instructors, had left the cruise in Singapore, and we had been off-ship in Viet Nam, our bridge playing skills were rapidly atrophying.  We saw little hope of them ever improving (old dog, new tricks -- that sort of thing); therefore, we decided to attend the ship's enrichment lectures instead of providing the dog's tail for contract bridge.   The lectures that were of particular interest to us were on ancient Egypt and were presented by Prof. Bob Brier and Patricia Remler over the five sea days.  They covered numerous topics of archaeology and ancient history, including mummification, Egyptian historiography, Tutankhamen, Hatshepsut, the temples of Karnak and Luxor, Egyptian mythology, the Great Pyramid, Cleopatra, and Napoleon in Egypt.  All-in-all, a good introduction to Ancient Egypt.

April 21 and 22 in port  Safaga, Egypt:  Welcome, First Tourist of 2012!

We docked in Safaga at 7:00am, and the vast majority of passengers departed by bus for an overnight tour of the Karnak/Luxor temples and the Valley of the Kings.  J and E decided that two,150-mile bus rides through the Eastern Egyptian desert to see heavily-touristed attractions (which  we had already seen several times) were not in the cards for this trip.  So, we stayed on board in Safaga.

The port of Safaga's main purpose is to allow Egyptian workers and pilgrims access to Saudi Arabia.  Everyday, two or more large ferries depart and arrive from the Saudi port of Jeddah.  

Ferry Across the Red Sea

Safaga/Jeddah ferry embarking passengers and cargo.

The previous Egyptian government had made some attempt to develop tourist facilities at Safaga, and Silversea provided a shuttle bus for the 15-minute trip from the port to the tourist area.  J and E decided to take the shuttle bus (15 minutes is just tolerable) to the Riviera Abu Soma Hotel in the tourist zone, so E could buy a dress for the upcoming Arab dress night.  Armed with a locally-produced tourist map, we stepped off the bus and found we were in the middle of a ghost town with only our few fellow passengers to be seen and even fewer Egyptians.  There was no need for the tourist map -- only a single paved street.

Welcome to Safaga

Be very careful crossing the street!

The economic impact of the Arab Spring was obvious from empty hotels and streets and abandoned construction sites.  The price of freedom, as so many have found, is often starvation.  Numerous gift, curio and tourist-activity related shops were open, but almost everything was covered with a coat of fine sand.  Nothing was happening here.

This Is NOT the Entrance to Tut's Tomb

Papyrus painting of Tutankhamen's gold funerary mask on local shop door

We looked in several shops and finally found a dress shop where E purchased a local-style dress -- mumu with excessive, fancy embroidery. The dress selection process took about 45 minutes, with the display of at least 30 different dresses!  J's haggling over the price then took another 30 minutes, with two near departures from the store.  The merchant still won, but J only overpaid by half again!  Some sort of victory.  And, given the state of the local economy, we didn't feel too put upon.

After the purchase, we finished our promenade, carefully crossed the street, and returned to the hotel lobby, which was our collecting point for the shuttle bus back to the port.  The rest of the day was spent eating, writing the blog, and visiting with others who didn't go to Luxor.  That evening was a special buffet in the Terrazza.

Next day in port we spent on board, and after the return of those passengers from their tour to the Nile valley, we sailed for Aqaba, Jordan.

Goodbye Safaga!

Sunset over Safaga and the Eastern Desert.

April 23 in port Aqaba, Jordan:  "On to Aqaba"

We docked at the port of Aqaba, Jordan at 7:30am.  Most of the passengers disembarked for a long day of bus trips to visit the Nabatean city of Petra about 60 miles north of Aqaba, or to Wadi Rum.  We decided that since we had been to Petra and were not terribly interested in a large sand pile surrounded by cliffs, we would stay in Aqaba and visit the Aqaba museum in the Mamluk (Turkish) fort.  After the battle of Aqaba (July 6, 1917), this fort was surrendered by the Turks to Auda ibn Tayi, T. E. Lawrence, and Emir Faisal's Arab army.  Aqaba then became a major British supply base for Faisal's campaign against the Turks in Arabia and Palestine. 

A historical side note:  During the fighting around Aqaba,  Col. T. E. Lawrence, while involved in an assault on Turkish troops, shot his own camel in the head and killed it.  Luckily, the camel did not fall on him and he was unhurt.  I don't think this was in the Victoria Cross commendation or the movie, "Lawrence of Arabia."

View Larger Map

Aqaba is located at the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba.  Four Middle Eastern countries converge at this point -- Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.  From our ship's observation lounge, you can see all four countries.

After breakfast, we took the shuttle bus into the Tourist Information Center, collected directions and a map to the fort (known locally as the Aqaba Castle or Mamluk Fort), and had a leisurely walk along an embankment above the park which borders the shore line.

Aqaba Shorline Park

The park is oasis-like, with paddy rice and date palms.

We also saw one of the few remaining early Turkish-period stone buildings, which were probably merchant houses and godowns close to the port.

Pre-WWI Turkish Merchant's House

Aqaba was a focus for trade between the Middle East and the Orient.

Mamluk Fort, Landward Entrance (Partially Restored)

During the Battle of Aqaba, not a great deal of fighting occurred here.

The garrison surrendered with little resistance.

Seaward Entrance, Built by British During WWI

Eloise playing honor guard.

British Built Supply Depot w/ Mumluk Fort in Background

Museum exhibits were on right and offices, etc. on left. 

After about 30-minutes walking, we reached the fort/museum, purchased Admission Tickets, and began to wander around viewing the exhibits.  Parts of the Mumluk Fort date to the 12th Century, when a fort was originally built on the site by the Crusaders.  It was rebuilt as it now appears in the 14th Century by the Mumluk's and added onto by the British, when it became a supply depot during WWI.  

The Official Admission Ticket

It only took about 15 minutes to find someone to sell us one.

The Aqaba area has been inhabited since pre-historic times, and the exhibits in the museum draw heavily on materials collected from archaeological expeditions to the area.

Artifacts from Archaeological Digs

The plate and pottery shards on the right are Chinese Celadon from the Yuan Dynasty.

Roman Altar 1st Century BCE

Yes, that unruly crowd in their short skirts were here, too!

After viewing the exhibits, which are mainly housed in the British-built part of the fort, we walked over to the Mumluk fort portion of the museum and were admitted by a young man, who volunteered to show us "some interesting stuff."  He took us through the fort's entrance to see the courtyard with the well and into the death chamber, where Turks tortured and hung Arab revolutionaries.  Also, up some very problematic stairs to the rampart positions.  By the time he had finished his tour, there were about six of us.  To this day, we don't know if he worked for the museum or was just free lancing for tips.   He got one from us.

Mumluk Fort Entrance

The white plastic chair will be an artifact in 3,000CE.

Guard Post in Entrance Hall

A small example of Arabic calligraphy on the hall's walls.

Exterior of Prison Cells

Many went in, few came out.

Interior View, Fortress Courtyard and Walls

Remnant of  the Hanging Post 

Interior of room where prisoners where tortured and hanged.

Rifleman's (Archers?) Firing Slot on Rampart

This is in a very early section of the wall.

After leaving the fort, we started to walk back to the Tourist Information Center along the main street.  We again passed the Al-Sharif Al-Hussein bin Ali Mosque, dedicated to the grandfather of the current King of Jordan.  It is a very pleasing structure to look at, and we had intended to visit it on our return from the fort.  However; because a service was being conducted in the Mosque, non-believers were not allowed on the grounds, so we had to forego touring the gardens and the mosque itself. 

Al-Sharif Al-Hussein bin Ali Mosque

The white walls and dome almost sparkle in the bright sunlight.

Minaret, Al-Sharif Al-Hussein bin Ali Mosque

No one climbs up there.  It is all electronic with big speakers.

Returning to the Tourist Information Center, we found the Silversea shuttle bus and boarded it to wait in air-conditioned comfort for the short trip back to the port.

After a lunch on deck at the pool grill (J got his weekly cheeseburger), we had a long afternoon nap, played cards (Eloise won, as usual!), we sailed down the Gulf of Aqaba for Sharm El Sheik, Egypt.

April 24 in port Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt:  "Where Have All the Tourists Gone?"

Silver Whisper docked at 6:00am in the port of Sharm el Sheikh.  J & E slept through this momentous event, but the more bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, religiously-driven cruisers were already on the pier at 6:30am for the 3-hour (150 miles), one-way, mother-of-all-tour-bus rides to Mt. Sinai and St. Catherine's Monastery in the middle of the Sinai Peninsula (see map).

View Larger Map

We had made this pilgrimage once.  Since we had no desire to climb Mt. Sinai on our knees, visit the site and living plant of the burning bush, or again see the fortress monastery built by the Roman Emperors Constantine and Justinian for twenty minutes (hurry, hurry or you will miss the bus back to ship), we decided to stay aboard, have a leisurely breakfast, and take a late-morning shuttle to Na'ama Bay.

Welcome to Sharm el-Sheikh

First person to see any living vegetation wins a prize.

Sharm el-Sheikh is one of those sand, sun, and water places you might find in South Florida or the Mexican Riviera.  You expect those tourist destinations to be full of obscenely-behaving college students, loud music, and bad food.  All the infrastructure for Western-style tourism is here in Sharm el-Sheikh, including the usual suspects, Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt Regency, ad infinitum.  This was intended to be a destination resort on the Waikiki scale.  There was only one problem, no tourists.  On the 1-mile, shuttle-bus ride into town, you could count the cars on the road on your fingers.  When we arrived at the pedestrian street in Na'ama Bay, there were just large numbers of small tourist shop owners, and the 20 or so of us from the ship (shop owners out-numbered tourists by about 20 to 1).  Sometimes the "build it and they will come" theory of development does not work out so well!  Of course, this tourism disaster was at least partly the result of the Arab Spring and the fall of the Mubarak regime, but one drive through the area and it screamed "over developed."

Na'ama Bay Pedestrian Street

It's hard to run a sun and sea resort without drunken college students!

Greetings from the Pharaoh

Tacky copies of ancient Egyptian artifacts are everywhere.

We walked down the promenade looking in the shops and finding the same endless Egyptian stuff that you see everywhere in Egypt.  One of our friends, Max, bought a fez, and J bought some lose herbal tea, but there was nothing much being sold.

Our Friend, Max, Buys A Fez

Fezzes are rarely seen in the Middle East these days.  They have been replaced by AK-47s.

A Herd of Stuffed Camels and Bedouin Drums

A stuffed camel herd is the best kind -- don't eat, spit, or bite.

Spice and Tea Shop, Loose Bedouin Tea in Center

J's Bedouin tea purchase was lost on the trip back to the ship.  Probably just as well.

After passing an hour or so walking along the promenade and in and out of the tourist shops, we headed back for the return trip to the port.  When we got to the bus, several of us asked the driver/guide if we could see Mubarak's estate (where he was interned at the time).  He was very reluctant and evaded the issue.  We never got to see the only really interesting thing in Sharm el-Sheikh!

The Gods of Egypt Bid You Farewell to Sharm el-Sheikh

Good thing the ancient Egyptians had many gods.  What would the modern Egyptians sell?

So, we returned to the port, with the bus driver pointing out the International Peace Park and two casinos along the way.  Back on board, we had lunch (never miss a meal!), naps, and played cards until sail-away at 3:00pm.  An early departure was required for us to be in position at Suez (the southern entrance to the Suez Canal) for our north-bound convoy, which was transiting the Canal the next day.