our cruise news PAGE 5

APRIL 30TH AND MAY 1ST, 2023

DOCKED IN MUMBAI. 

 .FIRST, WENT TO VISIT THE GREAT MUMBAI GATE TO THE WORLD WITH THE TAJ MAHAL PALACE HOTEL NEARBY. WE THEN DROVE TO THE RAILWAY STATION THAT IS AMONG THE MOST BEAUTIFUL STATIONS IN THE WORLD. STOPPED AT THE MASSIVE HAND LAUNDROMAT, THAT IS 144 YEARS OLD AND WASHES ABOUT 50% OF MUMBAI’S LAUNDRY . FOLLOWING THAT WE VISITED THE HANGING GARDENS. IT’S CALLED THAT BECAUSE THERE IS A VERY LARGE RESEVOIR BELOW IT. OUR NEXT STOP WAS THE GHANDI MUSEUM. IT WAS HIS RESIDENCE FROM 1917 TO 1934, WHERE HE DID MOST OF HIS WORK FOR THE EVENTUAL INDEPENDENCE OF INDIA IN 1947. THE NEXT DAY WE WENT TO VISIT THE STUDIOS OF BOLLYWOOD. IT WAS A THREE HOUR TOUR THAT DID NOT IMPRESS US AT ALL.  

 MAY 2ND, 2023

DOCKED IN MOMUGOA IN GOA.

PORTUGUESE VOYAGED TO GOA IN THE EARLY 16THCENTURY AND CONQUERED IT AND STAYED THERE FOR 456 YEARS UNTIL IT WAS ANNEXED BY INDIA IN1961. DROVE TO THE FAMOUS BASILICA OF BORN JESUS WHICH IS A PILGRIMAGE CENTER AND HOLDS THE MORTAL REMAINS OF ST. FRANCIS XAVIER. VISITED THE CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION WITH THE BEAUTIFUL CRISS CROSSNG STAIRWAYS LEADING TO THE CHURCH. STOPPED BY A TEMPLE WHERE A WEDDING WAS TAKING PLACE. FINALLY, WE VISITED A SPICE FARM. THERE WE HAD AN INDIAN LUNCH AND TOOK A TOUR WHERE THEY SHOWED US THE MANY PLANTS THAT PRODUCED MANY DIFFEREDNT SPICES.

 MAY 3RD, 2023

DOCKED IN MANGALORE.   

THE HIGHLIGHT OF OUR VISIT WAS THE ST. ALOSIUS CHAPEL, OFTEN COMPARED THE SISTINE CHAPEL. IT FEATURES INTRICATE DETAILS THAT COVER VIRTUALLY EVERY SQAURE INCH OF THE WALLS AND CEILINGS. IT TOOK TWO YEARS FOR THE PAINTER, ANTONIO MOSHENI ,TO COMPLETE HIS MASTERPIECE. WE VISITED ANOTHER CHURCH WITH ZIGZAGGING STAIRS LEADING TO THE CHURCH. FINALLY, WE WENT TO ONE OF THE BIGGEST HINDU TEMPLES IN THE REGION. A WEDDING WAS TAKING PLACE WITH WHAT LOOKED LIKE OVER 600 GEUSTS. IT IS AMAZING WHAT HUMANS WILL BUILD, TO EXHALT WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN.

 MAY  4TH, 2023

DOCKED IN COCHIN. 

VISTED THE MATTANCHERRY PALACE. A SMALL PALACE, BUT OF HISTORIC IMPORTANCE. IT WAS GIFTED BY THE PORTUGUESE AS A PRESENT TO THE KING OF COCHIN AROUND 1545. VASCO DA GAMA, THE PORTUGUESE EXPLORER, LANDED THERE IN 1498. VISITED ST. FRANCIS CHURCH, THE FIRST EUROPEAN CHURCH BUILT IN INDIA. TOOK A BOAT RIDE  IN THE BACK WATERS. WE SAW THE FISHERMENS SPECIAL NETS TO FISH FROM THE SHORE. WE ALSO VISTED SEVERAL MANGROVES.

 MAY  5TH AND 6TH, 2023

DOCKED IN COLOMBO.   

VISITED A COUPLE OF BUDDIST TEMPLES. THE FIRST WAS VERY CROWEDED WITH PEOPLE SWARMING AROUND THE GROUNDS, PRAYING AND LIGHTING CANDLES. THE SECOND HAD AN INCREDIBLE INTERIOR WITH GILDED BUDDHA STATUES AND A BUDDHA MUSEUM. SRI LANKA, FORMERLY CEYLON, GAINED FULL INDEPENDENCE FROM THE BRITISH IN 1972, WE VISITED THEIR INDEPENCE SQUARE WITH A BUILDING SIMILAR TO THE ACROPOLIS, BUT MUCH SMALLER. LASTELY, WE VISITED A HUGE MOSQUE, PAINTED ON THE OUTSIDE WITH RED AND WHITE COLORS. WE WERE TOLD IT IS MADE TO RESEMBLE A PORMEGRANATE, WHICH IS MENTIONED IN THE KORAN, AS ONE OF THE FRUITS THAT WILL BE FOUND IN PARADISE.

 MAY 9TH, 2023

DOCKED IN PORT BLAIR.   

VISITED THE FAMOUS CELLULAR JAIL, WHICH WAS A BRITISH COLONIAL PRISON IN THE ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS. IT HOUSED POLITICAL PRISONERS MOSTLY FIGHTING FOR THE INDEPENDENCE OF INDIA.THE JAIL WAS STARTED IN 1896 AND COMPLETED IN 1906. IT HAD SEVEN WINGS, 3 STORIES HIGH WITH A TOTAL OF 696 CELLS. THE NAME “CELLULAR JAIL” WAS DERIVED FROM THE SOLITARY CELLS WHICH PREVENTED PRISONERS FROM COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER. LATER TOOK A TOK TOK FOR A LEISURELY DRIVE ALONG THE COAST AND ENDED IN A SHABY BEACH. WE WENT TO 3 STAR HOTEL NEARBY AND HAD LUNCH. THE CREDIT CARD DID NOT WORK AND WE HAD TO PAY IN DOLLARS WITH A VERY UNFAIR RATE OF EXCHANGE.  

 MAY 11TH, 2023

DOCKED IN SABANG.   

A SMALL ISLAND NOT FREQUENTED BY CRUISE SHIPS. THE TOWN WAS SO EXCITED TO HAVE THE SHIP DOCK THERE, THAT THEY MADE A SPECIAL SIGN WELCOMING THE SHIP AND THE PASSANGERS WITH THE DATE ON THE SIGN. THE INHABITANTS WERE WALKING AROUND TAKING PICTURES WITH THE SHIP IN THE BACKGROUND. WE WENT TO A SMALL RESORT AND SPENT THE DAY THERE. WE HAD TO CLIMB DOWN AROUND 60 STEPS TO REACH THE BEACH. THE WATER WAS BEAUTIFUL BUT HAD MANY ROCKS AND STONES.

 MAY 12TH, 2023

DOCKED IN LANGKAWI.   

LANGKAWI IS A CLUSTER OF 99 ISLANDS SEPARATED FROM MAINLAND MALAYSIA BY THE STRAIT OF MALACCA AND LIES APPROXIMATELY 32 MILES WEST OF KEDDA. TOOK TWO CABLE CARS UP TO THE TOP OF MOUNT CHIN CHANG. BEAUTIFUL VISTAS FROM UP HIGH. THEY ALSO HAD A SKYBRIDGE OVERLOOKING A DEEP VALLEY. WE THEN SPENT SOME TIME IN THE UNDERWATER WORLD, AN AQUARIUM WITH FISH, SHARKS, PENGUINS, FERRETS AND OTHER SEA CREATURES.

 MAY 13TH AND 14TH, 2023

DOCKED IN PHUKET.   

WENT TO A PUBLIC BEACH. IT WAS TOO CROWDED AND HAD POOR FACILITIES. WE DECIDED TO GO TO THE MERIDIAN HOTEL. WE PAID FOR A DAY PASS AND SPENT A LAZY DAY AT THEIR BEACH. HAD LUNCH AND LATER WENT FOR A SWIM IN THEIR VERY LARGE AND VERY WARM SWIMMING POOL.