Maputo’s Classic Railway Station
It wasn’t hard to find the Maputo railway station. We docked, I looked out my window, and there it was, with its distinctive dome, designed in the Paris studios of Alexandre Gustave Eiffel and fabricated in South Africa. Eiffel never … Continue reading Maputo’s Classic Railway Station
Easter on MS Amsterdam
Easter on Amsterdam I was not sure I would go to Easter Services on the Amsterdam. First of all it was at sunrise. My spiritual needs have largely met this trip by Rabbi Gan. I’m attending his daily lectures and … Continue reading Easter on MS Amsterdam
Shipmates
In Cape Town we lose probably the most popular passenger on the ship, Lily. Lily was 14 months old when we set sail from Ft. Lauderdale and very unsteady on her feet, especially on a moving deck. Now she runs … Continue reading Shipmates
French Bureaucrats Can’t Ruin a Sunset
French bureaucrats! Once in Serbia we were co-sponsoring a seminar on Internet regulation. Each speaker had a time limit. The French Bureaucrat stood up and said “I am a French Bureaucrat. I cannot possibly be bound by a time limit.” … Continue reading French Bureaucrats Can’t Ruin a Sunset
Sharks Can Hurt the Economy.
I’m not talking about loan sharks but shark sharks. Reunion, a French overseas department, had a growing tourist industry; it was becoming a surfer’s Mecca, until the sharks came. For years there were no shark attacks on the island. Everything … Continue reading Sharks Can Hurt the Economy.
A Pirate’s Grave — Reunion
I don’t particularly like visiting cemeteries and I don’t like pirates at all. This is a post about a Pirate’s grave in a cemetery on the French Island of Reunion. Go figure. First, cemeteries — I would rather remember my … Continue reading A Pirate’s Grave — Reunion
Beau Vallon Beach, Mahe, Seyschelles
This is a continuation of “World’s Smallest Capital.” With pics of the beach. I even have a shot of the little blue fishes. I’m sitting on the back deck using the good 3G service to upload these posts. All aboard … Continue reading Beau Vallon Beach, Mahe, Seyschelles
World’s Smallest Capital City
It was because of the Seychelles that Public Broadcasting picked up some degree of protocol. In the beginning all called each other by our first names. NPR presidents were Frank or Doug, the CPB people were Clyde, Rick or Priscilla. … Continue reading World’s Smallest Capital City
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Colombo makes a statement. When you sail in the first thing you see is a giant stupa raised on stilts telling any approaching mariner that this is a Buddhist country. But the skyline of Colombo has monuments to other religions. … Continue reading Colombo, Sri Lanka
Elephant Wash
This may be the hardest blog post for me to write. My initial reaction to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage was sadness yet for many of my cruise mates it was an exciting highlight. I had a strong emotional reaction to … Continue reading Elephant Wash
Through My Train Window.
One of the great joys of riding on a train is watching life along the tracks. Unlike roads there are no restaurants or gas stations. You look into people’s back yards or into their homes themselves. You pass dry rice … Continue reading Through My Train Window.
The Viceroy, Almost To Kandy.
I had a tough choice. I could either wander about an interesting city where I had never been or I could take a train ride, two hours out and two hours back, to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. The city was … Continue reading The Viceroy, Almost To Kandy.
How Do You Pronounce “Phuket?”
At about 11 AM I wanted to pronounce Phuket with the “Ph” as in Philosophy and the accent on the first syllable. It has not been a good morning. Myron, one of the ship’s lecturers told us that if they … Continue reading How Do You Pronounce “Phuket?”
Singapore Miscellany
Now, tired and happy, we’re cruising the Malacca Straits, ships all around us are moving at 17 knots. The water is calm but full of all sorts of floating crap. I am sitting in a deck chair with my computer … Continue reading Singapore Miscellany
Asia for Beginners — Singapore
Hong Kong has Disneyland. Singapore IS Disneyland. Like Disneyland it’s clean, well ordered, and controlled. Disney employees have to follow a strict code of behavior. It’s like everyone in Singapore is a Disney employee and is expected to follow the … Continue reading Asia for Beginners — Singapore
Merlion Found, Singapore’s “Reclaimed” Land.
About 23% of Singapore, almost a quarter of the country, is reclaimed land. I’ve always wondered about that term “reclaimed.” Since Earth is “the water planet” shouldn’t we just say claimed? Much of this land is used for industry or … Continue reading Merlion Found, Singapore’s “Reclaimed” Land.
Hanging Gardens of Singapore
When traveling I’m struck by how tied together we are and always have been. Three years ago on a trip up the Amazon we learned how rubber trees were smuggled out of Brazil to Kew Gardens in London, and from … Continue reading Hanging Gardens of Singapore
Little India — Singapore
I’ve written about how clean and well-ordered Singapore is. Little India is a bit of an exception. It is clean, especially compared with India, but the wet market has a wet floor, the houses and shop houses are more colorful … Continue reading Little India — Singapore
Tiger Balm Gardens Rebranded.
Tiger Balm Gardens in Singapore has been rebranded as the Har Par Villa. It’s a favorite in Singapore. It was built by Har Par and opened to the public to teach young people Chinese moral lessons. (See Courts of Hell.) … Continue reading Tiger Balm Gardens Rebranded.
The Courts of Hell with a Trigger Warning.
Har Par was a business man from Rangoon. He and his brother invented s salve called “Tiger Balm.” I use it myself. In the 1930s they moved to Singapore and were very successful. Har par built a mansion for … Continue reading The Courts of Hell with a Trigger Warning.
Five O’Clock Follies
This is a continuation of the narration in the post “Good Morning Vietnam.” As I pondered what I was supposed to do in Saigon I looked up and saw it, the Rex Hotel, and I knew. The Rex is where … Continue reading Five O’Clock Follies
Good Morning Viet Nam
As the sun rose through the pollution haze I knew there was something I was supposed to do in Saigon, but I didn’t know what it was. We had nothing really planned for the day except to take the hour … Continue reading Good Morning Viet Nam
“Chewing the Fat,” a Persecuted Sect and an Unexpected Fire Drill
Last night at about 9:30 Suzi and I were having a nice chat about the Balkans with a Croatian woman who had just come on in Hong Kong. She was taking over as the leader of the “Road Scholar” group … Continue reading “Chewing the Fat,” a Persecuted Sect and an Unexpected Fire Drill
Hong Kong Memories
Other cruise mates had specific things they wanted to do in Hong Kong, visit this temple or that particular shopping street. A surprising number of these, mostly senior citizens, wanted to visit the Hong Kong Disneyland. (All of Hong Kong … Continue reading Hong Kong Memories