DUBAI AND ADU DHABI

Dubai, the Golden City, appears to have magically emerged from the sands of the Arabian Desert and the waters of the Persian Gulf - until you spot the hundreds of cranes littering the skyline. New construction is everywhere and the excitement is palpable and contagious! From the iconic sail-shaped Burj Al Arab Hotel to the world’s tallest skyscraper; from the infamous Palm Jurmeirah island to the world’s largest race track; from massive indoor malls to the glittering Gold Souk: there is no doubt that Dubai’s oil-fueled economy has soared: and, their beloved King Abdullah, mastermind behind this adult Disneyland, leaves little doubt that their post-oil economy will be just as prosperous. Along with thousands of others, we attended the famous World Cup Horse Race, no betting, but the entertainment was spectacular; we snow-skied in the mall; gawked at building after building after building under construction and spent an evening under the stars at the Arabian Nights extravaganza hosted by King Abdullah himself. The highlight to our trip to Abu Dhabi was without a doubt the extraordinarily beautiful Emeritus Grand Palace and the Grand Mosque, which will be one of the world’s largest after completion.   Sharon and her girlfriends were required to don Burgas in order to enter the mosque. -yes, it was hot, hard to see, and unsafe for walking – however the Mosque is superlatively beautiful, so that made it worthwhile, , but oh how awful for the many surpressed women who must wear them daily!

Embarked: March 27th 2008
Debarked: April 3rd 2008

• Dubai (UAE)
• Adu Dhabi (UAE)

JORDAN

Al Quabah is gateway to some of the world’s most diverse and beautiful landscape: Wadi Musas (Valley of Moses); the rose-red city of Petra; and The Dead Sea, the world’s deepest and saltiest lake. Three of us from the ship traveled north by car through Jordan’s diverse and beautiful terrain scattered with Bedouin’s goat-hair tents and grazing sheep.  First stop, Wadi Rum, and “The Seven Pillars of Wisdom”, the mesmerizing rock formation named by Lawrence of Arabia later becoming the title of his memoir. A Bedouin guide in Petra took us on his “secret” hike: we scrambled up steep hills and slid our way carefully down narrow rubble-filled ravines to arrive at last on a canyon overlooking the most famous structure in Petra – the Treasury. This monument is carved into the face of a sheer cliff wall that raises several stories high. From our unique vantage point, the people below looked like ants, and the rim of the cliff was so steep & scary that we literally inched our way out to the lip of a large flat rock to view it – hearts pounding furiously. Our cross-country jaunt concluded at The Dead Sea where we spent two days coating our bodies up-to-the neck in black mud scooped from the lake’s bottom then floated effortlessly in the salubrious water.  At the end of our time there, I met up with a guide to drive me into Amman; however, when I met the Archeologist/Biblical scholar/Professor - I knew in my heart that although it meant backtracking in order to visit Madaba the “City of Mosaics”, and the sacred mountain where Moses is buried, Mt. Nebo, - it would be a mistake for me to pass up the opportunity to visit both sacred locals with such an informed guide. Our later visit to the modest archeological museum in Amman was thrilling for me since most of the rare and beautiful Nabataen statues taken from Petra are exhibited there! As the sun began to set in Jordan, I stood with Mohammad on a hill in the Citadel looking out over Ammon and as he eloquently attempted to piece together 9000 years of their culture-defining history for me - I caught a glimpse of the magnitude of the divide that separates Islam from us.

Embarked: May 15th 2008
Debarked: May 18th 2008

• Wadi Musas (Jordan)
• Petra (Jordan)
• Dead Sea (Jordan)

PIRAEUS, SANTORINI AND GYTHION

From the central location of Piraeus, we enjoyed a day’s excursion along the beautiful coastal road leading to the ancient ruins of Poseidon’s Palace. Another day was spent touring Athens where we visited all the “must see” sites that draw thousands of visitors each year. The view from Acropolis Hill overlooking the heart of the city was spectacular – the size and scope of Athens can best be understood from that hill! We had the good fortune to have a very entertaining guide, who walked us through all the sites and museums, her enthusiasm, and knowledge helped to make Greek’s history come to life! Our day trip to Ancient Corinth and a boat ride on the canal was also a highlight of this port! Santorini was every bit as beautiful and as blue as any postcard you might have seen of it – actually, my first impression was a feeling of “walking in a postcard”! Our pictures taken there really speak for themselves – sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words! Our “captain’s choice” day was spent anchored off the tiny port of Gythion where the local seafood specialty, octopus, was all too evident, since recent catches were draped like spaghetti on lines surrounding the dock.  In the beautiful coastal town of Corfu we were informed that the best way to see the countryside was from a 4-wheel drive – so we took off on a 13 jeep safari, with Len as our pilot, and zigzagged our way up and around the steep mountainous terrain, bouncing over hill and dale through charming villages, waving at the smiling locals who watched us pass by.  We were rewarded by a spectacular panoramic view of the azure Adriatic Sea when we reached the crest of the mountain. . . breathtaking.

Embarked: July 30th 2008
Debarked: August 8th 2008

• Pireaus (Greece)
• Santorini (Greece)
• Gythion (Greece)
• Corfu (Greece)

VENICE

City of Water; City of Bridges; City of Light. . .Queen of the Adriatic. Any visit to Venice begins at the heart and soul of Venezia: St. Mark’s Square; called “the drawing room of the world” by French Romantic poet Alfred Musset. For in this ancient Plazza, now thick with pigeons, musicians and tourists, like ourselves, you are enclosed in the former seat of Venetian power, the majestic Doge’s Palace; magnificent St. Mark’s Cathedral; the Bell Tower and 15th-century Clock Tower inscribed “Only happy hours”. Visiting a city with 150 canals and over 400 bridges, it becomes imperative to figure out how to get around on the “water highway”. We quickly discovered that a water taxi costs about 60 Euro versus 10 for a 24-hour Vaparetto (kind of like an above-ground subway that runs on water) pass. So, even though where to exactly get off the thing, once on, was a little confusing, it was definitely the best way to explore the city – until we got brave enough to walk that is, and believe me nothing compares to a solitary stroll along the canals of Venice. What’s the worst that can happen? You get lost, wander into a plazza and end up in Scuola di San Rocco face to face with over 57 Tintoretto paintings, where you move around in a daze, transfixed; spellbound: finally stumbling out, overcome by his brilliance and run smack into a gelato stand – worse things could happen!

Embarked: August 21st 2008
Debarked: August 25th 2008

• Venice (Italy)