Guatemala, and The End

Guatemala, the last stop of an incredible trip. On the journey from Hawaii, there were all sorts of rumors flying. With the swine flu in Mexico, and crime rapidly rising in Guatemala, people thought that we would not by stopping, or that they would move us to some other country. They let us go to Guatemala, but gave us the most warnings. Guatemala has the same crime and risk level as South Africa, the highest possible level, outside of an all out war zone. The ship went so far as to institute a curfew, everyone had to be back on the ship by 11, unless you were staying the night in the country. They also advised against going to Guatemala City, and certain rural areas. These rules didn’t really apply to me, since I was going on a camping and hiking trip. Still, we had to be back on our guard. After China, Japan, long stretches at sea, and Hawaii, people would probably have let their guard down had they not warned us so much.
The first day in Guatemala, my trip to climb Acatenango was the first to leave, so we got off of the ship first. Acatenango is a 13,000+ dormant volcano, the third highest peak in Guatemala, and all of Central America for that matter. We drove from the port, where absolutely nothing is located, to a gas station an hour or so away to transfer from our regular bus. We got onto a “chicken bus,” one of the most common forms of transportation in Guatemala. They are used school buses, shipped from the states, refurbished, and pimped out. Ours was bright red and green, and had a huge speaker system. Every other chicken bus we saw was similar. We took this bus, Latin pop blasting away, up a dirt road to a large farm. The family that owns the farm has rights to the volcano, going back to colonial land distribution. Out hike started at 7000 feet, so it was already one of the highest spots I’ve ever been. We hiked for a short while to “La Mirador” a spot to look out over the entire valley. After lunch the trail went up into rain forest for quite a while. It was one of the steepest trails I’ve been on, and kept going up into less tropical vegetation. After being in a coniferous forest for a while, we got to base camp, set up at 10,000 feet. We got dinner and sat around the campfire, but went to sleep quite early because we were getting up at four the next morning to begin our summit push. Our guides warned us about altitude sickness, and it was somewhat harder to get a breath. No one slept great, but some were especially hard hit. I got up in the middle of the night, and had some difficulty breathing, so I was pissed if I was getting altitude sickness and couldn’t get up the mountain. Thankfully I felt great the next morning. The view from camp was incredible early in the morning, with the lights of the city of Antigua below, and a beautiful clear night sky above. Only four people decided to stay behind, and the rest of us set out after a quick breakfast. While hiking up the first section of trail, the sun came up, giving us a great view of the surrounding terrain. Pacaya, another volcano, rose up out of the clouds below us. We made it to our first real stop, and we regrouped. From here, we could finally see the twin summits of Acatenango. Our guides pointed out that we were going to the saddle in between them first, and then from there would go up to the higher summit. The hike to the saddle began similarly to the section we just finished, but then we passed the tree line and were into a steep slope of loose, black volcanic material. Small shrubs and grasses were intermittent. Once we got to the saddle, a lot of people wanted to stop there, but the guides gave a pep talk and got everyone to keep going. I went over to the other side of the saddle, for another absolutely beautiful view. We then started up to the summit. They kept us at a slower pace, to keep everyone on the hike, but then they let us loose, and the faster hikers started tearing up the peak. I ended up being the third one up, so I got to see it without too many people crowding around. From there we could look down into the saddle, and into the crater, not to even mention a sweeping panoramic view of Guatemala’s Pacific Highlands. Even though the volcano is dormant, there are numerous holes where you can stick your hand into the ground and it is noticeably warmer. While we were on the top of Acatenango, the nearby Fuego volcano was spewing dense smoke. It has been active lately, and once in a while lava will flow, but not while we were there. Still, seeing a volcano erupt very close to us was a dream come true. We took some group photos, and walked around the rim of the entire crater. By the way, at this time it was not even eight in the morning. We left after what seemed like all too short of a time, and headed down a different route from the summit to the saddle. This one was quite rocky and steep, and several people fell on the way down. We got back to the saddle and took the same trail back to base camp. When we arrived we had a second breakfast. That was one of the best pancakes I have ever had. It was probably due to my continued euphoria from the mountain, but it was delicious. We packed up and hiked down again. Going down the steep slopes through the rain forest was fun, running as fast as you dared to go, and hoping you could stop. We made it down in a fraction of the time it took to get up, and when we arrived back at La Mirador, another group of Semester at Sea students was eating their lunch their. We told them some details about what was ahead, but didn’t want to give away everything. I’d like to see how many of them made it up. From there it was back on the chicken bus to town, and then onto our regular bus for the drive to Antigua, the old capital of Guatemala. It was great to see the city that we had looked down on early that morning. We had a traditional Guatemalan meal, which was one of the best I’ve ever had. It consisted of black bean soup, steak, chicken, pork sausages, potatoes, and very small corn tortillas. I’m sure your average Guatemalan wouldn’t have three meats at a meal, but any one of them would have been fine. We had some free time to wander the city after lunch. It has some great old colonial buildings, and small, tightly packed houses and shops. The city’s landmark is an arch on the main road that leads to the city square. After leaving Antigua we drove back to the ship, where I got dinner, and then had a relaxing night before our last day in a port.
For the last day in Guatemala, and the final day in a port while on Semester at Sea, I went to the nearby town of Monterrico. It is known for its black sand beaches, and the Monterrico Nature Reserve. We took a large van, with some other students who wanted to go there. The beach was cool to see, but we did not stay long. The town itself is fairly small, it did not take long to find the nature reserve and walk there. These beaches are nesting grounds for sea turtles Most of the reserve is completely off-limits, it is solely for the wildlife. There is a small museum, and some small display zoo. We did get to see lots of small sea turtles, that they hatch and will later release when they are larger. We got lunch at a small, open-air restaurant. Just as I hoped, the food was incredible. Most of the menu was fish, but when I asked about one item, they told me it was “carne.” So I knew I was getting some kind of beef. It was a thinly sliced steak, covered with salsa, and served with the same small tortillas. We took our van back to the port, did some quick shopping from the market, and then said goodbye to our last port.
The trip now is nearly complete. Just a few short days at sea, and then its back home. I’m ready to be home again. Everything I have seen has been incredible, amazing, life changing, insert whatever moving adjective you want here. I haven’t even had that much time to reflect, I feel that that might take months or years. I am incredibly grateful for this voyage, and all that I have done and seen. I’m sure that everyone back home, who has been following this, might want some grandiose statement about the world, but the world is just so damn big, I can’t easily sum it up. People will want to know, has this trip changed you, and even to me, it has been obviously yes. People will want to hear everything, but there are memories that just cannot be put into words. People will want to hear some life philosophy, and I’ll tell them to go see the world, and come up with their own. I am capable of so much more now, I know so much more now, I’m ready to live to such a higher degree. I can’t wait to see you all when I get home, but also, I can’t wait to see where I’m headed next.

Don’t stop living in the red.

--- Jeff Malik

Hawaii

Hawaii was a good break, more like a vacation than the foreign experiences that I have had in 11 countries prior to this. We had to get up at six in the morning to begin the immigration and customs process. Everyone has to meet face to face with a U.S. customs officer, and then once all thousand or so people had done this, the ship was clear. I got off and walked around downtown Honolulu for an hour or so. After that I headed to Waikiki beach for a few hours. We went to Cheeseburger in Paradise for lunch – no ethnic food to try in Hawaii. I guess I could have found poi, but luaus aren’t even authentic Hawaiian anymore. After that I met up with some other friends, and we headed back to a different part of the beach. We were only there a short time, when a friend of Laura’s from high school who now lives in Hawaii showed up. He and two of his friends took us on a hike to a waterfall. We rode in the back of a pickup truck for a while, through the less touristy parts of Honolulu, and then onto the highway. We went through a tunnel, and came out on the other side of the mountains, into some absolutely beautiful scenery. The mountains are not that high, but very steep, rugged, and covered with lush vegetation. The view from the parking lot was incredible, and the views only got better from there on. No one was really prepared for a hike, we were all in sandals and swimsuits, but it was worth it. We wound around the sides of a mountain, and then took another trail that led along the crest of a ridge. It led down to a stream, and from there it was only a few minutes to the waterfall. The falls poured down into a very deep pool, so you could jump off into the water if you wanted to. After an hour or two of cliff jumping and swimming, we had to hike back out. On the drive back to Honolulu, we dropped Laura’s friend off at the University of Hawaii, so we got to see some of their campus. That night we went out, but I somehow got up at seven the next morning. That was a familiar pattern on this entire trip. Going out at night, and then getting up after a few hours of sleep, because you don’t want to miss anything in the countries. That second day in Hawaii I was by myself. I took care of some important things, and then went to Waikiki, but did not go on the beach. I walked around the restaurants and shopping area for a while. I am pretty sure I saw the hotel where we stayed when I came here years ago. I took the bus back to the ship and ate lunch there. In the afternoon I got wi-fi in a nearby mall, and finally put some pictures from this trip online. I ended up going back onto the ship a few hours before the absolute limit. I did not want to stand in line for a while, and the security measures in Hawaii were the most extreme of any port. I slept until dinner to make up for the night, and then watched us sail away that evening.

Japan

My time in Japan is over, we left last night. Our stretch of several ports in quick succession is done, it seemed to fly by. Now there are nine days at sea, until we get to Hawaii. Japan was incredible, everything I did was fun. Other places have been good, but Japan was great. When we arrived, we had to go through Japanese Customs and Immigration, the most intense arrival process so far. Everyone must be photographed, fingerprinted, and have their temperature taken before being allowed into the country. By the time all of that was done, I did not have enough time to see Kobe before my trip left. So I called home, looked around the port area, and then went on the trip to Hiroshima. We took the bullet train to Hiroshima, which took barely over an hour to go three hundred kilometers. Its about the same feeling as being on a plane, you’re going incredibly fast, but can hardly tell. Most of the track is in tunnels, but when you are outside, everything blurs by. Hiroshima itself is an interesting experience. There’s the obvious history, it being one of only two places in the entire world to ever have been the victim of a nuclear bombing. Yet, the museum is much different than others war museums and memorials that I have seen on this trip. The Hiroshima museum does not attempt to put blame on anyone. It is not set up to make the United States look bad. Most of the museum contains artifacts from the blast: watches all stopped at 8:15, torn and burnt clothing, melted and fused household goods. The museum is surrounded by a park, full of memorials. The most famous part is the “A-bomb dome” a shell of a building that was one of the few to remain standing. Now its skeleton remains, a reminder of the horrors of war. It is surrounded by cherry trees, and the peace park, making Hiroshima one of the most important voices for world peace.
My second day in Japan I visited Kyoto, the ancient capital. After about an hour bus ride, we arrived at Nijo Castle. It was built by the first Shogun, who unified Japan during its feudal period. Nijo Castle was the seat of power for several hundred years, until the last Shogun restored power to the emperor, and the castle became a secondary home for the royal court. Japanese castles are not like European castles. There is an outer stone wall, but it is only about twenty feet high. The building are made of wood, and not fortified at all. There was once a five story tower, but it was struck by lightning and burned down in the 1700s. Much of the castle grounds are gardens and ponds. It is clearly built to be comfortable, not merely to protect the ruler. I was in Japan during the peak of cherry blossom season, and every place I went in Kyoto was stunning. The trees here, and the second stop, were especially beautiful. That second stop was the Golden Pavilion, a Shinto shrine. The pavilion sits on a pond, and is surrounded by more gardens. The other buildings within the complex have Zen gardens. One building is known for its six hundred year old bonsai tree, which has been sculpted into the shape of a sailing ship. The pond contains two islands, turtle island, and crane island. There were live turtles in the pond, and as I was standing there, a crane flew across the water and landed on crane island. We then saw another pond, a sacred spring, and a traditional tea house, before leaving this shrine. For lunch we got box lunches from the ship, and went to a public park to eat them. It was full of food vendors, so I also got some fried chicken on a stick, something that can be found anywhere in the world. There was another temple complex on a hill next to the park, it was not a scheduled stop, but I went up to it anyways. I was told that parts of “The Last Samurai” were filmed here, but I did not recognize any buildings. After there, we went to a Shinto temple. Our guide showed the way that people ritually wash their hands, and then the Shinto prayer that they do. This area also had a cherry blossom garden. Our last stop in Kyoto was at a Buddhist temple. I had seen plenty of Buddhist temples in Thailand, but it was interesting to see the differences between the two. The Japanese temple again incorporated lots of nature, trees, and gardens. There was also less emphasis on the Buddha, and more on various small rituals. It is very common to use prayer flags, notes, or small wooden plaques to attempt to get your wishes granted.
Upon arriving back at the ship, I grabbed my backpack, a quick dinner, and then met everyone for our independent travel. Like in China, we could leave the ship as long as we met it again in Yokohama. Our goal was Koka, a tiny town with a very interesting history. It was the home of the Koga Ninja Clan during the feudal and Shogun eras. Their rivals, the Iga Ninja, are in another town a short distance south of Koka. We took the train to Kyoto, but accidentally got on the local line, so we stopped at every single stop along the way. It took longer, but gave us a really cool look at a wide range of Japan. In Kyoto we transferred to another train to Kusatsu, and then onto a tiny spur line to Koka. Each train got progressively smaller, slower, and less like the ultra modern trains that people expect in Japan. We finally arrived in Koka at almost eleven at night, and found it to be completely deserted. It was smaller than I imagined. The town consisted of two main streets, with less than a dozen traffic lights. We looked for a place to stay, and our options seemed to be the train station, or an empty field. Eventually we went into a convenience store, and using some drawings of beds, and pantomiming sleep, the store manager drew us a map to the one hotel in town. We found it around midnight, and the night shift women let us in and we got one single room for the three of us. It made the rooms on the ship look big, but it worked for the night. That night we discovered beer vending machines and Japanese game shows. We got up, explored the town a little bit, and then as we were eating breakfast on the street outside of our hotel, the other group of our friends walked out of the same place. They had gotten there earlier than we did, and must have been asleep before we even got to the town. We had a poor map from the website of the ninja museum, and after an hour or two of looking for it, we went to the train station and had them call the museum. It turned out to be about a ten minute drive, and they came to pick us up in a shuttle van and drive everyone out there.
The Ninja Village is a collection of small traditional houses, hidden away in the forest outside of town. The main thing to see is the ninja house, complete with trap doors, revolving walls, hidden passages, and several ways to escape. Next door to that is a museum full of clothing, armor, and weapons. There are tunnels that connect between some of the houses, and then to other parts of the village. One of the coolest things to do was to throw authentic style ninja stars, not the many-pointed ones that we see in movies. Real shuriken only have four points. The gift shop gave everyone a scroll saying that we were official ninja of the Koga Clan, and then we headed back to the train station to go to Tokyo. We had to take the small trains back to Kyoto, and then from there got on the bullet train to Tokyo. Even at the speed those trains can go, it took two and a half hours. The highlight was passing Mt. Fuji right around sunset. We transferred from the train station to the subway lines, and got to our hotel in the Roppongi district. The Tokyo subway system is one of the most massive and complex in the world, but each line is color coded, and it was fairly easy to get around the city.
The next morning, I woke up, and PJ wanted more sleep (great nights in Tokyo), so I headed out by myself. I went to central Tokyo, saw the Imperial Palace from outside, but did not go in. I ate my breakfast in a park across the street from it. I went back to Roppongi, and walked to the Tokyo Tower. I went up to its 250 meter observation deck for some awesome views of the city. There are just skyscrapers as far as you can see. It was weird to look down onto fifty story buildings, but the view was great. I went back to the hotel, and PJ was now ready to go out. Our first stop was Akhiabara, the electronics district. We went into a nine-story shop that was nothing but electronics and video games. The entire area is full of arcades, DVD stores, anime, and more neon than you can imagine. Then we went to Shibuya, where the world’s busiest intersection is. This district is called the Times Square of Tokyo. It’s very upscale and very modern. After dinner we went back to Roppongi and everyone met at our hotel to make plans for that evening. Some other of my friends were going to a high class bar in Shinjuku, the rich section of Tokyo, and I wanted to go meet them. I’ve never seen it, but the film “Lost in Translation” was filmed there. So a few of us ended up dressing nice, and went up to the 52nd floor of a skyscraper to see it. The view of Tokyo at night was an awesome backdrop for a high roller’s evening. (Don’t worry, I kept the bill low.)
On the last day, we took the train back to Yokohama to meet the ship. We put our stuff away, and then I went out to see the city. It’s a great city, probably the best port area. You can easily walk off of the ship and find things right in the area. It was nicer than Cape Town, but not as touristy, so I’d say that Yokohama is the best port city. The baseball stadium is about a five minute walk, but the game started too late in the day for me to get back to the ship on time. Lots of people went the previous day, and had a great time. I walked to the Landmark Tower, the tallest building in Japan, and it has the world’s fastest elevator. I didn’t pay to go up, since I went up the Tokyo Tower. Just outside of that building is the Nippon Maru, an old sailing ship. I don’t know its exact history, but during Japan’s modernization, it was the pride of the nation. The rest of Yokohama is beautiful, everything is very clean, and the city has more parks, squares, and green avenues than most places I’ve been. I was back on the ship in the afternoon, and then everyone had to get off again in the evening to go through immigration before we were cleared to leave. Much later in the evening we put out to sea. Sailing out past the brilliant lights and clean skyline of Yokohama was the perfect ending to a great time in Japan.

China

I’m now done with China, and not to get repetitive, but it was incredible. The ship docked in Hong Kong for two days, then sailed to Shanghai, but we had the option of getting off to travel, as long as we got back on in Shanghai. I spent the first day in Hong Kong, with no plans, and walked around. It’s a very modern city at first glance, but when you get off of the main roads, it’s more like the “real China.” I was walking past a city park, when I noticed a banner that said Kung Fu display, Sundays 2-4. It was around three, so I went in, and found people showing their Kung Fu skills to a small crowd. I wandered around both Hong Kong Island, and Kowloon, for the day, and then returned to the ship for a small dinner before going back out. Every night, the skyline of Hong Kong is used for a light show. The largest and most architecturally interesting buildings synchronize their neon lights, floodlights, and lasers. Everything is timed to music that a radio station plays. That night was one of the finals of the Rugby 7’s in Hong Kong. Tickets sold out months ago, so most people go to Lan Kwai Fong, Hong Kong’s main bar street to watch the games. It was a party in the streets for the entire night, thousands of drunk Australians everywhere.
The next morning, I left on my trip to Beijing. I want to keep this short, so I can finish in a reasonable amount of time. Japan is only two days away. I was on a University-hosted trip, to the University of International Business and Economics. We had a get together with some of the students the night we arrived. The next day, we spent the morning seeing Tianamen Square, Mao’s tomb, and the Forbidden City. After lunch we went to the Temple of Heaven. We went to an Acrobatic Show that night, which completely blew everyone’s minds. I did not think that any of those things they did were remotely possible. The third day in Beijing, there was an optional tai chi session early in the morning, which I got up to do. Then we drove out to the Great Wall, and spent several hours at it. Again, I cannot come close to describing how incredible it is. The wall is truly a wonder of the world. That night we had dinner with some more of the Chinese students. Our last day started with Kung Fu in the early morning, the Imperial Summer Palace, and then the Olympic venues after lunch, before flying back to Shanghai late in the evening.
My last day in China, I went to the Shanghai Zoo in the morning. I could go there as a field program for one of my classes, plus zoos are usually cool. I spent a lot of time observing the primates, for the paper I now need to write. One of the highlights were definitely the Giant Pandas. After finishing the zoo, I did not have enough cash for a cab ride back to the ship. The zoo was quite a ways away, it took more than half an hour to drive there, a lot of that on a highway. I started walking, planning on finding an ATM, but then I got it in my head that I would just walk all the way back to the ship. I followed a major road all the way to downtown, and then I knew how to get back to the port. It took my three and a half hours to walk, but I got to see Shanghai on a level that I did not plan on. By the way, I did this all alone, and did not see another Semester at Sea student, or a white person in general, until I was almost at the ship. I estimated it to be about ten miles through the city.
China was our longest port, and definitely one of the best. I’d recommend it to anyone, but now I’m just too exhausted to write much more.

Cambodia and Vietnam

So, I’m back on the ship after Vietnam, but I spent most of my time in Cambodia. Going to Cambodia on a SAS trip was my only opportunity to visit a country not on the itinerary. I was debating about it, because I knew that Vietnam would be an interesting experience for five days. By going to Cambodia, I got a taste of two countries, but not as in depth a stay in either one. My trip left for Cambodia on the day of our arrival, we got in a bus to the airport, for a very short flight across the border. We landed in Phnom Penh in the late afternoon, and went to the National Museum. It is primarily a collection of historic art, arranged by medium. The museum is a square building with an open courtyard, and each of the four parts of it hold either wood, stone, bronze, or precious metals. The entire place was fairly small, and reminded me of the art portion of the National Museum of Thailand in Bangkok. Our next stop was a boat ride on the Mekong River at sunset. They gave us Angkor Beer, one of only two beers made in Cambodia. They are nothing to write home about, but here I am doing just that. The day was cloudy, so the sunset was not spectacular, but the things we saw from the river were very interesting. We passed by numerous temples and pagodas on one side, and fairly undeveloped land on the other side of the river. The coolest thing we saw was a floating village, a collection of forty or fifty house-boats that all travel together, and when they anchor, tie to each other. People then walk freely between them, and use smaller boats to go into Phnom Penh, or wherever else they happen to go. After that, we went to an orphanage. I’ve never been one that would choose to volunteer at an orphanage, but it turned out to be fun. The Palm Tree Orphanage receives funds from an organization that was started by two people that went on Semester at Sea back a few decades ago. Two guys that went on SAS Spring ’07 were back in Cambodia, to work there. Several of the guys from our trip played soccer with a lot of the kids. They pretty much showed us up, but it was a good time, and we had to leave way too early. Once we left, we went to a very late dinner, which was pretty good. The food we had in Cambodia was like most Asian food: noodles, rice, and vegetables. However, it is predominantly seafood, and also soups are very common. Then we went to our hotel, which was far too nice for my tastes. The two hotels that I stayed at in Cambodia were the nicest hotel rooms I have ever been in. If I have a bed and a roof I’m happy, but Semester at Sea provides top of the line hotels. Their reasoning is that they stay at places that will have clean drinking water. I’m glad that this will be my only trip that will be staying in hotels arranged through the ship.
The second day in Cambodia, we started our day at Tuol Sleng, an important site in the Khmer Rouge’s genocide. It was once a high school, but became a prison and torture facility. Most of the facility had been left they way it was in the late 1970s. Blood still stains the floor in most cells. One building has been made into a museum, with row upon row of photos of the victims. Instruments of torture, as well as photos of their results, are shown. There was once a map of Cambodia, made out of human skulls, but after Buddhist monks requested a proper cremation, it was dismantled. A photograph of it still hangs on the wall, as the last thing you see before leaving. From there, the trip got even grimmer. We visited the Killing Fields themselves, were more than a million people were slaughtered and dumped into mass graves as part of the Khmer Rouge’s crackdown on anyone who was not a peasant capable of working the rice fields. Some of the “crimes” they were guilty of included going to a library, or being educated. A pagoda stands as a memorial to the victims. It is filled from floor to ceiling with skulls. The mass graves have had their victims removed, but still stand open, a reminder of what mankind is capable of.
Once we left, we moved on to less depressing visits. We went to the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, and the nearby Silver Pagoda. It is not actually silver, but is named that because of its silver tiled floor. You have to walk on rugs, but an area is left open to see the original flooring. We then ate lunch, and had some free time in a nearby market. We took another flight to Siam Reap in the afternoon. The town of Siam Reap is very small, and is only famous for being the closest city to Angkor Wat. It is predominantly very nice hotels. The government knows that people are coming to see Angkor Wat, and need rooms, so they only allow nicer hotels to be built, and thus generate lots of revenue. We went to the main gate of Angkor Wat for sunset that night, but did not actually go into the complex. The next day, we had to option of getting up at five, to see the sunrise from the same place. I didn’t go all the way to Cambodia to miss something like that, so of course I got up. Like many ancient buildings, Angkor Wat is built so that is aligned with the cardinal directions, and the angles of the sun. On the equinoxes, the sun rises directly behind the main tower. We were there only two days after the equinox, so by stepping about ten feet to one side, I got the exact same effect. Breakfast was served back at our hotel, and we quickly left again, to go to another part of the temple complex. This next area is even more in the rain forest that the main buildings. Gigantic trees, as well as strangler vines, are growing all around, and through the ruins. It gives the place a very mysterious feeling. With the exception of some buildings in danger of collapse, you are generally given freedom to explore the ruins. Darting through dark passageways, in a nearly thousand year old structure, was a dream come true. I hope I’m not wearing out this phrase in my blog, but Angkor Wat was one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen. We left this area, and went back to the main complex, but entered through the opposite gate, and had several hours to look around. Being inside the temple that we had seen at sunrise was awesome. It is incredibly intricate, and every surface you look at is covered with sculptures, carvings, or writing. The massive towers force you to look nearly straight up to take them in. It was one of the most absolutely breathtaking things I have seen. After lunch, we went to another series of temples and palaces that are all very close to one another. The first one we saw was the most impressive of these; its towers are adorned with massive stone faces on all four sides. There are dozens of towers in all, so that wherever you turn, a monolithic face is staring down at you. This temple was one of the most accessible; you could climb up into the highest parts of it. From there we saw a few more temples, and then had to finally leave the site. We drove back to the Siam Reap airport, and flew back to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. That night, everyone was exhausted, so we went out for pizza and beer, and then I was asleep well before eleven.
The forth day of the ship being in Vietnam was actually my first day of experiencing the country. I went on a trip to the Cu Chi tunnels, a network of 250 kilometers of tunnels and rooms used by the Vietcong during the war. The buses took us to the primary temple of the Cao Dai Religion, a religion found only in Vietnam. To me, it’s a cult. It was founded in the 1920s, all of its members wear white robes, live in the same gated complex, and work in the same clothes factories that support the facility. They worship a gigantic eye, and one of their saints is Victor Hugo. I walked away shaking my head. The rest of the afternoon we spent at the tunnels, which was the reason I signed up to go on this trip. After watching a blatant propaganda film, labeled as history, we walked through the jungle, past several small openings of the tunnels. They also showed us numerous traps used by the Vietcong. We came to an area that had a small opening, one by two feet at most. It had a wooden lid, that could be closed and camouflaged with leaves. I fit down in it, but several people could not. We then went into a section of tunnel, that we could crawl through for a long distance. A tiny staircase led down into the them, and then the tunnel runs all the way to Ho Chi Minh City. In the area we were, entrances are fairly common, so we only ventured sixty meters through them. However, that short time was enough that I got a feel of them. They are not nearly large enough to walk through, a sort of crouching walk is required. The heat is also very intense. I was never very uncomfortable in Thailand, Cambodia, or Vietnam, since the weather was similar to August in Tennessee, but the tunnels were very hot.
My last day in Vietnam, I spent exploring Ho Chi Minh City. Just crossing the street is an adventure, having to dodge hundred of mopeds, bicycles, scooters, and motorcycles. The guide on my tunnels trip said that there are four million of them in the city. We went to the market in the morning, then walked past many parks, and through lots of side streets. We saw, but did not go into, the Reunification Palace. It was the administrative building of South Vietnam, so it was a major victory when the North Vietnamese captured it. I also saw the Post Office, a leftover from the French Colonial Days. It was designed by the same man who designed the Eiffel Tower. After lunch, we went to the War Remnants Museum. As recent as 1995, it was known as the Museum of American War Crimes. Even after seeing Robben Island in South Africa, or the Killing Fields in Cambodia, this was the hardest thing to visit. The Vietnamese look at the war in a very different light, which was to be expected, and was fairly interesting, but there is a very strong bias that I have not witnessed elsewhere. The South Vietnamese are all labeled as puppets or henchmen of the United States. The images of American soldiers torturing North Vietnamese are juxtaposed with excerpts from the Declaration of Independence, in an attempt to show the hypocrisy of the U.S. Government. The displays are all very graphic, especially the section of Agent Orange birth defects. The mood in that building was grim, our hearts and minds heavy to a level I’ve never felt before. Yet, I feel as if we all should see these things, especially while on this trip. There’s still a feeling that we are young, and we will learn from the mistakes of past generations. There’s still hope.

Thailand

Thailand is an incredible place. It was everything I had pictured about Southeast Asia, and so much more. We docked in the Port of Laem Chabang, since the port of Bangkok is too shallow to accommodate newer, larger ships. On Sunday, the first day in Thailand, I went to the Pattaya Elephant Village, a sanctuary for former working elephants. They now operate various tourist shows, but the elephants are better off. We got to feed them, and then ride them by sitting directly on the elephant’s neck. After that, there was a presentation about how elephants were used in the logging industry in the past. The last thing we saw was the war elephant show. The staff was dressed in traditional Thai military clothing, and the elephants had seats mounted on top. The men carried old style swords and spears, and the entire group was accompanied by war drums. Afterwards, we rode the elephants again, this time in the seats. We went out for dinner at a nearby mall, and then headed back to the ship, as the town pretty much shuts down at ten. The next day, we went to the Tiger Zoo, which was very disappointing. On the way there, our guide explained it as a sanctuary, but it was pretty much a cheap circus. The tigers live in plain concrete enclosures, maybe twenty by thirty feet. Some had as many as four tigers living in them. They have an opportunity to hold a baby tiger, but these are also kept in some ridiculously small cages. Once we left, I volunteered to fill out one of the trip evaluations, and I felt better once I wrote a pretty scathing review. I think the general consensus was that no one really liked the place, and Semester at Sea should probably think twice about taking trips back there. The second part of that trip was a place called “Mini Siam.” This was described in the trip description as being a showcase of the culture of Thailand, on a miniature scale. We walked around models of temples and palaces about ten feet high. It was basically putt putt without the golf.
On the third morning in Thailand, I took a bus to Bangkok. We were dropped off at Central World Plaza, a modern complex of malls, hotels, skyscrapers, etc. From there we took the skytrain to a hostel that we had heard about. We got beds there, and then headed to the older part of Bangkok, to see the main attractions. To get there, we took a tuk-tuk to the river, and then got on the river taxi, a boat that runs between about a dozen stops along the river. Transportation in Bangkok is very cheap and very easy to use. We then went into the Grand Palace, and spent several hours there. The entire area is incredibly ornate, with the most intricate details on dozens of temples, halls, and palaces. The highlight was the Emerald Buddha, enshrined on a golden throne, high above the onlookers. From the palace, we went to a nearby market for lunch. We ate a street vendor’s makeshift restaurant, and then I finally got my chance to buy some foreign fruits. I went to a fruit vendor, and pointed to some spiky red fruit, and something else that looked like a plum, but had to be peeled like an orange. Each of these were good, but the purple fruit was incredible. After that, we went to see Wat Po, the temple of the reclining Buddha. I had heard that it was large, but the sheer size of it is hard to comprehend. It completely fills its temple, and my photographs do not do it justice. After this temple, we took a cab back to our hostel, and then walked around that area for dinner. We ate at “Tasty Thai” a Thai fast food chain. The cashew chicken I had was probably the best meal in that country. From there we went to a small night market, and then walked to Lumphini Park. Next to the park is the Suan Lum Night Bazaar, an absolutely gigantic market. Everything you can possibly imagine is for sale there. We spent several hours, going up and down the rows. Then we came across a pedestrian street, and looking across it, realized that we were only about one-forth of the way through the place. By this time, we had been up since seven in the morning, were running short on cash, and decided to call it a night.
The next day, we got up and headed into the older part of town via the water taxi again. We had to go to a stop farther up the river, so we passed the Grand Palace from the water. Our first stop of the day was the National Museum. I was supposed to go there for one of my classes, but it was worth seeing even if I did not have to go. It is housed in an old palace, so the building itself is beautiful, and then it is filled with some incredible objects. The museum covers everything from Thailand, but is predominantly about the ancient capital of Ayutthaya, Thailand’s wars with Burma, and the current ruling dynasty. We spent the morning there, and then headed out for lunch. Our plan was to walk to the Democracy Monument, and find a place to eat along the way. The restaurant we went in was absolutely hilarious. Picture every cheesy stereotype about Southeast Asia, and this place had it. The walls were covered with shiny curtains and sparkling garland. Gaudy lights, fake flowers, and a New Year’s banner covered the ceiling. People sang karaoke the entire time, but they take it pretty seriously. Everyone in the restaurant was fairly old. They would eat, get up to sing their song, and then go back to eating. No one was drinking, or singing while drunk like you would think. Our waiter kept asking us to sing, so we did. The people loved us when we sang, even though I butchered “Live and Let Die.” While in the restaurant, we looked at the map, and decided to add a stop at the Golden Mount to our day. So, we left, walked down to the Democracy Monument, which is cool to see but there is nothing really to do there. Then we continued down the same street to the Golden Mount. It is a temple built on the top of a hill, which contains some relics from Buddha. We climbed the stairs that spiral around the base, to the temple itself. The relic chamber was closed for cleaning and restoration, but consequently they were not charging admission. We went up on the roof, for good views of Bangkok. It has one of the coolest skylines I’ve seen so far. Lots of very modern buildings, but giant palaces and temples stick up every so often, giving the city both a very old and very new look to it. After leaving the Golden Mount, we planned on taking a cab to Wat Traimit, but a tuk-tuk driver said he would take us for only ten baht, it we agreed to stop at his sponsor. So, he took us to a jewelry store, we stayed for ten minutes, and then left. He didn’t pressure us; the store gives him a gas coupon whether or not we buy anything, as long as he brought us there. We went to Wat Traimit, which is famous for its five and a half ton, solid gold Buddha. Next to it is a larger temple that is under construction, and is supposed to be finished in time for an important anniversary of the king’s reign. From there, we went back to our hostel, and ended up getting our entire ride for free, since the driver took us to another shop. He was very happy, now that he got two gas coupons, and was one of the friendliest people we met in Thailand. We stopped at the hostel to drop our things off, and then went out to dinner. That night was Amber’s 21st birthday, so people met at her hotel and we went out that night.
The last day in Thailand, everyone else wanted to get massages, but I didn’t. I wrote postcards, and then took a walk in the area around the hostel. I found a little market, and then was supposed to meet everyone back at our hostel before lunch. I did not want to wait, so I wrote them a note, checked out myself, and went out into the city. I wanted to do some exploring on my own, and this was the first good chance I got. It’s a good change from being with other people. You really notice the city when no one is talking to you. I took the skytrain again to Central World, where the bus would pick us up. I ran into a different group of friends, ate lunch with them, and then I went to the grocery store and bought a watermelon. After the bus ride to Laem Chabang, we sat on the pier and ate it, before finally getting back on the ship.
Overall, I liked Thailand, and loved Bangkok. I can see why it is a major stop for world backpackers. It is probably the easiest city to get around in, and has so much to do. At night, the markets are incredible, and if you’re into it, Bangkok’s seedy underworld is about as seedy as it gets. I would recommend Thailand to anyone in a heartbeat.

INDIA

I just got back on the ship, after five mind-blowing days in India. It is one of the most indescribable places on the face of the earth. India is absolutely different, in every aspect of life. The culture shock kicked in about five minutes after leaving the ship. On the very first day, I had no trip planned, so our intention was to see the sights of Chennai. Stephanie knew about a place called the Burma Bazaar, which supposedly had everything you could possibly want to buy. Once we left the port gate, we were instantly surrounded by rickshaw drivers. We got them to take us to the bazaar, but had to take two rickshaws, and we never saw Becky or Diana the rest of the day. The Burma Bazaar turned out to be nothing but bootleg DVDs and electronics. We decided to have a rickshaw driver take us around, and they all know most of the things to see. When we told him the girls wanted to do some shopping, he took us to one of the government sponsored craft houses that the ship had informed us about. You have to bargain less here, but the price is still negotiable. After that stop, we went to a restaurant to eat lunch. When we walked in, the place was fairly crowded, but they led us to a side room, which was fancier. No one knew anything about Indian food, so I just picked some things and ordered them. It turned out to be a spicy rice dish that was pretty good. The room began to fill up, with business people and nicer dressed Indian men and women. It seems that many restaurants and other businesses separate higher and lower classes. Nothing was ever mentioned about the caste system, but I wonder if that is part of the reasoning. After eating, we told our driver to take us to a Hindu temple. He turned down a side alley that looked pretty suspicious, but we turned a corner and there was a temple right in front of us. We saw the artificial lake that these temples have, for Hindus to wash every morning. In the middle of this lake is a small, brightly colored ornate temple. During festivals, boats circle around this island temple, and then people go to it. The main temple was to the left of the lake. It was several stories high, with the entire outside covered in statues. Temples do not open until four in the afternoon, so we could not go inside at that time. Our driver took us to China town, which, like many things in India, was incorrectly named. I never saw a single Chinese person or establishment. It was a street exactly like every other street I saw in India, filled with lots of things I had no intention of ever buying. From there we went to back to the ship. On the way back, we experienced one of the negative parts of India that they warned us about. Our rickshaw driver stopped far from the port, and demanded more money than we initially agreed upon. Once back inside the port, we found Becky and Diana, that we had not seen since getting into two rickshaws. Becky and I had no plans for the rest of that day, so we got on the SAS trip to a food market at the last minute. The bus ride was guided by an older woman, who pointed out some important sights in Chennai along the way. When we got close to the food market, the street was being blocked by a political rally that was about to happen. Elections in India are coming up in May, and campaigning is in full swing. The bus stopped on a side street, and we got out and walked to the market. Their idea of a market was just a side street lined with women selling mainly fruits and vegetable. Our guide explained everything that we saw, but we did not get to eat anything. Our walk ended by going down another side street, where we passed another of the artificial ponds associated with a Hindu temple. This pond was filled with catfish, and people were selling and throwing bread and rice balls into the water, where the fish would go crazy to get them. We were given a few minutes to walk around before getting back on the bus, and I went to a pastry shop and just asked what was good. They gave me a bright orange, fried thing that was very syrupy and tasted like pure sugar, but was very good. The bus took us back to port, and we began to get back on the ship. I had planned on going to dinner, and then packing and going to sleep since my flight left the next day very early. However, I saw Katie and Andrea getting back on the ship, and they wanted me to go out to eat with them. I ate a small dinner on the ship, and then met them by the purser’s desk on the ship at seven. They were dressed up more than I planned, so I ran back, grabbed a button down shirt, and we headed out. We wanted to take a large van taxi to hold all of us, and had got them down to a price we thought was reasonable, when more people were getting off of the ship. Another driver got a higher price from these people, so they took the van. We ended up walking to the port gate to get rickshaws, took two of them, and went to our restaurant. I ordered a chicken dish, and then to go all out I ordered sheep brains. When they brought out the food, they said that they ran out of brains, so I missed this chance to eat something bizarre, but the chicken dish was pretty good. We went back to the ship, and I packed for our early departure the next morning.
On the second day, I woke up at two-thirty in the morning, after only about three hours sleep. We met at three, and left the ship. While at the first security checkpoint, two men were talking with the guards. They told us that we had to pay one hundred rupees each to leave the port, because it was early. The guards themselves weren’t asking for bribes, but they also weren’t stopping these guys from trying. We refused to pay, left, and got some rickshaws to the airport. Finding our gate was somewhat confusing, but we got on the flight without many problems, and were on our way to Mumbai. Most people on the ship, professors and administration included, thought we were crazy to go there. With the terrorist attacks only about three months in the past, they thought it would be a very dangerous place to go. One girl ended up not going with us, but the other six of us still wanted to go. The plane took off, and we had a view of the horrible pollution that Chennai is known for. We passed what looked like a solid dark cloud layer, but this was just the smog, and then higher up we passed the actual clouds. Upon arriving in Mumbai, there were free computers to use the internet, so we quickly looked up some hotel options. We wanted to stay in South Mumbai, were most of the things to see are located. A lot of places seemed sold out, so our plan was to get to the area, and then look for a hotel. The taxi ride took more than an hour, but we got to see a lot of the city. They dropped us off at the Gateway of India, a monument built by the British in 1911. It is the landmark of Mumbai. Across the street is the Taj Hotel, one of the major sites of the terrorist attacks in November. There are still boarded up windows and fire damage from that event. Down the street is another hotel that was attacked. Most of the eighth floor windows are covered there. They are still riddled with bullet holes from when terrorists were shooting down from the eighth floor, and cops were shooting up at them. The most interesting part of all this was how the local people thought about the event. Our guide for a city tour never used the word terrorist, and he never said Pakistani terrorists, or terrorists from Pakistan. He pointed out the buildings and said “This is where Pakistan attacked us.” The hatred between these two nations is all too clear.
The rest of that afternoon was spent on our tour of the city. We saw the world’s largest hand washing laundry facility. This place was surprisingly small, about the size of a small city block. I wonder if they measure by volume of laundry done, or if like many things in India they will tell you whatever they feel like. Then we went down Marina Drive, the principal road in Mumbai that surrounds the natural harbor on three sides. Gandhi’s house was one of the best stops of the day. I still know far too little about him, but it was very interesting. From there we saw the public gardens, a nearby Parsi Cemetery, Malabar hill, the Victoria Terminus, and a Jain Temple. While near the Gateway of India, a Hindu holy man came up to us, tied a band around everyone’s wrist, and said some sort of prayer. He had blessed us, and then expected some money, but the smallest bill I had at the time was five hundred rupees. He then muttered something else, and someone that spoke Hindi and English said that he was putting a curse on us. Then again, I don’t believe either one did anything. After going back to the hotel for a short time, some of us went to an internet café. They had no available computers, but they took us to another one. There was no way anyone would have found this second café. We had to go through a pharmacy, up a flight of stairs, past several apartments, and then up a second set of the steepest stairs I’ve ever seen, to get to a tiny room with five computers jammed into it. Yet that is completely typical for India. When we went back to the hotel, we gathered everyone up and wanted to go out for dinner. The six of us started walking, found a street that was more tourist oriented, it was lined with people selling everything imaginable. After a long walk, everyone was pretty hungry, and we went in one of the first restaurants we found, and quite the adventure ensued. The menu was strange, with a mix of Indian food, and their take on American food. We ordered, and while waiting more than an hour, things in that restaurant were pretty suspicious. Looking back in the kitchen, there was absolutely no kitchen equipment. The entire staff of the restaurant stared at us the entire time. No one else came into eat, but every so often a pretty cracked out looking person would come in with a bag of loose coins, go to a separate cash register, and leave again. I’m almost certain this place was a front for drugs. Our food came, and it was probably the worst meal I have ever had. I think the “chef” had no idea what he was doing, and the waiter looked at us with an expression on his face, as if he thought we were crazy for actually eating it. No one could finish their meal, and once we left we found the nearest pastry shop. I got a bunch of plain croissants to make up for my dinner, and then some pastries. That night, since we had been up since two in the morning, we just hung out in our hotel and made plans for the next day.
Our second day in Mumbai, and third overall in India, we went to Elephanta Island. It is named after a giant rock carving of an elephant, that has since been removed a put in a museum. The boat ride took about an hour, and then we climbed a short path up to the entrance gate. Throughout India, we knew we were getting ripped off because we were tourists, but here at the island it was glaringly obvious. There is a sign that says “Indian Price – 10 rupees” and next to it “Foreign Price – 250 rupees.” That turns out to be around five dollars, and this was definitely worth it. Elephanta Island is a World Heritage Site, known for its caves that have been carved into Hindu Temples. Cave 1 is the most famous, with a giant carved triple-head of Shiva. Throughout the cave are more giant statues and ornate columns. There are also four other caves open to visitors. They are of varying sizes, but all smaller than the first. Some are more finished than others, and some have no carvings left in them. The last cave was most like a cave in the natural sense. It was a rough opening, with only a small carved pedestal inside. After leaving the caves, there was a small museum about the site, and a map showing all of the other World Heritage Sites in India.
We took the boat back to Mumbai, and then went to the restaurant in our hotel for lunch. This was probably the best meal I had while in India. I ordered Chicken Biryani. Biryani is a rice dish that comes with your choice of chicken, lamb, fish, egg, or vegetable. You eat it with a side of beans, and nan, the bread of India. Later that afternoon, we took a walk through the city, with the final goal of going to the Hard Rock Café. We walked past the Victoria Terminus again, and behind it, found a large public park. At least a dozen games of cricket were going on. Most of them overlapped with each other, and it was hard to tell what was going on. Someone standing near one set of wickets might actually have been playing outfield for the next game. We watched for a while, and then walked towards the downtown area. The streets in this area are nicer kept up, with less beggars and street vendors. We passed by the Parliament building, and on that side of the street, no one is allowed to walk. Everyone has to cross the street and walk on the opposite side of the road. We passed through street food vendors, and then found the only beggar that we actually gave money to, because this kid had a monkey that he trained to dance. We walked along the waterfront as it got dark, and after a while, realized that the Hard Rock Café was much farther away than we imagined. There was a horse drawn carriage attempting to get us to go for a ride, and Connor thought it would be hilarious to roll up to the restaurant in that, so we got in. The guy wouldn’t take us all of the way, since they like to stay in predominantly tourist areas. When he wouldn’t go any farther, we walked for a little ways, and then got in an actual cab. Cab drivers in India generally tell you that they’ll take you anywhere, but then getting them to do it can be a problem. Our driver had to stop several times to get directions to the restaurant. I wondered why a cab driver from the tourist sector would not know where the Hard Rock Café was. We eventually got there, a little after our agreed upon time of eight. Surprisingly, the menu was the same as it was anywhere else. I had heard that going to chain restaurants would be different in foreign countries, for example, McDonalds doesn’t have hamburgers in India. But, we got beef hamburgers here. The bouncer came over and talked to us for a while. He lived in the U.S. for thirteen years, and then told us all about Mumbai. He was a Lady Vols basketball fan, and said he really liked Pat Summit. I loved going there, just to hear some good music for the first time in several months. We went out that night, but nightlife in India is completely different. Mumbai, being liberal by Indian standards, is one of the few cities that actually have bars and clubs. However, most of them require you to have a date, or pay a very high cover. A club that was recommended to us by our waiter was a two thousand rupee, or about forty dollar, cover charge. We ended up going back to our hotel, and going to the club that was attached to the hotel. They new us, from being at the hotel, and we did not have to pay any stag fee. Sheila attracted the attention of an Indian with the greatest moustache ever, and we aren’t letting her forget that.
Our last day in Mumbai, we had planned on going to a national park within the city, that is known for being one of the few green spots in Mumbai. It also has panthers living in it. That morning at breakfast, we saw an ad in the paper for horse races that day, and decided to go. We took a cab to the race course, but when we got there, the races did not start for almost two hours. This area had no major tourist spots, but we wanted to kill some time, so we walked around for a while. Only a block or two from the stadium, some kids were playing cricket, and they waved to us, so we went over, and ended up playing cricket for almost an hour, in a slum, in Mumbai. Cricket is much harder than it looks, but we didn’t do badly for our first time. The Indian kids absolutely loved that we even tried to play, and they told us to come play next time we were in Mumbai. That afternoon, we spent at the horse track. We just picked our horses based on the best names, and wanted to put down one hundred rupees on each of the first five races. The prize amongst us was a round of beer. Whoever did the best out of us had to buy. On the very first race I placed, and then did not win anything else until the fourth race. The Indian men around us kept trying to give advice on what they thought was a good bet. Ben took their advice a few times, and he did end up doing the best. No one actually came out ahead; he just lost the least, and so had to pay at the bar. I ended up winning about three hundred rupees after putting down five hundred. After getting dinner from the food vendors, we ate in the bar, and then went to watch one last race, but put down no bets. It was then after six, so we went through the arguments with cab drivers, took cabs to the airport, and then flew back to Chennai that evening. On the way back to the ship from the Chennai airport, was the only incident in India where we did not feel safe. The cab driver took us to the wrong port gate by mistake, and the cab was surrounded by rickshaw drivers who wanted us to get out and go with them instead. One of them opened up my door and tried to pull me out, but I slammed the door and we drove off. Our cab driver was apologetic, and got us to the right place eventually.
My last day in India, I was on a Semester at Sea trip, to Kancheepuram and Mamallapuram. First we went to Kancheepuram, one of the holiest cities in Hinduism, and went to the Sri Ekambareswara Temple. It is a typical Hindu temple, with a large tower above the gate, and then the temple itself within the enclosure. The day after we were there was a holiday associated with this particular temple, so the priests were doing a “practice” of the ceremony. Believers still think that the actions are holy, so some people were there. If we had been the next day, it would have been absolutely packed. After going on a tour of the temple with our guide, it was time for the ceremony to begin. Hindus treat the statues of their gods the same as the gods themselves, and we got to see that aspect. The priests dress the statues of two gods in robes, and adorn them with flowers. The entire icon is hoisted up on a platform, and men carry them around on their shoulders. Another priest lights a torch, and does a short ritual. The entire company then goes on a parade, accompanied with torches, drummers, and horn players. The Hindu faithful throw flowers at the statues as they pass by. In the actual ceremony, the statues are carried around the temple grounds nine times. They only did one today. After this temple, we drove a very short way to Kailasanatha Temple, a much older temple built out of sandstone. It has been named a national archaeological site in India, and much of it has been restored. As part of this designation, all parts of the temple are open to everyone. The inner sanctum is normally not open to non-Hindus, so we could go into this one. However, this upsets the Hindu population, who no longer visit this temple for religious ceremonies. A priest is still present, and was doing the noon service when we were there, but he had to audience. His chanting was an incredible sound as it resonated throughout the rock chamber. We left this temple and got back on our bus for the drive to Mamallapuram. We passed through rural areas, and saw rice fields. This was the first expansive area of vegetation I had seen in India. After an hour and a half, we stopped for lunch at a fairly nice hotel complex in Mamallapuram. It evidently is a prime vacation destination. From the beach at the hotel, we could see a temple on the shore, which we would later see again from far off. The plan was to see the famous shore temple, a giant edifice right on the ocean. There used to be seven huge temples, but the coast is eroding here, and now only one remains above the waves. At certain times, parts of the other seven can be seen in the water. However, there was a different religious festival going on here, and most of the streets were completely blocked. We went to see the other old temples instead. Our first stop was Aruja’s Penance, the largest bas-relief carving in the world. It depicts an epic battle between the forces of the earth, the heavens, and the underworld on a huge boulder. Other nearby boulders have been carved into the cave temples, similar to what I saw on Elephanta Island in Mumbai. We then saw a series of five temples that represent the development of the traditional south Indian temple. The earliest were the carved caves, and then these boulders were completely carved, leaving a solid stone temple. These are not nearly as big as the later temples made from blocks of stone. I blew the last of my rupees on some souvenirs, and then we took the bus back to the ship and had to leave India.
While on this trip, I had never been all that excited for India. I was more thrilled to go to Spain, or Japan. Lots of people were wondering why I didn’t care about India. But now that I’ve gone there, it is absolutely one of the most incredible places on the earth. Pick any adjective, and it can truly be used to describe India. It is fabulously magnificent, and yet contains the most shocking environmental pollution and human suffering. Somehow, everything combines to create the majesty that is India. Despite my doubts beforehand, India was possibly my favorite port, and one that I will probably return to at some point.

Mauritius and Sea Olympics

Rough weather struck again, and we ended up leaving Cape Town about twelve hours late. Since we were going to be in Mauritius a total of about twelve hours, rumor on the ship was that we would miss the port entirely. However, having the fastest ship in its class has its advantages. We picked up the speed the four days in between Cape Town and Port Louis. It was a bit rougher, but we made it there in time. Diplomatic briefing was shorter than usual, as the island is primarily a tourist destination. There are no major problems, aside from the usual pick pocketing. I got on the bus to Ile des Deux Cocos, a smaller island located within Blue Bay Maritime National Park. While on the drive, we passed numerous sugar cane fields, something that the island is known for. We got off of the bus, and could see the island a short ways off. We got on glass bottom boats for a quick ride over there. Everyone went swimming when we first got there, and then I took a walk to the rough, ocean side of the island. I’ve never seen waves break that impressively. Lunch was ready shortly after getting back, and like most food in foreign countries, was delicious. We had our choice of grilled fish, crayfish, shrimp skewers, lamb, or chicken. Most people had several options. After lunch, they took groups of us out in the boats, farther away from the island, for snorkeling. I saw many of the usual tropical species, plus many things I’ve never seen before. There were several of the largest angelfish I’ve ever seen. We had to head back to the island, but there was space open on the next boat, so PJ and I went out for a second snorkeling session. I definitely did not want to stop this trip. Shortly after getting back to the island, we had to go back to the mainland and take the buses back to Port Louis. We had a short time in Port Louis, its very tourist oriented, but fun for a short while. That night, once everyone was back on the ship, we had the opening ceremonies for the Sea Olympics. Everyone is put on a “sea,” based on where you live on the ship. I am on the Baltic Sea. We had been planning events, and had some meetings, in the time between South Africa and Mauritius. I ended up being our mascot, the Baltic Sea Ninja. We met in our hallway about half an hour before the ceremony to get ready. Two other guys wrote our chant, and we ran through it once more. I had to go up for instructions before it started, and then everyone came up in full black. The mascots and flag bearers paraded in, and then each sea came down to do our chants. The games themselves started early the next morning. I planned to go as the mascot to several events, but people did not show up as planned, so I ended up being in several events as well. The general pattern of the day was utter failure. We got knocked out of volleyball early, lost in the Olympic relay, and several other smaller events. I played on the flip cup, and we won our first round, but lost in the second. The highlight of the day was synchronized swimming. The teams put some serious work into this one. Our sea had to go first, but I think they did an awesome job. That evening was the closing ceremony and final awards. The announced the winners of the judging events: mashed potato sculpting, synchronized swimming, best mascot, best flag, and best chant. We got shafted, not a single medal in any of those. In total we had one gold, and one silver medal, but at least we were not dead last. The overall winner was the Adriatic Sea, and the prize is that they get to get off of the ship first when we return to Florida.

South Africa

Oh, South Africa. Where to begin? Like in Spain, I had to trip or plan that took up all of my time in the country. My South African adventure was a collection of numerous small trips, but they added up to one of the best experiences ever. I could write pages and pages about each one, but then this blog would go on for years. I think I’ll skip out of some of the detail, but try to capture the essence. You’ll have to talk to me in May to get the entire story.
When I got off of the ship, I walked around the waterfront area for about an hour before meeting for my trip to Robben Island, the political prison where Nelson Mandela was held. The ferry took about half an hour to cross the water. There was a bus ride around the island, to see the warden’s village, quarry, leper colony, and WWII era equipment. Then we went into the actual prison, where one of the highlights was Nelson Mandela’s cell. The guides inside are all former political prisoners. Our guide spent nineteen years on Robben Island, merely for being part of the ANC political party. When he talked of the prison, it was his life story, not just a history lesson.
The next day was a pretty laid back day in the port area of Cape Town. It is very well developed and tourism orientated, but it was fun for a few hours. The highlights of the day were seeing the under construction soccer stadium, for the upcoming World Cup, and hearing the noon gun go off from Signal Hill.
My third day of South Africa, I went “kloofing” or cliff jumping. We drove to a guest house for a traditional breakfast, and then set out hiking into a canyon. The area was beautiful, scrub vegetation landscape. There was abundant evidence of fire. We went to our first jumps, seven and ten meters up. After jumping, we hiked to the second set, and then up to our lunch spot. While eating, baboons began to appear on the tops of the rocks. They are incredibly aggressive, and will steal your lunch. After moving around to avoid them, we eventually had to jump in a lake and leave our bags. Baboons cannot swim, so we were safe while they opened up everyone’s pack and spread our things out on the ground. After our guide chased them off, we gathered up our things and left the area. Since lunch was taken by the baboons, the cooked us dinner at the guest house where we started.
Saturday we went wine tasting. My friends booked a tour yesterday, and knew I wanted to go, so they put down my name and I paid later. We took a bus to Stellenbosch, a small town in the center of the winelands. From there we went to four wineries in Stellenbosch, Franschoek, and Paarl. I knew nothing about wine, but at the first stop they took us on a tour of the facilities, and then showed the proper technique for wine tasting.
I awoke early the last morning and we hiked Table Mountain, the signature of Cape Town. We met at five in the morning, with the intent of seeing the sunrise from the top. Our taxi driver took us to his favorite trail, and we started climbing. As we got up, the clouds that usually blanket the mountain began to roll in. We missed the sunrise, but still got to see Cape Town lit up for the night, and then begin to wake up. At the top, it was considerably colder and windier. The clouds parted somewhat, for excellent views of the city. We took the cable car down the mountain, and then went back into Cape Town for breakfast. I bought the last of my souvenirs that afternoon, and then we had to get back on the ship. With all of the other ports, it was somewhat sad to go, but we always looked forward to the next stop. With Cape Town, people generally did not want to leave, but the consensus is also that we will come back. Perhaps for next year’s World Cup.

Namibia

Namibia is one of the most incredibly beautiful places in the world. Since Morocco was our previous port, I had been on the continent of Africa, but this truly felt like Africa. Morocco is more like the Middle East. Namibia was everything that I expected, multiplied more than a hundred fold. On Saturday morning, the ship was docked in Walvis Bay. Early in the morning, we had a diplomatic briefing from two members of the U.S. Diplomatic Service. They told us the basics of Namibia, as well as security risks what we should expect as far as crime and safety are concerned. While this was going on, Namibian officials were stamping everyone’s passport. Afterwards, there was an African children’s choir that was performing out on the pier. We went out on the front of the ship and could watch them. They were going to come on the ship to see it, and anyone that wanted to talk with them could, but our trip was scheduled to leave at about the same time that they were coming onboard. I went back to my room, grabbed my pack, and then met in the Union at 10 in the morning. My roommate Matt happened to be on this same trip, as well as several other people I knew. Some of the same people from the Morocco camping trip were on this trip. We met our guide, Delfin, and boarded the bus. We drove through the town of Walvis Bay, which is quite small, and were quickly out in the Namib Desert. This part of the desert is incredibly desolate. In most places, there is not a living thing to be seen. Not even cacti or any desert scrub plants. The landscape is white and yellow sand, interrupted by massive gray and black rock outcroppings. We stopped at one of these, and we had some free time to explore the area. David and I quickly set out for the rocks, intending to climb up them. Lots of people were just milling around the bus, and we were on top of the outcrop before the bus was empty. Eventually most people made it up on the rocks. It was incredible to climb parts of them, or just to run along the top crest and jump from rock to rock. Our guides had intended to make lunch at this time, but they could not unlock the cargo door of the bus. They decided to keep driving and look for someone who could help out. We drove on, deeper into the desert. After an hour or so we came across some construction and road grading equipment on the side of the road. The driver got out, and went to talk to anyone who was there. He came back with a hammer and a piece of pipe and started working on the door. He got the door open, and fixed the lock, so we went onwards to a more hospitable area to eat lunch. We came into a part of the desert with more vegetation, at time bordering on grassland. Scattered trees began to appear. As the driver made set up for lunch, Delfin took us for a short walk out in the desert. The trees that we saw are known as Quiver Trees. They are hollow, even when alive, and then native Bushmen use the trees for quivers to hold their arrows. He also explained the animals that we had been seeing. We saw springboks, which are similar to antelope, ostriches, and oryx, the national animal of Namibia. Oryx are in the antelope family, but are very large. Lunch was sandwiches, but was still amazing.
After lunch, we drove through more of the desert. This stretch was the more vegetated area. Along the way we passed the Tropic of Capricorn. We had been in the tropics, but were driving south and passed the line. Then we stopped at Kuiseb Canyon for a view. Delfin told us the story of the Hanno Martin Shelter, a part of the canyon used by people for thousands of years. More recently, during World War II, two Germans hid there for two years before finally being captured. We had just gotten off of the bus when it started pouring rain. It was an incredibly rapid transition. Everyone was baking in the sun, and then absolutely drenched. We could not see the shelter, but the place was still incredible. The roads began to be flooded, at times there were large ditches washing out. Our driver did things in the bus that I did not think a bus was capable of. We drove to Camp Agama, where we would be staying. Agamas are a type of lizard, known for their red coloring. We saw some the next day. The rest of the evening was free time, so a few of us climbed a small cliff, onto the nearby plateau. The sky was mostly cloudy, so the sunset was not very clear. Dinner was excellent. We had some sort of white mush, that was described as being somewhere between mashed potatoes and grits. All I knew was that it was made from corn. We also had lamb, and some sort of sausage that we had no idea what animal it came from. Sitting around the campfire took up the rest of the evening, but no one stayed up very late, as we had to get up at 5:30 the next morning.
So on Sunday we woke up at 5:30 for breakfast, and then to leave early. The previous night was cloudy, but the morning was perfectly clear. The sun was still hours away from rising, so those of us who aren’t dead without coffee had some excellent stargazing. Seeing stars that I had never seen before was incredible. We looked for the Southern Cross, and actually had guessed it right when our guide pointed out which one it was. Being in Africa in the middle of the night is truly a unique experience. The views, the sounds of new and exotic birds, all surround you. It was one of dozens if not hundreds of experiences in Africa that cannot easily be described to one who has not seen them. Go to Africa. Get up in the middle of the Night. Walk around.
After a breakfast of toast we started our drive to Sossusvlei. The desert landscape was similar, but as we approached this region, it began to get sparser and sandier. However, the sand here is red, not white or yellow. We could see the dunes in the distance as we turned off of the main road and on the road to Sossusvlei. The entire road had excellent views of dunes along both sides. We saw the largest group of oryx, a dozen or so. Our group got to the end of the road at a little before nine in the morning. We had a five kilometer hike before we got to “Big Daddy” the tallest sand dune in the world. 1000 feet high of nothing but sand. Along the hike we went through a generally bare desert, with scattered acacia trees. We arrived at Deadsvlei, a barren, dry lake filled with the twisted skeletons of long dead trees. They don’t rot because there is virtually no moisture in the air. We were told to be back at Deadsvlei around 11:30, and then began to climb the dune. It was a steep climb to get up on the ridge, but once on the crest it is slightly easier to walk. Several of the guys and I set out quickly, got on the crest, and started towards the top. The initial scramble up the side of the dune took away most people’s energy. Most of the group made it to the first ridge and then turned around. Once you got onto the crest, the views were nice, but looking up at the very top was disheartening for some, as that point was less than one third of the way to the top. We plodded along, getting more strung out as we got. At every point we stopped, I could see people behind me on the dune, very small, and then those at the bottom were nearly invisible. For a while I was out in front. After the second dip down and then back up, the footprints stopped. No one had been higher than this for quite some time. Delfin said that the winds constantly blow, but it still takes several weeks to erase a footprint. From that point on, there was Delfin, and then four of us who worked our way to the top. Breaks were frequent, but the top kept getting closer, and the number of people behind us was getting lower and lower. At last, we reached the top, and stood highest in a sea of sand. Nothing but dunes of red sand as far as I could see. It was pure bliss, the mix of exhaustion, triumph, serenity. All in all, twelve out of thirty-two made it to the top of the world’s highest sand dune. We headed down a different ridge of the dune, and then once we were lower went straight down the side. There are several approaches to going down the side of a dune. Some walked in a side to side pattern. I think my balance is good, so I stood sideways and slid down, making it in about half of the time. Luckily no one fell. We regrouped at the opposite end of Deadsvlei from where we had started, and set out to cross its desolation. It was a long walk, but like the rest of the Namib, it was hauntingly beautiful.
We drove out of the desert after a brief stop for lunch, water, and snacks. The bus made a short stop at Sesriem Canyon. The name means “six belts” since it took the first explorers six belts tied together to lower a bucket for water down to the river. Sometimes the tours go down to the river, but the general consensus was that we were done for the day. The Namib Desert shows no mercy, and most weren’t prepared for it. We arrived back at our camp, hot and tired. There was a swimming pool, which most of us choose to enjoy. I had no swimming trunks, but I used my boxers since I had an extra pair. Rain was looming on the horizon, so we got out and headed to the camp lodge. The campground is run by a couple from South Africa. They enjoyed talking to college age students. They work with a program from Emory University that stays at their camp every summer for several weeks. We generally hung out, played pool or cards, and waited the rain out. Later in the evening, while dinner was almost ready, our guide Delfin got stung by a scorpion. He killed it and kept it with him, so that he could show it to someone at the clinic so he would get the proper treatment. Most people were wearing flip flops at the time, so they started freaking out and wanted to put on sturdy shoes. Dinner tonight was nothing particular Namibian. It was standard camp food, noodles and chicken stew. They provided us Namibian beer, and lots of people also bought cheap wine. We sat around for several hours, hanging out. Our bus driver, who had previously not interacted with us much, was talking to everyone. He was a really cool guy, very knowledgeable about Namibia, and very proud of his country. Namibians are very well aware that they have only been a country for less than twenty years, and all look to the future with bright optimism.
On our final day, we woke up and drove back to Walvis Bay. It was the same route as the first day, but the views still impressed me. We arrived back at the ship, and Delfin was going to go to the hospital to have his scorpion sting taken care of. After a quick stop to drop of my backpack, we went out into the town. We got some currency, and then ate at a small restaurant. It was run by a German woman. I got a sandwich and drink, and the entire meal was about $2.50 U.S. We walked around the town, which is very small, and mostly a port town. There is no real tourist area. We went to a grocery store, which is always fun in another country. Afterwards we found a small store, and then walked back to the ship after a few hours. Just outside of the port, women were selling all varieties of Namibian crafts, mostly jewelry and wooden carvings. All of it was nice looking, but at this time I had no more Namibian money. Most people came back with some pretty cool stuff. Then, at the port gate, dozens of Namibian men were attempting to get through. They need some sort of pass to work in the port facility. About five of us managed to get to the gate and with our ship cards got through. I then got back on the ship and said goodbye to Namibia. It is a wonderful country, full of beautiful scenery and incredibly friendly people. I am beginning to find myself at ease everywhere I’ve been. I would love to come back to Namibia, or if not, then definitely to another African country.

NEPTUNE DAY

We woke up for breakfast, but would have been woken up fairly early anyways. A parade of Neptune’s minions went down the hall, playing music and waking everyone up. We assembled on the top deck at 0900 for the ceremonies to commence. King Neptune and his court assembled near the pool, and we took the sacred oath in unison. The actual ceremony for each pollywog is to bath in fish guts, kiss a fish, kiss Neptune’s rings, and then dive into the pool. Shaving your head was optional, but of course I did it. A very select few of us took it the farthest step, down all the way with a razor. So I’m completely bald right now. I then did the ceremony after shaving my head. I’m a proud member of Neptune’s court, an ancient sailing brotherhood. It’s a good feeling.
The rest of the day was also excellent. We ate lunch, then chilled out on deck for a while. I doubled up the sunscreen on the top of my head, and will for the next couple of days. Dinner was a cookout, hamburgers, ribs, hotdogs, ice cream sundaes. It’s been probably the best day at sea so far. Right now, it’s just after 7 in the evening. There’s a presentation in the Union at 8, and then we’re all just going to hang for a while.
Hail Neptune!

Morocco

I am back on the ship from Morocco, after one of the coolest things I have ever done. My trip to the Berber villages of the High Atlas Mountains did not get cancelled, we just lost our day in Marrakech. Also, our time got changed, so that we had to leave at 6 a.m. So, on Tuesday the 3rd, I got up at 5, ate a quick breakfast of cereal that they have out, and we met up on the pier. Our group was only eighteen people, which turned out to be an excellent size. The trip leader was Kate, from the field office. She’s a grad student, so it was cool having another young person as the leader. Jerry, the trip cameraman also came with us. So the final video’s section on Morocco will have lots of footage of our trip. We met one of our tour guides, Mohamed, and got on a bus to the train station. We arrived with seconds to spare, the train started moving before we had gotten to our seats. Unlike the trains in Spain, these in Morocco have the small compartments with the sliding doors that up to eight people sit in. Ours turned out to be four of us from the ship, with two Moroccans. While on the train, I got an excellent view of the Moroccan countryside. It is far greener than I expected. I was picturing desert, which they have, but on the other side of the Atlas Mountains. Right around Casablanca, it was mostly rolling hills and green fields. Our guide later explained that most of the crops we would see were barley. While on the train, I began to see things, so that I truly knew I was far from the states. The thing that first hit me was the image of a boy herding sheep down a dirt road with a stick. I was in Africa. After about three and a half hours, we arrived in Marrakech. You could see the Atlas Mountains as soon as we got outside. They dominate the horizon in one direction. Outside of the train station, we met our second guide, also named Mohamed. We all got into two small buses and began driving away from the city, towards the mountains. The ship provided us box lunches for this part of the trip. After a while, we stopped at a small town near a dam that formed a large reservoir. There, we got our first taste of Moroccan mint tea. I am normally not a tea drinker, but it was really good. The place we stopped at was a sort of butcher shop and restaurant all in one. To get to the tables, you had to walk through large hanging pieces of meat. There was also a cow’s head just sitting on the counter. We got back in the vans and drove to Tachbibt, a Berber village that was right on the highway. When we got out, there were several men and boys who would be going with us. They took everyone’s backpacks and loaded them onto donkeys. While this was going on, the two Mohameds took us for a walk around the village. We came back to the vans, to find our first Moroccan meal waiting for us. They had spread some blankets out on the ground, and we sat around the edges with the food in the middle. Lunch consisted of more mint tea, large loafs of round bread, mackerel, tuna, cheese, a salad, and lots of oranges. The food was excellent, and the view was even more beautiful. It was in the early afternoon when we set out, down through the village and out into the countryside. The mountains were ahead of us as we entered rolling foothills. Behind us was a nearly flat plain, where the large cities of Morocco lay. Not far from the village, we had to cross our first stream. The streams here are twisted and braided through their channels. There are always several paths of water, mixed in with islands of rocks and sediment. Some of us picked a way across by jumping in some places. Meanwhile, a man came down from the village on the other side of the stream on a donkey. After some talking, our guides got him to let everyone use the donkey. At this time I was already across the river, so some of us waited while the rest came across the river two at a time. I doubt our guides paid this man, this was just one of many incredibly hospitable acts performed by the Berber people.
We continued walking through the foothills, through villages, up and down terraced fields. At one point we stopped for a short rest in an olive grove. Our trip went on, at times going through numerous villages. Each Berber house is made of mud, stone, or bricks, and is a uniform brown color. However, each village usually has one or two colored buildings. These have smoother walls and are white, orange, or pink in color. Mohamed explained how the land ownership works. These buildings are owned by the village together, and are used as a mosque, school, or a gîte, a guest house. We stayed in the village gîte both of the nights we were in the mountains. We walked through one village, which had a graveyard. Berber graveyards have a simple stone at the head, and at the feet, but no writing or images on them. The bodies lay facing east. Mohamed explained that this graveyard contained a holy man from pre-Islamic times. Berber people are now Muslims, but they continue an old tradition of leaving a sacrifice of some food at this man’s grave. We walked down through this village, crossed a stream, and then went back up the hill on the other side. Our group arrived in Aït Zitoun, and we went into the compound where we would be staying. Berber houses usually have a wall around them, and the largest contain several buildings. We were greeted by an elderly man, the grandfather of the family that we stayed with. He spoke French, so some people could understand him. We went into the gîte. This particular one had the family house, and attached to it was the gîte. These houses have an open courtyard, with a dining area, four bedrooms, a bathroom, and a small kitchen. Our beds were mattresses placed right on the ground. We went out and walked through the streets. The entire village takes a few minutes to walk from one end to the other. There is pretty much one main street, and a couple of alleys. This village did not even have a mosque. We were followed by a couple of girls, and some of our girls made friends with them. They went with the local girls to see another family’s house. The rest of us went back to our gîte, and watched the local make dinner. It was crowded and steamy, so I could not get a good idea of what was going on, but they were making couscous. For dinner, we had a soup. It tasted like a chicken broth, but had no meat in it. Then we were served a giant dish of couscous, some kind of roast beef, steamed vegetables, and more of the same bread. After dinner, about five local Berbers started playing music. One of them had a drum, the others were banging on water jugs, buckets, or just clapping. The small kids danced while they played. They went on for almost an hour. We spent the rest of the evening huddled around pots of coals to stay warm, and then went to bed. I woke up a few times during the night, but generally slept well. Unfortunately not everyone in the group could claim that.
Wednesday morning, we woke up and ate a Moroccan breakfast, tea or coffee, porridge, and bread with honey, cheese, or date preserves. After this we set out on our longest section of hiking. Unlike yesterday, no mules or donkeys were with us, so everyone had to carry their own pack. This was honestly what I expected for the entire trip. The day was overcast, just like the day before. The first part of our trek was along the river. The river channel is several dozen feet wide, but the water itself meanders through only a few feet wide. This leaves large areas of rock that make an excellent path. It seems to be the main road for the Berbers, as we passed several people coming and going on donkeys or on foot. After a while, we took a path that led up on the right bank of the river and quickly began to ascend. We went up the hillside, and then through another village. Once out of the village, we quickly entered into a pine forest. It was very beautiful, especially considering we were enveloped in clouds, giving a surreal look to the landscape. You could tell that the path went along fairly steep cliffs, but no one could see very far. We climbed higher up, reaching the crest of a ridge, where we stopped near a ranger’s station for a short break. From there we hiked down the other side of this hill, through more of the pine forest. We arrived to a more open area, with very slick clay. I’m surprised no one fell right down the side of the mountain. We made it down, with several pounds of mud and clay on everyone’s shoes. Lunch was served in a large river channel. We had almost the same lunch as yesterday, also excellent. After lunch we hiked up the opposite bank of the river. We were heading uphill, but not as steep as before. We walked through more open fields, until entering a narrow canyon and following that upwards. It opened up a bit, and we came back into some thin pine forest. We reached the top of this ridge, where it opened up to some spectacular views. Looking down, we could see villages and terraced fields. The canyon echoed spectacularly. To our right, I could see the end of the mountains, and the flat plains beyond. To the left were the higher, snow capped peaks of the Atlas Mountains.
After a short stop, we turned towards the higher mountains and hiked along the top of this ridge. Towards late afternoon we arrived in Ait Hamed, where we would spend our second night. This village was larger than the first, it had many more houses, as well as its own mosque. We stayed in another gîte, but this one was slightly different from the first. Instead of two houses connected, this was one larger building. We stayed in one half of it, while the family stayed in the other half. Most of us went out and walked around the village for a few hours. One guy, Reed, had the time of his life. He wrestled with several of the village kids. They all loved it. These children were shyer than the kids in the last village. One of our girls asked if it was fine to take a picture, but they said no. However, a few minutes later, they said to take a picture. She did, and then they said “Dirham,” the Moroccan money. No one had any bills smaller than 100, which is about $15. Reed gave them some pens and we hoped it satisfied them. We went back to the gîte for dinner. Tonight was another kind of soup, a mix of vegetables, the same bread, and chicken. About five of us decided to attempt to eat like the Berbers, with out hands. It is much more satisfying. Dessert was orange slices, covered in cinnamon, which turned out to be excellent. We built a fire in the middle of the courtyard, and gathered around it. After a while, some of us went out to take a look at the stars. The view from the night was one of the most serenely calm and beautiful things I have experienced. There was not a cloud in the sky, and more stars than I have ever seen. With a half moon, plus all of these stars, we were casting shadows in the night. I managed to see the Milky Way, there is a distinct swath of sky with many more starts. I saw way more of Orion than ever before. Not just the three stars of his belt were visible, but every single detail could be seen. The mountains to our left rose up in a great white ridge, very detailed in the light reflected from the moon, their majesty unrivaled. The night was perfect.
Those of us who braved the cold outside were deeply rewarded, and after a while returned to the gîte. We had more tea around the fire, and then people began to drop off and go to bed. Once most of the girls were asleep, several of the Berber men joined us at our fire. It turns out that men around the world love to play with fire. We had a contest to see who could hold their feet in the fire the longest. Everyone got showed up by the oldest man with some pretty gnarled feet. I went to bed a little while later, and slept about the same as the night before.
We woke up the next morning, and after a quick breakfast, started walking down the mountain. We were in more open country, no more pine forest. The original plan was to hike all of the way down the mountain, then get on a bus and drive back to Marrakech. Instead, we woke up earlier than planned, walked down the road, and met the bus half way down. We got into the 4x4s and drove quickly to Marrakech so that we could get some time in the city. We did not get to see the old part of town, or the market, but they took us to a store. This was a strange place, you could barter with the salespeople, and when you agreed on a price, the salesman would come with you to the cash register and that’s what you paid. I got a jelaba, a Berber cloak/robe thing. It’s hard to describe, you’ll have to see it. We had a few more minutes, so I found a pastry shop and got some sort of chocolate pastry bar. We got back to the train station, ate a Moroccan sandwich lunch, and then back on the train to Casablanca. Finally, we all returned to the ship, tired and exhausted. However, these days in Morocco were incredible. I saw a culture very foreign to my own, and yet at times I felt completely welcome. I already miss Morocco.