Day 84: Nosy Be, Madagascar

Saturday March 30th, 2013

Why do we fall in love?  It is certainly chemistry, but there is always a mystery associated with falling into this state.  So it is when you fall in love with a port/country.  We can honestly say that we fell in love today with this exotic place, where we had such a great adventure.  Was it because of the beauty of the calm waters, surrounded with lush islands, and the quaint dugout canoes with outriggers and rough sails out fishing in the morning dawn?  Or was it the chaos of the life onshore, with a hustle and bustle reminiscent of a scene from the movie Out of Africa?  Maybe it was the people, so beautiful and those in the village we visited who had turned their entire place into a showcase for our ship?  Maybe it was the way the clouds formed into big white pillows in the late afternoon.  Who knows why, but most of us agreed this was one of our favourite ports of call and it surprised everyone we spoke with. 

Karen and Leslie had decided to take the tender and just stay in the little town to shop.  Jonathan didn't go ashore because it was a tender port.  Barry and I decided we wanted to try and find a private tour to the island where the lemurs can be seen.  The HAL tour was $150 per person and we were not prepared to spend that. 

We were on the first tender and we came immediately into this crazy landing that was full of all kinds of small craft, jammed into a disorganized area, with extremely poor rusty and broken docks (if you could call them that).  Roberto got to us right away and asked if we wanted to go to see the lemurs.  His price was right - $15 each and $20 for him as the guide.  What boat, we asked?  He pointed to a little outrigger and said - that fast one there.  He had a little two stroke motor,and after jockeying for position with many other boats we got in, believing it was just going to be us.  Meanwhile the ship's tours were all thronged in groups waiting to board slightly faster and bigger boats, but nothing was luxurious here.  Then Roberto jumped off and said he was going to try and get two more.  Well after 30 minutes of drifting offshore, he found another 6 passengers and we were off.  What a lovely slow boat ride we had, just enjoying the scenery - large overloaded ferries, small dug out canoes of people trying to sell us stuff.  The latter had been swarming the ship first thing and people had been tossing T Shirts and chocolates down to them.  They were trying to sell us fresh fish, crabs, carvings etc. 

It took us about 40 minutes to get to the island.  Of course the tour boats were already there.  We had to wade to shore, in the water, and it was apparent pretty quickly that the village was very primitive.  What we first thought to be laundry hanging out to dry, was in fact the local cutwork tablecloths for which the islanders are famous, hanging on clothes lines for us to buy.  Another busy scene assaulted the senses - children, with faces decorated were dancing, adults were also engaged in a welcome dance.  The heat hit us like a thud, it was so intense.  Some of our little group were a bit overwhelmed with our adventure, as some of them were prim and proper and others had difficulty walking.  I must say that I admired all those elderly frail people who plodded on today, many of them wading ashore in pants, socks and shoes - obviously not about to be left behind.

Roberto was a great guide and he took us on a tour in an order that avoided the large crowds of HAL official tours, so that we could see the animals.  As we made our way up to the jungle, we passed hundreds of these beautiful tablecloths flapping in the wind, and so many small house of simply humble homes.

  There is no electricity on the island, and they live on vegetables they grow, and fish they catch.  While the poverty is great, we felt they were living a good happy life.  The children charmed us everywhere, some putting on little dances to raise a dollar. 

We spent an hour traipsing through the jungle to see, chameleons, two types of tortoise, a boa constrictor (I was at a great distance) and finally the lemurs.  These mammals originally lived in Africa, but when the monkeys began to dominate, they escaped to Madagascar.  The females are the brown ones and the black ones the males.  Roberto even climbed a tree to tempt them down with a banana, but they had been already fed too much by the fast boaters, and wouldn't leave their perch.   We then wandered through the village, buying a couple of masks from a man whose sons were in his workshop, and a 4 metre long table cloth.  

We found shelter in a thatched area where we all bought a most welcome cold coke. 

 Then we waded back to our little craft and had a very pleasant, but thoroughly wet ride back to the tender port.  I met two new passengers, Carol and Ron, whose company I thoroughly enjoyed.

Back on the dock, confusion reigned.  Literally all the HAL tours, both bus and boat, had arrived back at once and there were hundreds of us lined up for another 30 minutes in the very hot sun waiting for the tenders, which were having difficulty getting positioned because of all the boat congestion.  Also a big cargo boat was there offloading chickens.  Somehow this bedlam was wonderful, maybe because it was life in all the rawness it can have in a country like Africa.

Tonight we had our Celebrity Chef, George Geary and his partner, Neil at our table for dinner.  He is a scream.  We enjoyed him immensely last year and looked forward to a fun evening. It was as expected a very enjoyable evening. 

Two days then we are in Maputo, Mozambique where we leave for our safari to Kruger.  Tomorrow is Easter Sunday and we are looking forward to the brunch which last year was truly memorable. 

Day 83: At Sea in the Indian Ocean

Friday March 29th, 2013

We had a little oops last night when Barry posted our Seychelles report.  He had to cut and paste a draft because he couldn't delete a movie he had included in error, and then the old domino effect came into play, because he didn't copy all of my text.   So let me round out our adventure by briefly saying we went to the local's fruit and vegetable market to buy spices and soap because everywhere else was so expensive.  By now the heavens had opened and we were in full torrential downpour.  The traffic was pretty thick in Victoria, but we made it back early to the ship and rushed in to shower and change for my birthday dinner.

Art was our table guest and Jonathan missed it, because he had to sail (gosh work gets in the way), but he came for the cake even before he had eaten dinner.  I was feted by the wait staff with their traditional Indonesian birthday song, and then we had a cake that was the strangest one I had ever had, consisting of layers of pastry and icing.  Needless to say most of us didn't eat it. Then we made our way to the show where we had an uproarious time with another U.K. comedian.  He had a very unique show that had us literally crying with laughter and it was good to see Jonathan in particular howling louder than all of us. 

 

I went to bed counting all my blessings. 

Although it is Good Friday, there were no special services on board.  We expect the usual outstanding Easter Brunch on Sunday, that we had last year.  The Passover seder was held a few days ago as well and many people said it was very nice.  I resumed yoga, the acupuncturist having wrought miracles with my back in 3 sessions.  We had 2 new and very excellent speakers, one a Canadian biologist who surprised us all by telling us that Madagascar is the most bio-diverse place on the planet and the only place where the mammal lemurs live.  There are 150,000 uniqued animal species.  The second speaker was equally great, and has worked for NASA for 40 years and gave us his first of 5 lectures, covering the basics on what and why NASA does.  

We continued my birthday celebration with a dinner in The Pinnacle with Jonathan and Karen.  Karen and I nearly died when we saw the size of the rib eye steaks they served us, and we were in her words, "in over our heads" on the amount of food served, but it was delicious and we had a wonderful evening of great story telling by everyone. 

Tomorrow Nosy Be, Madegascar.  By the way, Since The Seychelles, and from now on for several weeks, we are in brand new territory for us, and we are pretty excited about seeing Africa and its surrounds. 

Day 82: The Seychelles

Thursday, March 28th, 2013

What a perfect day and what a perfect way to spend a birthday - in The Seychelles.  I was spoiled from dawn till dusk, by Barry,  and by friends on the ship, as well as dear friends and family at home, who sent me emails and posted wonderful greetings on FaceBook.  It was only the second time of the entire voyage that I dared to venture onto FaceBook.  Thank you sincerely to everyone for remembering me, and for all the warm wishes.  It really cheered me up, as I have been quite homesick for the last few days. 

The Seychelles consist of some 80 islands wildly scattered off the coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. They have their independence, but are members of the Commonwealth, and once were ruled by France.  70,000 people inhabit the main island where we landed in the city of Victoria.  It is a lush and what seems to be unspoiled island, that is mountainous in the middle, with a single main road that runs around the outside.  A rainforest nestles between the road and the high ridge.  Jonathan and Karen had arranged a day for us,  including Leslie, with Karen's good friend Doreen, who was born in The Seychelles, but now has a business in the U.S.  

We were slightly delayed in arriving at our pier because a NATO warship (a stealth Danish frigate) was late in departing. 

It was 90F, but a nice breeze wafted over us most of the day, until a late afternoon rainstorm, was about to burst, and it became still and extremely humid.  Our van picked us up and off we went to see the highlights of the west and east coasts.  The scenery is  lush and exotic and every turn reveals yet another gorgeous beach and turquoise water and surf vision.  We climbed up to 1300 feet, and crossed over the ridge.  At this height we stopped at The Mission - which was a historic spot that had originally housed a school for slave boys.  This island was one of the centres for slavery, which had been abolished by England in 1830, but the Arabs prevented the total freeing of slaves here for another 30 years.  The boys refused to go to school on the shore, because they so feared being snatched up again.   Then we went to a gorgeous beach, where we got out and took pictures of small children on a day trip from the local Montissori school.  

We drove another 40 minutes to Le Jardin du Roi - a spice garden, privately owned, overlooking another sight for sore eyes bay, where they grow 50 spices, and then turn them into delicious meals in a small open dining room overlooking that bay.  They also have 2 enclosed pens of about 12 huge land tortoises which are so camouflaged that at first you think they are large boulders.  Then a head looks up, munching grass.  They bite, so we didn't go too near.  Rabbits, chickens and a parrot rounded out the menagerie.  We also saw the largest nuts in the world, Coco de Mer, which can weigh over 70 pounds, sort of a double coconut.

We spent a very pleasant hour sipping wine, and eating fish, and fresh fruits and vegetables cooked in the local Creole fashion.  There wasn't a scrap left.  Then it was off for a swim.  The first place didn't have anywhere for us to change, so our guide took us to a restaurant area, where there were passengers from the ship, eating, but we changed in the washroom, and Jonathan who has perfected changing under a towel, showed his prowess doing it on the beach.  

The waters here are absolutely divine and we paddled around for a swim, while Leslie lounged under a tree with two stray dogs.  We all dreamt about returning here for a month's stay, wondering how to get here cheaply.  

The sheik's water helipad.

Days 79, 80, 81 At Sea

Monday March 25th, Tuesday, March 26th, Wednesday March 27th, 2013

At last we had a series of sea days to recoup and do some shipboard activities.  The highlights have been several, including the entertainment.  One night we had a hysterical comedian, who will play again tonight (Wednesday); Tuesday night we had the pleasure of the original star of Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, who played Christine 8 times a week for 5 years.  She has a superb voice  even now, 25 years later, that had the entire theatre on its feet.  Monday night Barry and I really jumped out of the box by going to the theatre, then going to the Piano Bar for Hits for the 50's, then going to the movie at 10:15: Silver Linings Playbook.  For two people who have been in bed just after 9:30 every night, this was really running with scissors, but we had a great evening.  

Tuesday evening was the "White" Formal and we all looked like brides, and the men who had white dinner jackets looked like waiters.  Jonathan and Karen didn't have a Captain's dinner because we are sailing in pirate waters, so we really enjoyed having them with us on formal night and Karen wore a fabulous embellished jacket that she bought in Ujung Pandang, Indonesia.  

Speaking of pirates, on Monday morning we had our drill, which involved all the passengers sitting on the floor in our corridors, since the walls between the cabin and the corridor are steel lined, and the crew practising the fire hose procedures, and the ship doing evasive manoeuvres.  We have some pictures so that you can see we are not making this up.  We have been making lots of jokes that since we are on the Lower Promenade, where any pirates would board, if they made it over the razor wire, that we could just call Jonathan if they get into our cabin.  Of course this is no joke for those who have experienced piracy, which is a true scourge of the oceans. 

 

I continue to be treated by Christopher, the Acupuncturist and Herbalist, who has in 3 sessions made me feel like a new woman.  I will be back in the gym on March 29th - oh joy oh bliss, spin class :-).  My hairdresser Violetta is 25 years old and she told me she quit after 1 class because she couldn't breathe and she thought she would die.  I told her that if I, at 65 could do it, she could too.  Made me feel pretty good actually, that I have survived it.  Barry  walks 3 1/2 times around our Lower Promenade Deck for a mile each day to keep his fitness. 

Today was a big event for Leslie, our friend.  She has a fashion flair that is distinctive and unique and people are always complimenting her and asking her for fashion assistance.  Last year she did a little hour's presentation which was repeated today, called Fashion Tips and Tricks.  Leslie is a true bargain hunter, with an eye for style, and a creative genius at turning everything into a stunning look, for unbelievably little money.  There was a crowd of about 75 or 100 men and women.  I modelled one of her outfits that she had made car-wash pants from a sari, last year.  Karen did a demonstration of scarves and pashminas, which was a big hit, and Peggy showed us how to turn wall hangings and table runners into elegant formal attire.  People loved it and we had to rush out before the HAL Chorale started their practice. 

Tomorrow is my 66th birthday and we will be in The Seychelles, which is a group of islands that have an exotic flavour, much like those South Pacific ones of Bora Bora and Moorea.  The temperature is going to be over 90F, so hopefully we can find ourselves some of that beautiful warm Indian Ocean water to swim in.   Karen has a friend, Doreen, who is originally from The Seychelles, but now lives and has a business in Florida.  She has arranged a tour for us which sounds fantastic, and it is certainly wonderful to have a local person advise you on the best things to do, to avoid the tourist traps.  Leslie will also join us, then at dinner, back on the ship, our friend Art is coming for dinner to celebrate.   I feel so lucky to have such nice friends who want to fete me. 

Here is another of the many beautiful flower arrangements on the Amsterdam, this one set in a Chinese hat.