Day 106 - At Sea

Day 106 – Saturday 26^th April 2014 – At Sea

Early in the gym this morning and looking out of the forward looking windows, it was very interesting watching the ship making her way through the narrow channel at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba which is only two miles wide between Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Further to the south could be seen Sharm El Sheikh where we were to be stopping, but due to the political situation in Egypt, this has been given a body swerve, which I am very glad about.

Dance lesson is the jive and I always enjoy having a go at this one, brings back the memories.

In the afternoon, we had a short talk on the Suez Canal which I found very interesting, though a lot were disappointed by the lack of detail.

With the weather hot and sea calm, still enjoying the late afternoon sunshine on the loungers and even later, managed to get some practice in on the banjo.

The pre-dinner drinks and dinner were all excellent, especially when there is bread and butter pudding on the menu.

Finished off the night in the ballroom with the Nexus band playing, they are a bit like me, try hard but are not improving.

Day 105 - Aqaba, Jordan

Day 105 – Friday 25^th April 2014 – Aqaba, Jordan

    

     

We arrived in Aqaba at 08.00 with two other cruise ships on the terminal.

Aqaba is Jordan’s only seaport, located in the southernmost tip of Jordan on the Red Sea.

Aqaba provides the gateway to the rose-red City of Petra and is one of the most spectacular attractions in the Middle East, abandoned and forgotten for centuries.

A lot of the passengers from the ship are going on tour to Petra and I counted thirty six coaches on the quayside.

Eilat

Across the bay, lies the town of Eilat, Israel, and there is a border post where it is possible to cross between the two countries.

Colin’s son who works in Amman, the capital of Jordan, and with the two grandsons are visiting the ship today.

I took the 10.00 shuttle bus for the ten minute ride into town, and this time dropped off was in a hotel car park.

Cruise Terminal

Public Beach

I had a walk around the town taking in the newer hotels, where there was no access to their private part of the beach.

A wander round the shops was in sharp contrast to Dubai, there are no shopping malls here.



There are no signs of wealth for the locals; the main income appears to be from the port operations and the tourists, which appeared to be mainly from Russia, or the cruise ships.

It is Friday, so the Muslim holy day and lots of families are out in the cafes having lunch outside, before going to prayers at 13.00.  I went down to the public beach and strolled along the promenade; the beach was packed with the locals enjoying the amenities with lots of boats, at the small piers, taking them out on short trips around the bay.

Yacht Club

There is a marina and after requesting the security guard to enter, permission was granted, and I wander around looking at mostly motor cruisers.  The waters are crystal clear here, which is bit of a disadvantage in the marina, as you can see what the boats have thrown over the side, and is lying on the sea bed.

Situated here is the Royal Jordan Yacht Club, which opened at 13.00. I sat myself outside and enjoyed lunch with refreshing beers on the shaded terrace, while I thought of those sweltering in the heat of Petra.   The club had internet access and happily caught up with all communications.  It was 17.00 when I left after saying goodbyes to my friendly hosts.

Back Street Shops

Back into the hustle and bustle of the markets which were in full swing after re-opening at 16.00.  In and out of shops; haggling over things, which were not really worth the bother.

The meat, fruit and vegetable markets were the most interesting, as they had more colour on their displays, and appeared to be doing the most business.

For a final offering in the town, I went to the pub near the beach and next door to the McDonalds (this fast food chain are everywhere), called the ‘Rovers Return’ based on the ‘Coronation Street’ TV soap.  The décor inside was clean and the air conditioning worked, as I watched the world snooker championship on tele from the UK.

Farewell

The light is fading and it is time to head back to the ship on the shuttle bus.  With the town’s lights on, the streets, shops, cafes, restaurants and hotels all look very inviting, but I had seen the place in the daylight.  The darkness may hide the run down parts of the town, the drabness, unclean streets, the squalor and the unfriendly faces, but I had already made up my mind never to return.

We sailed at 09.30 slowly back down the Red Sea and around 23.00 on this clear night, there is something which is unusual to be seen anywhere in the world. 

Looking back you can see the lights of Eilat, in Israel, the lights of Aqaba, Jordan.  Looking to the left of the ship you are passing Saudi Arabia and to the right you are passing the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt.

All four countries seen at the same time.

Day 104 - At Sea

Day 104 – Thursday 24^th April 2014 – At Sea

Quiet morning, until 11.00, when I attended a lecture in the theatre; ‘The Transatlantic Story’ given by Denis Steele.  This talk traced the development of liners from 1840 to the present, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The lunch time choir practice went very well and I spent the rest of the afternoon lazing around on deck.

It is a formal night and I will take you for a walk through the ship in pictures, showing the route we take, after dining in the restaurant, and making our way to the theatre for the late 22.30 show.

Leaving Restaurant

Corridor

    

The Britannia Restaurant is situated at the aft end of the ship and we exit on the starboard side on Deck 2, and proceed along this corridor. These pictures show the splendour of interiors with the art work, lighting and finish of the bulkheads (walls) and deckheads (ceilings).

Cafe Carinthia

 

Now proceeding past the Café Carinthia on the right, this is where we spent most evenings and hour before going into the restaurant to dine at 20.30.  We have always found the staff in this bar very friendly, and we have always been very well looked after.  It is here where we try the special priced cocktail of the day, and most of them we like.

   

Queen's Room

Passageway

Carrying on to the Queen’s Room, which is the ballroom.  It is here where the dance lessons take place mostly in the morning, and classical concerts are also held in the afternoon, followed by high tea at 15.30.  In the evening there is always a live band playing for either, ballroom, sequence or line dancing.

Pub & Casino

After the Queens room you pass into an area where the Golden Lion (Whetherspoons) pub is on the right and the casino on the left.  Regularly visit the pub; listening to the piano, karaoke, playing trivia quizzes, or watching sport on the many television screens.  This is also a great place for a pub lunch.

Casino

The casino I have never used, and I always wonder who is the winner, the passenger or Cunard.

Clock Staircase

   

Lift Lobby

You now pass by the magnificent clock staircase, followed by the lift lobby and you are at the forward end of the ship, and enter the passage way taking you into the middle level of the Royal Court Theatre.

Tonight it was variety show time with piano player Chris Hamilton and the singer Phillip Brown accompanied by the excellent Royal Court Theatre Orchestra.

Ended the night in the Queens Room, watching the guests enjoying the Masquerade & Fancy Dress Ball.

Day 103 - At Sea

Day 103 – Wednesday 23^rd April 2014 – At Sea

This morning we passed from the Gulf of Aden into the Red Sea and from the sauna window I saw two dolphins which is a rare occasion on this voyage.  The captain every day at noon gives an update on our progress, things of interest, weather conditions and today he mentioned, to be on the lookout for dolphins, as they are abundant in area.  Fateful, as none were to be seen again.

Danced the quickstep in the today’s lesson and I really like this one, and the choir practice later was a very good sing song.

Spent the rest of the afternoon; on the deck in a lounger; sunbathing.

Verandah Restaurant

Tonight went for a meal in the Verandah Restaurant with the new guests on our dining table,  Ulrica and Willem from Germany and Edwina’s friend, Kath from Shropshire.

It is a delight to dine in this restaurant, and I had snails/lobster salad/scallops & prawns/lemon cake, and once more everything was wonderful. The elegance of the place and good company made for an excellent evening.

After being the last to leave the restaurant, we continued in the Commodore Club, before finishing off in the Yacht Club.

A wonderful night and happily I retired to bed.

Day 102 - At Sea

Day 102 – Tuesday 22^nd April 2014 – At Sea

Today we are passing along the transit corridor off the Yemen coast; this is a designated area for ships, passing close to the Somali coast to the south.  This area is patrolled by a NATO naval task force, with many countries sending their navy ships, as a protection against piracy.  During the whole of this hot, sunny, clear day, I saw only four other merchant vessels and no naval escorts.

Dancing the tango in today’s lesson, and cannot seem to master this one, so watched the dancers in the Queens Room in the evening, to see how it should be done.

Stargazing at night with the ship at its furthest south on this sector of the voyage, at latitude twelve degrees north, I could see the Plough and once again the Southern Cross.  When in the Pacific in February, and we had an astronomer Howard Parkin on board, we would sometimes be the only ones left on deck, looking at the night sky.

He asked me to say goodbye to the Southern Cross for him, when I knew, I would be see it for the last time, and I passed on his sentiments.

Day 101 - At Sea

Day 101 – Easter Monday 21^st April 2014 – At Sea

Due to the noise in the cabin, up early and in the library for 05.00,catching up with this blog site and into the gym for 07.00, returned to bed at 10.00.

The choir practice at 13.00 went very well, as we have a lot more in the ladies section and it is more powerful, when we are all singing together.

The dance lesson the cha-cha-cha was not too difficult, then went up to the Lido self-service restaurant for my usual afternoon tea and sandwich.

At last, the red embargo has been lifted after 10 days. The ship has managed to eradicate the Norovirus, which has kept this rigorous cleanliness regime in place.  You are now allowed to make your own tea, sandwiches and put on your plate whatever you wish, without having to ask the staff, to serve you at the counters.

For the crew it has been a very hard slog indeed, for every cleaning here, there and everywhere.  Making sure the guests are educated in how to assist with regular hand washing and there have been hand sanitizers everywhere.  The extra hours they have done, they do not get paid for it, as there is no overtime payment, and I hope they are recompensed somehow.

Tonight we pass along the coast crossing from Oman into Yemen with the Somali coast off to the south. This is part of the critical zone concerning pirates; the staterooms all have their curtains drawn, as well as, the restaurant and other public areas.  A wander on deck 9 and 10, the deck lights are blazing away.  Though the ship is doing 22 knots, no pirate will ever get near but I wonder, what is the point of this token gesture of closing the curtains?

Calm down; and go to bed.

Day 100 - At Sea

Day 100 – Easter Sunday 20^th April 2014 – At Sea

Happy Easter

This morning every stateroom received  two small Easter eggs and a greeting card.  While at the bottom of the main staircase; this magnificent display, showing the creativity of the catering department.

Some of the decks are closed off as the wind is blowing hard, as we have passed through the Straits of Hormuz and into the Gulf of Oman.

This morning’s lecture was given by Denis Steele on ‘Three Centuries of Royal Yachts’.  Looking at the development and use of the Royal Yachts, from the sailing vessels of the 17^th century, through to the steam turbine yacht, Britannia.  I thoroughly enjoyed the lecture and I still cannot understand, why Britannia was taken out of service, or a replacement built.

Dance lesson, and it is back to the slow waltz, which is always great fun, and the Japanese are here in force.

The choir has once more been formed but this time in the previous format, when I first joined.  Again, not being classed as a choir, but loosely called, Singers At Sea.  Leah Hemsley is back again as our conductor, and Robin Rose as the pianist, and it seems just like old times, singing the same songs.  The first session today went very well, considering the numbers who have now joined.

At night in the theatre, the entertainment was by Philip Browne, who has starred in many of the West End shows, and he was excellent, certainly the best show man we have seen in the theatre, and the lasting ovation at the end, says it all.

Good to be back at sea and recharge the batteries.

Day 99 - Dubai

Day 99 – Saturday 19^th April 2014 – Dubai

A little lie-in this morning, and very glad I was not drinking the red wine last night.

Dubai Skyline

QE2

    

From the ship’s top deck is a fine view over the main city, and looking towards the dry docks/ship repair facilities, which are the biggest in the Gulf, is the Queen Elizabeth 2 which was sold to Dubai, to be used as a floating hotel.  Over three years ago, I watched in Southampton, as she left on her way to Dubai.  Of course, there is a lot on board here, who sailed on her and have very fond memories.  Whether the project to use her as a hotel has fallen through, I do not know, but I hope she does not end up as razor blades.

Driverless Train

The shuttle bus took us to the Burjuman shopping mall and short walk from there, we boarded the red line train, and this time I bought a gold card return ticket, which allows you to travel in a separate compartment with comfortable seats, either at the front of the train or the rear coming back, cost 20 dirham (£3).  

Mall of the Emirates

We were on our way to the Dubai Marina a journey of 45 minutes passing the many high rise buildings in the city centre and business areas.  Another unusual feature which caught my eye was at the station stop for the Mall of the Emirates. The indoor ski slope complex behind the shopping mall, remembering it is around thirty degrees centigrade outside.

8 Lane Highway

Leaving the train at the Dubai Marina stop, the elevated walk way takes you over the eight lane highway going to and from the city centre.  Of course, the trains, stations and walkways are all air conditioned.

Twisted Skyscrapper

Eventually you arrive on the street and are hit by the heat.  A walk along to the marina, and turning the corner, to be confronted by another amazing skyscraper; this one is twisted.  Dubai must be an architect’s dream city, as the number of different styles and materials used are all there to be seen.  If there are prizes to be given out for initiative and forward thinking, this is the place.

Marina

The marina itself is a fascinating area with walks around the water edges and you are fascinated by the size and stature the many different types of boats.  There are also water taxis to take you round the various landing stages, and run by the same company which owns the trains.

We tried to get a ferry out to Atlantis, which we could see, and situated on the manmade Palm Islands. Unfortunately, the times available were not to our schedule, and we had to give this one a miss.

Water Taxi & Pizza Place

 

For lunch we headed for a pizza restaurant near to one of the many pedestrian/road bridges and leisurely watched the world go by.  AUE being a Muslim country, they are not allowed to sell alcohol on the street or restaurants, but only in your hotel or clubs.  It was a nice way to relax after last night’s excesses.

We headed back to the ship; via train, shuttle bus and on board for 17.00.

Super Yacht 'Dubai'

Prior to sailing, I was sat on deck watching this magnificent super yacht ‘Dubai’ enter the harbour and tie up ahead of us.  About half an hour after the yacht was all secured alongside, three separate five car motorcades left, all the same style of land rovers, but leaving at slightly  different times.  I like to think, they were escorting members of the royal family, or maybe, in fact the present ruler; His Highness Sheik Mohammed bin Rashin Al Maktoum.

Farewell

We sailed at 18.45 and I stayed on deck to witness these amazing skyscrapers lighting up the sky and a wonderful backdrop to our departure.

Dubai fascinates, it shows what can be done with a blank sheet of paper and lots of money.  Its people are well integrated and very well looked after, the whole place has a feeling of prosperity, and I can see why people flock here to the desert, to be overwhelmed by its beauty and splendour; certainly a city to come back to.

Day 98 - Dubai, Gala Dinner

Day 98 – Friday 18^th April 2014 – Dubai, Gala Dinner

Tonight over four hundred of the world voyagers have been invited to a Gala Dinner being held in the Madinat Jumeirah Hotel, situated near the beach and not far from the most expensive hotel in Dubai, which is shaped like a sail and called Burj Al Arab.

Madinat Jumeirah Hotel

   

Reception Area

  

At 17.45 we all piled on to the many coaches for the half an hour journey to the hotel, to be greeted by the Captain and his senior officer, plus a representative from Cunard. 

Rig of the Day

The outside reception area was full with guests, waiters handing out drinks and canapés to everyone.  There were two young men, dressed in their white Arab robes, with hooded falcons clinging to their forearms.  In conversation with these two, I found out the age of the birds, names, and how often they took them out and train them, very interesting.  You could also have your name written in Arabic, enough people have problems with my name in English, and I gave this one a miss. 

Inside Reception

The outside was getting too crowded and we headed inside and positioned ourselves not too far from the dining hall.  From here the waiters were busily re-charging their trays with wine and canapés.  As we were the nearest and first to be asked, our glasses were never empty and if desired, never without food.

Dining Room

At 20.00 we were all led into the main dining area, a magnificent room and each allotted table contained eight guests.  Speeches were given by the Captain and the Cunard representative before we commenced our meal which was wonderful, all of the courses were excellent, and I could not finish it all.  While dining, the wine waiters just kept coming and the glasses were never empty.

Belly Dancers

During coffee and tea the floor show began, first off were the drummers followed by the belly dancers.  The most unusual; a man who never stopped spinning, while his skirt whirled around, other hand held skirts were spun above and around his head.  Eventually all of his costumes were light up, as he spun and the effect was spectacular.  When he stopped spinning, we expected him to fall over, but he did not, and received a rapturous applause.

Time for the guests to get involved now, as the band continued playing and the guests took to the dance floor and joined in the fun.  This continued for quite some time until the coaches arrived to take everyone merrily back to the ship.

Cunard had done us all proud, the splendour and the great atmosphere generated, will stay in the memory for a long, long time.

Day 98 - Dubai

Day 98 – Friday 18^th April 2014 – Dubai

Dubai is the second-largest of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).  It is on the southern shore of the Arabian Gulf in the south eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula.  Dubai city is the main commercial centre of the UAE, the rest of the emirate is desert with very few inhabitants.

This morning we say goodbye to Elizabeth and David who have been with us on our dinner table since Singapore, on their way home to Yorkshire, and Goran our wine waiter going on leave to Croatia.

We arrived in Dubai on a Friday morning and being a Muslim country, they have their Sunday on a Friday.  Once again it is roasting hot outside, as we head for the taxi to take us underneath the Dubai Creek to the Gold and Spice Souks (markets).

    

Gold Souk

   

Spice Souk

Although most of the shops are closed there are still plenty of the owners trying to tempt you into their premises.  The gold souk was amazing, as I have never seen so much precious metal and jewellery; gold is sold by weight not necessary by the design or craftsmanship.  If you are enticed into any shop, the haggling is intense and you or may not walk away with a bargain.

The spice souk is just around the corner, and it is worth a visit just to savour the exquisite fragrances and to marvel at the almost endless choices of spices.

Creek with water Taxis

 From the souks, we moved to the river, Dubai Creek (Khor Dubai) splits the city in two: Bur Dubai (often just called Dubia) in the west, and Deira in the east.  The creek is crossed by abras (water taxis), a cheap form of local transport.  One way costs one dirham equivalent to fifteen pence and we crossed the creek on a water taxi back to the Dubai side.

The local shops were closing down around 12.30 and mosques were calling the people to prayer.  We watched as they made their way to their respective mosque, and one we passed; obviously was full and the faithful were lined up outside in the street. 

Creek side Restaurant

We took this opportunity to go onto the veranda of this creek side restaurant for lunch, as we watched the ferries, and the dhows after prayers making their way out to sea.

From the restaurant we walked along to the nearby metro station at Al Ghubaiba on caught the train on the green line.  We went one stop and changed over to the red line for a six stop journey to the Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall.  The metro system is very similar to the one in Singapore, with driverless trains and very efficient.

Burj Khalifa

Burj Khalifa is the highest and most spectacular building in Dubai and towers over everything else, and it is also part of the Dubai Mall which boasts 1200 retail outlets.

We were told it was best to book to go up to the observation tower of the Burj Khalifa and the booking office was on the lower floor of the Mall. Informed the bookings were fully booked for the next ten days, but if we paid quadruple the price, we could go up express delivery and decided to leave it for another time.

Dubai Mall

  

The mall itself in incredible and must be the ultimate as a shopper’s paradise; you could spend a week in here and still not covered everything.

  

Waterfall

   

Ice Rink

Two of the unusual features within the mall are the waterfall and an ice rink; you have to remember it is thirty degrees centigrade outside.

Outside the Mall

Outside one of the Mall entrances is a lake with water features, a promenade with the drop off of yet another wonderful skyscraper.

We were running to a tight schedule and had to head back to the ship and found the main taxi rank situated in the underground car park.  The drive through the city to the ship along these wide highways was very quick, considering the amount of traffic.

It is a special occasion tonight, as Cunard are throwing a party.