Category: Travel

Posts about my Chapter 5 travel adventures

Rest day in Burgos, so I’m blogging about the second part of our AMAZING journey…

Instead of writing about each day individually, here are some general thoughts about the past five days…

  • Most beautiful scenery – I loved the walk from Najera into Santo Domingo!  With varied walking surfaces and captivating views of undulating wheat fields, this was a gorgeous walk!
  • Hardest physical challenge – The walk from Santo Domingo to Belorado was quite challenging as the terrain was uninspiring and the highway noise was disruptive.
  • Strangest church exhibit – In Santo Domingo’s cathedral, a pair of chickens resides to honor the memory of Domingo’s miracle (see Wikipedia).  The chickens are changed every few weeks and enjoy the rest of their lives in a chicken coop at a nearby hostel.
  • Most challenging weather – By far, the most challenging weather was the heavy rain storm, complete with thunder and lightening, for a large part of the 30 km from Belorado to Atapuerca.  Blustering wind and pelting rain drove many pilgrims to remain behind or take a taxi to their next stop.  We, however, continued on – until the sunshine miraculously parted the skies right when we arrived at the monastery’s pub in San Juan de Ortega.  We, of course, revived ourselves with a shot – or two! – of whisky!
  • Most beautiful hotel  – I turned “princess” at our supposedly one-star hotel in Najera.  My very kind sister-princess Minke shared with me her experiences at paradores in Spain. ‘Parador’ is the name given in Spain to luxury hotels managed by a state-run company and usually located in buildings of historical importance such as fortresses, monasteries, and castles.  Wowza!  The parador in Santo Domingo de la Calzada just happened to have an available room for us the next night, so Minke treated me to a luxury experience.  Such a treat!
  • Creepiest animal – Leaving Logroño, we walked over a bridge where we saw groups of people staring down into the river.  What were they looking at?  Creepy yellow mouthed catfish!
  • Saddest event – In Saint Jean Pied de Port, Minke rescued a porcelain rooster… She will, when she feels up to it, write an obituary for him which I will share on this blog.  Until then, please know that we were deeply saddened when Cam (Camembert Francis de Santiago) fell and broke his head in Ventosa.
  • Oddest dinner – Our package with Camino Ways includes most dinners, especially when we are in small villages.  Sometimes, the hotel has its own restaurant.  Other times, we are given a “ticket” for a meal at a nearby restaurant.  In Najera, our hostess directed us to Trece restaurant, where the bartender sat us in the back room and used Google translate to share the menu with us.  As the only back room guests for over an hour, we felt quite out of place until Ernesto and Katherine, two other pilgrims, joined the back room an hour later.  The front bar area, though, was busy with locals drinking and playing card games!
  • Best tapas – At this point, the best tapas with the greatest variety have been in Burgos!

Stage 8:  Logroño to Nájera (19 miles)

 

Stage 9:  Najera to Santo Domingo de la Calzada (16 miles)

 

Stage 10:  Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Belorado (16 miles)

 

Stage 11:  Belorado to Atapuerca (20 miles) 

Two videos…I accidentally stopped my Fitbit at the top of the hill…

 

 

Stage 12:  Atapuerca to Burgos (16.5 miles)

 

What a rest day it was!

I started the day hanging out in the breakfast room, updating my blog.  With intermittent WiFi, the process took longer than expected.

Next, I grabbed our laundry and headed out to the local laundromat.  Interestingly, the washing machines dispense their own detergent.  This laundromat allowed me to pay tapping with my phone.

Upon returning to our hotel and putting away laundry, Minke and I wandered around Logroño.  When we arrived at the cathedral plaza, we noticed people milling around outside stores…and no lights on in any of the stores.  Power outage!  Throughout Spain and Portugal – and a bit of France!

We headed into a tapas bar to grab a bite and a glass of wine.  The server calmly wrote down our order on a scratch pad, used a calculator to add the total, and accepted our cash.  Everyone was so calm and chill!  We asked the server if the power goes out frequently, and he said “no.” 

Next, we went back to the hotel where our room was, thankfully, on the first floor (ground floor in Europe is Floor Zero).  When I woke up from my nap, I strolled around town on my own for a bit.  I went into a store – and the lights came on!  Five hours after losing electricity, we had power once again.

 

A journey of 500 miles begins with the first step.  😊

This, our first rest day, gives me the opportunity to share the first seven stages of this adventure.  WiFi is a tad sketchy and glitchy, so please excuse typos, errors, etc. 

Stage 1:  Saint Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles (16.4 miles)

This first stage, over the Pyrenees, scared me the most when thinking about walking the Camino.  Over the Pyrenees?  Climbing a total of 5370 feet?  Stories of snow, rain, and wind?

Fortunately, we had fabulous weather!  Windy at times but no rain.  Relatively clear skies creating magnificent views.  The climb was a bit relentless and hard but not impossible.  

Wow!  It was a terrific first day!

 

Stage 2:  Roncesvalles to Zubiri (14.8 miles)

In some ways, Stage 2 was harder than Stage 1!  Although the elevation gain was only 1662 feet, the descent was treacherous.  Not only was there a bit of rain, we descended through deep mud and slippery rocks into Zubiri.  Thank goodness for hiking poles!

 

Stage 3:  Zubiri to Pamplona (15.1 miles)

A beautiful and relaxed walk through the countryside!  When we stopped for lunch – a delicious spinach frittata – my tracker stopped, so there are two shorter videos for Stage 3.

As you view the videos, you may notice a few of the many friends we have made.  Stephanie, Jill, and Lisa…plus many others…have added humor, depth, and fun to our trip.  Most days, we share a refreshing beer and tapas as we transition from walking to relaxing.

 

 

Stage 4:  Pamplona to Puente de la Reina (18 miles)

Since we didn’t see much of Pamplona when we arrived, Minke and I chose to take an early morning stroll around this beautiful walled city.  Following breakfast, we met up with Lisa and Stephanie for our walk through the countryside, observing many fields of yellow rapeseed along the way.  

After climbing Alto de Perdón, we found the Pilgrim statue where we, with other peregrinos, posed for photos.  Near the statue lies a monument to Civil War victims under Franco’s regime.

The descent from the statue and monument was quite relentless…but the views were spectacular!

 

Stage 5:  Puente de la Reina to Estella (17 miles)

A meandering walk through the countryside with views of Roman ruins, red poppies, and cute villages.

 

Stage 6:  Estella to Los Arcos (15.5 miles)

The day started with a bit of wine at the fountain in Irache.  Using my pilgrim shell, we each had a sip of wine.  Then I got stung by a bee!  I was chatting with Jackie, a Brit who now lives near Toronto, when OUCH! I felt a sting!  Jackie pulled out the stinger and gave me a sheet with antiseptic and lidocaine on it to clean the poke and take away the pain.  I now look like a chipmunk with my swollen cheek!

On the final hike up the hill before entering Los Arcos, I had this amazing endorphin rush!  I felt strong and powerful, in full flow, and started laughing while climbing.  It was incredibly cool!

 

Stage 7:  Los Arcos to Logroño (19.3 miles)

A long walk through wheat fields, country trails, and rolling hills.  Some of the climbs were a bit steep; one descent was at 10%!  There were many cute villages along the way, especially Viana where we stopped for lunch.

 

 

Booking our travel to Saint Jean Pied de Port (SJPP), we realized that it would be wonderful to spend a day in Paris.  This allowed us to not only begin to recover from jet lag but also to explore the City of Lights.

After our uneventful red eye flight from San Francisco to Paris, we took the train from the airport to our terrific hotel in the 5th Arrondissement, the Latin Quarter on the left bank of the Seine just across the river from Notre Dame.

Upon settling into our room, we began our fifteen miles clockwise walking tour of Paris.  Along the way, we viewed:  Sorbonne, Luxembourg Gardens (with children pushing sailboats in the pond), Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomph, Mont Saint Michel, Sacre Coeur (and a spectacular panoramic view of the city), Moulin Rouge, and Louvre.  In addition to these terrific sites, we ate AMAZING Lebanese organic ice cream rolled in chopped pistachios and shared a liter of wine (one half at lunch and the other at dinner 🙂 ).

Paris in one day?  Sure!  Why not?!

I strung together six mini-videos of our day into one 3:28 video.  Click on this link for the video.  (I tried to embed the video…but the internet is too slow…and I’m too tired!  😘 )

 

A few years ago, my friend Minke asked if I wanted to walk the Camino de Santiago with her.  I, of course, said, “Yes!”

The time has come.  We leave TOMORROW to walk the Camino Frances route, 500 miles from Saint Jean Pied de Port, France, to Santiago de Compostela, Spain.  After spending a night in Paris and a couple of days in Saint Jean, we start walking on Monday, April 21.  The first day:  up and over the Pyrenees!

To say I’m excited is an UNDERSTATEMENT.  I am thrilled, eager, and joyful.  I am also a bit anxious and nervous…which is to be expected.

Our plan:  We booked with Camino Ways, so our accommodations, luggage transfers, breakfasts, and most dinners are all pre-arranged.  Our focus will be on putting one foot in front of the other while carrying a daypack with what we need for that day.  Interspersed among our 34 walking days are four rest days.  In Leon, Heather will join us and in Sarria, Kayla and Traci will connect with us. 

My blogging intention:  The purpose of this walk is to immerse myself in the environment, allow my mind to wander and reflect as it so chooses, and enjoy the community on the Camino.  However, I know me.  I know I will want to take photos; I also don’t want to be tied to my camera or to a laptop.  So I will snap photos that interest me with my phone and, on our rest days, perhaps upload them to my blog.  My thought is to minimize technology use by relying on the Relive app to track where I’ve walked while automatically linking my photos to the route itself.  Of course, we shall see!  If and when I post, I will let you know!  🙂

Buen Camino!!!

This journey comprised not one, not two, but really THREE adventures.

Arabian Sea

This photo of Dubai Creek summarizes quite a bit of what I saw in Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai.  The Arabian Peninsula, birthplace of Islam, boasts the world’s largest oil reserves along with the water to transport those reserves throughout the globe.  Qatar and the UAE have so much oil money, they have built up their countries with mega-buildings, expansive museums, and exquisite mosques.  Interestingly, even with so much oil, most of the emirates envision a future without oil money, so they attempt to diversify their economies into tourism, medical tourism, and construction.  One of my favorite tours during this whole adventure took me to the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi where I saw a synagogue, mosque, and church.

Indian Ocean

Four African islands in the Indian Ocean – all so very different from each other.  The Seychelles archipelago, the “Hawaii of the Indian Ocean,” has beautiful beaches, compelling snorkeling, and giant tortoises.  Independent from Britain since 1976, it is a playground of the rich and famous.  Madagascar, independent from France since 1960 and the fourth largest island in the world, couples amazing fauna and flora with some of the globe’s worst poverty.  Reunion, a department of France, presents a cosmopolitan ambiance with natural beauty.  Colonial buildings, amazing waterfalls, and mountain vistas highlight some of Reunion’s many intriguing sites.  Mauritius, with nearly 50% of its citizens being Hindu, features a new culture for me.  Economically developed and socially stable, this island became independent from the UK in 1968.

These four islands share similar climates and, to a degree, histories, yet they are incredibly dissimilar.  How one country can overcome colonization, slavery, and dissent and another succumbs to corruption, poverty, and turmoil… I don’t know the answer…

Norwegian Dawn

In my 20s, I went on a weekend cruise from Long Beach to Ensenada with my aunt Bea, my mother’s best friend’s mother who wanted to go on the trip but didn’t want to go alone so she invited me to join her.  In 2022, I did a barge and bike trip out of Amsterdam.  This was, however, my first “big” cruise trip, with a traditional ship and a big itinerary.

I thought it might be fun…and a bit boring and stodgy.

I was right.  It was fun!

I was also wrong.  It was not boring or stodgy!

The Norwegian Dawn, a mid-sized vessel with about 2,300 guests and 1,000 crew members, felt small and approachable. I enjoyed my at-sea days and ship time, while making friends with several other passengers, relaxing in the thermal spa, and indulging in food and beverages.  Surprising to me were those people who complained about the Norwegian Dawn – a little older ship, a bit worn around the edges, not enough deck chairs in quiet areas, monotonous food… Although I could understand, to a degree, how they felt, I disagree with their perceptions.  To me, the ship was warm, comforting, and welcoming.  It was easy to find spaces for peace and rest.  The food was yummy – as were the drinks.  And the crew!  Amazing people!

Will I go on another cruise?  YES!  Will I go with Norwegian Cruise Lines?  YES – if the voyage has an itinerary that fascinates me.

Flight Home

One final thought:  Traveling to the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean takes a LONG time!  To get home, we flew six hours from Mauritius to Dubai and then another 16 hours from Dubai to San Francisco.  Afterward, I drove home from the Bay Area.  That’s a lot of travel!  Would I do it again, especially only five weeks after returning from Southern Africa?  Yep.  I sure would!  🤣

Initially, what inspired me most about this cruise was the itinerary.  As a “sampler tour,” I knew I’d be seeing some new and intriguing places, locations it would be difficult to visit if not cruising.

I was less excited, however, about the sea days.  I thought they might be boring.

WRONG!

I loved my time at sea!  We had six full sea days and nine port days – and all were amazing.

A “typical” day, whether at sea or in port, would begin at about 5:30 am or so.  I’d walk the few steps to O’Sheehan’s, located on the same deck as our stateroom.  Bharat, the early morning server, would see me and bring me a cup of coffee, a small pitcher of milk, a glass of orange juice, and a pastry or two.  (Seeing Nanine, he’d substitute the coffee for tea.)

Following coffee/tea, Nanine and I would walk the Deck 7 Promenade for about two miles, greeting our fellow morning walkers.  Nanine and I walked clockwise for the sunrise view, allowing us to get to know those promenaders walking counterclockwise.  (There were, of course, only a handful of early morning walkers.)  For example, we enjoyed chatting with the “Greyhounds,” a tall lean couple from Seattle who were cruising with their two teenagers and Mama Greyhound’s mom.  An Aussie woman, nicknamed Mrs. Yorkie, walked fast and focused.  I would wave, smile, and say “hi” – and get no reaction.  Challenge accepted!  😀 We soon noticed that she was walking quickly, keeping pace with Mr. Yorkie a few yards ahead of her.  By the third morning, she looked up and smiled.  The next day, she started chatting with us.  I told Nanine, “I bet by tomorrow, we’ll be having drinks with her!”  And we did!  That night, the Yorkies joined us during happy hour in Gatsby’s, our favorite bar on board.

After our promenade, we’d head to breakfast at one of three restaurants open in the morning on the ship.

During port days, we would then debark for our excursion.

On sea days, though, we’d climb the stairs to the gym.  (I very seldom rode the elevator during the entire cruise.)  I did another hour of cardio, split between the treadmill and elliptical, and weight machines for my arms, legs, and core.

Next, we went to the Thermal Spa, where I splurged on the pass for the full voyage.  Spa time included the steam room, sauna, hot tub, and, my favorite, thermal chair.  Ah, so nice relaxing in the thermal chair with a view out the stern of the ship!

Following the spa and a shower, it was time to grab a drink and lunch.  Often during a sea day afternoon, I would take my laptop to O’Sheehan’s, plug into power, review photos, and update my blog – my way of relaxing.

By 4:00 pm or so, we would meander to Gatsby’s with a deck of cards, be greeted by Rzki with our happy hour beverages, and play a few games before dinner.  Most often, we would go to the 7:00 pm show at the Stardust Theater, watching singers, dancers, a magician, and a hypnotist.

Although there were some variations, perhaps an afternoon workshop or paint-by-numbers session, I found this general flow of sea day activities relaxing, fun, and active.

Sunrises – a treat of early mornings

Arabian Gulf

 

Seychelles

 

 

 

Reunion

 

 

Mauritius (final morning)

 

Sunset – for our final night, we met the “Greyhounds” for happy hour and to see the sunset as we left Reunion on our way to Mauritius

 

Afternoon relaxation

First lunch – the Venetian – docked in Doha

 

Paint-by-numbers – invited to join by Oksana whom we met with her partner Eric on our flight from San Francisco and really enjoyed their company during this journey

 

Nothing like a book, a drink, and a view

 

Happy hour at Gatsby’s – photo credit Oksana and Eric

 

Dinner at Le Bistro, a specialty restaurant

 

Evening activities

Hannah Stearne – powerful voice, dynamic personality, and vigorous energy – I saw her perform twice!

 

New Year’s Eve:  My only late night!  While Nanine rested, I hung out with some people I had met on an excursion.  Seating was sparse in the atrium, so I was sitting on a ledge.  Seeing me from a deck above, Oksana walked over to me and invited me to join her and Eric since they had an extra seat.  So sweet!  At 11:50, Nanine joined us, so the four of us could celebrate the arrival of 2025.

 

 

Not a clear photo… 🙂

Our fourth Indian Ocean island and final port, Mauritius captured my heart.

Maybe it was the natural beauty.  Maybe having a Hindu tour guide who shared his beliefs, passion, and knowledge.  Maybe the economic development and lack of poverty.

A quick comparison:

Poverty rate (World Bank):

  • Madagascar – 80.7%
  • Mauritius – 0.1%

GDP per capita (US dollars) (World Bank):

  • Madagascar – $506
  • Mauritius – $11,613

Access to electricity (World Bank):

  • Madagascar – 36.1%
  • Mauritius – 100.0%

Corruption Perception Index – Denmark least corrupt and ranked 1/180 countries (Transparency International):

  • Madagascar – 145/180 countries
  • Mauritius – 55/180 countries
Our first stop on our daylong tour, a botanical garden with a palm tree bent by wind

 

A cool looking palm tree

 

Gigantic lily pads

 

Volcanic hills reminiscent of San Luis Obispo

 

Mauvilac paint factory in the village of Vale

 

Historic Marine, a shipbuilding museum with model ships built to scale

 

Shiva, Grand Bassin Hindu Temple

 

A couple having their new-to-them car blessed.  From the license plate, one can tell the car was originally sold in 2021 – local info from our local guide!

 

I also received a blessing, where I received a string bracelet and a tilak on my forehead.  The tilak activates the “Aagya Chakra,” which is related to intellect, mental health, and wisdom.  (Source)

 

Beware of monkeys

 

A shrine based on Hindu zodiac signs

 

Splashing this sacred water on one’s head while saying a prayer may bring good luck, happiness, and health

 

Over 60,000 Rusa deer, introduced by the Dutch in 1639, roam Mauritius

 

Our tour concluded with a visit to a sugar plantation and rum distillery, where we tasted ALL of these products – plus more!

Reunion, a department of France, is so very different than Madagascar!

As one of two eurozone countries in the southern hemisphere, Reunion feels much more European and cosmopolitan than its neighbor.  “The French Constitution provides that, in general, French laws and regulations (France’s civil code, penal code, administrative law, social laws, tax laws, etc.) apply to French overseas regions the same as in metropolitan France, but can be adapted as needed to suit the region’s particular needs.” (Wikipedia)

Reunion combines some of the natural beauty of other Indian Ocean islands with the European ambiance of France.

Side story:  Every country has its own laws surrounding immigration and visas.  Before entering the UAE, we surrendered our passports to the Norwegian Dawn crew since the UAE, Seychelles, and Madagascar did not do face-to-face immigration.  After Madagascar, we retrieved our passports, so we could use them when entering Reunion.  In Reunion, immigration officers boarded our bus and reviewed our passports.  Citizens from some countries, such as the US, do not need to have visas to enter Reunion.  On our bus, though, were two Chinese nationals who did not have their required visas.  Our guide spoke to her boss, who negotiated with the immigration officers.  As long as our guide could guarantee that the Chinese citizens would be returned to the ship after the excursion, they could proceed.  If our guide returned without them, she would be imprisoned.  Before leaving the bus for our final stop in the town of Saint-Denis, our guide told us to return to the bus “at four or four o’five.”  The Chinese woman held her phone’s translation button down and interpreted the instructions as being at “five o’clock.”  Everyone was on the bus on time, except this couple.  The tour company had been told to get us all to the ship by 5:00 so we could leave the port on schedule.  Our guide had to search and search for the couple, fearing prison time if she did not bring them back to the ship.  Finally, about a half hour late, she found the couple – angry rather than contrite or apologetic – and we arrived just on time to our ship.

Mountains surrounding the Cirque of Salazie, one of three calderas

 

Village of Hell-Bourg

 

 

 

Mountain view from Hell-Bourg

 

Bridal Veil Falls

 

Buddhist Temple

 

Vanilla, one of Reunion’s main agricultural crops

 

Mural at the entrance to Saint-Denis

 

The pedestrian-only area of Saint-Denis seemed like an outdoor shopping mall

A country of contrasts.

The fourth largest island in the world, after Greenland, New Guinea, and Borneo, Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world (ranked as the fifth poorest country per FocusEconomics).  Over 80% of the population lives on $2.15 per day (WorldBank).  Independent from France since 1960, Madagascar is mired in corruption and political instability, confronts subpar infrastructure, withstands cyclones and other natural disasters, and combats high fertility rates and low education levels (WorldBank).

Along with several hundred fellow passengers, we signed up for the Amber Mountain excursion out of Antsiranana.  Thinking we’d load into several buses or vans, I was surprised to see over a hundred small SUVs lined up ready to take us on our tour.  With room for one driver, four passengers, and a guide (tucked in the back jump-seat), we headed through town up to the national park, seeing urban poverty while bouncing on rutted roads.  With narrow unpaved roads and so many SUVs, often cars could barely pass each other with the possibility – and at times actuality – of a car ending up in the ditch alongside the road.

Madagascar, however, harbors amazing fauna and flora.  The Malagasy people love their animals!  Our driver stopped for snakes crossing the road so as not to harm them.  And the chameleons!  Our driver and guide could spot a little chameleon nestled on a far off tree. We’d stop, often with several other vehicles, hop out of the car, and share our guide’s delight in the colorful creatures.  Although we, the tourists, happily saw two families of Sanford’s brown lemurs, high up in the trees (I wish I had my big zoom lens…), our guide was even more excited by the chameleons!

To arrive on Madagascar, we tendered using the Norwegian Dawn’s lifeboats – at least the water was calmer than when we tendered at the Seychelles

 
Lemurs!

 

 

 

So many cool chameleons!

 

 

 

 

 

Such a tiny guy it was hard to get the photo in focus…

 

Snake crossing the road

 

When it’s mating season, these frogs turn YELLOW!

 

‘Shrooms

 

Flame trees

 

A forest hike to a waterfall ❤️

 

Using his head…

 

Along the road

 

Although the photo is not focused well, it tells the story of poverty, tuk-tuks, and Malagasy life (captured through the vehicle window)

 

NOT shown in this image is the swarm of impoverished children begging us to buy trinkets and fabric from them

For our second stop in the Seychelles, we disembarked directly to the port terminal without needing to tender.  So much easier!

In Port Victoria, we picked the Coral and Spice tour.  Once at the pier, we climbed onto an even bigger catamaran than the previous day and boated to a location where we could snorkel or take a rubber boat to swim or sunbathe.  I, of course, chose snorkeling!

A private yacht – Seychelles, home of the rich and famous!

 

View of another catamaran from our vessel’s porthole

 

After everyone from our catamaran was ashore, another group shuttled from the beach to the catamaran so they could snorkel

 

The second half of our excursion took us to the Jardin du Roi, a spice garden where we walked around and saw amazing flora.  The plantation was originally built by the French.  When a French boat sailed with a British flag, hoping to avoid be shot by the British, the French owners burned down the spice plantation.  It has since been rebuilt and replanted to represent what was present before the fire.
Star fruit

 

Jack-fruit

 

Or is this jack-fruit?

 

A tropical flower I’ve seen before and don’t remember the name…

 
Plantation house

 

Steps to view the ocean

 

The Jardin contains a “tortoise” zoo, with MANY adult, adolescent, and baby tortoises

Before this cruise when thinking about the Seychelles, I thought beautiful tropical island, playground of the rich and famous, and clear turquoise water for viewing sea animals.

With two ports in the Seychelles, I picked a snorkeling excursion for our first stop.  (This is the only time Nanine and I picked different shore excursions.)

For this port, we had to tender.  This meant our crew lowered several lifeboats, each seating 81 passengers, and shuttled us from the ship to the pier – and back again when we were ready to return “home.”  The winds had picked up a bit and the water was moving rapidly, so our ship had to reposition before the tender boats could do their job.  Finally, my excursion started.  We moved from the tender boat onto a large catamaran and headed out to Coco Island, one of the 115 islands in this archipelago.  The water was so rough, we moved to a sister island for snorkeling.

After being outfitted with snorkels, masks, fins, and, for those of us wanting them, life jackets, we scooted down the ladder into the temperate water.  I saw so many fish!  Black and white striped, yellow and black striped, little blue, rainbow, big blue, … lots and lots of fish.  (I so respect people who know the names of various fish – and birds, and plants, and flowers.  I’m not one of those!).  Plus, two manta rays! 

Sadly, I also saw dead coral.  Bleached white.  Looked like little twigs just lying on the ocean floor.  Global warming.

Boating around the island looking for a good place to snorkel

 

My camera and my phone are not water-proof, so I had someone take a photo of me once I was out of the water

 

After snorkeling, we went around Coco Island and its sister island on the way back to La Digue

 

Beautiful white sandy beach as seen from the catamaran

 

Little island in the big Indian Ocean

 

Our crew sang and danced for us as we motored back to shore

 

Where to next?  Before tendering back to the Norwegian Dawn, I took a bit of a walk on the island.  Hot and humid though it was!

 

Seychelles hosts a unique tortoise found only on these islands

 

A couple of beach views taken during my stroll

 

 

About twenty years ago, leaders in the UAE realized they could not rely solely on the finite reserve of oil for the source of their economic development.  They decided to venture into tourism, medical tourism, and construction, thinking that wealthy retirees and business-people might want to live full- or, perhaps, part-time in the UAE.  Leaders envisioned Abu Dhabi as the locale for families and Dubai as the place for wealthy entrepreneurs and celebrities.

Very quickly, buildings – including the tallest building in the world – sprang up in downtown Dubai, Palm Island, and the Marina District.  Our tour took us to New Dubai, with Faheem as our guide.  Faheem left Pakistan ten years ago when his family wanted him to marry his first cousin, a woman he felt was similar to a sister.  He left Pakistan, wrote his parents that he refused to marry his cousin (who later married his younger brother), and created a life for himself in Dubai.

Built in 1999, the Burj Al Arab is a luxury seven-star hotel

 

On Palm Island, a completely human-made island reclaimed with sea sand and rocks from the mountains of northern UAE, sits luxury villas – all with waterfront access – and several high class hotels.  This hotel, the Royal Atlantis, boasts over 90 swimming pools.

 
Dhow Cruise Creek in the Marinia District with newly built and currently being built skyscrapers

 

Community mosque in the Marina District

 

Opened in 2010, the 163 story tall Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world.  We did not plan ahead and book tickets to the top (about $200 each).  The line for the elevator, without the VIP tickets, was three hours long.

 

Another view of Burj Khalifa

 

Dubai Marina

 

Dubai Mall Waterfall, 24 meters tall, celebrates the history of pearl diving, important to the founding of Abu Dhabi and Dubai

 

Oops!  I forgot the name of this building!

 

Beautiful sunset in the port of Dubai

With two days in Dubai, we decided to explore Old Dubai on our first day and New Dubai on our second day.  Here are photos from our first day’s tour with the incomparable guide, Clyde.  He was quite diligent and careful while walking us around Dubai and keeping close tabs on us.  Such a sweetie!

While walking around, we met a man with two falcons – one on his arm and this one on a perch

 

A metal wall sculpture depicts a dagger – each emirate has its own shaped dagger

 

The old buildings have air pipes built in for cooling and are made of natural materials.  Only a few of the old buildings remain, and several of those have been revitalized and turned into museums and restaurants.

 

An alleyway

 

A minaret in the old part of the city

 

The souk

 

Built in 1787, this fort in Bur Dubai was once the monarch’s base, a fortified residence, a weapons arsenal and a prison, before being renovated during the reign of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum.

 

“Dubai Creek has been described as a natural saltwater creek, tidal inlet, and watercourse or waterway in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It extends about 9 miles inwards and forms a natural port that has traditionally been used for trade and transport.” (Source:  Wikipedia)

 

 

One of many community mosques, which the UAE builds and supports in communities throughout its seven emirates.