We docked an hour early at 11:00am in Fujairah, UAE under hot cloudless sky however the sand was blowing around making it look like a fog. The temperature hovered around the 100 degree mark that we’ve become accustomed to. There were many oil & natural gas tankers anchored off shore. This was a short stop of only 6 hours and we didn’t find an excursion that interested us so we took the shuttle bus into the LuLu Mall. This area is mountainous, dry and dusty. There were goats wandering in the streets and it looked like a small Central American town. There were only a few modern buildings. The mall was very small and took almost 15 minutes to see it all. I did find some Turkish coffee beans and Iranian saffron to take home with me. We had been told in advance that there wasn’t much here so we weren’t disappointed in what we saw.
The evening dress code was country club casual (CCC) and we sailed shortly after 6:00 under a night sky, heading for Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India. We’ll have two sea days on the way. We had dinner with Dodi Bacon, the Desktop Publisher, a friend from previous cruises, then attended the “Las Vegas” show in the theater and finally spent some time &money in the casino before retiring for the night.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
October 27, 2008 – Abu Dhabi, UAE
The clocks had been moved forward one hour so our 8:00am arrival in Abu Dhabi seemed early. With no shore excursion booked we waited until the inevitable rush was over and caught the 10:30 shuttle bus. We drove along the Corniche (waterfront promenade) with the skyscrapers on one side and the beautiful waterfront with clear water and white sand beaches on the other. There seems to be miles of pristine beaches all set up for recreation and swimming with shade umbrellas scattered everywhere. The skyscrapers are no different than in the past few ports. I wonder if the Sultanates, Kingdoms & Emirates all use the same architects and window glass suppliers. Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE and is using its oil money to become the cultural center of the Middle East. The city was extremely clean as was Muscat and all of these places are reportedly crime free. This city had a more diverse collection of women’s abayas (the long black robes which cover all except hands and heads.) Not as many had complete head & face cover as in Qatar and many had abayas embossed with crystal or silver & gold thread. Those without the face covered usually had designer sunglasses. A lot of the men wore white robes with white headgear.
The bus dropped us off at the Marina Mall, another beautifully designed mall with marble flooring throughout. Again, most of the stores were upscale and prices were comparable to the US. The grocery stores in all of the malls we visited the past few days have produce sections unmatched in America. Products are imported from all over. In the meat department they had lamb from at least 8 different countries. The only thing missing is wine & beer. It’s a sightseeing tour just to visit these grocery stores. About ½ kilometer from the mall, along the Corniche, is the Heritage Village which depicts pre oil Abu Dhabi. It includes a Bedouin camp complete with camel, Arabian horse & donkey, souk, handicraft making rooms and an excellent but small museum covering early Abu Dhabi history. One of the buildings had a pre air conditioning cooling tower which is a square tower (about 4 ft wide on each side) rising above the roof and extending down into the room below. Wet burlap or cloth sheets are hung on the sides and the air passing through is cooled by the moisture and naturally falls down the tower into the room. There is a noticeable temperature difference below the tower. We’ve seen these towers in all stops since Dubai.
We walked both ways between the mall and Village in the 100 degree heat and were glad to get back to the mall’s air conditioning. We found an Iranian restaurant and had excellent humus, soup and lamb for lunch. Before the meal was served we were given 2 pizza size pieces of pita type flat bread, olives, pickles and goat cheese. We were stuffed by the time we finished. The air was hazy as it has been in all the Middle East stops, making it hard to get really clear photographs.
Tonight was the Seven Seas Society cocktail party and the dress was informal. We were invited to the Doctor’s table and had a blast. There were only 3 couples (we’re friends with the other two) with the Doctor who is from Denmark. He has a wonderful sense of humor and we laughed the entire meal. We were the last to leave the restaurant and had missed most of the show so we went to the casino where Pat started giving away money to the dealer. I went to the “Liars Club” in Galileo and when I returned to the Casino, Pat had recouped her losses and made an additional $100.00. Overall it was a good evening.
The bus dropped us off at the Marina Mall, another beautifully designed mall with marble flooring throughout. Again, most of the stores were upscale and prices were comparable to the US. The grocery stores in all of the malls we visited the past few days have produce sections unmatched in America. Products are imported from all over. In the meat department they had lamb from at least 8 different countries. The only thing missing is wine & beer. It’s a sightseeing tour just to visit these grocery stores. About ½ kilometer from the mall, along the Corniche, is the Heritage Village which depicts pre oil Abu Dhabi. It includes a Bedouin camp complete with camel, Arabian horse & donkey, souk, handicraft making rooms and an excellent but small museum covering early Abu Dhabi history. One of the buildings had a pre air conditioning cooling tower which is a square tower (about 4 ft wide on each side) rising above the roof and extending down into the room below. Wet burlap or cloth sheets are hung on the sides and the air passing through is cooled by the moisture and naturally falls down the tower into the room. There is a noticeable temperature difference below the tower. We’ve seen these towers in all stops since Dubai.
We walked both ways between the mall and Village in the 100 degree heat and were glad to get back to the mall’s air conditioning. We found an Iranian restaurant and had excellent humus, soup and lamb for lunch. Before the meal was served we were given 2 pizza size pieces of pita type flat bread, olives, pickles and goat cheese. We were stuffed by the time we finished. The air was hazy as it has been in all the Middle East stops, making it hard to get really clear photographs.
Tonight was the Seven Seas Society cocktail party and the dress was informal. We were invited to the Doctor’s table and had a blast. There were only 3 couples (we’re friends with the other two) with the Doctor who is from Denmark. He has a wonderful sense of humor and we laughed the entire meal. We were the last to leave the restaurant and had missed most of the show so we went to the casino where Pat started giving away money to the dealer. I went to the “Liars Club” in Galileo and when I returned to the Casino, Pat had recouped her losses and made an additional $100.00. Overall it was a good evening.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
October 26, 2008 – Qatar
We docked in Doha, Qatar at 8:00 and waited 1½ hours for clearance. This port has been the most restrictive so far, expensive visas were required and it appeared that Qatar doesn’t really want tourists. This is Regent’s first stop here and may be its last. We had to carry passports and going through the immigration lines in the terminal took longer than it does in the US for foreigners. We weren’t interested in the few excursions offered so took the shuttle to the city. There is massive construction here just like the other cities we visited recently only Doha competes with Dubai in the amount of new buildings going up. In all of the cities we’ve visited the buildings take all shapes and forms; some twisting and some with sections jutting out is strange directions and seeming to defy gravity. There is a massive amount of green and blue widow glass throughout the Middle East.
We were dropped off at the city center mall and, with construction everywhere, we couldn’t walk away from there. Anyone taking a taxi somewhere had to return to the mall for the shuttle bus because taxis weren’t allowed in the port. Pat found a salon to get manicure, pedicure and haircut, all for $68.00 which is about the cost of a manicure only on the ship. I got to explore the mall and noticed that more women here wear the head covering with only eye slits or full veil that they can see through. It’s much like Saudi Arabia that way. As with our previous stops the mall was huge and modern with a lot of shops. There were mainly fast food restaurants and no alcohol available. We did have a tasty Lebanese lamb kabob before taking the bus back to the ship. There were a lot of complaints about the stop and the Captain is going to recommend to Regent that next year’s cruise bypass Qatar. Our team extended its winning streak at trivia (we’ve only lost 3 times since Athens.) The sun set at 5:00 so it was dark when we sailed for Abu Dhabi at 7:00. We had a nice dinner with a friend from previous cruises, skipped the show and donated some money to the casino’s coffers before retiring for the night.
We were dropped off at the city center mall and, with construction everywhere, we couldn’t walk away from there. Anyone taking a taxi somewhere had to return to the mall for the shuttle bus because taxis weren’t allowed in the port. Pat found a salon to get manicure, pedicure and haircut, all for $68.00 which is about the cost of a manicure only on the ship. I got to explore the mall and noticed that more women here wear the head covering with only eye slits or full veil that they can see through. It’s much like Saudi Arabia that way. As with our previous stops the mall was huge and modern with a lot of shops. There were mainly fast food restaurants and no alcohol available. We did have a tasty Lebanese lamb kabob before taking the bus back to the ship. There were a lot of complaints about the stop and the Captain is going to recommend to Regent that next year’s cruise bypass Qatar. Our team extended its winning streak at trivia (we’ve only lost 3 times since Athens.) The sun set at 5:00 so it was dark when we sailed for Abu Dhabi at 7:00. We had a nice dinner with a friend from previous cruises, skipped the show and donated some money to the casino’s coffers before retiring for the night.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
October 25, 2008 – Manama, Bahrain
We arrived at the dock in Manama at 9:00 and the ship was cleared by 10:00. We were greeted by musicians, men in Arabic robes dancing in a circle, a table serving Arabic coffee and sweets and 2 men with their falcons which we could hold and photograph. It was another hot, humid and hazy day and we opted to take the shuttle bus into the city to roam on our own. Unlike the Emirate cities, Manama has dirt & litter laying around, the busses were worn and the city isn’t as organized looking. There are a few modern skyscrapers like in Dubai, but the entire city’s worth of them would fit into 2 city blocks in Dubai. We were dropped off at the souk area which consisted of narrow streets lined with small shops. There were some gold and spice shops however the majority looked like Mexican border town stores selling Dollar Store seconds. It was rather underwhelming and we returned to the ship for lunch after walking around for an hour. I’m sure there would be much more of interest to see if we had more time.
This evening there was a special complimentary event for all guests. We were taken by bus for a 45 minute ride to the Formula I race track where we were on levels 4 & 5 of the VIP tower. That’s the tower for royals and dignitaries but We didn’t hob nob with any of them because we were the only ones there. It is a beautiful modern facility and we were greeted with wine, cocktails, and snacks. The rooms were circular with balconies surrounding them to give views of all areas of the track. After about 45 minutes of socializing and gawking we were treated to an exhibition race (not formula I cars) with 6 cars doing about 7 laps. It was at night so we couldn’t see the cars well but it was a fun experience anyway. We returned to the ship for a pool deck BBQ that was one of the best I’ve had on Regent (which says a lot because they are always spectacular.) There was everything from sushi & sashimi to salads to cold seafood bar to numerous grilled meats and on and on and on. It was a real treat. The band played during dinner and then picked up the pace with a couple of hours of dancing to the band and Regent singers. Cody, of course, got us all hopping. The LCT group boarding in Cape Town is really going to enjoy the new format.
This cruise segment is port intensive – a port each day for the first 6 days and then 2 sea days before Mumbai. Sorting and loading photos on the Shutterfly link takes time and will not keep up daily with this blog, but they’ll be there soon.
This evening there was a special complimentary event for all guests. We were taken by bus for a 45 minute ride to the Formula I race track where we were on levels 4 & 5 of the VIP tower. That’s the tower for royals and dignitaries but We didn’t hob nob with any of them because we were the only ones there. It is a beautiful modern facility and we were greeted with wine, cocktails, and snacks. The rooms were circular with balconies surrounding them to give views of all areas of the track. After about 45 minutes of socializing and gawking we were treated to an exhibition race (not formula I cars) with 6 cars doing about 7 laps. It was at night so we couldn’t see the cars well but it was a fun experience anyway. We returned to the ship for a pool deck BBQ that was one of the best I’ve had on Regent (which says a lot because they are always spectacular.) There was everything from sushi & sashimi to salads to cold seafood bar to numerous grilled meats and on and on and on. It was a real treat. The band played during dinner and then picked up the pace with a couple of hours of dancing to the band and Regent singers. Cody, of course, got us all hopping. The LCT group boarding in Cape Town is really going to enjoy the new format.
This cruise segment is port intensive – a port each day for the first 6 days and then 2 sea days before Mumbai. Sorting and loading photos on the Shutterfly link takes time and will not keep up daily with this blog, but they’ll be there soon.
October 24, 2008 – Dubai, UAE
It was another hot, sunny and hazy day in Dubai. The haze is a norm here due to humidity and sand rather than pollution. We joined some friends in the morning and took the shuttle bus to the Deira City Centre mall, a bit older than Mall of the Emirates but just as upscale and it only had 370 stores. Both of these malls are loaded with every imaginable type of shop and have a huge grocery/department store similar to a large Wal-Mart. We only bought some pistachio nuts and a couple of birthday cards and returned to the ship for lunch. Back at the harbor we saw in operation one of the dredges they use to reclaim land and it was spewing wet sand from the harbor floor to the land. Everyone had to be on board by 3:00 so we didn’t venture back to town. Lifejacket drill for new guests was at 4:15 and the Captain’s welcome cocktail party was at 6:30 on this first formal night of this segment.
Today was our friend Harry Hufford’s birthday and we and two other couples joined Harry & Jan for cocktails and dinner. The after dinner show was a jazz clarinetist and following the show we spent some time staying even in the casino. The ship sailed at 10:00pm for Bahrain.
Today was our friend Harry Hufford’s birthday and we and two other couples joined Harry & Jan for cocktails and dinner. The after dinner show was a jazz clarinetist and following the show we spent some time staying even in the casino. The ship sailed at 10:00pm for Bahrain.
Friday, October 24, 2008
October 23, 2008 – Dubai, UAE
Today 260 guests depart and 220 embark. In Dubai archaeologists have found evidence of settlements from the 3rd millennium BC, but modern Arabic settlement dates from 1832. Dubai’s oil will run out in approximately 15 years so the Sultan began an aggressive plan to create a modern tourist and financial center. Construction is rampant and everywhere with skyscrapers of modern, unique and innovative design are everywhere. Supposedly, one third of the world’s cranes are in Dubai. 80 percent of the population is expatriate and that includes all laborers and they cannot own property or become citizens.
We joined 2 other couples in a private van to explore the city. We started with the old city where there is an excellent museum in an old fort and the exhibits range from 3000 BC to present. The Creek, which looks more like a river runs through the city and in one section we saw hundreds of wood and steel boats tied up 3 deep and loading every imaginable type of cargo. These aren’t really ships because they hold 400 tons or less. They take the cargo, which is uninsured, to Africa, India, Iran and other Middle East destinations. The road system hasn’t kept pace with construction and traffic is a nightmare. A monorail “Metro” is under construction and slated to open on 9/09/2009. Waterfront property is in demand so they are reclaiming land to build on and there are 2 islands shaped like palm trees with drooping fronds and each frond has water on each side. An Atlantis hotel just like the one in Nassau is on one of the palm islands. Under construction is the world’s tallest building with an even taller one to begin soon. After touring around 4 ½ hours 4 of us opted to be dropped off at the Mall of the Emirates. The mall is modern, has over 420 stores, an indoor snow ski slope and is filled with top European and American brands. English is spoken everywhere and clothing sizes are shown in US, EU and Arabic. Prices are comparable to the US. We took a taxi back to the ship and planned to meet for dinner and go back to town to the gold souk afterwards but decided we were too tired for the souk. A couple who just joined the ship had also been on the Antarctica cruise with us in February so we joined them for dinner and stayed on the ship.
We joined 2 other couples in a private van to explore the city. We started with the old city where there is an excellent museum in an old fort and the exhibits range from 3000 BC to present. The Creek, which looks more like a river runs through the city and in one section we saw hundreds of wood and steel boats tied up 3 deep and loading every imaginable type of cargo. These aren’t really ships because they hold 400 tons or less. They take the cargo, which is uninsured, to Africa, India, Iran and other Middle East destinations. The road system hasn’t kept pace with construction and traffic is a nightmare. A monorail “Metro” is under construction and slated to open on 9/09/2009. Waterfront property is in demand so they are reclaiming land to build on and there are 2 islands shaped like palm trees with drooping fronds and each frond has water on each side. An Atlantis hotel just like the one in Nassau is on one of the palm islands. Under construction is the world’s tallest building with an even taller one to begin soon. After touring around 4 ½ hours 4 of us opted to be dropped off at the Mall of the Emirates. The mall is modern, has over 420 stores, an indoor snow ski slope and is filled with top European and American brands. English is spoken everywhere and clothing sizes are shown in US, EU and Arabic. Prices are comparable to the US. We took a taxi back to the ship and planned to meet for dinner and go back to town to the gold souk afterwards but decided we were too tired for the souk. A couple who just joined the ship had also been on the Antarctica cruise with us in February so we joined them for dinner and stayed on the ship.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
October 22, 2008 – Dubai, UAE
It was hot and hazy as we sailed in to Dubai’s harbor where we docked behind the Silver Whisper at noon and, by 2:00, the ship was cleared for guests to go ashore. We left at 3:30 for a “Dune Dinner Safari” in 4 wheel drive vehicles. We had a 45 minute drive through the commercial part of the city to the sand dunes. We climbed the first hill to stop for a drink of water or soda while the drivers deflated the tires to 15 psi to get better traction in the sand. Off we went for a wild ride up, down and around the dunes, sometimes wondering if the vehicle would flip on its side. Many of the dune hills are high and steep and we traveled at breakneck speeds, sliding from side to side. Paul Simon’s song “Slip Sliding Away” came to mind. We made a stop in the middle of nowhere at a spot with oriental rugs on the sand and were served champagne, strawberries and roasted nuts. It was windy with fine grained sand blowing everywhere, including into our champagne glasses, so we dubbed the concoction “sandpagne.” We got back in the cars and continued our wild ride, seeing camels & gazelles in the wild.
At dusk we came to our “oasis” in the desert. It was a fabric walled, open roof compound with dinner tables set on oriental rugs in the center and open tents around the edges with activities. We could sample Arabic coffee, get a henna tattoo, put on Arabic dress for photographs, smoke a water pipe and enjoy beer, wine and humus. Just outside we could ride a camel or sand board. The meal was excellent with grilled lamb, lamb chops, chicken, steak and a lot more. It was a real Regent style meal with unlimited wine. After dinner Pat & I tried our luck at sand boarding on the lighted slope. It was a standard snow board, but we didn’t strap in, just put our feet against the foot holders. On sand you only go straight down and, if you fall, it’s a soft dry landing. A belly dancer put on an energetic show for us before we got in our cars for the return. Once we made it to level ground we stopped for the drivers to pump up the tires. We got back to the ship around 10:00, showered the sand off ourselves and went to sleep.
At dusk we came to our “oasis” in the desert. It was a fabric walled, open roof compound with dinner tables set on oriental rugs in the center and open tents around the edges with activities. We could sample Arabic coffee, get a henna tattoo, put on Arabic dress for photographs, smoke a water pipe and enjoy beer, wine and humus. Just outside we could ride a camel or sand board. The meal was excellent with grilled lamb, lamb chops, chicken, steak and a lot more. It was a real Regent style meal with unlimited wine. After dinner Pat & I tried our luck at sand boarding on the lighted slope. It was a standard snow board, but we didn’t strap in, just put our feet against the foot holders. On sand you only go straight down and, if you fall, it’s a soft dry landing. A belly dancer put on an energetic show for us before we got in our cars for the return. Once we made it to level ground we stopped for the drivers to pump up the tires. We got back to the ship around 10:00, showered the sand off ourselves and went to sleep.
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