Dubai, United Arab Emirates

I have been looking forward to this port for quite a while! It is definitely one of the highlights of the world voyage as far as I'm concerned. I got off the ship around 8am with Jane and Ed, we had booked ourselves in advance on the "At the Top" experience - taking an elevator to the observation deck of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. We just barely managed to book our slots before they sold out, about a week in advance. It was a magnificent view of the city from the top.

After the Burj Khalifa, we explored a few of the sights - the Dubai Mall with its huge aquarium and impressive atrium waterfalls, the Palm with the Atlantic Resort at the end of it (an entirely manmade formation of beachfront property in the shape of a palm tree on the ocean - amazing!), the Burj al Arab hotel, and the Mall of the Emirates, with its indoor ski slope and winter wonderland. We took taxis everywhere this time, and split the fare, it was pretty reasonable. Our goal was to see as much as possible - pretty difficult to accomplish in a few hours.

Stepping off the ship in Dubai is like stepping into the future. Everything is so modern, clean, glitzy, open, civilized. I was really impressed. Every store and restaurant we know in the states can be found there, plus all the best of Asia, Europe, and the world, really. Having been there I would now feel really comfortable living and working there as so many musicians so in the many fancy hotels. It was hot though. Hot and the dryest I've experienced since Australia a couple months ago. But what a place!!
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Mumbai, India

My second port in India, I discovered that the city of Mumbai is actually an island, something I didn't know before. Predictably, I took another highlights tour to get an idea of the city. We went up to the Hanging Gardens, which overlooks the city, and it basically a big park that has been landscaped on top of a roof. We got to tour Ghandi's house, where he stayed in Mumbai for quite a number of years. There is a memorial to him there now. I really enjoyed that visit. We got to see some other landmarks like the Gateway to India, and visted a temple dedicated to Krishna. I met a young monk who is actually originally from Canada, I wonder how he came to be there. He must have quite a story.

We visited a museum, the most interesting thing to me was a huge stone elephant that was salvaged from some ancient caves in India. It ended up at the museum because the British had at one point attempted to take it back to England with them (when you see the size and weight you realize how ludicrous and arrogant this seems), and the crane broke and dropped it to the ground. The broken pieces were left in India, but later reassembled. It was neat to see.

After my tour I met up with Yuri, and we went back into Mumbai, haggling with several cab drivers before finding one who wouldn't rip us off. We went to a very nice restaurant called Khyber, where we met up with an old friend, Chiara. She was the harpist here last year, and she is now doing very very well for herself playing for weddings in Mumbai. We caught up with her over lunch - she makes more in a month playing for 2 or 3 gigs than she did here on the ship working every day. Of course we are all jealous....a gig on land is the stuff of dreams for cruise ship musicians. :-) after lunch we walked around and shopped on our own, soaking up the sights and sounds of India. After days of admiring the women in their Saris, I decided to buy one. It is beautiful! If only I can figure out how to put it on....the ladies in the shop made it look so easy!

India is full of very rich and very poor, and the poverty is hard to see. Just knowing the sheer amount of people who are below the poverty line is daunting. I know just spending my money there helps a little, but so much more is needed to raise the standards of living for so many people. Yet it is such a vibrant, exciting places. The colors and smells of spices and amazing food (vegetable cashew cream curry and fresh warm naan bread!!) Are incredible. I would love to come here again.
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