Since leaving Mumbai the ship has been on pirate watch.  This will continue until we get into the Red Sea in 7 days.  At night all of the ship’s outside lights are turned off and all the curtains are drawn.  We’ll also be traveling at a high rate of speed until then.  In 2017 they put razor wire on the railings but not this time. 

We arrived in Muscat around 7:00 am and began our our excursion at 8:00 am which was called “Forts of Nizwa” with a duration of 8-1/2 hours.  

We boarded our bus and began an approximately 2 hour trip to the city of Nizwa.

Our guide today was Yusef and he wore the traditional men’s dress called the dishdasha and a muzzar (turban) on his head.  He was a great guide as he as able to balance the history of the country with stories of life in Oman.

We had two stops in the city of Nizwa: the Souq (marketplace) and Nizwa Fort.  The city is strategically located at the crossroads of trade routes linking the interior with the capital of Oman, Muscat, and the lower reaches of the Dhofar Governorate.  Historically Dhofar was the major source for frankincense, and, some believe it to be the location of the land of “Bountiful” as described in the Book Of Mormon.

The Nizwa Souq is a conglomeration of buildings of many different types of souqs.  First we visited the Date Souq.  Yusef told us that there were over 80 varieties of dates.  There were at least 20 different varieties for sale today and we were allowed to sample/buy as many as we liked.  We tried 4 or 5 varieties and found them very sweet and delicious. We bought a few to take back to the ship for our table mates.

Next door was the Goat Souq.  On weekends,  locals bring their goats for sale.  They tie them to the stakes and then make a deal for their sale at the “dealership” stand next door. There is also a Cattle Souq but we didn’t see that one.

Across the road was the Candy/Sweets Souq.  The candy is made by heating the various ingredients in a copper vat until it reaches a very thick consistency.  Slivered almonds and pistachios are added and the mixture is allowed to cool.  There are many different varieties.  We tried two of them and like the dates they were very sweet and delicious.

There were additional Souqs for fish and vegetables amongst others but we didn’t have a chance to see those either.

When we left the buildings we found ourselves in a small tree shaded area.  Posted on a wall was the notice “Tourist Rest Area”.  I guess they don’t know how strong we are when we go shopping!

Across the street was a open air bazaar featuring pottery and other souvenir items.  Yusef gave us 30 minutes for additional shopping.  Ron was able to buy a large package of saffron for $3.00!

A short walking distance behind the bazaar was our next stop, Nizwa Fort. The fort was built around 1650 and took about 12 years to complete.  It also sits upon an underground stream as it’s water supply.

The main structure is the huge tower standing 90 ft tall.  Amazingly it’s foundation is also 90 ft deep.  At one time the top contained 24 canons of which only 4 remain today.  There also many false doors and stairwells to deceive would be attackers and raiders.

When we first entered the fort we were privileged to see a group of robed men performing traditional dances.  If you look closely, you can see the traditional daggers in their belts.

We spent an hour wandering around looking at the various rooms before we had to move on.

We re-boarded the bus and went to a luncheon at a local hotel.  The food was great but not unusual.  However we did have a typical Arabic dessert called “Ummali” which is their version of bread pudding.  Very tasty!

After lunch we re-boarded the bus for a journey to the “Bahla Fort”.  This was a photo stop only.  The fort is the oldest in Oman and was built sometime between the 12th and 15th centuries.  It was built of bricks made of mud and straw and as such has deteriorated badly overtime due to neglect.  Restoration projects have begun but there is still a lot to do.  What we found fascinating was the crumbling buildings that are adjacent to the fort.  These were part of the town built around the fort to house soldiers families, workers, tradesmen and their shops. There are no restoration plans at this time for this portion of the building.

Our next stop was 1/2 hour away at Jabreen Castle.  While the castle may look like a fort it truly is a castle used as a residence.  It was built by Imam Bil’arab bin Sultan, who ruled from 1679 to 1692 and who was buried onsite.  As Oman is an Islamic country, graves are simple, because outwardly lavish displays are discouraged in Islam.

Unlike the forts, the interior is highly decorated and contains many rooms not found in a typical fort such as a library.  On a lower floor are the food storerooms.  The room shown below was used to store dates.  When full, the dates released some of their oils that was captured in a jar sunk into the floor.  The oil was used to light lamps or for cooking.

One of the castle’s best features was the central ventilation shaft.  This allowed cool air to circulate throughout the building.  Besides being practical, It was very beautifully designed.

After 45 minutes we left the castle for our final stop, Falaj Al-Khatmeer, an ancient irrigation system at a nearby oasis.  What Yusef explained is that this was the method used even today to divide the water resources from a spring within the community.  Notice the three channels.  Two of these are diverted into tanks for community use, while the other is for commercial use.

It was time to head back to the ship.  The trip took several hours and we arrived about twenty minutes late.  They literally pulled up the gangway as we entered.  Within five minutes the ship was underway to our next port of Al’Aqabah, Jordan.

Our four hour tour today is called “Mumbai’s Religious Beats” aka “The Temple Tour”.

India is a very religious country and today’s tour gave us a quick glimpse of three places of Hindu worship.

The first temple we visited was the Babulnath Temple dedicated to the god Shiva.    He is one of the three major Hindu deities: Brahma, the Creator, Vishnu, the Protector/Preserver, and, Shiva, the Destroyer.   His role is to aid a worshipper to rid themselves of their “demons” which prevents them from leading a better way of life.

Shiva in the form of the Lord of the Babul tree is worshipped here.  

To reach the temple you may either climb a series of stairways or take an elevator.

In all three temples we were asked to remove our shoes.  However at this temple we had to remove our socks as well.  No photography was allow inside (pictures for this and the third temple are available on the Internet).

The second Temple was the Radhagopinath Temple and Krishna study center dedicated to the Lord Krishna.  Just outside the shrine was a room in which about a dozen women worked to make the flower garlands used to decorate the images each day.

Our last stop was the Mahalakshmi Temple dedicated to the goddesses Mahalakshmi, Saraswati, and, Kali.  For most worshippers the goddess Mahalakshmi is the most important because she is the bringer of wealth.  

Along the street on the way to the temple entrance were a lot of flower vendors selling offerings.  There also vendors creating boxes of candy to be used as offerings.

At this third temple, men and women entered the temple and shrine area separately.  After exiting the shrine they rejoined.  As we walked past the back of the shrine we saw worshippers pushing coins against the wall hoping for additional blessings from Mahalakshmi. Again, no photography.

As we walked back to the bus we passed this food stand making “dosa”.  They look like a stuffed crepe.  They smelled so good that Paul and I thought about ditching the rest of the tour to stay here and eat!  Too bad, we didn’t.

On our way to the last stop we saw one of the famous dabbawalas or “tiffin wallahs”.  Housewives all over the city prepare lunches in the morning and place them in the metal “tiffins”.  They are picked up at home by a dabbawala and through an intricate distribution system, delivered to their husband’s office in time for lunch, without paperwork!  Like the laundry service, they are notorious for their accuracy.

We had one more stop on the tour and it was Mahatma Gandhi’s home.  Same stop as on yesterday’s tour.  If you think about it, this home could qualify as a fourth temple.

We leave India tonight and arrive in Muscat, Oman, in a couple of days.

Mumbai sits on a large natural bay and is India’s largest and most important import/export harbor.  It is a huge city with over 18 million inhabitants which is over 4 times the population of Los Angeles while being half the size so the population density is very high.

Our four hour tour today is called “Marvels of Mumbai”.

Our first stop on the tour was the “Gateway To India”.  This stone arch was built to commemorate the landing of British King George V and Queen Mary in 1911.  After India’s independence, the last British troops passed through the Gateway on their way out in a ceremony on February 28, 1948, signalling the end of British rule.  Nearby was the beautiful Taj Mahal Hotel.  We had visited this site on the 2017 cruise so we didn’t take many pictures.

Next we made a photo stop at Victoria Terminus railway station (now called Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus railway station).  This was built during Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee year and is still used as a railway station today.  Over 500,000 people pass through it every day.  With the renaming of the station, Victoria’s statue was removed because,  as our guide said, “she is no longer worshipped here”.

Our next stop was at the world famous laundry “Dhobi Ghat”.   Clothes are collected from all over the city and brought here for washing.  The tanks are filled with water and soap and the clothes are slapped/beaten against the stone.  The tank is emptied and clean water is used to rinse the clothes.  They are hung outside to dry.  The clothes are collected, ironed if needed, folded and returned to their owners.  While it may look like chaos, the process is so effective only a handful of mistakes out several hundreds of thousands deliveries have been made.  There are several of these sites throughout the city.  Today most of their business comes from commercial sources e.g. hotels and hospitals, as many private customers have their own washing machines.

Our final stop was at a home called “Mani Bhavan”.  Mahatma Gandhi lived here from 1917-1934.

The ground floor is a library.  Along the walls in the library are framed quotations from Gandhi.  The upper quote written in English with the same quote repeated at the bottom written in Hindi. 

The first floor is a display of photos, correspondence, and writings by him or about him.  The tribute by Albert Einstein is particularly moving.

The second floor contains his bedroom and dioramas of significant events in his life.  

The bedroom has been kept as it was when he lived and worked here; just a bed and a few personal items.  The room was touching in its simplicity.

At first glance each of the dioramas contain what appears to be dolls posed for the event.  However on a closer look you see that these are not dolls but sculptures that look like the people they are meant to portray.  These two dioramas show his assassination and cremation.

It was from this building that his “Nonviolent Civil Resistance” and “Non-cooperation” moments began.

We returned to the ship shortly thereafter.

Later that night a local dance group,  Sumeet Nagdev Dance Arts, came on board and presented a show about the famous Indian General, Baji Rao. The show was a mix of both classical and “Bollywood” dance styles and was entertaining and effective.

During each Grand World Voyage, money is raised for a charitable organization at one of the ports of call.  This year Vision Rescue in Mumbai was chosen.  These people work with children in the slum communities bringing them nutritious meals and teaching preschool and school in a converted bus/classroom. Schoolrooms are also established in the communities.

The idea is to empower children and help them discover options that are open to them through education and expanding their outlook beyond the slum community.

My watercolor class donated completed artworks and raised $2,100!  There were also donations by the arts and craft classes, the ladies who knit and crochet in “hooker’s corner”, as well as contributions from the various departments around the ship.  The entire auction earned $11,538.  $1,430 was raised by individual donations and $3,550 was earned at a live poolside splash auction where various high-profile officers and staff from the ship were drenched by huge water balloons.  The grand total donation to Vision Rescue was $16,518… a record amount that will significantly support this organization.

Paul was very pleased that his art projects significantly contributed to this very worthy effort. 

Some of the other items in the silent auction included cooking classes, dance lessons, tours of the bridge and engine rooms, a set of navigational charts used on the voyage, a concert by two of the musicians, spa treatments, and dinners with various crew members.  The entire effort was a lot of fun and supported a worthwhile cause.

Once we left Sri Lanka it was a very leisurely ride to Cochin.  In fact it was so leisurely that we could have arrived around 8 pm yesterday.  However it would’ve cost the ship $45,000 extra to arrive early!  The Captain chose to reduce speed so that we’d arrive at our regularly scheduled time.

We docked at the cruise ship terminal on Willingdon Island.  Turns out that this Island was completely manmade.  Our excursion started at 10:00 am but due to Immigration & Customs face-to-face clearance, we had to start our clearance process at 9:00 to be on-time.

Our tour today was “Kathakali Dance Performance”.

Once we cleared Immigration, we boarded a bus for a short ride to the theater.  Along the way we noticed a large number of Christian churches and cemeteries.  Our guide explained that this part of India is primarily Catholic! So we didn’t see the large ornate Hindu temples that are usual for India.

However when we arrived at the theater we walked down a covered hallway with Hindu gods and goddesses lining the walls to the theater entrance.  At the end of the hallway was a shrine to the goddess Shiva.

Kathakali (“story dance”) is a major Indian dance form in this region and is known to be over 500 years old (many believe its root are much older).  It is known for its makeup, costumes, dance, and elaborate hand and facial gestures.  The actors speak a “sign language” on stage where dialog is expressed by those facial and hand gestures accompanied by a drummer and chanting narrator.  

When we arrived one of the actors was sitting on stage applying his makeup.  Each color he applies displays a specific personality trait about his character.  The result is amazing.  When he was done he left the stage and a new actor entered the stage.

This actor portrayed a woman but we weren’t sure if it was a woman as it is traditional for men to play all the parts.  This actor’s job was to demonstrate the 9 major facial expressions/emotions called “Navarasas”.  Love, fear, and disgust were some of the emotions and watching the actor’s fave and eyes helped us understand the action of the story.  The actor also demonstrated the 24 hand gestures called “Mudras” which accompany the facial expressions.  When this demonstration was completed, the play/dance began.

The play/dances are based on stories from the two main Hindu texts: Ramayana or the Mahabharata.   Today’s tale was taken from the Mahabharata.  Having just learned about the hand and facial gestures, it was exciting to see them actually used. Today’s show was about 30 minutes however these performances lasted days many years ago.

At the theater exit there was a small perfume shop.  Besides perfumes they also sold these vividly colored chalk dusts.  These are used to decorate homes during religious festivals.

We re-boarded our bus for the return to the ship and the most dangerous of all portions of the excursions, running the gauntlet of vendors at the port!  Today there were 17 of them.  For the most part, they all sell the exact same thing.  It becomes a game to see who can get the best price for your purchases.  It’s a topic of conversation at the dinner table that night.

We left the port on our way to Mumbai around 6:00 pm. As we left we had one more site to see and that was the “Chinese Fishing Nets”.  The nets are over 30 ft tall.  They are attached to the wharf and lowered into the water.  After a certain period of time, the nets are raised via a cantilever system and the catch is dumped into baskets and sent off to the local fish market.  You can see there were a lot of them in this area.