Alissa and China

Hey Everyone,

Well I have left China and am about to be in Japan. I think it is time for you to here about all the great things I did during my six days in China. For the first day in China, I had no plans so Alex, Joanne, Kevin, the academic dean Mike, and I walked around Kowloon and Hong Kong. Kowloon is across a short waterway from Hong Kong and it is where the ship docked. It was very interesting because in order to enter the port from the ship, we had to walk through a massive mall. It seems like a great way to attract shoppers. We walked around for an hour or two on the Kowloon side because Alex was trying to find a camera for hopefully a cheaper price. Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful and will have to wait until he is back in the U.S. to buy a camera. After these couple of hours, we took the Star Ferry over to Hong Kong Island. The first thing we did over their was pick up our airline tickets for Beijing and then we went to lunch. For lunch, we tried to find a good dim sum restaurant for us to try. As we walked down the street we saw a restaurant sign for the second or third floor of this building, but the sign was not lit up. We were first a little scared to go up to see what it was, but once we got there, it was full of locals and the food looked amazing. We then ordered several dishes, which were all delicious. I had some corn chicken soup, a crispy noodle dish with vegetables, as well as some interesting vegetable spring rolls that had a very interesting outer consistency. It was all great and I was so full by the time I left. After lunch, we walked around Hong Kong through some of the local food markets and shops, and then we returned to the ship via the Star Ferry. That night after dinner on the ship, we went back out into Kowloon to see where we would be able to get taxis the next morning and then we watched the city light show. Every night in Hong Kong there is a light show along the waterfront, so as we sat on the Kowloon side we were able to enjoy the amazing lights with the music. It was so much fun! Well later that night, back on the ship, a few of us had a little celebration for Sheryl’s 21st birthday, which was going to be the next day. We enjoyed cookies and sang her happy birthday. It was very nice and I think she appreciated it. Well this ended the night since we all had an early next morning.

The next morning I woke up at about 5:30 to get ready to go to the airport to go to Beijing. On arrival at the airport we were informed that our plane was 2 ½ hours delayed and would be leaving at 11:00 instead of 8:30. Once we checked in and went through security, we had some breakfast. I had Burger King, which was very good since I haven’t had it in a very long time. As we were eating breakfast we realized that throughout the airport there was free internet. It was amazing and I got to check all my mail and even talk on AIM for about 2 hours. It was so much fun since I haven’t really been able to just be on the internet with no restrictions since I left home. Well after all the fun on the internet it was finally time to catch the plane for our 3 ½ hour flight to Beijing. On the flight, I did some homework and relaxed. We were even served food, which included a chicken dish with rice, and then for dessert we got an individual cup of Hagen Daas chocolate ice cream. The food was so good and it is nice actually being served food on flights since it is no longer customary in the U.S.. On the plane, we also had to fill out customs forms as well as a health form. In China if you have any symptoms of being sick, they will quarantine you and you will not be allowed into the country. Once we landed, we had to turn in these forms and walk through a thermometer, which monitored our body temperature to make sure we didn’t have a temperature. It was very strange. At the airport, there was a driver waiting to pick us up to take us to the home of the family where we would be staying. As we were driving, there was tons of pollen in the air because all of the cotton wood trees were in bloom. It almost looked as if it were snowing. On arrival at the home, we noticed a massive sign in front of the home that welcomed us all there. This sign was probably ten or fifteen feet in length. It was very funny and we later found out that when the measurements were being given for what the sign was supposed to be it was accidentally given in centimeters instead of millimeters. As you can see this could pose a big problem. Anyways it was fun being welcomed in such a huge way. As we entered the home, we were given chips and salsa, which we haven’t had in a long time and we quickly scarfed them down. After talking for a little while at the home, Chris took us to the school where he and Linda work in Beijing. The school is for all international students and it is for grades K through 12. The school was absolutely gorgeous and had so many amenities. For example, the school had recently spent a million dollars on the playground. As you can imagine it would be amazing. Supposedly, the same guy who painted and worked on the temple of heaven worked on designing this playground. Well after this tour of the school, we went to a local bar, where the teachers from the school go, for a few drinks. We then continued to a Chinese restaurant that had very good food. It is interesting at all the restaurants there is such a variety of foods that are all different, but all good. After dinner, we returned to the house and then Chris, Alex and I were shown to the apartment where we were going to stay at. Chris and Linda said that the apartment was small, so I was expecting a room with beds laid out for us, but when we got their it was a full apartment with two bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, and living room. It was very nice. Chris and Linda even provided snacks for us in the apartment. That night we watched a little t.v., went on the internet again because we connected to someone’s wireless, and then went to sleep.

The next morning we awoke to go to the Great Wall. On the way to the wall, we stopped at a little restaurant run by the school and had some hot chocolate and other drinks. We then continued the last little bit to the wall. At the wall, we took a cable car up and then walked down a good section of it. The wall is absolutely amazing. It is huge and goes for miles and miles. Supposedly, it is 4000 miles in total length. Either way you look when you are on it you can just see it keep going along the mountainside. After walking along the wall for a little while, we approached the part of the wall where we would descend. One of the ways to go down the wall is on a toboggan, which was small individual sled like things, where you sit on it and then go down a long windy slide. It was so much fun! I think I was kind of going slow though because I couldn’t see anyone in front of me and there were like five or six people lined up behind me. Oh well, I didn’t feel like tipping over and falling down the mountainside. I enjoyed myself at the slower pace. After enjoying the wall for a couple hours, we returned to the Schoolhouse restaurant to have lunch. For lunch, I had an amazing cheeseburger with mushrooms and fries. It was so good because it had been a while since I had had a burger. After lunch, we stopped at a furniture store that had beautiful antiques, but it was all overpriced. We then went to the market to get some groceries. At the market, a video store was also attached. At the store, they had the movie Because I Said So, which I had really wanted to see, but it came out after I left home. I have yet to watch it, but I hope the DVD works well. That night we went back to the house to have dinner, which consisted of barbecue chicken, and some Chinese dishes that their chef had cooked for them. The barbecue chicken was so delicious! Later that night, we all walked to the next compound over to get foot rubs, which consisted of a massage of our necks, backs, feet, and legs. It was so relaxing and for an hour, it only cost like $8. After the foot rubs, we walked back to the compound and we went to our apartment. At the apartment, we watched American Idol, which was very strange. We got to watch the result show, and it was apparent that it was an up to date show. Well after American Idol, I went to sleep to be prepared for the next day.

The next morning we awoke and our first stop of the day was to Tiananmen Square, which was the site of a brutal massacre not too long ago. At the square, we saw a huge sign that has a countdown for the Beijing Olympics. One interesting thing about the Chinese that was noticed at the square, is that instead of diapers for little kids, they instead have slits in their pants so that they can just squat to go to the bathroom. Everywhere you go, you see the little butts of the kids hanging out. At one point even, someone handed their baby over to Alex and from a distance I could see him holding the baby and the little butt sticking out on his arm. It was very funny. Once we left the square, we walked across the street to the Forbidden City. At the city, we got an audio guide that explained each section and building of the city as we walked through it. The only bad thing about the city is that a lot of it was under construction, but we could still see how amazing it was. In the city, there was even a Starbucks, which seemed very strange and out of place, since this city is so old and has great importance. After we walked through the city, we walked to a park and then were picked up by our driver to go to lunch at a local Vietnamese restaurant. The food there was delicious, and after we were satisfied, we went out to catch a tour through a small town, that shows how many people used to live and still live in in China. We first got to visit a local home and talked with some locals in their home. We learned a little about the Chinese culture from this family. As we left the home, as we were walking through the alley of homes there was a movie being filmed. After we passed this we continued to a park where we went into a teahouse and learned about some teas, how to drink them, and then tasted them as well. After we left this park, we finished our ride around the town and then went back to our driver. We then went to a hotel to meet up with Chris, since he had to work all day. At the hotel, we enjoyed some snacks, before we left for an acrobat performance. The acrobat performance was amazing and so entertaining. The things and ways these acrobats could use their bodies was incredible. They could bend into the most unnatural positions. It was difficult to watch without cringing and feeling pain in your body. We bought a DVD there so if you want to see what I am talking about I can show you when I return. After the performance, we went to a restaurant to have dinner, with the specialty of the night Peking Duck. Of course, I did not try it, but all the other food was delicious. It was funny, at the restaurant we were given our own private room and there was even a bathroom attached to the room. Well after dinner, we returned to the house and went to sleep.

The next day was all about shopping. We first went to the Dirt Market for about two hours. There were tons of aisles of Chinese arts and stuff to buy. After this market, we went to lunch at a local noodle restaurant. This place was absolutely packed with locals, and the food was great. After lunch, we went to the Temple of Heaven, which was beautiful. At the temple, there was a park around it that was gorgeous. An interesting thing at this temple is an echo wall. If you stand on what side and say something, it will echo to another person on the other side. Unfortunately, we were unable to try this out because there were too many people at the temple. As we were leaving the temple, a bunch of teenagers came up to us and asked to take a picture with us. It was great to see how they were so interested in us. After visiting the temple, we went to the Pearl Market, which was a huge shopping area. After this, we went to another shopping place that had a lot of clothes. It was called the silk market. By the end of all this I was shopped out, and we went back to the house. That night we ordered pizza for dinner, and Kelly and I made brownies for dessert. It was so much fun baking for the first time since I left. That night I worked on a little homework, relaxed and then went to sleep.

The next morning began very early because our flight to Qindao left at 7:55 am. The flight was only about an hour and when we arrived in Qindao, we took a cab to the port. We then had to walk about 10 minutes to where the ship was docked, and then put all of our stuff in our cabins. After this, Alex and I ate lunch on the ship and then we took a cab to the shopping part of Qindao. All we wanted to do was get some groceries so we went into a Walmart Supercenter, which was so much different then a Walmart at home. It was two stories, and had a whole produce and food section. Anyways after getting groceries, we returned to the ship because we both had papers to write, so this was the end of our stay in China.

Once again, this has been a long entry, but 6 days is a long time, when you are trying to see all a country has to offer.

I love and miss you all! One more big port to go!
Alissa

Alissa in Vietnam

Hey Everyone,

Well I have finally arrived in Vietnam. For the first day in port, I woke up at 6:45 in order to see us pull in. In order to get to Ho Chi Minh City we had to go through a river for about an hour and a half. The river was very pretty and we got to see a lot of greenery and the rural part of Vietnam. It was strange going in through this river because it was kind of small and there were a lot of other boats in it as well, including larger cargo ships. Once we finally arrived at the port, we were greeted with a “Semester at Sea Welcome to Vietnam” sign held by some Vietnamese women in their traditional clothing. There were also several parents standing on the dock because this is where the parent trip met up with us. It is very strange seeing all the parents around. After the ship had pulled in and was cleared with customs, I was off for a city orientation. The first stop on the orientation was a Chinese temple. From reading my other blog entries you can tell I have been to many of them. This one was very similar and there were incense burning everywhere. The Chinese are obviously into burning incense because it has been very strong in every temple I have been in. After the temple, we stopped at a factory that makes and sells beautiful works of art. Some of them were even made out of eggshells. It was very cool, but very overpriced. After the factory, we went and ate lunch at a traditional Vietnamese restaurant. I chose to be vegetarian so that I wouldn’t have to eat fish again. I think this is how I am going to order in the rest of the countries. At lunch, it was very interesting because we were given a tiny plate and a tiny bowl and that was all that we could use to eat off of. Also, there were no serving utensils in any of the dishes that were brought to the table. Luckily, we came up with a system so that we wouldn’t put a used utensil into any of the dishes. Once we were satisfied and no longer hungry, we continued our city orientation to the history museum. At the museum, we learned all about Vietnam and then we watched a water puppet show. I find it amazing that there are so many different types of puppet shows around the world. I even filmed a little bit of the show if anyone would like to see it when I get back. After the museum, we then went to the Presidential Palace, which is where the President used to live when Vietnam was split into two, the north and the south. One story that the tour guide told us was that the main staircase of the building had been bombed during the Vietnam war. It was strange to stand right next to the staircase and imagine that about 30 or so years ago a bomb had landed in that spot. In the palace, we were also able to go underground where the president would hide out and work from during the war. Once we had finished touring the palace, we went to the Notre Dame Cathedral to take pictures and then took the bus a little further to see City Hall. At City Hall there was a demonstration going on so we had to be very careful when taking pictures, because we could not take any of the demonstration. After viewing City Hall, the guide showed us where some tailors were and then we got back on the bus to go back to the ship. When I got back to the ship, I grabbed a quick dinner and then went back out to a tailor to get fitted for a suit. After getting fitted, Alex, Chris, Jay, a new guy Mark, and I went to the night market to walk around. I didn’t buy anything this night because I wanted to wait until I had more money. Anyways after an hour or two of walking around, we took a taxi back to the ship, then relaxed and went to sleep.

The next day I got to sleep in, which was the only day I could during my whole stay in Vietnam. I awoke at 11:00, and then got ready for the day. Sheryl and I wanted to just shop the entire day so we took the shuttle bus from the ship to the Ben Thanh Market, which is full of pretty much everything. The market was absolutely packed and you never truly had any idea where you were in the market. After walking around for a little while, we had bought some stuff that was heavy so we decided to head back to the bus to go to the ship instead of carrying it around all day. We then went back to the ship to relax for a little bit before having dinner and then going back out to the market that night. We had met up with Jay, a girl named Erin, and then we went to walk around the night market for a little while. I bought some more stuff and then went back to the ship. On the ship, we relaxed and watched “Crash” until we went to sleep.

The next morning started out very early because Sheryl and I had a service visit to a school for the blind, which met at 7:30am. For this school visit, we first met with the principal who showed us around the school, into many of the classrooms. When we entered the younger kids’ classrooms, they would always stand up to greet us. It was very cute. Once we had finished looking around the school, the principal told us a little more about it, and then we were able to have free time to play with all the little kids (ranging in age from 4 to 7). It was very fascinating to try to communicate with these kids. Not only could they not see us for our gestures, but they spoke a completely different language and couldn’t understand a word we said. Even with all these communication barriers, it was still a lot of fun. There was one little boy that I played with a lot. At first, I was helping him go down the slide, which he enjoyed doing very much. He would slide down, and then turn around to climb back up. I was amazed at how much he could do without seeing. A little bit later, I found the little boy again and I decided to try and play with a ball with him. We had brought a few soft footballs, so that is what I used. I would hand him the ball and then he would throw it. Most of the time though he threw it backwards instead of forwards; I have no idea why. It was great, every time I would hand him the ball he would have a smile on his face. After playing for about an hour, the children went to lunch, where we went to watch and help a little, and then we left to go back to the ship. Overall, it was a great experience, and I absolutely loved playing with all the little kids!

Once we got back on the ship, we relaxed for a little bit, had some lunch and then went back out to go to the market again. Once the shuttle dropped us off, we first went to the post office and then went to a grocery store to buy some snacks. After leaving this, we walked to the market. In walking to the market, a little incident happened to me. I am completely fine, but I think you all should here the story. Well to start off I need to tell you about the driving in Vietnam. Almost everyone uses motorbikes and there are almost always many around, which makes it difficult to cross the street. To top this of there are very few stop lights and crosswalks. Well at our pre-port, before arriving in Vietnam we were told that in order to cross the street we just needed to go and move at a steady pace so that the motorbikes would go around us. On this particular day, I got unlucky and when I tried to cross there were a lot more bikes coming then I thought. After getting a little more than halfway across the street I realized a bunch were coming at me and that one guy was trapped and wouldn’t be able to avoid me. Because of this I got hit, but I am totally fine. I am just a little bruised, have some road burns on my elbows, and my whole body is a little achy. Luckily from previously being a gymnast I am pretty good at falling and didn’t hit my head. Also another interesting thing happened. As some of you know I have had a cist in my wrist for quite some time and lately it has just been popping out and looking disgusting. After I fell though I think my cist got broken up a little and now it doesn’t stand out as much. Another weird thing about the fall initially was that my back was the only thing that didn’t hurt. I was so happy that I no longer have screws in my back because that could have made it worse. Well anyways don’t worry about me, but in order to tell you about the crazy driving and about what’s going on with me, I thought this story had to be included. Well after this incident we continued on to the market for a few hours and afterward went to a hotel where we were able to access free internet. Once I finally got back to the ship, I showered to get all the dirt off me and then went to get some ice to put on the bruises. That night I just relaxed on the ship and Sheryl, Jay, and I watched “Little Miss Sunshine”, which is an absolutely hysterical movie. It was a nice way to spend that night.

The next morning was another early day because I went to the Cu Chi Tunnels and Cao Dai Temple, which was a few hours away from Ho Chi Minh City. Our first stop of the day was the Cao Dai temple. C aodaism is a mix of several religions and ideas such as Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Taoism, Christianity, and Islam. The temple was beautiful and the art was very intricate and ornate. There seemed to be several followers of this religion, but supposedly, out of the total population Caodaism is not very popular. We watched a service for about 15 minutes and then we were able to walk around the temple to take pictures before returning to the bus. After about an hour more of driving, we arrived at the War Memorial Cemetery where about 10,000 Vietnamese soldiers are buried from the Vietnam War. This cemetery looked a lot different from our veteran cemeteries because instead of just tiny headstones there were almost little tombs that sort of looked like the outline of the caskets. It was very interesting. The next and final stop on our trip was the Cu Chi Tunnels, which is where the Vietnamese soldiers would hide, live, and fight during the Vietnam War. At this site, we watched a video on the war and then walked around where the tunnels were. We were able to see secret entries, which were very tiny. The holes right now are 30% larger than they were during the war. Supposedly, all of the soldiers weighed 100 pounds or less. I can’t even imagine them being that small. At the tunnels, we were also able to see many ways in which the Vietnamese trapped and killed the Americans. After walking for a little while through this area, we arrived at a little gift shop and right next to it there was a shooting range where visitors could come and shoot AK47s. The noise from the guns was so loud and all I wanted to do was keep walking and get away from it. Unfortunately, we stuck around there for ten minutes before entering a small part of the tunnel. The tunnel that we entered was probably about 10 meters long, but it felt like we were down there forever. The tunnels were very small and there was very little light. All you had to do was try and follow the person in front of you. Sheryl and I decided to stay towards the back so that if need be we could go backwards. This probably would not have been possible because it was so small and there were 2 people behind us. On top of being very claustrophobic, we had one of the video guys on our trip who thought it would be fun to video us in the tunnel. He crouched at the end of the tunnel and had people give messages about the tunnel before exiting. I did not appreciate this and all I wanted to do was get out of the tunnel. After what seemed like forever, I was out and in the fresh open air. Once we had crawled through the tunnel, it was time for us to return to the bus for our two-hour trip back to the ship. On arriving at the ship, it was another easy night where we all watched a movie. This time it was “Pursuit of Happyness”, which I have been wanting to see since it came out.

For the next day, my final day in Vietnam I went on another day trip, which was to the Mekong Delta. Our first stop on this trip was to a marketplace where they sold clothes, crafts, as well as food. We walked around here for about a half an hour. The food they had was very interesting. There were some fish in tanks still swimming and jumping that people could buy to eat. There was also raw meat just lying out. It was so gross and it made me so happy that I had ordered vegetarian for the day. Once we walked around here, we got back on the bus and headed to our next stop, a pagoda. On this trip, I learned the difference between a pagoda and a temple. A pagoda is for only worshipping Buddha, whereas the temple is for worshipping several gods. After walking around the pagoda for a little while and taking pictures, we continued our trip to the Mekong Delta. On arrival at the delta, we boarded boats that took across the river. Our first stop on the river was to a little restaurant place where we were served some snacks and drinks. After doing this, we got back on the boats to go to another part of the island. At this part, we were served some more drinks and snacks. Here I had some pineapple and mango that were very delicious. At this little restaurant, we were also welcomed with some music from a local group. It was very entertaining and relaxing. We then walked out back to the boats, but this time we got onto a row boat that could only fit four of us. Luckily, two locals were on the boat as well and they rowed us through the jungle. The next stop on the river for us was at a coconut candy-making place. We were served the warm candies and they were delicious. Since they were so good I bought some to have on the ship. After eating all these great snacks, we got back on the boat to go to the restaurant for lunch. The food here was so good and I loved that it was vegetarian. The non-vegetarians were being served a deep-fried whole fish along with other food. The fish was so disgusting because it was completely whole and looked like it could still have been alive. That would definitely not have be a good meal for me. After enjoying lunch, we took a boat back to the buses and then were on our way back to the ship. Overall, the Mekong Delta was so beautiful and relaxing. It was a great way to spend my last day in Vietnam.

When we got back to the ship, our tour bus took some of us back to the marketplace for some last minute shopping. Alex, Chris, Jay, Casey, and I went back to the tailor to pick up the stuff that had been made for us. I tried on my suit and it fit very nicely. Everyone else’s clothes fit great as well. It was amazing to me that they could get our measurements one day and then you go and pick it up without a final fitting or anything. After picking up our clothes and walking around the market for a few minutes, we caught a cab back to the ship and tried to hurry on for dinner. We made it for dinner and now my time in Vietnam is over. We don’t actually leave until Saturday morning, since we have to go back out through the river, but I am excited to try to catch up on a little sleep and relax on the ship for a few days. Well once again, I have rambled on forever, but I hope these stories are entertaining you and you are getting a feel for what I have been up to around the world.

I love and miss you all! Only 1 month left.
Alissa

India Through Chris' Eyes

FOREWARNING ------ THIS IS A LONG ONE!!!

Interesting Things While At Sea:
Our trip from Mauritius to India was a lot calmer, allowing everyone to regain their sea legs and enjoy being on the ship. One of the highlights of this stretch was getting to meet the interport students, Elekhya and Rhea. They are both students at universities in Chennai and were our insight to what life would be like in India. In addition to spending a few hours discussing various cultural differences, Jay and I decided to learn a few dances from the girls. At first we thought that it would just be an hour long session, as a chance to get to know what Indian dances were like. By the end of the third night of dancing we had our entire routine fully practiced. We performed our routine in front of all of the students, staff, faculty and lifelong learners. It was quite a fun dance, with my smiling face being the centerpiece of our finale. My social life took a major hit that night and has yet to recover.

India:
I will do my best to describe the things I saw, felt, smelled and heard in India, but I can assure you they will not be sufficient to describe what it is truly like. India is a place of amazing uniqueness that can truly only be understood by visiting. We arrived in port at about 8 am on Sunday, to a smoggy, hazy horizon. We were then thoroughly introduced to the bureaucratic system which the Indian government has so perfected. First we met face to face with Indian customs officials (after already having a visa and filling out 3 other forms). After everyone had cleared, we had to head back to the faculty lounge to get two forms which we had to show at several checkpoints throughout the port. This port is not very common for cruise ships, as you may imagine, so we stuck out a bit. Alex, Alissa, Jay, Casey, Leigh and I all went on the Chennai city orientation with Semester at Sea. It was a great opportunity to see a large part of the city in the limited amount of time. We first visited Saint Thomas cathedral, where Thomas, one of Jesus’ apostles is buried. I was completely shock. It is one of only three cathedrals that have the body of one of Jesus’ apostles. Next we went to the home of our tour guide, a middle class family of three generations. From the outside it looked like a slum of the inner city Los Angeles, but on the inside it was a lot larger with beautiful decorations and a lot of rooms. They served us drinks and cookies and showed us where they pray and how to put on a sari. After finishing our cookies, we went to a Hindu temple. It was a very colorful and beautiful place. I think only picture will do this part justice. After visiting the temple, and returning to the ship, we got ready for our evening welcome reception. We were greeted by several college students who put bindi dots on our head, sprinkled a jasmine water shower and showed us some native druming. It was amazingly beautiful. Once inside, we were treated to a show of authentic Indian dancing and food. We were also welcome to get henna and buy some fabrics that had been brought in from the local area. I had the opportunity to chat with an electrical engineering student about Indian education and technology. It was a great night and a wonderful way to cap off our first day in India.

The next morning we (Alissa, Alex, Casey and I) woke up at 4:30 and headed of on our whirlwind tour of India. Our first stop was the airport, where we boarded a plain to Delhi. From Delhi, we flew to Veranasi and then transferred to our hotel (Sheraton) by bus. After a quick bite to eat, we headed to Sarnath, the site of Buddha’s first sermon. It was a fairly inconspicuous place that had been worn down to ruins through generations of abuse. There was a museum with Buddhist and Hindu artifacts which was quite interesting. We also visited a Buddhist temple that had been built in the early 1900s to celebrate the site where Buddha first preached. We then went to a factory which had hand made garments such as pillow cases, bed spreads, and decorative items all for sale at a ridiculously high price. After returning to our hotel we had a wonderful dinner, watched some cricket and went to bed.

The next morning found us waking up at 4:15 again. We had a quick bite and headed to the banks of the Ganga River for sunrise in Veranasi. The banks of the Ganga in Veranasi site the holiest site in the Hindu religion. It is a place where worshipers go to bath, pray, and cremate loved ones. It was one of the most amazing places that I have ever been, because of its awe factor. I was so overwhelmed by Veranasi that I did not talk afterwards with anyone on the bus for a few hours. To get to the river we had to walk through the streets of Veranasi, being constantly asked by beggars and shopkeepers for money. After reaching the Ganga, we boarded a boat that was powered by men pushing sticks, much like the gondolas of Venice. Each province had a special area to pray and we visited all of them. The climax of the morning came in seeing the site where bodies are cremated. It was all so surreal that I think I have yet to fully process it. After returning to our bus and then hotel, we headed to the airport for lunch and to catch our flight to Delhi. Once in Delhi we had a brief city orientation of the parliament building, WWII memorial and some other important historical sites. We then had the opportunity to shop around a market full of some cheaper souvenirs. Afterwards, we headed to our hotel by auto rickshaw, but were stopped by a parade celebrating a major Muslim holiday. Our hotel (Hotel Ashok) was a very nice hotel, but the best part was definitely the Chinese dinner. It was an amazing dinner with authentic American-style Chinese. Mmmmm good. After some hot chocolate and an enthralling game of cricket, we called it a day.

The following morning again saw us waking up at 4:30. We headed to the local train station to catch our train to Agra. The train station was a crazy place with people everywhere and rats shifting in and out of sight. The smells ranged from putrid to amazingly delicious depending on the direction of the wind. Once on the train, we settled in and watched the city pass into countryside. Once in Agra, we headed to Fatehpur Sikri, an abandoned city about an hour outside of Agra. It was built by the Moghuls a couple generations before the Taj Mahal. It was another surreal place that looked like it was straight out of a movie set. The city was surrounded by a red sandstone wall and was built with influences of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. It also had a palace and mosque that were built all with the red sandstone. After purchasing a few necklaces and souvenirs we headed to a hotel for lunch. After lunch, we went to the Agra fort. It was very similar to the forgotten city because it was built by the same people. The fort was surprisingly large, surrounded by a large moat and built out of the same red sandstone. It also had a mosque and a palace that had beautiful views of the Taj Mahal. This was also the site where Emperor Shah Jahan, the man who built the Taj Mahal, was imprisoned by his son because of his excessive spending habits. After getting glimpses of the Taj Mahal, it was finally time to make our way to the monument. I was very amazed to find that it was not a lone building, but was surrounded by amazingly beautiful buildings. Each building in its own right could be praised as a major work of art. The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum built to honor Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of Emperor Jahan. Mumtaz Mahal was only 37 years old and died at the birth of her 14th child. For 14 children you should get something like the Taj built for you. We stayed at the Taj till sunset and took pictures of us in front, on top of, next to and below the Taj. After a brief dinner at the famous Indian restaurant, Pizza Hut, we headed to the train station to wait for our train back to Delhi. The Indian army was practicing troop mobilization at the train station which made it feel as if we were in a war zone. There were guns lying in rows of hundred and cots lining the sidewalks. It was quite surreal. We were also able to have our pictures taken with some Indian soldiers who were about our age.

The next morning we got to sleep in late, have breakfast at the hotel and then headed off to the airport. Our flight was uneventful and we arrived back at the ship and had a quick bite to eat. After lunch we decided to try our hand at venturing out to the local mall to pick up some souvenirs. After bargaining with the rickshaw drivers, we headed to the mall. It was quite modern and we were able to do some damage to our wallets in just a couple hours. On our way back we were stopped midway and asked if we would like to go to some more stores. We didn’t but the driver just wouldn’t take that answer. In short, after about a 10 minute discussion that was finally resolved by a police officer, we were off on our way back to the ship. We hopped back on and were off on our way to Malaysia.

Things I learned in India:
-I can’t really dance, regardless of country and style.
-Traffic lanes, center dividers and other traffic devices really aren’t a necessity.
-You can be blind and drive easily in India.
-Three lanes are enough to fit 2 buses, 3 cars and 5 motorcycles.
-Motorcycles bounce off buses quite easily.
-If it smells like feces, it’s because it is feces.
-Rickshaw drivers are some of the cleverest salespeople.
-Everybody is not the same in India.
-The reason the chairs are covered is because of the layer of soot that builds up after 5 days in Chennai.
-Poverty is not just something on the TV.
-India is the most shocking and eye-opening place you will ever go.
-India is a land of amazing people, amazing sights, amazing tastes, amazing sounds, and amazing smells.

India through Joanne's eyes

India from Joannes Eyes

Of all of the places we have been thus far, India defies description for me. Imagine a country that is home to three times the number of people as the US, but only they are living in a third of the space. Picture the disparity between the rich and the poor to be far greater than what is seen in the US.

We arrived in the port city of Chennai. We had been warned that it would be crowded, people would be all over us and we would see things we have never seen in the US. For us in our strata at home, we can remain fairly insulated to the plight of the poor. We may see the occasional homeless person and it is fairly easy to avert your eyes or not walk on that street. In India everywhere you look people/ families are living on the streets. Beggars are all around and begging is the only way of life for millions. There is traffic, crowds, pollution, trash and noise. There is a smell that is a mixture of sweet flowers mixed in with putrid sour smells. We had heard about this and it was very easy to see all of this when we arrived. As you might be thinking now, if this is true, why would anyone go to India?? It must be so disturbing and depressing. I was prepared for those feelings and was even a bit scared to witness this place, but I somehow felt that it was important for me to see this country that has such a rich history. I thought perhaps in seeing this troubled society that I would somehow be shocked into activism or action and maybe this was something that I needed. How do I describe what I came to see, to know and ultimately to absolutely love enough to truly wish to return? Let me tell you about our visit and perhaps you will come to understand.

During our first day, Kevin had arranged a faculty directed practicum to a place know as “One Roof.” It is basically a for profit concept that franchises internet cafes in poor rural small towns. Once the credibility is established, the vision of the program is to use the sites as a gathering place to train people in computer skills, provide them with health information and the like. One of Kevin’s colleagues’ husband is one of the founders and his wife (also in HIV work) plans to launch some AIDS awareness education programs from these locations throughout the world. Hence, this is how we came to know about one roof. It is a wonderful concept.
We arrived there on a Sunday afternoon with a small group of students. We traveled about an hour out of town. As Kevin said, “the journey was worth the price of admission.” All of our way throughout India, I absolutely loved seeing the villages and observing the people. It is not uncommon to see a Ox pulled cart next to a motor scooter with a woman riding side saddle in a colorful silk sari holding a baby on her lap. You see families toiling in the fields in brightly colored clothes. Women carry baskets and all kinds of things on their heads. Small children carry their baby siblings. Yes there are cows roaming in the roads and no one seems to take notice of them. You see families walking everywhere, children, young folk, old folks. When we arrived at One Roof, we were greeted so warmly by a group of their village who were the workers at this facility. Each of us was given flowers and our heads were painted with the red dot and they placed a gold dot on our throats as their way of greeting us in Indian fashion. Clearly this was a poor town, but there was nothing about this welcome that would indicate that they could not afford to show hospitality for their guest. We were offered cold drinks and cookies while they shared with us about their business. They eagerly answered our questions and they took pictures of us. I would bet almost as many folks took pictures of us in India as we did of them. We were a bit of an attraction wherever we went. We were always treated with warmth and as though we were friends they had not met yet.

After the sharing of the business concept, one of the workers invited us out to see his home, which was basically a cluster of shacks next to rice fields. When we got out there he wanted to give us some pulled up rice plants and paid an old man on the road to treat all of us to coconut milk which we sipped with straws right from the coconut. Clearly these were not rich people, but it was so important to them to make us feel welcomed and we all left feeling all the richer because of this encounter. I tell you these details just to try to give you a sense of what we experienced consistently and throughout India. There is contentment, calm, a peacefulness of the people that is not seen in the US. They have so much less than we do. Their lives are so much more challenging than ours, but they still smile, still take time to enjoy what they have. It is a sense and feeling that is hard to put to words.

Our first night we went to a reception hosted by the local University. We listened to some music and watched some traditional dancing. The next morning was an early calling. Kevin and I were leaders on a SAS trip to the Taj Mahal. Along with one other adult, we took seventy students to Delhi, Agra and visited the Taj Mahal. We started the day at 4AM with our flight to Delhi. As part of the experience, we then traveled by train in the middle of a very warm day on a non air conditioned train for four hours to the ancient town of Agra. The train ride was such a treat. With the windows open we rolled through many villages, traveled across the plains stopping at dozens of stations along the way. I was struck by the beautiful colors and beautiful faces. Women carrying babies and baskets full of all sorts of things on their heads. We saw homes made of mud and straw along with shacks made from old train cars. We watched folks tilling in the fields and washing their clothes in the river. There were carts being pulled by animals. Just all sorts of new and wonderful sites were there to observe. We were also quite the sight for them being the only non-Indians on the train. There seemed to be a constant flow of traffic through our train car and in some cases folks were looking for excuses to get a look at us. Folks were selling Chi tea, foods, trinkets and all sorts of things. There were many poor folks begging and diseases that I couldn’t even recognize. By the time we arrived, we were covered in dirt, but somehow India seemed to have literally and figuratively gotten under our skin.

The next day we were able to view the Taj Mahal at sunrise and again at sunset with visits to beautiful ancient forts in between. It is a site that is so spectacular. I know our pictures can not begin to do justice, but the images will remain in our memories forever. We returned late that night to Delhi, but this time by an air conditioned express train. That night quite tired from our very full day, Kevin and I wound down over a beer at the bar and were treated to some local hospitality by the bar tender who showed us “bar tricks” which were basically puzzles with tooth picks. It was a fun slice of local color.

The next day we did the whirlwind tour of Delhi. Unfortunately we did not have more time as it appeared to be a very beautiful city much like our own Washington D.C. with very beautiful Parliament buildings and open spaces with spectacular monuments. It is far more a modern city than Chennai. It was quite amusing to see the roaming of the cows mixed in with the traffic and the crowds. The cows are unfazed by the cars. We were fortunate enough to have time to spend at the Gandhi Museum. It was such a wonderful tribute to his life and to his work. I was again struck by the ability of one person to make such a huge impact on the world with such simple non-violent y. tools…

Our last day, we decided to skip our planned organized trip to take a day to really explore the city on our own. Kevin was amazed at my calm as we rode in the powered trishaw weaving in and out of the most insane traffic I have ever seen. The horns go constantly as sort of a steady conversation and there are very few traffic lights but somehow folks manage to make their way across town. We did our share of shopping including buying some spectacular fabrics to cover my couches and chairs and also buying a wonderful hand tied silk rug. I am excited to be able to bring a part of India home with me to become part of my home. While shopping we again were treated to such hospitality that remains the most impressive part of India to me. One seriously woman invited us to her home for lunch, but when we declined she made sure that we sat and enjoyed a cup of Chai Tea with her. The guy that we bought the rug from walked us to a place for lunch and then came back in a half of an hour to help us find our way back. We really were made to feel welcome and it was more than a feeling that it was because they wanted us to spend our money. It was a feeling that it was just the way people should treat one another.

I know that India is far from a romantic and perfect place. Millions of people live in their streets and go to bed hungry every night. You are born into a cast and you will most certainly die within that cast. Wives and husbands are still chosen for you. There is evidence of poor health care, disease and malnourishment everywhere. Somehow in all of this hardship, there is this sense of acceptance and of peace that I have not seen in the states. I believe we could both learn and teach one another much to bring a better quality of life to both countries. As I stated when I started, my experience sort of defies description. I only know that I miss India and wish I could come to know her better.

Namaste
Joanne

Malaysia and Alissa

Hey everyone,

Before I begin my entry on Malaysia, I would like to tell you about the April Fools joke that the ship doctor decided to play on everyone during global studies that day. Before class started, he came on the mic saying that he had been up all night dealing with two people on the ship who were found to have Leprosy. He said that it was a weird strain that could spread fast and that one of the main symptoms is the softening of the cartilage in you nose and ears, so that we needed to check and make sure that we were still fine. In the mean time, I was freaking out with my heart beating really fast because as it was I was sick with a cold and terrified that I possibly got something worse in India. I was even so suggestible that I believed that the cartilage in my ears felt softer than usual. Well after he let this go on for a few minutes, he said that this sort of problem usually occurs on a certain day every year and this is when we all remembered that it was April Fools Day. I was so relieved, but it took a few minutes for my heart to return to its normal pace. Anyways I hope you enjoyed this brief story and now I will tell you about Malaysia.

When I arrived in Malaysia, I had no idea what to really expect since I hadn’t learned much about it while growing up. On entrance, I learned that Penang is actually an island, and the island looks like a turtle. The only way to get to the mainland is by ferry or by taxi along the 3rd longest bridge in the world. Another aspect of Malaysia, which is new on this journey, is we had to take a tender boat to shore instead of just docking. This made it a lot more difficult to get on and off the ship. For my first day in Malaysia, I went on an orientation of the island. Our first stop on this tour was the Butterfly Farm. In this farm, there were butterflies everywhere. They were so large and so beautiful. I had never seen anything like it. At this butterfly farm, there were also other types of animals such as reptiles, insects, and weird pig-nosed turtles. It was very interesting. The next stop on our tour was the Snake Temple. At this Buddhist temple, snakes are found on the altar as well as in small trees around the temple. It was a little creepy because at all times I was scared that a snake would just slither around at my feet but luckily, they all stayed off the ground. The next stop of the day was for lunch at a local Chinese Restaurant. The food that was served to our table, almost all contained seafood. I even accidentally ate fish that I thought was fried chicken with sweet and sour sauce. I had two helpings before I discovered that it was fish and then I was done with my meal for the day, since I do not enjoy eating seafood. After leaving this restaurant, we continued on to the largest Buddhist Temple in South East Asia, called Kek Lok Si Temple and Pagoda. In order to get to this temple we had to climb many steps that went through tourist shopping. Upon almost reaching the top, there is a little pond known as Liberation Pond where hundreds of turtles live. The reason there are so many turtles here is because people buy the turtles and then bring them here to let them be free. It was very cool. Finally, after a few more steps we reached the temple and pagoda. The temple was beautiful because there were many Buddha statues and very pretty art and architecture. After spending about twenty minutes at the top, we went down to the bus and continued to the next stop on the trip. The next stop was the botanical gardens where we walked around for a little bit and learned some information about the trees and animals. At these gardens, there were tons of very cute monkeys just running around. After the botanical gardens there was one more stop to a clan house, but unfortunately the tour was running about 1½ hours late so I had to get off at the dock to go back to the ship for a trip that I had signed up for the night that I really did not want to miss. My roommate Sheryl continued onto the house and said that it was very cool, but I enjoyed my night activity as well. I went to a welcome reception at the local college, Universiti Sains Malaysia. At this reception, we were welcomed with a 45-minute shadow puppet performance, which was very fascinating. I had never seen a performance like it before. After the performance, we were allowed to go behind stage to see how the performers use the puppets and to see all of the instruments that they were playing during the performance. All of the students were very nice and fun to talk to. After the performance, they served us local snacks and then we departed to go back to the ship. After this long exciting day, I was exhausted and went to bed.

The next day I slept in until about 11:00, then got ready for the day, and had some lunch. Sheryl and I had absolutely no idea what we wanted to do that day so we went to the field office desk to try to get some ideas. We wrote down three places to go see and then we went back to our room to discuss the plan for the day. We felt very lazy and weren’t sure if we actually wanted to do anything. By about 2:15, we finally got the energy up to go across to the dock where we planned on just walking around. Once we got there, a cab driver convinced us to go with him so we did. The first stop we went to was two Buddhist temples that were across the street from each other. The first was the temple for the happy Buddha and he definitely looked happy. When walking around this temple there was a wishing pool that had a revolving statue sort of thing that had bowls, each with something you would wish for. The one I decided to aim for was good health since I had a cold. I made it in the bowl, and when I was done, I turned and immediately tripped two or three times. It was absolutely hysterical. After viewing this temple, we went across the street to see the other temple that had a massive 800-foot long sleeping Buddha. This temple is for people who have been cremated and there urns can be placed underneath this sleeping beauty. It was very interesting. I guess this was sort of the Buddhist cemetery. After the temple, we had originally planned on going to the shopping mall, but while in the taxi we decided that neither one of us actually wanted to shop, so we instead decided to go to a Batik Factory and then to Penang Hill. The Batik Factory makes very interesting cloth by using wax to make the design and then a paint brush to color the rest of the fabric. These fabrics were absolutely gorgeous, but when Sheryl and I went in to possibly buy something, it was more expensive than we were willing to pay. After this factory, we went to Penang Hill, which is a very tall mountain in Malaysia. In order to get up this hill you either have to hike for four hours or take a trolly on the funicular railway, which takes about a half an hour. We decided to take the trolly, where we happened to run into one of the professors from the ship, with his wife, and two kids, whom Sheryl tutors on the ship. We spent our time with them on the hill while we marveled at the view of the whole island. After spending 45 minutes atop the hill, we went back down on the trolley. On the way down, we were able to see a bunch of monkeys swinging around in the trees. It was pretty amazing. Once we reached the bottom of the hill, we took a cab back to the port with the family that we had run into. It was nice to have the security of other people when we got down the hill and had to find a cab. Once I got back on the ship I had dinner, did some homework, and then went to sleep. Sheryl and I were very proud of our adventures this day because we both were very unmotivated and tired that morning and really didn’t know what to do. We ended up doing all three things that we had listed on our paper earlier that day.

The next morning I once again got to sleep in because my trip did not leave until 12:20. The trip for this day was a religion tour of Malaysia. The first place we stopped was at an Anglican Church that was created in memory of Captain Francis Light, who was the founder of Penang. Unfortunately, this church was closed for the day so we were only able to view it from the outside. The next stop was to Kuan Yin Teng, which is the Goddess of Mercy Temple. It is believed to be the oldest Taoist Temple in all of Penang. At this temple there was so much incense being burned that it was a little hard to breathe, but I made it through and was able to see all of the prayer and rituals taking place in the temple. An interesting thing that I learned about Chinese religions is that they sell all kinds of paper goods, such as clothes, cars, money, cell phones, computers, plus many others, that the Chinese can burn to give to their dead ancestors. They believe that once it is burned it goes into the realm of the dead. I thought that this whole idea was a little strange because a lot of stores were just selling items that were going to be burned. Anyways, after leaving this temple we continued down the street to the Hindu Temple, Sri Mariamman, which was also closed for the day. Even though we were not allowed to enter, I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything because I had already seen so many Hindu temples in previous countries. The next stop, which was also right down the street, was at the Kapitan Keling Mosque. When we got there, I was scared that we weren’t going to be allowed inside because other groups from the ship had already attempted at going in mosques and failed. Luckily, the man in charge at this mosque came out and said that we were allowed in because we were traveling around the world to learn about all aspects of life in all the cultures, so he wanted us to be able to experience a mosque. He was very kind, told us all about Islam, and even offered us free books to learn more about the religion. Overall, I was so excited to learn more about Islam because for my religion class we had to write a paper about mosques and the religion and I had yet to be able to view a mosque, inside and out. After the mosque, we got back in our bus and continued to our last stop of the day, which was the Kek Lok Si Temple, which Sheryl and I had already viewed two-days prior. Since we had already climbed all the way to the top, we decided to take it slow and look at all the tourist stuff along the way. After staying at this temple for an hour and a half, the bus took us back to the ship. When I got to the ship, I had dinner, did a little homework, and then waited until Alex and his family arrived back from their 3-day stay at Langkawi Island. They finally came back at about 9:20 pm, and we then went up to the deck to hang out, enjoy some ice-cream cake, and to spend some time with Tyler an Sara before they had to leave the following day. It was very nice to see them since it has been a while. After hanging out for a couple hours we all went to sleep.

The next morning I was supposed to sleep in because Sheryl went on a service visit in the morning, but unfortunately all of the work I had to do kept running through my head so I woke up and got some homework done before going out for the last time in Malaysia. When Sheryl came back, we had some lunch, and then went back to shore to go to a tourist information center to get a souvenir map and then to go to an internet café. This was an adventure, because we kept having to ask for directions because the internet café was a lot further than we thought and we wanted to make sure we were on the right track. We finally found an internet café that was nice and cheap, only 3 ringits an hour, which is a little less than $1. I was able to check my mail as well as search for classes that I will be taking next semester. After spending an hour at the internet café, we walked back and tried to find a pay phone for Sheryl to use. Once we finally got to one, she unfortunately could not get the phone card to work, so we just went back to the ship. While we were out on the last day, it was a little scary because we had to cross several main streets and there are absolutely no traffic signals for people to cross the street at. Luckily, we were quick and made it across with no harm every time. Well this was my whole adventure in Malaysia. It was nice and relaxing, and I felt that I was able to enjoy the entire island of Penang.

Since it is now the day after I left Malaysia, there are a few additional things that I would like to tell you about our ship ride today. Well we started out so slow, at an average speed of only 9 knots per hour. Today the crew also had to do a man overboard drill, so they threw a life jacket overboard, turned the ship around, and sent a lifeboat out to rescue the life jacket. We then continued the day by just making turns for the most part. It was the strangest thing. I think they were trying to waste some time before going fast through the Strait of Malacca, which is where all the pirates are. Well finally at about 7:00 pm they sped the ship up to its maximum speed in the high 20 knot zone to quickly get through this dangerous pirate area of the water. We will probably be going this fast until tomorrow morning and then we will be bunkering in Singapore to refuel before finishing the journey to Vietnam. Anyways I hope that you have all found my stories interesting. Sorry that this has been another long entry, I just am doing so much in such a short period. Well I hope you are all doing well and I miss you all!

Love always,
Alissa

Alissa's Adventures in India

Hey everyone,

I am sitting here the night before Malaysia reflecting on my travels through India. It is strange having such a short time between these countries. It has just flown by. Now for India; the first day started with a yoga demonstration by a yoga teacher in India. The demonstrators were very flexible and I have no idea how they got into some of the positions they got into. After the brief demonstration, we got to try out some of the positions. While trying this out I felt very inflexible but it was fun and relaxing. We even did a meditation after. I know you would be proud mom. Once the demonstration was over, I had some lunch until my next trip of the day left, which was the city orientation. On the city orientation, we first stopped at the St. Thomas Cathedral. This cathedral was gorgeous and underneath it was the tomb of St. Thomas, which we also got to go look at. It was amazing how beautiful this building was amongst all the poverty in India. The next stop on this orientation was to our tour guide’s home. It was a quaint little home with a couple stories and we got to meet some of her family. It was amazing that this woman took an entire busload of tourists into her home. She was very nice and trusting. At her home we enjoyed snacks, learned how to wrap a sari, as well as draw designs on the floor with powder, which is the way they design their fabrics. It was all very interesting. The last stop on this city orientation was to a Hindu temple. We walked around it for a little while and saw many people praying. There was also a prayer tree within the temple, which had little cradles and prayers for children. It was very cool. As we walked back to the bus we had a little time to shop and then we were off to go back to the ship. Once we arrived at the ship, we had to rush to eat dinner and then meet in the union for the final trip of the day, the welcome reception. On arriving at the welcome reception, we were greeted by students from India who placed bindy marks on our foreheads as well as on our necks. Then we entered into the place and there were people doing henna on our hands, local snacks we could try, as well as clothing and crafts to buy. I got henna on my hand, which has now faded away. I also bought a skirt that I was able to wear during my stay in India. At the reception, I was able to talk to some students from India who all seem to be studying some form of engineering. It was interesting to talk to them about their country and their studies. The last thing that happened at the reception was a performance by a dancer who was demonstrating Indian dancing. It was very good. I have learned that in every country we have visited it seems as if everyone can dance very well. This was the end of my night in India and all I did was go back to the ship to pack for my 4-day trip around India.

The next morning began very early at 3:40. We had to meet in the Union and then catch our buses to the airport. On arriving at the airport, we had to do the typical airport stuff, such as going through security. Security though was a little different then it is in the States. Men and women are separated into different lines and then when women are scanned for metal items, they are put in a secluded, blocked area and then another woman does the scanning. It was very interesting to see the difference between how men and women are treated. After a little waiting, we finally caught our bus that took us to the plane. This was also something different about the airports here, but the same as it was in South Africa. Once we got on the plane we got situated in our seats and were ready for takeoff. The flight attendants offered us a cold hand towel to wash our hands. Once we were ready to take off music started to play on the plane. I found this strange because I had never heard radio-like music on an airplane. This music lasted until we were at our cruising altitude, and then started up again before our descent. Once our plane landed, we were in Delhi, which was not our final destination for the day. We then had to catch a connecting flight to Varanasi another city in India, which is known as the holiest city for Hindu people. On arrival in Varanasi, we immediately went to the hotel where we had lunch, which was very delicious. After lunch, we took a bus to Sarnath, which is where the Buddha preached his first sermon. We visited the stupa and ruins of the ancient monastery in Sarnath. We also visited the archeological museum that had artifacts from the ruins, which included Hindu and Buddhist items. Once we visited the museum, we continued our journey to a Buddhist temple, which had beautiful paintings of Buddha’s life. On our way back to the hotel, we stopped at the Indian Art Emporium, which was a store that sold all sorts of crafts. They even had some men making beautiful silk tapestries the old-fashioned way. It seemed very difficult and time consuming, but the end result was worth it. Overall, at this shop I did not buy anything because it was all overpriced and I think the only reason we went there was so that our tour guide would get a commission. All of the shopping places that our guides took us to in India were always overpriced and not worth buying anything at. Once we were done shopping, we returned to the hotel for dinner and to sleep. The last thing I would like to tell you about for this day is about the hotel. It was a Radisson and was very gorgeous. I felt a little strange staying there though because Varanasi was very poor and all the buildings were very worn down, and then all of a sudden was our gorgeous, modern 9-story high hotel. Anyways this day was very long and filled with exciting new things.

The next day in India began almost as early as the day before, with a wake up call at 4:30. We quickly had some drinks and cookies before going to the River Ganges for an early morning boat ride. The bus dropped us off a few blocks away and then we walked through the busy streets to the River. We then got on the boat, were rowed around the banks of Varanasi, and saw many Hindus bathing in the river, washing clothes, and partaking in the rituals to release their souls from the cycle of rebirth. We also saw where bodies are cremated and there was even a fire going which was burning one of the dead bodies. It was a very disturbing site, and luckily, I couldn’t really see the body. Another interesting part about this boat ride was that there were other boats that were like floating markets and sold jewelry and all sorts of other souvenirs. After an hour or so on the river, we got off the boat and we walked back to the bus. This task sounds easy, but it was so hard. There were people everywhere trying to sell us stuff and begging for money. There were also cows roaming everywhere because they are seen as holy in India to the Hindus, so people do not eat them and just let them do as they please. After this crazy morning, we returned to the hotel for breakfast. We then walked around a little to shop and then returned to the hotel to check out and leave for the airport. We arrived at the airport and left for our hour flight back to Delhi. Once we arrived in Delhi, we first went to the World War I memorial, which was very pretty. There was pretty much an arch, a fountain, and it just kind of looked like a park. We then drove on to view the Parliament building, which kind of looked like the capital building in Washington D.C.. Delhi, on the whole reminded me of all the monuments that can be found in Washington D.C.. After the little tour of Delhi, our tour guide dropped whoever wanted to get off for shopping at some outdoor markets. I got off and was happy to find a few souvenirs. After an hour or so at the market, Alex, Chris, Casey, and I caught a rickshaw to the hotel. This was our first experience on a rickshaw and luckily, the driver was kind and took us with no problems. The only thing that occurred on this ride, was that it was Gold Day for Muslims, so we were stopped for about 15 or 20 minutes while a huge group of Muslims paraded down the streets. This was very interesting, but fortunately, it did not go on for hours. Once we arrived at the hotel, which was absolutely gorgeous, we grabbed our bags and room keys and headed up to the rooms to settle in before dinner. This hotel reminded me of one that you would find in Las Vegas, with tons of shops and restaurants. After about 20 minutes in our rooms, we went downstairs to a restaurant in the hotel named Chinatown. The food at this restaurant was typical Chinese food that we are used to, so I had some rice, vegetables, sweet and sour chicken, and sesame chicken. It was all absolutely amazing. From eating so much of the same food on the ship, it is nice to have a good break every once in a while. Anyways, after dinner a few of us decided to put on our Indian clothes that we had bought, and then go on a photo shoot around the hotel since it was so beautiful. The pictures are very funny and you all have to see them when I get back. Anyways this fun ended the night and I went to sleep.

The next morning once again began at the early hour of 4:15 because we had to quickly get to the train station to catch our train to Agra for the day. The train station was kind of disgusting. There were a bunch of rats and it was just very dirty there. Luckily, I wasn’t too awake to notice too much. Once we got onto the train, I took a nap for the two-hour ride to Agra. On arrival in Agra, we stopped at a hotel for a bathroom break, and then went to Fatehpur Sikri. Fatehpur Sikri is a deserted city, filled with beautiful sandstone palaces. We walked around this area for about an hour and then we returned to the buses to go back to the hotel for lunch. After lunch, we relaxed in the hotel lobby for an hour. During this time, I bought a cheesy t-shirt that says Welcome Semester at Sea on the back, and I also watched a puppet show that a man in the lobby was putting on. It was very interesting. Anyways, after our time at the hotel, we continued touring more of Agra. We first went to the Agra Fort, which was absolutely gorgeous. Most of the fort is made out of the same marble that the Taj Mahal is made out of. From the fort, we could even see the Taj in the distance. It was very exciting and it gave us a preview of what was to come. On leaving the fort, we then went to the amazing Taj Mahal. It took a while to go through security to enter, but once we entered, a few of us closed our eyes until the whole Taj would be in view and then we opened them. The Taj was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. It seemed so unreal. I can’t imagine how someone constructed it. Supposedly the builder after he finished the Taj, he had plans of building a black Taj Mahal right across the river, but instead his son put him in jail so that he wouldn’t waste anymore money. We stayed at the Taj for about three hours, which was very nice even though it was extremely hot out. We were able to take tons of pictures. At the Taj, many Indians were asking to take pictures with us American girls. It seemed strange but I guess in all of these ports we have been asking to take pictures with all of the locals so I couldn’t refuse the pictures. At the Taj, we even were allowed inside. I didn’t know what to expect, but the only thing in there was the tomb of the builder and his wife, who it was made for. I never realized that the Taj was just basically a massive tomb. Overall, the day was amazing, and after we left the Taj, we went to Pizza Hut to have some dinner and returned to the train station for our trip back to Delhi. The train this time was about twenty minutes late so we had a good amount of time just standing around. It was a weird environment to be in. The military that night was doing a training program at the station so there were tons of military men and guns lined up everywhere. I had never seen so many military men in one place. I didn’t know if I should feel safe or scared that something was wrong. Anyways we finally were able to get on the train, and I once again slept through the two-hour ride. On arriving back at the hotel I packed my stuff up and then went to sleep.

The next morning started with a not as early wake-up call at 6:45. I quickly got ready to leave the hotel, had some breakfast and then headed to the bus to go to the airport. We waited at the airport for about an hour and then took the 2 ½-hour flight back to Chennai. The last thing I will note about the airplanes is that full meals are offered on every flight no matter what time of day it is. This was very cool because it showed that the airlines really cared about customer service. As you know, in the states we don’t even get a meal when we fly all the way across the country. Anyhow, when we got back to Chennai we went to the ship to eat some lunch, before doing a little more shopping in the area. To go shopping we had to catch a rickshaw, and this time we had a real adventure. We were able to get to Spencer’s Plaza with no problem, and our drivers waited while we shopped for an hour or two. While we shopped, one of the rickshaw workers followed us around to make sure that we wouldn’t leave without paying. After we were done at the mall, we went back to our rickshaws and thought we would be taken right back to the ship. Well we were in for an adventure, after about 5 minutes of driving, our driver pulled over and tried to convince us to allow him to take us to a little shop where he would be able to make some commission. We said no about a hundred times and were almost just going to walk away without paying. Finally after about 5 or 10 minutes of arguing a policeman came up to the driver and told him not to mess with us, so the driver finally agreed to just take us directly to the ship. After about another 10 minutes of driving we arrived at the gate area to the port and the rickshaw drivers dropped us off. Before we took the cars, we agreed on a price of 50 rupees a person, which is a little over $1. Once we arrived, they were trying to get us to pay $5 a person and we said no and just gave them what we had agreed on, plus 50 rupees more for each driver. We then had to walk for a little while through the port in order to get back on the ship. I was very excited to get back on the ship. It was strange that night; we went out on the seventh deck to watch people come back late, and once we got up there it was disgusting. The crew hadn’t washed the deck the whole time we were in India since we were trying to conserve water, and the air in India is very dirty and polluted. It was definitely weird seeing the deck almost completely black.

There is one last thing that I totally forgot to mention about my trip through India. The driving in India is the most insane thing you will ever see in your life. The lines on the street mean absolutely nothing. If there is a car in front of you that you want to go around you just go into the other direction lane and go around them. Even if a car is coming the other way shortly, you just hope that you make it around before the other car comes. Another thing about the driving is that the driver blows the horn almost constantly. It is so annoying. If you thought New York is bad you need to come and experience it in India. The driving in general was the strangest and scariest thing I have ever seen in my life and I would never want to drive there. Anyways it was nice to leave India, even though I had such an amazing time. Luckily, the only illness I contracted was a cold and I think it was mostly due to breathing in such dirty air. Sorry this entry has been so long. I hope you enjoyed reading it and Malaysia will probably be posted in a few days.

I love you all,
Alissa