Monday, December 30, 2013

Nosy Komba - Isle of Lemurs

Madagascar was the port I was most looking forward to out of all the ports in my contract.  It lived up to and surpassed expectations.  Our day in Madagascar was a day in paradise.  I cannot wait to return on our next cruise, but would love to spend a week here on my own.

We began the day by boarding the first tender to Nosy Be (Nose-ee-Bay).  The locals were outside the ship in their own boats to greet us (and try to sell us souvenirs and fruits):





After arriving at the pier, we boarded a motor boat to Nosy Komba, which is Lemur Island in English.  I was taken aback by the crystal blue waters and unblemished greenery on the islands around us.





As we reached the shore, a number of village children gathered to greet us.  They were singing, dancing, drumming, smiling.  The girls’ faces were coated in brown/orange with decorative flowers painted on their foreheads and cheeks.  They do this both as a statement of beauty and to protect their skin from the sun:






The village we passed through was beautiful in its aboriginal nature.  Plenty of locals were out and about their chores; children washing clothes and bathing, men whittling and carving, women making fine cloths:






Towards the back of the village, just before entering the sanctuary we came across the first family of lemurs:





Once inside the sanctuary, we were surrounded by indigenous species.  Although wild, none of the animals were afraid of humans, and we were able to interact with them freely.  The lemurs in particular enjoyed eating bananas and mangos out of my hand!  They were very soft and gentle.  When one gave me his paw, it was almost as if I was holding a small human hand, with five fingers (opposable thumb included) and (to my surprise) no claws:















After spending some time in the sanctuary, we wound back through the village for some shopping and enjoyed fresh fruit and beverages on the beach.  Whether it was the kind natives, the outgoing animals, our pristine surroundings, or the sweetness of the freshly picked mangos, the trip put everyone in joyous spirits.  I am so thankful to have had this (hopefully more than) once in a lifetime experience.  It ranks up there on the chart of days I will never forget.

Friday, December 27, 2013

Swahili language lesson!

Swahili language lesson!  Phrases I learned from my tour guide James:

Hello - Jambo
Welcome – Karibu
Thank you - Asante
How are you? - Habari?
Good - Nzuri (silent N)
Goodbye - Kwaheri
I love you - Ninakupenda

Scroll down for my safari blog post!

Tsavo - Silent T

Yesterday we docked in Mombasa, Kenya.  I was supposed to be on duty but my Cruise Director (Willie Aames) sent me on a safari instead.  I had a pretty miserable few days around Christmas, so he figured it was the best way for me to clear my head.  He was right.  Our trip was amazing!

We left the port in Mombasa at 8:00 in the morning and drove an hour and forty minutes towards Tsavo East National Park.  The roads were very bumpy as we went through the heart of Kenya.  The villages along the roads are comprised of shacks with tin roofs serving as houses, and stands made of branches and tarp which sold food, clothing, and other products.  The people were dressed in the type of traditional garb you would imagine.  Some of the women were dressed up for special occasions, and that fashion was reminiscent of the 1980s: stiff satin fabrics, big shoulders, peplum waists with large bows attached.  The children along the sides of the road were the happiest children I’ve ever seen.  They waived and shouted to us in our buses and vans, delighted that we were even passing through.

The artwork and carpentry we saw at the curio shop prior to boarding our safari vehicles was fascinating.  Intricate wildlife scenes were carved all from one piece of wood.  The stone figurines were made using rock from Mount Kilimanjaro, which we could see on our drive.

After our souvenir stop we boarded smaller vans with open roofs for our drive through Tsavo.  I joined 5 guests, including Kathy, Joe, and Phil whom I knew previously from activities around the ship.  The first 45 minutes was very slow in regards to wildlife spotting.  Not even the birds seemed to be flying.  But the scenery was still marvelous to see: the mountains in the background, plenty of indigenous trees and bushes, the vibrant red Earth. 

See the Mountain Lizard blend in with the dirt:



Then, slowly but surely, the animals started to appear, first seeing this Tsessbe and giant ostrich:




Next up, our driver Ali drove like a wild man to the place where another group had spotted a lioness.  She was asleep by the time we got there, but at least we could now say we saw a lion:


Next we came across herds of Impala and their species-confused Zebra friend:




We got to a watering hole just as the hippo there chose to hide himself in the water. But the elephants in the area sure weren’t shy:

As we headed for our lunch stop we came across a family of baboons:



The whole group reconvened for lunch at Ashnil Aruba lodge, a beautiful hotel in the middle of the reserve.  There was a wide buffet selection of both classic dishes and local cuisine.  I went with a local lentil soup and meat with peas dish.  Both were pretty tasty.  After eating, we all re-boarded our respective vans and continued the adventure:



During lunch, our Zebra friend found his pack:



And then we got to see some giraffes!



The waterbuck and gazelle weren’t afraid to pose for us:






As the safari wound to a close, we came across a family of Velvet Monkeys in a tree.  After our stop for pictures, these monkeys ran alongside our van all the way to the exit!





The rain held out just long enough, and started after we began our drive back to the ship.  It was a long one, but after an exhausting day I fell asleep for most of the ride.  We arrived back at the port at 6:15pm.  What a day!


I have the most amazing job.  I am so thankful to be able to do what I love AND see the world at the same time.  After yesterday, my head is back in the game.  I’ve been reminded how fortunate I am for this opportunity, and that even while I’m away from home, I’m surrounded by people who care about and support me.  I could not be more blessed.

Monday, December 23, 2013

Long overdue update!

It's been so long!  Pictures are hard to post on here with my internet connection, but check out my Facebook for now to see all the new pics!

Today I toured Mahe (Mah-hey), the largest island in Seychelles (Say-shells).  The botanical garden was BEAUTIFUL.  Lots of giant tortoises.  The water was so warm.  The native coconuts are the size and shape of a human butt.  Seriously.

It's been so long that I haven't updated about Petra, either.  Every person on this planet should put a visit to Petra on their bucket list.  You will never see anything else like it.  It was a lot of walking but worth every step.  The buildings there are carved into the mountainside.  It is an exquisite sight to see, and crazy to imagine it was all done by hand so many years ago.

My cast and the crew are great.  We've had some great bonding experiences, and the shows are going very well.

More details to come!!

Merry Christmas!!!

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Rhodes

Rhodes (Roads) is such a beautiful example of history.  Walking through the giant wall that surrounds Rodos was like stepping back in time.  I especially enjoyed the ruins of the church dating back to the Byzantine empire.










A Holocaust memorial:

 

Of course, I HAD to have a gyro while I was in Greece!




Below are some pictures from our show Ritmo Caliente.


Singing ventriloquist Michael Minor and Grandpa.




Israel for the next three days!  Pictures to follow