Asia - Passports Overloaded

Seoul (Incheon), South Korea – DMZ Third Tunnel – Demilitarized Zone

March 12, 2014

Today’s tour was going to be a great one. We had to bring our passports with us because we had to show it to the military before entering the DMZ. I’ve learned about the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in school, and I have always wanted to see it. We began our scenic drive to Seoul from the pier along Unification Road, which is the main highway connecting Seoul and Panmunjom. Along the way, we saw Freedom Bridge which is the only bridge that crosses the Injin River connecting North and South Korea. For thousands of North Koreans, this narrow wooden bridge was the path to freedom at the conclusion of the Korean War. Upon arrival at the DMZ, we saw that it was heavily guarded by the American and South Korean military.

Created by the Korean Armistice Agreements signed in July 1953, the DMZ is a 155 mile long, 2.5-mile wide military demarcation line (MDL) with a 1.2-mile wide demilitarized zone on each side of it. After the military had briefed us, we took a guided tour of the museum. After the museum, we continued to the third tunnel. This 5,364-foot long tunnel is located about 240 feet underground and is over six feet high and wide.

This tunnel was designed for a surprise attack on Seoul, the tunnel crosses the demarcation line into South Korea, and is capable of moving 30,000 battle equipped foot soldiers per hour. The tunnel was quite impressive. They had painted black spots on the walls so they could say they were digging for coal.

The last stop on tour was the Dora Observatory for a panoramic cross-border view of North Korea propaganda village. We were told not to take any pictures of North Korea beyond this yellow line that waspainted on the ground. If you did they would grab your camera away. It was a pretty serious thing.

Dalian, China – Walking Tour of Dalian with Kite Flying

March 11, 2014

We began our tour driving to Zhongshan Square which was constructed by Russians in 1899; it is also the oldest square in Dalian. From this square we started walking through the city we passed through Friendship Square, Victory Square and the Qingniwapiao Shopping area luckily they didn’t give us anytime to shop because I always find something to buy. From the shopping area, we continued walking to People Square whose name was changed from Stalin Square. It was built to commemorate the liberation of Northeast China in 1945 by the Soviet Union’s Red Army.

From here our walking tour continued to our last stop which was Labor Park to fly our kite. The tradition of kite flying dates back more than 2,000 years in China. This park was cool it had big statues of the Chinese zodiac animals.

Beijing, China

March 8th – 10th, 2013

March 8, 2013

Today we embarked on our long journey to Asia. We decided to fly into Beijing two days earlier so that we can take an extensive tour of the city and take our time to visit the magnificent Great Wall of China and The Forbidden City.

March 09, 2013

Our tour guides name was Tony he spoke perfect English and was informative which was great. We walked through Tiananmen Square. We saw this guy tearing up paper and causing a scene Tony told us to make sure not to take any pictures because the police might confiscate your camera and maybe you with it. Tony also told us as we were walking through Tiananmen Square not to ask where the tank was when they had the protests there back in 1989 he said he wasn’t allowed to tell us. The next stop was the Forbidden City.

One thing that I found funny was that some of the Asians started taking pictures of me. Tony said that they lived in the mountains and had never seen Caucasian people before.

March 10, 2013

The next day we drove to The Great Wall of China. It is amazing in person. Pictures don’t do it justice. We walked the wall about one mile and couldn’t believe how tired we got. We didn’t realize some parts were steeper than others and how quickly you get tired.

After the visit to the Great Wall, we went to Fanghua, and I had a necklace of pearls strung right in front of me. We then went to eat a late lunch with Tony and our driver. What do you eat while in China you guessed it Peking Duck.

We rested at the hotel and then got ready to go to dinner. We had a great dinner at TRB Forbidden City. The dinner was great, and the desserts were fabulous.

One thing I found surprising was that every day when we got back to the hotel after walking around the city I would wipe my face with a white washcloth and it would be black from all the smog.

My pearl necklace & bracelet getting strung

Cairo, Egypt

January 27th, 28th, & 29th, 2009

The days leading up to our trip the news was filled with images of the unrest in Egypt. Egyptians were trying to overthrow Mubarak. We were on the fence whether we were going to go on the trip or cancel it. We decided that we should continue with our plan.

The day finally arrived for our flight, we were excited, and when we reached the airport, of course, there was a huge snow storm, so that caused a lot of flight delays. We boarded the plane, so we thought that we were going but as we were sitting waiting to take off the ice was forming on the wings they tried several times to get us going but were unsuccessful. Finally, around midnight they canceled our flight and told us to come back the next day. We should’ve taken that as a sign but we didn’t.

The next day we were back at the airport waiting for the flight while watching the news it looked like Egypt was not a safe place to travel to. We decided to call our tour company Abercrombie and Kent, they told us not to worry, and they would never put us in harm’s way this happens all the time, and it would be over in a day or two.

This time the flight took off. Finally, after 11 hours we arrived. We were met by a representative from the tour company, and he told us we could not get to our scheduled hotel because it was too dangerous so they took us to an emergency hotel which made us nervous. Upon arrival at the Fairmont hotel, the security gave us a hard time getting in which didn’t help the bad situation we were already in. After about five minutes of back and forth, they finally allowed us entry. We checked in an decided to settle in and get ready for a quick bite to eat since it was late. As soon as we turned the Television on Secretary of state, Hillary Clinton was on, and she said: “I urge all US citizens not to travel abroad to Egypt.”

John and I looked at each other and said “WOW that’s great” We decided at that moment that we needed to get out of there as soon as possible. John called our American Express representative, and she scheduled the flight out the very next morning. Other people that were on the same tour with us decided that they were going to wait a few days to see if the issues were resolved.

The next day we headed back to the airport along the way we could see the military all over with guns and bayonets attached and heavy weapons. There were massive amounts of traffic, so I thought we would never make it to the airport. Once at the airport it was a zoo, a total nightmare we had to pay $5,000 to buy new tickets. At that point, if they cost $10, 000 I would’ve paid. The chaos was nerve wracking we didn’t speak the language people are yelling, and you have no idea what they are saying. We decided since we were already that far from home we should change our plans and head to Europe so off to Paris, France.

Military presence in the streets of Cairo

An advertisement showing us the only pyramids we will see for many years

Dubai, UAE – Day 2 – Tour of the city

November 22, 2011

Today was our last day in Dubai and our last day on the ship. We disembarked from the ship and checked into our hotel Raffles Dubai which we booked for half the day. We only needed the room to freshen up before flying home for 12 hours. Unfortunately, it was hazy out so some of my pictures aren’t clear.

We jumped into a cab and decided to see as much of the city as we possibly could. The first place we visited was the fabulous Burj Khalifa. It is the tallest building in the world with the fastest elevator. We went up to the 122nd floor which was the lounge called Atmosphere. We had breathtaking views of the city. We saw the construction of the Palm Islands and The World. This lounge was expensive for lunch, but everything in Dubai is pricey. We then decided to go to the Dubai Mall of the Emirates, one of the largest shopping malls in the world

In the mall, they have an indoor ski resort called Ski Dubai where John and I did a few runs. It wasn’t big, but it was the only indoor ski resort we’ve ever seen. After doing a little bit of shopping, we went back to our hotel so that we can get ready for dinner in the Burj Al Arab (Sail Hotel). The only way you can get into that hotel is if you are staying there or if you have reservations for the restaurant.

The Burj Al Arab is a beautiful hotel with vibrant colors. We knew these two women who were staying there, so we got a sneak peek into their suite and boy was it gorgeous. Each suite has two floors with a beautiful staircase. After getting a tour of the room, we went to dinner at Al Mahara. The restaurant is basically a giant fish tank it, and anywhere you sit you have a great view of it.

From the menu to the stemware and the silverware everything was top notch. The food was delicious as well. After a very expensive dinner, we got a ride back to our hotel so that we can finish packing and get ready to go home. After a great 18 day cruise, it will be tough to go back home to reality.

Burj Khalifa – Picture credit Trip advisor

Maria & John at Atmosphere Lounge on the 122nd floor of Burj Khalifa

A hazy picture of the Burj Al Arab from the observation deck of the Burj Khalifa

A couple of the local in their traditional clothing

The pretty balconies in the Burj Al Arab

The staircase in one of the suites in the Burj Al Arab

Maria & John at Al Mahara Restaurant entrance

Maria & John – Burj Al Arab house car is a beautiful Roll Royce

Dubai, UAE – Day 1 – Desert Dune Drive Safari

November 21, 2011

Today we are doing a desert safari tour in a 4 X 4 vehicle. We drove deep into the desert where the driver took us on a wild rollercoaster desert drive. This type of ride is known as dune bashing traveling up and down the towering dunes. I thought the truck was going to tip over which added to the excitement.

After our crazy ride we drove to the camel and Bedoiun settlements where we had a chance to see how they live Arabian style. We had a good time sand surfing and taking in the breathtaking sunset views.

Muscat, Oman

November 20, 2011

Driving from the pier in Muscat we drove by the giant incense burner in the world. We then drove along the Batinah Coast which is very pretty. We arrived at our first stop Nakhal Fort, perched on a 200-foot high hilltop with spectacular views. We saw the ladies’ sitting room, the prison, the split level terraces, and courtyards. We then visited the Nakhal Springs, a tranquil and picturesque area framed by majestic mountains. On the way to our lunch at the Grand Hyatt, we drove through Nakhal Village. After lunch we drove by the Al Zawawi Mosque, unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to go inside, but the outside looks amazing.

We then headed to the exquisite Al Alam Palace which overlooks Muscat Bay. We didn’t see the inside of the Palace but the grounds were awesome.

One interesting thing our tour guide told us about was that you get a fine if your car isn’t clean.

The second to last stop on today’s tour was Bait Al Zubair, a private museum that has collections of Omani items such as weaponry, jewelry, clothing, books, photographs, paintings and old maps. We spent some time speaking to the owner of the museum who was very nice.

The last stop on our tour was a shopping stop at the colorful Muttrah Souq. We purchased frankincense, incense, and an Omani dagger.

Giant incense burner structure in Muscat Oman

Closer picture of the giant incense burner structure in Muscat Oman

Mosque of the Great Prophet blue minaret with Quranic scriptures

Salalah, Oman – Mughsail Beach & Job’s Tomb

November 18, 2011

Today we had a short tour of Salalah. We drove to the Garden City, Mughsail Beach, Job’s Tomb and Al Husn Souq. Mughsail Beach was very pretty the water looked amazing it’s two miles of unspoiled white sand beaches, high cliffs which are picturesque. We were lucky enough to be there at high tide and saw the spectacular “Blow Hole.”

After being there for about a half hour, we then proceeded to Job’s Tomb where according to legend, the remains of the Muslim and Old Testament Prophet Job can be found. Job’s Tomb is a sacred place of pilgrimage for Muslims, Christians, and Jews. Due to the fact that we were entering mosques on this tour, I had to have my shoulders and my head covered to enter.

The last stop on the itinerary for the day was Al Husn Souq where we had a chance to walk around and shop which is one of my favorite things to do. The colorful stalls are filled with frankincense, incense, bottles of fragrant perfume oils, pashminas and many other things.

Aqaba, Jordan – Petra & Wadi Rum

November 13, 2011

Growing up watching Indiana Jones movies made this next stop exciting. The ancient city of Petra, Nabataean caravan city, situated between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, and Wadi Rum. This scenic drive is where Camel caravans passed through, loaded with spices, textiles, and incense from distant regions, and through that commerce, the city of Petra flourished, until a massive earthquake in 363AD left the structures of Petra in ruins. Upon arrival, we started our walk down the narrow gorge called the Siq (the shaft) to see The Treasury. The Siq is a natural geological passage formed from a deep split in the sandstone rocks. After a 15 minute walk, we finally see El Khazneh, The Treasury, carved directly out of the red sandstone cliff. This structure is impressive I have never seen anything like it before.

After spending an hour at The Treasury, we boarded our tour bus to drive to Wadi Rum. When boarded our 4 X 4 transfer stop, we were engulfed in the desert. Before arriving, I read so many things about Wadi Rum being acclaimed by many as one of the most stunning desert landscapes in the world.

The scenery was magnificent, towering cliffs, mauve colored stretches of sand were amazing. The rock towers reminded us of the Red Rocks in Utah. We drove passed a Bedouin camp where other tourists were going to have a buffet dinner served under the Bedouin tents. After having a nice desert drive, we drove back to our bus to drive back to Aqaba.

John in the narrow passage that leads to Petra

The first sighting of the breathtaking Treasury

The “Seven Pillars of Wisdom” rock formation through a window

The “Seven Pillars of Wisdom” rock formation

Maria & John – with our good friends Adrian & Irene Williams from London

Our good friends Fernando & Martin Alvarez from Miami, Florida

Beautiful water cruising the Red Sea to our next port Salalah, Oman

Luxor (Safaga) Day 2 – Desert Jeep Safari

November 12, 2011

Today we had an adventurous tour we began with a scenic drive in a 4 X 4 jeep from the port of Safaga to the Red Sea resort town of Hurghada. We drove onto the Eastern Arabia Desert. We had great photo opportunities of the deserts that we’ve seen in movies. We drove to a Bedouin camp (settlement), where we were welcomed by the locals (nomads). We had a chance to taste their sweet tea and ate some of their flat unleavened bread. After seeing how the locals lived and what they ate, we rode camels through the desert. My luck I get the angry Camel who was spitting at the handler.