Our location guide David gave a lecture on things to see and do in Mumbai, India, as well as practical tips. We then attended a morning lecture by Bill Crews on the British Raj (Rein) over India and its legacy. Here he discussed Britain’s prolonged rule over India, how many things India gained during this time and also some of the negative impacts on India of being ruled by a foreign government.

The afternoon was quiet and relaxing. Mark went to the watercolor class while Kent went to the gym. In the evening the Rotterdam cast performed their show A La Mode. This musical journey through Europe we had seen twice before on this trip but we still enjoyed it for the third time.

Sri Lanka Architecture

Sri Lanka Market

Colombo – Pettah Street

Colombo – Tea Shop

Our tour on this day was titled “Exploring Old Colombo” and was a walking tour through several old neighborhoods not far from the port. The local family owned business, called Colombo City Walks, is run by husband and wife Mark and Ruvi Forbes. We started our walk in one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city called the Pettah District. The Pettah is the hub for all shipments in and out of the local port before being sold wholesale and retail to locals or shipped on land to other regions of the country. The ox carts of days gone by have now been replaced by trucks and hand carts carrying goods like tea, cinnamon, rope, fruits, vegetables, fabrics, clothing, foods of all types and more. It is a beehive of activity and when navigating the streets one needs to be careful not to be run over by a cart piled high with goods.

In the Pettah district we visited a local produce market where people were busy shopping for daily food. Dried fish, unusual fruits and vegetables and spices abounded. The locals were extremely friendly and wanted to interact with the tourists, which was nice to see.

We then stopped at the Grand Oriental Hotel built in 1837 as one of the most elite hotels of the time. At that time you would need to provide your financial records prior to being accepted as a guest in the hotel. Many of the original woodwork, furnishing and architecture remain intact although it is in need of updating and refurbishing. In the fourth floor restaurant and bar we had tea and cookies as we enjoyed the views out over the harbor.

The next area of exploration was the Colombo Fort area built on the remains of a Portuguese fort from the sixteenth century. When this area was built all of the buildings were required to have covered colonnades or walkways so that you could walk undercover to avoid the rain and hot sun of the day. The walls of the fort are now long gone but the architecture of the buildings in this area is stunning. Many buildings are now being renovated and converted to businesses and hotels.

We stopped at the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking building set up to pay the salaries of the British Soldiers. Then we moved on to the Cargill’s building from 1844 that was the first department store for Sri Lanka dealing in imported goods mostly for expatriates and wealthy locals. This area also includes the presidents’ residence located on a large parcel and beautifully landscaped.

We stopped in a local teashop for an explanation about some of the local teas. This shop was extraordinarily modern in contrast to many of the local buildings and shops. It could have just opened in any American or European city.

We then stopped at the Old Dutch Museum to see the six-story atrium in the recently restored mansion built in the latter part of the 17^th century. Initially it was the residence of Count August Carl van Ranzow.

Nearby was the Old Dutch Hospital complex, once a functioning hospital during the 17^th century and now beautifully restored as a high-end shopping and restaurant arcade. Many of these old buildings have sat vacant and decaying during years of civil war until just six years ago when the war ended. China has been very instrumental in financing the redevelopment of the country. In exchange for financing, China has been allowed to build a new port for their personal use, free of charge for the next 35 years.

The city is going through an incredible renaissance with lots of foreign investment and within a few years I am certain that it will be a wonderful new city.

The evening’s entertainment was a new show by Davie Howes from a few nights earlier.  Mark attended the show and Kent saw the movie, “Million Dollar Arm.”

Sri Lanka – Captain’s Garden Temple

Sri Lanka – Gangarama Buddhist Temple

Sri Lanka – Jami Ul Alfar Mosque

Sri Lanka is an island located at the southeastern tip of India between the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka with 2.4 million inhabitants, while Sri Lanka has 22 million residents. Colombo’s harbor and position along the East-West sea trade routes enticed the Greeks, Persians, Romans, Arabs and Chinese traders who visited regularly over the centuries. Muslims of various ethnicities began to settle in Colombo around the 8^th century, mostly because of this trade business. In the 15^th century the Portuguese established a foothold in the area and were granted authority over the coastline in exchange for guarding the coast against invaders. However, they soon expelled the Muslims in Colombo, building a fort there in 1517. The Dutch signed a treaty in 1638 with the King of Kandy, assuring Dutch assistance in the King’s war against the Portuguese in exchange for a monopoly of the trade goods. However, in 1656 the Dutch refused to return control to the King, eventually assuming control of the area’s valuable cinnamon lands. The British captured Colombo in 1796, beginning an era of British colonialism that ended in 1948 when Sri Lanka (then called Ceylon) gained independence from Britain. Modern-day Colombo is a mix of old and new.

Colombo has a mile long seafront promenade designed by British Governor Sir Henry Ward in 1859 as a horseracing track. The city’s central park lies along the western shore and is known as Galle Face Green. The fort district is the city’s heart and is filled with old colonial buildings, like the Grand Oriental Hotel which was converted from an 1850’s military barracks, and the Presidential Secretariat or former parliament building.

Our tour this morning was titled “Holy Colombo” and took us on a tour of the diverse, multi-religious society of Colombo. Our first stop was at the very ornate Captain’s Garden Hindu Temple with a recorded history of more than 400 years. The very colorful roof of the temple has depictions of hundreds of gods.

The next stop was at the Gangarama Buddhist Temple. At the Gangarama Buddhist Temple we discovered an unusual and extensive collection of kitsch–a complete contrast to the normally austere atmosphere of a Buddhist temple. The temple contained several buildings of stuff given by the faithful. You might find a case filled with watches next to a table filled with plates or flower vases. Next to that might be a case with elaborately carved ivory figurines or paintings stacked one upon the next. Everywhere you looked there was stuff that might remind you of your grandmother’s attic or basement. They even reportedly have hairs of the Buddha.

Our next stop was at the Wolvendaal Church, once a Dutch Reformed Church and now renamed the Christian Reformed Church. This church was built in 1757 and contains the remains of many former governors of the region. The church has a very plain interior with a simple pipe organ and geometric stained glass windows.

It holds the record as the oldest Protestant Church still functioning in Sri Lanka. The church is in desperate need of painting and refurbishing but it only has a congregation of about 200.

Finally we visited the Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque, also known as the Red Mosque. Located in the Pettah Bazaar area of Colombo, it dazzles you with its candy-striped red and white brickwork. Only 7% of the Sri Lankan population belongs to the Islamic faith. Midday prayers were just finishing so we did not really get a tour inside but one of the parishioners wanted to convert Kent and gave him a book to read on the Islamic way of life. He may have to make a few changes to convert.

The city appears to be growing, as there are construction sites all over town. They appear to be building not only new office and commercial buildings, but also high-rise condominiums. The port area also appears to be going through major renovations as they modernize for today’s shipping container ships. I think that in another ten years you will not recognize the place.

The tour guide that we had was not very informative and made very few comments about what we saw or where we were going. It was very disappointing but this is life. You win some and you lose some.

We were in port overnight so there was no live entertainment. Instead they showed the movie Brooklyn in the main showroom at sea. We spent about 2 hours having drinks and sharing our day’s experiences with our fellow travelers.

This was the third sea day before we arrive in Sri Lanka. The good news is that we have turned our clocks back 2.5 hours in the last three days so people are catching up on their sleep. The weather continues to be in the 80’s with high humidity.

Valerie Mock gave her last lecture before disembarking the ship on how the British craving for tea upset the balance of trade between Britain and China. This imbalance led to the mass introduction of Opium into China, creating a huge demand for the drug, which Britain was happy to supply in exchange for silver.

The afternoon lecture by Bill Crews was on Sri Lanka, its Independence, Civil War and the 2004 Tsunami. Like so many countries, it has a long history of corrupt government controlled mostly by a single family. After many years of civil unrest the country now appears to be on a more stable footing and is growing by leaps and bounds.

Mark watched a Disney Nature film titled Monkey Kingdom narrated by Tina Fey. It was a very sweet nature documentary that follows a newborn monkey and its mother as they struggle to survive within the competitive social hierarchy of the Temple Troop. This group of monkeys lives in ancient ruins in the jungles of South Asia and the photography is beautiful.

Dale Kristien, the singer who starred in the Phantom of the Opera, put on another wonderful show this evening. She has aged a bit since Phantom but she still has a great voice. Bravo!

This was another quiet relaxing sea day. The morning brought us a lecture by Valerie Mock on spices and how the exploration of spices led to the exploitation of many Asian lands. Spices today are still an important export of Indonesia and a significant part of the economy.

We then had lunch in the dining room with our friend Tom and one of the engineers onboard named Rabina and her girlfriend, Inge. The afternoon included a lecture by Bill Crews on the final voyage of the Emden, a German war ship destroyed in the Indian Ocean during WWI. We were not familiar with this ship but it evidently destroyed many other ships in the sea before finally being destroyed by an Australian naval ship.

Mark attended the watercolor class while Kent chatted with Charlie Vose, a singer on board, and attended the Indonesian Tea in the dining room. The evening’s entertainment was a comedian and violinist named Dave Levesque. Not good!

Today there was a shore excursion talk on Colombo, Sri Lanka, as well as a location guide talk on the practical information for our next port.

A new lecturer is onboard by the name of Major General Bill Crews who spoke on the Sea Route to India – Vasco da Gama and the Portuguese. He examined the early European exploration and colonization of South Asia and beyond. He gave such an incredible amount of detailed information that it was difficult to follow.

The afternoon included a lecture by Valerie Mock on the Story of Silk where she discussed how silk is harvested and processed. She also talked about Jim Thompson, who revitalized the Thai silk industry with his line of fabrics and pillows before he mysteriously disappeared.

The evening brought a repeat performance for us of the Rotterdam singer and dancers show titled The Midnight Hour.

Kuala Lumpur National Monument

Kuala Lumpur Petronas Tower

Kuala Lumpur Sultan Abdul Samad House

Malaysia is a country the size of New Mexico with some 31 million people located on the South China Sea, south of Thailand and north of Singapore. A second portion of the country is comprised of the northern third of the island of Borneo. They export electronics, oil and gas, palm oil and rubber.

Kuala Lumpur is the largest city in Malaysia with 6.8 million inhabitants and is the major hub for finance, insurance, real estate and the arts in Malaysia. It is considered Asia’s most dynamic and fastest-growing cities. This city, located about an hour’s drive from the port, is the 6^th most visited city in the world with over 9 million tourists a year. Shopping is extremely popular as well with over 65 shopping malls.

Our tour this day was titled “Kuala Lumpur Highlights”, unfortunately Mark was still not feeling well enough to venture out so he stayed onboard while Kent toured. The tour took Kent to the King’s Palace – the official residence of His Majesty the King of Malaysia for a photo stop. The stately mansion is set within a beautifully landscaped garden.

Next stop was a visit to the National Monument in the Lake Gardens of Kuala Lumpur. Here renowned designer Felix de Weldon, best known for the Iwo Jima Memorial at Arlington, designed this impressive monument in memory of all those killed in defense of the country.

Then it was a visit to the National Mosque with its contemporary expression of the traditional Islamic art, calligraphy and ornamentation. The mosque includes a minaret that towers 240 feet above the umbrella like roof. Next door to the Mosque is a beautiful old railway station inspired by Mughali architecture. The station has a grand stately façade with seven minarets.

Independence Square, the former playing field of the Royal Selangor Club, is a venue where important events, celebrations and street parades are held. Kent also saw the nearby Sultan Abdul Samad House, which served as the government office during the British era. Nearby was Saint Mary the Virgin Anglican Church. Most notable of the day was a photo stop at the famous Petronas Towers. These twin towers remain the tallest twin towers in the world, although not the tallest tower in the world. They are taller than the Sears Tower in Chicago.

Mark was feeling well enough to have dinner in the dining room and attend the show. Davie Howes was the entertainer of the evening. He plays the piano, a variety of horn instruments as well as a few silly instruments. He plays a garden hose, a shower sprayer and a walker. He has an incredible amount of energy and was all over the stage.

This was the end of the round trip Singapore portion of the cruise for many of the passengers. While they may have been disappointed to be leaving, many of us staying on were happy to see them go. Not nearly as many passengers were embarking the ship for the next segment, so it will be easier to find a seat in the Lido for breakfast or in the showroom for a lecture or show. The ship can accommodate about 1,400 passengers but we are told that we only have about 1,000 onboard at this time.

Mark has come down with a bug of some sort so he is not feeling well enough to venture out in the heat and humidity. Kent decided that he would venture ashore for a massage and a visit to the Bugis shopping area.

All aboard time was 4:00pm followed by another mandatory lifeboat drill where they take roll call at your emergency lifeboat. This is our third such drill this cruise. The evening’s entertainment was a woman by the name of Dale Kristien, who stared on Broadway in The Phantom of the Opera with Michael Crawford. She has a remarkable voice and sang some songs from Phantom as well as a variety of other songs.

Singapore Light Show

Singapore Folkloric Show

This morning we attended a lecture by Barry Dreyer on the Rise of Nationalism, War with the Dutch and Freedom at last. Here he discusses the overthrow of colonialism and the freedom under Soekarno. In the afternoon Barry and Valerie Mock did a joint lecture on Indonesia: Today and Tomorrow where they discussed how far Indonesia has grown and how they see the future shaping up. In general, they are positive about the future of Indonesia, but like all nations today, the world economy and their relationship with slowing China may cause them trouble.

By 6:00pm we had arrived in Singapore for an overnight stay. We decided that we would take the subway to the Clarke Quay area near the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and convention center. Here we saw the laser light show over the man made lagoon. They project lasers off the tops of several buildings surrounding the lagoon and many of the buildings have lights on them that change colors to the beat of the music. Along the Clarke Quay they have one seafood restaurant after the next with tanks of fresh lobsters, crabs, mussels and fish.

We returned to the ship by 9:30pm to enjoy a local Singapore Music and Dance performance. They had several groups who performed dances from their native lands, including four large Indian men wearing very colorful costumes who did a very acrobatic routine.

This morning we attended a lecture by the shore excursion office for our upcoming port of Kuala Lumpur, followed by an afternoon lecture by the location guide David on practical information for the port of Kelang in Malaysia. Valerie Mock gave a lecture on the port of Singapore and how it is the second busiest port in the world next to Shanghai. More than 1,000 ships are in the Singapore harbor at any given time waiting for a spot at a terminal where they can be loaded or unloaded. Singapore is in the final construction phase of building a new container port that is capable of handling the new larger cargo ships. Once this new facility is completed they will disassemble the current cargo container area near downtown Singapore and redevelop it. This will allow room for many new residential and office towers to be built in town.

Several of the folks that we have meet on the ship will be leaving us in Singapore so eleven of us got together for a farewell dinner in the dining room. Dennis and Alex will return to Berlin. Many of the group will continue to South Hampton or Rotterdam. After dinner we enjoyed the Rotterdam singers and dancers in their show titled “Dance”.