A Few “Lesser Known and Obscure” Facts I Learned While Cruising from Miami to Long Beach (via the Panama Canal)

Bottom line: You need to request the caviar (of life)!

Janet and I recently joined the Seabourn Sojourn on a 22-day cruise from Miami to Long Beach via the Panama Canal.

Tuesday, Nov 25 - Our first priority after boarding was lunch ... and since we knew we could order caviar ... we did! (And, since we both love seafood, we promised ourselves to order it on a regular basis.)

Janet enjoys her first

serving of caviar on-board.

Wednesday, Nov 26 (At sea) - As we normally had done on previous cruises, we attended the lectures/presentations on-board, having found most to be entertaining and informative.

Our first day, Dr. Ben Taggie presented on King Sugar.

1) Columbus introduced sugar cane to the New World on his second voyage in 1493.

2) The year 1651 CE marked the first mention of rum, at that time made from sugar cane molasses (now made with sugar beets).

3) Four million slaves were imported to the Caribbean between 1700-1850 CE to work in the cane fields (hot, hard labor).

Dr. Sofia Laurein presented The "Golden Age" of Caribbean Piracy: Skull and Crossbones on the Horizon (1650-1720).

4) Pirates wore earrings as commemoration for their first crossing of the equator.

5) Their earrings, usually gold, served as pre-need currency for a "proper" burial.

6) The first real democracy occurred on pirate ships in the New World, as all the pirates shared in the bootie and could leave of their own free will.

7) Sir Francis Drake created the Mojito, the first cocktail, to treat scurvy. (Got my attention!)

Thursday, Nov 27 (At sea) - Janet and I observed Thanksgiving by consuming our share of caviar!

Dr. Sofia Laurein presented A Cultural History of Coffee: How We Fell in Love with Caffeine.

8) Circa 6th century CE , coffee was consumed like "energy bars" in Ethiopia (unsweetened, of course).

9) Kiva Han, the first known coffee house still in operation, started in 1475 (during the Ottoman Empire) in Constantinople.

10) Pope Clement VIII baptized coffee as a Christian drink around 1600. (Prior to that it had been considered satanic.)

11) Coffee became the preferred drink in the US colonies following the Boston Tea Party of 1773.

12) The custom of tipping servers was born in English coffee houses.

13) Coffee trees DO NOT produce beans. Remember that the next time you're grinding your coffee seeds! (BTW, the same goes for cocoa, a recommended ingredient of chocolate.)

"Jack" Garcia, former FBI agent, presented about his experiences of undercover work.

14) Apparently, there's controversy in Boston (or thereabouts) as to whether spaghetti gets covered with a sauce or gravy. And, there I was, thinking my whole life that spaghetti always got covered with sauce!

Dr. Taggie presented The Fascinating Story of the Discovery and History on the Dominican Republic.

15) The ancient Greeks were calculating the circumference of the earth several hundred years BCE. I fact checked that. Eratosthenes (c. 276–194 BCE) is credited with an estimation of 25,000 miles. (Current measurements are 24,901 miles at the equator, and 24,860 miles through the poles, as earth is NOT a perfect sphere.)

16) Santo Domingo, founded 1496, became the first European settlement in North America.

17) The Dominican Republic almost became a US state in 1870 during Grant's presidency.

Friday, Nov 28 (Isla Catalina, Dominican Republic) - The Sojourn anchored off the island, then tendered passengers in for some "Caviar in the Surf and Beach BBQ." Janet and I had a relaxing lounge, accompanied by caviar and followed by lobster! Yum!

The ship sits anchored

as Janet and I lounge.

Saturday, Nov 29 (At sea) - Moderate rough seas proved nothing more than a test of sea legs ... at least for me. Janet donned her wrist bands, which have something to do with acupressure.

We attended the "at sea" presentation by Dr. Ben Taggie entitled The ABC Islands, a Jewel of the Amazing Dutch Empire in the 17th Century. (For clarification: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.)

18) The "Golden Age" of the Dutch empire occurred in the 17th century CE, as they possessed the largest navy.

19) The Dutch captured the ABC islands around 1636. In part, it seems, because the Spanish considered the islands "useless," as they weren't a source of gold/silver.

20) The East India Trading Company became the first "trade stock exchange company."

Sunday, Nov 30 (Willemstad, Curaçao) - Janet strolled along the waterfront of the Otrobanda and Punda quarters of Willemstad, using the ferry to cross St. Anna Bay when the Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge was open (to allow a ship to pass).

The Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge

swings closed to accommodate

foot traffic.

We recrossed the bay via the closed foot bridge.

Punda Quarter, Willemstad, waterfront.

(Note the Dutch style architecture.)

I spotted this gorgeous mural in Otrobanda.

The "Djosa" mural.

(Francis Sling, 2024)

Monday, Dec 1 (At sea) - "Jack" Garcia lectured about Chasing Down Drug Dealers. (Interesting ... and dangerous.)

Dr. Ben Taggie presented The Spanish-American War and It's Important Contribution to the Successful Building of the Panama Canal.

21) As a result of the heavy casualties from yellow fever during the Spanish-American War, a cure was sought and found. As deaths from diseases, such as yellow fever, had stymied the first attempt to build the Panama Canal by the French, the subsequent cure assisted a second, and successful, attempt by the Americans.

Dr. Sofia Laurein provided us An Entertaining History of Your Favorite Food.

22) Extinguish the myth  (British propaganda) that Napolean was short in stature. To wit, Napolean was three-quarters of an inch taller than the average man of his day. (Some food items are named after him. However, since those food items aren't among my favorite, I found the above fact more interesting.)

23) James Salisbury, physician during the American Civil War, created Salisbury steak, since he thought veggies produced poisonous substances, which caused numerous, severe health conditions, including mental illness.

24) Round blocks of hard cheese were used as cannonballs in a naval battle!

25) French fries originated in French speaking BELGIUM.

Tuesday, Dec 2 (Santa Marta, Columbia) - Janet and I checked out sites of the town, including the "Tayrona Gold Museum" (free entry).

Tairona society (Pre-Columbian) created impressive, intricate gold-work ornamentation, though I was amused by one clay shamanic object. It's purpose was to frighten people. I'm doubtful it has that effect on you, though perhaps it would on young children.

Tairona society shamanic figurine.

Wednesday, Dec 3 (At sea, Atlantic Ocean) - Dr. Sofia Lauren provided An Entertaining History of Money. We learned about various early items/substances used as currency, such as salt and leather.

26) The term "cash cow" originates from gifting a milk-producing cow at someone's birth, as the on-going flow of milk could be sold.

Melissa Fung presented Living with Trauma: A PTSD Journey. She told us about her ordeal as a journalist taken hostage in Afghanistan, and held in a dark, cramped space for about 30 days. She placed emphasis on the on-going work and positive attitude of personal growth. (I'll second that!)

Thursday, Dec 4 (Panama Canal) - Our ship began the transit of the Panama Canal system when we entered Gatun Lake early morning. I'd barfed twice during the night (cause undetermined), so started my day late and in a slow, sluggish state. Janet and I went topside at 2:30 PM to watch the progress of our ship's canal transit, and I spotted a huge ship transiting the newer canal adjacent to us.

The "Magellan." Carrying fuel? LPG?

Friday, Dec 5 (At sea, Pacific Ocean) - Dr. Sofia Laurein continued her talks with The History and Mystery of the Mayan Civilization.

27) About ten million people comprised the Mayan civilization.

28) They worshiped the "Corn God," valued beauty, and so elongated their skulls to replicate the shape of an ear of corn. They considered crossed eyes, pointed teeth (filed theirs), and facial scarring (scarification) as signs of beauty.

Sans anesthesia and antibiotics, I felt glad that I wasn't born into their culture!

29) Mayan language is still prevalent in parts of Mexico today.

30) Their calendar, with a 365.42-day year, was more accurate than our Gregorian calendar, which requires an additional leap-day every four years. And, they created theirs 700 years earlier! (Why are we using the Gregorian version?)

31) Their calendar included a "long count," which ended 2021 CE. (That date WAS NOT a prophecy of doom or meant to signify the end of time, only a long-count reset, AND they weren't around to begin a new cycle!)

32) They produced rubber (for the balls used in their "soccer" games) and chocolate (unsweetened and for religious purposes only).

33) They did not use the wheel, though NOT because they were stupid. They simply didn't have a beast of burden. As a result, they built their temples, etc, with stones small enough to be carried by hand.

34) During a "Port Talk," we learned that a beach at Golfito has the 2nd longest left-handed waves in the world. (Go get 'em, surfers!)

Saturday, Dec 6 (Golfito, Costa Rica) - Janet and I walked about two miles in the warm, humid air before relenting and hiring a taxi to take us to the "duty free" shopping area. There, we observed locals busy purchasing electrical appliances and alcohol, primarily. To a lesser degree, they shopped for clothing and auto tires, which were offered side-by-side within the same store!

(One of those self-explanatory signs!)

Once Janet and I returned to the ship, we headed to the Observation Lounge for cocktails. There, we learned about a scheduled tour of the ship's bridge, and requested an impromptu inclusion. The staff coordinating the tour allowed us to join, and I joked, "It's like when you open a door and two flies come in."

I'm pointing the way

following a passenger mutiny?

Sunday, Dec 7 (Puntarenas, Costa Rica)(aka Puerto Caldera) - Other than wander through town on our way to the lighthouse, Janet and I didn't discover anything that overwhelmed us, so we re-boarded the ship, having gone on a 5 (five) mile walk, according to Janet's iPhone. (I suspected it was lying to us, though the distance did seem a far piece to the lighthouse in the warm sun and humid air.)

El Faro de Puntarenas

(Puntarenas Lighthouse).

Monday, Dec 8 (At sea) - "Dennis" Wille lectured on Quetzalcoatl and Quetzal: A Biocultural Journey Through Time.

35) Of the several species of Quetzals (birds), the Resplendent Quetzal is Guatemala's national bird. Having long, colorful tail feathers, the Resplendent was prized by the Mayans.

36) Birds are classified according to toe position (number of toes facing front vs number facing back.) Toe position determines how well and whether a bird can grasp a branch, for instance.

37) The "Oilbird" (Steatornis caripensis, AKA guácharo) is the only bird that uses ecolocation. (Of course, bats ecolocate, but they're mammals.)

Tuesday, Dec 9 (Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala) - As there is no town at the dock, Janet and I splurged, and joined an excursion to the Mayan ruins of Iximche, the Mayan capital 1470-1524 CE.

We enjoyed an enlightening tour of the ruins (where the royals/leaders lived), learned about the Mayan calendar (which I admit is complex and difficult to remember), their version of soccer, temple construction, and then we observed several spiritual rituals in progress.

Our guide explaining

the Mayan calendar.

A ceremonial alter for initiating

boys into manhood (foreground).

(Note: the stones are small enough

for one person to carry.)

A ritual at Iximche.

A shaman conducting a second ritual.

38) We learned that Iximche's "commoners" lived in Tecpán, the ruin's nearby town.

A busy street in Tecpán.

Mid-day rush?

39) In addition, we learned about "Chicken Buses," rebuilt used US school buses (given larger engines, and with reinforced suspension and roofs). They've gotten that name because locals carry live chickens in their laps when returning home from the market. I spotted a number of them, each uniquely, and colorfully, decorated. (The buses, not the chickens!

A "Chicken Bus."

Wednesday, Dec 10 (Puerto Chiapas, Mexico) - Since Janet and I had not booked a shore excursion here, we explored the small tourist facilities at the dock, and soon returned to the ship, awaiting caviar and cocktails served during our sail-away. I spotted a kettle of vultures, looking for a meal, too, no doubt.

A kettle of vultures.

Thursday, Dec 11 (Huatulco, Oaxaca, Mexico) - Janet and I walked about three miles, exploring the nearby tourist shops and a beach area.

(Another colorful

self-explanatory sign.)

After we'd sailed from port, I spotted one of a number of stunning sunsets that I saw during our cruise.

A Pacific Ocean sunset.

Friday, Dec 12 (At sea) - "Dennis" Wille lectured on Spirits and Seeds: The Natural History of Bats, Agave, and Chocolate.

40) Of the 6.4-thousand species of mammals, 1.4-thousand are bats, though only three bat species eat blood. (Why all the freak out?)

Dr. Sofia Laurein presented The Aztec Empire: The Spellbinding Story of a Lost Kingdom.

41) Originally nomadic, the Aztecs founded their first city in 1325 CE at Texcoco Lake, destined to become modern day Mexico City.

42) Perhaps, they created the first universal educational system, though the elite learned higher skills, such as reading and writing, while the lesser-class commoners learned "trade" skills, such as farming irrigation.

Saturday, Dec 13 (At sea) - Marisa Lino, former US Ambassador, talked about Life as a US Diplomat—Schmoozing and Ducking.

43) The first US diplomat was Ben Franklin, 1776-1785, when he worked to get France to support the colonies against the British.

44) She told us that Albania is the most pro-American country in the world. (I wouldn't have guessed!)

"Dennis" Wille shared about Wings Over the Ocean: Seabirds of the Equatorial North.

45) The term "seagull" is a misnomer, the correct name is Western Gull.

46) Arctic Terns migrate 20K miles to live in an "endless summer."

47) Some birds achieve long-term sustained flight with UBS, unihemispheric brain sleep, aka USWS. (Some reptiles and aquatic mammals also possess UBS capability.)

Sunday, Dec 14 (Cabo San Lucas, Mexico) - Janet and I joined an excursion to San Jose del Cabo, some 46 miles away. We wandered along several streets close to the main square.

(Do I need to say where?)

We happened upon this mermaid, which enticed us into the artist's shop's courtyard. He specializes in welded sculptures, made from various metal scrap, such as washers, bolts, sprockets, and chains. (See for yourself.)

Mermaid at the shop's

courtyard entrance.

Several more metal sculptures

(monkeys in a tree and

female human face).

BTW, you can purchase the human face sculpture for less than $25K! Returned to our ship, I got a good photo of Cabo's iconic arch.

Said iconic arch, El Arco.

After we left Cabo on our northward leg to Long Beach, I spied a pod of porpoises that had set a rendezvous course to reach us, and I watched as our ship slowly pulled away from them.

Porpoises at play in our ship's wake.

And around that same time, I witnessed another ocean sunset.

Yet another fantastic ocean sunset.

(Note: Image unaltered.)

Monday, Dec 15 (At sea) - Jill Dougherty presented Explaining Russia. She provided background information on the lead up to Putin's reign and his drive to reassert Russian power in the world, describing him as a chameleon.

Tuesday, Dec 16 (At sea) - Dr. Sofia Laurein lectured on The Mysteries of Most Enchanting and Intriguing Works of Art.

48) As per fashion of the 15th century, women were depicted as pregnant.

49) Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper is filled with "hidden" symbols, such as bread on the table represents musical notes from Mozart's "Requiem."

50) Peter Bruegel's (the Elder) painting The Dutch Proverbs contains references to 112 (one hundred twelve) proverbs.

Marisa Lino provided ten basic tips on International Negotiations: Lessons for Real Life. Among those e.g. know your bottom line, be prepared to walk away (if necessary) and negotiating isn't a zero sum game (not about one side "winning").

Alas, our cruise ended in Long Beach. My trip take-away? I've come to believe that every sunset at sea, alas anywhere, is worth witnessing, if for no other reason than to appreciate being alive. (It's a spiritual experience for me!) Oh ... and you need to request the caviar (of life)!

May you enjoy all your sunsets, and walk in beauty.

A Few “Lesser Known and Obscure” Facts I Learned While In South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana

Bottom line: Getting back to your roots can be a spiritual experience!

Sunset from Hwange

National Park, Zimbabwe.

Janet and I recently joined a Smithsonian Journey to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana, places we'd never been. Though a short trip in duration, our itinerary kept us busy as beavers, and we were filled with great memories of encounters with a wide spectrum of wild animals ... up close, that is. In addition, we were treated to three lectures by Dr. Robert Schrire about South Africa's apartheid past, it's current political environment and potential future. And, it should go without saying, we took necessary precautions against illnesses, for example by dosing ourselves with a generic version of Malarone to ward off malaria.

Thursday, Oct 2 (Cape Town, South Africa) – We spent a "free day" before our tour activities began in earnest by touring several nearby wineries.

Friday, Oct 3 (Cape Town) – After an orientation meeting, we toured the peninsula south of South Africa's "mother city".

1) Cape Town was originally establish in 1652 as a "rest and resupply stop" by the Dutch for ships rounding Africa's southern cape.

2) The Chinese were visiting and charting that shoreline as early as 1421!

3) Along our drive, we learned that one of the local wines is named "Splattered Toad", originating from toad road kill, a result of migrating creatures crossing roads during egg-laying season.

The tip of the Cape of Good Hope.

4) Originally named Cape of Storms by Bartolomeu Dias in 1488, the cape was renamed by King John II of Portugal in order to encourage the poor wretches rounding Africa on the ships.

5) Ironically, the Cape of Good Hope is not the most southern tip of Africa. Cape Agulhas, east and 34 miles farther south, owns that distinction, and many ships mistook the Bay of False Hope as their route of passage to Europe.

False Bay (distant left) and Cape

of Good Hope (below the right peaklet).

6) South Africa has eleven official languages, respecting the various tribes and subsequent immigrants, such as the Dutch descendant Afrikaners, and the English. Remember the Boer War between England and the Dutch settlers? (Though apparently, there were two!)

Headed back to Cape Town via the western side of False Bay, we stopped at Boulders Beach to view a colony of African Penguins.

One of the many penguins at the

colony approaches viewers without

concern. (BTW, that's sand, not snow!)

Saturday, Oct 4 (Cape Town) – We headed to Robben Island via ferry from Cape Town Harbor.

Cape Town Harbor

and Table Mountain.

We toured Robben Island, used as a prison location and leper colony off and on from1683. A former political prisoner provided us a guided tour of the facility, including Nelson Mandela's cell.

Nelson Mandela's cell.

After returning to Cape Town, clouds obscured Table Mountain, so we drove to Signal Hill, adjacent and lower, though clouds hampered panoramic views from there, as well.

A portion of Cape Town from the

flank of Signal Hill. (Our hotel,

pink, is roughly centered.)

Sunday, Oct 5 through Tuesday, Oct 7 (Kapama Private Game Reserve) – We flew to tiny Hoedspruit airport near Kapama Private Game Preserve. And, while staying at the lodge, we were treated two "Game Drives" daily, several hours each morning and each evening. And, we started living an African wild-game National Geographic documentary, rather than watching one on TV!

Riding in specially adapted jeeps during our six Game Drives, we witnessed a multitude of animals.

7) We were warned to remain seated (as well, by no means leave the vehicle), and if we didn't yell or make wild gestures, the animals would consider us as part of the jeep ... and, that the animals, having never been threatened or harmed in association to the jeeps, would not react with alarm or fear. And, so it was!

A stately male Cape Buffalo.

A leopard!

Family herds commingle

at a waterhole.

A male lion heads for a snack.

Same lion snacks on a giraffe.

Hippos in their element.

(What's so funny?)

8) Except to eat, hippos do almost everything in the water, where they keep cool, and protected from predators and the sun's harsh UV-rays.

Warthogs (Eating what?)

I couldn't determine what they were so interested in!

Two giraffes, in no hurry.

11) Giraffes browse on the straight thorns of Acacia trees, which are modified leaves. (We were warned not to feed a giraffe as the tongue could rip the skin from your hand!)

12) Giraffes have the highest blood pressure of land animals ... 220/180 mmHg when standing, but can rise to 330/200 mmHg when drinking water. Gotta move that blood up and down a long neck!

Our guide drove us to a hyena den. (All the guides knew where that hyena den was located, and it's not like the hyenas move everyday!) And, with luck, we observed an adult pair with two young during siesta.

Hyenas, unfazed by our presence.

A Red Hornbill.

Vervet Monkey with baby perches

on the roof of our resort lodge.

We saw no African wild dogs, though they do roam into the preserve as they have an expansive range. As well, they are the rarest (most endangered) of the land animals there.

13) Though not the fastest of land animals, reaching a speed of 70 kph (43.5 mph), wild dogs have considerable endurance and tire their prey prior to attack, figuratively running them into the ground.

Though we didn't see the termites, their mounds are indeed impressive.

Active termite colony mound.

14) Termite queens can live up to 50 (fifty) years!

Wednesday, Oct 8 (Johannesburg) – After flying to Johannesburg, we drove to an impoverished township Kliptown, located in Soweto (short for South Western Townships). On the way to Kliptown, we stopped for lunch, where I enjoyed a locally brewed beer.

Houses in Kliptown (Soweto).

Then, we were driven to our hotel in Johannesburg for an overnight stay.

Thursday, Oct 9 (Pretoria) – After our overnight in Johannesburg, we were driven by bus to the Rovos Rail Station in Pretoria.

Panorama of the Rovos Rail "Capital

Park Station" (Maintenance Yard far left).

Rohan Vos, owner of Rovos Rail, gives

us a tour of the Maintenance Yard.

He explained that he purchases dilapidated train cars and refurbishes them in the style of former luxury-travel glory-days. Following our guided tour, we had lunch at the station. Originally, we were to board the Rovos Rail train there. However, that plan got "derailed" when a train mishap along the line blocked the track. So, we boarded buses, and were driven to Louis Trichardt, some 234 miles "up the line" in order to by-pass the blocked rail section.

Janet and I ready to board

the train in Louis Trichardt.

Our original compartment on the train, more of a cubicle, would've likely resulted in "murder on the Rovos Express", as Janet and I later joked to others ... and, as luck had it, we upgraded to a larger compartment.

Janet in our compartment upgrade.

We settled in for our three-day train ride, rocking and rolling, as well as jerking forward and backward without prior notice, when the train stopped and started. Such are the joys of train travel in some parts of the world! Regardless, we soaked in the train's Victorian/Edwardian ambience of luxury as best we could.

The more regal of the two dining cars.

Janet poses in the

Observation Car (aka bar).

Friday, Oct 10 (Rovos Rail) – The train rumbled along as we crossed the border into Zimbabwe, near Beitbridge,

15) then traveled one of the longest straight stretches of track in the world, 114 km (71 miles).

Saturday, Oct 11 (Rovos Rail) – Our train stopped at Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, and we enjoyed another Game Drive, observing more animals.

An infant baboon tentatively

explores the world.

Grazing Wildebeest.

Jackal. On the hunt?

Two Zebra leave the waterhole.

Following our Game Drive, we re-boarded the train for Victoria Falls ... and, sometime in the night, I developed a case of "Montezuma's revenge"!

Sunday, Oct 12 (Victoria Falls) – We disembarked the train at Victoria Falls Station, and checked into our hotel. I informed our tour guide, Tina, of my malady. She suggested the cause was a side-effect of my antimalarial medication, and gave me several carbon pills to take, which I did. (Janet had similar symptoms, though I'll not elaborate further!)

The Rovos train awaits it's next

passengers at Victoria Falls

Station across from our hotel.

Though feeling weak from loss of body fluids and sleep, I soldiered onward as we took a walking tour of nearby Victoria Falls, which provided us gorgeous views.

15) The falls border Zambia and Zimbabwe,

16) and are just over a mile wide when the Zambezi River flows in abundance.

The falls from the Zimbabwe

side at the end the drier season.

Monday, Oct 13 (Chobe National Park, Botswana) – Feeling much better, I'd once again prevailed over Montezuma. By bus, we were driven to the border check point, then walked through "no-man's land" into Botswana. In Chobe National Park, we climbed into a jeep for another Game Drive, then later boarded a boat for a ride on the Chobe River to see the wildlife from a different perspective.

A "journey" of giraffes

cross a Game Drive road.

17) Our game driver told us when stationary, they're referred to as a "tower"!

The Chobe River from

our Game Drive jeep.

A "committee, venue, or volt"

of vultures. (Take your pick!)

I prefer committee. Maybe, it's my suspicious nature, but I think they were conspiring!

18) If those vultures were eating, they'd be called a "kettle"! (Who thought that up?)

A male African Sable (antelope).

I always thought sables were smaller furry things! Aside from that, we saw animals I'd not previously heard of, such as Kudu, Tsessebe, Puli and Red Lechwe (all ungulates), not to mention the numerous winged critters.

Tsessebe headed away from the river.

19) We were informed that Tsessebe are among the fastest land animals, reaching speeds up to 56 mph, as opposed to cheetahs at 70 mph.

Guinea Fowl (aka Chobe Chicken).

Our game driver told us Chobe Chickens are tougher and not as tasty as our more common American tamed fowl of that name. (I took his word for it!)

A male Kudu checks us out.

(Impalas graze behind him.)

An Openbill Stork (African

variety) looks for a meal.

Chobe National Park proved to be a birder's paradise. I couldn't keep up with all the names of the birds we saw, much less snap photos of them.

An elephant snorkels across the Chobe

River in search of greener pastures.

We spotted two hippos grazing in the morning, which they sometimes do in order to beat the other grazers to the best stuff. Competition, you know!

Two grazers, unconcerned

about our presence, munch away.

20) Hippos graze on short grass,

21) can travel up to 6 (six) miles per outing, and,

22) with tusks instead of smaller teeth, they use their specially adapted lower lip to graze.

A mother crocodile guards

her egg nest on a small island

created by the Chobe River.

Soon after I captured this photo, another boat approached her to within several feet, and she didn't flinch! Our boat guide said she wouldn't move unless her eggs were threatened.

After our day's excursions, we were treated to local entertainment during dinner at our hotel.

Our evening's dinner entertainment

at Victoria Falls Hotel.

Tuesday, Oct 14 (Homeward bound) – Our African safaris come to a close, we flew to Johannesburg, then home via Dubai, arriving early evening Wednesday our local time.

I thoroughly enjoyed our safari adventures in Africa, found them informative, enlightening and enriching. I'd recommend travel there to anyone, particularly near the end of the dry season. (Hint: fewer mosquitoes and less tree leaves to obstruct spotting animals.)

May you enjoy your adventures and walk in beauty.

A Few “Lesser Known and Obscure” Facts I Learned While Visiting Alaska

Bottom line: Traveling is always about experiencing something new!

Janet and I pose as our cruise

ship leaves Vancouver, BC.

Janet and I recently cruised the Inside Passage, then visited a small portion of Alaska’s interior. Though the climate there is notorious for cloudy weather (and rain), we had good fortune. Most days the sky was clear or only partly cloudy, while the temperatures hovered in the mid-fifties, though had climbed to the mid-seventies in Fairbanks.

Sunday – We passengers, 2262 in all, boarded Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam in Vancouver, BC, joining the 864, or so, crew. (Visiting entertainers and musicians are considered crew, though they come and go at different ports.)

Monday – Janet and I settled into a hectic self-imposed routine of eat, drink and attend lectures during our first "sea day." Challenged to avoid over-indulgence, we managed a slight degree of restraint. Daily lecturers onboard, and comments as we toured by bus, provided cultural enrichment. (Interesting tidbits are numbered and sprinkled throughout this blog.)

1) Sea life abounds in colder waters. The temperatures allow the water to hold more saturated oxygen, hence, a more diverse ecosystem, e.g. more plankton resulting in whale migrations.

Tuesday – Our ship docked at our first port, Ketchikan, Alaska's most southern city.

2) Ketchikan is located on an island, and is not connected by bridge to the mainland, or the US road system.

3) Some “streets” are mere wooden walkways and staircases, as there were no motorized vehicles present when the city was originally developing.

A narrow, wooden staircase

"street" in Ketchikan.

4) The iconic “scream” of the Bald Eagle in American film is actually the call of a red-tailed hawk. Bald eagles don’t have a fierce or shrill call, which wasn't considered dramatic enough, apparently. That's Hollywood for ya'.

We visited the Totem Bight State Park, where we learned about the native Alaskan practice of carving totem poles for storytelling, clan identification, and shaming stingy neighbors.

5) The poles tell stories (such as of the creation) as the native Alaskans had no written language. The poles didn't serve as idols for worship, however.

Two "older" totems and clan

markings on the buildings at

Totem Bight State Park.

Downtown Ketchikan

waterfront totem.

6) Having a pole carved today could cost $5K-10K per foot!

Janet and I visited the Red Dog Saloon, where we each enjoyed a “Duck Fart,” a delicious shot of a three-liquor combo. (Don’t ask me which liquors, however.)

Janet poses before we

consumed our Duck Farts.

Wednesday – By bus from Juneau, we visited Mendenhall Glacier. Though we kept our eyes open for bears, we saw none.

Mendenhall Glacier near

Juneau, Alaska.

7) Yesteryear lumberjacks built floating houses (even “cities”) in order to move to various logging sites along the coast or harbors.

8) Alaska’s capital is located on Juneau Island–D’you know the capital of Alaska?–and isn’t connected by road to the mainland.

9) The island has two horse crossing signs, but no horses. The climate is not conducive to maintaining horses year-round, as they develop weather related illnesses. So, the horses that had been there were removed, though the signs were left behind.

10) There are almost as many bald eagles (30K) as humans (35K) on Juneau Island.

Thursday – From Skagway (“Gateway to the Klondike” gold fields) we rode by bus into Canada and to the high plateau just beyond White Horse Pass, over which many gold rushers traversed on their way to the Yukon.

11) The gold rushers were forced by Canadian authorities to trek one ton of supplies with them. That requirement necessitated several trips, and/or use of pack animals, to carry sufficient supplies over the pass, an arduous trek, even without gear. In addition, due to rocky terrain, where legs could easily get broken, it proved easier to portage through snow during the winter. As a result of the hazards, including mistreatment from their handlers, some 3,000 horses died making the trip through the pass, earning it the nickname "Dead Horse Trail."

12) Few gold rushers became wealthy, and tens-of-thousands died during the Klondike Gold Rush, though exact numbers are unknown.

13) As lucrative, even more so, than heading into the backcountry for gold, many people, such as the case in Skagway, went to Alaska to “mine” the gold rushers, e.g. saloon/hotel operators, prostitutes and purveyors.

14) We visited the original cemetery where a number of notable Skagway characters were buried ... and appear to remain so. I took note of several comments on a cemetery sign. (Read the first lines for Frank Reid and Ella Wilson.)

Sign at the first

Skagway cemetery.

15) Skagway got electricity before Manhattan!

Janet and I visited the Red Onion Saloon (originally serving as a brothel, as well), where we enjoyed “Reindeer Farts,” (another three-combo liquor shot, though different than the Duck Fart). Again, I don’t know what they were made of, though mine tasted great.

Janet poses at the

Red Onion Saloon.

Friday – In clear weather, we sailed into Glacier Bay and cruised to Margerie Glacier at the bay's head.

Margerie Glacier.

16) Alaska has more glaciers than anywhere else in the world!

Saturday – We proceeded to College Fjord. Clear weather continuing, we cruised to the head of the fjord and observed some “minor” calving from Harvard Glacier.

Harvard Glacier from our ship.

Sunday – Our ship docked in Whittier. We disembarked, and boarded a bus for Anchorage. On the way there, we stopped at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, which rehabilitates rescued Alaskan animals.

17) Porcupines are phenomenal tree climbers, though poor at remaining perched. Warning: always check before standing under a tree, least you get impaled by a falling porcupine.

In Anchorage, Alaska’s most populous city, Janet and I strolled a short distance from our hotel to Ship Creek, in a quest to spot spawning salmon, though saw none. Along the way, we enjoyed ice cream at Wild Scoops , then passed the train depot.

Monday – We headed around Turnagain Arm by bus for a look at Cook’s Bay (Yes, that Captain Cook!) and distant view of downtown Anchorage.

18) Cook’s Bay doesn’t have deep water. Large portions of the bay turn to mudflats during low tide, and the fine silt in the bay (about the consistency of baby powder) has been estimated to be 90 feet deep or more. Dredging efforts produce only temporary results.

Cook's Bay mudflats and

downtown Anchorage.

On our return into downtown Anchorage, we visited the Alaska Native Heritage Center, where we examined artifacts of traditional tribal Alaskan life.

19) One in five Alaskans have pilot’s licenses. (Bush planes being the primary transportation mode.)

20) It’s illegal to drop moose from planes ... or their droppings. (Okay, I realize this needs some explanation.) At one point, some people, otherwise bored, and with a surplus of moose poo about, would bet on how close to a target they can get moose droppings ... and perhaps a moose occasionally. Hence ... the current law.

That evening, thrilled about, and wanting to take advantage of our two-room hotel suite, Janet and I decided to take cocktails to our room from the hotel bar, Fletcher’s. However, we were informed that would require a hotel security escort. Though Janet was somewhat reluctant, I was all in. Why not? (In the end, our security guard carried our drinks, and we weren’t required to be hand-cuffed!) Though I initially speculated that the hotel didn’t want us to steal their glasses, I concluded that the hotel wanted no liability in serving alcohol that could be carried onto the streets of Anchorage.

Tuesday – We boarded the train for Denali National Park, taking seats in an observation car. On our journey north, we were served lunch.

Denali (20,310 feet) from the train.

21) We passed a line of telegraph poles (protected historical monuments) aside the highway. Some years after the telegraph went the way of the dodo in Alaska, the copper wires were removed, though the poles were left standing. Some citizens thought it unnecessary to pay for their removal, and also thought that they were of some historical value. So, today those poles are like totems … left untouched on purpose, to fall and decay at will.

A "historic monument" telegraph

pole along the highway.

Wednesday – Following our first night's stay at the Holland America Denali Lodge, we were taken on the Denali Natural History Tour, riding by park bus along a portion of the one maintained road. Again, though we scanned the terrain for large animals, such as moose and bear, our efforts were fruitless. Two moose were spotted a a great distance, though they were difficult to see without binoculars. I did see a mated-pair of ptarmigan with several chicks foraging just off the road.

22) Largest of the US National Parks, Denali was established to protect Dall Sheep, the only park established for the purpose of protecting animals.

That evening, Janet and I enjoyed a great meal at the Denali Lodge.

Janet shows off her order of

crab cakes, while I ogle my

order of Canadian candied

bacon. (Appetizers, mind you!)

Thursday – We boarded a bus for our transfer to Fairbanks, farther north.

23) “Frost heave,” quite noticeable and a result of permafrost thawing and refreezing, creates a roller coaster effect along portions of the highways.

24) Forest fires are common in Alaska, a natural and necessary process for forest regeneration, e.g. spruce trees require fire to release seeds from their cones. We were required to wait about 20 minutes near one such fire (though we saw no evidence of flames, nor smoke) where the road traffic was escorted and limited to one direction of travel at a time. As I understood the explanation, aspen trees have extensive root systems which can burn/smolder underground for some time, despite the absence of flame above ground. As a result, another outbreak of fire can occur later.

Friday – We visited a portion of the famed Alaska pipeline on the outskirts of Fairbanks.

25) Completed in 1977, it’s still working well, despite an expected lifespan of 20 years. “Pigs” keep the pipe’s inside cleared and the oil flowing. As the pigs move along, they sound like the squeaking and scrapping when glass is cleaned … or so we were told.

Display of a "pig" in

a pipeline. (Note the

original spelling of Alaska.)

Following a short walk and train ride, we visited the nearby Dredge 8, the one remaining river dredge maintained for viewing. I imagined the dredge's operation an odd sight, indeed, only requiring enough water to float, as it backfilled its way along.

Dredge 8, in situ.

There, everyone received a fist-sized "grub bag" (sample of alluvial debris) and taught how to pan for gold. My sample yielded $18 worth of gold specks and Janet’s produced $12. What a haul! But it was easy to see how mere small amounts of the glittery yellow mineral could generate a stampede.

From there, we lunched at the Riverboat Discovery dock near the Fairbanks airport, then boarded the paddle-wheeler, Discovery III, for a short ride down the Chena River.

Along the way, our boat paused so we could watch a dog sled demonstration at Trail Breaker Kennel, currently run by Susan Butcher’s daughter. (Note: Susan was a four time Iditarod winner.)

26) The famed Iditarod Dog Sled Race stems from the need to deliver diphtheria medication to treat an outbreak in Nome in 1925, as there was no other option. Fewer people have finished that race than have climbed Mt. Everest. Generally, there are 26 or 27 checkpoints (depending upon the route selected), and situated 30 to 80 miles apart, over the race length of 1,100+ miles. The sled dogs, huskies, are generally “trotted” at 9 miles per hour, a sustainable speed for them.

The paddle-wheeler continued downstream to the junction with the Tanana River, where we turned upstream.

On our boat's return to the dock, we stopped at the Chena Village Living Museum for several more demonstrations.

Modeling a traditional Alaskan

native dress made of various

animal furs.

We learned about native

Alaskan life and indigenous

animal furs.

Saturday – Our trip ending, Janet and I headed to the airport.

Though disappointed about not seeing bears and moose in the wild, or running salmon, during the land potion of our trip, Janet and I wre thankful of the pleasant weather … and the absence of mosquito hordes. Moreover, we took pleasure in availing ourselves of food, drink and the entertainment/lectures on board the cruise ship.

I remain grateful that traveling widens my world view, and brings me great pleasure and spiritual renewal.

Walk in beauty.