Sandy and Jim WC 24-25

  MOMBASA, KENYA MARCH 19, 2025 Kenya’s chief port, Mombasa, is a melting pot of traditions.   Linked by a causeway to the African mainland, it boasts a rich tapestry of Middle Eastern and African cultures.   On our sail into this harbor, we were met with a double rainbow!!!!   Then we noticed a huge ferry packed with people and were told this ferry can hold as many as 4,000 people.  The lateen-rigged dhows and small vessels anchor in this port between trips to trade with the Arabian Peninsula, Persian Gulf and India.   We toured the narrow streets of Mombasa’s old town lined with ornately styled architecture and home to mosques, cathedrals and Hindu temples.  We entered the city under the symbolic four metal elephant tusk sculptures built in 1952 to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s visit which form the letter “M” for Mombasa.   Our tour continued to Fort Jesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is a 16 th century fortress built by the P...

  VIKING SKY BRIDGE TOUR MARCH 14, 2025 Captain Fredrik Nilsson who hails from Sweden and his bridge crew were most accommodating to host six of us on a tour of the bridge and describe the roles each crew member performs 24 hours a day!!!!   Captain Nilsson explained what each instrument is for and the job it performs.   This ship sails so smoothly because of the crew performance and, of course, the seas and wind.   The Sky flies the local national flag of whichever port it is docked in. The necessary flags are all stored here on the bridge, along with plaques denoting the first visit to any country. Sandy has wanted to “blow” the horn when entering or leaving a harbor and asked the Captain a few times if that were possible!!!!  She received the same answer each time – “No Maam”!!!!!  BUT she did see where the horn button was located!!!!  That’s as close as it gets!!!!   And the small lever on the right side of this photo is the Auto Pilot ...

  MAHE (VICTORIA), SEYCHELLES MARCH 16, 2025 Victoria, the capital and largest city of the Seychelles archipelago, sits on the island of Mahe in the western Indian Ocean which has been calm as glass during our voyage here.   Originally settled by French colonists, this city was renamed after Queen Victoria during the early 19 th century when it became a British colony.   Beautiful scenery was captured while sailing into the harbor of Victoria with its wind turbines and fishing vessels and granite mountain tops! One of Victoria’s landmarks, the Clock Tower, is an iconic structure erected in 1903 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee.  We have a very experienced naturalist and wildlife photographer on board who has taken some beautiful photographs of sea turtles floating with pilot fish and the giant Aldabra land tortoise among other sea life and land animals and birds.  To start this day, Antonio Cirillo, our Restaurant Manager, delivered to Sandy Th...

  MALE, MALDIVES MARCH 12, 2025 Male, the capital of the Maldives, is the gateway to this beautiful low-lying archipelago consisting of 26 atolls covering approximately 115 square miles.   Asia’s smallest country is a tropical paradise full of white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters. The tranquil lagoons are teeming with bird and marine life hovering over the vibrant coral gardens.   Hilton and the Hard Rock Café have built luxurious resorts, complete with over-the-water bungalows, on a nearby island. Viking arranged a day of pure relaxation for us here at the Hilton Beach Club -Sandy enjoying a pina colada and Jim soaking in the swirling pool waters!!!

    The Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal is considered one of the 7 New Wonders of the World. It has long been on our bucket list. When we first considered going on this World Cruise, India was on the itinerary. However, it was dropped when it became dangerous to traverse the Suez Canal and the Viking Sky had to go all the way around Africa instead. We decided that it would be possible to visit the Taj by flying from Phuket to Delhi, doing a tour of Agra where the Taj is located, and then rejoining the ship in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Our friends Joe and Julie decided to join us. After a short Air India flight, we arrived in Delhi and set off for our hotel in a taxi. The trip was only about 10 miles but took over an hour and a half due to the choking traffic in the city. We checked in and discovered our rooms were HUGE. Then, we visited the hotel bar and were served by a 21 year-old bartender who appeared to be about 12 tops! We arranged our tour through Tours by Locals, who provided us...

  PHUKET, THAILAND MARCH 6, 2025 Often called the “Pearl of the Andaman Sea,” the Thai island of Phuket has the most picturesque beaches, beautiful azure waters and emerald green hills. This island was long a major stop on trade routes between India and China. Promthep boasts a shrine depicting the god Brahma as a “Four Face Buddha,” surrounded by more than fifty colorful elephant statues, each draped with garlands of flowers.   Celebratory firecrackers in the square. Then we toured Phuket’s largest and most sacred temple, Wat Chalong.  Finally, we stopped at the Sriburapa Cashew Nut Factory to watch the process of extracting nuts from their shells by hand and, of course, made a purchase of fried nut cookies! On the way back to the ship, we spotted this establishment in the bar area and got a good laugh. Probably sells more than liquor.