March 24

3-24 Fri.: Well, we never thought we would be happy to have a sea day but after 3 ports in 3 days we are glad to be able to take it easy today! BUT Ginnie is one mad puppy because the Duke game was supposed to be on at 7:10 this morning and it was not! No satellite feed! We did collect the brackets and entry fees last night - 18 whole people participating! And Ginnie did wear her blue hair! On Wednesday we were in Penang. Our first stop was at a batik factory - though factory might be a bit of an overstatement - it was a couple of shacks with about 10 employees. They did show us the process - they mainly work with silk - and of course, they did have stuff to sell. Then we went to the butterfly farm which was FANTASTIC. Some of the biggest butterflies I have ever seen and thousands of them. One large butterfly had wing tips that looked like snake heads - amazing. On the way back to the bus we stopped at a fruit stand shack that had a rubber tree growing up through the middle of it and saw how they cut the rubber tree to let the latex run out. And they cut into one of those stinky fruits that John Haase had told us about - boy , he was right - they do stink! The tour was long and HOT and our guide was annoying but the sights were worth it. Then yesterday we were in Phuket. Hard to believe it has only been 15 months since the tsunami hit here - so much has been rebuilt. Our tour took us to an elephant safari place where we saw an elephant show and a monkey show and the rode on an elephant! During the show they offered elephant massages - people went out an stretched out on a mat and they put a small blanket over their backs and the young elephant rubbed their backs with his foot - all the while kissing their bare arms with his trunk! Amazing. It was great. The shows were good and the ride was nice - really bumpy!! Then we went to a rubber plantations and saw how they process the rubber - they tap the trees at night because in the heat of the day the latex does not run as quickly. Then we went to a cashew factory - no wonder they are so expensive! Each nut husk is separated from the fruit that grows from it and then each husk is separated - if the nut is whole it goes in one dish and if split it goes in another. And at some point in the process they boil them and then bake them. Slow process. We bought some good stuff BUT don’t think it will get home to any of you! Then we made an obligatory stop for shopping at a real upscale jewelry store that of course also sold the same souvenirs you could by anywhere else. We object to being led like a lamb to the slaughter at these store - wonder what the kickback deal Cunard has! Today is cloudy and rainy but we are enjoying being lazy. Columbo on Sunday.