Johann Kyser
11/6/95 aboard Concordia
Greece
One of the most interesting aspects about visiting Greece was seeing the places where myths were created. On our land programs, we traveled to ruins on the islands of Crete and Rhodes, where Minotaur, the monster appearing in some Greek Myths is thought to have originated. Instead of simply reading about history, we go out and see it with our very eyes.
Because we are always in port, it is difficult to grasp the cultures of the places we visit. Generally the areas have been quite touristy. I not sure if I have experienced authentic Greek culture or if I have experienced what the tourist industry considers Greek culture. The experience, however, still teaches us a lot about the people and culture in other countries.
Greece was beautiful. For me it was the first opportunity to travel far from port without the entire group of students in a tour bus. A few friends and I rented scooters and spent the day cruising along the coast. We stopped along the way to enjoy the views of beaches and cliffs over the ocean. After stopping for lunch we drove into the hills of Crete, which were covered with tiny farms and groves of olive trees. I enjoyed exploring and discovering Greece on my own.
Jan Peavoy and Anne Woomer
November 6, 1995 aboard Concordia
The Suez Canal
Many preparations were made for our journey through the Suez Canal, a man-made waterway that connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez. The captain was the only member of the crew that had been through the canal before. The rest of us knew little about what was going to happen.
A total of 5 Egyptian pilots were onboard at various times, as well as 3 'line handlers' who did little more than take up deck space. It was a new and different experience for all of us on board. Every single person, official or not, whom we dealt with, required a bribe of some sort in order to complete his job. We had to give away cartons and cartons of cigarettes (their favorite bribe apparently), bottles of cheap perfume, and various Concordia related paraphernalia.
Overall, the canal seems to be run efficiently - everything was on time- but corruption is rampant, accepted, and expected. We were told we would see many boats swarm Concordia. We were also told that we would see people climbing on board our boat to sell us things. None of the professional crew were able to sleep during the fast-paced 24-hour process, so last night we anchored in the Suez Bay for a quiet night.
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