Day 65 Mar 9 (sea day)

Grabbed a quick breakfast and made Tai Chi this morning.
Then the Vantage group where we discussed Vietnam and the changes the country has gone through. Much of what I noted in earlier accounts to you was supported by other travelers and our leader, Chris. Apparently things have really improved during the last ten years after we lifted our embargo.

At 10:45 AM we had a lifeboat drill. Nobody drowned! At 11:15 Kate Ross lectured on the Indian Ocean Trade Routes. Apparently the Arabs didn't invent Arabic numerals and the compass. The devices evolved between them and the Chinese and perhaps some other cultures which traded in the Indian Ocean region (I know, China isn't really on the Indian Ocean, but it was the last stop on the trade routes which traversed that Ocean. I was reminded that the Arabs did play a big role in preserving the knowledge of the ancient Greeks and Romans when Europe was having its identity crisis known as the dark ages. Imagine having to start all over and losing such wonderful things as the ideas of Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, Hypocrites, etc. Come to think of those names are pretty hard to spell, let alone pronounce. Maybe we would have been better off if....no, it's a good thing the Arabs took care of that stuff I think.

Trivia at lunch again. We're back in the groove. We lost. (11/25 correct - it took 14 to win) I helped a nice lady named Julie with email. I am becoming a bit of a guru to the lesser experienced users. It keeps me off the streets. Went to the port lecture on Chennai. Took a nap. Went for a run, showered, ate dinner.
The show was a singer named Michelle Montione (sp?). She was pretty good. Afterward I met Anita in the computer lab but the system was conked out again. Gotta love it!