Male, Maldives
Anchored off shore
The morning started very early, 3:30 am. Yes, that is a time on the clock, and it isn’t a time to be home from a date. The Maldives is a chain of islands probably best known as a place of luxury resorts, great beaches, good fishing, diving, swimming and snorkeling. If you go online to TripAdvisor, you will see numerous resorts built out into the sea. Individual “cottages” built over the water.
Things to go all revolve around the sea. It all makes sense. The Maldives basically translates into the “Islands (dives) of Male. In Sanskrit the name maybe have been “maladvipa” which means “garland of Islands).
The Maldives is the smallest country in Asia. Including the sea, the territory spans roughly 90,000 square kilometers (35,00 square miles). It’s land area is only 298 square kilometers (115 square miles). On the opposite end of the spectrum the Maldives is one of the worlds most geographically dispersed sovereign states.
You are probably getting the idea by now that the Maldives economy and main Industry is tourism. Most of the islands we have visited have relied solely on tourism to support their economy. It is no different here. All the excursions provided by Regent revolve around the water and water sports.
About ninety-eight percent of the country is Muslim. There are six heritage Maldivian coral mosques listed as UNESCO tentative sites. So there maybe some things to se where besides water and sand.
On the downside human rights in a contentious issue. The US Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights nad Labor claims that the human rights practices in the Maldives has significant problems among them are corruption, lack of religious freedom, abuse and unequal treatment of women. Since the impositions on Russia were imposed due to the Ukrainian war, many of Russia’s oligarchs have chosen to reside in the Maldives.
Currently, we are in the middle of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which is spent by Muslims fasting from dawn to sunset, and with extra prayers. While fasting Muslims refrain from consuming food, drinking liquids, smoking, and engaging in sexual relations. As the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, Ramadan begins when the first crescent of a new moon is sighted. In 2024 Ramadan is from March 11 to April 10.
The Maldives in nearly 100% Muslim. We have been warned not to show too much skin when choosing our clothing. That most of the shops will be closed due to Ramadan. That we should not eat in public or even carry food openly. That smoking in public places is against the law.
One is beginning to wonder why we are here. We’re not beach people. Not interested in snorkeling, diving or swimming in the ocean. Looking out the window we can see the capital of Male. There is no green space here. The island simply looks like a single mass of buildings. Given the human rights issues do we even want to be here?
It is 7 am. It is 28 degrees (84). The humidity is roughly the same as the temperature in Fahrenheit- 80%. Ok the group in Kansas City, where is is hovering around 0 (32) will probably say what is wrong with 28. They do have a point.
We will probably go ashore after lunch. We need to see if malaria medication can be had here. We are thirty days short due to the change in itinerary. Dinner to night is American BBQ. Unfortunately it won’t be KC BBQ.
It was too hot to go ashore so we stayed aboard. Maybe tomorrow. The BBQ wasn’t anything like an American BBQ. There was a roast pig but it wasn’t otherwise much different from any other meal served here. We went to Compass Rose. There were maybe 24 people there, 12 of which worked there. Nice and quite. It was even a bit cool.
Restful day.
Buonanotte e Ciao, Enrico e Maria
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