TRAVELS WITH THE JUDGE

by

JUDGE EDWARD F. BUTLER, SR.

				
Butler Family Limited Partnership

San Antonio, Texas

2003

INTRODUCTION

The idea for this book did not develop until sometime in the late 1990s.  Starting with my trip to Okinawa, Japan, with the U.S. Navy Reserve in 1980,  I began to make notes about my travels, which included the high points of the places visited, history  learned, and a bit about the art and culture of the area. The emphasis was on my personal experiences and perspectives.  As time went on, these notes took the form of a dairy, or daily journal, covering my travels in much more detail.

In 1984 the Naval Reserve Intelligence Unit in which I was a member, assigned me the task of writing a guide to Australia to be used by U.S. Naval Attaches and for distribution to members of the Navy and Marine Corps visiting Australia.  I had visited Australia in 1980 as a delegate to the American Bar Association in its joint meeting with the Australian and New Zealand Bar Associations.  Unfortunately, I had made no notes of that trip, the first two weeks of which were spent in Hawaii.  I read every book in the Memphis Public Library about Australia, from which, with my own brief personal experiences, I wrote the book.  It was published in 1986, by the Defense Intelligence Agency as Cultural Behavior Handbook:  Australia (DAT-2600-5611-86) and copies were distributed to the all the branches of the service as well as the CIA, NSA, State Department,  Secret Service, and other government agencies doing business in Australia.  A copy of this unclassified book is included in the Appendix1.

I began to prepare advance expanded itineraries that were in the nature of trip guides which included places I wanted to be sure to visit, and things that were "must sees", exchange rates, etc.  Before my trip to Egypt, I spent a great deal of time researching its ancient history, which I hoped would make me understand more of what I was to see there.  In my trip guide, I included a brief description of the Egyptian Gods, and their interaction with one another, and prepared a time line history of the different dynasties.  Each day while traveling I jotted down notes of where I had been, what I had seen, and my impressions of the area.  When I returned home, I consolidated the guide with the notes, which resulted in an article about the trip, which I placed in my three ring photo album with the photos and other mementos of that trip.

Before our family departed for out three week trip to Greece, I similarly prepared a booklet with a synopsis of the various Greek Gods and the ancient Grecian Myths, as well as a memo about each of the Greek mythological figures of note.  As a traveler knows, artifacts in museums tell the history of an era  in chronological order.  Therefore, I included a thumbnail history of Greece.  Then my travel guides started to include a bit about dining and entertainment, tipping, the exchange rate, time differences, weather patterns, shopping, historical tidbits, etc.  In effect, some of the articles took on the nature of a travel guide.  Each member of the family was given a copy of this document, to look at during their respective leisure time.  This is what we left home with.

As we traveled, I kept meticulous notes of our daily activities, which I later edited.  Most of the time I wrote my notes in a pocket journal.  Later I starting carrying my lap top computer.  Now I carry a pocket personal digital assistant (PDA), with a collapsible keyboard..  Upon our return, I once again incorporated into my travel article, those notes and interesting data from travel books picked up along the way.  So, this first of three or more books about travel is a combination travel guide and travel journal.

Already in the planning stage are four more travel books.  The first will deal with the exploits of my wife, Robin, and I in our six month trip around the world in 1997. The second will relate our travel experiences during the seven months in 1998 that we traveled around the Pacific Ocean, including in-depth travels in the Orient.  On these two trips we visited some 58 countries.  The third book will include travels since 1998, including our trip around the world in 2004, three weeks of which will be aboard the Queen Elizabeth, II (QE2).  The fourth will be a guide for travel directed at senior citizens, the working title for which is Travel For Old Farts, which hopefully will sell well to the public.

Another reason for writing these travel books comes from my hobby of genealogy.  Although this book is not genealogical in nature, it will give to my grandchildren and to my descendants who may be born after my demise, a great insight into my travels, personality,  perspectives and interests As a bonus, they can share in some of my discoveries, and perhaps they will be able to follow  in my footsteps and visit some of the wonderful places around the world that I have been privileged to visit.  How I would like to similardiscover a book written by one of my ancestors.

As stated above, I did not start keeping records of my travels until 1980, and not all my wanderings have been memorialized since that time.  In Appendix A there is also a list of the 130 or so countries that I have visited as of the end of 2003.  Some nine countries will be added on our around the world trip in 2004.  To assist those who plan to travel, I have also included in the Appendix B, a Travel Check List, which will hopefully keep the reader from forgetting to bring along an essential item.  Appendis C is a complete copy of the book I wrote for the U.S. Navy:  Cultural Behavior Handbook: Australia,  which was published by the U.S. Defense Department.

This book is not designed to be a free flowing account of my travels, nor is it intended as a travel guide for the general public.  Rather, it has been prepared to provide a periodic glimpse into my life and that of my family, during periods of time when we were traveling.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

											Page

Introduction										3

Table of Contents									5

About The Author									7

Other Publications by the Author							9
	
Europe, The First Time - 1963							13

Okinawa, Japan with VP 67, U.S. Navy Reserve - 1980				33
	
Great Britain, 1983, Planning the Lawyers' Tour					43

Today's Soviet Union									55

USS Memphis:  May She Ever Prowl The Sea - 1986				67

Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil, Inter-American Bar Association Tour - 1987	59

Travel with Ed and Darrell Butler, 1988 European Trip				81

Travels With Ed and Rhett Butler, 1989 European Trip				 91

Studying Spanish?  Go To Guadalajara						109

Mystical Peru - 1990									117

Ed and Robin's Honeymoon in Asia - 1991						127

Christmas Holidays in Las Vegas and The Grand Canyon - 1991			149

Leaving The Island - July 1991 - July 1992						155

The Honeymoon Continued, Neuve Vallarta, Mexico - Mar. 1992			163

New York, New York! - Jun.,1992							169
Egypt and the Holy Land, TWA Getaway Tour, Plus Paris (Jan.,1993)		173

Mexico City, Mexico - Feb. 1993						   	197

Ixtapa, Mexico - Apr. 1993							   	201

Greece and the Aegean Cruise - Jun. and Jul. 1993					207

Spring Break, 1994									247

Grand Cayman Island, June 1994							251

Alaska	(1994)										255

Making Lemonade in Cozumel, Sept. 1994						275

Utah - Feb. 1995									277

Come Back to Jamaica, Mar. 1995							281

Back to Back Mediterranean Cruises, France, Switzerland and Italy, Jul 1995	289

A Different Jack Tar Village in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (1996)			313

Return to the Island - May, 1996							317

Appendices:

	Appendix A	List of 130 Countries Visited					319

	Appendix B	Travelers Check List						323

	Appendix C	Cultural Behavior Handbook:  Australia (unclassified)	327
(Not included in CD Version of book)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Judge Edward F. "Ed" Butler, II,  is a native of Memphis, TN.  He attended high school with Elvis Presley and even played in a dance band with Elvis.  He was a drummer in the high school band and the college band at Ole Miss, where he graduated in 1958.   Ed was an active member of the Sigma Chi social fraternity at Ole Miss.  In 2003 his national fraternity dubbed him a "Significant Sig", one of its highest honors.  The Mississippi Governor presented him with a medal as the outstanding cadet from the Army, Navy and Air Force R.O.T.C. units in 1957.

Ed joined the Air Force Reserve during the summer of 1954, following the 11th grade  He was discharged as a Staff SGT. in 1962.  The duty he enjoyed the most in the Air Force was serving as Range Master of the indoor firing range, where he taught range safety and marksmanship.  Commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy Reserve in 1963, he served continuously in the reserve for 27 years as a Naval Intelligence officer.  His favorite duties were as a Naval Academy Blue and Gold Officer and as Sr. Air Intelligence Officer for a Naval Air Patrol (P-3C) Squadron, which took him to Hawaii and Okinawa, Japan.  His awards include the Naval Academy Commandant’s Award; Navy Commendation Award (2); Air Force Reserve Commendation Medal and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal (3).  He retired in 1990 as a Commander.

Judge Butler attended Vanderbilt Univ. School of Law as a Ford Foundation Scholar.  He graduated with honors in 1961.  While at Vandy, he was editor of the law school newspaper.  He practiced law in Memphis, TN from 1963 through 1984, but was admitted to practice law in Texas in 1972, and has been a member of the Texas bar since then   Before going on the bench he was Board Certified as a Civil Trial Lawyer by both Texas Board of Legal Specialization and the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

Judge Butler first wore his judicial robes in Memphis as a Juvenile Court Judge.  In Tennessee he served as a municipal, county and state judge.  He decided both criminal and civil law cases, the latter including, family law, probate; medical malpractice, and general civil litigation.  He was an active member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce in Memphis and served in many leadership positions including president of his civic club, the Memphis Trial Lawyers Assn.,  the Navy Reserve Assn, Reserve Office Assn. and the Military Order of Foreign Wars and served on the board of directors of the Tennessee Club, oldest private club in the South, for many years.

While living on South Padre Island, TX,  he was appointed Presiding Municipal Court Judge.  Frequently, he conducted court in Spanish.  He served as the President of the S.P.I. Merchants Assn; the Port Isabel-S.P.I. Chamber of Commerce and the Laguna Madre Republican Club.  He served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Brownsville, TX Chamber of Commerce and the Mr. Amigo Association.  He had six years of perfect attendance in the Brownsville, TX Rotary Club, where he served as Sgt. At Arms.  In 1991 he received an appointment to the federal bench in Dallas, as a Federal Administrative Law Judge..

Ed joined the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) in 1986 and became a Perpetual Life Member ten years later.  He has been awarded several SAR Certificates of Appreciation; the Law Enforcement Commendation, the Bronze and Silver Good Citizenship Medals; two Meritorious Service Medals, The Distinguished Service Medal, and the Patriot Medal, the highest medal a state society can confer, from both the Texas and Mexico Societies.  He has served as the Genealogical Editor of The Texas Compatriot for two years was elected Texas Society Genealogist and served as Texas Vice President, during which time he organized a SAR chapter in Laredo, TX.

While serving as National SAR Ambassador to Mexico and South America, Ed was the organizer of the Mexico Society of SAR.  He served as its charter president and trustee. From 2000 - 2004 he was the Vice President General of the International District, and has been nominated to served as Genealogist General of the national society for 2004-2005.  While serving as president of the San Antonio SAR chapter from 2003-2004, he organized a new chapter in Boerne, TX.

Judge Butler has written two law books; a U.S. State Dept. Guide to Australia and an award winning book on the Butler family.  He has had dozens of professional articles published in legal and medical journals. Many of his travel articles have been published in newspapers and magazines.  He is currently researching his next family history book, and enjoys being a member of the USA Today and Conde Nast Travelers Advisory Panels. He has visited about 135 countries.

Other groups which hold his interest include the Sons of Confederate Veterans ( past camp commander); the Military Order of Stars and Bars (past chapter commander; State Parliamentarian; and National Deputy Judge Advocate General); War of 1812 Society (President Elect of the Texas Society); and the Society of Colonial Wars (Deputy Commander, Texas Society).  He is also a member of the Magna Charta Barons; Americans of Royal Descent; Sons of the Revolution, Colonial Order of the Crown; the Order of the Garter; the Huguenot Society and the Descendants of Washington’s Army at Valley Forge, for which he currently serves as national Judge Advocate General.

Judge Butler and his lovely wife, Robin spent 13 months traveling around the world in 1997-1998, following his retirement.  They enjoy spending time with her two daughters and grandson, and his two sons and granddaughter.  

Publications of  
Judge Edward F. Butler, Sr.
San Antonio, TX 
July 20, 2003

Books:

	The Texas Genealogist’s Handbook, Butler Family Limited Partnership, San Antonio, Jan. 2001.

	The Descendants of Pvt. Philip Nicholas Myers, American Revolutionary War Patriot, jointly with Robin Myers Butler, Butler Family Limited Partnership, San Antonio, Dec. 2000.

	The Ancestors and Descendants of Diana Parker Martin, of Lane, DeWitt County, Illinois, jointly with Robin Myers Butler, Butler Family Limited Partnership, San Antonio, Dec. 2000.

	The Descendants of Thomas Pincerna, Progenitor of the Butler Family, GenPub, Dallas, 1997 (First Prize, Best Family History Book, Dallas Genealogical Soc., 1997).

Texas Litigator’s Handbook, Butterworth, Austin, 1989 (ISBN 040925432-0).

	Family Law in Texas, co-author, Legal Education Institute, Naples, FL, 1988.

	Cultural Behavior Handbook: Australia/A Guide For Defense Attaches, U.S. State Dept., Washington,  Nov. 1986.
	
	Contributing editor, Colonial America: An Encyclopedia of Social, Political, Cultural, and Economic History, East River Books, Santa Barbara, CA, in press, 2003.

Articles:

	"The Impact of the War For Southern Independence on Kentucky".  The Longhunter, journal of the Southern Kentucky Genealogical Society, Vol. XXVI, Issue 2, pp.47-52, Spring 2003.

	“Historical Events Contributing To The Adoption of the U.S. Constitution And The Bill of Rights”,  Stripes, the magazine of the Texas Genealogical Society, Vol. 42, No. 3, Sept. 2002, pp. 68-73 (presented to the San Antonio, Texas Area Regents Council, #7 of the DAR on Sept. 14, 2002).
	“Spain’s Involvement in the American Revolutionary War”, NGS Newsmagazine, the magazine of the National Genealogical Society, Vol. 28, No. 2, March/April 2002, pp. 122-125. 

	“Spain’s Involvement in the American Revolutionary War, Part II”, (The Texas Connection to the American Revolutionary War)  NGS Newsmagazine, the magazine of the National Genealogical Society, in press, Vol. 28, No. 5, September/October 2002, pp. 304-307. 

	“Col. James Butler Bonham”, Stripes, the magazine of the Texas Genealogical Society, Vol. 41, No. 3, Sept. 2001, pp. 35-37.
	
	“Kentucky: Before, During and After The War For Southern Independence”, Kentucky Family Records, journal of the West-Central Kentucky Family Research Assoc., Owensboro, 2000, Vol. 24, pp. 95-102.

	“Caveat Emptor - Cause It Ain’t Necessarily So”, originally published in Missing Links, a weekly Internet newsletter for genealogists, Vol. 4, No. 20, May 1999, by Julia M. Case and Myra Vanderpool Gormley; reprinted in Our Heritage, the journal of the San Antonio Genealogical and Historical Society, Vol. 40, No. 3 and 4, Spring and Summer, 1999, pp. 36-37.
	
	“Benefits Available Through the Social Security Administration”, delivered at the Waco - McClennan County Bar Assn. Pro Bono Clinic Seminar, Mar. 19, 1993, Baylor University, Waco, TX.

	“All That Jazz”, South Padre Parade, July 1991, South Padre Island, TX, pp. 4, 46-47.

	“Studying Spanish?  Go To Guadalajara”, a series in the Brownsville (Texas) Progress, an insert in the Brownsville Herald, Feb. 26, 1990, pp. 3-5, and Mar. 26, 1990, pp. 4-8.

	“The Soviet Union Through The Eyes of a Memphis Lawyer”, Dec. 1983.  Later published in a four part series entitled “Today’s Soviet Union” in The Texas Beachcomber, (Port Isabel, TX), Mar. 1987, pp. 40-43; May 1987, pp. 27-28; June 1987, pp. 14-16; and July 1987, pp. 3-5.

	“USS Memphis, May She Ever Prowl The Sea”, Officer Review, Vol. 26, No. 8, pp. 7-10, May 1987.
	
	”Insanity As A Defense: After Hinckley”, The Tennessee Trial Lawyer, Sep. 1983, pp. 7-12.

	“Police Brutality”, 19 Tennessee Bar Journal, No. 2, pp. 21-23 (May 1983).
	“Uninformed Consent”, 19 Tennessee Bar Journal, No. 1, pp. 20-27, (Feb. 1983), joint with Dr. Donna Miller.

	“Legal Aspects of Physician/Patient Communication”, 15 The Journal of Family Practice, No. 6, pp. 1131-1134 (Dec. 1982) with Dr. Donna Miller.

	“The Need for Continuing Judicial Education”, 18 Tennessee Bar Journal, No. 4, pp. 42-57 (Nov. 1982), with Dr. W. V. Pelfrey.

Columns:

	“Remembering Yesterday”, a history column syndicated in Texas newspapers, 2001-2002.

	“The Genealogy Corner”, a syndicated genealogy column for the newsletters of the Texas and Tennessee societies of the Sons of the American Revolution, 1999-2001.

	“Genealogical Gleaning”, a column in The Texas Compatriot, the official magazine of the Texas society of the Sons of the American Revolution, 1999-2001.

	“Texas Genealogy”, an Internet genealogical column through the web site of the San Antonio Express News, 1999.

Miscellaneous:

	Texas Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans Awards Manual, Butler Family Limited Partnership, San Antonio, 2001.

	Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp Handbook, Butler Family Limited Partnership, San Antonio, 2001.

	Mexico Society Sons of the American Revolution Members Handbook, Butler Family Limited Partnership, San Antonio, Feb. 17, 2002.

	Texas Society, Sons of the American Revolution Genealogy Seminar Syllabus, Butler Family Limited Partnership, San Antonio, March 8, 2002.

								

EUROPE - THE FIRST TIME
Fall 19632

After practicing law for a little over a year, I decided that there was no time like the present to quench my wanderlust.  I had decided at an early age that I wanted to see the world.  When I got my first bicycle I systematically rode all over Memphis, including Frayser and Whitehaven, which weren't part of the city then.  I just wanted to see what was there.  I was 14 when my parents bought our first television set.  One of the programs I liked best was "Hawaiian Eye", an adventure series about a fellow who operated a three masted sailing ship in the Hawaiian Islands.  I remember telling my folks that I would like to see those places. My first trip out of the country was while I was on the staff at Vanderbilt. I spent a long weekend in Mexico City and visited Juarez, Mexico while working in El Paso.

Because of the expense of getting to Europe and back and because I assumed that I might not be able to return, I wanted to see as much as possible.  I visited 11 countries in 33 days, in what I would now call a whirlwind tour.  

A great part of the pleasure of this trip was in its preparation.  I went to the library and checked out books on touring and about the countries I would visit.  My travel agent, Dick Williams was a great help.  Because I had no background in either the arts or European history or geography, he made some very good suggestions for my itinerary.  I knew I wanted to see London, Paris, Rome, Madrid and Berlin.  I also wanted to see the Alps and see how the rich lived in Monte Carlo.  The tour was planned around me being in Munich for Oktoberfest, which for some reason is in September.  Beyond that, Dick helped me get the most bang for the buck.

After reviewing hundreds of travel brochures, I decided on an  American Express independent tour.  This allowed me to go where I wanted to go, when I wanted, yet it guaranteed me that I would be met at the airport or train station and taken to my hotel, and gave me a little discount on hotels and guided tours in and around each city.  I wanted to have free time, and I didn't relish being herded around on a group tour.  If I had it to do over again, I would have gone on a group tour.  It's cheaper and I think with a guide there's less hassle and you learn more.

I bought Fielding's Travel Guide to Europe which I read from cover to cover.  Packing started at least two weeks before my departure.  A check list of things to take was prepared,  and I kept checking and rechecking it.  I took about twice as much as I should have.  For some reason I even packed my French and Spanish texts, which I left behind because my luggage kept swelling with purchases.

NEW YORK CITY
   
It was a beautiful mid- July morning when I left Memphis on an American Airlines 707 jet.  I was met in New York City by a representative of Alitalia3 Airlines.  He advised me that the airplane I was scheduled to leave on at noon was still on the ground in Rome.  I was to be the guest of the airline for a day at the World's Fair.  They gave me a pass, enough money for lunch and taxi fare back to Idewild Airport (now JFK) then drove me to the fair.  
I had a very enjoyable time at the fair.  I discovered Tuborg Danish beer and had my first Japanese Sake.  I visited several interesting scientific exhibits and saw a few groups of folk dancers and singers.  Before leaving I had some good German beer and sausages.

When I returned to the airport at about 6:00 p.m., I was told that the plane was still over the Atlantic.  Once it landed it would have to be cleaned, refueled and restocked with food and beverages.  The ticket agent offered to buy my dinner at the restaurant in the airport. I explained that I had just eaten and asked if they would just give me an open bar tab.  They did, but they should have known better.  After Ole Miss I was an expert drinker.

At the bar I met up with three or four other guys who were also passengers, and who had also finagled bar tabs.  Out of boredom we started making up drinks.   I made up a drink called a "drotch", consisting of equal parts of scotch and drambui liqueur, over ice.  Today, I can still walk in bars all over the country and get a correctly mixed "drotch" without giving the bartender the recipe.  For fun, try it yourself.  By 9:00 we were hungry again and the plane still was not ready, so Alitalia then bought us dinner.

CROSSING THE ATLANTIC

We boarded shortly after 11:00 a.m. and took off about midnight.  With all the alcohol and food, I was ready to sleep.  Because I didn't like to fly then (and still don't), I was hoping I'd drink myself to sleep.  I discovered that lots of passengers had canceled or taken another airline.  Our wood paneled 707 was only about half full.  I managed to swap seats so that I was in the rear of the cabin, with three seats to myself.  Luckily, the arm rests came out.  With the pillows and blankets for all three seats, I was able to make a comfortable spot to sleep.

Immediately after take off, drinks and then dinner were served.  Being nervous, I decided to eat some more.  Then, the stewardesses and stewards rolled a cart down the isle, selling liquor, cigarettes, perfume, scarves and other gifts.  When the movie came on, I went to sleep for a few hours.  

When I awoke, the sun was coming up.  Our flight path took us over Nova Scotia, just south of Greenland and Iceland and across Ireland into London's Heathrow Airport.  Shortly after I awoke we were served breakfast.  Then it was time to fill out our landing cards.  I was relieved to see the green hills of Ireland below.

LONDON

It was mid-morning when we landed in London.  I was met and taken by one of London's unique black taxi cabs to my hotel in the Liechester area, near the American Embassy.  During this first day, when I should have been resting to avoid the problems of jet lag, I pushed onward, walking around the area.  I found a quaint Pub where I had lunch.  I continued walking around until tea time, which I celebrated at the hotel dining room.  I was not impressed with the hot tea and small cucumber and watercress sandwiches.

I kept no notes and have no copies of my itinerary.  My photos and all my memorabilia were thrown away by my first wife when we divorced.  I later found a few negatives and had them developed but I have little left of this trip but my memory to guide me.

One of my city tours took me to Saint Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and a tour into Parliament.  We stopped near No. 10 Downing Street, home of the Prime Minister.  Then we walked a few blocks up to Nelson's Monument.  We drove through Piccadilly Circus (circle) and watched the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.  It was impossible to see the yard in front of the palace because of the masses of people.  I decided to stand on a large fountain in the circus in front of the palace.  From that vantage point, I could see not only the guards as they marched or rode their horses from their barracks, but had a reasonably good view of the Pass In Review which took place behind the gates.

All my free time was spent exploring and window shopping.  I ordered a Harris Tweed sport coat.  Later, when it was mailed to me it was much too tight.  I found the British food to be bland, but I enjoyed their beer.  The Irish beer "Guiness" seemed to be a popular brand.  For some unknown reason, I was a little hesitant about riding the "tube"4 on this trip, so I wasted a lot of money taking taxis.  One night I was enjoying conversation in a pub, when the proprietor announced that it was closing time.  The English have different times that spirits may be licensed.  At that time, the only place in London for a beer was in the Soho market district.

Soho was the locale for the young girl who butchered the English language in "My Fair Lady".  Odors in this neighborhood ranged from the stench of rotting vegetables to the sweet smell of the flower vendors.  I drank ale and took in the atmosphere of a musty pub, all of which was a memorable experience.

On another tour we spent most of the time at the Tower of London.  The Tower is really a walled fortress on the Thames5 River.  Our guide was one of the colorfully dressed Beefeaters.  These guards are all retired Army Sergeants or Navy Chief Petty Officers.  The gin which bears their name and resemblance is named after them.  Our Beefeater pointed out the block where Ann Bolin lost her head and later we were ushered past the exquisite Royal Jewels vaulted in the Tower.  From the ramparts of the Tower we had a great view of the nearby London Tower Bridge.  

At the time of this writing in 1992, I've visited 86 countries or areas of the world, as defined by the Century Club, of which I'm an "Aspiring Member".  The London Tower Bridge is the most strikingly beautiful bridge I have yet to see.  On this first trip I missed out on seeing Windsor Castle, located just outside the city.  

I walked a lot.  At night I was propositioned several times.  At first the ladies became belligerent.  Then, when I turned them down, I would say something like "just finished honey, maybe tomorrow night", or "If I was in the mood, you would certainly get my business".  By kidding around with them, they weren't put down, so they were less hostile.

The thing that surprised me most about London was the large number of blacks, Indians and Pakistanis there.  They were everywhere.  I found the Indians and Pakistanis to be very rude and "pushy".  There had been a few at Vanderbilt in the dormitory where I was the "Dorm Daddy", and nobody liked them, not even the Divinity students.  One night I was at the crap table of the Playboy Club, and one of these guys kept pushing his way in front of me.  Rather than get into a fight, I left.  I think their "pushiness" must have something to do with the density of the population in the Indian Sub-Continent.  They are all so crowed that their "space" is much smaller than that which we demand.  Thus, they routinely invade our space without realizing that they have affronted us.  It also has something to do with the difference in the way that Hindus and Moslems think.  Their attitudes and "logic" are much different than ours.

PARIS

At the London Airport I met an attractive young Swiss girl who was also "on holiday".  She and I were on the same Air France flight to Paris.  We arranged to be seated together on our short DC-9 flight across the English Channel.  The flight attendants served a drink and then rolled their cart with cigarettes, booze and gifts down the isle.  

In Paris (Pari') we had a couple of dates.  Her native tongue was French, so much of my language problem was averted.  Even she was duped, when at a small café where we ordered champagne, we were served still wine with a fizzle stick to make it bubble.  Then we were given a bill for over $30.00 U.S.  I refused to pay and they called the police.  My friend explained this fraud to the gendarme.  Under French law, if you don't ask the price in advance, you must pay whatever is charged.  I had to pay the blackmail.  Would you believe it?  The waiter was incensed that I didn't leave him a tip.

I stayed at the famous old Grande Hotel near the Opera Theater.  It was walking distance from the scenic Place Vendome.  The elevator was from an era long passed.  It was nothing more than a metal cage, with a fancy bronze door.  As you went up, you could see out.  It was my first experience with such a spooky lift.  

I had a very small room on the top floor.  It had double french doors opening onto a small balcony.  From there I could see much of the city over the roofs, which were limited to 10 stories.  This limitation was to prevent the obstruction of the view to the Eiffel Tower.  My view of the Tower was wonderful.  Several times each day I found myself standing on the balcony taking "mental pictures" and absorbing the sounds of Paris.  Eating in the lobby restaurant was enjoyable, since you could watch people passing through the lobby.  I also enjoyed the thick comforter on my bed and the fluffy bathrobe provided.

One night when I was alone, I was walking down the street when a "mini-cab" being driven by an attractive young lady picked me up.  I assumed that a smaller cab would be for budget riders.  When I got into her taxi, I discovered that these cabs were operated by prostitutes.  When I declined her services, she told me in her sexiest English, that she would give me something I had never had before.  I asked her, "What is that, Leprosy?"

While there, I took the typical Parisian tours, riding up to the first level of the Eiffel Tower, walking around the Arc De Triomphe, visiting Napoleon's Tomb at Les Invalides, and touring the picturesque Sacre Cour Church at the top of the steps in Montmarte.  Montmarte was an artists' colony.  There, I enjoyed a beer at one of its many outdoor cafes, which sport the colorful awnings and umbrellas, which are depicted in much of the art work one sees in Paris.  From this café, I had a marvelous view across the city.  

Even though I had studied French in college for two semesters (while simultaneously studying second year Spanish), my knowledge of French was limited.  Because of that, and due to my limited budget, I ordered many lunches of "vin rouge, pain et fromage6".  I regret that on this trip I also avoided the Paris Metro, for fear of being mugged.

My tour through the Louvre lasted less than an hour, but we were led past the moving eyes of the Mona Lisa, the majestic statue of the Venus D' Milo, and my favorite, The Winged Victory of Samothrace.  Much of our time was spent in churches, which are the repositories of much European history.  I particularly enjoyed the Notre Dame Cathedral, which is positioned on an island on the River Seine.  It, St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican and the Dom in Cologne, Germany are the three most beautiful churches in the world, in my opinion.

One doesn't go to Paris without enjoying some of its magnificent night life.  As a bacherlor, I naturally took in the Moulin Rouge, famous for its "Can Can", and both the Follies Bergere and the Lido.  Each was well known for their beautiful bare chested dancers.  It was inspirational to sip a glass of wine at the sidewalk cafes on the Champs Elysees, with the Arc De Triomphe in view.  These were great places to "people watch".

In Paris, the public rest rooms are unisex.  I found it quite disconcerting to have a female walk by me to enter a stall while I was standing at a urinal relieving myself.  Also unique to France were the public urinals along the street.  They are merely drains in the center of a concrete pad about three feet in diameter, partially surrounded by a piece of sheet metal, the bottom of which was about calf high, and the top of which was about shoulder high.  You could urinate while watching the people walk by a few feet away.  The name of this urinal?  It's called a "pissoir", thus the derivation of our slang word for urine.

An all day tour to the Palace of Versailles was a must.  It is one of the most beautiful palaces in the world, well known for is "Hall of Mirrors".  Nearby, we visited the railroad car where the Germans were required to sign the Armistice after World War I.  Upon our return, in Paris we drove by the Luxembourg Palace, where near the street we saw a small Statute of Liberty, which had been the original model for the original.

Most of the French people I came into contact with were rude and arrogant.  Many also failed to bathe often and had very offensive body odors.  The women in France and in other parts of Europe don't shave their legs or under their arms. 

AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS

Similar to my short trip from London to Paris, the wait at the Paris airport was longer than my KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight to Amsterdam.  Again, after drinks we were served various gift items were offered for sale.  In Amsterdam my vintage hotel was at the intersection of a major street and one of the many canals which are responsible for the city's title "Venice of the North".  A few blocks away was a long, narrow and winding street in the old part of town where no cars are allowed.  

This quaint shopping street was lined with old buildings, some of which dated back to 16th Century.  They were constructed so that the second floor and above stuck out over the street at an angle.  This way, they got more square footage for their money, and utilized as much free space as possible.  Most also had loft doors and hoists, so that supplies and equipment could be hoisted upstairs from the street, rather than be carried up the stairs.  

I bought soft colorful woolen scarves for myself, and my two brothers.  Oliver pointed out that in Houston he rarely needed a scarf, so I swapped him a miniature Spanish sword letter opener. I'm still using one of my scarves 29 years later!

There was a sidewalk café by my hotel.  I have fond memories of sitting there during rush hour watching thousands of people go home on their bicycles.  I can still hear the "ring, ring" of the bells on their bikes.  To get a different angle on the town, I took one of the glass domed canal boat tours.  

Until I visited the Rembrandt Museum, I had very little appreciation for art.  For the first time a tour guide opened my eyes to art.  I was given a good history of the quality of oil paintings prior to Rembrandt.  In Holland, a good part of the art was composed of paintings of the Town Masters.  After each election they commissioned a new painting.  The paintings were all dark and non lifelike.  Then, I discovered that Rembrandt was the first artist to put light into his paintings.  With one side of a subject's face being highlighted and the other darkened, and with the shadows actually cast by objects being shown, he captured the scene almost like a photograph.  This is a good example of how travel is educational.

We've all heard the tale of the little Dutch boy who saved the country by plugging a hole in the dike.  Like New Orleans, the Netherlands is mostly under sea level.  The city of Amsterdam is named after the Amstel Dam, which holds back the waters of the North Sea.  Much of country is on land which originally was part of the shallow Zeider Zee.  I took a tour to see the results of the reclamation project, stopping at Volendam, which is a town where once was only water.  By boat we crossed to the Isle of Markin, where, for the benefit of tourists, the townspeople wore the native dress of 100 years before, including their wooden clogs.  The old buildings have been preserved as a national monument.  Our tour gave us access to  the interior of several of the tiny homes.

On the way back to Amsterdam we stopped at a farm, where we were allowed inside the farmhouse.  Uniformly, the farmers live upstairs and keep the horses, cattle and other livestock downstairs.  Their winters are too cold for the animals to remain outside a good deal of the time, especially with the cold winds blowing from across the stormy North Sea.  They told us this also gave the upstairs the benefit of the rising body heat of the animals.  I think I would have been concerned about the rising odors!

A full day tour to the Hague (Den Gravenhague) was very enlightening.  My primary interest was to see the International Court of Justice, which was in fact impressive.  On the way down we made brief stops at the cheese market, where we saw men carrying loads of gouda and edam cheese balls hangings from pallets suspended from a pole carried over their shoulder.  The balls of cheese, ranging in size from grapefruits to a small melon were then stacked into small pyramids in the middle of the market street.  As watermelon vendors in the U.S., these cheese sellers, cut a plug out of the cheese to offer us a sample.

The flower market was breathtaking.  Each day freshly cut flowers are brought to the market where they are auctioned off in large lots.  Naturally, tulips were everywhere.  Red ones, yellow ones, orange and white - a rainbow of colors.  They were on the ground, in stalls,  on carts and wagons.  No wonder there were so many paintings for sale which featured the flower market.  It was such an inviting subject.

On our return from the Hague, we visited the seaside village of Schieveningen.  It was a delightful North Sea resort made for family vacations.  I'll never forget the gigantic mini village, with houses, cars, trains, etc. all to scale.  The single story houses were about one foot high.  It was complete with a miniature amusement park which featured a roller coaster and a ferris wheel.  It was the kind of place that I would like to return to some day.

By this time I had been in Europe for over a week.  The tours had walked us through scores of  churches and museums.   For several days I had wandered around reading menus posted on the windows of restaurants, looking for economical meals.  By this time I was both tired and hungry for some good food.  Surprisingly, one of the best restaurants in town was Polynesian.  For some reason, I just didn't travel over 4,000 miles to Europe to eat Hawaiian Celestial Chicken.

One night I decided to have a decent meal in a high class restaurant recommended to me by the hotel concierge.  I told the head waiter I wanted a good meal and asked him to order for me.  He did well.  The atmosphere set the scene.  There was a large chandelier which augmented the glass enclosed candles on each table.  The table was covered with a damask table cloth.  The china and crystal were of high quality.   

The opening selection was a delicious lobster bisque.  After an excellent salad, mixed at the table, I had a mouth watering cordon bleu - a tender veal cutlet, stuffed with ham and cheese, which after being lightly battered, was fried in a skillet until it was crisp on the outside, but juicy in the middle.  It was surrounded by a variety of garden vegetables.  A Dutch pastry and coffee finished a great meal.  It was the best I had on this trip.

No trip to Amsterdam would be complete without visiting the famous streets housing the brothels.  As one walks down the streets in the Red Light District, the windows of the houses which are built right up to the sidewalk, become showcases for whores dressed in all sorts of scanty costumes.  One had a swing installed so that she swung out her window.  Another, dressed as a lion tamer had a whip which she used to nudge prospective customers.  Most made obscene gestures or revealed parts of their anatomy as a preview.  Prostitution was apparently legal because these streets were patrolled by policemen walking in pairs.  It was really a sight to behold.

I was impressed with the honesty of the Dutch.  One day a lady on my tour bus left her fur coat in the tour office.  One of the employees came running after the bus.  Closer to home, I left a sweater in this office one day.  When we returned, the office had closed, but the sweater had been delivered to my hotel and was waiting for me at the desk.

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK

The main difference in my SAS Scandinavian Airlines flight, was that the stewardesses were all beautiful blondes with crystal blue eyes - the classic sweetheart of Sigma Chi, my college fraternity.  I stayed at a new modern hotel in the outskirts of Copenhagen.  About the only walking I did in the neighborhood of the hotel was to search out an apothecary to buy a needle and some alcohol so I could bust a big blister on my foot.  My tours left from the center of town, so I took the street car.

So far, breakfast in England, France and The Netherlands had consisted of coffee, hard rolls, butter and jam or jelly.  In Denmark, they added a few thin slices each of Danish ham and cheese.  It was a welcome addition.

I really liked the architecture in Copenhagen.  There were large plazas surrounded by stately  old buildings several hundred years old.  The Royal Palace was in the town center.  At either side of the palace entrance were handsomely clad guards in small guardhouses big enough only for one person to stand in.  Their uniforms were reminiscent of the English Royal Palace Guards, except the Danes were dressed in blue and black rather than red and black.  They wore black fur hats that stood at least two feet over their heads.  I was reminded of toy soldiers. They marched through town with little fanfare when the guard was changed.

My tour of the city passed by the statute of the "little mermaid" which is perched on a large rock in the harbor near shore.  On a trip to the south of town we visited Elsinore, otherwise known as Hamlet's Castle, which looked a little fancier than one would think the Vikings used. While on this outing we passed by Deer Park and the nearby Bakken amusement park.  We also passed the Fredensborg Palace, summer home of the Royal Family and stopped to tour the Frederiksborg Castle, which is now their national museum and was also very impressive. An old Viking sailing ship and many other interesting nautical antiquities were in the Maritime Museum, also located there. 

Great little Danish sandwiches  seemed to be available everywhere.  I was very content to eat three or four of these delightful tidbits, drink a Tuborg beer at one of many sidewalk or open air restaurants and watch these beautiful people go about their daily business.  The low pitched clock chimes in the main square added a lot to the ambiance of this delightful city.  

One day I took the suggestion of one of my city guides.  I boarded a street car and rode it to the end of the line and back again.  It's an inexpensive way to kill time (without walking on blistered feet) and you see parts of a city that you would never see on a tour.  It's also good for people watching.

Another day was spent touring in and near Copenhagen.  We toured the National Museum, then crossed the bridge to Slotsholm Island.  There we visited the Christeansborg Palace.  For 350 years it served as the home of the Kings of Norway, but was at the time of my visit being used as the seat of Parliament.  Nearby, we went through a museum of medieval weapons.  After crossing back over the canal, we traveled out of the city to view the current home of the Royal Family, the Amalienborg Palace, built in the rococo style.

One of two buildings that were particularly interesting to me was the old Citadel, surrounded by a moat.  If you used your imagination a little, you could picture Viking warriors in their horned helmets standing on the ramparts, causing a rain of arrows to fall on their attackers.  The other was the Museum of the Resistance, which documented the activities of the Danish Underground in its attempt to harass the Nazis who occupied their country during the Second World War.  It also depicted very graphically the harsh penalties administered to those members of the resistance who were caught.

Probably the highlight of any visit to Copenhagen between mid May and mid September is Tivoli Gardens.  The Danes have harsh winters.  When the weather warms up they like to spend as much time outdoors as possible.  Tivoli Gardens is a large park in the center of town.  Large green areas have been preserved.  Throughout the park there are many stages, gazebos and band stands.  All day there are band concerts, acrobats, folk singers and dancers, puppeteers and other performers entertaining park visitors.  There is also the canned music from the amusement park which caters to the younger crowd.  

Tivoli is imbued with 33 restaurants and snack bars, not counting the vendors who sell delicious ice cream and other snacks.  Strolling clowns, magicians and jugglers add to the festive mood which captivated me.  It is a wonderful place to spend the day or for an elegant dinner at night.  I've been back once7, and hope to return again.  The Danes were friendly people who have a lighthearted attitude about and lust for life.  Because most of the Scandinavians believe in free sex, Copenhagen has also become the pornography capital of the world.

On my last evening, I took a hydrofoil boat across the straits connecting the Baltic Sea with the Kattegat Sea for a brief visit to Malmo, Sweden, if for no other reason than to say I'd been to Sweden.  This ultra fast boat delivered me to the other side in less than an hour.  Upon arrival, I made sure my passport was stamped, then hailed a cab for a quick tour of Malmo.  I ate in a not too fancy restaurant and took the slow ferry back.  On my return, we were surrounded by a dense fog.

Copenhagen was my favorite city from this tour.  Twenty-nine years later, after visiting every continent except Antarctica, it is still my favorite city in the world.

BERLIN, GERMANY

My Lufthansa DC-9 flight to Templehof Airport in West Berlin was uneventful except for the East German Mig fighter jets that buzzed us a few times.  Berlin sits in the center of East Germany, which was administered by the Soviet Union.  At that time, access to West Berlin was through one of three corridors, whether traveling by highways or airways.  We flew through the northern or Hamburg Corridor.  

I stayed at the modern Berlin Hilton.  From the window of my room, I could look over the Berlin wall at East Berlin.  At night the contrast was striking.  West Berlin was a vibrant city all aglow with neon lights advertising the best of everything offered by the capitalistic world.  Beyond the wall the darkness exemplified the harsh economic and political conditions existing in the Communist East.

My city tour took me to the famous Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.  The Berliners decided to leave the bombed out portions of the old church steeple as a reminder of the horrors of war.  Around it was built a modern church.  It is probably the city's most famous landmark.  We drove down the busy Kurfurstendamm Strassa ( called "K Strassa" by the locals) on our way to stop and admire the imposing Brandenburg Gate topped by gigantic mounted horsemen.  It was just inside the Eastern Zone, but was in full view.

The restaurant and night club on the roof floor of my hotel provided an excellent vantage point for a panoramic view of West Berlin.  One evening I shopped for a souvenir beer stein.  Afterwards, a sidewalk café along the K Strassa was a great place to sit and rest after shopping.  A beer and sausage was the order of the day.  One strange habit the Germans have is serving the salad after the main course.  

Every German town of any size has it Rathskeller.  They are usually located in the basement (keller) of the city hall (Rathaus).  I found the food to be good and served in large portions.  The one in Berlin was decorated with antique coats of arms, weapons, flags, and antlered deer and elk heads, all of which added atmosphere to good food.  I was lucky, because a leiderhosen8 clad Um Pah Pah band was playing good German polkas, making this a festive evening.

One night club I visited was quite unique.  In addition to an outstanding dancing water fountain, which ebbed and flowed with the music, each table had a large numbered sign it, and a telephone.  Women who wanted to ask a man to dance could call first and identify themselves by table number.  If the man said no, the lady was saved the embarrassment of walking across the room and being openly rejected.  There was no rule that prevented men from calling.  I enjoyed dancing a few times, even though I knew only a few words in German.  Another club featured a two hour international floor show.

BERLIN, EAST GERMANY 

Before leaving, I took a half day tour into East Berlin.  My tour also included a visit to the famous "Checkpoint Charlie", mentioned in so many movies and novels.  This gateway between east and west was the scene or many successful and unsuccessful attempted escapes from East Germany.  I also passed by the Olympic Stadium used in the 1936 Olympics during Hitler's rise to power.  There were still many vacant lots, evidencing the failure of their government to rebuild the bombed out buildings.  The public housing was mostly high rise slums.  There was an absence of flowers and shrubs that existed a few miles away.  The buildings and the people were drab and colorless.  It was not an enjoyable trip, but it was certainly an educational one.	

MUNICH, WEST GERMANY

When I arrived in Munich (Munchen) there was no American Express representative to meet me and take me to the hotel, so I had to make it into the city by myself, which was no big deal.  Although I was there primarily for Oktoberfest, I took a city tour where I visited the usual churches and museums.  The gothic Fraurnkirke, noted for its twin onion shaped domes was a great subject for photos.  The most unique sight was the famous Glockenspiel on the front of the Rathaus.  Its almost life size figures performed daily at 11:00 a.m.  One night I had another enjoyable dinner to the music of another brass band at the century old Hofbrauhaus.

Although Oktoberfest is celebrated all over Germany, and there are parades and special events throughout the country, the primary venue is at the fairgrounds in Munich.  Each of the German Breweries has a gigantic tent, capable of seating thousands of people.  Lowenbrau had three tents and St. Pauli Girl had two.  In the center of each tent is an elevated bandstand, where different bands and folk dancers take turns entertaining the patrons.

The tables are long wooden picnic tables with backless benches.  The unwritten rule is that you can sit anywhere.  Chubby beer maids grasp 5 or more large glass mugs in each hand and dip their arm wrist deep into large barrels of beer.  As a result, their arms and the mugs were dripping large amounts of beer.  The knockwurst and Bratwurst sausages and the brown bread were delicious.  

Everyone was in a party mood.  The strangers to either side of me locked arms with me at the elbow, as everyone under the tent sang along with the band, swaying back and forth in time with the music.  If your glass was empty, one of you neighbors would pour some of his beer into your mug.  The beer was specially brewed for the festival, with about double the normal alcoholic content.  Oktoberfest beer is never exported, so if you want to try it, you must go to the festival.  

One afternoon, I took a tour of the Lowenbrau Brewery.  After the tour we were escorted to a rooftop tavern where we were fed complimentary  sausages and beer.  A few of us stayed until closing time.  I had drank so much of this free festival beer that I canceled my plans to go to the fair grounds.  I went back to the hotel and crashed for the night.

An all day tour into the mountains of Bavaria turned out to be delightful.  We visited Mittenvald, with its medieval architecture; Oberamagau, home of the passion play, and the ski resort town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, situated at about 10,000 feet.  From almost anywhere downtown you could see the imposing Zugspitze.  

These three towns looked so clean that you could eat off the streets.  Almost every available window sill had blooming flowers.  The exterior walls of homes and businesses alike were decorated with paintings of scenes and trim work that are seen only in German Bavaria and their close neighbors the Austrian Tyroleans.  Of course, the Alps were breathtaking. These towns were like a fairyland.  As we drove back through the Black Forrest the land flattened out and the light of the setting sun filtered through the stately evergreens. 

Although the sausages were my mainstay in Germany, I also found the little strips of skewered meat on a stick delicious. Phonetically, they were called "shashklick".  They were sold at several "hole in the wall" restaurants. 

The next portion of my vacation was by train.  While waiting to board my train at the Bahnhof (train station), I went to the men's room.  The urinal was a large circular sink like basin, large enough to accommodate a dozen men or more at a time.  I stood there by myself urinating.  The maid wanted to mop where I was standing, so I moved a little to my left.  She was a fast mopper.  With a motion of her hand she indicated she wanted me to keep moving to the left.  So I moved as she mopped.  It would have made a good comedy scene.

BERNE, SWITZERLAND

To reach Switzerland from Munich, my train passed through Bregantz, Austria, stopping just long enough for the Austrian Passport Control officers to pass through the train.  I don't think I even got my passport stamped.  I was sitting in the Club Car.  They just walked through the train as a formality.  The Tyrolean Alps of Austria were as magnificent as the Bavarian Alps of Germany.  As we crossed into and across northern Switzerland, we left the mountain peaks to the west and the south.

In Lucern I changed trains.  I shared my compartment with a Swiss judge who was on his way to perform his annual three weeks of active duty.  Although Switzerland has been neutral for hundreds of years, their history is full of battles where invaders had to be repelled.  Each male must serve a year or two of active duty depending on the difficulty of his military job and the amount of schooling required.  Then, until he is 55 years old, he performs three weeks of reserve duty each year.  Small weapons, and even machine guns are kept at home, so that they can be ready for battle immediately.  Even this judge was not exempt.  It appeared to be a good system to me. 

My original itinerary called for me to visit Lucern, Switzerland.  The young lady that I had met at the London Airport and had dated in Paris asked me to visit her in Berne, which was near her home of Vevey.  I opted for a personalized guide.  Western Switzerland is primarily French speaking.  In the north and west, German is the predominant tongue.  Italian is the preferred language in the south, except for a few Cantons were Romansch is spoken.  My friend spoke French, German, Italian and English.

Berne is noted for the bear pits downtown.  The bear is the town mascot, and the brown bear is featured on its town flag.  After walking by the bears, I stopped to buy my mother a small clock with a bird in a cage.  Rather than a bell, the bird sang and chirped when the alarm went off.  There was also a beautiful town clock built out over the sidewalk, which chimed every hour.  

One night we went to a fondue restaurant.  As our main course we had melted cheese mixed with a sweet port wine, eaten by dipping chunks of bread into the fondue dish with a long fondue fork.  Don't leave your fork in the dish as I did.  I branded both my upper and lower lips.

All of Europe is well known for the caliber of the International floor shows you see at its night clubs.  The best I saw was in a modern club in Berne.  The show included circus jugglers, acrobats and clowns.  There were trained dogs and seals.  A big band played behind male and female vocalists and a M.C. told jokes in four languages.  I of course enjoyed the sophisticated strip tease dancer.  There was something for everybody.

			 	INTERLAKEN, SWITZERLAND

I had only allocated two days for Switzerland, so we had to be very selective as to how we would spend the next day.  She prepared a picnic basket and we took the train for a short ride to Interlaken.  This picturesque town lies on a narrow strip of land between two large lakes, which were surrounded by the snow capped Alps.  

We went to a park located on the side of a large hill.  We walked up the hill several hundred yards, just below the beginning of a forest.  From this vantage point we had a far-reaching view of both lakes and the surrounding snow capped Alps.  Below, the town appeared as a toy village.  She told me about how hard Swiss students must study.  Each student must become proficient in three of the four official languages, plus either English or Russian.  Of course, in Switzerland one could use each of those official languages every day, whereas in the United States, one seldom has an opportunity to use another language. 

In order to resume my original schedule, I had to go back to Lucern to catch my train to Italy.  The scenery from the train passing though the Swiss Alps into Italy via the Goddard Pass is unsurpassed.  My eyes were glued to the windows for the duration of the trip.  The Swiss electric train was spotlessly clean.

As my train approached Milan, I mentioned to a Catholic Nun who was sharing the compartment with me that I was going to the dining car to get something to eat.  She suggested that I wait until we arrived at the Milan railroad station, where we would have the opportunity to buy sack lunches.  At the station, dozens of middle aged Italian women dressed like peasants, offered large paper shopping bags filled with home cooked food.  For about $3.00 in U.S. money, I received half of a broiled chicken, a salami loaf, a large wedge of cheese, and a long skinny loaf of fresh bread.  There was a full bottle of red wine, an apple, gum, after dinner mint and a napkin.  This was the best bargain I found in all of Europe.  After changing to an Italian engine, we headed due east to Venice.

VENICE, ITALY

A man with a black strip of cloth tied around the left sleeve of his suit coat joined us in our compartment.  When he got up to go to the bathroom, another passenger explained to me that he was in mourning.  This European custom has become a bit more prevalent in the U.S., but at the time it was my first encounter with that custom.  See how educational travel can be!

Venice (Venetzia) is a series of 180 interconnected islands on the coast of the Adriatic Sea.  The train station is on the mainland.  I was delivered to my hotel, the Baglione Palace, by a fast motor launch.  The Hotel was small but elegant.  My view was to a secondary canal.

The quaintness of Venice is the town itself.  The 400 small footbridges, connecting the islands, with their narrow winding streets is like a maze.  The view of the city from a gondola shouldn't be missed, but it would have been nicer and romantic with a wife or a girlfriend.  Venetians depend on the tide to dispose of their garbage, so at times the 160 canals are extremely odoriferous.

Like all the other tourists in town, I found my way to the Piazza San Marco.  Its hoards of pigeons flutter into the air at each chiming of the bells by the bronze figures in the 14th century Bell Tower.  The most prominent building architecturally is the tower of St. Mark's Cathedral, which oversees the plaza.  Three restaurants have placed tables with colorful umbrellas, well into the public square, where at night strolling musicians will serenade you for tips.  In Venice, the Piazza is the place to be.

My tour of the city included a ferry ride along the grand canal, and a visit to one of hundreds of glass factories in Venice.  I wasn't impressed with their colored glass, but people from all over the world revere it.  At lunch one day I met a man who gave me his card while extending to me an invitation to the town Casino.  He was the manager.  He told me to look him up and he would buy me a drink.  That evening I went to the casino and he bought me a drink.  I gambled a little, and then he came back over and said "I bought you a drink, now you should buy me a drink".  I bought him a drink and left a little puzzled.    

Even then, the town fathers recognized that Venice was slowly sinking into the Adriatic.  When offshore storms approach, the plaza is now flooded, yet no solution has yet been devised to save this beautiful and unique city.

FLORENCE, ITALY

In Florence (Firenze) I was bombarded with so much information about the Medici family, and how over the centuries they and other rich families had been patrons of the arts, that it was difficult to understand and enjoy much of the art.  It was where Michelangelo got his start.  As a sculptor and as an artist, he was the first to truly understand the mechanics of the human musculoskeletal system.  He was even able to capture the veins on the tops of hands.  He statute of "The David" is remarkable in its exact reproduction of every small detail of the human body.

In Florence we were awed by the multitude of architectural masterpieces and Renaissance art.    One building had large bronze doors which were described by Michelangelo as the "gates of Paradise".

No visit would be complete without a visit to the Ponte Vecchio, the only bridge in Florence not blown up by the Germans in World War II.  It is also unique in that it is lined with shops on both sides, some or which are three or four stories high.  Thus there is no view of the river from the bridge.

Florence is definitely a "must see" city in Europe.  A good background in Italian Renaissance art would help anybody better appreciate the wonderful things we saw there.  I covered everything in two days.

My last night in Florence was spent pursuing the arts.  I went to a symphony concert in their modern symphony hall.  I digress for another bathroom story.  In Italian, the word for Men's and Women's rest rooms are very similar.  While standing in my usual spot in front of a urinal, an American Lady came in, walked behind me and closed the stall door behind her.  Before I finished, another lady emerged from the next stall.  She stopped to wash her hands at the sink next to me.  She smiled and said hello.  You tell me who was in the wrong rest room.  I don't think that even in Italy, urinals are placed in women's rest rooms.  Later that night I found a good jazz pianist at a bar just down the street from my hotel.

I rode the "Rapido" to Rome.  It was Italy's fastest and one of the most advanced trains in Europe.  Eating lunch in the dining car was a treat.  The linen and china were of good quality.  It was quite a show to see the countryside whizzing by at 100 miles an hour.

Obviously, Italy's most beautiful scenery lies in the Alps.  I now regret that I didn't spend some time near Lugano, Switzerland and Como, Italy.  Each is nestled on  the shore of crystal alpine lakes, with the snow capped mountains watching over them.  From photographs I have seen, Lake Como is one of the most beautiful and tranquil spots on the earth.

The landscape between Florence and Rome was charming.  If you could disassociate yourself from the modern train, you could get the feeling of how Italy must have looked 400 or 500 years ago.  Small walled cities from the Middle Ages still clung to the sides of the rolling foot hills.  This semi arid area had long been barren of trees, except for the olive trees which still yielded their fruit.  The other trees had been felled for firewood centuries before.  

These Citadels appeared timeless, their terra cotta tiled roofs free of T.V. antennae.  The medieval city flags and banners had been replaced by clothes hanging out to dry .   Many townspeople walked beside or sat upon a slow moving donkey along small winding roads.  Some of these slow moving denizens carried their burdens  on their head.  They were interrupted only by their more modern neighbors who passed them in a cart.  These quaint villages were isolated from civilization, and there was no outward evidence that the inhabitants were of this century. 

ROME, ITALY

My major disappointment with Italy was the food.  I had been brought up with thick Italian meat sauces on my spaghetti.  Throughout Italy, the pasta was covered with thin tomato sauce.  For the first time I selected their white sauces.  I also ate squid and octopus for the first time.  Fried crumbled octopus tentacles on a salad has a consistency similar to bakos.  

Even the less expensive cafes where I usually ate served soup, salad, pasta, fish and meat courses with their daily specials.  They laid out the table with a utensil for each course, including five forks (salad, pasta, fish, meat and dessert), two spoons (soup and coffee), and three knives (butter, fish and meat).  Every time I sat down to eat, it looked like I was at a formal banquet.

Rome (Roma), like Paris offered thousands of important places to see, so I had scheduled four days for my visit, as I had in Paris and London.  I had tours every day.  For some reason seeing the ancient Colosseum, so full of historical importance, was much more exciting than visiting Paris' more contemporary Eiffel Tower.  I had mixed emotions about going through the catacombs, where the Christians buried their dead while in hiding from the Roman Legions.  There was much historical and religious significance in these tombs, but going though the narrow underground passageways with human skeletal parts lying around like so much trash was a bit sickening.

This beautiful city of seven hills was named after one of the mythical twins Romulus and Remus, who were raised by wolves.  At every turn there were fountains big and small, and statutes and monuments by the thousands.  As most tourists do, I threw some coins in the Fountain of Trevi, a beautiful lighted fountain on a remote street.  It said that if you throw a coin in that fountain, you will surely return to Rome.  I hope to return some day.

I was very impressed with the wealth of the Vatican, an independent country.  Saint Peter's Basilica is opulently decorated with priceless art.  It is the largest church in the world, and the final resting place of St. Peter.  Michelangelo's Pieta alone is worth a fortune as is the Baroque pulpit.  The colorfully dressed Swiss Guard are wonderful photographic subjects.  Their long lances and ancient helmets give you a feeling of being in the middle ages.  The wealth contained in the Vatican Museum will match any two museums in the world.  I got a crick in my neck while appreciating Michelangelo's painting of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.  

I wondered whether churches should be exempted from real estate taxes, and if individuals should be given tax deductions for gifts and bequests to churches.  With sizeable gifts from each generation, at some time in the future,  churches will own most of the real estate and a good percentage of the art in the world.  Since its real estate is exempt, where will governments get the money to operate?

In Rome, as in most European cities, much of area's history and art is located in the churches.  We went into so many I can't begin to remember the names.  I do remember a large Jewish Synagogue, which at the time I thought was strange.  Of course I walked down the Via Veneto and walked up all the Spanish Steps.  Afterwards, I enjoyed a Compari at a sidewalk café and watched other tourists make the hike up these famous steps.  One night I was so tired from walking all over Europe, rather than sit in my room I walked down the street to a movie next to the barber shop where I had had my hair cut.  There was an American movie playing with Italian sub-titles.

I was staying at a small hotel in one of thousands of family neighborhoods.  There was a small bar in the lobby.  It had no bartender.  When a patron sat at one of the bar's four stools, the bellman came over to fix the drink or open the beer.  Italian beer was not very good.  You could buy a glass of wine for about ½ the price of a coca cola, so when in Rome....

LE COTE AZURE, FRANCE

I flew from Rome to Nice, France on Air France (some called it "Air Chance").  My hotel room window in Nice looked out over the Mediterranean Sea.  I was disappointed with the Azure Coast, because the water was ice cold by the first week in September, and because the beach was not a beach.  It was pebbles, some as big as golf balls.  It was impossible to walk on the beach without shoes, and unthinkable to lay on it with just a towel.  You had to have a beach chair.

This poor beach was compensated for by the exquisite views both from the beach up to the mountains, and from atop these steep peaks down into the villages below.  The most striking view along this coast was from above Monte Carlo harbor.  This postage stamp size country draws luxurious yachts from all over the world.  The swaying masts of these enormous vessels in the harbor was a sight to behold.  Some yachts even had sea planes and helicopters on their fan tails.

I tried my luck in the Casino one night, but the minimum bet was $5.00, so I didn't stick around too long.  I mainly wanted to see it in operation.  It was not at all like it is portrayed in the  movies.  The rooms had a musty odor and the wooden floors squeaked.
During my short two day visit, I took a half day tour of the area, visiting Cannes and Grasse, where perfume is made from roses.  We even toured a perfumery.  The tourist season had ended on the last day of August, as it had ended all over Europe.  The typical European takes the entire month of August as a holiday.  As a result, all over Europe many of the museums and art galleries were closed.  My odyssey was nearing its completion.  My final European flight was another Air France DC-9 to Madrid.

MADRID, SPAIN

I think I must have put Spain on my agenda because I wanted to try out the Spanish that I had studied for two years in college.  My elegant hotel was on one of the main streets.  The city was alive with beautiful statutes, monuments and fountains.  It rivaled Paris and Rome in its beauty.

Because nothing opened or started until 10:00 in the morning, I was able to sleep late for the first time in a month.  Every other day had required me to be up early for a tour or to leave for the airport or train station.  My tour of this attractive city took me to the world renown Prado Museum, where I saw incomparable collections of Goya, Velazquez and El Greco, among others.  I loved the armor collection at the Royal Palace Armory, some of which was 500 years old.

I had also planned my trip so that I would be in Madrid on Sunday, for the bull fights.  My visit to the Plaza De Toros was one of the highlights of my trip.  I even knew to get a seat on the shady side.  The building housing the bull ring was beautiful.  It was a covered plaza, divided into two tiers, each covered with red tiles and supported by stately columns.  Before the performance began we visited the Bullfighter's Museum located on the ground floor.  My souvenir bullfight poster has long ago disappeared.  My boda leaked the first time I used it.

I believe I enjoyed my night club tour in Madrid more than in any other place except Paris.  Even in Paris, if you signed up for a tour to the Lido, they included and you paid for a drink and show and some pretty crummy places.  All the clubs in Madrid were good, even though I was forced to endure more than one Flamenco show in a night

Ever present were the state police with their three cornered hats, always watching.  Francisco Franco, the dictator of Spain, was in absolute control.  Not so obvious were his secret police.  I noticed however, the presence of the men clad in black leather overcoats.  I'm sure that I was followed more than once.  At that time, I'll bet the crime rate in Spain was pretty low.

My last full day in Europe was spent on a full day tour to Toledo.  This medieval fortified city rests atop a deep gorge just a short ride south of the capital.  It was the scene of a decisive battle resulting in the expulsion of the Moors from their 700 year subjugation of most of Spain - all but the northern 5 provinces.  Inside this walled city lies a historic cathedral, housing more of El Greco's paintings.
Toledo is probably best known for the talented artisans who for centuries have produced exquisite inlaid steel swords and other weapons of the finest quality.  The swords of most of the Royal Families of Europe, the British Royal Navy and many U.S. Naval officers were handcrafted there.  I bought several miniature sword letter openers and some full sized crossed swords which still decorate my home.

After 32 days of hard rolls for breakfast, the roof of my mouth was as tender as my blistered feet.  On my last morning I splurged on room service, ordering scrambled eggs and bacon.  It helped me enjoy my very spacious room, decorated with what appeared to be antique furniture, and fresh cut flowers.  

My TWA 707 jet landed in Lisbon, Portugal to refuel. We were allowed to deplane long enough go into the terminal gift shop.  On the westbound flight there was no napping, as we followed the sun. I remember that when the U.S. Customs saw my Shelby County Special Deputy Sheriff's badge, he checked me through right away.  My flight to Memphis, was by way of a TWA 727 to St. Louis.  We  experienced clear air turbulence on that flight, falling what seemed to be several thousand feet.  As suddenly as it came upon us, it disappeared.  The remainder of that flight and my Delta flight to Memphis were uneventful.  After saying my hellos to mom and dad, I crashed.  It had been a 30 hour day.

This had been the trip of a lifetime.  My travel agent had advised me well.  I had visited England, France, The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, West Germany, East Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, The Vatican, Monaco and Spain, a total of 13 separate nations.  I had proven to myself that I could survive alone in countries where I didn't understand the language.  I had learned a little about art and an enormous amount of history and geography.

Since this initial trip to Europe, novels containing sequences in cities where I've been, come alive to me, making reading much more enjoyable.  When I read about an historical event, the knowledge I gained on this trip help me place those events in perspective.  Each time I watch a movie filmed on location in Europe, I get a special felling being able to recognize those sites.  The cost of travel is a well worthwhile investment, and besides - it's fun!

OKINAWA, JAPAN
WITH
VP 67, U.S. NAVY RESERVE
May, 19809

BACKGROUND

Before jumping into the details of this trip, some background information is necessary.  After 8 years in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, I received a direct commission in the Navy Reserve as an Ensign on September 16, 1963.  At that time I was designated as a Naval Intelligence Officer, a designator I kept during all my 27 years of Navy Reserve participation.

Naval Intelligence encompasses several different types of activities.  The two broad categories, even at the time of this writing, are Navy Air Intelligence and Navy Intelligence.  For the first 15 years or so I was a "black shoe" surface intelligence officer.  My training and active duty for training included, amphibious intelligence operations, Naval Investigative Service investigations (criminal and counter intelligence), tactical and strategic intelligence.  
A great deal of this was not very interesting, but I chose Intelligence rather than the Judge Advocate General's Corps. because I wanted to do something different in the reserves than what I was doing on a daily basis.  In about 1978 I was given the opportunity to become the Senior Naval Intelligence Officer for Patrol Squadron 67 (VP-67).  

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE

For years the various units that I had been assigned to had been involved in reviewing sophisticated satellite photography, from which we prepared a data base for field commanders.  For instance, we would determine the height of buildings and obstacles which would constitute a hazard for helicopter landing zones or calculate the amount of weight a bridge could support, e.g. enough for a Mark 1 Abrams Tank.  Studies of the surf, beach gradient, off shore and underwater obstacles were essential for landing the Marines upon a possible adversary's shores.  This methodology became necessary when an Esso road map was the best intelligence available for the Marine's invasion in Santo Domingo.

Making these calculations and putting the information on computer sheets was very meticulous and boring.  I was however somewhat proud when I discovered that invasion plans  for Beirut, Lebanon, that I had participated in drafting were used.  My most valued contribution was in the extensive work my unit contributed on the evacuation plan for Saigon, South Vietnam.  At the time the offer for posting to PATRON10 SIX SEVEN came along I had been "cutting and pasting" for 7 years, and I was ready for some excitement.

AIR INTELLIGENCE FUNCTIONS

VP11 67 is an Anti Submarine Warfare Patrol Squadron using the P-3 Orion aircraft.  The P-3 is the military version of the Electra, which has 4 turbo prop engines.  It is designed to fly maritime patrol flights of up to 12 hours.   Our wartime mission was 1) to seek out and destroy hostile submarines, 2) Maritime Air Patrol, and 3) to assist in air/sea rescue.  As reservists we honed our skills at detection and in the recognition of surface and air units of both potential enemy and friendly countries.  My job, with the assistance of a junior intelligence officer and yeoman12, was: 

1) to teach aircraft, ship and submarine identification.  This was necessary for us to track the maneuvers of the enemy and to assist the tactical commanders in arriving at an overall plan of operations,

2) to teach the use of hand held cameras,

3) to plan, with the Operations Officer, the course, speed, duration and scope of each maritime patrol flight, based on the needs for intelligence and the known information available,

4) to brief each flight crew on their objective, the weather, and the identity of friendly and enemy forces in the area of operations,

5) to debrief each flight crew upon their return

6) to review all still photography and 16 mm film from each aircraft and analyze them, and then to report the results to the Operations Officer, XO13 and Skipper.14

7) to stay abreast of world and military events of interest to the senior officers and to prepare and deliver "current events" and "special intelligence" briefs to them on a regular basis.

SQUADRON  OPERATIONS

Our squadron had 12 aircraft and 15 flight crews.  We had continuous maintenance operations and one crew of active duty people on duty all the time.  We were based at NAS Memphis in Millington, TN.  Week-end drills were held twice a month to get maximum utilization of the aircraft.  I drilled twice per month some months and was paid for 36 days of drills each year.  Additionally, I was authorized two 2 week tours of active duty for training each year.  So, I was spending about 60 days a year as an Air Intelligence Officer.

Each month the squadron on Friday afternoon flew to Dallas, Kansas City and Denver to pick up reservists for their reserve week-end and flew them back home on Sunday afternoon.  Several times when I was not drilling, I took my ski gear on Fridays, flew to Denver and skied all week-end.  The squadron did a good job with parties for those promoted, Christmas parties and summer picnics.  By the time of our deployment to Okinawa, Japan I knew most of the officers and quite a few of the enlisted men.

A few months before we left, I was notified of my selection to Commander(CDR/O-5).  Our Skipper, CDR Ron Blair, didn't frock me and several others until we returned to the U.S. because he didn't want too many Commanders in Japan.  We went to Okinawa to take the place of V.P. 26, an active duty squadron of P-3s which had been deployed to the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.  They were equipped with Harpoon missiles, and were there to support the fleet exercises in the Persian Gulf.  We divided into 2 components and took their place from May 8 - June 10, 1980, with each group being on station for two full weeks.  With travel, we were gone 17 days.

In preparation for our deployment we were given a full battery of shots, including one for yellow fever.  We had several "all hands" get togethers where we were briefed on the cultural differences, tourism, weather, etc. As a "white knuckler", I  purchased a thermos which I filled with rum and a little tonic.  I was married to Pat Bowman at that time. She drove me to the Naval Air Station to see me off.  I had been issued 2 flight suits and 2 flight jackets.  Wearing my flight uniforms for the first time aboard a Navy aircraft, in the performance of my duties, caused a warm feeling to well up from within me - I felt proud!
					
DEPARTING MEMPHIS

I had been assigned to aircraft number 11 as part of "component A". This number which was painted just under the pilot's and co-pilot's side windows.  Our squadron's designator code of "PL" (Papa-Lima) and a drawing of our "Golden Eagle" were both emblazoned on the tail of each plane.  We called ourselves the "Thunder Chickens".  LCDR David John (CDR select) was the aircraft commander.  Our third pilot was CDR Bob Wilson the C.O15. of V.P. 4747, the backup unit which fed us with personnel when there was a vacancy.                           

I sat in the starboard observer's seat for the duration of the trip, affording me a view out the center window of three on that side of the aircraft.  It was a comfortable swivel chair with arm rests. I was given a helmet with head set so I could monitor communications from the flight deck.  As starboard observer, I had to give the "all clear" to start those two engines. 

My other option for transport to Okinawa had been by way of an Air Force C-141, via a short refueling stop in Alaska.  Most of the support members of the squadron traveled in this giant windowless jet.  Their seats were configured backwards, a safety factor in the event of ditching.

After a brief stop in Denver, to top off our fuel we flew non stop to Barber's Point, Oahu, Hawaii.  One of the pilots pointed to the con trail of a United Airlines 747, and jokingly said the easiest way to navigate to Honolulu was to follow the con trails of the jumbo jets.    

Because the P-3s are typically on patrol for 10-12 hours they take 3 pilots to avoid fatigue.  In the aft of the aircraft were located double bunk beds, which we took turns using for short naps.  We were also equipped with a kitchen and had two foot lockers full of pots and pans.  We took turns cooking up some pretty good grub, including steaks, baked potatoes and salads.  Soft drinks and coffee were available throughout each flight.

HAWAII

As we neared Hawaii the pilot allowed us to listen to Hawaiian music by piping it through the intercom.  We flew along the well lighted coast before our landing. It was dark when the first leg of our trip neared its completion.  

After a good nights sleep in the BOQ we had a few hours for shopping at the base exchange.  We didn't know it but we had blown out one of our main mounts (large tires) when we landed.  We had a long wait just sitting on the taxi strip anticipating the arrival of the service equipment. It was SOP for all crew and passengers to arrive at the aircraft two hours before flight time for pre flight briefing, loading, etc.  I had never before witnessed an aircraft being jacked up to change one of its tires. Needless to say, we were all a little nervous on take off.
About half way to our next stop of Agana, Guam, we passed directly over Wake Island.  The captain banked the airplane onto its side so we'd have a good shot for photos.  It was an awkward feeling lying by the side window, looking directly down on Wake, but I took a good photo.                 

TYPHOON

About half way to Guam from Wake we encountered the tail end of a Typhoon.  Our on-board radar had given us about an hour's advance notice of a severe storm front that was too long to go around.  Knowing in advance we at least had time to secure all loose gear.  At this point I was glad I had brought the rum.  It was mid-afternoon yet the sky was dark.  We were tossed around like a straw in a whirlwind.  A severe down draft loosened a couple of the footlockers, which were flying around the inside of the aircraft like loose cannons on deck during a storm.  I was glad I had my helmet on.  We rode out the most severe part of the storm for about 20 terrifying minutes.  

One of the pilots later commented that for a brief period we experienced "severe turbulence".  Another said that you only call it "severe" turbulence when the flight crew loses control of the plane. The first pilot then said "weeeelll????", indicating that as far as he was concerned they had in fact not been in control of the plane.  It was certainly one of the worst 5 flights I've had, including flying through a hurricane in 1954 in an Air Force C-46, (together with my good friend David Hollenbeck) being on a 727 when the engine on the tail exploded and we fell about 10,000 feet over Nashville in the 70's,  when I flew though tornado generating clouds from Dallas to Memphis on Christmas Eve 1987, and a horribly turbulent flight on a 747 returning from Hawaii in 1981.

GUAM

It was still raining when we landed at the Naval Air Facility in Agana, Guam 12 hours after leaving Hawaii.  Including pre flight waiting time it had been a 17 hour day.  We were all interested in nothing except a hot shower, a beer and a good night's sleep.  Although I tried, the next morning I couldn't interest anybody in making a brief tour of the island.  I paid a taxi driver $20.00 to show me around the island, and wait for me while I had a drink at the pool bar of one of the beach side hotels.  Guam was a lush tropical island with serene beaches and exotic coconut palms swaying in the tropical breeze.  For a few bucks and two hours less sleep, I acquired a few lovely memories of Guam.

KADENA AIR FORCE BASE, OKINAWA, JAPAN

Our four hour flight from Guam to Kadena Air Force Base was uneventful.  Our plane taxied to the Naval Air Facility (NAVFAC), where we took over VP 26's spaces.  Before anybody got off the aircraft, CDR Bob Tietz, the Executive Officer ("XO") came on board to welcome us.  He said a case of cold beer awaited us, compliments of the skipper.  We unloaded all our gear onto the flight line and enjoyed the beer, while we waited for the Air Police dogs to sniff all our luggage and equipment.  The skipper gave us a little welcome speech, and then we were transported across the Air Force Base to the Visiting Officers Quarters (VOQ).  I had to share a small room with another LCDR.  Had I been frocked, I would have rated a private room.

In May it is very hot and humid in Okinawa.  The temperature and the humidity both were in the high 90's.  President Carter had issued an Executive Order that U.S. military at home and abroad would not turn on any air conditioning until Memorial Day Weekend, except for sleeping quarters, and to cool computers.  As luck would have it the window air conditioner in my VOQ room was not only noisy but ineffective.  Thus, I welcomed long hours in the intelligence spaces, where our computers required air conditioning.  It was so cold in my work spaces that I had to wear my flight jacket at times.  

When my duties required me to spend time in the hanger, I was taking  three or four showers a day and changing uniforms often.  My laundry bill in two weeks was what it cost for two months at home.  We were also tasked with searching for Vietnamese "boat people" and coordinating rescue efforts.  Most days at Kadena, I worked at least 12 and sometimes 15 to 17 hours.  The staggered pre-flight briefs began at 5:00 a.m.  The crews started returning from their respective missions in late afternoon, and their post-flight de-briefings continued until 10:00 or 11:00 at night.  Had I not had a helper (my roommate), I would have been totally exhausted.  As it was, I had one day off and on another I was dismissed after putting in only an 8 hour shift. On a couple of slower days, when off shore typhoons canceled some of our flights, I had  mid-afternoon breaks.  Therefore, my time for shopping and sightseeing was very limited.                                                 

For breakfast and lunch I was usually lucky to catch a ride to the mess hall where Navy and Air Force officers and enlisted  men shared the poor quality and bland tasting food.  It was like eating in a sauna.  As a result of these adverse conditions, I lost about 10 pounds during this 17 day deployment.  The Kadena Air Force Base Officer's Club was not up to the standards of most Navy O clubs, but it was exempt from the "no air conditioning" rule.  We enjoyed some pretty good food there at night, and when I didn't have to go back to work, I learned to appreciate Japanese Kirin beer.  The club also had ice, which was in short supply.   

KADENA, OKINAWA

The town of Kadena, Okinawa is built right up to the base.  The busiest shopping street is named "Gate Two Street", and as you might guess, it runs from Gate Two of the base.  On my first night off I strolled up and down this street with a few other squadron members.  We found a Japanese Steak House where places were set around a round table, in the center of which was a large grill where our meal was prepared by our own chef.  He was very polite, and fast with his carving knife.  He put on a little show for us, tossing his knife up in the air and from behind his back.  It was the best and most memorable meal I had in Japan.             
                                                                   
One night after work I set out to buy some china, which I had been told was a bargain.  I walked into a Noritaki China shop.  It was a well known brand back home.  A salesman came over and within a few minutes he said to me "Americans can't afford Noritaki", as he turned and walked away.  I left in a huff.  I bought a service for 8 for $45.00, including basic serving pieces.  It certainly wasn't Noritaki!

I had always felt disappointed that Intelligence Officers didn't have some identifying badge like air crew, surface warfare, submariners, seal team members, etc.  Once I became an Air Intelligence Officer, I especially felt that there should be air crew wings for us, but they were not authorized.  I took it upon myself to design wings for Air Intelligence Officers, using regular gold navy wings, but instead of the anchor, crossed anchors or "AC" in the center.  

For my "designer wings" I centered a compass divider crossed with a magnifying glass between the wings.  While the other officers were having fancy embroidered wing patches with velcro backing for their flight suits and jackets, I found a craftsman who made my embroidered wings, which I proudly wore on my flight jacket from that day forward.  Hardly anybody noticed.  The skipper got a kick out of my design and never once suggested that I was out of uniform.                

On another night I tried a "Hotsy Bath and Massage".  I figured you hadn't really experienced Japan until you tried one.  But it wasn't as glamorous as in the movies, and the lady didn't get into a large tub with me.  I was in a regular bath tub and she washed me with a large sponge. No "hanky panky". I've also had better massages, but when in Rome....  That evening I also purchased some commercial souvenirs, including colorful "Happy Jackets" for Rhett and Darrell.

The Air Force Officer's wives operated a gift shop on the base which offered oriental vases and figures at bargain prices.  I bought several cloisonne vases, a red lacquer vase and a statute of an old oriental man with walking stick.

One afternoon, while I was on the Air Force side of the field, I was alarmed to hear sirens.  When I turned to look, I was facing a cold black SR 71 super secret spy plane - one of only four in existence.  It was really a hush hush aircraft.  Its supersonic sleek body was designed to fly over the Soviet Union without being detected - at Mach 3.  This sleek weapons system was escorted across the flight line by four jeeps loaded with Air Police, one in front, one behind and one on each wing. Many of the shops in Kadena offered full size posters of the secret SR 71. 

NAHA, OKINAWA

Naha is the largest city on the Island of Okinawa.  It is very metropolitan, and even though the cars are smaller there are more of them per square mile.  I made two trips into Naha.  The first visit , some 25 miles to the south of the base, was with a car load of officers for lunch one day.  We went and came back to work after stopping for a few minutes at one gift shop.

My second trip was alone.  I searched out some antique shops and found a Chinese establishment where I purchased a large black 4 paneled wooden screen decorated with soft colored hand carved soap stone figures.  It was inlaid with mother of pearl.  I paid $750.00 for it.  In Memphis, similar quality screens were selling for about $3500.00. I also purchased two smaller silk screens, one of which I gave to my mother.  At her death my son Darrell wanted it as a memento of his grandmother.  I also purchased several antique wood carvings, some of which still had a little of the gold leaf which had been originally applied.  These carvings had decorated the doors and windows of Buddhist Temples in China.                   

SIGHTSEEING       

On my one day off all the other officers were working.  In fact, the only other squadron member with a day off was a friendly contractor from Jackson, TN.  Charles Carpenter, a petty officer second class, and I spent an enjoyable day sightseeing on the island.  We first just walked around the residential parts of Kadena.  We were surprised to find many white horseshoe shaped tombs interspersed with homes.  Most were slanted back at an angle of 30 to 40 degrees.

A taxi took us to some of the tourist spots.  We were shown a small park with a large old brass ceremonial bell which was rung by a large swinging log.  At a park behind a massive multi-colored oriental gate, we enjoyed the oriental gardens which were interspersed with interesting statutes, ponds with large gold fish and two Kimono clad young ladies, who for a few dollars posed with us for a great photo.  Later, from a high covered platform we had a commanding view of the city of Naha. 

The most interesting part of the tour was the fortress and catacombs used by the Japanese Army in their defense of the island when the Marines attacked in World War II.  It was located on the south end of the island, perched high up above the jagged coastline.  It afforded a dramatic view of the coast in both directions and to sea.  

Toward the end, when defeat was imminent, Japanese Officers threw themselves over the cliff to certain death on the dark jagged rocks below; but only after setting off hand grenades in the confining chambers within the catacombs to kill their own enlisted men, rather than have them taken prisoner.  We could still see the pock marks cut into the walls of the catacomb walls, revealing the deadliness of the fragments of those hand grenades.                                                       
As we were going back to Kadena, immediately after passing the Marine Corps Barracks, we watched a parade of demonstrators, wearing red head bands and waving large red flags.  We were told that they were protesting the presence of U.S. nuclear weapons on our ships and submarines which docked in Japan.  They were most likely communists.

SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS AT KADENA

Our squadron had converted from P 2V Neptune Patrol Bomber in 1977.  This had been our first deployment as a full squadron.  We flew 25,000 accident free miles with over 285 operational hours. VP67 exceeded all records of other reserve units which replaced VP 26 in 1980.  We received a "well done" from the Commander of the Seventh Fleet and accolades from area commanders, but we weren't awarded the Unit Commendation Medal we all felt we deserved.  
I was disappointed that I was not included in any of the R and R groups who spent a couple of days in Korea, Hong Kong or the Philippines, even though the pilots invited me.  One of our crews spent two days in Bangkok.  I wasn't allowed to go because I was "Too Essential" to be away that long.  All I got in the way of an award was a nice Letter of Commendation in my official jacket. This Letter of Commendation, together with a Letter of Appreciation from the C.O. and another from the Marine Corps Unit C.O. in Memphis led to my first Navy Commendation Medal.

My assistant Air Intelligence Officer was scheduled for the last two weeks of our deployment.  David Guthridge was a good ole country boy from Pine Bluff, AR. who had been a Navy Chief Petty Officer before getting his commission.  He was the Commanding Officer of the Arkansas Civil Air Patrol,(a non military organization) carrying the rank of full Colonel(0-6), but in the Navy he was a LCDR (O-4).  On his flight over on a P3 he wore his CAP flight suit with the big silver eagles, and received VIP treatment in Hawaii and Guam..  

CDR Blair was furious when he found out.  He called me in and told me to meet the arriving aircraft and to take him one of my flight suits.  The aircraft commander was directed to order him to remain on the aircraft until I had arrived with his replacement flight suit.  I was instructed to reflect this unfavorable incident on his Active Duty for Training Fitness Report.  I don't think David ever got promoted, and when his two year assignment was over, the squadron didn't opt to keep him..

ALOHA HAWAII

For our return trans Pacific transit, our crew voted to fly beyond Guam on in to Hawaii, so we could have a day to relax and go to the beach.  Including our 2 hour pre-flight, four hours to Guam to refuel, and 11 hours from Guam to Hawaii, we had been on the go for 17 hours when we landed at Barber's Point Naval Air Station, Hawaii.  I was not the only one on our flight who had made substantial purchases.  My three screens, dishes and box of vases, etc. were neatly lashed in under the crew bunk beds.  The luggage stored in the bomb bay filled it to the brim.  There was no extra space in the aircraft.  

The Customs officials required us to completely unload the plane, while their dogs sniffed each bag and parcel and while they made us open a good percentage of our packages.  Then we had to completely reload the plane.  We were all exhausted when we finally hit the sack that night.  Apparently, an Air Force plane was caught smuggling some heroin into the country the week before.

The next day, we all toured Oahu.  We drove first to the rain forest on the top of the mountain, after which we crossed over the mountain and went snorkeling at Wanami Bay.  It was a great shallow place to snorkel, abundant with many varieties of colorful tropical fish.  We spent a little time on Waikiki beach that afternoon, and ended up the day at a Luau at the high rise Hale Koa Hotel at Fort Derusy, right on Waikiki Beach.  On our day of departure, we had time for an hour or so relaxing on the beach at the base.

That night, after we had passed the point of no return, our navigational gear went out.  Fortunately, our Navigator was well trained in celestial navigation.  As we neared the U.S. coast line we homed in on California radio stations.  I was allowed up on the flight deck both coming and going.  That night, it was unusual to see so many planes so close together, all converging on the San Francisco area.  We stopped at Moffatt Air Force Base to refuel, where we received an update on the weather.  Rather than flying due east, we followed the jet stream due south over San Diego, where we swung east at the Mexican border.  When we touched down at NAS Memphis we were all glad to be back home.

CONCLUSION 

On the drill weekend in June after everybody had returned from Japan, we had a squadron picnic.  By this time everybody knew everybody fairly well.  It was a relaxing and a fun time.

My tour was up and because of my promotion to Commander I could no longer fill the slot.  In August the unit had a special formation for me at which time I was presented with a very handsome wooden plaque with a brass plate containing the Squadron emblem. It  wished me "smooth sailing and following seas".  I've received hundreds of certificates and plaques in my lifetime, but I believe this is the one I'll always cherish the most.

GREAT BRITAIN, 1983 - 
PLANNING THE LAWYERS' TOUR16
March, 1983

					

By 1982 my wanderlust had taken a turn toward business.  I had looked into forming my own travel agency, but was stymied by the industry rules that one could not become accredited without first having an employee with at least one years experience working for an airline ticket office or working for a travel agent.

I knew that tour promoters received one free airline seat and free hotel, etc. for each 15 people that they booked.  I had already served as a tour guide for the Mid-America Ski Club, and had put together a Ski Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Trip to Vail, Colorado.  I decided to try my hand at mixing business and pleasure by putting together a CLE trip to Great Britain.  My goal was to put together a great trip, so that it could be successfully repeated and serve as a springboard for other trips.  I had already made preliminary arrangements with a Hungarian law school professor for a CLE trip to Budapest and a side trip to Lake Baleton as a follow up to this trip.

I was well liked and well respected among the members of the bar association.  I made many valuable contacts while serving two separate three year terms on the Board of Directors of the Memphis and Shelby County Bar Association, had been a regular member of the Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, active in the Tennessee State Bar, and was in the midst of my term as President of the Memphis Trial Lawyers Association.  My hopes were to get one of the major bars associations to sponsor the trip.

Even though I had been to England several times previously, I began by reading voraciously, collecting information on both the sightseeing and entertainment aspects of the trip.  I also began investigating tours through the law courts,  meetings with the Inns of Court and lectures from law school faculty members in England, Scotland and Ireland.  This took several months of preparations and hundreds of dollars investment in long distance calls alone.  I saved a bit by getting up at 4:30 a.m. and calling Great Britain during their business day, while calling at our night time rate.

Simultaneously, I formed a new corporation - International Professional Seminars.  I wanted this to be a first class operation, so I spent several hundred dollars on art work for the multi-color logo of a jet flying around the globe.  Hundreds more was spent for the printing of stationary.  I worked with my old friend and travel agent, Richard Y. Williams at Mid South Travel.  All land transportation and tours would be with American Express.
After months of painstaking preparations Dick and I had put together a wonderful trip to Great Britain.  Participants would get tours of the courts and the Inns of Court in London, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dublin.  In each of those cities there would be lectures by renowned professors of law.  At the same time, the tour would cover all the major tourist attractions and many out of the way, yet interesting areas of Great Britain.  With group tour prices, they would have bargain rates at good to excellent hotels.  By paying a $275.00 seminar fee, they could be assured that their vacations were fully tax deductible.  At that time the IRS allowed some deductions for wives to attend.  If nothing more, the attendees could deduct the cost of the full amount plus the single supplement they would have paid had they had a private room.

Then the hard work began.  I scheduled a presentation with the Tennessee State Bar at the convention.  They had been doing business with one tour company for years, and saw no reason to change (even though it was about twice as high as my tour).  The Memphis and Shelby County Bar turned me down.  Finally, I went to Gatlingburg, TN for the Mid-Winter Convention of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association.  After lots of haggling over kick backs to them, they became the tour sponsor.  In retrospect, their sponsorship may have been the kiss of death.  I didn't realize at the time the depth and breadth of the animosity towards trial lawyers by the blue stocking lawyers.

I was dating the director of nursing at Methodist Hospital, Dr. Donna Miller.  She felt that nurses might also like a professional tour of Great Britain.  She became the nursing tour coordinator and we added a proposed tour which would begin in Ireland and backtrack the lawyer's itinerary.  She obtained CEU credit for the nurses.  At the time, Tennessee had no mandatory Continuing Legal Education requirements.

After obtaining a sponsor, we arranged for Delta Airlines to provide us with preprinted color flyers reflecting the alluring spots in England.  Mid South Travel went in 50-50 on printing and postage to mail the brochures, including purchasing the membership labels from both the Memphis and Tennessee Bar Associations.  I got the Memphis and state Trial Lawyers labels for free.  I personally sat down to take out the duplicates, because many lawyers belonged to two or more bar associations.

I was also responsible for getting the trip publicized.  I wrote a story which was published by the Daily News, the lawyers publication, and all four bar association journals.  I also acquired a list of the addresses of the nearby state bar associations, many of which promoted the trip.

To make the trip successful, I felt that I should go over in the spring of 1983 for a dry run.  I needed to finalize the participation of the law professors, firm up the tours through the law court and make arrangements for dinner meals and sightseeing, and meet with the tour organizer at American Express.

Dick Williams was able to arrange complimentary business class air for me with Delta Airlines going over and with Aer Lingus, the Irish airlines, for my trip home.  I also had a free flight on Aer Lingus from Glasgow to Dublin.  Through letters of introduction from American Express, Delta and Mid South Travel, all my hotels were either free or discounted.  

I left Memphis on a Saturday in early March 1983.  Delta upgraded my to First Class for the Memphis to Atlanta Segment.  That ticket got me into the first class lounge while waiting for the trans Atlantic flight on Delta's 747.  Business Class was very comfortable.

ENGLAND

We arrived mid morning on Sunday.  I was met by an American Express representative and taken to the Tower Bridge Hotel, a new and very comfortable hotel on the Thames just at the London Tower Bridge, and walking distance from London Tower.  Behind the hotel was St. Katherine's Docks, which is now a modern shopping area, with fine restaurants as well as the yacht marina.  Following my usual practice to avoid jet lag, after checking in and making a call to the American Express office, I took a nap.  That evening I went to Verrey's restaurant, where I talked to the manager about our groups needs, menu prices, complimentary meals for the guide, driver and me.  My meal was on the house.

On Monday I met with the American Express representative with whom I would be working.  She was an attractive and intelligent young woman.  We worked all morning and through lunch.  Although I asked her out, she was all business.  That afternoon I took the American Express tour that the tour members would be taking.

Our tour took us past Hyde Park Corner to bustling Piccadilly Circus and fountain-decorated Trafalgar Square.  Then we drove along the stately Mall past Buckingham Palace, across London Bridge spanning the Thames to historic Southwark with its cathedral, returning via Tower Bridge.  

We stopped at the 900 year old Tower of London, where we were greeted by three Beefeaters, dressed in their scarlet red medieval uniforms.  Each of these men were retired master sergeants or chief petty officers.  They wore the medals they had earned on active duty.  Their main duty was to guard the Crown Jewels which are kept at the Tower.  The guide gave us a brief history of the Tower and its former inhabitants, including the story of Ann Bolen, the mistress of King Henry VIII, who had ordered her beheaded in the court yard.

To see it all, you could stay all day.  The Crown Jewels were the most popular display, and they were lavish.  I could live comfortably the rest of my life from the sale proceeds of the King's jeweled sword alone.  There was also a wonderful Armorial Museum (which Rhett and I saw in 1988).

After reboarding our tour bus, we passed by the Bank of England on Threadneedle Street, and St. Paul's Cathedral - designed by Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of 1666.  Then, we drove along Fleet Street and the Strand to Whitehall and Parliament Square with views of Big Ben (which was covered with scaffolding and tarpaulin's during renovations) and the Houses of Parliament.  We stopped for a visit to ancient Westminster Abbey, a masterpiece of Norman design, including Poet's Corner (where many famous English poets are interred), the Cloisters, the brass rubbing area and the Royal Tombs.

That evening after dinner at a pub at Seven Points, I took in a play in the theatre district.  Rhett and I returned to that same pub for dinner when we were in London together years later.  I was forced to use my collapsible umbrella every day in London.  Overcoat, scarf, hat and gloves were also required daily.

Tuesday morning was spent visiting the Inns of Court.  I talked to the Administrators of Gray's Inn and Lincoln Inn about our group of lawyers and made arrangements for their tour.  Unfortunately, the courts were not in session, although I did get a quick look into "Old Bailey", the famous criminal court.

I went to the Bond street area where I finally decided to have a Harris tweed sport coat made.  Months later when it arrived, it was not the material I had selected and it was too tight.  I ended up giving it away.  I then found a shop where I ordered a service for 8 of the Carlyle pattern of Royal Daulton china.  I paid less than 50% of what it would cost in the U.S., including shipping and insurance.

That evening I checked out a medieval theme restaurant behind the hotel in the St. Katherine docks area.  It was in what had been decorated to appear as the basement of a castle.  There were minstrels who juggled, knife throwers and two Knights had a fierce battle with their swords.  Winches served the food, which was eaten without utensils, as was done in medieval times.  Everybody joined into the festivities, singing and shouting for more ale.  My evenings meal and entertainment were free.  Later, when Rhett and I were in London we returned to this fascinating trip to the past.

On Wednesday I went on an all day American Express tour westward into the countryside to Oxford, the ancient and picturesque University City and the seat of British education.  Our tour had been scheduled to visit Blenheim Palace, the home of the Dukes of Marlboro, and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, but because of tour problems, it was combined with a group going to Stratford Upon-Avon, which was not very interesting for me.  The Cotswold thatch roof homes were interesting as a novelty, but I was not impressed with visiting Shakespeare's home.

Thursday was a free day on the lawyer's itinerary.  In the morning I met with the nursing supervisor at a London Hospital, where I finalized the arrangements for the lectures and hospital tours for the nurses.  That afternoon I took a tour of Windsor Castle and had an very enjoyable lunch at a Pub just outside the entrance.  When Rhett and I later visited Windsor, we had a cold pint of Guiness beer there.  Upon my return to the city, I picked up my rental car for my road journey.  I was to simulate by auto, the tour planned for the lawyers and nurses.

Driving in London was an experience.  Traffic is as almost as hectic as Paris and Rome.  Add to that, the fact that the English drive on the left and the steering wheel is on the right.  Then try to watch where you're driving while following a map in an area with which you are unfamiliar.  Although there was no language barrier, the British have their own words for landmarks, e.g., they call Circles "Circus".

After getting away from London, I had no problems navigating - or driving on the left.  Driving west, my first stop was Stonhenge, started around 1800 B.C., and completed some 400 years later.  The huge "blue" stones were brought from Marlborough Downs.  The office and gift shop were across the road and constructed almost underground so as not to detract from the area.  

When I arrived their were only a handful of people there.  Few cars traversed this out of the way secondary road.  Then, I found myself alone in this eerie setting, wondering how these gigantic stones were moved hundreds of miles and marveling at how they were stood upon end and configured as they were.  Goose bumps came up all over my body at the thrill of standing at the historically significant spot all by myself.

I then drove into Salisbury, noted for its Cathedral, which was begun in 1220.  Its spire is one of the tallest in England.  The library contains one of the four copies of the Magna Carta, signed in the year 1215.  I marveled at the interior of the Cathedral.  Its ceiling was one of the tallest I had ever seen.

I continued westward to Bath.  It was raining so hard I got soaked to the bone.  This Roman city was founded about 54 A.D. when an elaborate system of baths was established.  The remains are well in tact and are some of the more important Roman relics in Britain.  I visited the Pump Room and the Roman Baths.  In town I had lunch, along with thousand of tourists (in March?).

After fighting the rain, I was tired and cut my visit to Bath short.  I wanted to get to Bristol before nightfall.  My hotel in Bristol was much like a Holiday Inn Motel, nothing fancy.  

On Saturday I visited the nearby Cathedral, where Robert Penn (who settled in and is the namesake of the state of Pennsylvania) worshiped before settling in the new world.  His body was brought back for internment.  From the rafters hangs a model of an old sailing vessel.  I finalized the arrangements for the early morning professional seminars to be held in the hotel.

WALES

After lunch I continued northwest from Bristol for the short drive into Wales.  The landscape was rounded rock mountains, with sparse vegetation.  In the distance the mountains were snow capped, and I was dusted with snow on my way to Wales to visit a charming hotel which was an ancient Castle.  Again, I felt as if I had stepped back 100 years.  This hotel also had a medieval banquet.  I made the arrangements, but rather than spending the night, continued north to Shrewsbury, near the Welsh border.

Shrewsbury is a medieval town.  Most of the buildings were constructed in the English Tudor fashion, with white stucco, and a facade of large crossed half-timbers, and windows decorated in stain glass.  After lunch I walked around the town.  I stopped at a park by the river, where I saw two crewing teams racing.  That afternoon I took a half day tour to nearby Warwick Castle, which is the most impressive in England.  

The night was spent in Shrewsbury's 700 year old Prince Rupert Hotel.  While there the movie "Scrooge" was being filmed.  George C. Scott, the actor was staying in that hotel also.  I had the pleasure of meeting him that evening.  He was sitting in the parlor in front of the fireplace.  He was polite, but not overly cordial.  He must be constantly besieged by the public.  The following morning the manager of the hotel showed me into his suite.  Next to his bed was the book he was reading about the battles of the Roman Empire.

On Sunday, after an early morning tour of the Shrewsbury Castle, I drove to Chester, where I stopped for refreshments.  Then I continued north to the lovely English Lake District.  The area was almost deserted.  On these secondary roads minutes would pass between meeting cars.  The lakes were surrounded by low rolling hills.  Not as dramatic as the alpine lakes, but beautiful in a restful way - very tranquil.

I stopped at the well known a beautiful resort, Keswick on Derwent Water (what a name for a town).  After lunch, I walked down to the lake and skipped flat rocks across the water.  I found several places that were great picnic spots.  From there, it was a short drive to the Scottish border.

SCOTLAND

For some reason all the downtown Edinburgh hotels were filled.  The lawyers and nurses would stay downtown, but I had to stay in a hotel some 30 miles north of Edinburgh.  Six hundred years before it had served as a castle.  It had a majestic appearance atop the highest hill for miles around.  The area surrounding it was not well developed.  I remember that the furniture, what there was of it,  appeared to be almost as old as the castle and was very Spartan.  The indoor heated swimming pool was enjoyable.

Monday morning I drove into Edinburgh.  I first met with Mr. Riddle of the Scottish Inn of Court.  He was cordial, but distant.  His black suit and starched white shirt personified his demeanor.  In a rather short meeting we confirmed that he or members of his staff would give a briefing on the Scottish Inns of Court and would arrange a visit to the courts.   He did not offer to enlighten me on the Inns of Court, nor did he offer me a tour of the courts.

After lunch, I then went to the College of Law at the University of Edinburgh, where I met with Dean F. H. McClintock.  He was the law school Dean who was scheduled to lecture the lawyers.  His gray English tweed sport coat was a bit worn at the edges.  The suede elbow patches surely covered worn spots and were not merely for decoration.  His plaid shirt was neat, but did not match his tie.  He also wore a tan sweater which did not compliment the sport coat, but were consistent with him wearing tan shoes with gray trousers.  His long blonde hair had a reddish hue, attesting to his Scottish heritage.  His curved pipe, added character to his convivial personality.  I loved his heavy Scottish brogue.  He was the perfect type cast for a Scottish professor.  Dean McClintock was a very obliging gentlemen, who gave me reams of information on the Scottish courts, and the University.

After coffee in the faculty lounge, he was kind enough to give me a brief tour of the ancient buildings making up the University.  Although badly in need of renovation, there was a charm in the antiquity of the University.  The exterior of the University buildings was composed of large old stones, covered by moss and ivy, worthy of any artists time to compose.  His office was typically disorganized.  Stacks of books and files occupied every flat space.  

On Tuesday I took a tour with the American Express charter company that would escort the lawyers and nurses on their respective sightseeing tours.  Our first stop was the castle, which turned out to be a small village atop the hill, rather than just one building.  We saw the impressive Scottish Crown Jewels.  Within the Castle we visited St. Giles Cathedral, John Knox's House and Sir Walter Scott's Monument.  We walked from one end of the Royal Mile to the other, lined by 17th Century houses, viewing the spot where the annual "Edinburgh Tattoo" is performed.  We visited Holyrood House Palace, at the far end of the Royal Mile.  This is where Mary Queen of Scots lived.

The Edinburgh Castle sits high atop a tall mountain in the center of the city.  From the castle, there is a commanding view for many miles.  The 14th Century castle itself is beautiful - like something out of a fairy tale.  Three sides of the mountain were almost a vertical drop off.  I pictured Vikings attempting to storm the castle, being repelled by hot oil, arrows and spears.

Afterward, I shopped downtown, where I bought Scots plaid ties and wool scarves for souvenirs.   Beneath the Castle lies a large greenbelt, which is now a downtown park.  I visited the enormous monument to Robert Burns, the famous Scottish poet.  Afterwards, I stopped for a drink at a famous old downtown Caldonian Hotel.  Its dark reddish brown stone Victorian facade was different from any hotel I have ever seen.  It was built to accommodate railroad passengers.  From its beautifully decorated interior, darkened by centuries of coal dust, you could see Castle hill.  After a busy day, I returned to the hotel for dinner and a swim and an early night.
On Wednesday I took the expressway some 90 miles away to Glasgow.  There I met with Mr. Robert Clark, partner in one of the city's leading firms of solicitors.  He was to deliver the presentation to the lawyers.  He gave me a tour of the solicitors' offices and introduced me to several of the partners and associates.  Each one of them wore a black suit and a conservative gray tie.  Apparently, all solicitors and barristers in Great Britain wear black suits, much like a uniform.  Looking closely, I could see a minor bit of individualism.  Mr. Clark's suit was knitted in a herringbone pattern - black on black.  One of his partner's suit had a thin red thread woven in the pattern.  Another had a hint of royal blue.  After dinner at the hotel I enjoyed a swim in the lobby pool of my very modern downtown hotel. 

Mr. Clark and I firmed up a reception for my tour members.  It was to be hosted by the Royal Faculty of Procurators.  The reception was to be held at the Library in St. George's Place

Thursday I was unable to meet with the officials at the Glasgow Law School. That afternoon I checked out of the hotel.  I took a sightseeing tour of Glasgow.  We drove by the Royal Technical College to the famous Glasgow Cathedral, reputed to be the finest intact Gothic building in Scotland.  We passed by Provands Lordship, the oldest house in Glasgow, Glasgow Cross, Gorbals and the dock and ship-building area.  Then we crossed the River Clyde to Old Kilpatrick, the birthplace of St. Patrick, and continued to Anniesland Cross, the Botanic Gardens and the University, founded in 1450.  The tour was concluded after we drove through Kelvingrove Park and the renowned Art Galleries.  My impression of Glasgow was that it was an industrial city, with not much to offer the tourist.  I went to the airport for my evening flight to Dublin, Ireland.

IRELAND

The flight to Dublin took about an hour.  A night club Cabaret in my hotel offered an interesting evening's entertainment.  I added it as an option on our tour, being guaranteed free tickets for the guide and driver.

On Friday morning I first met with the officials at the University College in Dublin.  Later I called upon the executives of the Law Society.  By lunch I had finalized the tour of the courts, a lecture by faculty members and a visit to the Irish Courts.

That afternoon I took a city tour of Dublin.  We passed by the 18th Century Bank of Ireland, which previously served as the Irish Parliament.  It was one of Dublin's noblest buildings.  Then we passed the National Museum to the 13th Century Dublin Castle.  There we visited the Throne Room.  

Our next stop was Trinity College, a very picturesque campus.  We passed through he main entrance with its gigantic wrought iron gates.  The lawn was decorated with interesting statuary.  Inside the campus museum we saw the world famous Book Of Kells, an 8th Century color illustrated book.  Each day a page is turned.

Our final stops for the day were at the impressive St. Patrick's Cathedral, which occupies a full city block, and Christchurch Cathedral.  On our way back to the hotel we drove along O'Connel Street and past the Royal Dublin Society Showgrounds.

That evening I had one of the most enjoyable meals I have had while dining alone.  I ate at the Prince Edward Inn, just across the street from St. Patricks.  It had been a restaurant (inn) for over 700 years, and in the same family for over 400 years.  It was a cold wet night.  I was warmed by a roaring fire in the fireplace.  The lights were dimmed, allowing candles at each table to enhance the ambiance.  The patrons all appeared to be happy.  I enjoyed the music of the pianist, and the food was good.  The manager took time to talk to me, which made me feel welcome.

The following morning I set out to trace my ancestors.  My brother Oliver had told me that our family castle was in Kilkenny.  The Irish countryside was beautiful.  The rolling green fields reminded me of middle Tennessee.  As I approached Kilkenny, I stopped at a country pub mid morning to ask directions to the Butler Castle.

Again, it was like in the movies.  When I opened the door, I stepped back in time at least 75 years.  There was a fire in the large fireplace.  The pub was at least 100 years old and some of the furniture must have been from its earliest days.

The bartender asked a couple of men at the bar if they knew the best way.  As they started to give directions, they were interrupted by a man and woman at a table, who asked me to have a drink.  At first I insisted that I was in a hurry.  The bartender and all concerned insisted that life was too short not to take advantage of all opportunities for good fellowship.  So, I spent a pleasant hour drinking good Harp Ale and telling them about Tennessee and the United States.  It was a delightful experience.

I then found my way to the Butler Castle, where I enjoyed an individual guided tour by the caretaker.  He told me about the "Butler Society", and its international secretary who lived in Kilkenny.  I called her and she invited me to her cottage for afternoon tea.  I ate lunch downtown and visited  St. Canice Cathedral, where many of the famous early Butlers are entombed. After a delightful tea with the Butler Society Secretary I made my way to Killarney.

The mayor of Killarney had been to Memphis twice to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and participate in the festivities, including the famous Memphis Pub Crawl.  He became a friend of Silky Sullivan, an acquaintance of mine who owns Silky's in Memphis.  I had met the mayor and he had promised to show me around when I came to town.  I called him and he kept his promise.

The mayor was a bachelor.  The first night he took me to all the pubs and nightclubs in Kilkenny.  He recommended a quaint old hotel with Irish lace curtains on the windows.  

The following day we took a ride to Kerry and around the lake in his car, passing quaint thatched cottages and the legendary lakes and hills.  We even took a short ride in one of the two wheeled carts that are so famous around the Ring of Kerry.  That evening we visited a few of the pubs and nightclubs and had a late dinner.  He was an interesting fellow, full of life, but not to be taken too seriously.

My next stop was at Limerick, home of Shannon International Airport.  It was here that the lawyer's tour would be concluded and the nurses would arrive by the same aircraft that would take the lawyers home.  I had lunch at the Muckross House and drove around Limerick on my own.  This town was famous for the most delicate Irish Lace made by Catholic Nuns.  I went to the Nunnery, where a lovely Irish sister told me I probably couldn't afford a tablecloth.  She was right.  It cost $18,000.00 U.S. Dollars.  I thanked her and went to a tourist shop where I bought a much less expensive tablecloth and napkins for my mother.

My last night was spent at a medieval banquet at Bunratty Castle.  We arrived at sunset.  In the great room on the first floor we were serenaded by two female musicians dressed in attire from hundreds of years past.  One played a violin, the other a small Irish Harp.  We were served an ancient ale while we listened to this serene music.

Afterward, we walked up a narrow staircase to another great hall on the second floor.  Long dark wooden tables with benches waited for us.  There were no utensils, as they were not used in the 15th Century, and this was a period dinner.  The waitresses were to be referred to as "winches".  We were instructed to bang our pewter mug on the table as a sign that we required more wine.

While we ate we were entertained by several acts.  First, the master of ceremonies explained how the meal was to be served, and how we were to participate.  He noted the authenticity of the various type costumes worn by the waitresses and entertainers, all of which were in dark colors.  Then, musicians played soft dinner music while we ate.  

As the meal progressed, the tempo increased.  There were jugglers, fire eaters and other carnival type acts.  Costumed men performed several old Irish Dances, including one done with swords by men wearing kilts.   Then, waitresses and others sang upbeat Irish drinking songs.  After dessert, the lights were dimmed and all the winches gathered up front for several acapella heart rendering Irish melodies.  The evening lasted about three hours and was one of the most impressive dinner shows I have ever attended.  A fitting finale to a wonderful two weeks in Great Britain.  Now, these type dinners are popping all over Europe and other parts of the world.
My Business Class flight back to the United States was on Aer Lingus.  I had an interesting conversation with my seat mate, and Irish Priest.  Again, Delta provided me with First Class accommodations from New York City to Memphis.  

PARTING THOUGHTS

It was my visit to the Butler Castle in Kilkenny which sparked my burning interest in genealogy.  Since that time I have literally spent thousands of hours in family history research, including two trips to the Family History Library of the Church of the Latter Day Saints in Salt Lake City; research in the libraries of Memphis, Hamilton, Bermuda, Brownsville and Dallas, Texas, and attendance at dozens of seminars.  Sadly, I have not been able to find any connection between my Butler ancestors and the Butler family of Kilkenny.

Unfortunately, not enough nurses enrolled for the tour, so it was cancelled.  A minimum number of lawyers signed up for the tour, but not enough for me to get a free ticket and free hotel, etc.  I was forced to stay home and wish them a fond farewell.  I talked with most of them upon their return and was pleased to discover that they all felt it was a very well organized and worthwhile continuing education experience as well as a delightful tour.  This failure to attract enough participants dampened my attempts to organize future continuing education tours.  

By the summer of 1983, I was busy with my duties as President of the Memphis Trial Lawyers Association.  The Masters Degree program at Memphis State University in Criminal Justice kept me busy with classes and work on my Thesis.  I was already planning my race for Circuit Court Judge of Div. IX of Shelby County, TN. and was busy giving speeches all over Shelby County at Rotary, Kiwanis, Exchange, Lions clubs, military organizations and Toastmasters.   

That election was in August 1984.  Even with expenditures of about $40,000.00 for advertising by Arlene Butler and myself, we were unable to attract enough voters to overcome the power of the far right church groups who endorsed one of my opponents.  After that defeat, I decided to accept my brother Oliver's offer of a job with his Brownsville, TX law firm, with a promise of partnership.  

With the move to Brownsville, then to South Padre Island and the need to refamiliarize myself with the multiple changes in Texas law since I left in 1976, I had no time for or interest in organizing tours.  My study of the new Texas laws and procedural rules led to the publishing of my book, Texas Litigators Handbook.

My travels for the past 12 years have been as a full fare passenger.

TODAY’S  SOVIET UNION17
April, 1983

Part 1: The People18

Many observers have noted difficulties in describing Soviet citizens.  Winston Churchill in 1939, said that Russia was “...a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma”.  I too found many contrasts and paradoxes among Soviet citizens.  

You could almost predict in advance how the average Soviet would appear - his dress, build, etc.  by knowing his age.  Younger Soviets appear to be in good health and well dressed.  They generally walk at a fairly fast clip.  Many wear blue jeans, and most would not be out of place on American streets.  By contrast, those 60 years or older tend to be grossly overweight and walk stooped over with a slow shuffle.  Their clothes are also predictable.  The middle aged and older women wear inexpensive bright floral patterned dresses, usually ill-fitting and apparently made at home.  The older men tend to dress in dark, nondescript clothing, generally torn and dirty.  Plaids are worn freely with stripes.  Veterans wear their army service ribbons and medals on their jackets.  When we consider that the septuagenarians lived through the First and Second World Wars and their 1917 Revolution, we more easily understand their fatigue.

Moscow, a city of some 8 million people, with an additional two and one-half million tourists each day, lacks the hustle and bustle which might be expected in a large city.  Perhaps this is because only about five percent of the citizens own automobiles.

The Soviets love to build things.  The bigger the better.  Yet, they make no provision for routine maintenance and repairs, except on the more important state buildings and museums.  For instance, fairly new hotels have broken marble slabs on the outside.  Broken tile floors and windows, and stained carpets are apparent, not only in the hotels, but also in the other buildings throughout the Soviet Union. 

Paradoxes of the Russian people became apparent upon investigation of our hotel room.  The furnishings were all very modern, and the tub was equipped with a shower attachment - but no shower curtain was provided.

There are many similarities between Soviet Georgians and Spaniards.  The ancient name for Eastern Georgia was Iberia, the name of the peninsula where Spain and Portugal are located.  The Georgian people’s coloring and their attitudes are very similar to Spaniards, and the Georgian language is very similar to that spoken by the Basques of northern Spain.  Moscow is the capital of the Russian Soviet Socialist Republic, only one of 15 republics of the Soviet Union.  Properly, only people of that republic are referred to as Russians.  This is a common mistake made by tourists and one which brings instantaneous remonstration from Georgians, Armenians, Azerbaijanians and Ukrainians.

Geographically, Georgia is Asian, but genetically, the people are European.  Of the five million Georgians, twenty percent lived in Tbilisi, its capital.  Eighty separate languages are spoken by the Georgians.  Their history accounts for much of the linguistic confusion.  Georgia was invaded by Alexander the Great and was occupied by the Byzantine and Persian Empires from the fourth and sixth century.  The Romans came, followed by the Mongols, and finally in the seventeenth century, they were conquered by the Moslems.  They became a part of Russia in 1801, when they, Armenia and Azerbaijan became a Transcaucasian State.  They became separate Soviet republics in 1936.

In Moscow, I found the average citizen to be somewhat cold and indifferent about the presence of American tourists.  The seriousness of government business seemed to pervade the whole city.  In Georgia, the people appeared to be carefree and lackadaisical.  This was perhaps due to the Southern climes.  As an example, I visited a beautiful amusement park atop a mountain overlooking Tbilisi.  The attendants for the rides, which were owned by the state, seemed interested in neither selling tickets nor collecting them.  I was allowed to ride the bumper cars three times in a row on one ticket, and the attendants operating another ride never bothered to open the ticket booth, with everyone riding free for as long as they chose.

The people in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia were notably more open and friendly that the Muscovites.  I wondered about the similarity of geography with that of the United States, with Southerners in the U.S. being traditionally friendlier than Northerners.  While taking photographs at a folk dancing concert in Yerevan, Armenia, I was asked if I would like to come backstage.  The dancers encouraged me to take their photographs at leisure, and they also allowed me into the wings of the stage for excellent shots.

World records are held by Southern Soviets.  In Armenia, 37 of every 1,000 people live to the age of 100.  In Azerbaijan, 44 of every 1,000 live ten decades, with the record holder living to age 144.

Typically, Europeans neither baths as frequently nor use deodorants with the regularity of Americans.  The offensiveness of these habits was highly noticeable in Tbilisi, Yerevan and Kiev.  Surprisingly however, the Azerbaijanians in Baku were more hygienic.  I also noticed that the hotel and other building were noticeably cleaner there than anywhere else in the Soviet Union.  Perhaps this is due to the Moslem heritage of those people, with its laws of cleanliness passed on by their ancestors.

The residents of Kiev were cosmopolitan.  The Georgians were reminiscent of the Mexicans, whereas the Armenians were carefree like the Greeks.  The most startling cultural difference was that of the Azerbaijanis.  Their music, dress and architecture was strongly influenced by Islam.  Their language is not only similar to Turkish, but most of them understood Turkish and indicted that the Turks could understand their language.

My most memorable evening of the trip was spent at a restaurant called “Caravan Serai”19, located in a sixteenth century hotel that catered to the camel Caravans which plied the trade routes 400 years ago.  

One would assume that the relationship between each of the 15 Soviet Republics and the USSR would be similar to that existing between the 50 United States and the federal government.  Such is not the case.  In the Soviet Union there are over 100 languages spoken, and if one includes all of the dialects, then approximately 120 tongues may be heard.  The Soviet Union is the largest country in the world and spans bother Europe and Asia.  The ancestors of the Russians were Slavs and Visigoths, whereas those of the Eastern Republics were primarily Oriental.

Although the ancestry of the Russians and the Ukrainians is not that different, it was interesting to note that a Friendship Arch was built in Kiev, dedicated to the friendship that had traditionally existed between the Russian and Ukranian peoples.  Wouldn’t it appear strange to build a monument recognizing the friendship between Tennesseans and New Yorkers?  Genetically, many Ukrainians are blonde haired, blue eyed and fair skinned, being northern European in origin, as opposed by to their Slavic Russian cousins20.  Another difference in the people stems from the occupation of the Ukraine by Poland and Lithuania for about 300 years, from the thirteenth through the fifteenth centuries.

After studying these people and their legal system, I am still somewhat perplexed.  They are capable of sending sophisticated satellites into space, and now have constructed one of the mightiest navy in the world.  Yet, in my hotel room, the radio contained no on-off switch.  The three stations were tuned in by - you guessed it - plugging the cord into one of three separate plugs - one for each station. [End of Part I].

(Editor’s Note: Ed Butler, an attorney with offices in Brownsville and South Padre Island, is President of the Port Isabel - South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce.  He recently traveled to the Soviet Union to study that country’s legal system.  This is the first of a series of articles detailing his impressions of the U.S.S.R. and its people).
					
Part II: Living Conditions, farm products, politics and geography21.

Probably the most notable deficiency in the Soviet lifestyle is the living accommodations of Soviet citizens.  Moscow no longer has any single family dwellings.  Although a few old buildings have been converted into apartments, the great majority of Muscovites live in drab high rise apartment complexes which resemble the high rise public housing units in Harlem, New York.  These apartments are built near light and medium industrial plants.

The drive on our last day, from the hotel to the airport south of Moscow, symbolized the Soviet Union today.  Except for a high rise modern hotels built for the 1980 Olympics, as far as the eye could see on each side of the highway, for the eight or ten miles from the edge of the business district to the airport, were industrial plants and these drab dwellings.  Millions of Muscovites living within a few square miles.  It seemed appropriate that, as we approached the airport, a light drizzle fell from the overcast skies.  The chatter and joviality which had existed on our bus vanished.  We all felt a little sad for the inhabitants.

This stark landscape was not noticeable in any of the four other provinces I visited.  In Tbilisi, Georgian architecture, with its frequent use of balconies, gave the building designs some interest.  In Baku, the Moorish influence was apparent.  The Armenians in Yerevan have devoted a large part of their city to parks, playgrounds, monuments and fountains.  One fountain was actually a series of fountains three blocks in length with one million five hundred thousand water spigots - one for each Armenian killed by the Turks in 1915. Finally, in Kiev, the rolling hills and the abundance of trees and shrubs hid any monotony that might have been observed in the newer high rise dwelling units.

Grocery stores throughout the Soviet Union carried very few products and much of the time the shelves were almost empty.  A visit to a farmers’ market in any of the major cities presented the answer.  Each Soviet citizen is allowed a private plot of ground which can be used for the cultivation of either flowers or produce.  At present, only five percent of all the farmland in the Soviet Republic is privately owned.  This five percent produces 37% of all the produce.  The markets are filled with melons of several varieties, peaches, grapes, bananas, apples and citrus fruits.  Vegetables of every description are available - except for corn, which is used only to feed farm animals.  In the meat area of the market there are ample supplies of chicken, beef and mutton.  It is also interesting to note that the food in the market is more expensive than similar foods, when they are available at all, in the state owned stores. People prefer to buy foods at the market, because they are convinced they quality of the produce is much higher - and the food itself usually fresher.
As a Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves22, I was pleased to discover that the attitude of the typical Soviet citizen towards the United States was not as hostile as I had assumed.  Obviously, the typical Soviet citizen has no access to the free press, and many felt that we were trying to start a war.  They appeared sincerely interested in us, and wanted to know what we thought about world problems.  This is inconsistent with the mentality connected with the wanton shooting down of the Korean Air Line 747 airliner by the Russian Air Force.

I came away with the feeling that their army is not as well prepared as I had originally thought.  The officer corps is made up almost exclusively of white Russians, and due to birth rates, the racial imbalance is aggravated by the passage of time.  A substantial number of Soviet soldiers do not speak Russian, the official army language.  As a result, bilingual noncommissioned officers are relied upon more heavily, and there is more dissension among the lower ranks than in years past.  Secondly, Soviets are being forced into creating fighting units composed of citizens of the same area, who all speak the same language and/or dialect.  This creates a danger, in the minds of the Russians, in that they may not be loyal to mother Russia.  This disloyalty has been exemplified by mass defection of Moslem Soviets fighting in Afghanistan.

The government claims that Moscow, like Rome, is a city of seven hills.  Large gingerbread apartment building cover each of the hills.  To me, the increase in elevation was hardly discernible.  Moscow and the environs, both from the ground and from the air, appeared very flat.  The Georgia , Armenia and Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republics are each situated just south of the Caucasian Mountains, with Georgia being in the foothills.

For centuries sheep herding supported a substantial number of Georgians.  Ancient shepherds used sheepskins to separate gold from sand found in the streams.  The richness of the gold deposits in Georgia, combined wit the use of sheepskins in its recovery, led to the legend of the “golden fleece.”  The museum in Tbilisi is filled with beautiful golden jewelry dating back to 400 B.C.

Between Tbilisi and Yerevan, Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, I viewed quite a myriad of landscape and living conditions.  The land around Tbilisi is green and fertile.  A few miles out of town, the mountains become very arid, and on the outskirts there is a very unattractive satellite city dedicated to heavy industry and apartment buildings for the workers in the plants located there.  On this 180 mile journey it was necessary to pass through a small section of Western Azerbaijan.  The hills were barren, and the poverty of the local citizenry was apparent.  Almost immediately after crossing into Armenia, the mountains become lush, commercial activity increased, and new construction was apparent everywhere.

From anywhere in Yerevan you can see Mt. Ararat on a clear day.  This historic snow-capped mountain, situated just across the Turkish border, was reputedly the final resting place of Noah’s Ark.  Approximately forty miles north of Yerevan we reached a plateau at an altitude of 7,300 feet, and immediately beheld the crystal blue waters of Lake Sevan.

Baku is known as the “windy city”.  It is referred to as the windy city because historically the wind blows there more than 250 days out of the year. It is the firth largest city in Russia, being home to some 600,000 out of a total of 1.6 million Azerbaijanians.  It is situated on the Apsheron Peninsula in the Caspian Sea.  The old city was founded in the fourth century, and although only a few walls remain from the original construction, the fabled Maidens Tower built in the twelfth century, a bath house constructed in the thirteenth century, and a sixteenth century hotel were all very well preserved.

In the past, Baku was a major oil area in the Soviet Union.  Offshore oil rigs covered the horizon as far as you can see on the Caspian Sea.  At present, however, Baku provides less than five percent of total Soviet oil production.

In ancient times the marshes surrounding Baku were often aglow with the fires from natural gas seeping up from below.  It was then known as the “land of eternal flames”.  Starting about 600 B.C., a cult of fire worshipers settled around Baku.  Their religion was known as Zoroastrism.

It was apparent from the air that the Ukraine was the breadbasket of the Soviet Union.  Cultivated fields and forests were all we could see.  The drive from the Kiev airport to the central part of the city was reminiscent of a trip to most any western European metropolitan area.  The old buildings and the tree lined streets, fountains and statues, gave Kiev a distinct personality.  It is certainly the most beautiful of the metropolitan areas we saw in the Soviet Union.

The city of Kiev affords many beautiful views of the valley and the Dnieper River.  A large island in the river, across from the main part of the city, was used for recreational purposes.  On Sunday afternoon the shoreline of the island is filled with bathers.  Hydrofoil excursion boats ply the river of this scenic valley. [End of part II].

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Ed Butler, and Island attorney, is the immediate past president of the Port Isabel - South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce.  This is the second of a series of four articles describing his recent trip to the Soviet Union).

PART III:  	Historical monuments and churches23

Just minutes from Moscow’s international airport, there is a monument to the defense of Moscow during the Second World War.  It is a large tank trap and it marks the point where the Germans were stopped in their tracks on their drive towards the heart of the city.

Certainly no trip to Moscow would be complete without a visit to the Kremlin and Red Square.  Actually Kremlin means seat of government, and each Soviet capitol has its own kremlin.  The famous Kremlin in Moscow is located on the banks of the Moskva River, and consists of several buildings which are considered the seat of government, including the armory, barracks for soldiers, and several beautiful churches - all of which are surrounded by fortress walls some two and one-half miles around.  The onion shaped domes of these churches, constructed between the eleventh and sixteenth centuries, are covered with gold leaf.

Probably one of the most beautiful churches in the world is located right outside the main gate of the Kremlin.  St. Basils was constructed especially by the Tzar.  He was so pleased with its beauty, and so afraid that it might be reproduced, that he ordered the architect blinded.

Five days each week people stand in line for two to three hours to go through Lenin’s tomb, which is the other major attraction of Red Square.  Across the square is the Gum Department Store - supposedly the largest in the world.

The subway stations in Moscow are beyond belief.  All of them are constructed from marble and granite.  Each has been decorated differently, and many look like the entrance hall to a castle.  Chandeliers, murals and frescos are everywhere.  A visit to the graffiti-free Moscow Metro is definitely a must.

On the outskirts of the city lies the University of Moscow.  Originally, it was located under one roof.  The central portion of the building is one of the tallest structures in the city.  It is said that if one wanted to walk into each of the classrooms, laboratories and offices of the University, it would take over a year to do so.  Nearby, across the river, was the site of the 1980 Olympics.

North of the city, across the street from the Cosmos Hotel, lies the national exhibition of the USSR.  The exhibition grounds appear much like a Worlds Fair.  Construction was started in 1933, and after an interruption for the Second World War, it was restarted in 1953.  Each of the Soviet Republics originally constructed a pavilion on this 800 acre tract.  Near the entrance is a gigantic monolith dedicated to the Soviet space program.  Behind it lies the main entrance - an archway reminiscent of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.  The pavilions are situated on either side of malls featuring beautiful fountains and manicured gardens.  One fountain of particular interest contained life size figures, representing women from each of the 15 Soviet Socialist Republics, each dressed in native garb.  The bronze figures were coated in gold leaf.

Much of the history of the Soviet Union is reflected in the churches.  Within view of the famous St. Basils Cathedral there are six beautifully old churches ranging from four to nine centuries old.  All have been converted into museums and art galleries.  The main sight-seeing in most of the cities we visited centered around the old churches.

In Tbilisi, the nineteenth century St. David’s Church was the burial place for Stalin’s mother.  The mountaintop overlooking the city was dominated by a fourth century Moslem mosque and a silver-domed, sixth century Orthodox church.  Religion is repugnant to the communist government.  As a result, of the five thousand churches still standing in Soviet Georgia, only 200 are functioning churches.  The Georgians became Christians in the fourth century while the Russians did not convert to Christianity until 600 years later.  Citizens of Moscow how have only 82 churches to serve them.

One side trip from Yerevan was particularly interesting.  We drove some 20 miles out of town to Mtzkheta, the ancient capital of Armenia, where we visited two ancient churches.  Djvare, a Russian Orthodox Church which was constructed between the sixth and eighth centuries, was located high upon a mountaintop overlooking the old city.  In ancient times in this part of the world, it was the custom to build fortress walls around the churches, which were situated in very inaccessible places, as a final redoubt for the local citizenry against invading hordes.  The church in Mtzkheta proper was completed in the year 301 A.D., and is the oldest church in what is now the Soviet Union.  From each of these ancient churches there is perfect view of the other.  I took photographs of each from the other.

In Yerevan, the g rounds of Sveti Tskhoveli were beautiful.  Its name means literally, life giving pillar, and it is the seat of the Holy See of the Armenian Orthodox Church, that faith’s equivalent to the Vatican.

Kiev’s rival to Moscow’s St. Basils is St. Andrews Church.  St. Andrews was built in the eighteenth century by the same architect who designed the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg.  On the outside it is painted baby blue, white and light green.  The gold ornate work on the domes of the roof is spectacular.  Now a museum, its foundation is as deep underground as the highest dome is above the ground.

Another architectural marvel in Kiev is the famous St. Sophia Cathedral.  Construction began on St. Sophia in the eleventh century.  Entrance is gained through the Golden Gate Tower, which was constructed in the eleventh century.  The other churches we saw in the Soviet Union were built with one large dome in the center of the roof, and one to three additional smaller domes24.  St. Sophia’s roof was topped with 13 domes, the large one representing Christ, and the smaller ones his disciples.  During reconstruction of the Church in the seventeenth century, some of the original frescos were painted over, but are now being restored.  A metal floor was laid in the nineteenth century, but portions of the original mosaic tile floor were preserved.

St. Sophia contains beautiful icons from the eighteenth century.  An icon is a religious painting on a wooden surface.  The best were painted on lindenwood.  Because many of the paints and varnishes used in the eleventh through the thirteenth centuries tended to turn dark, many of the icons were repainted.  One was partially restored, reflecting five different paintings over a period of five centuries.  Of additional historical interest and aesthetic beauty is the Kiev Lavrh Monastery, constructed in the year 1051.  It was originally built as a fortress separate from the city.  The tower inside the grounds was topped by a stunning golden two-headed eagle - one of the few remnants of the Imperial Russian family remaining in the Soviet Union.  This two-headed eagle is now said to represent the unity of the Church and the State.

In Baku, the few churches remaining are mostly Moslem Mosques.  NS ancient fire worshipers’ temple still stands at Ateshgah, a short ride from the city.  Writings on the temple wall were in Sanscrit, indicating that early inhabitants were from the sub Asian continent.  Apparently no Azerbaijanians ever participated in this Zoroastrian cult.  The members were Indians, who once plied the trade routes to the Middle East. [End of Part III].

PART IV:	Foods, Tourist Controls, Entertainment, Population Controls, and Final Impressions25.

Many tourists to Russia visit as members of a group.  Although they are free to eat when and where they please, all meals are included in the package tour price.  Accordingly people eat most of their meals at their Intourist26 Hotels or designated restaurants.  Menus were prepared in advance, and there was no selection.  In Moscow, both the Hotel Rossia27 and the Cosmos Hotel28 attempt to cater to American appetites - filet mignons, breaded veal cutlets, beef stew, etc.  Naturally, chicken Kiev was served in the city bearing its name.

Breakfast was generally light.  In the two weeks I was there fried eggs were served only on one occasion.  Some people had difficulty with the cheese and salami which were served most mornings, and many limited their breakfasts to rolls, butter, jam and coffee.  The more adventurous drank the Keefor, which was provided frequently.  It looked like a blend of buttermilk, cottage cheese and yogurt - and tasted like a mixture of oat meal, sawdust, hominy and sugar.

Throughout the trip I particularly enjoyed the borscht, which is beet soup cooked with meat, potatoes and onions.  In the southern cities the shish kabob was good, but was served too often.  Beer is Moscow and Kiev was fair, but the liquid served as beer in the three southern republics was horrible.  This was somewhat overcome by the fact that Georgian and Armenian wines were not only delicious, but inexpensive.  Often the beer and wine were provided free of charge.  On two occasions I was treated to typical Russian dinners where beer, wine, vodka and champagne were provided.

The dinner at Caravan Serai, in Baku, was probably the highlight of my trip.  Persian carpets adorned the walls and floors.  The musicians played ancient tunes on antique instruments, and the waiters served in period costumes, as their ancestors had done 600 years before.  That night we enjoyed, in addition to other traditional Russian delicacies, smoked sturgeon; smoked salmon; kababi - ground sausage wrapped in a thin pancakes (delicious!); hommus - mashed garbanzo beans, parsley, basil, onion and lemon juice; and a delicious crepe containing cabbage, sausage, raisins and nuts.  Throughout the Soviet Union I was served caviar distinctly different from any I ever ate.  There was no salty taste, and when spread over a piece of bread with butter or cheese it was delicious.

In cities open to tourists there were no overt attempts made to restrict the travel of tourists.  Activities were controlled in two ways:

First, there was a fairly strenuous currency control.  Upon entry into the country it was necessary to make a declaration of valuables, cash and travelers checks.  Each time Rubles were purchased, this currency control form was produced, and a notation was made on it.  This was done to discourage the sale of hard currency on the black market.  It was a prison offense to buy or sell Rubles, or to sell merchandise or clothing.  We were warned that the KGB often attempted to entrap tourists.

Dollars and other hard currency were desired by Soviet citizens so they could shop in Beriozka stores, which accepted only hard currencies - no Rubles.  They were willing to pay a premium for the privilege of buying food, wine, silver, china, jewelry and furs which were unavailable to them at state owned shops where Rubles were of course, the standard medium of exchange.

Then, too, the black market operators have to pay their sources in hard currencies, so the Dollar is very precious.  Along this line, I was offered $90.00 for my blue jeans, $50.00 for a Memphis and Shelby County Bar Association “Race Judicata” tee shirt, fifty Rubles - about $72.00 - for my jogging shoes and 100 Rubles for my Mickey Mouse watch.  Others in our group had similar experiences.

The second type of control which was maintained over tourists was the hotel room key.  We were required to leave our room key with the floor concierge, in exchange for which we were given a hotel pass.  A guard at each door of the hotel insures that we had our pass before we could get back into the hotel.  Although this was a nuisance, the hotel pass shown to a cab driver in any part of the city insured our prompt return to the proper hotel, even though we had no knowledge whatsoever of the Russian language.

Intourist generally provided at least one buffet party with music for each tour group.  Ours was superb.  In both Moscow and Kiev we were served dinner in a nightclub with dinner music while we ate and music for dancing afterwards.

Unfortunately, there was no opera during the Summer and we were unable to get tickets to either the symphony or to the famous Russian circuses which have permanent buildings in each major city.  Fortunately, tickets to folk dancing performances were available in each city.  Each was entirely different from the other, and all were magnificent.

Twenty million Soviets were killed during World War II.  With a population of 270 million, the government was almost paranoid that they now have 37 million fewer people than if it hadn’t been for the war.  They didn’t mention of course, how many were murdered in various internal purges.  Birth rates were down because of marriage at older ages; and in families where both parents are working, child-bearing was delayed.

As a result, the Kremlin had passed laws providing for: (1) cash bonus at marriage; (2) three-day paid honeymoon; (3) cash bonus upon birth of each child; (4) monthly cash allowance paid by the government to mother for each child; (5) increased bonus for each child born after the first three; (6) increased monthly allowance for each child born after the first three; (7) extra paid vacation days for working mothers - one to three children, three extra days; four and over, one extra week; (8) hero mother - upon birth of fifth child, the mother receives a hero medal and publicity, plus a door ornament for the house, indicating the home of a hero mother; (9) unmarried men pay an extra income tax; and (10) the larger the family, the larger the apartment it is provided - with no increase in rent.

One English speaking guide, Anatoly, stayed with our group the entire 16 days.  In each city we visited, one or two additional guides were assigned to show us the local sights.  In every instance, the local guides appeared to be sincerely interested in educating us about their history, culture and view of the world.  They also seemed generally interested in talking with us informally, and finding out what made us tick.  As a result, I came away with the knowledge that the Soviet Union contained many different kinds of people, many of whom were much like us.  Unfortunately, because there were not allowed free access to the news, they were grossly misinformed.  As a country they are severely lacking in any feeling of national unity, and, except in space and military hardware, are far behind the western world.
				
Perhaps our government should subsidize tours of Soviet citizens to the various areas of our country so they can make similar discoveries about us.  Although it is highly doubtful that the Communist Party would allow such visits, there would be no harm in making this an agenda item during the next bargaining session with them.

We have nothing to lose but our ignorance about each other, and we just might make the world a little bit safer place to live. 

		
USS MEMPHIS
MAY SHE EVER PROWL THE SEA29

						
As we approached the pier on this beautiful Caribbean morning we were mesmerized by the water30.  The contrast between the crystalline clear, shallow Caribbean close to shore; and the dark, azure offshore waters reminded us that soon we would be far beneath the surface in some of the deepest waters in the world.

Sitting majestically at the pier was our submarine - a black behemoth of the deep.  With the exception of a small portion of the gray hard steel hull and the sail, upon which rests the conning tower, the nuclear sub is like an iceberg, with the bulk of its vastness submerged underwater.  The USS Memphis displaces 6,200 tons of water while sitting at the pier, 6,900 when submerged.

As we drove up to the end of the pier where the sub was berthed only then was its huge size apparent, surprisingly as long as a football field!  The Memphis measures 360 ft in length by a beam of 33 ft.

After a welcome and photograph session on the pier we climbed aboard and were directed to the crew’s galley.  Here we were given a briefing on emergency procedures.

The thought of riding on a submerged submarine was one which produced trepidation within me.  By the time we were underway and being briefed about emergencies, my palms were moist!

The Memphis is equipped with emergency air vents throughout, each of which have bright orange markings.  At each vent location there are large masks, which resemble diving masks.  They have a long rubber hose with a metal plug at the end which is inserted into the air vent.  We were shown how to wear them.  It was explained that they would not work if you wore eyeglasses, nor would they work if you were bearded, because a good seal around the rubber edge was necessary.  For this reason, no beards are allowed in the submarine service.

Our second emergency instruction was simply to stand out of the way should any emergency arise.  The trained crew would assist us in evacuation, if necessary.

We were also given instructions on other emergency procedures, such as proper use of the personal life support unit - a sophisticated life vest complete with a whistle, flashlight, ocean die marker and a long lanyard with clip.  This is used to fasten onto one of its 20 man life rafts.  The life rafts each contained food, water, a radio and other survival gear.

Afterwards, we were given a tour through the submarine while the crew prepared four our descent.  The narrow, low passageways were almost claustrophobic by their very nature.  Except for the conning tower, there were four main decks in the hull of the submarine.

The torpedo room in the forward portion of the sub seemed to occupy a disproportionate amount of the space.  This was caused by the enormous length of the 22 torpedo or missel capsules carried by the Memphis.  The submarine is capable of firing the Mark 48 torpedo, which trails a metal wire so that in course corrections can be radioed to the torpedo, ordering it to change course, speed or depth.  It also has an onboard computer that can be preset before launch in order to instruct the torpedo to seek out its target by changing course, speed and depth in a predetermined search pattern.

The second offensive weapon carried is the Harpoon missile which is a relatively short range tactical missile.  The submarine also carries Tomahawk missiles which have a range of about 200 miles.  The missiles are loaded into containers which resemble torpedoes, and are fired from the torpedo room.  They are directed to the surface, and upon reaching the surface the shell falls away, the missile is then ignited and proceeds on its way as if it were fired from a surface vessel.

We received a demonstration of how these messengers of destruction are moved around the torpedo room and loaded into the torpedo tubes.  The hydraulic system effortlessly moved these torpedoes, which weigh more than 3,000 pounds each, as if they were filled with air.  The torpedo men used the auxiliary firing device in the torpedo room to fire a “water slug” for us, so that we could get an idea of the sound which emanates from the torpedo tubes.  The main weapons control system is located in the control room.  As we were leaving the torpedo room, we noticed that some of the torpedo men had their bunks right in the torpedo room - a situation that has existed throughout naval history.

The “clang” of the hatch of the conning tower being shut echoed throughout the sub.  It reminded me of the finality of my decision to ride a submerged submarine.  Our descent to 150 feet was smooth and quiet.  The ride was smoother and quieter than any airplane I’ve ever ridden.  Nevertheless, that “clang” triggered a surge of adrenalin through my body, which made me aware of each slight movement and sound.

The nuclear reactor spaces were off limits to our group because none of the wives and a few of the men did not have secret clearances31.  We did however, go through the engine room and were given a detailed briefing on how the nuclear reactor converts steam to energy.  It was pointed out that the submarine power plant converts salt water into fresh water.

The submarine carries a backup diesel and storage tanks for fuel in the event of a nuclear failure or shutdown.  In each area that we visited we found that there were backup systems, and sometimes even these had backups.

Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, other gases and smoke are filtered out of the sub’s air.  Monitoring equipment is checked hourly to measure the effectiveness of this air filtration system.  A central monitoring station exists where air samples from each of the sub’s compartments are collected and tested.

The officers’ wardroom was smaller than a one car garage.  It consisted of a fairly large size table with nine chairs and a bench.  Up to 12 of the 17 officers on board can eat at one sitting, Unlike surface naval ships, there was no officers’ galley.  Officers eat the same food that is served to the enlisted men.  Hanging in the wardroom were photographs of the bridge lighting ceremonies recently held in Memphis.  The latter was placed on the wall immediately beneath the locked cabinet which contains the beautiful silver set presented to the original ship by the City of Memphis.  This set consists of eight engraved silver goblets with matching pitcher, platter and candelabra.  The wardroom also serves as an officers briefing room and lounge, where they can listen to the stereo or watch the evening movie on a VCR.

Every inch of space is utilized.  The dining room table in the officer’s wardroom has high intensity lights overhead so that it can double as a operating room table.  The hospital corpsman’s surgical gear is stored in a cabinet beneath the silverware.  The crew’s mess hall doubles as a movie theater, class room and crew lounge.

Officers and enlisted men all had bunks stacked three high except for the X.O32. and the Captain.  Accordingly, it was impossible to sit up in bed or even sit on the side of the bunk.  A new music system had just been installed and at each bunk and outlet and earphones allowed each crew member to enjoy any of eight music channels on a 24 hour basis.  Because of this, sleeping buddies are no longer disturbed.
Boxes of canned goods were stored in every nook and cranny available.  On longer deployments of 60 to 90 days, food cartons are stored on the floor and the crew must walk over them in a stooped position until that food is used.  To avoid detection, all garbage is compacted into metal containers, weighted and shot to the ocean floor through a device similar to a torpedo tube, located next to the galley.

It was amazing to watch the cooks in the galley prepare the luncheon meal.  The space they worked in was about the size of a small apartment kitchen, yet cooks and bakers worked side by side, cooking for the 140 officers and enlisted men aboard the Memphis.  Due to the limited size in the crew’s mess, they eat in four shifts and because the crewmen are working around the clock, four separate meals are served to each shift each day.  In all, 16 meals are served every day.

At this point in our tour we were given a delicious hot lunch which included freshly made rolls, home made cherry cheesecake and ice cream.  We were told by one of the officers (with a straight face) that the ice cream machine in the crew’s galley is such a positive morale factor, that the sub will not deploy if it is broken.  I wondered if that would be called a dairy delight delayed deployment.  I can only say that I sampled the ice cream and it was delicious!

Much of the ship’s capability is determined by the effectiveness of its sonar crew, so a fair amount of space was allocated to sonar equipment and related computers.  The sonar equipment and the professional who operate it are the eyes of the boat.  The sonar dome is in the bow of the submarine.

The sonar room is amidships, next to the control room. Active sonar allows the submarine to project underwater sound through the dome.  This sound travels through the water, strikes another object and returns an echo back to a receiver aboard the submarine.  Active sonar acts similar to radar.  Sonar men are trained to interpret this “active” sonar as well as “passive” sonar, which merely picks up sounds coming from other underwater objects including other submarines, ships, whales, porpoises and schools of fish.  These men are trained to interpret sounds and images produced by the computer and are able to calculate speed, distance, type of vessel, and depth of other submarines from the various sounds such as those emitted by a propeller.

Since the submarine’s primary objective, in the event of war or open hostilities, is to detect and sink enemy surface ships and submarines, much of the effectiveness of the Memphis will depend upon the professionalism of its sonar crew.  Their task is to locate the enemy craft and approach it without detection.

Each crewman must learn at least the basics of all of the submarine’s systems before he receives his silver dolphins.  This means he must be able to draw and explain how the electrical system works, how the ballast system raises and lowers the boat, and how the hydraulic system affects each of the other systems, how fresh water is manufactured on board and circulated, etc.  Of course, each crewman must also know the principles of the nuclear power plant, sonar communication and all weapons on board.  Officers must also be able to perform double duty.  For example, the supply officer works in the control center during an emergency.

The crew works in three shifts.  Instead of working on a 24 hour day, they operate on an 18 hour day, with each crew member having a six hour work shift.  During their 12 off-work hours they eat their three meals, study for rate advancement and other subjects they will need to earn their silver dolphins.  During this time they also wash their clothes, or exercise on the trampoline or rowing machine or watch the nightly movie.  The crew generally sleeps about six hours of each 18.  It was clear to see how easily submariners lose track of day and night.

The Memphis was constantly in touch with headquarters.  For this and other functions, the communications room contained various radios and telecommunications equipment.

Normal radio waves cannot penetrate hundreds of feet below the ocean’s surface.  Because of this the Navy has constructed an enormous antenna in Michigan which transmits extremely low frequency (ELF) waves which can reach a deeply submerged submarine.  The drawback is that an ELF transmission is very, very slow.  As a result, it is used to instruct the sub to rise to periscope depth in order to receive a radio message from one of the Navy’s special submarine dedicated satellites.

The nerve center of the submarine is the control room, the area that is the focal point of all dramatic action in submarine movies.  The USS Memphis control room has two periscopes.  The skipper explained to us that the more accurate of the two was the large “Navigational” periscope.  The other called the “attack” periscope was much smaller and thereby created a much smaller wake - lessening the ability of the enemy to detect it.

The sonar room, mentioned earlier, was near the control room.  To the skipper’s right  was the weapons control board.  This had the various computers into which are programmed the submarine’s course, speed and angle of attack in relation to that of its prey.  In the same general area of the weapons firing board were various screens that reflected the relative position of the submarine to various surface contacts.  Behind the periscope was the navigator’s table and a small plotting board, used to draw out angles of attack and other calculations.  To the captain’s left were dials and gauges reflecting the operation of the submarine.  In front of these dials was the diving officer who controlled the ballast tanks.  Sitting next to him were two petty officers called “helmsmen”, who “drove” the sub.  These two operators sat side by side at controls which resembled the controls on an airplane.  The petty officer at the right set of controls operated the diving planes on the sail as well as the rudder.  The other helmsman operated the diving planes on the stern of the submarine.

After a brief demonstration, I sat at the right hand driver’s seat and began to “drive” the Memphis as its helmsman. At the point I was as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.  We were 150 feet deep and up until this time our submerged transit had been as smooth as glass.  When I took the controls we all felt a little movement because I was attempting to follow certain maneuvers which the officer of the deck ordered purely for exercise purposes: “Come starboard to zero nine zero”.  “Aye, aye sir”, I responded, “My rudder is starboard, coming to zero nine zero degrees.”  “Very well, Commander Butler”, the diving officer replied.

At one point I was simultaneously attempting to change course and to descend 100 feet without putting the submarine into more than a five degree dive.  It was like trying to pat the top of your head with one hand, while at the same time rubbing your stomach.  The skipper then said that one of the reasons the sub was in these deep Caribbean waters was to go through some regular exercises.  They were designed to insure that the submarine and its crew could function well in the event of an emergency and were referred to as “angles and dangles.”

In a matter of minutes I understood the meaning of the term.  When the skipper gave an order to the helmsmen to descend at a five degree angle to 400 feet, our speed was 20 knots, or about 23 miles per hour.  The command was given to “Dive - Dive” and the bells sounded.  My pulse must have been pumping about 150 beats a minute at this time.  It seemed like only a matter of seconds before we were straight and level at 400 feet and the entire crew was as calm as a cucumber.  Up until this point there had been very little feeling of motion.  Now there was a “rush” of speed.  The next exercise was to go back up to 150 feet at a 15 degree angle, followed by a rapid descent at the same angle back to 400 feet.

F.A.A. regulations limit aircraft to nor more than a 15 degree angle when taking off and landing and we all have experienced aircraft that appeared to be flying at very steep angles.  But when the sub went though the same ascent and descent from 150 feet to 400 feet and back again at a 15 degree angle, my fingertips were firmly embedded upon the metal pole I had grasped for dear life.

Commander Norris explained that the Memphis was highly maneuverable.  To prove that statement, while at 400 feet and traveling at 20 knots, the captain ordered “right full rudder.”  If you’ve ever watched a hockey player or a down hill skier approach at full speed and abruptly turn sideways, then you know what the term “hockey stop” means.  The entire submarine leaned over approximately 30 degrees and its bottom braked the 6,900 tons which had been traveling so effortlessly through the water.  In five seconds our speed was cut in half, but my heartbeat had again doubled!  I thought to myself, “this is really exhilarating.”  I soon learned that “you ain’t seen nothing yet,” because the captain told us that the crew must practice for emergencies.  “Now”, he said, “we will go through an emergency pop-up33 from 400 feet.”

Since there was no actual emergency, it was only prudent to make sure that there was no surface craft anywhere in the vicinity that would be endangered, or which might pose a threat to us.  He ordered a thorough sonar evaluation, which showed nine surface contacts.  It took a while for the sonar man to plot the course, speed and distance of each of the nine contacts, but it was apparently safe to rise to periscope depth.  Even though periscope depth was 60 feet Commander Norris began struggling with the periscope at 90 feet.

It appeared that it was taking some effort to turn the scope under water.  He continued to go around to the left, then to the right and back to the left repeatedly as we approached the 60 foot mark.  Although we never asked and he never explained, it was apparent that he wanted to be able to see through the periscope at the first instant that it began to clear waves on the surface.  This was certainly a safety measure employed to protect his crew.  Once it was determined that there were no ships around we quickly descended back to 400 feet and the captain immediately gave the order to blow the ballast tanks, which released compressed air into those tanks that forced out the water.  This action created a deafening noise throughout the submarine.

At first there was no discernable movement.  After about 10 seconds both the upward pitch and increased forward momentum of the sub became noticeable.  The feeling was similar to the start of a drag race, with your tires spinning before gaining traction.  After only 70 seconds the Memphis gained enough momentum to not only clear the surface, but propel the front half of the sub entirely out of the water.  It fell back to the surface with the force of 100 Moby Dicks, just like in the movies.

We surfaced about eight miles from Fredrickstead, a community on the western edge of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.  The periscope contained a television camera which allowed every crew member to see what the captain saw through the scope.  He allowed me a few minutes at the periscope and I discovered that it had a magnifying glass so strong that I could read a sign over a shop door in town.

The angle of the scope could be changed so that the bow of our sub with a low pitched angle could be viewed or I could peer upwards into the sky.  I was able to follow the course of an S2 Navy antisubmarine aircraft which had been participating in an exercise with us.  While submerged, except for “angles and dangles” the ride was sooth and quiet.  On the surface, even though the weather was delightful, there was more motion than one would have expected.  Relatively low swells pushing against the blunt nose of the submarine forced the nose down, creating and up and down motion.  I’m sure that I was so elated to be back on the surface that subconsciously I dared not even think about becoming seasick.  A few of our group were not that fortunate.

Before the cruise was finished we had been briefed by enlisted personnel in each area of the sub.  It was interesting to see that almost all these young men were petty officers, many second and first class.

For the uninitiated, when the Navy awards a sailor his “crow34”, he has displayed basic professional proficiency in his specialty.  I was deeply impressed by the professionalism displayed by each crew member and also taken by the courtesy and appreciation of each crew member of the Memphis.  They all displayed a rare esprit de corps.  As we left the submarine, each of the enlisted people said good-bye to use and asked if we enjoyed ourselves.  It was obvious that to a man they all hoped that we did.

I stared at the open sea and, as a Navy Reserve Commander with 31 years of military service, I felt better about our Navy and National defense than I had ever felt before.  Our best hope for peace is a strong deterrent, and as hoped by Tennessee Senator Howard Baker at her dedication ceremonies, it appeared to me that the USS Memphis prowls the sea in defense of our liberty!

									

URUGUAY, ARGENTINA AND BRAZIL
WITH THE INTER-AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION
MAY 6 - 22, 198735

                                                                                          
For several years I had belonged to the Inter-American Bar Association, not because I was particularly interested in its purposes, but because they offered tax deductible trips to Latin America.  Finally, they offered a trip that interested me that coincided with some free time.  My reservations were made in January.

I began reading up on Buenos Aires, the convention city and Rio De Janeiro, the optional add on tour, which I immediately signed up for.  Since Buenos Aires was so close to Montevideo, Uruguay, I decided to go down a few days early to broaden my horizons.

I flew Continental on a late afternoon flight from Harlingen to Houston, where I changed to another Continental dinner flight to Miami.  I spent the full 1 hours and 50 minutes in line to check in at the Aerolineas Argentinas for its midnight departure to Buenos Aires.  There was only one clerk for a 747.  After drinks and a movie, it was time for breakfast and a one hour stop in Rio De Janeiro.  We got off the plane and looked around in the gift shops at the airport.  After lunch we arrived in Buenos Aires shortly after 1:00 p.m. on May 7th.  The flight from Miami covered 5400 miles.

URUGUAY

After clearing customs and immigration, I discovered that my short flight to Montevideo was from a different airport.  My first minor crises was with the taxi driver.  He didn't understand my Spanish, but that could have been convenient. I was ripped off.  My  3:30 p.m., 35 minute flight on Pluna Airlines was uneventful.  I got checked into the stately Crillon Hotel in Downtown Montevideo in time to shower, rest and go to dinner.

Montevideo is a beautiful old city.  I felt as if I had stepped back into time.  The buildings had a European style architecture. The telephone system was 40-50 years behind.  The people seemed to be on a different clock.  Nobody hurried - everyone took a siesta from 2:00 - 6:00, during which time most stores were closed.  I felt very safe in this city.  After a short walk around the downtown area, I went to bed early.  It had been a long two days getting here.

On my first full day in Montevideo I took a half day sightseeing tour.  We visited the Old City, Cathedral, Independence Square, Aliados Park, Carrasco Residential area and resort beaches, the University and City Hall.  After lunch I did some shopping.  At an antique shop I purchased a handsome silver "Gaucho's Knife" inlaid with fairly crude gold.  These knives were worn under the belt in the back.  Mine must have been owned by a wealthy Gaucho.  I had it framed and it now hangs in my entry hall, along with other treasures.

On May 9th I checked out of my hotel and took a half-day afternoon tour to Punte del Este.  It was from that town that thousands saw the sinking of the Graf Spea, the infamous German Pocket Battleship which was forced to leave Buenos Aires during the second world war.  It was a short ride along the Rio de la Plata.  This river is so wide it looks more like a bay than a river.  Our first stop was at the resort city of Atlantida.  Punta del Este reminded me of South Padre Island.  They were both beach resorts, each with the typical tee shirt shops, seafood restaurants, hotels and condos overlooking the beach.

At a seaside park, there was one of the most impressive sculptures I have ever seen.  Four fingers and a thumb reached from under the sand from 4 to six feet, as if the Collosus of Rhodes had been covered with sand and was now climbing out.  I don't remember much about the included lunch, but after walking around this cheerful little resort, it was placed on my "return to" list.

After lunch we drove to Punta Ballena, where we enjoyed stunning panoramic views of Solana del Mar, Playa Mansa and Punte del Este.  Our return trip took us by Piriapolis Beach and San Antonio Hill.  The sun sat over the river to our left.  The guide dropped me off at the airport, where I grabbed dinner before my 8:00 p.m. flight back to Buenos Aires.  

ARGENTINA

I was met at the Buenos Aires airport along with some other lawyers and was driven to the Grand Hotel.  The two convention hotels were over booked, so a dozen or more of us were assigned to the Grand.  It was an old hotel, but was in good repair.  The rooms were large, with high ceilings and modern baths.  I ate many meals at the restaurant in the lobby.

At the time I was very upset, as were the others of us at the Grand.  Most of the activities were at either the Sheraton or the Hotel Principado.  There was no transportation provided.  The thing that really ticked us all off was that no notices of meetings or events was placed in our lobby and the concierge at our hotel didn't have a clue as to the Bar Association Activities.  Because we were on the corner of famous Florida Street, the lovely pedestrian shopping street, we had to walk six blocks to get a cab to take us to the Sheraton to look at the schedule, which often was changed with only a few minutes notice.

It took a few days to mellow out and remember where we were.  I missed out on a few events I had wanted to attend, but this gave me more free time to explore Florida Street and to sightsee.  Sunday May 10th was registration - only one lady spoke English, and she was not fully informed of events and scheduled changes.  That evening we had a lovely reception and inaugural session which was of no interest to me.

I opted to take a tour of Tango Bars that are so famous in Buenos Aires.  Our tour took us to three different floor shows - yet the music all seemed the same.  The Tango Bars are all in a seedy districts near the docks and warehouse district.  

On Monday, I went back to the registration area to try to secure my tickets that were included.  I got an unscheduled tour of Argentina's Bolsa, like our New York Stock Exchange.  The Argentineans have these great restaurants they call "Parilla's" where they have several types of meats on huge skewers, from which they slice the meat onto your plate.  Several of the lawyers and judges at the Grand Hotel decided to eat out at one of the nicer Parillas on Florida Street.  I tried the beef, pork, and mutton, but passed on the goat. The waiters, dressed in costumes, served us cheerfully.  We were serenaded by local musicians.  It was an evening to remember. 

Tuesday's schedule provided a short tour to a typical law office.  I sat in on a few of the sessions, but all the lectures were in Spanish, and mine wasn't good enough to follow along.  In fact, I got a headache trying to translate, so I decided to enjoy the sights.  I took a half day tour of the main sights in and around the downtown and historic area.  There were some beautiful buildings and parks.  Buenos Aires is the Paris of South America, although there is much poverty seen on the streets.  

That evening we enjoyed a musical performance at the Colon Theatre, the largest opera house in Latin America.  I was impressed with the opulence with the chandeliers illuminated.  It was much more beautiful than it had seemed on the afternoon tour.
 
I enjoyed attending the Rotary Club in Buenos Aires.  The members were highly attentive.  They escorted me to several English speaking members who entertained me during the social hour preceding the luncheon.  The lunch took two hours and was followed by brandy, cigars and liqueurs.  I'm sure none of the members returned to work after lunch.  Wednesday's highlight was a visit to the horse races.  There was a delightful reception in the private club.  Delicious heavy hor d'oeuvres constituted my dinner.  It turned out to be a gala evening.

Thursday found me shopping for clothes on Florida Street.  I purchased a sport coat, slacks, shirts and ties - but unfortunately, outgrew the coat and pants.  That evening I was the guest of George Stern, his wife and their two children.  He is a C.P.A. and the brother of Dr. Gustavo "Gus" Stern, a friend in Brownsville, who suggested that I look him up.  She was a teacher.  They took me to a lovely restaurant in the Recoleta area, which is known for great restaurants and clubs.  We sat a talked for hours after dinner.  They both worked two jobs, his second being a desk clerk at a hotel.  They explained that inflation was so high, that even with them both working two jobs, they had to dip into their savings every month to make ends meet.  I wish I had taken notes on our conversation, which covered every thing from tourism to politics.

On Friday, I signed up for an all day tour to Mar del Plata, a lovely coastal town to the south.  On the way we visited an open air museum of old homes and buildings that had been erected in a village to reflect how life was lived over 100 years ago.  I got back to the hotel in time to change for the closing ceremony and banquet.  

Buenos Aires is a very cosmopolitan city.  The people speak Spanish, but it sounds like Italian.  They even count in Italian rather than Spanish.  I had a great time.  It's definitely worth a return visit.  On Saturday our flight didn't leave until 5:00 p.m., so I slept late and had a nice brunch at a nearby restaurant.  We left the hotel with the group returning to the states.  

BRAZIL

When the Aerolinas Argentinas left Rio after its two and one-half hour flight, there were about fourteen of us waiting for our tour bus driver.  We were shortly met by our overweight guide, William Hartman of Travel Directions.  He was cheerful, friendly and very helpful. 

On the way to the Sheraton Rio he gave us lots of helpful information and outlined what we'd be doing for the next several days.  The Sheraton was about a 20 story modern high rise on Avenida Niemeyer, opening onto Vidigal Beach, two beaches away from the famous Ipanema Beach.  We were warned not to walk on the beach alone, or even with just two or three of us together.  The purse snatchers and muggers ran in packs.  We all ended up having dinner in the hotel, followed by a drink at the piano bar.

On Sunday, May 17th after an early breakfast, we were met by our guide at 8:00 a.m. for a half-day tour.  We started out by driving along the beaches - Leblon, Ipanema and Copacabana.  Then, we drove around the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, stopping to view the famous soccer stadium - Maracana.  Then our outing took us through downtown Rio, the Cathedral and the wonderful park of Flamingo, ending up at the Hippie Fair.  Again, our guide cautioned us about purse snatchers and pick pockets, so we all kept together.  Nevertheless, a young boy of 12-14 sliced the bottom out of a ladies bag and scooped the contents up.  He was half way down the block before she knew what happened.

That evening, we went to a typical barbecue restaurant.  Afterwards, we went to one of the famous Samba Carnival shows at the Scala.  These shows surpass the big shows in Las Vegas and rival the Moulon Rouge and Lido in Paris.  The costumes were flamboyant and the music filled your soul.  I bought several samba tapes in Rio.

Monday morning was free.  At noon we left on an exciting optional tour to Corcovado.  First, we rode around the lagoon, crossing the Reboucas tunnel and the traditional district of Cosme Velho to get to the train station of Corcovado.  Going up the hill, the tracks were covered by tropical vegetation.  Arriving at the top, we saw the huge statute of Christ, which measured 38 meters high.  It stood on the highest hill in the city, 710 meters above sea level.  What a mental picture!  After time for looking up at the statute and viewing the city, the harbor and nearby islands below, we took pictures and I paid $60.00 for a Rio videotape.  Corcovado has to be one of the most beautiful places in the world.

We next visited the forest of Tijuca and returned to the city along the beaches of Sao Conrado, Leblon and Ipanema.  Before returning to the hotel, we stopped at Amsterdam Sauer, for a demonstration on emeralds, including how they were cut and polished.  Cocktails were served, but I was not in the market.

I spent that evening on Paradise Island, reached by private boat, about 15 minutes off shore.  It was a bachelor's dream.  This club was filled with beautiful women who were there to cater to every pleasure.  First, I had a massage.  I had drinks and a great dinner on the terrace of the club, with soft samba music in the background and a beautiful lady at my side.  Our room had a circular water bed and a private Jacuzzi.  It was a night I will always remember.

Tuesday was a free day.  At lunch I attended a downtown Rotary Club meeting.  Again, the Rotarians were very hospitable to me.  Their luncheon was preceded by a cocktail hour.  I never saw so many hand made suits in one room before.  These men were obviously the chiefs of industry and business.  I sat at a table with English speakers.  As in Buenos Aires, several gave me their cards and offered to show me around Rio.  I couldn't understand a word the speaker was saying (in Portuguese), so I slipped out early.

That afternoon I laid by the pool and read, took a walk along the beach with one of the other lawyers, swam and took a Jacuzzi.  That evening I went by myself to another Samba show at Platforma I.  I was hooked.  I've always loved Brazilian music and here it was - from their typical samba, to jazz and folk dances.

Wednesday our morning was free.  Several of us took an optional tour to Sugar Loaf Mountain.  I was scared to death of the cable car.  I rode up on the first level, but could not garner the courage to get on the car to the top.  It was a gorgeous day, which afforded me a beautiful view from the first level.  I caught hell from the others from being a chicken. On the way back to the hotel we drove by the Carnival stadiums.  For about ½ mile there are stadium seats on both sides of the street.  These are built as reviewing stands for the Samba Parades, in which Samba marching units prepare all year for the Carnival competition.  Dinner, drinks and an air conditioned seat on the second floor with private bath rooms cost $2,000.00 per person each day.

In the afternoon we took a tour to Petropolis, a typical Brazilian hillside village.  The town was composed of cobblestone streets, old carriages and a very pleasant climate.  The surrounding countryside was a lush verdant green, laced with colorful flowers of every description.  There were several large mansion houses, reflecting the similar plantation economies of our two countries.

Our tour took us to the Cathedral, which was very impressive for a small village.   Then we saw why there was such an imposing cathedral.  The Summer Palace of Emperor Pedro, II was here (the town was named for Pedro).  The palace is now a museum.  We were awed by the cosmopolitan beauty of the 19th Century furniture, paintings, tapestries and sculptures in this country palace.  That evening I went to my third Samba show at the Oba Oba Club.
I had purchased a Portuguese dictionary and language tape before the trip.  I studied enough to know a few basic expressions.  I could not make myself understood in Portuguese.  I then tried my Spanish - which to my dismay, was understood by waiters, taxi drivers and others.

Thursday May 21, 1995 was our last day.  Our guide took us on a shopping tour.  We lounged around the pool after lunch.  After a late check-out we left the hotel at 8:30 for Galeao Airport for our 11:00 p.m. Aerolineas Argentinas flight to Miami.  After drinks and a movie, my attempts at sleep were unsuccessful.  Breakfast was served before our 6:00 a.m. arrival.  By the time I cleared customs and immigration, I was exhausted.  Since my connecting flight was not until 12:45 p.m., I went to the far end of Continental's President Club, pulled the drapes and laid down on the couch for a few hours of uninterrupted sleep

I again had to change planes in Houston.  With a 4:00 p.m. arrival in Harlingen, it was sunset when I reached South Padre Island.  As usual, it was good to be home.  With my genetic wanderlust, I immediately started planning the next trip.

TRAVELS WITH ED AND DARRELL BUTLER
EUROPE, 1988

This trip was partially designed for downhill snow skiing in Europe, and also for sightseeing. We planned to visit France, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein.  Darrell was a few months shy of 18, and was still living with his mother in Monterrey, California.  I was practicing law on South Padre Island, Texas, and Rhett had been living with me.  Darrell flew in from San Francisco on February 4, 1988, so we had our reunion on the island.  He was wearing his golden locks between his shoulders and his waist.  A winter storm had been predicted for the Dallas area for the next day, where we were scheduled to change planes.

My secretary, Amy, drove us to the Harlingen airport on February 5th.   When we got to the bridge, we had to turn around and come back to the office.  Darrell had left my carry-on bag with our tickets and passports in the car.  The flight to DFW was uneventful.

While waiting to board our transcontinental flight, we purchased some French Francs, so we would at least have some tip money for the baggage attendants and bus fare into Paris.  The snow storm had arrived in Dallas as predicted.  All outbound planes were sprayed with a deicer.  After we boarded our plane taxied over to the deicing equipment and was sprayed with an alcohol based liquid from nose to tail.  Then we got into a long line of airplanes waiting to take off.  Our take off was delayed so long, we had to go back and be deiced again.  Our overnight non stop American Airlines 767 flight to Paris was uneventful.  I ate, drank, watched the movie and read.  Neither of us got any sleep on the flight. Darrell got friendly with the stewardesses, who upon our arrival filled our bags with free liquor.  As we were landing we noticed that the fields below were all green.  It was an early Spring in Paris.

We arrived at the Paris Orly airport at 10:35 a.m. on Saturday, February 6th.  After getting our luggage and going through customs, we bought our bus tickets for a ride to the train station.  We had purchased Eurail Tickets for our use during our stay in Europe, which covered local trains. Our train ride to downtown Paris took us to Gare36 Notre Dame.  After a short taxi ride we arrived at our hotel, the Residence St. James Hotel, on Rue de Rivoli, located between the famous Place de Concorde and the Louvre Museum.  Dick Green, a banker on the island, had recommended this hotel from a trip he had made a few months before.  What trees there were in town were getting their first green leaves, and it was a beautiful sunny day.

After we checked into the hotel, we showered and enjoyed a nice lunch at a sidewalk café.  We then made reservations for our dinner shows and a tour.  We also made our train reservations for Monday, the 8th, to Luxembourg.  Then, we hit the sack for a nice nap.

That evening we took a group dinner tour.  The weather was cold and clear.  Dinner was provided at Les Noces de Jeannette, a small café on the Champs Elysees.  After a rather mundane meal, we stepped outside and admired the illuminated Arc De Triomphe.  Then we were off to the famous Lido, for the first show, which started at 10:30 p.m.  The Folies Bergere was closed.  It was well past midnight when we arrived back at the hotel.  Darrell still had some energy, so he stopped off at the hotel bar, where he ran up a sizeable bar tab, which I didn’t discover until I received my bill at check-out.  That night I was up with a migraine headache.

On Sunday, our first full day in Paris, we signed up for all day city tour.  My head was still hurting, so I gave up at lunch and went back to the hotel to take a nap.  Darrell continued on the tour by himself.  The tour visited the Eiffel Tower, the Arch de Triomphe, Les Invalides Hospital, which contains Napoleon's Tomb, and Notre Dame Cathedral.  Across the street from the latter we spent 27 Francs (a bunch!) for a coke and a glass of milk at a coffee shop.  

The tour visited Montmartre, with its famous Sacre Couer church, which is the subject of so many paintings.  From the heights of Montmarte, one could enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of much of Paris.  We drove through the Place de Concorde, which was just a few blocks from our hotel and on our way to the flea market.  Then we drove through the Place Vendome

That evening the Moulin Rouge was also closed, so we took another group dinner tour.  Dinner was provided at the same restaurant as the evening before.  Paradise Latin was a very entertaining show, complete with its flaming queer waiters.  At both shows Darrell’s eyes were as big as silver dollars, seeing the beautiful bare breasted women on stage.  That evening Darrell went back to the bar when we arrived back at the hotel.

When we awoke on Monday, there was a light rain.  Darrell needed some snow boots, so we went shopping.  After we found him some boots, we went to the railroad station to make seat reservations for our trip to Luxembourg, and to arrange for our sleeper train accommodations on February 21st from Chamonix, France back to Paris.

With our chores out of the way, we went to the Louvre, where we viewed the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and my favorite, the Winged Victory of Samothrace.  We checked out of the hotel and exchanged our French Francs for Luxembourg currency, saving enough for the taxi and tips.  After a quick lunch at McDonalds, we headed for the train station.  I had a problem buying a glass of ice.  It seems funny now, but it was terribly frustrating then not knowing the French word for “ice”.  We took the Victor Hugo ICI train from Paris to Luxembourg, a distance of about 200 miles.
About half way, we noticed sizeable accumulations of snow on the ground.  There was so much snow in Luxembourg, Luxembourg, it looked like a Christmas post card.  It was also much colder than in Paris.  Darrell watched our bags while I looked around for a clean hotel.  We stayed at the Hotel Kons, across the street from the railroad station.  We were both tired, so after a good hot meal at a nearby café, we went back to the room, watched some television and went to bed early.

After breakfast the following morning, we signed up for a morning tour of Luxembourg.  It was a cold, windy and overcast day.  The city is built on top of a high hill.  We went through the old fortress, and walked through the peaceful World War II cemetery, where we saw the grave of General George Patton.  It faces the graves of his fallen troops.  Following our tour, Darrell found a quaint Italian restaurant for lunch.  We had a nice hot lunch with a good Luxembourg beer.

That afternoon we headed toward Koln37, West Germany.  At the train station we exchanged currency, so we would have some German Marks when we arrived.  The first leg of our trip took us to Trier, West Germany, a relatively short ride.  The sun had come out, so while we were in Trier, on the platform waiting for our train to Koln, we sat outside on our luggage.  It was a 120 mile trip from Trier to Koln.  The Koln bahnhof38 was next to the famous Dom39.  We found a hotel through the hotel service at the railroad station, and took a taxi there.

Our room at the Hotel Heinzelmannchen40 was on the third floor, and there was no elevator, so with all our luggage41, it was a bit of a problem getting up the stairs. After checking in and getting settled into our room, we decided to eat at one of Germany’s famous “Rathskellers”42.  I was amazed at how fancy and how expensive was the Koln Rathskeller.  Nevertheless, we had a delightful meal.  After dinner we discovered that Koln had two Rathskellers, which were located next door to one another.  The casual one we had expected was next door. 

At breakfast the next morning on the second floor, the hotel manager met us at the door of the fructstruck43 room.  He pointed to a chair and told Darrell “You vil sit der”, in a voice like a Prussian sergeant.  It would have seemed perfectly normal for him to have also said “und you vil enjoy it”!

On our morning tour of Koln, we visited the Dom, which is the largest cathedral in the world, other than the Vatican.  We learned that it took 600 years to build it.  When this granite stone edifice was damaged during World War II, the women of the town made repairs with bricks, which were still in place.  Just steps away from the church were the ruins of the old Roman Northern Town Gate.  We crossed the Rhine River on the Hohenzollern bridge, and stopped to take photos of the city skyline.  We passed several sections of the old Roman town wall, which included some interesting looking gates, including the impressive Eigelsteintor, and the double towered Hahnentor

After to tour we strolled up High Street, which links the pedestrian zones between Wallraf Square and Schildergasse.  We purchased some souvenirs at a gift shop.  Then we picked up our luggage and went to the train station for our 1:00 p.m. train to Heidelberg.  

Our ride took us along the Rhine River valley for about 150 miles.  We marveled at the fairyland castles along the river, one of which was on an island in the middle of the river.  Many of the castles had been used in the middle ages, and later, to demand a toll from merchants using the river for commerce.

Upon arrival in Heidelberg, Darrell took an afternoon walk around town alone.  Our Heidelberg hotel was the Hotel Goldena Rose, which was one-half block from the main shopping street.  The Marksburg Castle was closed on Wednesday.  On his walk, Darrell had spotted what appeared to be a good restaurant, so that is where we dined.  It was an excellent meal.  As we were coming out of the restaurant, a drunk man made a pass at Darrell, thinking from his long blonde hair that he was a woman.  Darrell tried to blow off his advances, but the drunk persisted.  I stepped between them, but the drunk became aggressive with me.  I gently shoved him away, with which he lost his balance and fell to the street.  This incident may have played a part in Darrell’s subsequent decision to cut his hair.

Between our Spring like weather in Paris and our arrival in Heidelberg, the weather had been very cold.  But, during our stay in Heidelberg, the weather was beautiful - cool, but sunny.  In the street near our hotel were many bronze sculptures of people at leisure, sitting on benches, etc.  It was a very festive and relaxing town, home of several German Universities.
The following day we walked around Bergbahn44.  Then we visited the Kinstupe Castle by using a funicular.  We struck up a conversation with an older lady on the finical, after I had told her I bet I could tell her what part of Texas she was from.  When I correctly guessed Ft. Worth, she was amazed.  I told her I had a friend, Anne Hollenbeck, from Ft. Worth, who sounded just like her.  The tour of the castle was very interesting, including the story about how the stores of gunpowder had exploded, damaging the circular end of the castle.  From the ramparts of the castle we had a wonderful view of the river bridges and much of the city below.  

That evening we took a train to Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the Bavarian Alps.  It was a trip of about 230 miles.  We enjoyed sampling all of the good German beers.  Our hotel in Garmisch was the Wittlesbach Hotel.  It was a large downtown hotel with a heated pool, which we enjoyed.  On our first evening there, Darrell went bar hopping and found a teen disco, which was to be his home for the next few nights.

Before we started skiing, we wanted to do a little sightseeing.  Darrell wanted to see the famous Newschwanstein Castle, that Walt Disney used as a basis of his Disney World castle.  It was also on my “must do” list.  So, first thing after a late breakfast on Friday morning we took a bus tour to Mad King Ludwig’s castle.  For some reason, we had to change buses, then drove through a blinding snow storm.  The castle is located about two miles east of the small town of Fussen.

The romantic castle is located on top of a mountain.  The narrow, steep,  winding road would not accommodate our bus, so it was necessary for us to walk up 10,368 steps, which was a little more than a mile.  I lagged behind the group.  When we arrived at the gate, it was just before 4:00 p.m., the time for the last tour of the day.  Darrell and I were both amazed at the beauty of this castle.  Its elaborate exterior was one of the, if not the most beautiful of any castle I have ever seen.  We both marveled at the interior splendor of the decorated rooms.  On our return to the hotel, we drove through another snow storm.  We were glad to see all the snow, because the next day was to be our first day on the slopes, and we knew they would be covered with lots of fresh snow. Before dinner we went to a ski shop downtown, where we rented our skies, boots and poles. After a nice dinner in the hotel, I returned to the room to watch television, but Darrell was off to the teen disco.

The following day was spent skiing.  We donned our warm ski gear, and ate a hearty breakfast at the buffet.  I had really developed a liking to the warm meuslix cereal, which contained nuts and raisins.  We took the train45 up and through the tunnel to the top of Zugspitz Mountain.  The cogwheel train ride itself was both beautiful and exciting.  It was a lovely sunny day. From the station at the top of the mountain we could see for hundreds of miles.  Darrell looked like a European ski instructor, with his elegant new black one piece ski suit, expensive leather gloves, and his thin line sun glasses.  He insisted on skiing without a hat.

Several hundred yards below us was the main area of the resort, with ski shops, restaurants, etc.  Although the slope to the buildings below was a bit steep, there were no trees or other hazards.  As we suspected, the new snow was deep.  The first run down to the restaurant was exhilarating.  After a few runs down this ski slope, we took a beer break.  The Lowenbrau on tap from the keg on top of the mountain was delicious.  After a few more runs further down the mountain, we rode the ski lift back up for lunch.  The spot where we ate lunch had a breathtaking view.

That day both us had problems with our ski bindings.  They were too loose.  When we would make sharp turns or “hockey stops”, one or both of our skis would come off.  Sometimes this made us fall.  In fact, we both fell a lot.  On one of my falls, my ski slid downhill under the deep snow.  I was on my hands and knees feeling around under the thick powder snow for my skies.  I looked up to see Darrell doubled over laughing at my predicament.  We knocked off a little early to avoid the crowds on the return train.  When we returned to the hotel we enjoyed a nice warm swim in the hotel’s indoor heated swimming pool.  After dinner Darrell went back to the teen disco, because I was too sore and tired to do anything but watch T.V. and go to bed.

The following day was Valentines Day, and we were on our way to ski at St. Anton, Austria, by way of a brief visit to Innsbruck.  As we were exchanging our German Marks for Austrian Shillings, Darrell said he liked Garmisch and didn’t want to leave.  Our train to Innsbruck left shortly before 9:30 a.m.  We arrived in Innsbruck at 10:51, taking over one hour and 24 minutes to travel only 40 miles.  But, it was 40 miles of Bavarian Alps.  The scenery was magnificent.  We noted that the Germans trains were always very prompt.

We ate a quick lunch at a basement pub in Innsbruck, so we could meet the tour bus for a one-half day tour of the city.  One of the highlights was the town cathedral with its larger than life bronze statues of prior royal family members.  From the Olympic ski jump we had a grand view of the city and the snow capped mountains that surround it.  This was a great way to spend a stopover.  After a quick snack at McDonalds we went to the bahnhof for our 1755 Zurich train, the ICI Victor Hugo.  The ICI trains are the newer, faster, non stop, trains that connect major European cities.  Each is named after a famous person.  We arrived in St. Anton at dusk, after a nice meal in the dining car on the train.  It was a short trip of only 60 miles from Innsbruck.

I expected to pay dearly for a hotel at one of Europe’s leading ski resorts, but not the $260.00 per night I had to cough up to stay at the prestigious four star Post Hotel.  It was not so bad since both breakfast and dinner were included for the two of us.  The hotel was very near the railroad station so we just walked.  As we were unpacking we heard out our windows an evening parade of marching bands, clowns, and costumed revelers celebrating Fasching46.  We quickly went outside to watch the revelry.  The lobby of the hotel was decorated like a ski lodge, as was the restaurant, where we enjoyed a nice dinner.  Later we enjoyed window shopping in this beautiful Tyrolean Alpine village.

The next morning we got off to an early start because we intended to leave after skiing that day.  It was necessary for us to check out before we left to go skiing, but we were able to arrange to leave our luggage in a baggage storage room.  Again, we had difficulty with our loose ski bindings, causing our skies to keep coming loose.  Trail maps in Europe was not as helpful as those in the U.S., and since they were written in German, all we could do was try to tell where we were.  Several times we ended up on expert slopes, when we were trying to stay on intermediate ski runs. With dull edges on our rental skies it was difficult to turn, so after a few hours of frustration, I turned in my equipment, got a 50% refund and went shopping.

Our hotel was kind enough to allow us to shower and changed clothes in the sauna.  First, we enjoyed the warmth of the sauna for a few minutes, followed by a hot shower to refresh us.  The masseuse was in and out of the shower while we both showered and got dressed.  We got the impression that she liked the show.  After we got dressed, we walked across the street to the railroad station to catch our 1751 Zurich train to Vaduz, Liechtenstein, via Buchs, a distance of about 50 miles.

In Vaduz, we stayed at the downtown Hotel Vaduzerhof.  In its day it had been elegant.  Darrell chose still another good restaurant.  For some unexplainable reason, when I attempted to cut my pork chop, it slid off my plate and onto the floor.  The waiter was kind enough to replace it for me.  By the time we finished dinner most of the shops were closed, so after a little window shopping we returned to the hotel.

On Fasching Day we took a morning tour of Liechtenstein, known as one of the world’s few postage stamp countries.  The main building was the castle, but it was not open to the public.  All the stores were closed for Fasching, so we went skiing.  A bus delivered us to the Triessen ski area.  People were skiing in outlandish, yet colorful costumes.  Many were skiing with their faces painted.  Clearly, this was a festive day.  On the bus back to Vaduz, we tried talking to some costumed young people.  Although we encountered language barriers, we all were smiling and having a good time.

That afternoon we left Vaduz for Lausanne, Switzerland.  By mistake we got on a train heading in the opposite direction.  Ten minutes later we go off and within a few minutes were on another train headed in the right direction - towards Zurich.  We both noticed how beautiful the scenery was around Lake Zurich.  At Zurich, we took the train to Lausanne, a distance of 260 miles.

Our Austrian Shillings were exchanged for Swiss Francs at the railroad station.  When we needed more, we had no problem using the ATM’s throughout Europe.  They dispensed the local currency at the best wholesale rate that day.  Thus, there was no need to carry a large sum of money.  
We stayed down the hill from Lausanne, towards Lake Geneva, at the Hotel d’Angleterre, located in the suburb of Ouchy.  In 1816, Lord Byron stayed at this hotel and wrote “The Prisoner of Chillon47.”  After dinner, Darrell went bar hopping alone.

On Ash Wednesday we went sightseeing in Lausanne and took a 15 mile train to nearby Montreaux, where we went shopping.  It was there that I purchased a cuckoo clock.  While in Montreaux, we visited Chillon Castle, the venue for Lord Byron’s poem.  We were allowed to go through the entire castle without a guard our tour guide, even though there were antique swords, spears, bows and arrows and other valuables unprotected.  We sat in chairs and could touch the spears, armor, etc..  Darrell found a 15th Century “John”.  It was a small room, a bit larger than a bay window, with two oval opening like a toilet seat, which allowed human waste to fall into the sea below.  He stood posed for a photograph as if he were using the facility.  

This was really a “fun” day.  We tried the famous cheese fondue in Lausanne, but both of us thought it had too much wine in it.  That night we ate a late dinner at the White Horse Inn in Ouchey.  I left Darrell at the pub and returned to the hotel alone.  We called J. J. that night and found that all was well at home.

Thursday morning we took a train to Geneva, a distance of about 40 miles and in as many minutes.  In Geneva, we had lunch at a brasserie, which had a friendly manager.  After lunch, I purchased Swiss wrist watches for Darrell and Rhett.  We still had time for a two hour tour of Geneva before our afternoon train to Chamonix, France.  One of the most memorable sights of the rather mundane city was the large single spout water fountain in the harbor, which sends a plume of water hundreds of feet into the air.  Of course the hundreds of tour boats were memorable, but little else.  We did purchase a supply of Swiss chocolates.  After our tour we headed to a different train station to catch our 1431 train to Chamonix, which was about an hour away.

In Chamonix, France, we stayed at the International Hotel, which was $60.00 per night plus 25 Francs for breakfast.  Chamonix was a lovely little ski resort town, filled with small cafes, bars, ski shops, and stores selling their wares to tourists, who were mostly young people.  Our hotel was fairly new, and was just across the main street from the railroad station.  By the time we got checked in, it was getting close to dinner time.  We looked around town for a while and finally found a nice place to eat.  Again, Darrell left me for his own pursuits. 

On Friday, we had planned to ski in Couermeyer, Italy, on the other side of the Gottard Tunnel.  We dressed to go skiing, but after breakfast, we found out that our Eurail Pass was not accepted on the bus to Couermeyer.  So, we looked at each other and decided to have a day at leisure, shopping and walking around town.  We ate lunch at a nice sidewalk café, and enjoyed just  people watching, and getting mellow on good beer.  For our last ski fling we decided to rent some expensive demonstration ski equipment.  Hopefully, our bindings would not come off and we would enjoy our day of skiing Chamonix more.  Darrell said that he had really enjoyed just “bumming” around.  That night we ate dinner at a nice restaurant.

Our last day of skiing was on Mount Blanc at the enormous Argentiere ski area.  Again, to avoid a second night’s charge, we checked out of the hotel in the morning and stored our luggage.   I had to close my eyes to ride the room size cable car to the top.  A small lunch at the top of the mountain cost us $30.00.  We had a grand day of skiing.  Our demonstration skies allowed us to make sharp turns and hockey stops without coming off.  The sharp edges gave us much better control of our turns.  With the weather cooperating, we had a good day.  

We returned to town, where we had a few drinks.  The locker room at our hotel was locked and there was no one around to let us in.  This hotel was small - just a bit larger than a Bed and Breakfast.  I went behind the desk and got the key to the office.  I opened the office to get the key to the locker room, where our luggage was stored.  Across the side street, we negotiated for $30.00 for the two of us, a sauna, Jacuzzi and shower, with soap and towels.  Both of us forgot our bathing suits.  We grabbed a quick meal at the café across the street.  I gave the waiter a big tip for selling us two beers to go.

Our express train from Chamonix to St. Gervais left at 2130.  We made it on the run with no time to spare.  It was a short 37 mile ride.  When we opened our “beers”, we discovered that the jerk waiter had given us ginger ale!

At St. Gervais, our sleeper car was waiting on us.  It left a few minutes after we boarded.  Our compartment was very small, with upper and lower bunks.  There was hardly enough room for one person to change clothes unless the other got into his bed.  We had a small private bath for the overnight ride to Paris.  It was difficult to sleep on the train. There was the noise of the train itself, plus the movement of the car over the tracks.  Each time we crossed a road, there were the flashing lights and clanging sound of the railroad signal.  Although we were tired, we were both wired from a strenuous day skiing.  Since it was our last night in Europe, we were both cutting up and acting silly.  It was a 475 mile trip.  

Breakfast was not included in our fare, and it took almost all our Francs to pay for it.  We received a small carton of orange juice and coffee from the car attendant the next morning at 7:00 a.m.  Although we arrived in Paris at 7:40 a.m, we were at the wrong Paris railroad station.  We had just enough money for the subway, but not enough Francs for the bus to the airport.  We pleaded with a lady at the train station who was nice enough to buy my left over Austrian Shillings.  My adrenaline was still pumping hard when we boarded the bus for Orly Airport.

Our American Airlines flight left Orly at 10:35 a.m.  It was a good eleven hour flight.  Again, Darrell enjoyed flirting with the stewardesses.  Shortly before we arrived at DFW airport at 2:50 p.m. our stewardesses gave us each a bottle of champagne.  Darrell’s long hair was probably the reason one of the customs agents singled him out for the third degree, but I was able to calm his fears.

We had a close connection to Harlingen, where Rick Hoffman picked us up at 5:30 p.m.  Rhett was at the condo waiting on us.  After I gave him a quick rundown on our trip and gave him his presents, I hit the sack.  It had been a long 23 hour day of travel, with little sleep on the train the night before.  Darrell and Rhett partied all night.  Oh, to be young again.

The following morning Rhett took Darrell to the airport for his flight back to Monterrey, CA, while I went to work.  I had two and one-half weeks of mail and telephone messages to go through.  On a final note: during our 17 days in Europe we had traveled 1,700 miles by rail.  It had been a great trip, which had been well planned.  We each learned a bit of history and geography, as well as a few words in French and German.  Darrell and I both had fun and we enjoyed some good quality “one on one” time.

							

TRAVELS WITH
ED AND RHETT BUTLER
1989 EUROPEAN TRIP
JULY 4 - 26, 1989

Prior to the trip Rhett had been to Cancun and Mexico City, Mexico and to Waterton, Canada with Darrell and me.  He and I had a few trips together with just the two of them, including the ski trip together to Park City, Utah, where he injured his back and was hospitalized for one week in Salt Lake City, Utah, before he could be moved back to Memphis.  This then was Rhett's first trip out of the country alone with me..

Each of us had anxiously awaited the departure date, reading up on each country we would visit, and making plans on how to spend our unstructured time.  Finally the departure day arrived!

7/3
Rhett departed Dallas Love Field at 9:30 a.m., on Southwest Airlines Flight #11, and arrived in Harlingen at 11:30 a.m.  We enjoyed a Bon Voyage Dinner in Brownsville at Inga's German Restaurant with J. J. and Darrell.

7/4	Harlingen - London.  Westminister Hotel.

Darrell drove us to the airport.  On the way to the airport I started to say "Darrell, if something should happen to us on this trip..." when Darrell said "I get it all"!  The three of us had a good farewell laugh, followed by a farewell hug from Darrell.  We left Harlingen at 4:55 p.m. Continental Flight 114 (first class) and arrived in Houston at 5:58 p.m. 

We left Houston International at 6:40 p.m. on Continental Flight 4.  Rhett was upgraded to Business class.  I had an isle seat with an empty seat by the window in coach.

7/5 - London

We arrived at London's Gatwick Airport at 9:45 a.m.  Our flight took almost nine hours.  There was a six hour time change.  All rail (including the tube) was on strike on Wednesdays, so we queued up for a bus to Victoria Station.  It cost five Pounds ($ 7.50).  Our taxi to the hotel was 13.40 Pounds ($ 20.00).  When we arrived at the Hotel Westminister about 12:45 p.m., our room was not ready.  We went to the Grub and Lettuce Pub, where we ate excellent steak sandwiches and drank lager.  Our room was still not ready at 2:00 p.m., but we got into our room ten minutes later.  We showered and took a nap to get over our jet lag.  After our nap, we took a cab to Cambridge Theatre for "Sherlock Holmes, the Musical", after which we had a $60.00 dinner at the luxurious Mountbatten Hotel - at "7 dials" (column at intersection of seven streets - with seven sun dials).  The play was hilarious - Ron Moody ad-libbed about the rail strike.

7/6 - London

We took an all day tour of London which cost 66 Pounds ($ 100.00). We toured Albert Hall (built by Queen Victoria with donations of the people after Prince Albert's death) and rode through Trafalger Square with Nelson's Column, and took a guided tour through Westminister Abbey (coronation took place here).  We stopped to see the changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace which was followed by a crummy lunch on a floating restaurant docked on the Thames.  Then we went on a nice boat ride down the Thames to the Tower of London.  At the tower we saw the Royal Crown Jewels; the Oriental Armor and Weapons Museum; the Royal Fusileers Museum; and the Armory.  Next, we visited St. Paul's Cathedral, then back to hotel for a rum and tonic and then crashed.  We slept  over three hours, dressed and walked around, then ate at Garfunkals.  Their hamburgers were not up to American standards.

7/7 - London - Salisbury - Bath - London

We awoke to a thunderstorm, and ate breakfast at the hotel.  It rained all day. We spent all day again with Evan Evans Tours. Our first stop was the Salisbury Cathedral.  Completed in 1220 A.D., it was totally English gothic. Rhett remembered to take off his cap!  We then visited Stonehenge along with a cast of thousands - in a misty rain.  We got upset that the stop was so short.  The cast swam to Bath, so we wouldn't be lonesome.  Romans invaded Great Britain in 43 A.D..  They started the baths in 47 A.D. and stayed about 400 years. Bath was then abandoned until the early 1800's. We got back at about 7:30 p.m., then rested for about 1 hour and ate our worst meal yet at the hotel. Rhett went pub crawling where he hit a small jackpot for 4.00 Pounds and another one for 16.00 Pounds.

7/8 Rhett's Birthday - London

When we woke up it was muggy.  Thunderstorms were predicted. Rhett came in at 4:30 a.m. I brought him breakfast in bed at 10:00 a.m.  We took the "tube" to the cabinet war rooms where Sir Winston Churchill and the English War Ministry directed action during WWII.  Afterwards we walked by No. 10 Downing Street where tourists crowded up to barriers to watch two construction crews dig up the street in front of No. 10 - a photo would have been a waste.  Then we  walked a few blocks up to Trafalgar Square.  From there we took the tube to Piccadilly Circus looking for the Hard Rock Café.  After walking an eternity we found that it was at the other end of Piccadilly.  We then took a double decker bus and stood in line for about 20 minutes.  I had the best Tennessee Bar B Que pork Sandwich I'd had since the last time I was in Memphis.  Rhett got birthday candles on his ice cream.  

We took the tube to Baker Street to find a two hour line at Madame Toussards.  There was  no chance we would stand in the long line outside.  We then went back to the hotel for a nap. Rhett got a cigarette and went to the Pub.  That evening it rained.  We walked back from the tube and went to dinner at the Beefeater Mediaeval Dinner Theatre where Rhett got to know the entertainers.  We walked by the Tower Hotel for a drink but there were no bar services after 11:00 p.m..  The tube employees had announced a strike starting at midnight, so we caught the last tube from Tower Hill - but again not the circle line.  We had to go back to Paddington station to get the last train to Bayswater Station. 

7/9 - London

Today we were scheduled to fly to Dubrovnick, Yugoslavia.  Our hotel night clerk Michael moonlighted as a cab driver. For 10 Pounds extra he took us to Heathrow Airport via Windsor Castle for a short look.  We had time for a quick Foster's on draft at a 400 yr old pub across the street - The Horse and Groom Pub.  I had eaten lunch there in 1983   Then we went to Heathrow for an 8 and one-half wait only to discover that our JAT48 flight had been cancelled. We got a free dinner about 5:30 at the airport and another at 11:00 at our hotel - The Ariel- a Trust House Forte Hotel.  Also we enjoyed free drinks at the bar.  It was a very comfortable new hotel near the airport.  We both enjoyed a good night's sleep.

7/10 - London to Dubrovnick, Yugoslavia - Hotel Libertas

After a good buffet breakfast we waited in the lobby for our bus back to the airport. Lo and behold, after a brief wait, we got on board our plane at about 12:20 p.m.   Rhett and I and three others we had dined with were the only people in the forward cabin for 24.  We were served enough food for three people.  The food and service were good. After a nice two and hon-half hour flight we arrived at Dubrovnick.  We were met by an American Express Representative and taken to Hotel Libertas - with one short stop at an overlook over the city for photos. After hanging up our clothes we took about a 20 minute walk into the old town and strolled through it for about half an hour.  

Dubrovnick is a picturesque, immaculately preserved late Renaissance city on the Dalmatian coast.  The medieval white walls, scored and lined like an old sailor`s face, are the city`s pride.  The old town is a honeycomb of stepped streets, and stunning roofscapes on the Adriatic.

We took a bus back in time to shower and dress for our delayed welcome dinner for the 9 of us who all arrived a day late.  The other seven were from a cancelled New York City flight.  We enjoyed a nice candlelight dinner with wine, octopus appetizer, salad, steak and a delicious fruit and ice cream dessert with coffee.  Then Rhett, Susan and I had an after dinner drink on the patio and watched the fireworks from the Music Festival. Rhett and Susan went downtown at 11:00 p.m. where they enjoyed a concert which was part of an international music festival.  I came back to the room to rest for our 6:30 a.m. wake up call.  There were only 15 people on our tour, so we had lots of room on the bus.  The videos taken by Rhett displayed a wonderful concert played to thousands of people crammed into a plaza in old town.

When I exchanged  currency at the airport,  $1.00 equaled 8,887.92 Dina, and the Dinar was composed of (100 Paras).  A Visa was required to visit Yugoslavia, a country with a population of 23 million.  The capital is Belgrade, a city of some one and one-half million population.  The weather during this time of year is very nice, with an average low of 61, and an average high of 84 degrees, and a chance of rain of only one in five.  The time was GMT49 + 1.  In Yugoslavia, there are three Slav languages, which use two different alphabets - Latin and Cyrillic.  The country is divided among Christians, mostly Eastern Orthodox Catholic, who use the Latin alphabet, and Moslems, who use the Cyrillic.

7/11	Dubrovnick to Sarajevo - Holiday Inn Hotel

Our bus left the hotel about 8:00 a.m. For almost two hours we drove up the breathtaking Dalmatian Coast, where the Mountains drop into the blue Adriatic Sea.  Along the way there were several small tourist villages, past the domes and slender minarets scattered across the Republic.   It made me want to return.  We stopped at a tourist bus stop inland at Metkovic, a dull town on the River.  Then, after a short ride we went to Medugorje, where in 1981 the Virgin Mary appeared to two shepherd boys.  Apparently, according to church records she has appeared daily since.  The "town" consisted of a large church, several small cafes and shops.  I bought two wool rugs and a small woven table decoration - all hand made.  

After about an hours drive into the contrasting Bosnia region of rocky hills, deep gorges, and vast game forests, we stopped in Mostar where we lunched and visited a wonderful bridge built by a Turkish engineer in the 1500's.  Mostar is a town which is 50% Turkish and 50% Christian. On our drive to Sarajevo, we followed a river up into the mountains.  The scenery was gorgeous.  On arrival we checked into the Holiday Inn, which was not air-conditioned.  We visited the Turkish Quarter where Rhett bought a large pipe.  I purchased small pipes for myself, Darrell and Tim O'Leary.  Open-air markets crowded the maze of narrow streets, bordered by craftsmen`s shops in the Turkish Quarter; and where events took place that triggered World War I.  After dinner, I crashed about 9:00 p.m., but Rhett went to a disco.  Rain made it comfortable to sleep. Sarajevo was the site of the 1984 Winter Olympics. 

7/12	Sarajevo to Belgrade.  Hotel Intercontinental

After a 6:45 a.m. breakfast we went to visit the Sarajevo Winter Olympic Stadium.  Then we drove two and one-half hours through mountains that looked like the Smokeys in East Tennessee.  We stopped for a coke at the Vidikova Hotel on Lake New Zvornik.  It was beautiful! Shortly afterwards the landscape was flat with crops of gigantic sunflowers, sugar-beets and corn. The roads are much better than Mexico.  Our bus was new with big windows and had air conditioning and music.

We arrived in Belgrade at 1:30 p.m.  The outskirts of the city resemble rural west Tennessee.  Our Hotel room at the Intercontinental wasn't ready, so we enjoyed a beautiful buffet lunch at the Brasseri restaurant in the hotel.  It was so fancy they made Rhett go put on some long pants.  At 3:30 p.m. we went on a two hour City tour, during which we visited Tito's tomb, which involved a long walk through a well landscaped park.  

The most interesting thing on the tour was the old castle - high on a hill overlooking the confluence of the Sava and Danube Rivers.  It was first used as a fortress by a Slavic tribe.  Then the Romans used it as their easternmost fortress.  After hundreds of years the Turks came and built a new fort which stayed there for over 400 years.  Then the Turks were routed by the Serbians.  The fort afforded us a panoramic view of the city.  Little old ladies were selling hand made lace goods. Rhett bought his mother a beautiful hand knitted sweater. I bought a beautiful lace scarf for J.J. 

The moat surrounding the fort now housed tennis courts and basketball courts.  It was sad to see that all the monuments were covered with graffiti.  Our attractive young city guide enjoyed the embarrassment of some of the ladies when she pointed out that at the appropriate angle the sword handle of a statue of a warrior resembled a man in the state of penis erectus.  We got a good photo.

Rhett and I enjoyed a swim in the indoor pool back at the hotel.  For dinner we were treated to an open air dinner with folk music on a covered porch.   About 20% of the music was Jugoslavian and the rest was Tico Tico, Tennessee Waltz, Begin the Beguin, Tango's, etc. We had a drink at the piano bar where the piano player didn't know there were 88 keys.  Rhett and I both tasted all the different foods that were served, but nothing was good to us.  The slaw was made with vinegar, but was O.K. The boiled potatoes were good. Two pieces of veal looked delicious, but were heavily spiced like in a Greek restaurant. I couldn't eat it.  The dessert was a pear half soaked in honey with a thick substance containing brown sugar, coconut and nuts and topped with substance which appeared to be a cross between cottage cheese and whipped cream.

7/13 - Belgrade to Sofia, Bulgaria - Sheraton Balkan Hotel

The breakfast buffet was fantastic.  So good in fact, that we both made sandwiches for lunch.  As the bus pulled away from the hotel about 8:00 a.m. Rhett remembered that he had left a hand knitted sweater for his mother in the room.  We traveled by expressway all the way to Sofia, Bulgaria.  The ladies from Puerto Rico bought three cassettes of Yugoslavian music which we listened to on the bus - very nice.  Herta our delightful guide was about four and one-half feet tall.  She  told us not to convert much money because there would not be anyone to cash it in when we leave.  Two of the Puerto Rican ladies were doing aerobic dancing on the bus.  We stopped at a highway restaurant for lunch where Rhett and I for the second day ate ham and cheese sandwiches we made from the breakfast buffet.  
There was a one-half hour delay at the border.  After crossing we were joined by our Bulgarian guide Nikoli. At the border we advanced our watches one hour (CDT + 8).  From the border it was a 1 hour drive through grain fields and vineyards to Sofia (pronounced So fya).  The road changed to two lanes at Nis and the closer to Bulgaria we got the worse the roads became.  Sofia is in the lee of the Balkan Mountains.  We couldn't believe our eyes when we arrived at the Sofia Sheraton.  It was like an old palace.  The  marble floors had inlaid patterns, and the marble columns had polished to a high gloss.  There were, large tapestries and oriental rugs on the lobby floors and on each elevator lobby.  We took a brief walk around the town center and found nothing we wanted to buy at the "Dollar" store.  

The highlight of the tour so far came by accident.  Herta had recommended a restaurant in the basement  of the hotel.  There were at least three - one of which required a coat and tie.  We didn't make reservations so we couldn't eat at the hotel.  John and Dolores Comey from Cleveland joined us at a café recommended by the concierge.  "Lorno Ribarski Soious" was an Italian Restaurant.  It was very attractive - modern - split level with a fireplace (not in use ).  I had pheasant salad, wiener schnitzel, Bulgarian beer and chocolate walnut cake.  Rhett had pheasant soup, spaghetti and beer.  It was marvelous - especially when the guide, the guide books and our driver had all predicted horrible food in Bulgaria. Everything closes at 10:00 p.m., except for night clubs and tourist hotel cabarets, so we went to the "Fantasy Night Club" in the basement of our hotel.  It was an excellent international show.

The exchange Currency was $1.00 = 0.89 Leva (LV).  The official rate for a LV, composed of 100 Stotinki  ("Stinkeys") = $2.70 U.S..  Tourists got 50% more at many locations.

Bulgaria has a population of about nine million.  The Capital, Sofia is home to about one and one quarter million residents.  The primary language is Bulgarian.  The average low this time of year was 57, while the average high was 82.  The chance of rain was one in five.  The time was GMT + 3, and Daylight Savings Time was observed.				
7/14 - Sofia

We had the hotel do our laundry. The breakfast buffet included omelets.  On our morning tour we drove through the University.  We learned that students pay $5.00 per month rent in  the dormitory and $1.00 per day for lunch and dinner.  In Bulgaria High School is ten years. College is five years, except for the medical college, which is six years.  We went  to the top of the mountains where a TV tower is located, but it was a hazy day.  We returned to town where we toured the Alexander Nevski Cathedral.  It was resplendent both outside and inside.  I was able to videotape part of the inside.  In the basement is a collection of Icons from all over Bulgaria.  We strolled through the central part of town and viewed the National Theatre, National Communist Party Headquarters Bldg. (with a huge five pointed star hanging from the top of the building); the National Bank (which our guide bragged had never been robbed) and watched the changing of the guard at the tomb of Georgie, who became the first president in 1946, when the Monarchy ended.  It was built within six days of his death.  

We walked through the excavation of the old eastern gate to the city.  Across from the Tomb was a large green building - the former Palace.  We noticed that all Christian churches were built lower than the Turkish mosques.  This was due to a law of the Muslims when they occupied the city until World War I.  The Church in the courtyard of our hotel was the oldest - built in the 3rd or 4th century A.D..  While I got a massage, Rhett visited the U.S. Embassy.  We shopped down the main street to the park and back on the other side.  The museum was closed so we went to the Zum, "The" department store.  Our feet and legs hurt so much we went back to the room about 4:30 p.m. to rest.  Our laundry came back with a bill for $43.00.  Rhett's phone call to his mother was $94.00! The hotel cashiers, concierge and maid, as well as the waiter all loved the red ball point pens that I had thought to bring as tips. 

That evening we drove up another mountain for a dinner with a  floor show.  The restaurant was called "The Mill" (in Bulgarian) and a Water mill could be seen through the window.  A beautiful brook flowed past the restaurant. The food was very good: cucumbers, onions and cheese salad; melted cheese, bar-b-qued pork rolled in cheese, mushroom and onion, with wine and watermelon.  The four piece band played Bulgarian, US, Japanese, etc. folk songs. The dancing group was colorfully dressed and their dances were similar to Greek and Israeli but the music sounded like a broken record.  The singer sounded like she was from the middle east, and her voice was  not pleasant to the ear. 

7/15 - Sofia to Bucharest, Romania - Hotel Intercontinental

As we crossed the border into Romania it was necessary to exchange some currency.  $1.00 = 8.77 Lei.  One Leu equaled about 11 cents.  100 Lei was equal to $11.40.

Romania has a population of about two and one-half million.  The capital is Bucharest with two million people, constituting 80% of the country's total population.  The average low this time of year is 61 degrees, whereas the average high is 86.  The chance of rain is only one in four.  The prevalent language spoken is Romanian, which is Latin based.  The time is GMT + 3, which is  eight hours ahead of Texas.

Today we drove northeast via Pleven, and Rousse, the largest port on the Danube, crossing the Romanian border en route to the capital, Bucharest, "the Paris of Eastern Europe".  Dinner was scheduled at our hotel this evening.				
We discovered that room charges must be paid in hard currency at 1.68 Lev's to the Dollar versus the 2.72 to the Dollar rate. Lev's could not be exchanged back. We had charged drinks at the night club, massages and 114 Lev's for laundry - 316.00 Lev's. Wow! 

After another beautiful breakfast we drove through Plesen for a rest stop at the bus terminal to find all the rest rooms locked. In all East Europe so far, you don't tip the bathroom attendant.  Instead, you pay a set fee in advance.  Here it was ten Stetenki ("Stinkys") so we drove to another area for cokes and beer. Our beer label collection was growing. A lot easier than lugging a dozen bottles around. 

We had a late lunch at Rousse in an old Turkish fort under the TV tower, consisting of salad, lintel pea soup, fried cheese and stew with strawberry ice cream for dessert.  The border formalities required us to wait for the guards to check us out closely. So, after we crossed the Danube we waited and waited. After crossing the border we picked up our Romanian Guide- Don, a part time student. 

Except for a few "old" buildings, Bucharest looked bleak. Our hotel was a 22 story modern building with a funny smell.  We immediately went for a swim on the top floor and Rhett had a $9.00 massage.  We dressed for dinner in the hotel. Again our communist hosts entertained and wined us royally.  They served us salad, fillet mignon and a chocolate brownie with fruit and whipped cream.  Then they treated us to an enjoyable Romanian floor show with 3 female singers and a great group of folk dancers.  We watched a nearby wedding reception. 

The view from the 21st floor was great. All the buildings with any old world charm were in the center of the city.  After dinner, a few of us had a night cap.  Most city lights were out by 11:00 p.m. - a chilling reminder that communism is repressive.

7/16	- Bucharest

Our breakfast today was not quite so elaborate.  Can you imagine cucumber or slaw for breakfast?  Our 9:00 a.m. tour took us to the Military Academy where Don explained the history of Romania through the bigger than life sized figures in the carved monument.  Then we drove to the Parliament square and Patriarch's church.  Our visit to the Village and Folk Art Museum was very informative. In 1936, this outdoor Museum of various types of homes and churches was built from collections of 17th and 18th structures from all over Romania.

Rhett and I again ate sandwiches made from the breakfast buffet along with a mug of German beer in our new beer steins.  This was the third day we made sandwiches from the breakfast buffet; mostly from fear that our lunch might be inedible (e.g. the folk dance dinner in Beograd). I got a massage. The skinny little guy had the thickest glasses you've ever seen. He was creepy.  For dessert we ate some delicious pastry dripping with syrup. Comment - from our tour we found that the town was not as bleak as we first thought. There was a large park with a lake- with swans, and row boats for hire.  There were many wide boulevards and a large number of buildings of French design. 

We visited a quaint Russian Orthodox Church built in 1724 and also went into a stunning Russian Orthodox church.  While I took a nap, Rhett hung out in the lobby.  I went to 6:00 p.m. mass at the Roman Catholic Church.  While I was napping, Rhett drank beer.  While I was in church, Rhett drank beer.  When we got to the oldest restaurant in Romania, across the street from the oldest church in Romania Rhett poured a strong scotch and water.  A group of locals got both Rhett and I to dance with them.  They danced in circles, which got bigger and bigger, until all the locals and several of our group were all kicking up our heels.

7/17 - Bucharest to Brasov - Hotel Carpati

A marvelously full day was scheduled that would take us north via the mountain ski resort of Sinaia.  Much about Romania is unusual, not the least of which is "Count Dracula`s" Bran Castle.  Today`s destination is Brasov, a charming ancient town, in Transylvania.  

I woke up at 2:30 am with a migraine and only dozed off and on for five hours. We shopped in the Dollar Store. After a two hour drive we stopped at the Sinora Monastery, located in the Transylvanian Alps. It was built in 1685. The first Bible was translated into Romanian here in 1688. We learned that a Romanian Orthodox priest must be married to get a church whereas a monk must be celibate.  Priests are never elevated - only monks.  In the original church there were carved figures of Saints on each side of the front door.  Usually Saints appear only in paintings. The Royal Family built a residence near by and worshiped here.  Two hundred years later a new and much larger church was built. Again, it was unusual because: (1) paintings of the royal family were on the church wall, and (2) painting of God the Father was on the ceiling.

This town is delightful. Many of the buildings were built in the Tyrolean or English Tudor style.  Then after a nice lunch in the town of Sinoria, which looks like Gatlinburg, Tennessee, we drove to Bran Castle, the moment Rhett had been anxiously awaiting.  The castle was built in 1377-78 and was occupied by Prince Dracula and his son Vlad "The Impaler", who was the historical figure around which the book "Dracula" was based.  He tempted peasants, priests and ordinary people to commit immoral acts and then impaled them.  The castle was built by the residents of Brasov to protect trade routes.  Until World War I, Brasov was part of the Austro - Hungarian Empire. 

We toured the city, stopped to photograph St. Nicholas Church, and visited the Black Church built as a Roman Catholic Church in 1384.  The church was partly destroyed by fire, which turned the walls black in1689. It became a Lutheran Church during the reformation. It contains over 100 oriental rugs donated by the merchants upon their safe return from the orient during the middle ages.  We then went to the town square to see Town Hall and the modern fountain. The architecture here is more like we had anticipated -quaint, almost gingerbread, with lots of personality.  We assumed earthquakes are not a problem here, because the building looked so delicate.  The people seem to be better dressed and the town was cleaner than Bucharest. 

That evening we ate dinner at an ancient Turkish Fort "Cetatea Brasov", the Brasov Fortress, founded over three centuries ago.  We ate New York City style, with chairs crammed together. Even though the orchestra and entertainers in mediaeval costumes were entertaining, Rhett dozed occasionally.  I bought J.J. an outfit at the fort's gift shop.
 
7/18	Brasov to Cluj - Transylvania Hotel

Seek and ye shall find!  Alas, we found the bad food.  For breakfast, the scrambled eggs, rolls and jam were the only edible items.  Back at the hotel, we discovered that there was only one channel on the TV, and it was not in English.  To make matters worse our bed had a five inch mattress on a wooden slab.  We were served the white thick liquid again which had the consistency of buttermilk mixed with oat meal.  I drank only one cup of coffee.  Yuk!  Also, we had no hot water until after breakfast, even with two complaints, so I couldn't shave or fix instant coffee.  Rhett got "the revenge of Vlad the Impaler".  Our first stop was at the Prejmer Citadel.  It was a fortress surrounding a church with 272 rooms for locals to live in to avoid attack  The church was built by a knight in the 13th century.  The walls were ten feet thick.  In 500 years there were 50 unsuccessful attempts to invade it.  After two and one-half hours of rolling hills and fields of hops we arrived at the medieval town of "Sigasora".  We walked through the ancient town gate to view a large clock tower about eight to ten stories high.

We had lunch in Vlad Tepes, an old building  which was Vlad Dracula's house - where Dracula was born.  We then climbed up the clock tower to discover a model of the old city and found that it was one of fourteen towers connecting the wall around the town.  Each of the towers was built and occupied by an active guild.  Up until today everywhere else in Bulgaria and Romania people were in line for bread, fruit, vegetables, blue jeans or whatever was for sale.  Today, for the first time in eastern Europe we saw no lines.  Our next rest stop was in Tirga Mures.  There was a lovely area downtown.  It was very modern with flower beds and fountains.  It was a nice day, so we took a short stroll.  We viewed a ceramic roofed palace and visited the culture palace.  It seemed strange to see a Romanian Orthodox church next to a Russian Orthodox Church.  A flower clock was in front of a statute of the leader of the Transylvanian revolution.

Even in towns, we saw many horse and mule drawn wagons all over Romania.  We stopped for the night in Cluj at the Transylvania Hotel.  It sucked.  It was of modern design, but inside it was old and dirty.  It wasn't air conditioned, but since it was cool that wasn't a problem.  There were no shower curtains.  None of the towels matched.  Our room was lighted by three 25 watt light bulbs.  Dinner was edible, but it was nothing to brag about.  One nice thing was our view.  We were on the highest hill around.  We had a beautiful view overlooking the city.  There was a disco downstairs in the hotel but it was empty.  It was too far to walk to town.  Rhett and I have both been napping off and on.

7/19 - Cluj to Budapest, Hungary - Hotel Beke

Crossing the border today, we were scheduled to drive through the Hungarian countryside en route to the sparkling capital city of Budapest.  To enter Hungary a Visa was required.  The colorful document took an entire page in our passports.  The population of Hungary was eleven million.  The capital is Budapest, where  two and one-half  million Hungarians live.  The average low temperature during this time of the year was 61, and the average high was 78.  Chance of rain was one in four.  $1.00 = 57.40 Forint (100 fillers). 

It rained off and on all day.  We enjoyed the short tour of the city, including a striking statute of "Michael The Brave" on horse.  We visited St. Michael's, the large Lutheran Church.  Outside was a Gigantic Statute of Nathias Rex on horse, surrounded by four men in armor.  They looked like crusaders.  He was the Son of Yanka Hunyard, King of Hungary, who was a protector of Vlad Dracula in 1300's.  He fought with Michael the Brave in the 1400's.

Our guide informed us that ten years of school was compulsory in Romania.  College admission is only by competitive exam.  If they pass, they first spend nine months in the military.  If they fail they spend one year and two months in the military, after which, they must work - where the government tells them to work!  

We also discovered that the Black Sea coast is eroding.  One-half of all hotels in the country are there.  The pension Age for men is 65 and for Women it is 60.  Birth control is illegal.  If found guilty of abortion in Romania you are sentenced to 15 years in jail.  Romania, like the United States has a bachelor tax.

School children have "agriculture practice" to help with the crops.  Medical care is free but, as in the Soviet Union you have to give the doctor a bribe for good treatment or a private room.  Small shops are privately owned. Each year tourism in Romania declines.  We were unable to buy colas in Romania, but ice cream from street venders was very good. 

As we approached the Hungarian border, the homes were all painted in the Austrian style.  At a small town near the border traffic was stopped by a uniformed policeman for no reason.  After about five to ten minutes, a car pulled up with two men dressed in coat and tie.  The policemen saluted them.  They checked their watch and allowed the traffic to continue.  Then an air raid siren went off.  We never were able to figure out what was going on.

We gained an hour at the Hungarian border.  Again, the border formalities were very time consuming.  Rhett and I played chess while we ate our sack lunch at the border.  In contrast to Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Romania, Hungary was very flat.
The Hungarian Language is similar only to Finnish, both having their roots from Slavic tribes in Russia. Since they were conquered by Atilla the Hun and they had married with the Monguls, the Austrians, the Turks and more recently the Germans and then the Russians.  About one month before our trip the Russians cut down the fences between Hungary and Austria.  Now (we were told) there were no Russian soldiers in Hungary.  Hungary enjoys the best standard of living of all communist countries.  So far, all the beer has been 12-15% alcohol.

Budapest was an alive city.  There was merchandise in all the windows and no lines of people waiting to buy staples.  Our Hotel Beke, was in the town center.  It was a Radisson and was recently completely renovated.  It was very modern and comfortable with Cable TV and a night club.  We made reservations for the two top shows - Maxims at 8:30 p.m. and Moulin Rouge at midnight.  Then we rested for an evening of fun.  Maxims had a very good show with beautiful topless girls.  We met Tina Walls a 20 year old German girl who lives in Nachidotches, Texas where she attended Stephen F. Austin College.  An extremely attractive and charming young lady.  Rhett and Tina went to the hotel night club and had a bottle of champagne.  Taxi's were cheap - about 60-70 cents each way.  We used them frequently.

7/20 - Budapest

After a 7:30 a.m. wake up, we left on a 9:00 a.m. city tour which revealed that this is a city divided by the Danube into two parts:  Hilly, Belle Epogue Buda; and Pest, the flat area east of the river.  We saw the sights, and ascended Gellert Hill for a wonderful panoramic view of all the Danube bridges, Parliament, Pest, Buda Castle, and the blue mountains in the distance.

Our tour guide George took us first to Heri Square built in 1896 on the 1000th anniversary of the Hungarian State.  In two arches there were bronze statutes of all the kings before France Joseph.  In the center was a tall pillar with the Arch Angel Michael wearing the crown.  Beneath were seven figures on horseback, representing the seven Asiatic tribes of hunters which settled in Hungary.  The Pope had a dream of which king he would give the crown to, thereby creating the first king of all Hungary, governing all seven tribes.

We drove through the city park, by the amusement park and then by the zoo.  Then we went up Castle Hill to visit the church and view the Danube from Fisherman's Bastion.  The view was breathtaking!  Then, we went to the second hill, "Citadella" to visit the 19th century castle built by Emperor Franz Joseph.  The views from these two hills are proof that Budapest is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  Eighty percent of all buildings in Budapest were damaged during World War II, but it was rebuilt in the classical fashion.  Rhett and I ate lunch at McDonald's - the only one in eastern Europe.  We ran into Tina in front of McDonald's, so the three of us walked down the pedestrian street window shopping.  We couldn't believe the number of tourists.  We met Tina's mother at the laundromat and the four of us had a beer at a nearby sidewalk cafe.  After a brief stop at the hotel, Rhett took a taxi to meet Tina and her parents at the flea market near the Circus.  I was having neck pains so I stayed at the hotel, got a massage and took a swim.  

That night we had dinner on a three hour boat ride on the Danube.  As expected, the food was poor.  Tina and her parents joined us, which Rhett and I both enjoyed.  A four piece band including a zither played for our arrival (with champagne) and during dinner.  We picked up four dancers/singers, and they put on a lively folk dance show, with lots of leg and boot slapping.  The views at night of the illuminated parliament building, palace bridge, etc. was worth the $35.00 per person ticket.  

Rhett and I went back to the hotel and enjoyed the show at the  "Orfeum" night club.  It was better then either the Moulin Rouge or Maxims but was still not up to par with the Lido, Moulin Rouge, etc. of Paris.  Tina came in a few moments before the show ended.  She and Rhett then went to a Disco.  When they left Tina tried to help a young man who was badly beaten up by four thugs.  Rhett went to her defense and got knocked down and kicked.  They got back to the hotel about 3:30 a.m.
7/21 - Budapest to Vienna, Austria - Hotel Hilton

Again, we enjoyed a nice breakfast buffet.  Rhett was very sore from his beating the night before.  We left the hotel at 8:00 a.m.  Everybody loved Budapest.  Our local guide told us there were still some Russian soldiers in Hungary.  The Soviets had withdrawn 16,000 soldiers and the remaining ones were in the eastern part of the country.  Except for a brief city tour on arrival, soldiers must remain on their bases.  The officers come into town in civilian clothes.  Only Senior officers are ever seen in uniform.

Our local guide wrote the tour book of Budapest which we bought.  Our group stopped for coffee in Gyor.  The border crossing into Austria went without a hitch.  We didn't even get our passports stamped.  Immediately it was apparent that the Austrians enjoy a much higher standard of living.  We arrived at the modern, high rise Vienna Hilton Hotel about 5:00 p.m.   

In Vienna the official language is German, although English is widely spoken.  No Visa was required for short visits.  The population of Austria is eight million, with Vienna being home to two million people.  The average low temperature is 59, while the average high is 75.  The chance of rain is one in four.  $1.00 equals 13.50 Schillings, and one Austrian Schilling is the equivalent of about 7 1/2 cents.  100 Schillings is equal to $7.41.

Herta organized a private tour for nine of us to go via streetcar to Grinzing, a suburb where wine gardens serve new wine.  We had cold cuts, salad and a delicious wiener schnitzel.  We were serenaded by an accordion player and violinist.  Our waiter and Herta took turns singing to us. Both were very good.  After a subway ride, everybody but Herta and I rode the world's largest ferris wheel.  Unfortunately, the Lippizan stallions were out of town and the Vienna boys Choir was on vacation.

7/22 - Vienna

Herta took about ten of us on a downtown walking tour.  We went through the park near the hotel, past the Holy Trinity Column where the King gave thanks for those spared from the black plague, to St. Peter's Church which was authorized by our family ancestor, King Charlemagne.  I took a look inside. It was huge.  I took a picture of the carving of Charles the Great (Charlemagne) on the other side of the church.  We strolled by the wedding fountain, depicting the marriage of Mary and Joseph by the High Rabbi; the anchor clock suspended between two buildings with life size figures of the famous Hapsburg family, all of whom parade in front of the face of the clock at noon.  

Then we walked to Stephen Platz where we went down into the subway station to see the ruins of a 13th century church.  Its ground floor was about 40 feet below street level.  Our guide explained that the church didn't sink - it was just covered by 700 years of garbage and dirt.  Finally, we went into the magnificent and beautiful St. Stephen's Church. Rhett and I took a taxi (55 shillings) back to the hotel, rested and got dressed. Rhett washed us an emergency amount of socks and underwear. We bought streetcar tickets and went to the Rathaus Keller for a great lunch - the basement was highly decorated and impressive.  I enjoyed carring on a conversation in Spanish with a couple from Monterrey, Mexico.

As we got back to the hotel the bus was boarding for our city tour. We walked around the back and front of Bellevedere Palace. The grounds were beautiful.  The various beautiful buildings of Vienna were pointed out to us - Opera House, Parliament Bldg., Votive Church, and the Hofburg Palace, the latter being the former residence of the royal family. 

The highlight of the afternoon was a one and one-half to two hours tour of the fantastic Schonbrumn Palace - the summer home of the Royal Family.  The palace with its grounds, is over four times larger than the Vatican! Originally, the site of a small hunting lodge - it was purchased by Maxmillian, who later became Emperor of Mexico in 1569.  The lodge was burned by the Hungarians in 1605 and again by the Turks in 1683. The current palace was started by King Leopold I and finished in 1700.  Napoleon lived there in 1805 and 1809.  Emperor Fanz Joseph was born there in 1830 and lived there until his death in 1916. His son Charles I abdicated in 1918 and Austria became a democracy- after being on the losing side of World War I.  The grand ballroom rivals the hall of mirrors at the Versai Palace in France.  The grand gardens were breathtaking. 

I got a blister on my right foot. We came back to the hotel, reorganized our luggage for our trip home and had a sandwich and beer outside on the terrace of the hotel's second floor restaurant.  The weather was lovely.   Then, we went to a classical music concert at the very plush concert hall. The drummer was zany, making us all laugh. 

Afterwards, Rhett and I had a drink at the hotel bar. Vienna is more expensive than London. At our hotel, a half liter glass of beer was 38 shillings - almost $3.00. A rum and tonic was $8.00. In our room the bar contained colas for $3.00.  I developed a sore throat. My neck and back hadn't been causing me that much problem the past week or ten days, because there was no pressure on me.  My neck was aggravated after walking for a long distance i.e. our walking tour yesterday.  Rhett came in at 4:30 a.m.

7/23 - Vienna - Danube Cruise

This was the last day of the American Express Tour. We drove north through the Vienna woods for about 75 kilometers to the small town of Krems, viewing several castles on the hills overlooking the four lane expressway.  We embarked on the Prince Eugene (pronounced "Oigen") for a two and one-half hour cruise upstream. Along the way we stopped at three small villages, all of which had fortified churches, called "Citadels".

As we arrived in Melk, a 10th century town, we were in the shadow of the monastery originally built as a castle by the Buffenburg family, the Royal family which preceded the Hapsburgs.  This palace was built with a "chapel" as big as most churches. Its uniqueness was in the fact that the statutes and decorations were solid gold - not gold leaf!! It was so lavish, that Rhett called it decadent. We dozed on our one and one-half hour return bus trip.  Rhett and I agreed that not considering the farewell dinner this was already one of our top five days of this vacation.

For our farewell dinner we went to a private catering restaurant which was in old multi-story home on the west side of town which had been completely remodeled to appear like an old palace.  We were taken up on an elevator three at a time to a large room with a long swimming pool. The waiter opened up a bottle of champagne with a sword.  A spout in the pool gave the appearance that the pool was spewing champagne too. After finishing our champagne we went to our elegant private dining room illuminated by two ornate crystal chandeliers.  One wall was mirrored.  We had a Viennese onion steak, broiled new potatoes, salad and a rum and raisin pudding cake. 

We said our good byes at the restaurant and on the bus we sang. Herta sang us a lullabies.  She said she loved us better than any group she had ever had, especially being Mom to Rhett.  There was a special toast to Rhett.  Everybody loved him.  David commented at the restaurant before we left that Rhett had a lot of good in him.  I thought this trip has helped him a lot. At the hotel Rhett and I, Mitor and the four Puerto Rican ladies had a drink at the bar - after Rhett carried Herta into the hotel. 

7/24 - Vienna - Bradislava, Czechoslovakia - Vienna

We left a 6:30 a.m. wake up call and ate a 7:00 a.m. breakfast.  John and Dolores joined us for breakfast. Again we made ham and cheese sandwiches from the breakfast buffet for our individual trip to Bradislava. We got to the bus departure gate 20 minutes early.  It had rained overnight so we took an umbrella.  The ride to the border took 55 minutes. The Austrian guards just waved us through.  The Czechoslovakian customs, etc. took an hour. 

The Bradislava bus station was pretty far out of down town.  We didn't know how to buy a streetcar ticket, so we waited for a taxi.  A seven minute ride took us near the town hall and we looked inside the church next door.  We walked to a square and ate our homemade sandwiches with a coke, at a sidewalk cafe.  Then, we walked by a very unusual modern suspension bridge.  All the cables came from one large column which was about one-third the way across.  Then we went through the furniture and handicraft museum.  Afterwards we climbed the hill, which required us to make two rest stops, we visited the historic city castle.  It was built in the 9th century when the Turks occupied both Budapest and Vienna.  Queen Maria Theresa moved here to hold court for the Austo-Hungarian Empire. We walked back to another part of town viewing Michael's gates, and stopping at the clock museum.

We kept window shopping, but there seemed to be very little we might want for a souvenir. We stopped at 2:00 p.m. for a snack at the sidewalk café of the new luxury Forum Hotel.  Although we walked all over town, we couldn't find anything to buy.  The Slovak National Museum was closed.  We had another beer at the Carlton Hotel sidewalk bar and bought a streetcar ticket. After waiting awhile we met a couple of locals who were also going to the bus terminal.  They told us the bus terminal was only a short walk and asked us to follow them.  We followed and followed and followed them for about one-half hour.  Finally, we ended up at the bus station.  We brought back candy as a souvenir.  Border procedures took us only one-half hour. We ate dinner at McDonald's in the Vienna Bus terminal.  It was mighty good.  Herta called at 8:00 p.m. to make sure we got back O.K. She wished us a safe journey home.  She told us our tour from Dubrovnick to Vienna was 2,005 miles long.

7/25 - Vienna to London.  Hotel Commodore

We slept till 8:30 a.m., the latest we had slept during whole trip, which we followed up with a leisure breakfast with champagne. A few blocks away we purchased Mozart liquor, chocolate and a canvas bag to bring back our souvenirs.

The air terminal was in the arcade adjacent to our hotel. After a 20 minute ride we arrived at the airport, got our boarding passes and VAT50 refund. We exchanged our money for English Pounds, had a drink and after a short wait boarded our British Airlines flight to London.  We were in Club Class. The lunch was one of the best on our trip - one of the top meals, if not the top I ever had in flight.  We dined on cheese, lobster with an orange and nut creme cheese sauce; lamb rolled in spinach with baby new potatoes, champagne, moist chocolate walnut cake with chocolate sauce and whip creme finished off with liqueurs.

Michael, the London hotel clerk, met us as agreed and dropped us off first at the War Room to buy posters, and then to the Commadore Hotel - the low point of our trip. It was dingy, with an Indian or Pakistani clerk. There was no bellman to assist us with our luggage again, and no air conditioning.   We immediately went to Leister Square and bought half price tickets to "Blood Brothers", an outstanding musical. Before the play we had a great Mexican chicken and beef fajita dinner at Chi Chi's Mexican Restaurant. We had three "pitchers" of ice tea after our first glass.  We traveled to and from dinner and the theater and back to the hotel by the tube.  When we returned our room was still hot and muggy.

7/26 - London - Houston - South Padre Island, Texas	

For our last European breakfast we had stale rolls, butter, jam, juice and coffee.  The restaurant was very dismal.  Michael was right on time.  We had to use him to get to the airport again due to the rail strike. It cost $55.00 U.S.  Our check-in was easy because we were flying first class. We waited at the President's Club, where we enjoyed free drinks, nuts, etc.  We both were upgraded to Business class for our trans-Atlantic Continental flight. On take-off Rhett's seat back collapsed - all the way to the floor. Both meals were great. There were two movies. The first was horrible, but the second was funny. We were about one hour late leaving and got to Houston about 5:15 p.m. (11:15 p.m. London time) During our layover we enjoyed Corona beers at the Presidents Club. Rhett fell asleep, and left his book. Darrell met us the Harlingen airport.  When we got to the condo I crashed but Rhett and Darrell went out.  Darrell took Rhett to the airport the next day for his flight to Dallas. 

CONCLUSION

It had been a great adventure.  Rhett and I got to know each other much better.  We met some wonderful people, from various parts of the country, with varied experiences.  Herta Witichen, our guide was a lovely person.  We got to know John and Dolores Comey really well.  It was an educational and relaxing vacation.

STUDYING SPANISH?  
GO TO GUADALAJARA51
Nov., 1989

“Welcome to your home” read the note on the back of the hotel manager’s card.  Mario Flores - Trejo had placed a large bowl of tropical fruit in my hotel room as a welcome gift from Guadalajara’s Hotel de los Reyes.  The high rise hotel was only one block from the largest market in Latin America, and only three blocks from the Plaza Tapatia - the main attraction of downtown Guadalajara.  My short sabbatical had gotten off to a good start!

For over two years I had planned to go somewhere in Mexico to study Spanish.  I had taken four semesters of Spanish in college (during the dark ages) and had more recently taken several conversational Spanish classes in continuing education classes in Memphis off and on from 1962 until 1980, and again on South Padre Island from 1985-1987.  Even so, I could hardly get by during even the simplest of conversations in Spanish.  I had tried a commercial school in Brownsville for about a month and found I could not keep up with my studies and my law practice at the same time.  So, it was time to either fish or cut bait!  If I was going to learn to speak Spanish on a conversational level, I had to take the time off.  Distractions at home dictated that I study in Mexico.

Through reading language school brochures; by making inquiries to Chamber of Commerce officials; and by asking everybody I met who had studied in Mexico, my possible choices were narrowed to a handful of schools.  The top contenders were two schools each in Cuernavaca and Guadalajara, and one in San Miguel de Allende.  I ruled out studying in Mexico City because of the high crime rate, air pollution, traffic congestion and the higher cost of living.  Cuernavaca is a delightful, but after a few days seeing the sights and eating the obligatory lunch as Las Mananitas Restaurant, the city leaves me cold.  The rambling pattern of the streets makes it extremely difficult to get around Cuernavaca.

In October, 1988, I had set out to spend the first of three weekly periods of study at the Instituto Allende at San Miguel de Allende.  Because my busy law practice, rather than the school’s agenda dictated when I could go, there were no classes starting, so I enrolled for four hours daily instruction with a private tutor.  I had two instructors, one very good and one not so good.  It took about four to five hours of homework each night to prepare for class.  I improved my Spanish considerably, due in no small part to living and eating three meals a day with a local family.  But if you are prone to getting headaches, I don’t recommend the private tutor scenario.  Being under fire for four straight hours each day was very stressful to me.

When I completed my week, I spoke with my tutor about my planned return in January.  She suggested that one week at a time over several months was not nearly as productive as three successive weeks.  For one thing you have the week-ends to study, and also to live in the culture helps to comprehend the language.

San Miguel Allende was a quaint town with several good restaurants and bars and many cultural events.  I decided however to spend my additional schooling in Guadalajara.

I chose Guadalajara because 1) as the second largest city in Mexico, the opportunities for dining, entertainment and cultural events were outstanding; 2) of the many nearby sights suitable for afternoon or day trips to places such as Tequila, Oblates Canyon for sightseeing and Tonala and Tlaquepaque for shopping; 3) of the wide selection in of accessible week-end destinations, such as Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo on the Pacific Coast or the many resorts on Lake Chapala; and 
4) because the city itself is full of history, museums, beautiful churches, monuments, fountains, gardens and wide boulevards, matched only by the capitals of Europe.

For a maquiladora executive or any business person, Guadalajara offers other advantages.  Most major hotels (including Hotel de los Reyes) make their fax machines available.  Their facility for handling long distance calls is much better than in the smaller metropolitan areas.  My hotel was 25 minutes from the airport whereas to get to San Miguel Allende, I had the choice of spending the night in Mexico City and then taking a four to five hour train52 ride or renting a car and attempting suicide by driving in Mexico City followed by a three hour drive after leaving the city.  Cuernavaca was a shorter drive - about one and one-half hours but the road signs in Mexico City are not designed for Gringos.

For those with worries about health problems, Guadalajara boasts one of the largest medical centers in the world.  I selected the Spanish Language School based on recommendations of people living in Guadalajara.

Having arrived on Friday evening in early November 1989, I had the week-end to relax and explore the city.  I discovered that a good number of the tourist attractions were either on or within a block of the huge downtown Plaza Tapatia.  These included the famous Metropolitan Cathedral, The Government Palace, the stunning Degollado Theater and Mariachi Plaza.  My decision to stay at the Hotel de los Reyes had proved to be a good one.

At 8:45 a.m. on Monday, I was greeted at the Spanish Language School with a cup of coffee and a short four page placement test.  By 9:15, I was enrolled and was issued my three class books - a workbook, a wonderful picture book which introduced 2000 everyday words and a conversation book.  I was put in a first trimester class that had started nine weeks earlier.  The school day was divided into five sessions, each lasting about 50 minutes.  The first session was spent in the laboratory listening to tapes and repeating phrases.  The remaining classes were in grammar, idioms, composition, and conversation.  Between the 3rd and 4th period there was a 20 minute break, and classes were over at 1:30 p.m.

The regular school curriculum covered three trimesters of 14 weeks each, with students entering in January, April or September.  For those whose schedules limited their time to learn Spanish, the school offered intensive 5 week courses - one in January and one in July.  The cost for the latter was $400.00.

For each conversation lesson there were cassette tapes available to check out and listen to at home.  Each lasted about one-half hour.  With an additional one to two hours study, a student could prepare adequately for the next day’s classes.  Once a week each student received a 30 minute tutoring session on phonetics.  The school also had a small library containing text books from most major disciplines and novels for travelers.

The school sponsored several outings each year and students were encouraged to participate in the many cultural and social events in and around Guadalajara.  By participating, students got to practice their newly acquired language skills.

I love music.  In Guadalajara there was literally some form of unusual entertainment every night.  During my first week I listened to the Jalisco State Band (concerts every Tuesday and Sunday), saw the London Philharmonic Orchestra in the newly redecorated Degollado Theater and was thrilled by the Mexican Navy Band’s rendition of the 1812 Overture.  The latter concert was in the open court yard of the Hospicio Canana, one of downtown Guadalajara’s most beautiful old buildings.  That same week, in the same courtyard, I heard  two and one-half hours of beautiful Cuban jazz performed by the Pablo Milanes group from Havana.  Their music was so great that I purchased three of their recordings.  During this same week the traveling rendition of “Chorus Line” gave two performances, and two separate groups performed their respective interpretation of Mexican folkloric ballet.  The two band concerts and both the ballets were all free.

The local English language newspaper, the Colony Guadalajara Reporter, comes out each week.  In this 50 odd page tabloid was contained the Mexican news of particular interest to the 30,000 Americans living in Guadalajara.  Any new student would want to be aware of its social calendar of special interest group meetings, and its community cultural calendar of special events.  Truly, there was something of interest for everybody.  During my first week in school, there were 21 art exhibitions.

Of course, most new arrivals want to get the lay of the land.  What better way than to take an organized tour?  The major city attractions can be seen in two tours of one-half day each.  For the hearty, a full day tour with lunch was offered at a slight discount.  Those planning a trip to study will also want to explore the shopping, food and architecture of both Tlaquepaque and Tonala, two suburbs on the outskirts.  A trip to the small town of Tequila took us about and hour north-east of town.  There is also a bullfight every Sunday at 3:00 p.m..  Be sure to purchase a “sombra” (shady side) and not a “sol” (sunny side) ticket.

My first week-end was spent at the delightful Real de Chapala Resort Hotel, on Lake Chapala, in the quaint little town of Ajijic.  Ajijic is about an hour’s drive south of  Guadalajara.  This former fishing village is filled with about 2,000 English speaking retirees and artists from the U.S., Canada and Great Britain.  They operate the Lake Chapala Society, which owns it own large building.  They publish their own calendar of events, and sponsor doctor check-ups, lectures, plays, musicals, and coordinate dozens of special interest groups.

The lake has been receding for years, with the water be drawn off by Mexico City.  The lovely lake is surrounded by mountains, with dozens of small towns and villages around it.  The town with the lake’s name is much larger than Ajijic, but lacks the charm of Ajijic.  The latter was obviously laid out by U.S. surveyors.  Palms, blooming jacarandas, tall oaks and flowering shrubs added to the charm of Ajijic.

My studies required me to budget my time.  However, I still had time for other trips on my remaining two week-ends.  I really did study Spanish on the beach!

One of my classmates had been enrolled for several weeks at one of the other schools in Guadalajara.  She told me she wasn’t learning anything there.  After a week at the Spanish Language School, she confirmed that it was the best in Guadalajara, and therefore one of the best, if not the best, in Mexico.

I noticed that the faculty (four of whom owned and operated the school) constantly consulted each other about each classes’ respective progress.  For instance, all of the students in my grammar class were having problems in distinguishing between the two different forms of the Spanish past tense53.  As a result, our conversation teacher focused on that area, as did our laboratory instructor.  All were very professional.  Also, the classes were limited to 10 students each to insure individual attention.  My class varied between four and six students during my three weeks.

Additionally, each individual student’s progress was monitored and class assignments were changed accordingly.  As an example, a bright multi-lingual student from Switzerland was placed in advanced classes except for conversation.  A Japanese student couldn’t keep up with our class, so a new class was formed for him and another new student.
	
Mexico celebrated National Postman’s Day during our second week.  The school’s handyman, “Don Lupe” ran lots of errands for the students like cashing travelers checks and going to the post office.  Since he was our “mail man”, the faculty and students honored him with a lunch-hour fiesta.  One of the more artistic students painted some neat “Snoopy” posters in his honor.  Students were encouraged to speak Spanish at all times.  Functions such as this helped my Spanish tremendously.

Having introduced you to Don Lupe, requires me to tell you about his better half, “Dona Chuy”.  The only place I ever saw her was in the school kitchen.  She was a wonderful cook.  Because my Spanish pronunciation was a bit better than the others in my class, she took to me immediately.  She was constantly cooking something and I was often given samples.  Each Tuesday and Friday she sold us tacos very inexpensively.  She was delighted to find out that at least one Gringo (me) preferred “suaves”54.  Where else can you buy five tacos for less than a dollar?  For dessert we picked tangerines from one of the five tangerine trees surrounding the pool in the school’s back yard.  We purchased soft drinks and pastries at the sundry store just around the corner.

The school itself was a two story building.  The kitchen, offices, library and a large assembly room were downstairs.  Five classrooms, the laboratory, restrooms and a large covered porch where classes were conducted were on the second floor.  Two additional classrooms were in a separate building opening into the pool area.

The school is located at 12 de Diciembre #359, Colonia Chapalita, Guadalajara, Jalisco.  Registration was $40.00, plus the tuition for the full 14 week course was $900.00.  Students qualified for discounts at the Guadalajara Posada Hotel and the Hotel de los Reyes.  As mentioned earlier, I stayed at the latter, which offered a 24 hour restaurant with room service, a roof top dining room, and a night club with new entertainment each week.  The hotel staff were all very cordial to me, including the waitresses in the coffee shop, who enjoyed helping me with my Spanish if I stumbled.  I enjoyed studying by the roof top pool, where they also offered food and beverage service.

I used the hotel fax machine on a daily basis to communicate with my law office, and their valet parking and laundry made my visit more enjoyable.  One of the Reyes brothers was in the hotel every day to insure that everything ran smoothly.  All the rooms were air conditioned and had cable T.V.

At last count, Guadalajara’s population was about three and one-half million, but it was estimated to be about five million when I studied there.  Like Denver, it is a mile high city, but unlike Denver, the weather is like Springtime year round.  Guadalajara has one of the finest zoos in Latin America.

By good time management I was able to complete my 14 week workbook in only three weeks.  Accordingly, the five week short course should leave ample time for leisure activity for most students.  To determine the number of college credits that might be earned at this school, one simply ears one semester credit for each full week in attendance.  A 14 week trimester would earn 14 semester hours credit, or almost enough for a college minor.  The five week intensive course in the Summer is the most popular for students.

Now it is time to talk a bit about the nearby beaches.  From Guadalajara several beautiful beaches are close enough to travel by car or a short plane ride.  Among the more famous are Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo.  Locals tend to go to Punta Bareidad and Costa Careyes.  I spent my first week-end night on the beach after a five hour drive at a beautiful hotel, the Costa Careyes.  “Careyes” is the name of the local turtle which annually comes up on the beach and deposits its eggs in the sand.  When I was there the hotel was almost empty, and I was a little bored.  I discovered that the Playa Blanca Club Med was in the same small bay and spent the remainder of my Mexican Independence Day week-end at Club Med.

My son, Darrell, joined me in Guadalajara on the Tuesday of my second week for Thanksgiving weekend .  That afternoon and evening were spent showing him the highlights of Guadalajara.  On Wednesday we enjoyed the five hour drive over the mountains to the beach, returning to Club Med for Thanksgiving week-end.   I had been to two other Club Med facilities previously, but this one by far outshone them both.  There were 93 “G.O.’s”55, whose sole job was to entertain and insure that each “G.M.”56 enjoyed themselves.  For $94.00 per person, per night, you were given a choice of three restaurants for your three meals plus a snack.  Lunch and dinner included unlimited beer and wine.
					
There was some form of entertainment going on almost 24 hours per day.  You could start your day by participating in a physical fitness group, basketball, volleyball, water volleyball, tennis, ping pong, archery or you could go on a half day or whole day deep sea fishing trip.  Instruction was given in snorkeling, followed by three boat trips a day to snorkel in the beautiful clear waters around Costa Careyes.  Lessons were also given in the sports mentioned above and in sailing.  You could take a small sail boat out into the bay, or if you preferred, you could try the single or two man kayaks.  Many of the Europeans enjoyed playing bocci ball on the beach.  Others just chose to relax either on the beach or by the spacious pool, or perhaps enjoyed a sauna and a massage at the health club.

Every afternoon at happy hour there were games for prizes at the bar and every night after dinner the “G.O.’s” had some sort of show ranging from talent night to a circus.  Horse back riding and nature hikes were also available.  At 11:00 p.m. the disco opened and didn’t close until 6:00 a.m, if there was still someone standing.

When we first arrived, Darrell was immediately fascinated by the trapeze set up.  This Club Med gave instructions in all manner of circus activities, down to clown makeup.  Although we got there only a few days before the weekly show, Darrell performed two separate trapeze acts at the end of the week talent show.  He held on by his knees, and allowed the “catcher” to catch him, then, after swinging back and forth a few times, turned around and caught the bar from which he had left.  The second trick required him to swing by his arms and to jump to the catcher, after which he turned to return to his original swing.  Darrell received a certificate for being “caught” on the high flying trapeze.  I was definitely impressed with his natural athletic ability.  At the time, he wanted to return some day to enhance his trapeze skills.

This long week-end gave the two of us lots of one on one time, and was enjoyed by us both.  My overall impression of this Club Med was that it was fantastic.  The food was superb.  Both Darrell and I hope to return.  He drove back to the hotel with me and left the next day to return to Houston, where he was living at the time.

The weather in Guadalajara makes it an ideal place for studying Spanish or just for sightseeing.  The people were hospitable and it was impossible to participate in all the great number of cultural events offered.  The proximity of Lake Chapala and the Pacific beaches, offer a wide opportunity for week-end travel.  The Spanish Language School is one of the best in Latin America.  If you want to lean Spanish, go to Guadalajara.

						
MYSTICAL PERU
June 15-21, 199057

For years I had dreamed of standing on top of the Machu Picchu mountain overlooking the ruins of the ancient Inca Indians' final redoubt.  Eric Van Daniken had speculated that the Plains of Nasca served as a landing strip for aliens, who he claimed visited Earth thousand of years ago.  The carvings on that plain had been calling to me since reading his books The Chariot of the Gods and The Gold of the Gods.  Finally the trip became available.  Robin and I had just gotten back from the Jack Tar Village in the Dominican Republic the month before.  She couldn't take the time off from work or from summer school, so I set off alone.  This trip was about thirteen months before Robin and I were married.

Because of bad flight connections, I flew to New Orleans the afternoon before.  I had worked right up until the last minute so after about a 30 minute walk up Canal Street, I went back to the Marriott Hotel, ate dinner in the room and watched T.V.  The following morning I changed planes in Atlanta for Miami where I was to board my Eastern Airlines non-stop flight to Lima.

I joined a group of travel agents for this "FAM" trip to Peru.  We met in the Miami Airport, but I didn't get to know any of them until we got to Peru.  We were on an LC 1011 wide bodied Eastern flight to Lima, scheduled to depart about 5:15 p.m. 

Immediately after boarding in Miami, a drunk young man opened the overhead compartment above me and a package containing two glass 750 milliliter bottles of scotch fell squarely on top of my head.  I was dazed, and a golf ball sized "goose egg" formed on my head.  I also felt an immediate sharp pain in my neck.  I later briefly lost consciousness and threw up.  I kept ice packs on my neck and head for the entire five hour flight.

As we made our final approach into its coastal airport, we had an impressive view of the brilliant lights of Lima which welcomed us.  After clearing customs and immigration we boarded the bus that was to take us to the hotel.  

After a "tour" of Lima's slums, we arrived in El Centro58, where the colonial architecture was pleasing to the eye.  We entered the Crillon Hotel via the alley entrance.  We noted that both ends of the alley were barricaded and were manned by soldiers dressed in battle gear, some of whom carried automatic weapons.  There were also armed soldiers at the back door and in front of the main entrance.

We later learned that President Elect Fujimori, the son of Japanese immigrants, was staying in our hotel.  He was conducting meetings with the people he was appointing to fill key posts in his new Government.

I was vaguely aware of a guerilla group called "The Shining Path", which had been active in the northern hills.  I had even called the U.S. State Department "hot line" about the safety of this trip.  The recorded message did give a warning, but led me to believe there was no danger in the areas of our tour.  Ha! Ha!  We discovered that there had in fact been several bombings in Lima during the past few days before our arrival.

We were treated to a welcome drink and snacks in the dimly lit lobby bar, where  our itinerary  was passed out and announcements were made by our tour director, Ms. Sue Fullerton.  Steve Patrick of Boulder, Colorado was designated as my roommate.  We were assigned to a nice corner suite, in this stately old hotel.  It was not luxurious, but it was clean and apparently very safe.  There were two full sized bath tubs on opposite ends of our gigantic bath.  We didn't bother to unpack, because we had a 4:30 a.m. wake up call.

The following morning the 19 of us, bleary eyed yet anxious, met in the lobby.  All of us were seasoned travelers, so we each waited until we had watched our luggage being loaded on the bus before we got on.  Some of us had gotten coffee in the lobby, but the others had to wait until we were served breakfast on our flight to Cuzco. It was still dark when our Aeroperu vintage DC 8 aircraft lifted off over the somber waters of the Pacific.  As we climbed though the scattered clouds we turned west, where we were greeted with a glorious sunrise emerging over the majestic snow capped Andes.

For a long time we flew around the mountains looking "up" at their prominent peaks which protruded through a blanket of thick white clouds.  The landscape appeared like a snow carpeted valley between the mountains.  Some of us began to wonder if the airplane was going to be able to surmount these formidable barriers.  Others of us noticed that strong mountain air currents moved us like a straw in the wind.  Breakfast at least distracted us for awhile.

CUZCO, 
THE ARCHEOLOGICAL CAPITAL OF THE AMERICAS
AND IMPERIAL CITY OF THE INCAS

After a hour's flight we descended though a maze of mountains toward the Cuzco Airport.  I would swear that we came so close to some of those mountain tops that we stirred up dust on them.  When we landed, the aircraft didn't pull up to the terminal.  As we walked toward the terminal we found ourselves about to be run down by a taxiing 707.  Fortunately, we made it through the airport and headed towards our tour bus.  
We were converged upon by an army of impish children hawking all sorts of post cards, handicrafts, jewelry and other souvenirs.  They were aggressive but in a cheerful way.  One little boy, who was about 10 spoke some English.  His almost angelic face needed a good washing, as did his tattered clothes.

Cuzco is nestled in a mountain valley at an elevation of about 11,000 feet.  Thus, we were cautioned to use sun screen, to avoid over exertion and to ration our alcohol consumption.  We were delighted by the beautiful white colonial city covered with terra cotta tiled roofs and lined with narrow cobblestone streets.  The weather was about 20 degrees cooler than in Lima.  Smoke wafted from chimneys and a friendly fire in an imposing fireplace greeted us in our comfortable hotel lobby.  

We were ushered into one of the restaurants of our lovely and historic Hotel Libertador, where we were treated with Cuzco's internationally famous cocoa tea.  This tea is said to be a preventative for altitude sickness.  There, while sipping our hot tea, we enjoyed a relaxed view into one of the hotel's several serene courtyards.  It was also strongly suggested that our first few hours be spent resting to further ward off altitude sickness. 

My room smelled of spring.  The window overlooking another beautifully landscaped courtyard was open.  There was no need for air conditioning.  As I relaxed on the bed, I could hear the singing of several birds interwoven with the gentle splashing of water in the fountain below.  After a short nap, I joined some of the others in another and larger restaurant for a nice lunch.  This restaurant opened into the hotel's major courtyard, parts of which dated back to the 17th Century.

That afternoon we had a four hour tour of the area.  In town, we visited the Plaza de Armas and entered the Cathedral.  While in front of the church I saw a familiar group of children encircling a group of Italian tourists.  The same youngster who had gotten my attention at the airport was hawking the same goods - in Italian!  When his customers boarded their bus, the childrens' attention was redirected toward us.  I talked with this little boy in Spanish long enough to find out that he could also sell his trinkets and bargain in German and Japanese.  I ended up buying several of my gifts from him.  I knew that with his entrepreneurial talents he would pull himself out of the poverty surrounding him.

Our afternoon tour later took us up to the ancient temple and fortress of Sacsayhuaman, which from about 13,000 feet has a commanding view of Cuzco and the surrounding valley.   The fortress consisted of huge odd shaped stones, some 20 x 10 x 10 feet carved to fit together with preciseness.  We marveled not only about the craftsmanship of the stone masons, but also about their method of moving the huge monoliths.  While we were walking around these primitive holy grounds large ominous black clouds moved over us, casting an eerie feeling about our surroundings.

The following day we drove further up towards the clouds to a cliff overhang where a large white statute of Christ with outstretched arms watched over Cuzco below.  Continuing our upward quest, we stopped in a small village.  Two children in colorful native dress, together with their family llama serenaded us before and after our visit with a performing Andean condor.  This bird had a wingspan of at least seven feet, and was trained to jump on the back of its owner and flap its impressive wings. 

Our day long journey then took us down into the sacred Valley of the Kings.  After about an hour and one-half,  the winding road which followed and crossed the Urabamba River led us to the famous village of Pisac.  We were lucky because it was "market day", when the Pisac Mayors, in full ceremonial dress, lead a crowd of onlookers to the small cathedral in the center of town.  Natives, from all over the valley come to Pisac to shop or to sell their wares.  Some had covered stalls which lined the narrow dirt and cobblestone streets.  Other merchants offered their wares from blankets spread over the ground, many of which were shared by infants.  

The jewelry, art, leather and handicrafts were a true bargain.  I purchased two small original water colors for $1.50 each.  Brass and ceramic jewelry was a steal.  Just strolling through the market was an experience.  It had sounds and odors all its own.

American dollars were widely accepted all over Peru, even in small villages like Pisac.  Travelers checks were discounted three and one-half percent uniformly.  The Black Market for dollars was rampant, offering four and one-half percent better than at banks.  Peru, at this time was beginning to experience a period of its worst inflation - the highest in Latin America.  We witnessed the decline of the Peruvian Inti at the rate of two percent per day.  

After Pisac, we stopped at a small hotel for an enjoyable fixed lunch, followed by a stroll though its grounds, where we were entertained by colorful parrots, monkeys and other small animals in its mini-zoo.  It was a charming spot for photographs, with the full cooperation of the weather.  

Our driver Victor smiled continuously.  Zoilo, our guide spoke good English and appeared to enjoy explaining the Inca culture and architecture to us.

Our final stop for the day was another ancient ruin, which was carved from facing mountainsides.  We climbed to the top on the side open to the public, which was no small accomplishment.  We had a commanding view of many miles of the Urabamba Valley.  Directly across from us were the remains of several pre-Columbian Inca astrological observatories.  We learned that the Incas relied heavily on their astrologers to tell them when to plant their crops.

Before dinner at the hotel we all enjoyed casual conversation while sitting on the comfortable heavy leather furniture in the sala facing the warm fireplace.  This large room was decorated with warm colored native rugs partially covering refinished tile floors.  Lining the walls were large antique oil paintings accented by pin lights.  Dominating this meeting area was a huge wrought iron chandelier, which once bore dozens of candles.
A candlelight dinner with two drinks at the hotel complete with a pianist cost 1,000,000 Intis.  Fortunately, the rate of exchange that night was about 60,000 to one - so I spent about $16.00, including tip.  Most of the staff at the hotel spoke a little English.  They were very polite and helpful. I was glad the hotel had central heat, because it was cold enough that evening that you could see your breath.

We had another early wake-up the following morning.  Our bus to the train station left the hotel at 5:30 a.m.  The railroad station was only a few minutes away.  We learned that there were two trains each day from Cuzco to Machu Picchu.  The "local" looked like a wild west coal burner.  It was being boarded by locals carrying chickens, lunch baskets and all manner and sorts of luggage.  Our "express" was a modern, bright orange and yellow, air conditioned and carpeted train, complete with snack bar.  We had assigned seats, and the train left promptly at the designated time.

Leaving the Cuzco station was quite an experience.  In order for the train to get over the mountain immediately behind the city, we were switched back and forth in a continuous "Z" fashion up the side of the mountain, gaining several hundred feet in elevation with each swinging movement.   

The train also meandered along with the Urabamba River through the Valley of the Inca Kings.  The rapidly passing scenery was breathtaking.  The beauty of the landscape was enhanced by the picture windows on the train.  Little did we expect the excitement that awaited us upon our arrival at the Machu Picchu railroad station that morning.  

MACHU PICCHU
THE LAST BASTION OF THE INCAS

The Machu Picchu railroad station is on the floor of the valley, several thousand feet below the entrance to the ruins.  We were propelled up the narrow, winding, gravel mountain road, in buses driven by young daredevils, who apparently had a wager on getting to the top fastest.  There were hairpin turns which we traversed by controlled fish tailing!  There were tree tops where the shoulder would have been.  Believe me when I tell you, there was a massive flow of adrenalin on each bus.

After a few minutes for catching our breath, we discovered there was no cause for hurry.  The employees were on strike, and no tourists were being admitted for the time being.  While waiting on them to get their demonstration organized we took advantage of the panoramic view down into the valley.  The station below appeared minuscule.  The sharp jagged pinnacles surrounding us were covered with lush semi-tropical growth.  Low clouds caressed the valley below, but we were blessed with a clear blue sky.

After a brief demonstration, we were admitted.  Our guide gave us an in depth tour.  We learned that this was one of the only Inca cities which was not discovered by the Conquistadors in their purge and looting of the Incas. 

The Incas built their buildings with stone walls and thatch roofs.  No attempt had been made to reconstruct the roofs of the buildings.  The rooms were small, and the doors were about 5 feet high, indicating that the Indians were short of stature.  This aboriginal city was separated into functional areas: residential, ceremonial, agricultural and governmental.  I even sat in one of the narrow jail cells.  There were no bars, however.  The prisoner's arms were placed through holes on either side of a narrow bench, after which they were tied together.

Words cannot describe the exhilarating feeling that came over me as I strolled through these ruins.  It was an awareness experienced rarely - such at historic places like Stonehenge or scenic wonders such as the Matterhorn.  Here, we had both history and scenery.  Our guide told us about the human sacrifices, which the Incas felt would insure a good harvest.  It really paid to be popular, because the least popular native was tied to a stone alter, where his throat was slit. 

After lunch on the open air porch of the hotel adjacent to the ruins, we sat with our faces soaking up the sun.  In anticipation of a hair curling ride down the mountain, I had consumed a couple of beers to fortify me.  As it turned out, I wished I'd had three!

That evening, back in Cuzco, eight of us tried a restaurant recommended by a few of our group who had eaten there the evening before.  El Meson, was a "parilla" located on the second floor of one of the corner buildings on the main square.  The "parilla plate" for one was enough for at least three and maybe four people.  It contained a delicious variety of broiled steak, chicken, lamb and sausages and french fries.  With two large beers and chocolate cake, it cost $9.00, including tip. El Meson had a warm and colorful ambiance, and I would definitely recommend it.  

We enjoyed our brief walk from the hotel to the restaurant and back.  Cuzco, in contrast with Lima appeared to be relatively crime free.  There were no soldiers in sight.  It was also a very casual town, where jeans and tennis shoes were appropriate everywhere.  It was remarkably clean, and the streets were almost deserted, perhaps by the chill which was in the air.  After a night cap in the sala before the roaring fire with others in our group, we packed for our early morning return to Lima.

When we arrived at the airport we discovered that our 8:40 a.m. flight had been canceled.  The only other plane out that day was at 10:30 a.m..  We were told that this was because high winds in the afternoon made it too dangerous to fly.  The open seating on our return flight, which finally took off about noon, led to a free for all, with passengers from two flights rushing for seats.

LIMA, THE "CITY OF KINGS"

That afternoon, after checking back into the Crillon Hotel, we were given a guided tour of Lima.  When we arrived at the main square, we found all four corners were barricaded and reinforced with heavily armed troops, tanks, armored personnel carriers and water cannons.  Locals were prevented from entering the square, which housed the Palacio De Gobienero.  

When our tour bus unloaded us in front of the Cathedral De Lima, I felt more like a "target" than a tourist.  Even so, I went to the center of the deserted Plaza De Armas to take a picture of the sixteenth century Cathedral. Inside, we viewed some remarkable religious items, including a gold inlaid alter and colorful new world art.  It is also the resting place of Francisco Pizzaro, Conquistador of Spanish America.

Throughout the old quarter the streets were garrisoned with soldiers.  There was a sprinkling of tanks and troop carriers throughout.  The threat of terrorism was ever present.  I had thought that pickpockets would be my major threat.

A more relaxed atmosphere existed in the modern coastal suburb of Mira Flores, where we stopped at a seaside "mirador" for refreshments.  The weather was spring-like, in this yuppie area adorned with small parks, and flower lined streets, with not a soldier in sight. As I was enjoying a drink in the lobby that afternoon, I saw president elect Fujimori as he and his entourage walked through the hotel.

That evening we had a farewell party at the night club on the top floor of our hotel.  After a reasonably good dinner a superb folk music group, complete with authentic dancers entertained us.  They were followed by a diverse floor show, during which I was selected for a special "candle dance".  My goal was to prevent the paper attached to my coat tail from being caught on fire by the candle of my dance partner  It was fun.  Later, another beautiful dancer selected me to dance a Latin number with her.

The view of the sparkling lights from the 20th floor again made the city appear more glamorous than reality.  I left early to pack for my full day tour of the Plains of Nasca, which I had arranged.  All the others remained downtown or went back to Mira Flores to shop or for a leisure lunch on our free day.

THE PLAINS OF NASCA

The initial leg of this adventure was from Lima to Nasca via Aero Condor, a small twin engine three passenger aircraft.  The only other passenger was a female Japanese college student, who spoke very little English or Spanish.  It didn't matter much anyway because of the noise of the engines.  It was a flight of about one and one-half hours, much of which was over the ocean.  Because of warm Pacific currents the ocean and coastal areas were covered with a thick layer of clouds.  As we crossed over the shoreline, we left the clouds behind, revealing that the land below was flat and barren.  At 7,000 feet we were afforded an excellent panoramic view of the snow capped Andes in the distance.

When we landed, it was hot and arid.  We found ourselves in a flat desert plain surrounded by barren rolling hills with no vegetation in sight.  We were escorted to an open air restaurant, bar and gift shop, which, other than two small aircraft hangers and a tool shed, was the only building within sight.  The frosty beer that I savored  together with the nice breeze brought back pleasant memories of palapas along the Mexican coast.

As a charter member of the "white knuckle" club, you must know that I have successfully avoided single engine airplanes all my life.  That distinction was about to become abandoned, because I had come to see the pre Columbian drawings etched on the valley floor, and the only way to do that was in a small single engine, wing over airplane with a native pilot.  I sat in the co-pilot's seat.

This was the drill:  We would fly by one of the figures to the left of the plane and bank to the left to afford a good view.  Then, we would approach the same figure from the right of the aircraft, with a bank in that direction.  I had both a still and video cameras.  I attempted to use them both, but due to my excitement, messed up a few shots.  I was actually too excited to be scared.  

During our one and one-half  hour tour of this enigmatic pampa, we had close up views of the hummingbird, monkey, dog, spider, condor, astronaut, whale, parrot, pelican and a tree.  These figures were surrounded by all sorts of geometric designs, including the series of long parallel and converging lines, which Von Daniken had perceived as the landing strip for the spacecraft of ancient alien visitors.  The thrill of this day was second only to my underwater exploits on the U.S.S. Memphis (SSN 693)59.  My adrenalin was pumping madly when we landed.  As I walked away from the plane, I was weak knee'd from exhaustion.

After a relaxing lunch my pulse returned to normal.  We were driven into Nasca, a small town of about 25,000 inhabitants, which lies on the Pan American Highway.  There we met with the sister of Maria Reiche, the anthropologist who had researched the "lines" since 1940.  Mrs. Reiche, who is now blind, has written several books about the controversial lines and is credited with solving their mystery.  I purchased one of her books, which her sister had autographed for me.  

These drawings were carved into the dry earth by Nasca Indians between 300 B.C. and 700 A.D. which predated the Incas by about a millennium.  Many scholars believe that there is a correlation between the drawings and the stellar constellations.  Since there are no nearby mountains to afford those Indians a view of their drawings, how were they so perfectly drawn?  The mystery endures!

After another beer at the airport, we boarded the small airliner for our return to Lima.  My
palms were wet all the way.  We landed in time for me to join up with my group for our return flight to Miami.  Except for no air conditioning, the only notable event was the continuous falling of pillows from the overhead compartments.

Except for my injury, this had been an exciting trip. Now, each time I listen to the sounds of Peruvian music on the cassets I bought there, a cornucopia of visual memories remind me of its mystical charm.

ED AND ROBIN’S HONEYMOON
ASIA, 1991

Robin and I were married on July 14, 1991, by the pool at Boardwalk Condominiums and Yacht Club on South Padre Island, Texas.  All four of our children and Robin’s family were present.  We were all serenaded by a nine piece Mariachi band.  We allowed a day for final preparations for our four week Oriental odyssey.

We flew American Airlines from Harlingen to DFW and from DFW to Los Angeles.  We were upgraded to First Class on both flights.  Our first night was spent at the Holiday Inn Airport in Los Angeles.  That evening we saw the Broadway production of Phantom of the Opera.  Wow, what a great show.  Both lead singers had powerful voices, and the special effects were breathtaking.  Because of time, we ate both dinner that night and breakfast the next morning at McDonalds, next to the hotel.

On July 17th we flew from Los Angeles to Hong Kong.  We were delighted to find that Cathay Pacific Airlines had upgraded us to Marco Polo Business Class60 for our 14 ½ hour flight.  Business class included both leg and foot rests.  The stewardess presented us with a bottle of champagne, compliments of both the airlines and our travel agent, Beverly.  To entertain us there were three movies, video, news, sports, a Hong Kong Discovery program and a comedy.  Computer generated maps with the position of the aircraft; its altitude, speed, and distance from cities along our route and our head/tail wind speed were shown periodically on the movie screen.

Our first meal was great.  The second meal had some very strange and unusual Oriental spices.  We enjoyed excellent service from the stewardesses.  It was a long and uneventful flight, on which I could not sleep.  Robin had no problem sleeping for several hours.  Since we crossed the international date line, we arrived in Hong Kong on July 18th.  

HONG KONG

A tour company representative met us at the airport in a Mercedes-Benz.  He took us to the J. W. Marriott, a five star property.  It was one of the finest hotels we had ever stayed in.  It was a gorgeous two year old property.  Our room was on the 31st floor facing the mountains, and looking down at the hotel swimming pool.  Some of the amenities included a king size bed; two master controls for the lights, draperies, sheers, etc.; wet bar; lounge chair and ottoman; desk, chair, and small table; and two terrycloth robes.  Shortly after we arrived in the room the hotel sent us complimentary flowers and tea, and an orchid for Robin.  We ordered some food from room service, ate and went to sleep.

At the time of this, our first visit to Hong Kong, it was an English Crown Colony. Only a few more years were left under a treaty with China, that had given England governance of Hong Kong, Kowloon, and the New Territories, for 100 years.  It was a booming metropolis with hundreds of skyscrapers and some six and one-half million souls.  Hong Kong was the shining star of capitalism, surrounded by a communist country, which was just waiting to gobble it up.  Citizens of Hong Kong that we encountered were all uneasy about the prospect of being subjugated by a communist regime..

Our first full day was started with a scrumptious buffet breakfast in a dining room overlooking Hong Kong harbor, which included omelettes, waffles, fresh fruit, etc.  We noticed lots of construction.  During our tour of the Middle Kingdom, we learned that Typhoon Amy was 483 km61 away and heading for us.  Middle Kingdom was a bit disappointing to us.  There were only a few interesting displays, and it was hot and very crowded.  An entertaining 45 minute “culture show” was mostly acrobatics and juggling.  The crowd consisted mostly of children, many of whom were very loud.  

Following our tour we took the subway under the harbor to Kowloon to visit Sam’s Tailors.  I ordered two suits with extra slacks, a blue cashmere blazer with three pair of slacks, a green travel jacket, and a dozen hand tailored shirts.  When we left the tailor, we walked a few blocks to the famous Peninsula Hotel, where we had a nice lunch in the coffee shop.  Afterwards, because we were tired and hot, we took an expensive taxi back to the hotel.  That afternoon we basked in the sun and read by the hotel swimming pool.  Robin loved being able to look up at the skyscrapers. 

At the nearby mall, we felt like we were in the United States.  We wrote to our family that we enjoyed Oriental food.  At the mall food court were outlets for McDonalds, Kentucy Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut and Long John Silvers.  At other locations in Hong Kong we saw Burger King, Dunkin Doughnuts, and other American fast food chains.

The following morning our harbor cruise had been canceled because of Typhoon Amy.  Condition Three had been set in Hong Kong.  It wasn’t raining so we walked to the MTR Admiralty station and took the subway to Kowloon for my first fitting at the tailors.  Nearby I bought a pair of prescription Maserati bifocal sunglasses.  We purchased six new watches for family members, and shopped for some clothes for Missy.  Later we walked through the harbor side park towards the famous Star Ferry.  We took the ferry back to Hong Kong, which was no big deal.

From the ferry we enjoyed an exciting ride on top of a double decker bus to the tram station.  The tram ride up to the peak was a bit scary.  When we arrived we had a breathtaking view of Hong Kong, Kowloon, and the New Territories.  We continued to enjoy this fantastic view during our nice buffet lunch at the Tram Tower Restaurant.

We returned to the hotel for a nap.  That evening we took a taxi to Blake Pier to meet the “Junk” for our sunset harbor cruise and Chinese dinner at the famous Jumbo Floating Restaurant.  It was a beautiful restaurant, but a lousy meal.  We were seated at a large round table with six Chinese strangers, all of whom seemed to be having a good time.  The first noodles I tasted were so bad, I couldn’t swallow them.  I walked rapidly to the men’s room to spit them out.  While there, we posed for pictures in beautiful ornate Chinese robes in a regal oriental setting.  This is one of our favorite photographs from all of our travels.  The return boat ride along the lighted harbor, by moonlight, was very romantic.

When we went on the Hong Kong Island Tour they took us back up to the peak in the tram and down by bus.  We went back to Aberdeen, home of the Jumbo Restaurant, and took a harbor tour by water taxi.  Then we went around the island to Stanley Market, where we shopped and shopped and shopped.  After stopping at McDonalds in the downtown mall for lunch, we returned to the hotel, where I “dropped”, and took a well deserved three hour nap.  That evening we ate dinner at Ryan’s Chicago Grill in the mall.  Robin ordered some strange nachos and I had some baby back pork ribs, which were pretty good.

MACAU

Our next day was dedicated to a trip to Macau, an independent Portugese enclave on the Chinese coast, southwest of Hong Kong.  We started our tour with a 45 minute hydrofoil boat trip to Macau.  Across the Chinese border from Macau was a new “special zone” in China where the government allowed private ownership of businesses, which is also allowed in Shekew.  We were met in Macau by our guide, Helen.  Just like Hong Kong, Macau was hot and humid.  Our first stop was at the border to China, where we shopped in several nearby shops.  Our second stop was at the facade of an old Catholic church at the base of the fortress, which is now a weather observatory.  Nearby, we bought Robin’s jade bracelet and Rhett’s chess set - after much bargaining.  

A Hungarian couple traveling with the man’s mother were very interesting.  They drank lots of beer and he bought ten rip-off Rolex watches for 1130 Hong Kong dollars.  The rain put a damper on our visit to one of the five casinos where we pumped money into slot machines for the better part of an hour.  

Our return to Hong Kong was by way of a catamaran type hydrofoil, which took an hour.  Afterwards, we went to the subway for a trip back to Kowloon for my second fitting with the tailor.  Nearby, we picked up the prescription sunglasses I had ordered.  When we got back to the hotel we took a cool dip in the pool, which was very refreshing.  Dinner was from room service, including sandwiches, and ice cream for me.  That night we turned in early.
CHINA

July 23rd was our longest tour day in the Orient, a 15 ½ hour tour of China.  Typhoon Amy had missed Hong Kong, but Typhoon Brendon was already stirring up the waters in Hong Kong Bay when our giant hovercraft left for Shekew, China.  The hovercraft was not nearly as spacious, as clean, or as smooth riding as either of the hydrofoils we had ridden to Macau.  Our Hong Kong guide throughout the day was Ricky, and our Chinese guide was Danny.  Both guides were good.  In Shekew we stopped briefly at a dingy museum where we saw a terra cotta warrior and a terra cotta horse from Xian.  Later we stopped at a kindergarten, where the neatly dressed children sang two songs for us.  There was then a short stop at a fruit stand for refreshments, including cokes and ice cream.

After about a one hour bus ride through very poor areas of rice farms and antiquated small factories, we stopped for a wonderful lunch at the Hotel Dongguan, which was truly an oasis. Our food was served family style.  The main dish was a delicious Peking Duck, which they insisted should be eaten with the skin. We sampled from dozens of other excellent dishes which had been placed on a large lazy Susan on our table.  From what we could observe, this part of China - its “special zone”, was 50 years behind the U.S.  Our bus was caught in a traffic jam for about 1 ½ hours on the way to Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton) due to road construction.  Instead of heavy equipment, they were primarily relying upon coolie laborers to smooth the freshly poured concrete by hand rolling, etc.  They were not using any automatic equipment.

Again, the rain prevented us from stopping at the Temple of Six Banyan Trees.  The impressive Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall was closed.  It was beautiful from the outside, with its distinctive blue tiled oriental roof.  When we got to the zoo, its main attraction, two panda bears, were both inside eating dinner so we didn’t get to see them.  There was of course time for a bit of shopping before we returned to Hong Kong.  In China we bought silk robes for our four kids and one for Rhett’s friend, Alex.  For Darrell, we purchased a beautiful pair of cloisonne chopsticks for his collection.  Our train ride back to Hong Kong took about three hours.  Each car on the train had a stewardess.  Surprisingly, the train was both clean and air conditioned.

When we got back late that evening, Typhoon Brendon had been upgraded to condition #8.  It was after 10:00 p.m. when we got back to the hotel.  We walked down the block to the Mall, in hopes of eating a quick dinner at McDonalds, but it and all the other fast food outlets in the mall were closed.  It was raining hard, and we got soaked.  We showered and for the second time ordered sandwiches from room service.  

It was about 11:30 when we got to bed.  We had a 6:30 wake up call to make our flight to Bangkok.  We kept the television on all night to keep abreast with the movement of the typhoon, which was heading directly for Hong Kong.  The typhoon hit Hong Kong about 3:00 a.m., with its center over nearby Macau.  We were up by 5:30 a.m. trying to get an update on T.V.
We finished packing, not knowing if our flight would be canceled or delayed.  At 7:00 a.m. it was still condition #8, with gusts up to 65 knots62 per hour.  Upon checking in at the airport, we were informed that our Cathay Pacific flight would not be delayed.  Although we had mixed emotions about leaving in the midst of a typhoon, we were elated to learn that once again we have been upgraded to “Marco Polo” business class.

The plane was late taking off.  When we got airborne, the typhoon was still rated as “condition #8".  Believe me, it was a hair raising take off.  Typhoon winds buffeted our 747 aircraft, causing a great deal of lateral movement from side to side, as well as flying through huge air pockets.  It would be safe bet that many sets of finger prints were imbedded on the arm rests of that aircraft.  When we finally got over the storm, the pilot came on the loud speaker, and said in a strong 	English accent: “Now, that wasn’t so bad, was it”.  Everybody laughed.  Then he told us that it wasn’t as bad as he had expected because of the strong tail wind when we took off!  In a few minutes the ride became smooth, and it stayed that way for the remainder of two and one-half hour flight to Bangkok.

BANGKOK, THAILAND

Again, we were met at the airport by a tour company representative.  It was a long ride from the airport to the Shangri La Hotel.  At the hotel, a hostess in a beautiful silk and gold embroidered Thai gown with gold chains and lavish jewelry, greeted us with the traditional sign of respect, with her hands together, pointing upwards in front of her, and her head bowed.  This lovely hostess assisted our check in and took us to our commodious fourth floor room overlooking the pool and the Chao Phya River.  In addition to the beautiful bowl of exotic fruit in the room, the hotel sent up a “Happy Honeymoon” cake, toped with jellied fruits and nuts.  

We immediately put on our hotel robes and sandals and went to the pool for our complimentary rum and fruit drinks, and a tasty snack of curried shrimp, bananas, scallions, and tomatoes, served to us with American iced tea.  We relaxed in and around the pool for the remainder of the afternoon.  It was surrounded by red and white blooming trees, bougainvillea, pink flowers, palms and blooming shrubs.  The pool was alongside the river, but separated from it by lush tropical shrubs, like an oasis.  Unfortunately, we both got a little sun burned, forgetting our proximity to the equator63.

That evening we ventured into Thai cuisine by eating at the hotel’s Salathip Restaurant, nestled alongside  the river.  The lovely restaurant was constructed of beautiful teak wood in traditional Thai architecture.  The interior was decorated with authentic ceramics, bronze statuary, overhead fans, and silk wall hangings.  Our candle lit table was set with fine china, silver, crystal and a damask table cloth and napkins.  The lights were set low, to allow us a better view of the illuminated boat traffic out the window next to our table.  Our chairs were rattan, with an overstuffed seat, to insure our comfort.  The fried prawn with a sweet hot sauce was the highlight of the meal.  Beef consume with mint preceded the main course of curried chicken on rice, steamed vegetables, and another large deep fried prawn with a delightfully different sweet and hot sauce.  This wonderful meal was to the accompaniment of costumed musicians playing lovely and delicate music on ancient Thai instruments.  It was probably our most romantic and one of  the best meals of our honeymoon.  Certainly, it was the most memorable.

The following morning we had a beautiful buffet breakfast.  After fighting awful traffic for over an hour we took a one and one-half hour tour of the magnificent Thai Royal Palace.  It was a walled in, one square mile area containing the most beautiful buildings in the world.  The tile roofs of red, green and yellow, were all trimmed in gold.  Each building was decorated in gold and ceramic tiles with delicate hand painted flowers.  The temples were guarded by a variety of stone monkeys, roosters, people, foo dogs, Chinese warriors and Goddesses.  We saw the famous “Emerald Buddha”, which is really jade.  Words cannot describe the beauty of these buildings, and the decorations which adorn them.  As for the remainder of the city, it appeared to us that the living standard in Bangkok, was about the same as in Mexico City.

Later we drove by the Marble Temple, the “swing” and many government buildings.  After a pleasant afternoon under an umbrella by the pool, we went to a Thai dinner with classical dancing.  We left our shoes outside.  The tables were only one foot off the floor, but pits were provided for our legs.  Robin wore a white lace gown and looked beautiful. The food was good, but the music was nerve-racking.  There was no melody - only controlled noise.  The costumes however, were colorful and elegant.  We were seated with a nice older couple from Boca Raton, Florida, who had lived in Memphis, Tennessee during World War II.

As we were leaving three Japanese ladies were stroking my beard and jabbering wildly to one another, giggling all the time.  One gently rubbed the hairs on my arm.  Returning to the hotel, we passed though the sex oriented part of the city, with lots of flashing neon lights and women of the night on the streets.

The next day was spent on an all day tour of the Floating Market and the Rose Garden.  It was a local holiday, so there was no heavy traffic.  Our guide Ted, gave us a great history lesson.  Of the 55 - 60 million people who live in Thailand, some seven million live in Bangkok.  About three million farmers live in the city during the off season.  Bangkok’s new name is the longest in the world and means City of Angels.  It is officially the hottest city in the world.

To reach the floating market, we got into long slender boats, about 4 feet wide and 80 feet long..  The propellers to the motors were located at the end of a six foot long, stick-like rudder.  The boats plied the river waters very fast, creating a large wake.  Lots of splash.  It was a bumpy ride, crossing the wakes of other boats using the river.  At the Floating Market we bought rip off hand bags and tee shirts for the girls, an ivory and gold ring for Robin, and a ten inch Thai Demon Temple Guard for the house.  As in Mexico, the vendors seemed to start at about three times the ultimate selling price.

Back on the bus we noticed that here the road crews used modern equipment.  New construction projects included a large number of apartment buildings, some groups of which were being built around new shopping centers.  

Our next stop was a snake farm where we watched a show of young boys handling cobras and pythons.  Then they staged a battle between a cobra and a mongoose.

Afterwards, we visited the largest pagoda in Thailand.  It had been built on top of another, smaller pagoda.  We could find no public entrances.  These pagodas served as a mausoleum for ashes of the royal family.

The highlight of our day was our visit to the Rose Garden, where we had a lovely lunch at a covered outdoor restaurant next to a river.  Covering several acres, the Rose Garden contains a hotel, several restaurants, shops, gardens, fountains, and an indoor air conditioned arena.  It was in that arena that we saw a delightful show.  My impression was that immediately beyond the Rose Garden, was tropical jungle.  Performers entertained us with kick boxing, sword dances, a Buddhist priest inaugural procession, a Thai wedding, and several colorful folk dances.  These performances were all accompanied by much better musicians, who played their native instruments.

Probably the most enjoyable part of the show, was the elephants.  These very intelligent animals performed several feats of strength and agility.  They moved huge logs around like they were toothpicks, yet they were able to walk through the bodies of the trainers lying on the ground only a few feet apart, without injuring any of them.  We had a long ride back to town, through traffic that picked up during the afternoon.

Following a brief rest in our air conditioned room, we signed up for the nightly bar-b-que buffet served on the veranda by the river.  Four talented musicians played while we sipped on a delicious rum punch drink.  We marveled at the delicately carved ice sculpture centerpieces.  The Thai took great pride in the ornate carving of the watermelons, cantaloupes, other fruits and vegetables.  The food was good and the buffet was elegant.  Every conceivable food was prepared almost any way one desired.  It gave us an opportunity to explore new Thai dishes.  They even had some home made ice cream.  Robin observed that the meal was festive, like a luau.  A cool breeze made the temperature perfect.  The moon ducked behind the clouds, when the moonlight wasn’t dancing on the river.  It was a very romantic candlelight dinner.

The following morning we again made sandwiches from the breakfast buffet.  We walked about a mile along the street running parallel to the river to the River Center Shopping Mall.  It sits next to the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel.  Several hawkers approached us on the street, attempting to persuade us to go with them to another shopping center.  Air pollution from traffic was heavy.  Robin didn’t like the shops so we negotiated a ride back on a Tuk-tuk for $1.00.  Tuk-tuks are three wheel motor scooters with a bench seat in back.  The vehicle is covered, but it is open air.  For lunch we ate our sandwiches and fruit, and rested a bit.

Robin hadn’t felt good for the past few days.  After a couple of aspirin, a vitamin C, and some rest, we went on an afternoon river and canal tour.  Our driver took us back to the River Center, where Robin bought a 14 karat gold rickshaw for her charm bracelet.  We rode on a fast “long boat” up the river and through several Klongs.  We were required to sit on cushions on the floor. As we passed the Royal Barge Museum, we could see the tops of about six majestic golden royal barges.  One was decorated with a five headed snake, while another had a demon head with tusks, like some of the Royal Palace guards.

At our next stop, a house built on the river, we were served little rice pudding fritters, and a local rice wine, that gave me a headache.  Perhaps the headache was due to me drinking three drinks.  Then we boarded an old rice barge, for a relaxing slow ride along the river.  Finally, we were transferred to an express boat, which was much larger than our long boat.  We sat four abreast.  Our return to the hotel was like entering an oasis.  It was a welcome refuge from the heat, the noise of the city and the air pollution.  Robin gave me a neck rub to help with my headache.  

The Sangri La Hotel is one of the top two in Bangkok, along with the Oriental, just down the river.  Both are listed each year as two of the best hotels in the world by several travel magazines.  It has a comfortable lobby with two story high windows overlooking the river.  The cool lobby was decorated with large crystal chandeliers,  teak paneling, large bowls of freshly cut flowers, and comfortable couches and chairs.  Each day there was a jazz group playing in the lobby from happy hour until late in the evening.  In addition to the costumed clad hostesses who greeting guests when they arrived, others stood in the elevator lobby to assist you.  Their daily smiles with Thai greetings, made us feel comfortable.

PHUKET, THAILAND

Our Thai Airlines airbus flight to the resort town of Phuket, Thailand, was smooth.  The cabin configuration was two seats on the outboard of each of the two aisles, and four seats in the center.  Robin and I had a window and an aisle seat.  Even though it was a relatively short flight, we were only served a snack.

The Le Meridian Hotel64 open air lobby resembled a Buddhist Temple.  We were greeted with orchid leis by beautiful young girls.  A bottle of champagne, a fruit basket, a certificate good for a free professional photo, two free tee shirts,  two beach bags and a congratulatory note for our honeymoon were awaiting us when we checked into our room.  We also had an orchid floral arrangement in our room.
The beach side hotel was built in a “U” shape facing the beach, with two large swimming pools  (fresh and salt water) and a restaurant in the opening. Our room had a huge bed.  After we got settled, we donned our swimming attire and went to the pool.  There we enjoyed complimentary rum drinks with pineapple juice and coconut milk, followed by some good sandwiches.  When we went back to the room we discovered that we had free in room movies.

After a three hour nap, we ate a wonderful lobster dinner at the open air Pakarang Restaurant, which was surrounded by the hotel salt water pool.  While dining we enjoyed a delightful “Pacific Island” show.  After the show, we chatted with the couple at the adjoining table, a Melbourne lawyer and his wife.  Then, we took a moonlight stroll on the beach.  After a game of ping pong we watched a movie, read and wrote post cards in the room.  I had another two darvocet headache, which may have been brought on by the champagne.

Our room overlooked the fresh water pool.  From our balcony, we could see a bit of the beach and the hills behind the hotel.  Daily, we were entertained by a friendly baby elephant at the pool and at the beach.  We delighted in watching the baby elephant frolic in the surf.  After he was submerged, he would blow the water out of his spout. 

The hotel had designed a system to stop all electric current into the room when the guest was out of the room.  Attached to our hotel key was a rectangular plastic piece, which had to be inserted into a slot in the wall to get electricity.  Since you had to take the key with you, the room would be hot when you returned, taking about 30 minutes or so to get comfortable.  With my handy Swiss Army knife, I was able to get the plastic key off the chain.  From then on, we had a cool, comfortable room when we returned.

The next morning was the third day in a row that I had awakened with a headache.  Fortunately, it was the first day of our honeymoon with no planned activities.  After a nice buffet breakfast, we laid on the beach under a palapa.  A nice offshore breeze made it cooler than at the pool the day before.  We were joined by the baby elephant.  He seemed to enjoy going into the water over his head.  He laid in the surf on his side and seemed to have a good time.  Before he left the area, he rolled over in the sand.

We ate lunch outside the pool restaurant under a beach umbrella.  Robin’s fried shrimp was good.  I had a tasty Thai dish cooked in a wok.  It was shrimp, chicken and calamari with spinach, asparagus, onions, been sprouts, noodles and soy sauce, sprinkled with red pepper.  After lunch we posed for our free photograph.  While I had a massage65, in hopes of getting rid of my headache, Robin went back to the beach and read.  The masseuses walked up and down my back, hips and legs.  Afterwards, Robin and I relaxed in the surf.  I broke out my water inflatable over the door cervical traction in an attempt to eradicate the nagging headache.  I was up most of the night with one of the worst migraine headaches I had had in several years.

The next day, I was unable to go on the all day tour because of my headache.  Sunlight aggravated it.  So, I stayed in the room most of the day, napping and watching television.  Robin went with a small group of tourists to the other side of the island.  It was about an hour’s ride to the boat dock for the boat to Phang Nga Bay.  She saw a Muslim fishing village, where she heard a call to prayer.  She thought that this was strange in a Buddhist country, but Phuket is not far from Malaysia, a Muslim nation.  The boat went to Ko Phing Kan, known as James Bond Island, from the movie scenes depicting it.  At Tham Lot a cave had been carved large enough for the boat to pass through.  Robin enjoyed a great lunch at the hotel back on the mainland.  She said it was a good tour.

After lunch I was feeling a little better.  I decided to read my novel and to get some sun, so I went to the beach.  When Robin returned she joined me at the beach.  Before returning to the room, we enjoyed a nice swim in the fresh water pool.  Although our hotel was secluded, we had our choice of Japanese, Italian, French and two other restaurants, one of which specialized in seafood.  Each day, ladies on the beach were offering massages, but we never got around to using their services.

The following day was one of travel.  Our wake up call was at 5:15 a.m., with a pick up at 5:45.  Somehow we managed to down a fast breakfast.  We took a similar Thai Airways airbus back to Bangkok, on which we were fed a nice brunch.  After a short layover we departed Bangkok bound for Singapore on Cathay Pacific, for a smooth flight of just under two hours.  Business class was full, so we were not upgraded.  We did enjoy a nice lunch aloft.  We both wanted to come back to Thailand for another visit.

SINGAPORE

Singapore was not founded until 1819.  In Sanscrit, “Singapara” means “lion city”.  For awhile it was part of Malaya, and soon become a Crown Colony of England.  It received self government as a city-state in 1959, and independence from Malaysia in 1965, through its assurances that it would be a Moslem state.  In 1991 its population was almost 3,000,000, over 75% of whom are Chinese.  Only about 15% of the population was Malay, and another six to seven percent were Indian.  The major religions were Buddhist (54%), Moslem (15%), Hindu (4%), and Christians (13%).  This melting pot of races and religions has lived together peacefully for almost 200years.  It is the center for business in Southeast Asia.  Some 56 islands form Singapore, totaling 214 square miles.  When Sir Raffles settled the city for England, he set up separate “towns” for Indians, Malays, Chinese, etc.

Our initial impression of Singapore was that it had lots of flowers and shrubs and that it was very clean.  The Oriental Hotel had a glamorous lobby, which was constructed like the inside of a bee hive.  Lovely chandeliers illuminated the glass enclosed elevators.  Our modern 10th floor room overlooked the Marina.  After our long day of travel, a nap was in order.
After we awoke from our nap we took a short ferry ride to Sentosa Island from the World Trade Center.  Sentosa Island is the recreational center for Singapore.  It can also be reached by gondola which crossed over to the island by a very high cable.  After watching a very modernistic sound and water fountain show with lazer images, we enjoyed some oriental food - hamburgers and root beer floats at A and W Root Beer.

Then we took the monorail to see what else was on the island.  What excitement.  After stop number two, our train stopped.  After unsuccessful attempts to repair it, we were towed back to station number two, then bussed back to the main terminal.  Our “ride” took the better part of an hour.  On the way back home we passed the famous white Merlion statute, symbol of Singapore.  It had the head of a lion and the body of a fish and stands at the edge of the harbor facing the water.

August 1st was a gorgeous day.  We were taken to the Orchard Road shopping area by a private limousine.  Although it turned out to be a scam by the merchant, we saved a cab fare.  We had planned to do some shopping on that street in any event.  We bought Robin a 22 K gold Singapore Merlion for her charm bracelet, an inexpensive camera, and a portable CD player, with car adapter and small portable speakers.  All were good bargains.

The afternoon tour to Jurong Bird Park was a little disappointing.  The aviary was closed, and there was construction on the monorail which blocked our view of the park.  The predator bird show was interesting and the penguins were really cool.

After a rum and tonic and a swim in the hotel’s seventh floor outdoor pool, we walked through level three of the Marina Mall.  The mall connected our hotel with two other modern four star properties, one of which was the Pan Pacific.  We noticed that there was a Kentucky Fried Chicken and a McDonalds in the mall. For dinner that night, we walked down a block to the corner park to the Far East Outdoor Food Fair, where we ate our first Satay.  A Satay consists of bar-b-qued beef or chicken on a skewer.  They were delicious. A Burger King was located across from the Park.  We felt very safe walking alone on the streets at night.  We had been told that street crime was almost non existent in Singapore, primarily because of the severe punishments.  Thieves had their hand cut off, and people were given the lash for lesser crimes.

It was another beautiful day, but I was hit with another migraine headache early in the morning.  We took a morning tour of the city.  Most of the Indian population lived in “shop houses”.  Their apartment was upstairs over their shop.  In Indian town, we saw several colorful Hindu temples.  Malay Town also had shop houses. There, there were many Muslim mosques.  Chinatown, was the largest and most colorful area of the city with both Buddhist and Taoist temples.

Our next stop was the Express Place Building, a museum of colonial architecture where we viewed a Chinese Han Dynasty exhibit.  Most interesting there was a jade burial suit for a Han prince who died in the year 6 B.C..  The burial suit consisted of 2007 pieces of jade sewn together by hand with gold thread.  Lesser nobility were authorized to be buried in jade burial suites sewn together by silver or bronze threads, depending upon their status.  The Han silk route had connected northeast China to Turkey and Egypt.

The highlight of our visit to Chinatown was a visit to a Hindu temple, where we witnessed a priest carrying a platter of fire through the gathered worshipers, each of whom placed their hands into the flames.  Strange that a Hindu temple would be located in the midst of Chinatown.  This particular Hindu temple catered to a small offshoot from the main religion who in early times called themselves Zoroastrists.  I first ran across this cult in Baku, Azerbaijan, on my trip to the Soviet Union in 1983.  We knew that the cult in Baku consisted of Indians because their was Sanscrit writing carved on the temple walls.

Next, we stopped at a souvenir factory where we purchased a glass enclosed carved cork Chinese scene with a house, trees, ands storks as a gift to Dave and Anne Hollenbeck.  Our final stop was the Botanical Gardens.  

After lunch with the colonel66 we drove by the Merlion statute to Clifford Pier for our afternoon harbor cruise.  We left the marina and sailed along the coast.  At the time there were about 200-300 large cargo ships anchored off shore waiting to load or unload.  Our cruise took us around many of the small out islands.  All were well manicured.  We stopped at Kusu Island, where there was a Buddhist temple, a turtle sanctuary, a secluded beach and a beautiful picnic area.  Because of my nagging headache, we went straight back to the hotel, where we ordered room service.

On the following day we scheduled a morning tour to Jahore Bahru, Malaysia, a town just across the border.  We were told by our guide that 75% of the Malay peninsula is jungle.  Eleven of its 13 states are located on the Malay  peninsula, and two are on the northern part of the island of Borneo. We drove by the enormous palace of the Sultan of Jahore.  It is now a museum, worth three billion U.S. dollars.  Our first stop was at the Moslem Abu Bakar Mosque, located on a hill overlooking the streets of Jahore.  It was built in colonial style to reflect the friendly relations between Malaysia and England.  Across the street was the new Institute For Islamic Studies.

As we passed a Moslem cemetery, we noticed there were two types of headstones.  Our guide explained that there were different stones for men and women.  We had the opportunity to stop and visit at a private home.  This typical home was very small for the number of people living in it, and it contained meager furnishings.  It was built on stilts for two reasons: for ventilation and to keep out the snakes.
Later we stopped at a batik factory for about one-half hour.  We bought four batik “saros”, which were sarongs.  As we later walked through the main market downtown, there was no time to shop.  I guess none of the merchants had agreed to give a kickback to our guide.  Oh well, at least we added Malaysia to our list of countries visited.
Upon our return to the hotel, we took a short nap.  That afternoon we went by taxi to the Sentosa Ferry for an afternoon of sightseeing.  We took the monorail to station five, where we went to the wax museum.  It provided a very interesting historical review of Singapore, including the Japanese invasion and surrender during World War II.

Again by monorail we went to Fort Silosa, one of about 30 fortifications built to protect Singapore harbor.  The harbor was perfectly defended by the British.  Unfortunately, they failed to defend against a land invasion from the north.  Perhaps that was because at the time the Malay peninsula was almost entirely jungle.  After a long line to get back on the monorail, we went back to the main entrance, where we ate our first regular meal in several days on the veranda overlooking the harbor.

A long ferry line was followed by an enormous taxi queue.  Plan “B” was to walk across the street to hail a taxi going in the opposite direction.  With no luck hailing a taxi, plan “C” was to take a bus downtown, where we were able to get a taxi right away.  That evening we mailed our gifts to Dave and Anne, paid our airport departure tax, packed and read for a while.  Robin and I were in agreement that Singapore was a city we would like to see again in the future.

BALI, INDONESIA

We had a 5:30 wake up and breakfast in the room.  It was a beautiful day.  We flew tourist class on Garuda Airlines, the national carrier for Indonesia.  Before a short stop in Jakarta, we were served breakfast.  When we stopped in Jakarta, we were allowed to stay onboard and read.  From Jakarta, we flew nonstop to Bali, with lunch served on the way.  We flew over many volcanoes on the Indonesian mainland, some of which were smoking.

There are more Moslems in Indonesia than in any other country in the world.  Although almost everybody in Indonesia is a Moslem, the great majority of the Balinese are Hindu.  Everybody in Bali is a member of one of four castes.  A man may not marry above his caste, but a woman can.  There is no way to tell in which caste a person belongs.  To find out, you must ask them.

We were met at the airport by our guide, Swueta.  He updated us on some local history and customs.  When a Balinese family is celebrating, they put a large bamboo pole outside their home, similar to our use of a Christmas tree.  We saw a few homes with poles outside.  There was one motor scooter for every five people in Bali.  A city family in Bali gets by on 300,000 Rupiah per month, which is about $150.00 U.S.  All the streets and roads were very narrow.  Driving on the left is a carry over from Raffle’s years in Indonesia prior to developing Singapore.  There are 10,000 Hindu temples in Bali, each of which has only two festivals each year.  The Balinese are very religious.  Their average life expectancy is only about 55 years.  Swueta said that before a family built their bedroom they always built their family shrine.  Otherwise, the family would be plagued by bad luck and not know the reason why.  
Our hotel in Bali was the Bali Hyatt.  At the main entrance four musicians sat on the floor, playing what I called “ching ching” music.  One instrument resembled the top of a xylophone.  Two musicians played different looking stringed instruments and the fourth kept time with tiny cymbals.  The hotel was on the coast, with a private beach.  The open air lobby was cooled by a tropical breeze.  The door to our room opened from a outdoor covered passageway.  The grounds were lush with tropical trees, shrubs and flowers.  This made up for our less than luxurious room.  Both the bath and closet were tiny, and there was no television set.  There was a bowl of fresh tropical fruit in our room when we arrived.

At the pool that afternoon, we discovered that there was a T.V. room, where the CNN news was shown each evening at 6:00 p.m..  So, after a relaxing afternoon at the pool, we dressed for dinner at the hotel, and ate at the hotel dining room after the news.  By the time we were finished with a nice meal, it was dark.  Our stroll around the lighted paths through the hotel property was romantic.  We stopped for a few minutes to listen to a small combo playing American style music for dancing.  It had been a long day so we turned in early.  

The next day we had a tour of Bali.  Our first stop was a silversmith factory and next door at a carving shop, where we saw some very colorful wooden statues.  Next was a 1,000 year old Hindu temple known as the “Moon Temple”, with a large gong shaped like a drum.  The temple gate was guarded by two erect elephants, each of which was holding a short sword.  The elephant is sacred in Indonesia.

At Kintimani village, we ate a nice buffet lunch.  This quaint village is located above a volcano ten miles in circumference with Mi Bata Lake in the crater.  The village is at 5,000 feet altitude where it was very cool. Outside the restaurant, I bought Darrell a chess set and a pair of carved wooden chopsticks.

Our next stop was the “Elephant Cave”, which had been carved in the 11th Century.  We were required to wrap around our waist, a black and white checkered cloth to be able to descend down the steps to the cave from the street level.  There must have been some religious significance to the cloth, although later we were told that black and white checkered cloth was supposed to bring good luck.  The cave is currently used for meditation.  There was a “Boma”67 head over the cave door.  Also carved on the wall was a swastika.  This was carved centuries before Adolph Hitler, and in Bali, the swastika is a good luck sign.  There was also a Ganesa68 elephant head statute found nearby, dating from the 11th Century.  

Nearby, they had excavated an ancient bathing place fed by underwater springs.  In it were statutes of four women and two men holding water bottles pouring water into the spring.  They also were from the 11th Century.  Suweta pointed out that there were seven statutes, and the Paradise had seven levels.
Next we stopped at a batik shop where we bought shirts for the boys and batik outfits for the girls.  I didn’t bring enough Rupiahs, and the shop would not accept credit cards, so Robin didn’t get a lace jacket she wanted.

Our last stop for the day was at an art gallery.  The work was pretty good, but the prices were too expensive.  At the silversmith shop we liked a statute of their mythical bird, Garuda, for whom their national airlines was named.  At the art gallery they had one carved in wood and painted with enamel paint.  They initially offered it to us for 175,000 Rupiah, or about $90.00 U.S.  I got them down to 70,000 Rupiah, or about $36.00.  Suweta said that was a very good price, but we decided to wait and see what we could find in the market.  When we returned to the room, our bowl of fruit was gone.  I called the desk, and another was sent to the room, free of charge.  There was a newspaper in the room when we returned, but this was the only paper we received while at the Bali Hyatt.

That evening the Ramyana Ballet was performed at our hotel in conjunction with an outdoor luau type buffet.  The setting was beautiful and some of the food was excellent.  Much of the food on the buffet were strange tasting dishes, which we sampled.  I concentrated on the roast pig, chocolate crepes and vanilla ice creme.  Robin liked the ching ching music, but to me it was just controlled noise - no melody - no harmony - just noise.  I disliked the music intensely.  The dancers told the story of the white monkey.  The spectacle was gorgeous, with the colorful, yet grotesque masks worn by the dancers.

Then came our first day of leisure in Bali.  We slept late and ate a relaxed breakfast.  Robin was elated that we were spending some time on the beach.  We got to the beach about 10:30 a.m., where we sunned and relaxed in the shade, reading, until about 2:30 p.m.  It was low tide, so we walked over one half way to the reef, where we found six beautiful star fish.  Then we returned to the pool and stood under the man made waterfall.  The water was really pounding on our heads.  We played in the shade of the tunnel under the waterfall for a few minutes.  I got too much sun, and a few minor cuts on my feet from walking on the reef.

We ate a late lunch in the shade by the pool.  Robin ordered a huge hamburger, corn on the cob and potato chips.  I ate half of her hamburger with a beer.  After lunch we went back to the room to get dressed to go into town to shop.
Downtown we bought a nice leather book satchel for Missy, a white Garuda statute, at half the price of the one we had looked into on the tour, another shirt for me, and a beautiful white lace culotte outfit with white shoes for Robin.  We enjoyed cold beers and resting our feet at an outdoor restaurant.

Before dinner we went to the Kechak monkey dance.  It was at an outdoor amphitheater by torchlight and without musical accompaniment.  It was the same story about the king, prince, princess, and another wicked king who had eyes for the princess, Sati.  These characters were followed in turn by the golden deer, white monkey and the hero bird, Garuda, who kills the snake enveloping the prince.  In this episode the monkey general and the monkeys fight the dragons and win.  
Swueta dropped us off for dinner at the Punjor Restaurant where we watched a similar dance by children and a large band.  Same ole - same ole.  Each time we entered or left the hotel, the musicians at the door would play a little music for us.  Sometimes there were as many as six of them.

The following day we again slept late and enjoyed a leisure breakfast.  We ate on the covered patio just outside the main restaurant, overlooking a pond with blooming pink bougainvillea, orange blossoms and assorted variegated plants.  All the hotel employees were very friendly and always smiled and said “good morning” or “good evening”, in English.  After breakfast we sat in the shade on the beach and read.  There, we made arrangements for a boat ride on a double outrigger boat with an inverted sail for the following day.  These boats pulled up to the hotel beach and hawked riders.  The two young men spoke a little English and seemed to be very enterprising.  Before our afternoon tour, we devoured some succulent pork bar-b-que ribs, cooked on a grill at the pool.

On our tour we looked into eight to ten gold stores shopping for a charm for Robin’s necklace, but we had no luck.  Then we went to visit a 17th Century temple.  The base of each structure consisted of intricately carved figures of monkeys, garudas, lotus flowers and demons.  The carvings were very reminiscent of Mayan, Toltec and Aztec temple carvings we had seen in Mexico.  There were signs at the entrance to this and other temples advising that women who were having their periods should not enter the temple!  

In this and other temples, both men and women who were wearing shorts, were required to wear black and white checkered sarongs, which were rented at the door for about forty cents. Each temple had three chambers, each more sacred than the other.  There were open gates at the outer temples and a closed gate at the inner temple.  The latter had three doors.  The center door was used only two times per year for religious ceremonies.  The difference in Bali is that all temples are open air, whereas in Singapore, all were within an enclosed building.

The Monkey Jungle was our next stop.  We were required to engage the services of attractive young sarong clad hostesses, who escorted us around the park and told us about the monkeys.  Our hostess was between ten to twelve years of age.  We purchased a bag of food to feed the monkeys.  In the shade of the jungle it was very cool.  The monkeys were very tame after years of dealing with tourists and having their food brought to them.  Most would snatch food from your hand, but a few would gently take the food from you.  I sat down on the root of a big banyan tree.  A few monkeys came by and picked up food off my knee.  A couple of them even would even reach into my shirt pocket, where I had put a bit of food, if they watched me put it there.  Robin was impressed with the large bats hanging from the trees in the jungle.  We exited by a different route, which took us by an ancient temple that had been overgrown by the jungle, and which was now home to many of the monkeys.
Our final stop for the day was Tanna Lot, a picturesque temple built in the 16th Century on a spit of land on the ocean shore by a man from Java, who landed on this spot.  It is on the southwest coast of Bali, on the Indonesian Sea, which is part of the Indian Ocean.  At high tide it is an island.  At low tide you walk across to it.  A heavy surf had caused erosion to the point that the government had recently agreed to reinforce the underlying cliffs with concrete to stop the erosion.  The temple consisted of six separate buildings.  The main building, that is the subject of so many postcards had a five tiered thatch roof, the corners of which arched up to a point.  The other buildings had three tiers.  All were open air temples.

We sat at an outdoor bar, enjoying cold beers and snacks as we watched a moon like luminescent sun slowly set behind the temples.  What a Kodak moment!  An addition to its charm was the outline of a large oriental lantern which resembled a man with outreached arms and four long bamboo poles bent by the weight of the lanterns.  A cool soft breeze and the distant sound of the surf gently lapping at the craggy shore made this one of the indelible photographs taken by our minds that will be with us forever.  We stayed until it was dark and the outline of the temple was no longer visible.

We arrived back at the hotel about 8:00 p.m., rested and went to the coffee shop for chicken sandwiches.  I watched a movie on an outdoor big screen, while Robin went to the room to read Mademoiselle magazine.

Again we slept late and had breakfast on the covered veranda.  Then, we went to the beach to meet the boat we had hired the morning before.  The boat had large eyes painted on each side of the bow to scare away evil spirits.  The two crewmen took us out for an hour of sailing and snorkeling.  The boat was similar to a Hawaiian double outrigger, but one of its two sails was inverted like the boats on the Nile River.  There was only room enough for four people sitting single file.  When we boarded, several small leaks were apparent.  I spotted a plastic pot intended for bailing water.  Our hosts provided us with masks, snorkels and fins.

The water for over 100 yards off shore was no deeper than four feet.  As we approached the reef the water deepened.  The reef was about 200 yards wide, with the surf breaking on the seaward side.  The water was extremely clear, which was perfect for snorkeling.  It was sadly apparent that for many years tourists had been breaking off pieces of coral for souvenirs.  The ocean bottom was filled with broken pieces of coral.  I saw one piece of brain coral that was the size of a compact car.  We also spotted a delicate white coral which was very soft lace like coral, swaying with the current, growing in patches of about five by five feet - maybe three to five inches high.  There was not much in the way of shells except for a few ugly muscle shells.

Beneath us were hundreds of colorful tropical fish.  Several yellow and blue laterally stripped fish about one foot long swam along with me.  We saw a couple of very beautiful yellow and black broad vertically stripped fish, almost triangular in shape with long curved fins at the top and bottom which became slender whiskers as each trailed behind them, giving them somewhat of a bow shape.  I think the latter were a variety of Angle Fish.  There were many bright electric blue fish, and several one foot long, round, slender, deep burgundy colored fish.  The masks were of very poor quality, causing us to frequently having to stop to purge the water out of them.  Part of my problem was my mustache would not allow a good seal, and I had not thought to bring Vaseline jelly to help.  That day, while  in the boat we saw Turtle Island due south and another larger island further away in the south southeast direct.  

After a trip through the waterfall in the pool we enjoyed pina coladas as we lounged around the pool, taking photos and video footage of the hotel grounds.  Later we strolled down the main street in Sanur in the other direction.  Robin bought a pair of fancy black flat shoes and a black dress with a large red flower pattern.  Shirts were purchased for Rhett and Albert.

Then it was time for a break.  We stopped for prawn sandwiches and beer at the Cockatoo sidewalk restaurant.  The sandwiches were served open face style, and were very good.

After lunch Robin bought a batik culotte outfit and then we took a green, open door mini cab back to shop where we bought Missy’s leather backpack and got one just like it for Rhett.  In Bali, the Hindus believe there are underground demons.  As you walk along the street you see small aluminum plates filled with colorful flowers in front of most shops and restaurants.  These are offerings to the demons below.  When we returned to the hotel, we finished videotaping the lush grounds of the hotel.

Later that afternoon we sipped on tropical drinks on the beach and ate our fruit, staying until the sun went behind the trees.  Time for one more trip to the Jacuzzi and one last dip under the waterfall.  As we left the beach, we saw Bali’s gigantic volcano for the first time.  It was off to the northeast from the hotel.  Up until then, low clouds had obscured our view of the mountain.  It was such a clear day that we could also see a large island due east - probably Lombok Island. 

At the end of our last day in Bali we had a drink at the pool bar while in the pool at sunset.  It was a very romantic moment.  We could hear a country band on the patio.  Our six starfish were still too ripe for travel.  After watching CNN news in the television room, we shared a pizza at the Pizzeria Beach Bar, where we enjoyed a cool tropical breeze.  Afterwards we walked out on the beach and looked up at the star filled sky.  The milky way was very clear.  We embraced.  Robin went back to the room to pack, but I stopped to watch an outdoor movie, and packed up afterwards.  We must have relaxed somewhat, because we each had completed two novels.

The next morning we were scheduled to leave for our final stop in Hong Kong.  I awoke with a migraine type headache long before our 6:15 a.m. wake up call.  Robin got dressed an sat on the balcony communing with nature.  The birds were happily singing their morning songs to greet the day.  She went to breakfast alone, because my headache had taken away my appetite.  Just as we were leaving the room with the bellman, I had to run to the bathroom to throw up.  What a way to start a long day of travel.
As we drove to the airport, we were surprised to see that most shops were already open for business.  In the open countryside, farmers were still living in open huts, but each had a television.
At the airport I bought an oil painting for $10.00, and three sets of ivory chopsticks.  As we went though inspection before the flight, the security officer took my Swiss army knife, but it was returned to me in Hong Kong.  Our four and one-half hour flight from Bali to Hong Kong on Garuda Airlines was smooth.  It took two hours to clear customs and immigration and get to our hotel.  After we checked in we went immediately by subway to Temple Market where we bought Robin’s rip-off Louis Vuitton bag and a photographer’s vest for me.  Then we went to Sam’s Tailor to pick up my new clothes.  They threw in a tie and a large cheap suitcase on wheels.

We took a cab back to the J.W. Marriott where we immediately went to the pool for a dip, a Jacuzzi and a rum and tonic.  After relaxing for a bit, we showered and dressed up for our farewell honeymoon dinner.  It cost me $6.25 for a coke from the minibar in the room.  By taxi we went to the famous Revolving 66 Restaurant on the 66th floor of the Hopewell Center.  It was a beautifully clear night and the view of the mountains and the harbor were spectacular.  Robin was presented with a long stem rose by the head waiter.  It was a perfect setting for our last dinner in Asia, and very romantic.

On our first stop in Hong Kong, our room had faced the mountain.  This time we faced the harbor.  We enjoyed our morning coffee in bed with a panoramic view of Hong Kong harbor.  Kowloon and the mountains of the New Territories were covered with haze.  We got to breakfast after the buffet had closed.  Our leisure breakfast ended up being hurried because Robin’s eggs were burned.  As we headed to the airport, a gentle rain began to fall.  This was quite a contrast to the last time we left Hong Kong in a typhoon.

Through a foul up, the Cathay Pacific computer didn’t show a request for an upgrade to Business Class, so we had to fly back in tourist.  I was on the isle and Robin was inside on the four across in the center of the airplane.  Fortunately, the tourist seats also had foot rests.  On the return trip we were shown three movies.  Since I couldn’t sleep, I watched all three, while Robin got several cat naps.  Fortunately, it was a smooth 14 hour flight.  A bit shorter than the flight over due to tail winds.  After the first round of drinks we were served an excellent steak dinner.  After several hours we were served sandwiches.  Again, shortly before we landed in Los Angeles, we were served hot omelettes for breakfast.

We arrived at the Los Angeles Airport Holiday Inn about two hours after we landed.  It was at about 3:00 p.m., which was 5:00 a.m. Hong Kong time, when we checked in.  We watched T.V. and took a three hour nap.  I walked next door to McDonalds and picked up some chicken salads for dinner.  We went back to sleep about 9:00 p.m. and slept until the clock went off at 5:20 a.m.

McDonalds prepared our last breakfast together for a few weeks.  I was off to Washington, D.C. to attend the National Judicial College in Alexandria, VA for the next three weeks, and Robin was returning home to the Island.  We were  upgraded on American Airlines to first class on our DC 10 flight to DFW.  We enjoyed music through headphones and CNN news.  The large leather seats and extra leg room were a welcome change from our tourist class accommodations on Cathay Pacific the previous day.  We said our farewells in Dallas.  I was upgraded to first class on my flight to Washington, and Robin flew first class on her flight from DFW to Harlingen.  Our month in the Orient had been a wonderful honeymoon.

My back had started hurting that morning in Los Angeles.  By arrival in D.C. my left scapula and neck were in pain.

For the next three weeks I attended the National Judicial College.  Robin flew up and spent one long week-end with me.  We enjoyed sight seeing together in our Nation's capital.  We talked about some of the things that we enjoyed the most during our honeymoon, and here are a few:

1.	  	The views from our Hong Kong J.W. Marriott Hotel room

1.	  	The view from the Peak Tram Restaurant in Hong Kong.
2.	  	Seeing the side roads in China for bicycles.
3.	  	The beauty of the Palace in Bangkok.
4.	  	Watching the baby elephant frolic in the surf in Phuket, Thailand.
5.	  	The cleanliness and greenery in Singapore.
6.	  	Relaxing on the beach in Bali.
7.	  	Playing with monkeys in Bali.
8.	  	Swimming in the Hong Kong J.W. Marriott pool at night surrounded by sky scrapers.
9.	  	Our romantic dinner at the Revolving 66 Restaurant in Hong Kong, with its 	               magnificent view.
10.	  	The politeness of the Thai People.

We also noted many contrasts between our western culture and the Orient.  Some of the 
more 
notable differences were:

1	With the exception of the Palace in Bangkok, and perhaps a few buildings in 	                Singapore, there were no magnificent public buildings, art galleries, museums, 	                fountains, statutes, monuments, etc., as one would expect in Europe or in Latin                America.

2.	  	Traffic congestion was notable in every city in the Orient.
2.	

2.	  	The majority of the populous traveled by motorbike or bicycle
2.	

2.	  	The Orient is loud.  The Chinese and other Asians talk loud, and frequently use their 	car horns or bike bells.  Most vehicles don’t use mufflers.  We saw construction every 	where we went.  Asia has noise pollution.  Our hotels were like an oasis from the 	                     noise.
2.	

2.	  	Asia is fast paced, except at beach resorts.
2.	

2.	  	English was widely spoken throughout the Orient.    

CHRISTMAS  HOLIDAYS, 1991
LAS  VEGAS  AND  THE  GRAND  CANYON

Immediately following the completion of the National Judicial College in Alexandria, Virginia, I returned to South Padre Island, said my good byes, packed up my car and drove to Dallas, for my assignment as an Administrative Law Judge.  From Labor Day on I was living in Dallas while Robin and the girls were living on South Padre Island.  I came to the island several times during the fall, including the weekend of the Christmas boat parade.  Robin and I attended Christmas parties on both Friday and Saturday evenings at the Valley Inn and Country Club.  I returned to Dallas early Monday morning.

Robin and the girls were all finished with school by December 19th, so on December 20th, they drove to San Antonio just in time to pick me up at the airport.  We enjoyed a festive dinner nearby at the Magic Time Machine, where the girls were delighted with the authentic costumes of the waiters and waitresses.  We were waited on by Captain Marvel.  We then drove to Pipe Creek to spend the weekend with Diana and Albert.  

All of Robin’s family were there except for Rusty, who was living in Colorado.  The next day we drove into Bandera to look at the raging Medina River, which was almost out of its banks.  On both Saturday and Sunday mornings we saw a gray doe just above the house.  We all enjoyed an early Christmas dinner at Diana and Albert’s, after which we exchanged gifts.

I had to be at work Monday, so Robin took me to the airport Sunday evening.  Robin and the girls got into Dallas on Monday evening, and we all stayed in my small apartment in Irving.  We ate dinner at the Black Eyed Pea and rented some movies.  On Christmas Eve, I got off work at noon.  The four of us enjoyed a lovely lunch at the Texas Club, near my downtown office.  After a brief tour of my office, we went to Fair Park to see a spectacular production of the Nutcracker.

The Episcopal Diocese recommended that we attend St. Mathias Church for Christmas Eve services.  Chris joined us.  It was a very high church with bells and incense.  The rector appeared to be queer, as was much of the music.  We all vowed never to return.  The following morning we all slept late and Robin and I celebrated our first Christmas as husband and wife by exchanging gifts in the apartment.  Dave and Anne Hollenbeck invited all of us to their home for a wonderful Christmas dinner.

Rhett and Darrell drove in together from Memphis about 7:00 a.m. on December 26th.  After a short nap, they picked me up at work for a nice lunch at the On The Border Restaurant.  Darrell left early on December 27th to get back to work.  Everybody else went to the entertaining dinner show at the Medieval Inn.  Rhett ended up going out with our waitress.  Rhett left Saturday, while Robin, Mel and I looked at houses.  On Sunday, Robin and I took Dave and Anne out to dinner at La Margarita.  We came home early and packed for our trip to Las Vegas.

On December 30th, our Sun Country charter flight was scheduled to depart at 10:00 a.m., and we were required to check in at 8:00 a.m.  The 727 aircraft was late coming in from Minneapolis, so we were two and one-quarter hours late leaving.  Robin studied on the flight and I started The Tommy Knockers.  

Upon our arrival we marveled at the enormity and the fairyland beauty of the Excalibur Hotel, with its multi towered entrance.  After a short rest, we stood in line for the Roundtable Buffet Dinner, which featured prime rib of beef.  The cost was only $3.99 per person, including dessert and drink.  After dinner we took a taxi to Bally’s Casino to pick up tickets for the Harry Connick, Jr. show.  Then we walked through the Barbary Coast to the Flamingo Hilton, where we picked up a free coupon book, which we used for a free drink at the bar.  They got their money’s worth because we each dropped $10.00 into their slot machines.

Because we had set our watches back only one hour instead of two, we got back to Bally’s an hour early, so we played some more slots.  Robin was much luckier than me.  She got to put money into the one armed bandits much longer than me before she lost it all.

Our seats at the Harry Connick, Jr. show were at the far end of a table for ten in the center of the theater.  By moving to the center of the end of the table we had a perfect view.  His show was well worth the $124.00 per couple cover charge.  He was a good showman - singing, composing, conducting his 16 piece orchestra, playing the piano, and even a bit of tap dancing.  His father sang a number, and they sang two duets.  After the show we took a cab back to the hotel.  We ate a snack and turned in early before our full day tour of Lake Meade, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon.  

At 6:00 a.m. the next morning we got a call that the tour had been cancelled because of snow in the mountains.  Robin got up early and studied, but I went back to sleep after the call and slept late.  I awoke with a headache.  Later we rescheduled the same tour for New Year’s Day.  At 11:00 we ate a champagne brunch at the hotel and at noon we marveled at the intelligence of the beautiful Lippizaner Stallions from Vienna, Austria.  We learned that these horses were originally from Andalusia, Spain.  A guest U.S. performer on an Apalusian horse performed a funny scene where it appeared that both rider and horse were drunk.

We saw some beautiful silver and gold hand embroidered family crests that cost $350.00 for an eight inch by ten inch version.  As a compromise, we bought ceramic Butler and Myers family crests, and coffee mugs with the Butler crest for Rhett, Darrell and me.  The Myers mugs had the wrong family crest.

Next, we took a hair raising ride on Alpine roads on the Magic Motion Machine.  With the seats moving and the sound effects being so realistic, I closed my eyes during part of this three minute excursion.

After a short rest, which Robin used to study, we went to the Dunes Hotel to pick up our tickets for the Rich Little and Jubilee.  We took advantage of the Dunes’ $1.00 hot dog and beer special, and fed their poker slots another $10.00.  Then we walked next door to Caesar’s Palace, where we watched the IMAX movie entitled “Ring of Fire”.  After another buffet dinner at the Excalibur we strolled through the shops on the second floor.  

Later we went down to the lower level to participate in their Medieval Fair.  On the electronic cross bow I hit 20 targets out of 20 for a score of 91, with a score above 60 designated as “Robin Hood”.  I also won prizes at the ball roll/horse race and the “Knock the Witch into the Caldron” contest.  I didn’t fare as well with the water pistol Viking ship race or the cross bow with metal tipped arrow, which bounced off the target.  Robin gave all our prizes to little kids in the hotel.  Afterwards, we went to the room and watched a movie on T.V.

On New Year’s Day we took a tour of Lake Meade, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon.  First, we drove by some homes of movie stars.  They live in a suburb called Green Valley, which has natural springs.  It was strange to see frost on the desert.  On the way to Lake Meade our guide gave us a thumbnail history of Las Vegas.  Las Vegas was started in the California Gold Rush in the 1800s.  At that time there were 37 houses of prostitution.  The Flamingo Hotel and Casino, owned by the notorious outlaw, Bugsy Segal, was the first luxury hotel on the strip.

Our tour stopped for coffee and donuts at Boulder City.  Hoover Dam and Lake Meade are just outside Boulder City.  The town was started by the U.S. government as a place for dam workers to live.  The dam was finished in 1936, two years ahead of schedule.  The Colorado River is muddy as it meanders through the Grand Canyon, but clear beneath the dam.  The Dam is on the Arizona state line.

We then had a long ride through the high desert via Dolan Springs on the Mojave Desert and Route 25.  There were hundreds of Joshua trees, which looked like large cactus with green bristles.  They are not wood.  In the distance there were patches of snow on the mountain tops.  Then we proceeded 21 miles on the gravel Diamond Bar County Road to the Hualapai Indian Reservation, where we got our first view of the stratified canyon walls.  We arrived at a house trailer office where we were given coffee and used the restrooms.  There we joined the occupants of another van in an Indian school bus driven by our Indian guide.  There was one stop on the canyon’s edge before we arrived at our lunch site.

Needless to say, the view of this canyon, one of the seven natural wonders of the world, was breathtaking.  We walked the last 100 yards to the edge of a point called Grand Canyon West, where we were about one mile above the Colorado River.  It was very chilly.  We ate a bar-b-que lunch in a shack which housed the mechanical gears of a cable car previously used to mine bat guano from a cave in the opposite wall of the canyon from 1931-1956.

The Indian shelters were called wickiups.  Between 500 and 1,700 members of this tribe lived on this million acre reservation, giving them somewhere between 600 - 2,000 acres each.  The road was muddy on our return.  We saw our first roadrunner.  After a brief stop at a road side “honky tonk” we spent about 20 minutes at Hoover Dam, where we watched a ten minute taped presentation about the dam in front of a 60' X 15' mock-up of the dam. When we returned to Las Vegas, we had traveled 242 miles that day.  A nap was in order.  When we awoke, we had a hamburger and a beer at the hotel coffee shop, then saw the Rich Little show at the Sands.  This had been a full day.

The following morning I again awoke with a headache.  We stayed in bed until after 10:00 a.m.  Everywhere we went we had to stand in lines: breakfast, lunch, dinner, shows - even to pick up my bill for a fax.  The noise level also got to me.  Not just the sound of the one arm bandits and the gamblers in the casinos, but the crying, whining, and shouting of all the children.  It appeared to me that most of the 4,400 rooms at the Excalibur contained kids.

After breakfast we stayed in our room until 3:30.  We walked along the strip until we reached the Holiday Inn, where we ate their lunch buffet.  Afterwards we walked across the street to the Mirage.  The white tigers were truly regal looking in their glass enclosed white environment.  We had a couple of drinks at its Lagoon Saloon, where we enjoyed listening to the Latin rhythms of Lombada.  As we were leaving we witnessed the quarter hour eruption of its volcano.

We had great seats for Jubilee at the Bally.  The magician asked me to wear a trick tie which he was going to tear off my neck as he came by.  Instead, he pulled a pen from my pocket and got me on stage with three other guys.  On stage he picked my pocket, took off my belt, and the trick tie turned out to be eight feet long.  Jubilee was a spectacular show with elegant and highly sophisticated props and lavish costumes, interspersed with a crossbow marksman and gaucho show.

We arrived at the Las Vegas Airport shortly after 11:00 a.m. for our 1:00 p.m. flight, only to discover that our charter flight had been delayed until 6:10 p.m..  At 1:00 o’clock Sun Country Air bussed all passengers to the Hacienda Hotel where they sprang for our $4.95 lunch buffet.  We were stuck there with no entertainment until 5:00 p.m.  Then we learned that the flight had been further delayed until 7:30 p.m., because a passenger on the incoming flight had suffered a heart attack.  Our flight finally left at 8:00 o’clock that night.

Chris and the girls met us at the Dallas airport.  Mel’s rash had gotten worse, so we drove straight to the drug store for some cortisone.  Ed and Mel both had colds.

We all slept late Saturday, and had a late lunch at the International House of Pancakes.  Robin, Mel and I went house hunting, then we watched a couple of movies and played a couple of games of "scatagories".  Nobody slept well because coughing by Mel and me.  Robin, the girls and Chris left on Sunday, January 5, 1992 at 6:00 a.m. and arrived home on South Padre Island safely at 4:30 p.m.  

The cost of our air and hotel plus the cost of the three shows we saw was over $1,000.00.  Add to that the cost of meals, taxies, afternoon shows, drinks and tips, about another $250.00.  I felt that a trip to Jack Tar, Club Med, etc. would have cost about the same and would have been much more enjoyable.  The crowds and smoke filled rooms alone neutralized the glamor of Las Vegas.

LEAVING THE ISLAND
OR
HONEYMOON INTERRUPTED - THE LONG MONTHS
July 1991 - July 1992

The process of our leaving South Padre Island and moving to Dallas started on our wedding day, July 14, 1991.  It was completed when I left on July 17, 1992 - a year later.  Our honeymoon was cut short one day, so that I could attend the National Judicial College in Alexandria, Virginia.  Robin came up for a long week-end during which we went sight seeing, including a trip to the Gettysburg National Battlefield.

My first week on the job in Dallas was spent as a house guest of Dave and Anne Hollenbeck.  Dave and I had gone through Air Force Reserve basic training together in 1954, during which time we had become good friends. I had gotten him a job at Levy’s in Memphis selling ladies shoes.  We double dated and remained close friends over the years.  During that week I found an apartment in Irving, Texas; rented furniture, and moved in with a few possessions.

I fulfilled one of my desires by attending both the Newport Jazz Festival in August, and the Monterey Jazz Festival in September.  Rhett joined me for the latter, during which we both had a great time.  We both got backstage passes, where we visited with the performers, including Dizzy Gillespie, who gave Rhett an interview for his University Of The Pacific radio station.

Robin flew up to Dallas in October, during the state fair.  Rodney and his wife, Donna, were also in town that week-end.  The four of us met Dave and Anne at the fair, where we heard some good music and ate too much junk food.  In November, we met Darrell in Houston, and the three of us froze through the Galveston Jazz Festival.  We met the girls in Pipe Creek for Thanksgiving.  Robin’s next visit was when she and the girls drove up at Christmas, before our trip to Las Vegas.

In my spare time (Ha!), my realtor and I looked for a new home every evening, and on the week-ends that I remained in Dallas.  At Christmas, Robin selected our home on Shadow Ridge Drive, primarily because of the view of the school playground and trees out the kitchen window.

In the meantime, my life was hectic.  I still hadn’t been able to sell my law practice or refer out all of my active cases.  Talk about stress!  The federal government regulations prohibited me from practicing law, but the Cannons of Ethics prohibited me from abandoning a client.  I tried to comply with both requirements, by doing only what was absolutely necessary to prevent my client’s rights from being prejudiced.  Rick Hoffman and I were able to settle the Vargas vs. Merrill Lynch case and through mediation, I settled my four separate client’s claims against Shearson, American Express.

Robin and I were both thankful that the Office of Hearings and Appeals allowed me to Participate in the “Credit Hours” program.  By working two extra hours each day I was in Dallas, I was able to spend two or three long week-ends on the island each month.  Twice, Darrell met me for my short layovers at the Houston Airport, where we had a couple of drinks in the President’s Club.  Most of my time on the island, including long days on Saturdays and Sundays was spent at my island office handling clients’ legal matters.  I was on the island for 12 days in January.  Our lives were also complicated by Robin’s work schedule, which required her to work every Thursday and Sunday.

Robin, with my blessing, stopped working at the hospital during the Spring semester.  This was because her school work was so demanding.  In February, 1992, while handling cases in Waco, Texas, for the second time, I fell up a dark stairway at the Lexington Hotel, injuring my back and neck69.  Later, I took a few days off on the island, during which time I was forced to try my lawsuit against CNA Insurance Company without a lawyer.

I went back to Dallas to take my V.A. physical for my application for V.A. disability compensation as a result of a line of duty accident70 at San Diego Navy Base in February, 1978.  I returned to the island during the middle of the following week so that Robin and I could go to some of the Charro Days festivities in Brownsville.  Between my neck pain and Robin’s class work, we weren’t able to go to any of the festivities, except I went to the International Bank of Commerce’s gala parade party.  While there, Rick agreed to take over most of my law practice, effective March 1, 1992.  It was a welcome relief to a major burden.

When I returned to Dallas it was time to close on the new house and to pick out carpet, vinyl flooring, etc.  I also selected a marble for the entry.  I moved in on March 1, 1992, with only a newly acquired mattress and box springs, my stereo and T.V.  Rhett stayed with me for several weeks, which gave us some time to bond.  In April I brought up a few pieces of furniture in a U-Haul trailer.  I immediately began shopping for and purchased a refrigerator, day bed for Mel’s room (which Robin later vetoed), and a T.V. Satellite dish.

No sooner had I moved in, than it was time for Robin’s Spring break, and our week at Jack Tar Village in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico71.  Robin and both the girls had been sick for the first two weeks in March.  Both of us were near exhaustion - Robin from being sick, taking care of the girls, and studying for Mid-term exams; and me from a grueling schedule.  Rhett had just gotten to the island for his Spring break when Robin got home.  It was necessary for her to run off his entourage and spell out his rules.  We were delighted to have Jimmy and Ernestine Cox spend the night with us and go to dinner with us on the island during the first week-end of April.

By volunteering to hear two weeks of cases in Corpus Christi, Texas, in April, it made it easier for Robin to drive up.  I got a discount on one of the corner suites at the fancy La Quinta Hotel downtown.  I did my case preparation each afternoon by the swimming pool.  We had three delightfully relaxing week-ends, during which we finally visited the new Texas State Aquarium, and spent a day driving up to Rockport, where we visited their Seafarer’s Museum, had lunch at the famous Charlotte Plummers Restaurant, and looked at the outside of the Fulton Mansion.  We visited nearby Goose Island, where we saw a gigantic old tree. 

While we were in Corpus Christi, the Buccaneer Days celebration was held.  We watched the parade and fireworks from my suite balcony.  Robin enjoyed the oysters at both the Black Diamond Oyster Bar and the Water Street Oyster Bar.  We also enjoyed eating out at the Olive Garden, the Diner, Luby’s, Red Lobster, Ship Ahoy, and lunch at the Jetties.  Robin didn’t share my enjoyment of the Mariachi’s with the Cuban beat that we heard at Pepe’s because they were too loud for her.  Rolf Wood, a former client, who had recently moved to Corpus from the island, joined us there for dinner one night.  On Wednesdays Pepe’s had a jazz happy hour in their patio, which was very enjoyable.

Darrell, who was living in Houston, had planned to visit us the last week-end, but was forced to cancel out because of work.  He had visited me in Dallas during the Fair in October and again briefly with Rhett at Christmas.  That last week-end was shared with Melanie, Missy, and Chris, who stayed with us at the Bachelors Officers Quarters at the Corpus Christi Naval Air Station.

The Federal Workers’ Compensation Law provided at the time for up to 45 calendar days off with full pay for employees injured on the job.  By May 14, 1992, my neck and back were worse.  My work was aggravating my injuries.  I returned to the island for the balance of my leave.  During this five and one-half  weeks, in addition to my pain medication, I went to physical therapy three times per week, used my over the door neck traction, sat in the Jacuzzi, and laid on the couch with a hot water bottle under my neck and back, while reading, watching T.V., or just napping.  During my first week home I was able to attend a reception for our new island mayor, Peggy Trahan.  I enjoyed visiting with many old friends.

This was also a time when Robin and I got to spend some quality time together.  We had leisure strolls on the beach and laid reading by the pool, soaking up the warm sun.  We spent relaxing afternoons drinking Jamaican Red Stripe Beer on the front porch followed by quiet dinners at local restaurants.  We ate Jake’s wonderful beef fajitas, and Jesse’s great chicken fajitas and frijoles baracho soup.  Robin loved the Oyster Bar.  The island was ours to enjoy.

We watched sunsets from Tequila Sunrise, Coconuts, and Bermudas, where Sergio came over to talk with us while we were eating.  One lovely evening was spent with Dave and Cathy Buchannan eating at the Grill Room, preceded by drinks and fancy appetizers at their Boardwalk condo.  We even tried the Hole In The Wall’s Mexican food.  One night we drove up to Raymondsville for a bar-b-que dinner at one of Robin’s classmate’s house.

While having a nice dinner at Dave and Cathy Buchannan’s, with Dave72, Barbara and Scott Friedman, we were brought up to date about the alleged embezzlement and false credits in the Boardwalk Condominiums books by Judith Kutler.  We also got the scuttlebutt about her nocturnal visits to Mike Boswell’s condo.  As far as I was concerned, they deserved each other.

While on the island I enjoyed the opportunity to attend both the Brownsville and Port Isabel Rotary Clubs’ luncheons, and was there for the annual Leadership Brownsville73 luncheon.  I bought a set of full lens bifocal reading glasses, and read several tour brochures on Egypt.

My time on the island was also a time for family.  We took the girls to Blackbeard’s for Mel’s birthday.  Darrell, the girls, and I went to Robin’s pinning ceremony, where Robin actually glowed.  That night she was so relaxed and composed, she looked regal.  Diana, Albert, Rodney and Donna came down for Missy’s high school graduation.  That night Missy moved her things into an apartment that she and Chris were sharing with another couple.  Together with Chris, our little family had a wonderful seafood dinner at La Jaiba.  Their fried shrimp were wonderful.  Rodney and Donna went to a new Italian restaurant in Matamoros, Mexico with us, after drinks at the new Garcia’s.  

Rhett and Darrell both finished the Spring semester with a 4.0 grade point average.  Robin was on the dean’s list again, and graduated from the University of Texas at Brownsville Cum Laude.  Rhett’s work-study program at a Dallas broadcasting company was approved, and he received his appointment to study at the University of Sienna, Italy for the Spring 1993 semester.  When school was out he drove to Dallas, where I’m sure he enjoyed batching it until I arrived.

While on the island I got a great tan, gained weight and got a lot better.  Businesswise, I was able to dispose of several cases, get J. J.’s Cadillac repaired for Missy, buy some new sport clothes, update the Bail Bond files, finish our 1991 tax return, and arranged to get the antiques and furniture placed on consignment.  Robin had already started studying in earnest for her state board exams.  I started making arrangements for necessary repairs to the condo to get it ready to sell.  Darrell came down for a week-end visit, and we were all glad to see him.  Robin had to call the EMS one night when I got light headed after getting out of the Jacuzzi too quickly.

Robin had already began the arduous chore of packing for our move to Dallas.  I interview several movers, and we selected Bekins.  We entertained the Buchannans at our house, breaking out the fine china, silver and crystal. Robin prepared a delicious meal: peal and eat shrimp, a shrimp and lump crab meat dip, and Red Snapper Tampico, which was followed by one of Missy’s scrumptious Key Lime pies.  We enjoyed the afterglow of sunset on the porch accompanied by liqueurs and coffee.  Afterwards, Dave took us all for a ride up to the hump in the bridge in his new boat.

Toward the end of my sick leave we took a great trip to New York City74.  As my time on the island grew shorter we made a farewell visit to Matamoros.  Robin and I had a romantic lunch at Garcia’s, where we were serenaded by both the organist and strolling Mariachis.  While there we purchased three colorful woven baskets to decorate the new house.

My last day on the island was Father’s Day.  This last day of sick leave was also the first day of Spring.  While Robin and I were taking a farewell walk on the beach, we saw something that neither of us had ever seen before: a five foot shark was trapped in a narrow trench in the surf.  We later had some Red Stripe Beer and drove up to the end of the road.  After a nice Red Snapper Tampico lunch with peel and eat shrimp we read and sunned by the pool.  The girls gave me the fluffy white robe they had bought for me at Bloomingdale’s.  Both Rhett and Darrell called to wish me happy Father’s Day, and I called both Bill Blount and Jimmy Cox to wish a nice day for each of them.

After another Red Stripe Beer in the car, Robin and I split an order of supreme nachos at the Harlingen Airport Café.  We kissed and embraced, and said our good byes.  Rhett met me at the airport in Dallas.

We went directly from the airport to the Old San Francisco Steak House, Rhett’s favorite restaurant in Dallas.  While I ate a delicious lobster tail and a succulent baked, stuffed potato, we watched the famous girl in the red velvet swing.

Rhett and I had some quality time together before he left to go back to California.  We went to an avant garde Broadway musical “Secret Garden” one night during my first week back.  I didn’t care much for it, but Rhett, with his theatrical background, thoroughly enjoyed it.  We drove all the way downtown to listen to the “Jazz Under the Stars”, but as it had just rained, the concert was moved inside the art museum.  Unfortunately, only the first 400 of the 4,000 of us there could get in.

As both of us were busy during the day, our social life revolved mostly around the evening meal.  One night, after a good Mexican dinner at On The Border on Belt Line in Addison, where we had enjoyed a beer on the patio while taking in the Spring weather, we drove downtown to Deep Ellum.  There we heard some good jazz from the Marchal Ivery trio at Sambucca, and enjoyed talking with some friendly guys at the bar.  On the way downtown, while looking at the Dallas skyline, I for the first time felt like a Dallasite.

The following night we ate Cajun food at Atchafala, next door to On The Border.  Unfortunately, I was in too much pain to go back to listen to jazz.  We did however, go to Canalfest in Las Colinas the following day.  Again, we enjoyed the Spring weather, the music and the beer.  While there, we had a joint caricature sketched.  Later I was informed that I had won the door prize - a free membership in a travel club, including two free trips.  Again, because of neck pain, we had to return home, where after a quarter hour in cervical traction, I went to bed at 5:30 p.m.

Dave and Anne Hollenbeck joined Rhett and me to celebrate my birthday.  The four of us had a nice dinner at a quaint little French restaurant on McKinney.  Rhett and I stopped by Terrilli’s to listen to Carlos Guedes play jazz on the harp.  I left Thursday to meet Robin in Corpus Christi for the Texas Jazz Festival over the July 4th week-end.

Maybe I should have stayed in Corpus.  On the way to therapy in Dallas on July 6th, I was rear ended.  This set my recuperation back considerably.  Before Rhett left I did get to take him to see the movie, Batman, II.

Rhett had already made plans to celebrate his birthday with friends, so the night before we ate at Chili’s and went to Fair Park Theater to see Brigadoon.  That same night Robin went to Galveston, to take her state board examination on July 8th-9th.  Our planes arrived at the Harlingen Airport within an hour of one another.  I was there for our last week to conduct hearings on the island, and to help pack up for our move.  I had arranged this time so I could be with Robin for her birthday and for our anniversary.

At the last minute the owner of Bekins became emotional about how his son had been dealing with us, requiring us to switch to Mayflower movers.  Rodney and Donna came down to help us celebrate Robin’s birthday.  We ate an early dinner at Gastonnini’s in Matamoros.  On the way home we stopped to buy a couple of cases of beer and some rum.  Two nights later Robin and I had a quiet anniversary dinner at the Yacht Club.

With packers, repair people, painters and carpet cleaners under foot our last couple of days on the island were hectic.  We were able to capture a few relaxing moments together, including lunch at the Sea Ranch and a fajita dinner at Jake’s.  After the movers loaded the van on July 15th, I moved into the Holiday Inn, where I was conducting my hearings.  Robin left on the 16th, spending the night at her mother’s on the way.
Tim O’Leary and I had lunch at Blackbeard’s.  After physical therapy, I had a lonely walk on the beach, watched my final sunset on the island for who knows how long, and met my friend Harold Fassold75 for dinner at Marcello’s in Port Isabel.

Darrell left for a week’s vacation in Belize on the 16th.  This was in place of a trip with Robin, Rhett, and me he turned down in January, 1991, to stay with J. J..  I finished my Friday cases before noon, attended my last Rotary Club meeting on the island, and paid a final visit to the office to say goodbye to Janie and Stuart Diamond and left for the airport.

Robin and Mel had stopped by the house before they, with Rhett, met me at the DFW airport.  After dropping Mel off in Irving to visit her friends Amy and Kendra, the three of us went to the Fort Worth Jazz Festival.

When we got to the house we were pleased to discover that all the window coverings had been installed.  For the first time, Robin was able to inspect the results of my selection of carpets, the vinyl and marble floor coverings, as well as the blinds and the decorative shades in the living and dining rooms.  Thankfully, she approved.  At last - - - we were both under the same roof for more than just a visit - - - and we could finally add some sanity to our whirlwind first year of marriage.

THE HONEYMOON CONTINUED
JACK  TAR  VILLAGE,  
NUEVO  VALLARTA, MEXICO  
MARCH 1992

In March, 1992, I was living in Irving and Robin was still on South Padre Island.  Her American Airlines flight from the valley arrived at DFW about 1:30 on Friday, March 13th.  That gave her plenty of time to check her bags and get checked in for our Adventure Tours charter flight to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico at terminal 2W, on the other side of the airport.  I worked until about 2:00 p.m. and arrived at the airport about 2:45 p.m..

We had time for a quick drink at the airport bar before the plane boarded.  Our 3:30 p.m. flight was pretty much on time, taking off at 3:45 p.m.  The weather was perfect and we had a smooth flight.  We had finished our sandwich snack about the time we flew over the jagged mountains surrounding Monterrey, Mexico.  The aircraft took a sharp right turn over Guadalajara, and immediately began our descent into Puerto Vallarta.  Our luggage arrived promptly and we passed through customs and immigration without any questions.

Our semi air conditioned 1959 bus with a cracked windshield took us north along the Bandera Bay Road to the suburb of Nuevo Vallarta, a controlled access area of beautiful homes, condos, and hotels on and near the beach.  It was only about a ten minute ride.  It was a clear sunny day with a few clouds in the sky.

Welcome drinks, including margaritas, pina coladas, and rum punches awaited us upon arrival at the Jack Tar Village.  The sign-in went quickly.  Our I.D. cards were prepared for us during a brief indoctrination.  Our bags were in the room when we arrived.  After unpacking and showering, we rested.

After our rest we went to dinner in the main dining room, the “Pacific Place”.  Following dinner we looked around the property, gathered some tourist information, and began planning our activities for Saturday.

The village consisted of about seven long white four story buildings with red tiled roofs.  The main building contained the front desk, lobby, a bar, the main restaurant, tour offices and shops.  It was “U” shaped, facing the beach.  Between it and the beach were the quiet pool, the activity palapa and the activity pool.  Four tennis courts were in front of the main building.  The Grill, for lunchtime snacks and bar, doubled as the Steak Restaurant in the evening.  It lay on the north side between the main building and the first building for housing.  Nearby the outdoor eating area was a lovely bridge, the steps to which were bracketed by pots of hot pink bougainvillea.  This adjacent building contained housing units five and six.  

Our room was pool side, on the second floor, with a nice balcony and an unobstructed view of the pools. Behind our building lay the shuffleboards, separated by the flowering shrub covered “Honeymooner’s Walk.”  Toward the beach from the shuffleboards were the horseshoe pits and the water sports hut, behind which were several Mexican craft stalls, just off the beach.

After breakfast on Saturday morning we sunned by the activity pool.  We earned our first necklace beads (chips) at a pool side Spanish class.  After a big lunch we practiced horseshoes.  When the horseshoe tournament started, I was on team eight, so we played shuffleboard while we waited for my turn to play.  Robin has won one of several games of shuffleboard.  Until this day she will still swear that she was winning when I was summoned for the horseshoe match.  My first pitch was a leaner.  Although my partner and I lead at 2-1, 4-2, and 6-4, we lost 7-6.  Robin and I got beads for both horseshoe and shuffleboard participation.  While in the area, we looked over the junk for sale at the craft booths, and walked in the surf.  The red flag was up, although there were no white caps.  It was a beautifully clear day, with not a cloud in the sky.

After I took a dip, we ate some chicken fajitas and great guacamole at the Grill.  We enjoyed talking to some Canadiens there, one of whom was a policewoman.  Then we played a very frustrating game of Trivial Pursuit.  Ninety percent of the questions were about movie stars - ugh!  I got one double bead.  Robin never even made a guess.  We left early to get dressed for dinner.

That evening we ate al fresco at the Mexican buffet and were serenaded by Mariachis.  After a Kaluah at the bar, we went back to the room early.  Robin gave me a wonderful foot massage and back rub.  We read for a while and turned the lights out about 9:30 p.m..  Our first full day had been wonderful.

Can you believe it?  We slept the clock around.  We missed our 9:00 a.m. horseback ride on Sunday morning.  Robin had an upset stomach from all of the spicy Mexican food.  After breakfast we signed up for a tour of Puerto Vallarta, a sunset cruise, and a full day trimaran cruise to some off-shore island, and a trip to a waterfall.  We laid in the shade of a coconut palm, where I started this memoir.  Sorry Robin, no massages on Sunday.  Our toughest decision so far was between selecting a rum punch or a pina colada.  Still no clouds.

Late that morning we lounged on some floats in the pool.  Robin towed me under the bridge to the waterfall.  Then we ate lunch again at the Grill.  Robin was not in the mood for Mexican food, so she ate a hamburger.  I had some messy, but very good pork spare ribs and French fries.  That afternoon I had the same partner for horseshoes.  With my ringer my partner and I won the first match, but we lost the second.

I then joined Robin for Bingo.  Most of the afternoon was spent under a palapa on the beach, reading and dozing.  While playing around on the floats, my swim suit came down part way in the back, causing Robin to belly laugh.

That evening we both ate steak and shrimp at the “Steak House”.  The tables were decorated with red and white checkered table cloths and candles.  We were seated with four French Canadians, who spoke mostly among themselves in French.

On Monday we took a tour into Puerto Vallarta.  Between Nuevo Vallarta and the airport we drove through a small village to see how the simple people live.  This village had electricity but there was only one telephone at a downtown store.  Usually the small jail was used only on the weekends, but it was occupied that day.  There were several modern developments between the airport and the marina, including high rise condos, hotels, golf courses, shopping centers and a yacht club.  Between the marina and El Centro76 was a large concentration of hotels, shops and restaurants.  We stopped at a large store in a commercial center, where the prices were very high.  Avenida Palmas was the main street.  This very pretty street was made of attractively patterned cobblestone that was smooth, and it was lined with tall palm trees.

As we arrived near the Zocolo77, the beach was on our right.  We passed several attractive restaurants: The Red Onion, Carlos and Charlies, and the Casa Blanca.  We stopped and got off the bus to walk about a block along the very wide beach sidewalk along the boulevard, called El Malecon.  There was a large statute of a boy riding a sea horse, and a lovely fountain with three intertwined dolphins.  In the background behind a small park which was being used by artists to display their work, was a Santos and several stone arches near the water’s edge.  In the opposite direction was the Zocolo, with the cathedral at the far end.

We walked through the Zocolo, visited the church, and walked a few blocks to El Mercado78.  The merchants had been spoiled by too many tourists and wouldn’t bargain, so we kept our money.  Several of our group walked across the street to a nearby restaurant - La Fuente del Puente - and enjoyed a beer and nachos to background Mexican music.  Then the bus drove us through town, then south to view the area where the movie “Night of the Iguana” was filmed..  Later we stopped briefly for photos at “Los Arcos”79, the giant offshore rocks.

The road left the beach and followed a stream upward between two small mountains.  In a few minutes we arrived at Chico’s Paradise, where we ate a good but expensive lunch under a giant palapa, overlooking some cascades the local Mexicans called a waterfall.  After lunch we went for a quick swim in the icy cold waters.  Robin jumped into a pool which was about ten feet deep.  We both had trouble getting back up the slippery rock.

The bus seats were hard and only about 12 inches deep.  Our non stop ride back to the hotel was very uncomfortable, even though we took a short cut around the city by going through two tunnels.  The tour was from 9:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.  When we returned we took a three hour nap.  Because we were gone all day, we didn’t earn any beads.  We got up to see the sunset, but it was obscured by heavy clouds on the horizon.  There was however, a big, beautiful, romantic full moon.

Our room had an inoperable kitchenette, king size bed, night stand with lamp, dresser, couch, chairs, coffee table and large wall mirror, all made of rattan.  On our balcony were two plastic chairs and small table.  It was a question of which was the noisiest, our air conditioner or the ceiling fan.

At our buffet dinner that night candles had been placed on each table.  After dinner we went to the movie room and watched “Revenge” starring Anthony Quinn and Kevin Costner.  It was over at 11:00 p.m., the latest we had been up yet on this trip.  We got an after dinner drink and went to bed.

On St. Patrick’s Day we took a horseback ride.  After passing a garbage dump, we came across a palm lined road which led to the beach.  Near the beach we rode by some beautiful homes.  Later that morning we wasted one and one half hours on a condo tour.  We enjoyed a nice stroll back to the hotel along the beach.  When we got back, Alex, the activity director gave us two Jack Tar tee shirts for our meager 150 beads, when the rules required 400 beads each.

After hamburgers at the Grill we read by the quiet pool and laid on floats in the pool until it was time for our massages.  At breakfast we were required to select dinner at either 6:30 or 8:30 p.m. We ate at 6:30 p.m.  Service at our a la carte dinner that evening was the best yet.  
That night we each again slept for ten hours.  I guess our bodies must have needed the rest.  We took a horse and buggy ride mid morning, retracing our steps from our horseback ride the morning before.  Back to the hotel, it was another lazy day of laying by the pool and reading.  I spent most of the day in the shade, but still ended up getting red from the reflection of the sun on the water.  We then played one and one-half games of ping pong.  During the first game there was a strong wind to Robin’s back.  I won 21-18.  We then switched sides.  When Robin lost four points in a row, she accused me of cheating.  With the score at 14-4, she quit.  What a sore loser!

We shared a taxi to the docks for our sunset cruise on the Princess Vallarta.  Because a large cruise ship, the Jubilee, was in port, we had to wait on the dock for our turn to be ferried just beyond the cruise ship to our “party boat.”  We lucked into seats on the front end of the upper deck which were completely shaded and near the bar.  There was no extra charge for drinks.  We started out with a Tequila Sunrise.  The ship cruised close along the shore providing us with a nice view of Puerto Vallarta.  We turned around just before sunset.
Los Tres Borachos80 got all of us down to the main deck for the show.  Little did we know that each of us would play a part in the show.  No sooner had we sat down, Robin was selected to dance with one of the Mexicans.  Next, two pairs of Gringos were chosen to a) dance around a beer bottle, and b) chug-a-lug a bottle of beer without using their hands.  You guessed it.  Ed was one of the Gringos!  I drank almost all of the bottle of Coronita, as much as any of the other three men.  It was an enjoyable cruise.  After a late dinner at the hotel, we crashed again about 10:00.

Still another night with ten hours of sleep.  We discovered that C.N.N. Headline News was on in the T.V. room, and caught up on world events.  Then by taxi, we went into town to shop.  Robin purchased a large silver cross and a black pool cover-up trimmed in gold llame.  We found some nice Mexican dishes, but they were too expensive not considering the cost of shipping and possible breakage.  So, we decided to buy in Dallas, if at all.

One of the highlights of our vacation was beer and nachos on the second floor deck of the Alamo, on the Malecon, right on the water.  It was a gorgeous day and the water was a deep blue.  A cool breeze added to this delightful experience.  Back at Jack Tar we lounged around the pool and snacked until the repeaters cocktail party.  After getting our complimentary photograph and our repeaters tee shirts, we left the party, strolled along the beach to take in the sunset.  Before enjoying the Italian night buffet, we took in a movie.

On our last day we again slept late after getting about ten hours of sleep.  Between breakfast and lunch we again lounged around and laid in the pool.  As we walked down the beach we noticed a regional museum and art gallery, which we visited for about one half hour.

Even though we had to have our bags in the hallway by 2:00 p.m., and had to be checked out by 3:00, we stayed in the pool until 4:00, showered and dressed in the hospitality room.  There was still time for a few drinks and snacks before getting on the bus to the airport.

Except for a loud noise, which the pilot announced was a “stall” of engine #2 of our three jet Boeing 727 aircraft, the ride to Cabo San Lucas was smooth and uneventful.  We arrived there just at sunset.  With a full moon we could see the sandy mountains very well.  From Cabo to DFW was a bit bumpy because we got into the jet stream.

The pain in my right arm and shoulder had been getting progressively worse for the past three days.  Apparently, I aggravated my neck injury playing horseshoes and/or shuffleboard.  Because of my pain I had been forced to withdraw from the horseshoe tournament, and had to quit playing shuffleboard or any other activity that required movement of my right arm.

On the plane back home we talked about the trip.  The weather had been great the entire week.  We liked the compactness of the Jack Tar Village, e.g. the closeness of the pools and the beach.  Our room had a nice balcony, was bigger, had a couch and the air conditioning was better than the Jack Tar in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.  The food and service were not as good, although the service improved after I wrote a note to the manager.  We missed the snorkeling in the clear Caribbean waters, but to offset that loss, there were dozens of varieties of blooming plants and trees and the mountains, jungle, and waterfall in Puerto Vallarta were prettier than the landscape in Puerto Plata.  The activities staff in the Dominican Republic were more professional and the activities more varied, but on this trip we were more into relaxing and resting by the pool than playing bingo.

It had been a wonderful vacation - a period of togetherness after repeated and prolonged separations; a period of rest after long tiring days of work and study; a period or relaxation following the tension of exams for Robin, and the stress of selling the law practice, obtaining a mortgage, and finishing out a new home for me.  It was a time for talking and laughing and loving.

It was after midnight when we got to the apartment in Irving, so we again slept late and ate a leisure breakfast.  We shopped for and purchased a white wicker bed for Mel.  After a stop at Pier One to look for a matching chest, we ate lunch at Furrs.  Then, for the first time, Robin saw our new home with its carpet, vinyl and marble floors.  She approved.  After driving around the neighborhood to get ideas for the shrub area, it was time to take Robin to the airport, and for another twelve day separation.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK!
June 11-15, 1992

This was my first long trip with the girls, so I wanted it to be really special.  I had accumulated enough frequent flyer milage for all four of us to travel free.  Robin and Missy went on Continental.  Melanie and I went on American.  By thorough planning I was able to schedule flights leaving and arriving within minutes of each other even though Robin and Mis changed planes in Houston, and Mel and I switched aircraft in Dallas.

I was able to get Mel and me Upgraded.  The weather was perfect and we all arrived in New York City about lunch time.  We took a Gray Line van, provided by our NYC package, to our hotel.  The Milford Plaza is an old hotel located on 8th Avenue, in the heart of the theater district.  Our rooms weren't ready when we arrived.  After a long wait we were shown to rooms with two double beds, rather than a king size bed for Robin and me and single beds for the girls. When I complained, we were finally given adjoining rooms.  After unpacking, we took a short rest, we dressed for dinner.

We met my old college buddy, Dennis Canada and his lovely date.  Dennis was in the throws of what looked like an ugly divorce.  Windows on the World is an internationally famous restaurant on top of Number One, World Trade Center.  We lucked into a table next to plate glass windows at least 12 feet high, giving us a breathtaking panoramic view of Manhattan Island.  We arrived at 5:30.  The sky was clear, and we had a wonderful view - looking down on such landmarks as the Empire State Building.  Dennis' date was a clinical psychiatrist.  She was attractive, and a good conversationalist.  We all instantly liked her.  

That night we had tickets for "Five Guys Names Moe", a black musical.  It wasn't much on plot but the music had us humming and whistling afterwards.

The next morning, after a stop at a nearby coffee shop for breakfast, we walked about five blocks up 8th Avenue to the Gray Line Office, where we boarded our bus for an all day sightseeing tour.  We drove by the luxurious old apartment buildings on Central Park West, where the guide pointed out the residences of celebrities like Yoko Ono.

Our first stop for the day was the magnificent St. John The Divine Episcopalian Cathedral.  The guide said that it was the largest cathedral in the world.  When I mentioned to the guide that St. Peter's in Rome was larger, she pointed out that St. Peter's is a Basilica - not a Cathedral.

While driving through Harlem, passing the famous Apollo Theater, we were given some statistics about New York City.  Of the one and one-half  million people who live in Manhattan, 10% are millionaires.  Brooklyn, if listed among cities separately, would be the third largest city in the U.S.

After driving through mid-town, our next stop was China town.  After visiting a Buddhist temple we strolled though several small streets.  We bought Darrell some ceramic chop sticks, rip-off Rolex watches for Rhett and Darrell and feminine rip-offs for the girls.  We ate hot dogs for lunch while waiting in line for the ferry to the Statute of Liberty.  Again, we had a lovely day, resulting in tens of thousands of other tourists trying to visit the famous lady on the same day.  

School was out, so the crowd was heavy with kids.  The line into the statute were so long and we were so tired, we decided to sit or lay on the grass and relax.  We took some good photos.  The ferry stopped at Ellis Island, the famous place where all the 20th century immigrants were screened.  By that time we were all so tired, we decided to remain on the ferry.  When we debarked at Battery park, we had a fairly long wait on the bus to take us back uptown.

We got back before five, in time to pick up our theater tickets.  We walked to the Hard Rock Café, where we enjoyed an early dinner.  Mel and Mis were both impressed with all the memorabilia.  The food was good, but like everything else in NYC, it was expensive.  We made several stops looking for a small silver Swiss Army Knife for Robin and the girls to give me for my birthday.

We walked back to the hotel.  After a short rest, we dressed and went to see "Miss Saigon".  We all enjoyed this musical very much.  Afterwards, we walked down Broadway, to Times Square, where we ended up with window seats in an all night deli.  We all had a snack.  The desserts were all big enough for at least two people.  This was also a good place for people watching.  Some of the ugliest people in the world live in New York City, and we saw a lot of them.

Early Saturday morning we took a cab to Grand Central Station, where we boarded our train to Stamford, Conn.  The train was neat and clean.  We were pleasantly surprised to find that coffee and cokes were for sale.  After about an hour and a quarter, we arrived at Stamford.  We were a little nervous because Dennis wasn't there to meet us, but after a few tense moments, he drove up.  His date couldn't  make it but he had already picked up beer, cokes and snacks for our day of sailing on Long Island Sound.  

We drove straight to the Indian Harbor Yacht Club, in Greenwich Conn., where we  boarded  a 42 foot sloop. It was named "Kinsale", after a town in Ireland, the birthplace of the co-owner's mother. Dennis was a wonderful host.  We were each offered a turn at the wheel.  We changed into our swim suits, and got some sun.  After several hours of wonderful sailing, we lunched on the front porch  of the yacht club. I loved the lobster salad club sandwich I selected.  We all dozed on the train ride back to the city.

As if our trek to Connecticut had not been enough excitement for one day, that evening we all got dressed up for a lovely dinner in the Crystal Room at the Tavern On The Green, located in the center of Central Park.  We gawked at the variety of chandeliers, no two of which were alike.  Each of us selected our favorite.  The tiny white lights which adorned all the trees in the garden, gave the restaurant a festive look.  The food and service were both good and our bill increased the country's gross national product considerably.

We took a cab straight to the theater, where we were disappointed in the play "Les Misarables".  It was depressing.  That, taken with the small uncomfortable seats in the theater, made us all charter members of "Les Miserable".

I should mention at this point, that by this time we were getting a little nervous about hotel fires.  Arsonists, possibly the Palestine Liberation Organization ("P.L.O.") had already set seven hotel fires in Manhattan from Wednesday to Saturday, and had left notes that there would be more.  Fire engine sirens awakened Robin on Sunday morning.  

After a quick breakfast, we took a cab back to St. John The Divine for Sunday morning church service.  It was "high church", with incense and bells.  There was even a white robed Jewish Cantor complete with yamulka, who chanted in Yiddish.  A black lady in the row behind us told her little girl "that's Latin".  The choir was small but powerful.  The elevated pulpit was made of ornate hand carved granite.  The six large antique tapestries hanging high on each side of the church gave it a very old English feel, even though it was on the Edge of Harlem, the residents of which, including a few "street people", constituted a good percentage of the congregation.  

Robin and the girls were elated that we had a "female service", as both scripture readers and the Deacon delivering the sermon were women.  As we left, we again saw the imposing rose window located over the front door - second in size only to the one in the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.  Next to the church was a small park with a very unusual fountain, depicting the forces of evil and good.  We took several pictures of this unique sculpture.

From church we took another taxi, via Central Park to Bloomingdales.  The girls had been excited about shopping there.  In my wisdom, I bought a New York Times and leisurely ate a snack in the coffee shop while they shopped.  We then walked the ten blocks to the theater where "Cats" was playing, via the Puerto Rican Day Parade.  We all thought "Cats" was great.  Again, we walked to the Dorset Room for our five course meal.  

I finagled a visit to the Ambassador Club where Mel and I had a relaxed wait for our flight.  We were delighted to discover that we had a wide bodied 767 aircraft for our flight to DFW.  We were able to enjoy stereo music with our headsets.  The movie screen showed the CNN news and some short subjects.  This luxury was overcome by the air conditioning being out on the DFW to Harlingen segment.

Upon our return we all agreed that this had been a wonderful trip.  

EGYPT AND THE HOLY LAND 
TWA GETAWAY TOUR
PLUS PARIS
Jan. 7-24, 1993

					
As we made our preparations for this exciting trip we read as many travel books as we could find on Egypt and the Holy Land, and even looked at some travel videos from the library.  At the close of 1992 our attention was drawn to the current events in the area which had the potential of disrupting our vacation.  

Saddam Huessin had still not learned his lesson.  Raids were being made into Kuwait by soldiers dressed in civilian clothes.  Iraq was still defiant about complying with the lawful requests of the U.N. inspection teams, and other U.N. Resolutions.  The Joint Chiefs of Staff were calling for renewed military surgical strikes.  A small contingent of troops from Ft. Hood, Texas was sent into Kuwait to insure that Iraqi troops didn't try to sneak back in.  A new spy in the sky satellite was launched to monitor Iraqi military movements.

Israel deported about 400 suspected PLO81 terrorists into a no-man's land between Israel and Lebanon.  This had the potential to result in terrorist activities directed against tourists.  The PLO and Syria terminated the peace talks until this situation was resolved.  World opinion was turning against Israel and the U.S. as its mentor.  In the west bank area Arab children were throwing rocks at the tour busses.

In Egypt, there had been random attacks against tourists in the Abu Simble area, resulting in the slaying of a British tourist on Oct. 21, 1992 and the injuring of five German tourists three weeks later.  A Shiite Moslem militant sect was involved and the Egyptian police were conducting raids on entire villages and in sections of Cairo where police had feared to enter for years.   Many arrests were made, and the Ministry of Tourism had vowed that Egypt was safe. 

During the first week of December the Egyptian Government reported that it was beefing up undercover police and security patrols at popular tourist attractions such as Abu Simble and Luxor.  Over 200 militants were arrested and in an attempt to get those directly responsible for the attacks to turn themselves in, the police bulldozed their families' rural mud homes and arrested their relatives.

The previous bombings of airliners by militant Arab groups were on all our minds.  We each decided in our own minds that we weren't going to allow a bunch of thugs to dictate to us how we going to spend our time or tell us where we were going to go.  We later discovered that in Egypt tourism was off by 65% as a result of the attacks on tourists.  As a result, we didn't have a full bus, and the waiting lines at the pyramids, tombs and the Egyptian Museum were almost non existent.  A good time was had by all!
							
Within two weeks of our return to the United States, we read that terrorists threw a bomb at a bus of Korean Tourists near the great pyramids at Giza.  Violence plagued the Gaza strip and in early February a man was stabbed by a Moslem terrorist at a bus stop in Jerusalem.

Our tour Guide was Alex Christofidis of Athens.  In Egypt our local guide was Jihan K. Hussein, of Cairo, Egypt.  In Israel, our local guide was Hana Kessler, who lived in Jerusalem, Israel

Thursday, Jan. 7, 1993 

Rhett's air was included as part of his semester abroad tuition costs for his semester in Italy, so he traveled alone.  Rhett departed DFW on Delta at 12:15 p.m. Lunch was served in flight and he arrived at JFK at 4:30 p.m.  After a four hour layover,  he departed JFK on Sabena, Belgium's National Airline.  Dinner and breakfast served, and a movie was shown.  He met several other college students.  He arrived in Brussels at 9:15 a.m. on Jan. 8.  

After an additional four hours at the airport he left Brussels on another Sabena flight.  Lunch was served.  He arrived at Linati Airport, Milan, Italy in mid-afternoon.  Before leaving the airport he changed some currency.  $1.00 U.S. equals about 1,400 Italian Lira, so that 1000 Italian Lira equaled about $0.72 U.S.

Rhett took a taxi to the Hotel Carlyle Brera.  The driver gave him a brief tour of the city on the way to the hotel.  Rhett was most impressed by the commanding Cathedral.  After showering, Rhett decided to get dressed for a little sightseeing.  He discovered that none of the restaurants were open yet.  After a few drinks at the bar he went back to the room and crashed.

Friday, Jan. 8 	

Robin and I had to leave the house early for check in with TWA Airlines, for our mid morning DC-9 flight to St. Louis, on which a snack was served.  After about two hours on the ground we flew on another TWA DC-9 to Washington Dulles, where we changed to a TWA LC 1011 for our flight to Paris.  Dinner and breakfast were served and we watched CNN Headline News, some short features and the movie " A League of Their Own".  

As on my flight to Lima, Peru in 1990, packages kept falling from the overhead storage compartments.  There had even been a special announcement and caution by the stewardess about this problem.
 
Saturday, Jan. 9, 1993    

Robin and I together with a few of our group arrived Saturday at the Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris at 7:20 a.m., ready to go to bed.  Instead we were confronted with a four hour between flights, which had been scheduled as a three hour layover.  We exchanged a few dollars for Francs. 1 French Franc = about $0.185  $1.00 U.S. = about 5.40 French Francs.  We tried to get a little sleep but there were several unruly children in the waiting area.  George and Nancy Whitney traveled to Cairo early. Dave and Linda Evans, who live in Paris, left from Paris with us, and the others who came in on flights from New York City and Boston.

We finally boarded our TWA 747 at noon, for our five hour flight to Cairo.  We lucked up by getting seats immediately behind Jim Bennett.  There was no seat in front of me and I had plenty of leg room.  Mary Ann Bennett was across the isle.  Jim and I had a few nice conversations about travel before we discovered that we were to be on the same tour.  I later discovered he was a Harvard Law School Graduate and had served as Mayor of his town.  We had a nice flight. As it was a clear day, we had excellent views of the snow capped Alps.  Robin and I were also impressed with the excellent view of the Bay of Naples and the Isle of Capri. Lunch was served with a nice complimentary bottle of French wine.

We arrived in Cairo at about 5:00 p.m.  Passengers on our flight were participants in several TWA Getaway Tours, so there was a bit of confusion at the airport.  We were finally separated by groups and shown to our modern air conditioned bus. Our guide, Alex Christofidis, introduced himself to us.  He was in his mid-forties, but looked much younger, with cold black hair, sanguine cheeks and a cherubic smile.  Alex warned us that although we might have thought that we were in Egypt for a vacation, we weren't going to have a vacation - rather, we were going to be involved in some serious sightseeing.  He said we were going to be so busy sight seeing, that we would feel like we needed a vacation when we got home.

On our way to the hotel, Alex gave us a brief preview of what to expect on the tour and discussed some logistics, e.g. the location of his schedule notices at the hotel, etc.  As we neared the downtown area he began to point out certain significant monuments such as the Cairo Tower and the original enormous statute of Ramases which was adjacent to the expressway.  The weather was clear and cool.

When we arrived at the Ramases Hilton, they were well prepared for us.  The large marbled lobby was well appointed, and was lined with several nice shops.  While waiting, I exchanged some currency. The Egyptian Pound = $0.30 U.S.; $1.00 U.S. = about 3.32 Egyptian Pounds.

We filled out our registration cards, tagged our luggage for the porters and were in our rooms within a few minutes.  We were pleased with our spacious corner room, with excellent views of both the Nile River and the Cairo Museum.  Although it was not a five star room, it was decorated nicely, with our king size bed, dresser and color T.V. in one semi-private section, and Rhett's single bed in a dog-legged area which also contained the couch and easy chairs.  We had a well stocked refrigerator bar which came in handy.

The first order of business were wonderful hot showers, to wash away 25 hours of travel and sooth our aching muscles.  We then ordered room service and crashed.  Alex had assured us that Rhett could make it alone from the airport to the hotel.

Rhett had started his day with a walking tour of Milan before checking in for his Air France flight to Cairo, which required him first to go to Paris, where he had a two hour layover.  He arrived in Cairo at 10:25 p.m. It was almost midnight when he got to the room. 	
         
Cairo time is GMT plus two hours.  Texas is GMT minus six hours (except during daylight saving time), so Cairo was eight hours later than Texas.

Sunday, Jan. 10 	Cairo - Memphis - Sakkara - Pyramids excursion.  

We had a delightful buffet breakfast at one of the handsome restaurants on the second floor.  When we walked outside we were greeted with a wonderful clear cool day.  After we boarded our tour bus, we were introduced to Jihan, our Egyptian guide.  She was attractive, about five feet tall, with dark brown hair, a dark complexion and aquiline features.

She immediately started to  impart all manner of vital statistics about Egypt.  We learned that Cairo is a city of about 15 million inhabitants, making it the largest capital in Africa.  She informed us that the Nile separates the states of Cairo and Giza and that the word "MISR" is Arabic for Egypt.  Public schools are free, but only private schools teach foreign languages.  The American University is the only private university in Egypt.

As we passed the Cairo Zoo we learned that it is the largest in the Arab world.  Medical insurance is free to all of Egypt's 58 million people, but health care is divided into three categories.   There is a long wait for level three of health care.

There are several choices of transportation in Cairo.  The public busses stop only at designated places.  Private mini-vans, which cost the same afford a more customer oriented service, making stops as requested.  There are also two types of taxis, but it is necessary to negotiate your price in advance.  Gasoline was only 30 cents U.S. per liter.

The morning tour was probably the highlight of the entire tour.   Our first stop was at the magnificent pyramids at Giza, the largest in the world.  We parked about 100 yards from the King Cheops Pyramid, the largest, and spent a few moments marveling at the breathtaking enormity of this 4000 year old structure, one of the ancient wonders of the world.  It seemed to embody the symbol of ancient Egypt.  We walked into the pyramid through an ancient passageway, until we reached a steep tunnel which was about four feet high.  As this would have required a very uncomfortable ascent most of us declined.  Many of our group, including Rhett went all the way into the high ceilinged burial chamber.
We were accosted by numerous hawkers selling all sorts of souvenirs.  We succumbed and bought three Arabic head dress, which we wore the remainder of the day.   Rhett purchased a double handful of trinkets, including a nice necklace and a silver bracelet for $10.00.

We then drove to the second large pyramid at Giza and the five smaller Queens' Pyramids nearby, only three of which are still in good shape.  The two larger pyramids each took 25-28 years to build.  Many of us took the optional camel ride between the two large pyramids.  These desert ships were difficult to board.  It was necessary to hold on for dear life as they arose, because they got up first with their long front legs, which left the rider in an almost horizontal position.  When the camel then raised it hind legs, I felt that I was going to fall forward.  I rode alone, but Robin and Rhett were persuaded to ride double.  

Although we were told the appropriate tip for the handlers, and told not to give it to them until the ride was over, they constantly badgered us for large gratuities.  When that wasn't forthcoming they began to beg for a promise of a large tip.  As expected, they complained about the size of the tip.  I told the youngster who had guided my camel that if he didn't want the tip, I would take it back.  That seemed to end the confrontation.  We weren't able to carry on much of a conversation during the ride, but we captured some excellent photographs, and got some good footage on the video camera.

Our morning was capped off by a visit to the Sphinx, which was constructed about 2500 B.C. - almost 4,500 years ago.  It was built in the likeness of King Caphren.  I was a bit disappointed, having expected a much larger structure.  Yet, there is nothing in the world that is comparable to it.

We then had a pleasant lunch in the restaurant at the old Mena House Hotel, which had once served as a Royal Palace.  The hotel is in the center of an oasis and was surrounded by beautiful palm trees and flowering shrubs of several varieties.  Our dining room afforded an excellent view of the pyramids of Giza.

Where Upper and Lower Egypt meet, there once stood a powerful metropolis - Memphis.  We saw its remnants this afternoon at an open air museum, which contained many statutes which had once adorned the temples, that had long since vanished.  Then we visited Sakkara's Step Pyramid, built between 2700 and 2800 B.C. for a High Priest.  It may well be the oldest existing structure in the world.  We then descended into the nearby hieroglyphic - carved mastaba tombs, which were constructed about 2300 B.C.  
The original diagram of the area is shown on page 276 of Birnbaum's latest tourist guide to Egypt.  The ancient Sed Festival was held at this site every thirty years.  In ancient Egypt, the King was allowed to serve as King for only 30 years.  Afterwards, the law required that a new king be selected.  Kings would bribe their high priests to certify that they were fit to serve another 30 years.  The festival was in celebration of the King's verified rejuvenation.

Nearby, were the first two pyramids ever built with slanting sides.  The first, built by King Zosser, was started at one angle, and during construction, the angle was substantially changed, giving it an unusual look.  King Zosser was dissatisfied, so he had another perfectly shaped pyramid built nearby.  The latter contains his tomb.  The sky became cloudy in the afternoon.

Alexander had recommended the Folk Dancing show at the nightclub in the hotel.  A group of seven of us made reservations.  When we arrived, we found that the tables were surrounded by padded stools, with no backs.  I couldn't consider sitting in such a tortuous manner for a floor show, so the three of us went up to the Windows of the World Club on the 31st floor.  We had a few drinks, and made a meal of the appetizers, while we enjoyed a magnificent panoramic view of Cairo, including the several illuminated floating casinos on the Nile, and the noble illuminated Cairo Tower. 

Monday, Jan. 11 	Cairo.

Our guided tour of the Egyptian Museum was the day's high point.  In its maze like galleries are found the tomb treasures of many kings.  We spent the entire morning viewing the antiquities from the tomb of King Tut, including the gleaming gold death mask.  The gold death mask and the two coffins were made of beautiful gold, trimmed with lapis.  They all looked new and the blue trim was still brilliant.   His organs had been removed and placed in alabaster canopic jars, the lids of which were carved alabaster replicas of the death mask.  These jars fit snugly into  a wooden chest covered in bright gold leaf.  This chest in turn was also covered by another larger gold leaf chest.  After repeating this process several times, the final container was as large as a room at Day's Inn.

Robin and I particularly liked the statute of Anubis, the jackal, who was the guardian of the dead and the symbol of the embalmers.  After our tour Robin and I bought several souvenirs in the museum gift shop, including my cane with the death mask of King Tut in brass, trimmed in blue, another Tut mask on a stand for our bookcase, statutes of Anubis, Horus the hawk, and a bust of Queen Nefretari, a museum picture book and some papyrus book marks.

In my opinion the Egyptian Museum is one of the greatest in the world relative to the antiquities on display.  The Louvre, like the Prado in Madrid, emphasizes art.  The Mexican Museum of Anthropology doesn't even come close in the number or beauty of the artifacts on display, although its building and those of the Louvre and the Prado are much more impressive.

After a nice lunch in the hotel coffee shop, we took an optional afternoon tour to the old quarter.  We visited St. Sergius Coptic church, where the holy family hid from King Herod, while infant boys were being killed.  They stayed in the cellar of the church for two months - within the walls of the Roman fort, under the nose of the King, as it were.  A few steps away, down and around the narrow winding streets of the old quarter, was a Synagogue built about 600 A.D.

The highlight of the afternoon was our visit to the Citadel, an ancient high walled fortress built atop the hills just outside of and overlooking the city.  The gates to the Citadel were guarded by impressive looking guards in ceremonial dress on horseback.  

There we toured the Mohammed Ali Mosque.  It is built on the same dimensions as the famous Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, but it was carpeted with conventional carpet, whereas the marble floors of the latter are covered with hundreds of expensive and colorful oriental rugs.  The exterior of the large dome was covered with gold leaf.  The interior dome was decorated beautifully.  The mosque was surrounded by minarets, from the tops of which, holy men called the faithful followers of Allah to prayer five times per day.

Entrance to the mosque was gained through a large courtyard surrounded by a high wall.  Along the wall is a covered walkway, the supporting pillars of which were connected by graceful arches.  The wall opposite the entrance to the mosque contained a clock tower, which the King of France gave to the King of Egypt in exchange for the large Obelisk, taken from the Luxor Temple, which decorates the Place de Concord in Paris.  Our guide told us that the clock never worked.  The center of the courtyard was dominated by a large fountain, where Muslims are obliged to wash their hands and feet before entering the mosque.  Everyone had to take off their shoes and enter in their stocking feet.

We spent about and hour and one-half shopping in the Bazaar.  In one shop where Robin purchased some perfume oil and delicate perfume bottles, the proprietor told us that his family had been operating that shop for 100 years before the American Revolution.  He said "for us, 200 years is nothing".  Rhett picked out a nice metallic Houkka water pipe for a souvenir, which we were obliged to take back home for him.  We also bought tee shirts for Darrell and the girls.

While we waited for the return of the tour bus we sat down at a small sidewalk coffee shop.  While waiting for our Turkish coffee, Rhett tried out the communal water pipe filled with a sweet tobacco.  About that time, the shop owner came over.  He had several missing teeth, and those he still possessed looked as if they had never been brushed.  He smiled broadly when he offered me 1000 camels for Robin.  I told him that she was not for sale at the present time, but asked if he would keep the offer open in case I later changed my mind.  Robin still thinks that either Rhett or I put him up to it, but such is far from the truth.  The coffee was mostly grounds, and made both Robin and me sick at our stomach.

When we got back to the hotel, Robin and Rhett went to the health club where they enjoyed full body massages and separate Jacuzzies for men and women.  Robin reportedly asked the occupants of the ladies tub not to look as she entered the tub in the nude.  I went to bed early.  It had been a busy three days so far.  

Tuesday, Jan. 12 	Cairo - Aswan - Embark the M.S.Nile Ritz.

This morning we flew to Aswan, via Luxor on an Air Egypt Airbus, which was full.  In the terminal we were serenaded by whining middle eastern music and several crying children.  I was forced to sit in the middle.  Rhett got an isle seat.  By the time we arrived in Luxor I had sweated through my shirt.  I went into the men's room at the Luxor airport to change into my spare short sleeve shirt, where I gagged at the odor.

Fortunately, the flight was smooth.  The clouds were left behind in Cairo, and there was a crisp breeze in Aswan.  As we landed we noticed fighter planes in their underground bunkers and anti-aircraft installations surrounding the airport.  The new dam was also protected by these same type gun emplacements.

We toured both dams, the first of which was built by the British in 1902.  The Russians built the High Dam in 1960, in a cooperative effort with several other countries.  The dam was designed by Swedish Engineers.  The High Dam Monument is a modern lotus flower, commemorating the change in the course of the Nile.  The new dam is three KM wide.  Adjacent to the dam was a military base and an hydro-electric plant.  The area around the dam looked like a lunar landscape.

By a covered motorboat we visited the grandiose temple of Philae, built by Ramases and his Queen Nefertari, in 642 B.C.  Then we transferred to our waiting Presidential Nile Cruise Ship, the Nile Ritz.  Everybody had outside cabins.  Most of us were disappointed with our ship because it was old and because all the staterooms were very small.   None of us viewed it as a "first class" boat.  We had been tripled up with Rhett by mistake, leaving not enough room to even turn around in.  My blood pressure spiked and Rhett's lower lip covered his chin.  Alex interceded for us.  The ship manager was gracious and gave Rhett a complimentary private room on the lower deck, at water level.  

After a delightful buffet lunch, a felucca82 ride took us to the Mausoleum of the Aga Khan, high on a hill overlooking the river.  It must be nice to be rich enough to build yourself a monument of such grand scale, and then set up a perpetual trust with funds sufficient to pay for custodians, grounds keepers and cleaning crews.  His widow still has fresh flowers delivered daily.  Their beautiful home is half way down the hill overlooking the Nile.  It was on the beautifully polished marble floor of this edifice that I dropped and broke my camera.

These graceful old boats with their inverted sails were a sight to see as dozens of them congregated near the base of the hill on which the Mausoleum was located.  It was a long walk up the winding trail.  Many of us were pleased to find convenient benches for rest stops.  After our strenuous walk up the hill we were rewarded with a commanding view of Aswan and the Nile.

On our return to the felucca, we paused to shop briefly at the market near the boat anchorage.  There we purchased our costumes for the Gallabaya party.  The return ride was very restful.  Many of us took advantage of the sun, which later sat majestically behind the hills to the west shortly before we were returned to our ship.  The sun had been bright all day.  Our faces were a bit burned and our lips were chapped.

Several of us went up to the top deck for the scheduled "coffee".  Much to our chagrin, it was instant coffee, and the water was only luke warm.  We opted for a beer instead, and later rested before our 8:00 seated dinner.  Our candlelight veal picata dinner was excellent and was served elegantly.  We sat with and got to know Mike and Hanan Toukan, who own a Wendy's franchise in Ohio.  It was in fact a perfect evening, until we were tendered instant coffee again!  Rhett and a few other brave souls went to the disco at 10:00, but most of us were in bed by that time.

Wednesday, Jan. 13 	Aswan - Abu Simbel - Aswan - Cruising - Kom Obo - Edfu.

We awoke to a crystal clear and cool morning.  Rhett actually was one of the first of our group to arrive at breakfast, beating both Robin and me.  By today we noted that John and Sylvia Flynn, who were in the stateroom next to us had become Rhett's good friends.  They jokingly told Rhett that Robin and I had kept them awake all night with our love making.  We discovered that Jack Howard was a landscape architect, and that he knew all the Latin names for the trees and plants.

After a buffet breakfast (again no fresh brewed coffee), we were bussed to the airport where we boarded an Air Egypt 737 for our flight of about one hour south to Abu Simbel.  From the air for as far as you could see there was nothing but desert surrounding the deep blue waters of Lake Aswan.  Government regulations prohibit  alien  tourists from staying in Abu Simble, and one cannot leave the airport without a confirmed airline ticket out the same day.

The two temples at Abu Simbel are engineering miracles, both in their original construction and from the standpoint of their respective disassembly  at their original location which is now submerged beneath the lake, and their reassembly.  The figures painted on the interior walls still had brilliant colors from the original paint, which was made from ground up semiprecious stones.

After our tour of both temples, we were taken behind and above the larger of the two tombs so that we could see how the man made hollowed out mountain was constructed.  We made a short stop at a stone quarry where we saw a long Unfinished Obelisk.  After a short flight back to the ship, we over ate and relaxed in the sun by the pool under a clear blue sky, as the smooth brown waters of the Nile flowed by.

River traffic was fairly heavy, consisting mostly of other cruise boats, one of which was decorated like an ancient royal barge.  It was interesting to watch the activities of the farmers along the narrow fertile strip of land on either side of the river.  They still plowed behind horses and donkeys rather than with machines.  Camels were the beast of burden used most often in carrying crops.

After cruising downstream for about three hours we arrived at Kom Obo, where we visited a fairly modern temple constructed in about 180 B.C., during the reign of the Roman Kings of Egypt.  The priests had designed the temple so that there were secret passageways known only to them.  They listened secretly to the King's prayers and could thereby devise an answer most beneficial to themselves.  This temple was once used as a hospital.  Carvings on the wall showed medical instruments and birth chairs.  We noted the meticulous stone cutting, the careful construction and delicate carvings as we walked through the twin temples here.

After a short nap we went up to another candlelight dinner which featured shrimp cocktail, beef Wellington and crepe Suzettes.  At dinner we learned that the U.S. had bombed Iraq.  Emotions were mixed among our group.  Many of us who had served as officers in the military were glad to see that Saddam Hussein was finally getting what he had had coming for over a year.  Others were concerned that threatened retaliation against Israel could jeopardize the tour of Israel.  We had an evening mooring and dinner in Edfu.

Thursday, Jan. 14 	Edfu - Cruising - Esna - Luxor.

At breakfast we watched a brilliant sun rise over hazy mountains in the distance.  Its first rays were reflected by the somber waters of the Nile, shrouded with a low misty fog.  It was to be another glorious day.  The sudden appearance of a coffee urn with fresh brewed coffee, attributable to the admirable extra efforts of Alex, was a good omen.  

We had an early morning shore excursion to Edfu's Temple of Horus, dedicated to the appearance of Ra as the falcon.  We traveled there through the streets of this village in small groups by horse drawn carriages.  All the drivers were dressed in Gallabeyas and headdress.  The temple is the largest still standing in Egypt.  It was also one of the newer ones, having been built during the period 249 - 65 B.C.  

The inscription on the outer wall depicts the legend of Horus' battle with and defeat of his evil uncle, the hippopotamus god who had killed his father twice.  The first time, Horus' mother had retrieved the body of her husband from the sarcophagus in the muddy bottom of the Nile.  With her wings she fanned new life into him.  Thus, the origin of the significance of the hawk's wings in Egyptian mythology.  The second time he was cut into 14 pieces.

By 9:00 a.m. our  ship was on its way north.  We sunbathed on deck, played table tennis, and enjoyed reading our novels as we sailed the 100 kilometers (60 miles) to Luxor. After a nice buffet lunch, during which we visited with Alice Barber and Philip Margherito, we again spent the afternoon on deck in the sun.  Philip is a disabled veteran from WWII.  We enjoyed discussing with him some of the problems with our welfare system.  The sugarcane was being harvested.  The shore was lined with endless varieties of palm trees, interspersed with an occasional mosque or factory.  We stopped at Esna in mid-afternoon to await our turn going through the locks.  About 7:00 p.m. we learned that the locks were malfunctioning. 

In the evening we enjoyed a buffet dinner and later, dancing as part of our Gallabeya party.  Most of the group wore costumes and a group photo was taken.  We started through the locks as the party began.  The many contests during the party were dominated by the unruly college students from New York, one of whom paired up with Rhett to win the "make a mummy with toilet paper" contest.  

Rhett and I were dressed as Sheiks.  Robin appeared as a beautiful Genie, in a sequin trimmed golden yellow dress.  She also wore the headdress we purchased at Giza.  She was absolutely radiant.  She and Alex danced to one of the native dances.  Most of us called it an early night.  Those of us on my deck were rudely awakened at 1:20 a.m. by a large black college student who was walking down the passageway singing at the top of his voice.  Those who weren't awakened by him were probably shaken by my shouting at a group of them down the hall.  The following morning several of us spoke to their group leader.  From that point on we had no further problems with these collegiates.  In the wee hours of the morning we quietly docked in Luxor.

Friday, Jan. 15 	Luxor - Valley of the Kings.

This morning through our cabin window we witnessed another marvelous sunrise accentuated by a colorful hot air balloon rising over the mountains to the east, then settling into the misty haze.  Our boat was nestled on the river with two other cruise ships at the plush Sheraton Luxor Resort Hotel.  After breakfast we shopped in the hotel arcade.  Robin bought a lovely black tee shirt with golden Egyptian figures in a 10 inch border around the neck.
As the three of us walked through the hotel's front door a group of native clad musicians instantly began to serenade us.  They were apparently required to play for each guest entering or leaving the hotel.  They were a happy looking lot, enticing Rhett and Robin to sit with them and to play on tambourines, drums, etc.  One even danced with Robin.  It was a wonderful way to begin our adventurous day.

The truly adventurous part began with our hiring a carriage to take us to the Luxor Museum.  Apparently, our driver had slipped into the front of the line.  We were chased down the streets of the ancient town by a screaming carriage driver.  When he drew alongside us he held his whip in a threatening manner and tried to force us off the road, all the while cursing our driver.  Our driver tried to avoid conflict.  He turned the carriage around and headed back toward the hotel, only to be followed by this menacing competitor who was shouting and waiving his whip.  

We insisted that our driver stop and let us out.  The other driver chased him off - then offered to take us to our destination.  Naturally, we declined.  We were glad we had our tear gas cartridges and my new cane for protection.  Rhett and Robin were both terrified.  Some local merchants looked at us and just shook their heads as if they were sorry that tourists were being subjected to this argument.

Not knowing how far the museum was, we set out walking in what we thought was the right direction.  Our original driver kept following alongside us, alternately trying to get us to get back into his buggy or to pay him.  Needless to say, we dismissed either option.  After walking several blocks in the warm sun, we took a taxi to our destination.

The Luxor Museum contained some lovely relics.  There were two hand painted sarcophagus covers in excellent condition.  These weren't for members of the royal family.  I liked an alabaster statute of a large seated Sobek, the crocodile god, which was taller than the standing statute of King Tut.  I was also impressed with the large hand carved head of Hathor, the cow god, which was decorated with gold leaf.  This piece is shown and described on page 15 of Baedeker's Egypt.  We ran into Hanan and Mike Toukan at the museum and saw Karen and Jack as we were getting our taxi back to the boat.

After lunch on the boat our group got into a mini-bus for a short ride to the Nile ferry.  Our large bus met us on the other side of the river and within a few minutes we were in front of the Collosi of Memnon.  We were in awe of the two huge seated weather worn statutes of the deformed looking King Amenhotep, standing alone in the midst of agricultural lands.  It was he who moved the kingdom to worship one god - Ra, the Sun God.  Legend says that when the wind blows, the statutes moan.  The statutes were originally built  in 1400 - 1500 B.C. to guard the jewel encrusted doors of a large temple, the remains of which long ago disappeared.

Next, we visited the tombs of two princes located in the Valley of the Queens.  We were all impressed with the vivid colors of the paintings on the walls of these tombs.   Queen Nefretari's tomb is not open to the public, even though Egypt has spent about 10 million dollars to renovate it.  It exists for scientific study only!

History tells us that the Kings stopped building expensive and time consuming pyramids when it became apparent that no matter how many burglar proof devices were installed, the engineers and workers who installed them kept returning after burial to loot them.  The newer strategy was to hide the tombs in the mountains.  Workers who built these tombs, and their families were forbidden to return to their villages, so that the locations would remain a secret.  But alas, these too were located and robbed; at least all but that of King Tut, which was only in modern times discovered under the tomb of an earlier king.

By 1500 B.C. it was apparent that the Royal desire for elegance overcame the need to hide the treasures.  We visited the enormous Tomb of Queen Hatshepsut, which dominates the landscape. It was built into the side of a nearby mountain about that time.  Its three levels of terraces and porticos were well preserved.   She claimed that Amun - Ra was her father, so she, as a woman, could rule Egypt.  Upon her death, her step-son defaced the temple.  Of all the structures we saw in Egypt, this stood out as a different type of architecture.  Its rectangular columns in the front gave it a modern look, even with the Greco - Roman columns on either side.

The highlight of the day was our visit to Valley of the Kings, the eternal realm of the Pharaohs who were buried there.  We visited the tombs of Ramases IX, Ramases IV and King Tutankhamen.  The largest of the three was that of Ramases IV, and the smallest was King Tut's.  Tut's was the only one we know of that was found intact.  Because his successor was in a hurry, the precious antiquities contained in this small tomb were stacked on top of one another hurriedly and  the tomb was closed.  Again, the fullness of the color on the figures painted on the walls of all three tombs was remarkable.

We had led an exhausting pace for the past week, and there was no letting up.  We were almost half way around the world, and there was much to see.  We knew that it was improbable that we would return, so it was "see it now or forget it forever", the theory being that we could rest when we got home.  Remember what Alex told us at the beginning of the trip?

We got back to the boat just in time for a 6:00 p.m. dinner and a 7:15 departure for the optional Sound and Light show at Karnak Temple.  Rhett and some others were too tired to go.  They remained on the boat and "crashed".  The show was interesting but not very informative.  The Temple was huge, spreading across several acres of land.  I was impressed with the double row of lamb's head Sphinxes and the enormous pillars.

Upon returning to the boat, Alex took a few of us to the restaurant where we ate the baked Alaska dessert that we had left because of our timing.  As it was our last night on the ship, we all paid our bills and set aside our tips for Jihan and the boat staff.  Before going to bed we stopped upstairs to watch a young curvaceous belly dancer who had come on board to entertain the passengers.  I'm sure that everybody on our trip who had gone to the evening performance had no trouble going to sleep.  We had walked several miles today.   

Saturday, Jan. 16 	Luxor - Disembark - Cairo.

When we awoke I was thinking of the correlation between the Nile and the Mississippi Rivers, because of the words to the famous song "Ole Man River":  "...My body's all aching and racked with pain...."  At breakfast, we enjoyed talking to Mary McQuerry, and learned to appreciate her tongue-in-cheek humor.  She and the Bennetts have been life long friends.  

After breakfast, we left our cruiser, as included sightseeing took us by bus to the Temple of Luxor, right beside the Nile, for a brief tour.  Again I liked the double row of Sphinx that at one time had connected the Luxor Temple to Karnak Temple, some three miles away.  These Sphinx had the head of the Pharaoh.

After the Romans brought Christianity to Egypt, the Copts83 built a chapel within the Temple.  In front of the entrance is a large obelisk, inscribed with hieroglyphics.  Its mate is located in Paris in the Place de Concord. 
We then drove to Karnak's  colossal ruins at the end of the Avenue of Sphinxes, where Robin and I had witnessed the Sound and Light Show the night before.  It was built in front of another temple constructed in 2000 B.C.  There were remnants of the older temple and a statute of three gods standing together that had originally stood at its entrance.  Again, it had an obelisk, with mates located in London, Istanbul, New York City, and another in one of the Scandinavian capitals.

About 650 B.C. the Moslems built a mosque within the Temple.  Along came the Christians thousands of years later, and instead of building their own cross, knocked off the heads and torsos of the two gods on either side of the above mentioned statute, leaving only their shoulders, thereby forming a crude cross from these pagan idols.  The Egyptians hated the Romans so badly that they became Christians and abandoned Karnak and Luxor Temples - just to irritate the Romans.

We came back to the boat to pick up our luggage.  The three of us found time for one-half hour of relaxation in the cool shade of the palm trees surrounding the Sheraton pool.  We quenched our thirst with a cold Stella Beer and tried some pita bread which we had watched being baked by a veiled woman using a mud baked kiln.  

By early afternoon it was time to say farewell to the realm of ancient pharaohs and return to Cairo.  Realizing that we were not scheduled to arrive in Cairo until 4:00 p.m. and that there would be no opportunity for lunch, we former boy scouts packed a lunch from the breakfast buffet of fresh fruit, croissants, ham and cheese.  We enjoyed these delicacies with a cold Stella beer at the airport as we waited on our Egypt Air airbus flight.

We used our free afternoon and evening in Cairo to go back to the Khan El Khalili Bazaar.  We bought some beautiful silver earrings for Stacy and a water pipe for Darrell.  Rhett picked out a nice silver chain for his silver cartouche, which was later broken accidentally by  Nancy Whitley.  I looked unsuccessfully for a cane with a stiletto inside.  A tall merchant with only a few teeth came up to me with a big toothless smile.  He stroked my white beard and said "Omar Sharif".  When discussing this later with Robin, she told me that I had always, from the first time I wore my beard, reminded her of the Greek God Zeus.  Needless to say, that made my day!

Our Bazaar experience was highlighted by an enchanting  dinner at the restaurant with the name of the Bazaar.  Many of the group had stopped there to use their bathroom facilities when we had come to the Bazaar on our first visit.  Its atmosphere carried us back hundreds of years for an hour or so.  The ancient Egyptian motif was presented in every detail from the waiters' costumes, the carved painted ceilings and colorful lights to the hand tooled brass table top and the mirrored walls that reminded us so much of the beautiful tombs we had been seeing for the last week.  Our dinners were delightful, each of us having experimented with local fare. 

We had a hair raising taxi ride back to the hotel, but for the first time we drove through the modern shopping area.  Our 14th story room faced the Citadel atop the mountains on the outskirts of the city.
  				
Sunday, Jan. 17	Cairo - Tel Aviv.

After our customary early morning wake-up call, we were begrudgingly served a few breakfast items by a sleepy looking crew of waiters.  By this time, our two hour wait at the airport didn't seem out of the ordinary.  Jim Bennett and I and several others kept our pocket novels at the ready to fight boredom.  I remember thinking to myself as we waited to take off, that I was amazed at the number of Egyptians who spoke English, almost 50 years after the British had left at the end of the Second World War.  

Our morning Air Sinai flight to Tel Aviv took us up the Nile to Alexandria, then northeast across the Mediterranean to the Israeli coast.  One hour and ten minutes after take-off, we had landed in Tel Aviv.  The weather in Tel Aviv was identical to that we had left in Cairo - clear and cool.  We purchased Israeli Shekels at Tel Aviv Airport.  $1.00 U.S. = 2.63 Shekels, thus 1.00 Israeli Shekel was worth about $0.38 U.S.

Alex introduced us to Hana, our guide for the Israeli portion of the tour.  As we drove through Tel Aviv, its calmness and tranquility became apparent.  Nobody was in a hurry.  Rather, people were strolling along the street or sitting in one of many small parks reading or merely people watching.  No cab drivers were honking their horns.  Instead, traffic flowed orderly, and cars stayed within their respective lanes.  There were no merchants haggling loudly along the streets as there had been in Cairo.  There were no beggars or street hawkers.  In their place were well dressed business people.  It was if we had stepped back into time to a lackadaisical day.  It was obvious that the Jews and Arabs in Tel Aviv lived together peacefully.

We were also impressed with how green it was.  Small parks abounded, and even the major business streets were lined with trees and shrubs.  Medians contained planters with flowers and bushes.

After our orientation sightseeing drive in Israel's modern city of  about one-half million people (one million in metropolitan Tel Aviv) we drove through the narrow winding streets of Old Jaffa, the 3,000 year old port.  We thought that Jaffa would be the perfect place to return to this evening.  Jaffa is famous for its sweet oranges.  Its best known edifice is the old Turkish Tower.  We drove through a restored area which now serves as an artists' colony.   The balance of the day was free. 

Our Hotel in Tel Aviv was the Ramada Continental.  As they say in Mexico, "the hotel was pinche' (pronounced peen-chay).  They were so tight that in order to use the small refrigerator in the closet, you had to pay rent of $2.00 U.S. per day.  At night only one elevator was operating, to save electricity.  The ultimate cheapness was that Rhett's mattress consisted of three couch cushions sewn together.
After checking into our small fifth floor room with a view of the beach, we decided to go back to Old Jaffa to go exploring.  About one-half of the group took an optional tour to Jerusalem.  We just wanted to "hang out" and relax.  We grabbed a taxi and within a few minutes we were in the restored area, which provided a great view of coastal Tel Aviv, including the almost continuous park separating the beach from the town.

We strolled along the narrow winding streets passing an excavation site, across from which was a small restaurant with a patio overlooking the azure Mediterranean Sea.  We enjoyed a relaxed lunch and struck up a conversation with the Commodore of the U.S. Navy Amphibious Landing Force, which included a helicopter carrier and it accompanying flotilla, which had been conducting exercises up the coast.  His flagship was an Iwo Jima class aircraft carrier.  He was with his Chief of Staff.  As I had spent some time in the Alligator Navy, we had lots to talk about.  They were expecting Saddam Huessin to cause some trouble in Israel when Clinton was inaugurated the next week, just to test his mettle.  

A large group of attractive young soldiers walked by.  About one-half of them were women.  They were the least military looking group I had ever seen.  Most were leisurely carrying their automatic rifles over their shoulder, or cradled in their arms like a hunter on his way home from the fields.  They were laughing and talking happily.  At a store around the corner from the Turkish Tower we bought Rhett a Hard Rock Tel Aviv tee shirt.  Next door we bought some succulent Baklava.  The honey dripped all over us.  Fortunately, my boy scout training came in handy again.  I had pocketed handi-wipes from our Air Egypt flights and had them in my pocket.  After a photo of the tower we took  a cab back to the hotel for a much needed four hour nap.

When we awoke, we heard on CNN News that the U.S. had shot down an Iraqi Mig-23.  Saddam Hussein made a long speech.  I guess we all were remembering the scenes from l991 of the scud missiles hitting Tel Aviv, and wondering if we were going to witness any more on a first hand basis.  

Before dinner we went to the health club.  Robin tried out the Jacuzzi and I had a so - so massage.  Then we dressed and walked a few blocks to a drug store to find some alcohol for Rhett's ear ache, which by this time had pretty much disabled him. It had been a warm sunny afternoon, but by dinner time it was in the 40's. 

Then we ate at a charming casual neighborhood restaurant called "Cherry", at the intersection of Dizengoff and Ben Gurion.  Its glass front allowed a good view of the street for people watching.  Robin tried a Maccabee beer, and I had a Gold Star.  They were both pretty good.  We were pleasantly surprised to find that most of the recorded music was in English.  Later Alex told us that we had stumbled upon one of the better casual restaurants in Tel Aviv.

Monday, Jan. 18 	Tel Aviv - Ceasarea - Nazareth - Capernaum - Jerusalem.

Our breakfast buffet was very colorful, but not very appetizing in large part.  There were plump red radishes, garnished with emerald green cucumbers, purple cabbage slaw, all surrounding five different kinds of odoriferous fish and creme cheese.  For those of us with more delicate systems they also fortunately had scrambled eggs, cheese, juice and coffee.  They served no meat, because that would not have been Kosher.  The problems with breakfast were largely overcome by our uplifting panoramic ocean view.  Jim and Mary Ann Bennett were our next door neighbors at the hotel.  We were glad to find out that she was feeling better.		

As we drove along the Mediterranean coast towards Nazareth, Hana kept feeding us more facts about Israel.  We learned that education is free through the tenth grade, but that a tenth grade education in Israel is about the equivalent of a high school education in the U.S.  They also have the eleventh and twelfth grade, and the cost is based on the income of the parents.

Every citizen must serve in the army, except Moslems.  Men serve three years and women stay for only two.  Most don't get to the university until after their military service, when they are about 21 or 22 years old.  By that time most are very mature and make good students.  The Universities cost about $5,000.00 U.S. per year, and there are no loans and few scholarships, unless they are willing to serve as a tutor.

Hana gave us a geography lesson.  Contemporary Israel came into existence after the successful War of Independence in 1948.  When the British left, what is now called the Left Bank, was set up by the U.N. as an independent state of Palestinian Arabs.  This area was later illegally absorbed by Jordan and Syria.  In 1967, during the Six Day War, Israel annexed this West Bank from Jordan and Syria; took the Golan Heights from Syria, and the Gaza strip from Egypt.  Both areas had been used by the Arabs for sabotage, and the Golan Heights served as perfect spot to lob artillery shells into Israel.

We also learned that Arabs who were living within the borders of Israel when it was formed, became citizens of Israel, and are called Israeli Arabs.  They can vote and currently have elected representatives in the Knesset, the governing body of the country.  As we passed one of their mosques we learned that they practice their religion freely, whether Shiite or Sunnite.

As she was explaining to us that most of the water in Israel comes from the Sea of Galilee, she pointed to a crop of Jaffa Oranges growing next to the expressway

 Our first stop was at ruins of the ancient Roman coastal city of Caesarea.  The town walls and the renovated theatre date back to King Herod's time.  The Fortress and its moat were built by the Crusaders about 700 years ago.  This old town was on the famous Via Maris, the international road connecting Egypt with Babylonia (Syria) and Mesopotamia (Iraq).  We made a photo visit of the Roman aqueduct constructed about 200 A.D. Israel's only golf course is nearby, as were the expensive homes of the richest people in Israel.

After eating some delicious chocolate nut cookies at our rest stop, we turned toward the interior of the country, passing banana plantations on Highway 70, which had covered their fruit with colorful blue plastic bags.  As we left the flat coastal plains behind us we passed through the gentle rolling hills of the Karmel wine growing area.  

Then we drove through the fertile Jesrael Valley, which was home for many orchards of olive trees.  Hana related the Biblical story of the defeat of the Canaanites from the north by a female judge.  She and her army waited on the adjoining hill tops until it rained.  She then attacked, knowing that the Canaanites's heavy chariots would become mired in the mud .  She knew that this valley flooded at the drop of a hat, and that victory would be hers.  

One of the Canaanite leaders escaped.  He found a woman in a nearby tent and asked her for some water.  She gave him milk instead, knowing that with his fatigue, he would soon fall asleep.  While he slept, she  decapitated him.  Now, in Israel, there is the common expression:  "I asked for water, you give me milk", which freely translated means "don't do me any favors".

Other trivia that we picked up included information that new immigrants get free rent, and free tuition for the state language school and a salary for one year whether they work or not. After they have worked for one year, if they loose their job they can draw unemployment compensation for five months.  The new tide of immigrants from Russia and other former Soviet Republics has resulted in massive unemployment and a severe housing shortage.  We noticed multi family construction going on everywhere.

As we reached the outskirts of Nazareth we learned that lower Nazareth is Arab, with the tall minarets of many mosques piercing the horizon.  Upper Nazareth, where Jesus grew up, is a separate Jewish town.  We first visited the Basilica of the Annunciation, where the Holy Mother announced her immaculate conception and pregnancy. 

This beautiful modern church was built over the remains of a 700 year old church assembled by the Crusaders.  They built it on the ruins of a Byzantine temple, which in turn had been constructed on the site of the church where Mary made her announcement.  Crosses in the remains of the old mosaic floor serve as evidence that the Byzantine edifice was erected before 400 A.D.  The exalted ruins serve as a perfect backdrop for the downstairs altar.

The second story of the church is very modern.  Many countries around the world each donated a panel of original art for this sacred spot.  The panel from Japan depicted the holy family as oriental, dressed in ornate kimonos.  The ceiling also caught my eye.  In Jewish mysticism, the number which represents God is 23. Mans numerals are 32.  The dome of the church is interlaced with these two numbers, reflecting that Jesus was of both man and God.

As we headed eastward out of town, we passed through the small town of Kafr Kanna, where Jesus changed water into wine.  During another brief history lesson, Hanan taught us that Judaism started about 3500 years ago with Abraham, who was the first to believe in an unseen God.  Islam is a newcomer as far as religions go, having started in about 600 A.D.  During the following century, they were invaded and occupied by the Persians.  The Turks and the Greeks each took a stint at conquering this part of the world.  The Moslems became very strong and expelled the Jews from what is now Israel.  The Moslems occupied the area until they were forcibly removed from power by the Crusaders in about 1100 A.D.  About 90 years later the Moslems took it back, until the Jews finally regained their ancestral land.

We stopped for lunch at a Kibbutz named "Nof Ginosar" beside the peaceful Sea of Galilee, a few miles north of Tiberias.  We sat with and enjoyed talking to John and Betty Habel and Gitta Sheppard.  Many of us tried the special St. Peter's fish, which only flourishes in the Sea of Galilee.  This fish hides its young in its mouth.  When not harboring its offspring in its mouth, fishermen say it is not uncommon to find rocks and other debris in their mouths.  

There is a Biblical story about this fish.  When the people asked Jesus if they should pay their taxes to the Romans, he told them to go catch a fish.  The fish they caught had enough gold coins in its mouth for them to pay their taxes.  It resembled in looks and taste our brim or crappie, so I was unimpressed; especially after I received the bill of $50.00 U.S. for the three of us.  But, just as at breakfast, the second floor view of the saturnine Sea, which is 200 feet below sea level, and the pleasant conversation with our table mates made lunch here a delightful experience.   

Most of us walked out on the jetty which pointed across the Sea to Jordan84.  We put our fingers into these Biblically important waters, perhaps in hope that it  would bring us good fortune.  Our hosts had had to resort to operating this motel and restaurant, when it became apparent in Israel that the original concept of a self sufficient agricultural Kibbutz was unworkable.  In addition to their fruits of the land, they had to have a cash flow to cover the costs of vehicles, and to pay for electricity and other necessities.  Now, almost all have some non agricultural enterprise.

We turned north towards Capernaum.  Immediately on our left we had a quick glimpse of the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus delivered his "Sermon on the Mount".  Soon thereafter, we passed the church built to mark the spot where Jesus told Peter that he would be Christ"s number one disciple.  

Ancient Capernaum was on the border with Phillipi, then a separate country.  The ruins of this 2000 year old town were resurrected by the Catholic Church, and its priests look after the property now.  We saw many of the every day things from two millennia ago, including an olive press and an ancient mile stone of the Via Maris.  Remnants of a first century mosaic contrasted with the dark and crude basalt stones from which the entire village was constructed - except for one striking structure of white limestone, supported by handsome columns.  This early Synagogue was probably built during the second or third century, on the sacred spot where Jesus had lectured in the Temple.
The central focus of this holy place was the flying saucer looking modern monument which was suspended over the partial walls of an 8 sided Synagogue, which history tells us was built on the site where once stood the house of Simon Peter's mother-in-law.  The Bible tells us that Jesus had eaten and slept there.  These ruins had been separated from the remainder of the village by a high wall, portions of which still remained. 

Then we turned back to the south.   Shortly after passing the kibbutz where we had eaten lunch we drove though the seafront city of Tiberias.  One of the Roman Generals had started this town as a seaside resort, but it was rumored that it had been built over a cemetery.  For this reason it had a very slow start.  Just south of Tiberias is the southern shore of the Sea of Galilee, which is connected to the Dead Sea by the Jordan River.

We stopped at a Jordan River Christian baptismal area, which provided changing rooms, showers and toilets.  It was operated by the Yardenit kibbutz as a money making endeavor.  It was complete with gift shop and snack bar.  We then crossed the Jordan Valley to reach Jerusalem, our evening destination.  

Here we saw many Arab families living as nomads, just as their forefathers had lived for centuries.  Most lived in tents, hovels, cardboard shacks and some apparently slept in their cars.  Some of the more wealthy Palestinians had built lovely homes.  These Arab encampments were interspersed with the neat rows of date palms and blue plastic covered vegetables being grown by kibbutz'.  We were surprised at how green it was in this part of Israel.  There were many Jordanian villages along the banks of the Jordan and on top of the hills lying just behind the valley.

Hana's history lessons continued:  Originally children in a kibbutz were required to stay in a children's house.  Since the Gulf War, with its frequent air raids this concept became unworkable.  Now, children stay with their parents, easing the problem of getting the children to shelters in the event of attack.  The rules about owning personal property have also been relaxed recently.  Currently members can own a stereo, VCR or stereo, but they still are forbidden to own a car.

Another problem encountered by various kibbutz is that some of the members don't work a full work week.  One solution being tried is to pay members a salary for the work they do.  This is violently opposed by socialists as they say it destroys the idea of a collective.

We noticed a double fence all along the highway, just east of the Jordan.  Military vehicles regularly drove between the fences dragging chains leaving a smooth dusty area.  Should a saboteur sneak through, his footprints would be easily detected.

Near sunset we passed by the Biblical town of Jericho, which dates back to 8,000 B.C.  The famous ruins of the wall destroyed by Joshua have never been found.   

Our hotel in Jerusalem was the Hyatt, a beautifully modern hotel, and the nicest on this trip.  When we arrived just after sunset, it was chilly.  Efficient uniformed hostesses greeted us with orange juice and a briefed us on the layout of the hotel, the marble lobby being on the 6th floor.  Although our evening was free, most of us opted to eat in one of the hotel's three restaurants.  The hotel was on the outskirts of the town, and it had been a long day.  We ate soup and sandwich specials offered in the relaxed atmosphere of the hotel cocktail lounge.  Next to us were Steve and Teresa Mangelsen, who we learned were each going to be traveling in opposite directions within a few months.

Tuesday, Jan. 19 	East Jerusalem - Bethlehem excursion.

On our way to the old walled city we stopped for a panoramic view of Jerusalem.  It was another gorgeous day.  Just outside the walls, at the base of the valley were three monuments, each dating before Christ.  One was built over the tomb of Absalom, son of King David.  We entered old Jerusalem through the Dung Gate, where we stopped to view the original base of Temple Mount, unearthed only recently in 1960. It is the site of King Solomon's Temple, which in about 1000 B.C. housed the Arc of the Covenant, the whereabouts  of which is still unknown.

King Solomon built this enormous temple on the site where Abraham was to offer up his son Isaac as a sacrifice, when God provided a lamb as a substitute sacrifice.  Temple Mount is also the site where Mohammed supposedly ascended to heaven in 622 A.D.   The original temple was destroyed by the Moslems, who used the temple stones to build their mosque.  Now there is a lavish Moslem mosque on the same spot, built about 1,200 years ago, in 693 A.D. to celebrate Mohammed's ascension.  A second Mosque, built fifteen years later, a few hundred feet to the west, was changed into a Christian church by the Crusaders.   

A little further down the foundation we came to the Wailing Wall.  It was called the Wailing Wall because Jews, until they took over the West Bank, including the western part of Jerusalem, could not enter the Temple Mount.  The wall was as close as they could get.  Now, they prefer to call it the Western Wall.  For centuries Jews have written prayers on small pieces of paper and placed them in small crevices in the wall.  While we were in Jerusalem we read of an enterprising Jew who solicited prayers sent from all over the world to his fax machine.  For a small fee he promised to place their faxed prayers in the wall.

The men and women in our group were separated, because we weren't allowed to go to the wall together.  We men donned the compulsory yamulka.  For some reason I felt compelled to touch the wall.  I noticed that most of the other men in our group also touched it.  Then we went up to the next level where we had an excellent view of the Dome on the Rock.  It was given this name by the Moslems.  They say that Abraham's proposed sacrifice was not Isaac, but rather was Abraham's son Ismael, from whom all Moslems claim to descend.  Since that same rock is where their savior departed for Heaven, it is, second only to Mecca, their most holy place.

From the outside, the dome is covered with gold leaf and even from miles away stands out from all the other buildings in Jerusalem.  From the inside, it is elaborate and ornate.  Although it has never been destroyed, the original dome of pure gold was sold by the Emperor Sulaman during the Turkish occupation of Jerusalem.  In 1950, while under the control of Jordan, King Hussein put an aluminum dome on the mosque.

Aesthetica, ll, the mosque was exquisite.  On the marble walls were ornate gold leaf mosaics, interrupted by rich and intricately designed stain glass windows.  The marble, imported from Turkey, had been carefully cut so that the matching lines formed perfect geometric designs.

Moslems believe that as Mohammed ascended, the rock rose with him, creating a cave, now called "The Cave Of A Thousand Prophets".  While inspecting this cave, one level down, we witnessed a Moslem official scold a Japanese woman for praying in the mosque.  He told her only Moslems were allowed to pray in the mosque.  Then, to add insult to injury, as Mike Toukan gently placed his hand under Hanan's  elbow to help her up the steep narrow stairs, this same "guardian" harshly informed Mike that it was against the law for a mon to touch a woman in the mosque.

On our afternoon excursion to Bethlehem we visited the birthplace of Christ.  It was only a few minutes away.  The Church of the Nativity, run by the Greek Orthodox Church, was constructed over the spot of Christ's birth.  This church was unusual in two respects.  Its doors were fairly narrow and very low  so low that we had to bend over to enter.  The purpose was to prevent the attacking Moslems from riding their horses into the church.  Also, it was spared destruction by the Persians in the 7th Century because of the mosaic on the wall depicting the Three Wise Men who traveled to Bethlehem upon the birth of Christ.  They were dressed as Persians!  The scene was depicted on the top of a mountain, which resembled one of the high mesas found in the western U.S.  

Our return involved one of our earliest wake-up calls and departures.  We were awakened at 2:30 a.m. for a 3:00 a.m. continental breakfast and a 3:45 a.m. bus departure from Bethlehem for our early morning flight from Tel Aviv to Paris.  Rhett was flying on a different airline and all three of us got the third degree from the Israeli security people at the airport.

The three of us had a few days in Paris before Rhett set off for three weeks of sightseeing on his own before he reported in for his semester abroad in Siena, Italy.  We took a city tour which took us by the Arch de Triumph, Place de la Concorde, etc.  We later visited the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre Museum, ate lunch at the mid level restaurant of the Eiffel Tower, and took a dinner cruise on the Seinne.  I think Rhett enjoyed dinner at the Hard Rock Café more than anything else about Paris, except possibly the bare breasted women at the Follies Bergere.

Our trip had been both educational and enjoyable.  As we said goodbye to Rhett the final morning, we knew that he was in for the adventure of his life.  We would not see him again until we returned to Greece in May.

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
FEBRUARY 5-7, 1993

								

On this trip I killed three birds with one stone.  The Defendant's lawyer in the contested Sepulveda estate in Mexico City had been wanting me to come down to Mexico City for several months for settlement negotiations, but only recently had made any indication that he was willing to make a meaningful offer.  

The Mr. Amigo group from Brownsville was scheduled to make its annual pilgrimage to Mexico City for the press party to announce the new "Mr. Amigo".  As a former member of the board of directors of the Mr. Amigo Association, I thought it would be nice to renew old friendships, especially since Robin and I were planning a trip to the Island the last few days of February, during the Charro Days Celebration.  It would also give me an opportunity to make notes for my upcoming suspense novel, part of which transpires in Mexico.

I was a day late picking up the airline tickets, resulting in an increased fare of about $75.00 each.  The agent on the phone had not alerted me to the increase, so the ticket agent who issued the tickets put a message into the computer requesting a complimentary upgrade on a space available basis.  As a result, when Robin arrived at the airport directly from the hospital, I already had first class boarding passes for the flight down.  

We were served an excellent meal, and our 767 aircraft showed CNN Headline News, some short subjects and we also had a dozen music channels for our relaxation.  I had been to Mexico City somewhere between 12 and 20 times before, on both business and pleasure, so I knew my way around.  Except for passing through on our way to Cuernavaca, Robin and I had not been there together before, so it was a first for us.

We cleared customs and immigration quickly and took a cab to the Aristos Hotel at the intersection of The Reforma and Calle Copenhagen, in the heart of the Zona Rosa.  No sooner had we unpacked than Tomas Arumburu, my Mexican co-counsel called promptly at 8:00 p.m. from the lobby.  We decided to eat at the San Angel Inn, where I had enjoyed dining off and on for over 20 years.  It was my favorite restaurant in Mexico City.  Robin thoroughly enjoyed the food, atmosphere and the strolling musicians, and now she is also a devotee.  After dinner we took a quick stroll in the lovely gardens, where I had never been before.  

Tomas and I had briefly discussed our settlement strategy after dinner.  The next morning he picked me up at 9:00 a.m.  We drove to a nice family restaurant near Pedregal for our breakfast meeting with Eric Sepulveda, his lawyer, and the lawyer's brother, who was acting as an interpreter for him, as he spoke no English.  Mexicans never, never talk business at a meal until after the meal is over and the dishes have been cleared away.  So, I had to endure a lot of polite chit chat, mostly in Spanish until after we finished eating.
Eric's lawyer accused me of being an "ice man" in my negotiations.  He asked me to try to take the emotional effects on his client into consideration.  Briefly, Eric was the first born to a Mexican mother.  My two clients were children from a second marriage to a lady from Tennessee, which had also ended in divorce when all the children were small.  There had never been much contact among the children after the second divorce.  When their father died about seven years before, Eric made oath to the court in Mexico that he was the only child and the sole heir.  We had taken him to court in San Antonio and acquired two thirds of the estate located in the U.S., and had engaged Tomas in Mexico to protect our client's rights there also.

We had the first probate set aside and had our two clients declared as lawful heirs.  Eric appealed to the Mexican Court of Appeals, where we won after waiting over a year.  Eric appealed to the Mexican Supreme Court.  Again, after a long delay, we were once more triumphant.  

The issue now was whether we wanted to have an Administrator appointed to start selling off the properties.  There was also some question as to the market value, but we were all in agreement that the value was somewhere between $1.200,000.00 and $1,500,000.00.  There were other problems:  The title was still in the name of the estate of Eric's grandfather, and no taxes had been paid on at least two of the four parcels for several years.  There were unknown costs of and liens on the grandfather's estate and the costs of the current estate were not finalized.  We were not sure of the marketability, and didn't want to drag out the estate until the properties were sold, or be responsible for real estate commissions or closing costs. 

I told Eric's lawyer that I was not interested in Eric's emotional problems.  Further, that those problems were just beginning if this case wasn't settled, because if we had to get an Administrator appointed, my first instruction would be to remove Eric from his family home, which had been built by his grandfather.  It was the only place he had ever lived.  I also said that it would be the first parcel to be sold.  At that juncture, I told them if they wanted to settle that "DINERO HABLA!"85.  After we had spent over three hours at breakfast, we settled for $528,000.00 cash.

My fee agreement had been that I was to get two thirds of the fee and Tomas was to get one third.  The fee agreement with our clients provided for a fifty percent fee once the case went to the first appellate court.  Tomas told me he was unhappy with the arrangement, which didn't surprise me.  I had built in some room for negotiation, as that's just how business is conducted in Mexico.  He thought the gross fee was only going to be forty percent, or  $211,000.00 and that his one third would have been $70,333.00.  He was happy when I agreed to give him forty percent of a fifty percent fee - $105,600.00.  The $158,400.00 to me was my largest fee ever.  Even though I ended up paying a sizeable amount in income taxes, it added a lot of security to my retirement.

When I got back to the hotel Robin was ready to go sightseeing, so we jumped into a cab and went directly to Chapultepec Park.  We walked all the way up to the Palace on top of the hill.  We stopped once to enjoy the view of the amusement park and lake below.

We hired an English speaking guide, who escorted us around the residential portion of the palace.  The furniture and furnishings were mostly Louis XIV.   The gold leaf looked new.  There was a green tub carved from one piece of marble.  The Republic continued using the palace for a while.  The first President had added a marble patio.  I was a very beautiful palace, in keeping with the lavishness of western Europe at that time.  From its patios, there was an excellent view of Mexico City.  Fortunately, we were there on a clear day and could see all across the valley to the mountains.

While the Mexican Revolutionaries had control of northern Mexico, the royalists still controlled the central plains, and most of the country's wealth.  A deal was struck with Prince Maximilian of Austria to become Emperor of Mexico.  He was unaware of the revolution.  He made a loan from Napoleon Bonaparte of France, and with Napoleon's niece Carlotta, came to Mexico.  He was to receive the necessary funds to get established as Emperor, and after five years was obligated to send five percent of the country's production each year to Napoleon.  

Maximilian blew most of his money building the luxurious palace in Chapultepec and furnishing it in a lavish manner.  He built the Reforma, as a direct route to the government building on the Zocolo.  As a result of his largess he had no funds to pay for an army.  After less than five years, the other colonial powers decided to remove him.  

The U.S. Marines defeated the small garrison of students who were garrisoned at the adjacent military school.  One jumped from the roof of the palace to his death on the jagged rocks below wrapped in the Mexican flag, shouting "death before dishonor".  He and several of his classmates who died bravely that day are now national heros.  Their portraits hang proudly in the Hall of Martyrs in the museum portion of the palace.

We enjoyed a late lunch of fajitas and Corona beer at the Angus Restaurant, an attractive open air café on Copenhagen street, a block from the hotel.  We looked for a gold charm for Robin, but found them to be very expensive in the Zona Rosa.  Then, we enjoyed a well deserved rest at the hotel.

Saturday evening we met the Mr. Amigo group in the lobby of the hotel and went to the American Embassy in cabs.  Our reception was in the  Embassy's Benjamin Franklin Library, where we had had it for many years.  It was 1988 when I, as president of the Port Isabel - South Padre Island Chamber Of Commerce made my speech at this library, in Spanish.  

For an hour we sat and talked with other members of the delegation and members of the Mexican press.  Liz Maldonado, this years Mr. Amigo President brought the new Mr Amigo, Daniela Romo, over and introduced her to us.  She is a very beautiful young Mexican popular singer with dishwater blonde hair hanging down to her waist.  During the introductions I was pleasantly surprised when Bob Torres introduced me and pointed out that I had previously served as both the chairman of the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce's International Committee and as a member of the International Friendship Committee appointed by the Mexican Consulate to Brownsville.

After the speeches we met Daniela's mother and sister.  Both were attractive and charming women, who like Daniela, spoke very good English.  I got an autographed 5 x 7 photo of Daniela for Robin.  We hope to renew acquaintances with them at the end of the month during Charro Days.

Sunday morning we packed, ate breakfast at the hotel, an took a taxi to the world famous National Museum of Anthropology, located across the street from Chapultepec Park.  The museum is a modern structure built around an open court yard, in the center of which is a magnificent two story fountain.  We spent about an hour and one-half going through all the halls on the first floor.
 
The museum is filled with pre Columbian artifacts, many of which were unearthed within the last 20 years during excavation for the Mexico City subway system.  The exhibits are divided by the seven archaeological zones of Mexico.  Skeletal remains of a wooly mammoth were said to be 12,000 years old.

Artists' renditions of the previous civilizations and scale model color reproductions of temples and pyramids added to the enjoyment of our tour.  We were also impressed with the life size reproductions located out of doors, which we entered.  Many of the large stone sculpture reminded us of the similar items we had just seen in Egypt a few weeks before.

We stopped at the hotel to pick up our luggage and check out and headed straight to the airport.  We found a gold sombrero charm for Robin at one of the airport stores, $30.00 cheaper than those we saw in the Zona Rosa.  After purchasing tee shirts for Melanie and Stacie and two bottles of rum for me, we got on our American 727 aircraft for our ride home in the back of the bus.  We had been in Mexico City for only 21 hours, but it was jammed packed with business and pleasure.

IXTAPA, MEXICO
April 17 - 20, 1993

 BACKGROUND

The main reason for this trip was to attempt to finalize the Sepulveda probate litigation which had been going on for over seven years.  I also looked forward to getting the flavor of the area for my novel.  It was necessary for me to take some legal documents to Tomas Arumburu and to discuss settlement negotiations with him.  Robin worked the night before we left from 6:45 p.m. until 7:15 a.m.  I took her to work and picked her up for our early morning flight.  We were routed through Mexico City, where we had a three and one-half hour layover.

Our travel agents for this trip were Bill and Pat of Abrams Center Travel.  We read up on the area in Fordor's Mexico, information from the Mexican Tourism Department and the guide found in most Mexican hotels.  Ixtapa is a beach resort located in the state of Guerrero about 100 miles north of Acapulco.  It was developed from coastal swamps in 1974 by then president Echiveria as his retirement.  Recent presidents have gone in with their buddies and bought up deserted land or obtained options to buy or develop the land very cheaply.  Then, after they controlled these large areas, the government develops the area as a tourist resort.  The government pays to clear much of the land, put in roads, gutters, sewers, water purification facilities, golf courses, etc.  Immediately, the president and his buddies are multi millionaires, if they weren't already mega rich.  This is how Cancun and Huatulco were also developed.

Accordingly, Ixtapa is an expertly planned and well laid out community along the coast nestled in the valleys of the surrounding mountains as they come down to meet the Pacific.  Numerous small and isolated beaches afford privacy even though Mexican law now assures all citizens free access to all beaches.  The main hotel zone lies on Palmar Bay, a two and one-half mile long area which contains a large marina complete with condominiums, hotels, shopping centers, restaurants and gift shops.

Just a few miles away, along the narrow winding mountain roads lies the ancient fishing village of Zihuatanejo.  It was named for its early inhabitants, the Zihuatel Indians, a matriarchal tribe.

Two days before our trip, an American Airline DC 10 coming in from Hawaii, landed in a storm, was caught in an abrupt wind shift and went off the runway.  Its nose and left landing gear were both sheared off, as was the port engine, which was on fire briefly.  Over one hundred passengers were injured getting out of the aircraft, two of whom were in critical condition.  We were understandably nervous about flying.

Saturday, Apr. 17, 1993	
An electrical storm had started about 5:00 a.m. and it was still lightening and thundering when we took off from DFW.  As a result, the air was choppy when we took off.  The next hour was fairly calm, but we had a bumpy descent and landing in Mexico City.  We lucked up by being seated in the front of the tourist cabin.  A lady with two infants boarded at the last minute.  We were asked if we would mind being moved up to the first class cabin.  We moved quickly.  Breakfast was served on our American Airlines 727 aircraft.  We had to set our watches back one hour because Mexico was not on daylight savings time.    While waiting on our connecting flight, we ate lunch in the Wings Restaurant in the airport.
 
Our Aeromexico McDonald Douglas twin engine aircraft was so new it still had that new smell.  It was another bumpy flight all the way to Ixtapa.  We arrived mid afternoon and paid $32.00 for our taxi to the Westin Camino Real Hotel.  The open air lobby was on the 18th floor.  It contained about a dozen shops, four restaurants and the open air bar. 

Our room was on the 21st floor of this 22 story luxury hotel which slants down to the beach, like half of a pyramid.  The open air hallway on our floor revealed the distant hotel row and the coconut plantations that separated Ixtapa from the hazy rain starved mountains to the east. 

We found a chilled bottle of wine and a bowl of fruit with a card from Tomas welcoming us to Ixtapa.  He was a friend of the hotel manager and got us this most desirable room on an upper floor, even though our first night was the last night of the hotel's busiest season - Semana Santa.86

The bedroom floor was terra cotta tile and the bath floor and walls were marble.  We had a large balcony, half of which was covered.  The covered part had a large hammock which Robin enjoyed.  The open air portion contained patio furniture and a half dozen large potted blooming red Bougainvillea plants.  Our balcony afforded a panoramic view of the entire bay and the beach below.  The pool area was totally obscured by the lush tropical growth.  We had a king size bed, large screen color T.V. with HBO, Cinemax, Showtime and CNN News, refrigerator and mini bar. 

After getting settled in we donned our swim suits and headed for the pool. The winding brick path was bordered with colorful blooming plants.  It was a multi level pool with fountains and waterfalls.  We basked in the warm tropical sun and sipped on banana coladas. In no time Robin fell into a deep sleep.  Because of the rough flights she had napped only a few minutes at a time.  We decided on an early dinner at the hotel, so Robin could get some much needed sleep.

We erred in ordering a Mexican Platter at the hotel's El Mexicano Restaurant.  Most of the items except the fajitas and small burritos were not fit to eat.  At Robin's insistence, when we retired, we left the door to the balcony open.  We were lulled to sleep by the comforting sound of the surf caressing the beach below.  

Sunday, Apr. 18, 1993			

Robin slept the clock around, getting up at 9:00 a.m.  We enjoyed a leisure buffet breakfast at the hotel's Bella Vista open air restaurant, overlooking the Bay.  We were visited by a two foot long Iguana leaping among the branches of a tree next to us.  Robin spotted two red headed parrots flying up the hill.  After filling our stomachs, we went to the beach.  We took our wine and fruit to the beach, which supplemented a light lunch which we ate under our palapa. While walking along the surf line with Robin, I dropped the new replacement camera in the surf, immediately after scraping the $199.00 price tag off it.  It was caput!    

After several hours of relaxing on the beach we dressed for our sunset cruise on the Tri Star, a large white Trimaran, with an open bar.  I purchased a throwaway camera for the balance of our trip.  We got a $2.00 discount on each of our tickets, reducing the cost to $56.00.  The Pacific lived up to its name ("Pacific means "peaceful").  The boat's "cheerleader" enticed Robin into downing a tequila shot, from a glass that several other people had had all the way into their mouths.  The sunset was extremely colorful.

We rushed back to the hotel to change for our dinner at the nearby Villa del Selva.  This beautiful restaurant is located in the former home of Mexico's President Echiveria, which is still owned by one of his sons.  We ate in the open air section, just two tables away from table 42, which had the best view of the lighted beach below.  A couple at the next table at breakfast had recommended it very highly. My research had also recommended it highly, so it was already on the itinerary for at least a sunset drink.  They were seated at table 42 when we arrived.  

We were not disappointed with either the food or the service, and the weather was perfect for al fresco dining.   Our meal, complete with Banana's Singapore was $80.00 with tax and tip.  We finished about 10:00 p.m. and headed back to the hotel, where we watched a little T.V. and went to bed early.

Monday, Apr. 19, 1993			

For breakfast we ordered coffee from room service and ate our fruit.  We took a morning tour of Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo.  First we visited the private homes around the new golf course, among which were the former home of actor Michael Douglas, which was recently purchased for $500,000.00 and converted into a bed and breakfast.  Next door was the home of his father, Kirk Douglas.  We drove down the hotel row to the Marina at the end of the bay.  Then we went behind the hill viewing the tranquil Club Med, and the adjacent beach where the ferry to Ixtapa Island lands.  There was construction going on everywhere, including a new Hyatt Hotel and a time share complex which covered many acres and included its own marina.
The entire area was decorated with five colors of Bougainvillea - red, hot pink, orange, yellow and white.  There were two varieties of Hibiscus in as many colors.  This was in contrast to the outlying hills which were parched dry from lack of rain.  When the swamp was drained, the government relocated 150 alligators.

Then we drove on the new road to Zihuatanejo, which was about five to ten miles to the south.  We stopped twice at paradores to take photos of the scenery below.  The latter stop was above Puerto Mio, across the bay from the central part of town, and home of the Trimaran we had sailed on the evening before.  We drove through an area of squatters, who had each illegally (and dangerously) hooked into the power transmission lines.  The power company had been there a few days before to cut these illegal lines, only for the reconnections to be made the following day.  

Our guide Jorge pointed out several small off shore islands which locals said resembled an elephant, a frog and a castle.  We told him that one of the rocks in our hotel's bay looked like a military ship.

We visited the only Catholic Church in town, then parked nearby for an hour to shop in the new market constructed by the government.  It was built to get the hawkers off the streets and off the beaches.  Robin was feeling a bit queasy so we used most of our time getting nachos and Corona Beer at an open air restaurant.  We then strolled through this very clean and orderly market.  The merchants were very laid back.

Then we drove to the far end of the bay for lunch at Rossy's, an open air seafood restaurant.  It was next door to La Gaviota on Playa la Ropa, which had been recommended by Fodor's.  We had a nice fish filet dinner accompanied by a soft cool breeze.  The weather was warm and balmy.  Our view was toward Puerto Mio and the town center, behind which the mountains came down into the sea.  

While Robin and one of the two queers who were on the tour with us were in the bathroom, the other queer was relating an experience he had while serving as an enlisted man in the U.S. Navy.  He had been in Navy Air and was telling me about his only time aboard a Navy ship.  He said that "the admiral had sent me over to the carrier to get some signal fags, ...I mean flags".  It was all I could do to keep a straight face.  After lunch, Robin and I sat on the beach for a few minutes.  She showed me where her leg had gotten burned from the day before because she had missed a spot when applying lotion.

We spent the balance of the afternoon at the beach, where I stayed mostly in the shade of a palapa.  We took another walk along the beach.  We saw no sand crabs or sea shells of any kind.  I guess this lack of sea life accounted for the fact that we never saw any sea gulls of any variety during the whole trip.  Their were only two pelicans who made our bay their home.  

Afterwards, I got interested in a movie on T.V. and we missed most of the sunset, which we planned to watch at the lobby bar.  We sat there and took mental pictures of the multicolored afterglow surrounding the golden borders of the strands of clouds hovering just above the horizon.  A Latin band started playing just a few minutes before we left for dinner.  We stopped by the hotel gift shop, where we bought Robin a beautiful pair of gold embossed llame sandals, which turned out to be the only thing we bought in Mexico except the camera.

A taxi took us to hotel row for a romantic farewell dinner at Bogart's beside Hotel Krystal.  It was an opulent, ultra romantic Moorish-style restaurant that recalls Casablanca. In front of the building was a long reflection pool.  We were greeted by a doorman in ancient Arab dress complete with baggy gauze pants, contrasting waistband and turban.  He opened the door and passed us over to a maitre d' dressed in immaculate white tie and tails. 

The interior defies description, but I will try.  The floors were black and white checkerboard marble tiles, covered with dozens of colorful good quality oriental rugs.  The lighting came from hurricane candles on each table, dimmed fan lamps in each cubicle along both sides of the spacious room, and from a cluster of about 15 brass and glass light fixtures hanging over the pianist, who was perched on a riser in front of an interior reflection pool complete with a bubbling fountain.  This lighting cast soft shadows onto the side walls of the lush tropical plants in each cubicle.  

We were seated in fan backed woven rattan chairs next to the reflection pool, with large plants in brass planters separating us from our neighbors.  Along the border of the center of the dining room were dozens of large oriental pointed archways trimmed in latticework.  The ceiling was covered with a light colored billowing cloth.  Around the room and beyond the archways, were individual tables, each in its own cubicle, behind each of which were two smaller and complementary archways.  This area was two steps up from the main dining area.  The end of the main dining area was also elevated, but the ceiling was a dark billowed cloth covered ceiling.
  
The motif was white down to white ceramic elephants and the individual serving tables for each table, all of which were covered with white linens.  Each table was set with silver plate liners.  The entire place looked so neat and clean that you could eat off the floor.

The waiters were all dressed in costume consisting of colorful vests, sashes and red fez'.  After we ordered, an attendant brought robin a red velour pillow for her feet.  Robin selected the chicken breast stuffed with lobster, and I chose the steak and lobster combination.  After our salads we received a complimentary liquorice flavored sorbet. Fancy coffees served as 
our dessert.  The food was excellent and the service was superb.

As we left a hostess clad in a belly dancer's attire asked us to make a comment in their guest registry.  I wrote that "I had traveled to 86 countries, and that Bogart's was the most beautiful restaurant I had ever had the pleasure of dining in". Sir Winston Churchill could have helped me with my dangling preposition.

That evening we watched the movie "The Lawnmower Man", which kept us up till after 1:00 a.m.  After we were visited by a bird, Robin had me close the balcony doors.

Tuesday, Apr. 20, 1993			

Because we had gotten to bed late we decided to forego our planned early morning walk on the beach.  After another buffet breakfast at the hotel we finished packing and headed toward the airport.  The cab fare was exactly half what it had cost to get to the hotel, which shows the power of a union.

Our flight to Mexico City was on a new Mexicana Air 727 which had small color T.V. screens on the seat back in front of each passenger.  This served as a welcome distraction to the very bumpy flight.  A snack was served.  The pilot put us in a power dive toward the Mexico City Airport, while maneuvering the aircraft in abrupt and jerky turns, all of which left me so nervous I was actually shaking.

After collecting our luggage and checking in at the American Airlines counter we met my Mexican attorney friend, Tomas Arumburu, at the airport bar, where I delivered a power of attorney to him and we discussed the status of the case over drinks.

Lunch was served on this our fourth bumpy flight for this trip.  We set our watches forward one hour.  After clearing  Customs and Immigration we went straight to Stacy's where Robin got into her car and went straight to work.  I picked up Mel and we went home.

This brief trip had cost over $1,500.00, but was a much needed get-a-way.  Robin had been having beach withdrawal symptoms and absolutely needed to get her batteries charged. 

GREECE AND AEGEAN CRUISE
INCLUDING CRETE, RHODES AND TURKEY
WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY
June 10-28, 1993

BACKGROUND

My novel was progressing well until my fall in February, 1992.  Therapy has helped, but it is time consuming.  My doctor had recommended that I take some time off.  This was a perfect opportunity to continue with the background research for the novel, which is designed to appeal to travelers and those who like to travel vicariously.  I spent months researching the Greek Gods and Goddesses, and which were worshiped in which temples, as well as the noticeable landmarks.

Upon our return from Egypt and the Holy Land, we finalized the sale of the condominium at Boardwalk on South Padre Island.  Robin’s step father’s health was going down hill so she made two trips to Pipe Creek to help her mother with Albert.  Mel and I went with her once, and all of us went to the funeral the week after Easter.  I had to make a trip to the Island in late February to give my deposition in the Maryland Bank case.  I scheduled it to coincide with Charro Days, but because of neck and back pain I wasn’t able to go to any of the parties.  

Robin and I made two trips to Mexico - to Mexico City in early February with the Mr. Amigo Association from Brownsville, and to Ixtapa in April.  Mel continued to rack up frequent flyer air mileage to and from South Padre.  Darrell, who had been working on his Dive Master rating with Tim O’Leary, came up for a short visit over his birthday week-end in late April.  We visited with him and Missy again when Robin, Mel and I met Diana on the island for Mother’s Day week-end.  Missy decided to move to Dallas less than two weeks before our departure.  Rhett finished his semester in Italy and toured western Europe for four weeks, visiting Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Berlin and Munich.  Robin and I were both extra busy with our jobs, so this trip came at an opportune time.

The trip to Greece took months of preparation.  My advance research was mentioned above.  Buying the right clothes, getting together a good first aid kit for the six of us,obtaining all the prescriptions for seasickness, and anticipated illnesses, swapping broken cameras, buying new sunglasses, etc. seemed to exhaust our available time.  Missy lost lots of weight, yielding her a new wardrobe.  I was constantly revising my “things to do” list, and updating our tour information and bringing the computer itinerary up to date.

Everything went like clockwork, just according to plan.  The day before our departure I had finished all my errands, so I came home from work early, which allowed me time to relax before my physical therapy appointment.  I was given one of the best massages I had ever received, which may have been in part due to the Red Stripe Beer I drank at home.

On our last night, after another Red Stripe Beer, Robin and I drove through torrential rains to Mercado Juarez in Addison, where we enjoyed a wonderful Mexican meal to the accompaniment of their Mariachis.  I had two of my favorites: chicken fajitas and pork spare ribs.  Robin had tortilla soup and a taco plate.  I guess you could say that our vacation started a day early and that it got off with a bang.

To add to our enjoyment I did a bit of research (probably 50 or more hours) on Greece, and came up with the following information which was included in travel booklets which I prepared for each member of our family on the tour.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON GREECE

GODS AND MYTHS

The following is to impart some knowledge about the Greek Divinities and their cults.  The oldest Divinities were Ge [Gaia]87, the Earth Mother, who begat and mated with Uranus [Ouranos], the Sky.  They produced the Cyclops (one eyed giant, thunder, lightening, thunderbolt)88; and the Titans, including Oceanus, the personification of water; Helios [Phoebus] (sun’s rays, chariot), the Sun; and Kronos (time, e.g. chronometer is a watch).  Kronos mated with his sister, Rhea, and their children were the 

First Olympian Gods:

	Zeus		[Jupiter] (eagle, scepter, thunder) Lord of all the Gods and the world.  The “Thunderer”.
	Hera		[June] (peacock, diadem).  Zeus wife.  Goddess of marriage.
	Hestia		[Vesta] (fire) Goddess of the family hearth
	Demeter	[Ceres] (ear of corn, scepter, scythe).  Goddess of agriculture and maternal love.
	Poseidon	[Neptune] (trident) God of the sea and storms.  Amphitrite’s husband.

Other Major Gods and Goddesses:

	Achilles	Brave and impetuous warrior who was invincible, except at the heel, where he was shot by Paris during the Battle of Troy, where he died.

	Adonis	Handsome lover of Aphrodite.  Killed by a boar
	Aegeus	King of Athens.  He sent his son, Thesus, to Crete to kill the Minotaur.  Thesus on his return forgot to change the black sail, which was meant to announce his defeat.  Aegeus, thinking his son dead, jumped into the sea, now named the Aegean Sea.

	Ariadne	Daughter of Minos, king of Crete, helped Thesus kill the Minotaur, and escape the labyrinth by unraveling a spool of thread as he penetrated it.

	Atlas		One of the giants who was condemned by Zeus to support the heavens with his head and hands.

	Centaurs	A race of beings with a horse’s body and a man’s head.

	Herakles	[Hercules] The son of Zeus and Alemene.

	Hypnos	The son of Night and the personification of Sleep (root word for hypnosis).  Twin brother of Thanatos, Death.

	Minos		The son of Zeus, and the first King of Minoan civilization on Crete.

	Minotaur	A bull with a human body which was kept in the labyrinth on Crete.  It was the son of King Minos’ Queen and a bull, and was used by the king to devour his enemies.  Minotaur was killed by Thesus.

	Oedipus	Son of the King of Thebes; ignorant of his true family ties, he killed his father and married his mother (e.g. the “Oedipus Rex complex”).

	Pan		A Nature God with a horned human head and a goat’s body.  The Nymphs fled from his amorous advances.  His attribute is the pipe of seven reeds (pan flute).

	Pandora	The first woman created by the Gods.  Her curiosity made her open a sealed box given to her by Zeus, from which escaped all the evils that afflict mankind.  Hope alone remained in the bottom of the box (“Pandora’s Box”).

	Pegasus	A winged horse sprung from the blood of Medusa when Perseus cut off her head.

	Penelope	The symbol of wifely fidelity.

	Perseus	The son of Zeus and Danae.  With the help of winged sandals and a magic helmet he beheaded the gorgon Medusa and delivered Andromeda from the dragon.  Andromeda became his wife.

	Satyrs		Grotesque spirits of the woods and hills.
	Sirens		Birds with the heads of women.  Their song lured men to their death.

	Sphinx		A winged monster of eastern origin with a woman’s bust and a lion’s body.  It devoured passers-by who could not solve its riddles.

	Tantalus	To atone for a mysterious sin he was condemned to look at but no touch food and drink set before him (e.g. the verb - to tantalize).

	Thanatos	A winged deity representing Death.  The son of Night and the brother of Hypnos.

	Triton		A marine deity, the son of Poseidon, who assisted the Argonauts in their adventure.  The name of our cruise ship in the Aegean Sea.

A THUMBNAIL HISTORY OF GREECE

Cycladic period (3200-2000 B.C.):  Ceramics, idols, small useful objects were made.  The Minoan Civilization started on Crete.

Minoan period (2000-1500 B.C.):  Frescoes, low relief sculptures and statuettes were common.  A series of invasions from the south gradually shifted the center of culture from Crete to the mainland.

Mycenaean period (1500-1100 B.C.):  Masks, helmets, ivory and rock crystal trinkets, golden vessels and funerary objects were created.

Geometric period (1100-700 B.C.):  Small bronzes, ceramics with linear decorations were made.  By 800 B.C. the City-State had been established.  The greatest were Athens, a maritime power and cultural leader, and Sparta, its chief rival and militaristic land power.  In 800 BC came the advent of the writer, Homer.

Archaic period (700-500 B.C.):  Temples of tufa, sculptures in oriental style, Corinthian vases, and black figure ceramics became common.  In 700 B.C. there were Greek colonies in Syria, Italy, Sicily, Egypt, around the Black Sea, and at Liguria (Marseilles, France).  An Alliance between Athens and Sparta deflected the threat of a Persian (Iran) invasion, heralding the beginning of the Golden Age in 500 B.C..

Classical period (500-300 B.C.):	The advent of marble temples, marble, gold and ivory sculptures, great bronzes and red figure ceramics.  From 500 B.C. to 470 B.C. there was
 peace and prosperity.  Sparta started the Peloponnesian War in 470 B.C..  The instability led Phillip II of Macedon (Macedonia), “The Barbarian” to overpower and conquer them.  450 B.C. was the age of Pericles, with Socrates and Plato in Athens.

Hellenistic period (300-100 B.C.):  The age of Macedonian tombs and treasuries, and great statutes in marble and bronze.  Alexander The Great (330-280 B.C.), the son of Phillip II of Macedon lived.  During the empire of Alexander the Great (300-280 B.C.), the Greek General Ptolemy established his family’s rule in Egypt.  Alexander also conquered the Persian Empire.  Upon his death the Macedon Empire began to dissolve.

Roman Period (100 BC-330 A.D.):  Urban complexes, administrative buildings, baths, arches, busts, portraits, mosaics marked the Roman period.  Greece became a Roman Province.  In 50 A.D. the Apostle Paul was preaching in Greece.  Barbarian invasions started in 200 A.D..  The Romans conquered the land, but the Greek culture remained intact.

Byzantine period (330 -1204 A.D.):  The Roman Emperor Constantine was converted to Christianity.  Rome began to lose its prominence, so in 330 A.D., Constantine, A Greek and son of Macedon, moved the capital of the Roman Empire to Byzantium (later called Constantinople, after Constantine), now known as Istanbul, Turkey.  In 380 A.D., Emperor Theodosius the Great, made an edict that the Empire’s official religion was Christianity, banning all pagan cults.  In 383 he banned the Olympic games as pagan.  After his death in 395 A.D., the empire was divided, with Constantinople remaining the capital of the Eastern Empire, and the center of Greek culture.  

They viewed Charlemagne, anointed by the Pope as the First Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, on Christmas Day in the year 800 A.D., as a usurper, and contended that their Emperor was the rightful heir to the Roman Empire.  During this period Greece was attacked by the Goths, Huns, Slavs and Arabs, but recovered quickly after each attack.  Greek soon replaced Latin as the official language of the Eastern Orthodox Church.  Thus the schism in 1054 A.D. of the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox Church.  The latter spread into eastern Europe, the Balkans, and the lands that were to become the Soviet Union.   The Byzantine Empire developed into a Greek Christian Theocratic state, in which the Emperor and the Patriarch of the Church were interdependent (symbolized by the two headed eagle, the emblem of the empire). 

Greece under the Franks:  The Crusades were launched in the 11th and 12th Centuries by the Pope to help the Byzantines repulse the Moslems from the Holy Land.  The Frankish Crusaders were more interested in territory and the Venetians were more interested in commercial gain than religious pursuits, resulting in the 4th Crusade in 1204, which was directed against Constantinople - to settle the disputed succession to the throne.  Greece was divided.  A Latin Empire was ruled by the western nations at Constantinople, while the Turks were eating away territory in the Balkans.

Greece under the Turks:  The Turks captured Constantinople in 1453.  Knights of the Crusade were defeated on Rhodes in 1480.  They ejected the Venetians from Crete in 1669.  Many of the islands of the Mediterranean are inhabited by both Turks and Greeks, and disputes still threaten until this day (e.g. Cyprus).  A revolt in 1770 failed but dissension remained.  The War of Independence, called the National Revolution began in 1821.  In 1882 the partisans controlled the Peloponnese (southern large land mass).  During the Balkan War (1912-1913) the Greek army liberated Macedonia and Epiros from the Turks, and Crete became a part of Greece.  

As a prize for joining the Allies in World War I, Greece was awarded Thrace and Smyrna in 1919.  The Turks reinvaded in 1919 and became victorious in 1922, signaling the loss of  one and one-half  million Greeks who fled from Asia Minor to Europe.  The Germans invaded Greece in 1941, which started a civil war that lasted until 1949, five years after the Nazi defeat.  After a military dictatorship from 1967-1974, Greece became a Republic.  Greece is now a member of NATO89.

DINING AND ENTERTAINMENT

Greeks from all walks of life use evening dining as a principal source of entertainment.  They dine late and enjoy open-air places during the warm Summer months, even if air conditioning is available.  In most establishments that cater to Greek clientele, service is likely to be friendly, warm and informal.

A meal in Greece is highlighted with a selection of:
	mezedes - hors d’oeuvres, hot and cold, served in small plates placed in the center of the table family style.  Examples include:
		melitzanosalata - mashed eggplant, with oil, garlic and lemon
		taramosalata - Greek caviar spread
		dolmadakia - meat or rice rolled in grape leaves
		kalamarakia - deep fried squid (calamari)
		Tyropitakia - cheese wrapped in strudel leaves
		kolokithakia - deep fried zucchini
		tsatsike also dzadziki - cucumber, yogurt and garlic spread
		keftedes - meatballs.

	The main course is usually a casserole, meat stew or grilled meat or fish90.  They are famous for:
	Souvlaki - charcoal grilled lamb or pork on a skewer or on pita bread.
Horiatiki - Greek salad, consisting of sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and feta cheese, dressed with oil and vinegar.	
	Spankopita - a delicious spinach pie
	Tiropita - cheese pie
	Pastisio - Greek Lasagna
	Dolmas or dolmades - stuffed grape leaves with meat.
Shish Kafta - charbroiled ground beef meat balls mixed with fine chopped onion, parsley and spices.

	Cheese is usually eaten with bread.  It varies tremendously by region.  Selections include:
		Feta - white, semi soft and salted
		Kasseri - yellow, semi soft
		Graviera - hard
		Manouri - unsalted, creamy and fattening 

	Vegetables are usually served mixed.  One favorite is 
		Pilaf-—Fekie - rice mixed with lentils.  Served often in Crete.

	Desserts are delicious and include:		
		Baklava - baked thin pastry layers with strudel leaves, walnuts and honey.
		Kataifi - nuts, usually almonds, wrapped in shredded wheat with a honey sauce.
		Galaktoburiko - a triangular shaped sweet pastry with a soft moist center.

There are several distinct types of eating establishments in Greece:
	Estiatorions are a conventional restaurant with tablecloths.  They are very expensive.  Tavernas are generally operated by a family, members of which can be seen cooking and serving food.  The emphasis is on mezedes and traditional cooking.  Some are as high class and expensive as an estiatorion.  A Psistaria is a bar-b-que style place with a fire pit in the center of the entrance.  They feature roast pork, lamb, and chicken.  Your cost defends upon the weight of your serving.  Your meat is served with a salad, French fries and cheese.  Finally, a Psarotaverna is a fish tavern, usually found near the sea or harbor.  Few have fish, except for octopus and squid.
	Bouzoukis are night clubs.  Although some food is served, it is very expensive.  The Greeks go there to drink, dance, watch the floor show and to participate in the traditional plate breaking.  Plates are sold by the dozen.  The music is similar to American blues.  Its origin lies in the sub-culture of unemployed city dwellers who were persecuted by the authorities as outcasts by the middle class.

THE ADVENTURE BEGINS

Thursday, June 10, 1993	DFW and South Padre Island  /JFK / Athens

Five of us flew to Athens using frequent flyer miles.  Darrell and Missy each had early morning flights from Harlingen and Dallas respectively to Houston Hobby, where they connected to TWA #130 for New York (JFK).  Robin got up early to see Missy off.  From JFK they flew on TWA #880, a 747 aircraft.  Lunch was served and they enjoyed two movies.  In addition to the movies, they apparently had 28 drinks between them, and were “cut off” by the stewardess, after which Darrell repatriated an additional 10 small bottles.  At first everybody thought they were on their honeymoon.  When they told everybody they were brother and sister, the typical reaction was “yes, we can see the family resemblance in your eyes”.  They met a young man who owned a restaurant just north of Athens, who taught them a few words in Greek.  Their flight time from JFK to Athens was about 9 ½ hours.  Darrell had the longest day of any of us, with a total from Harlingen of 19 hours, 35 minutes.

Robin, Mel and I left the house at 9:15 a.m. to arrive at DFW two hours prior to our international flight.  As we neared the airport, the sky began to clear away the thunder clouds that had been around for several days.  I drank another beer in the parking garage.  At the terminal I purchased my last USA Today, for who knows when.  I also purchased some additional Greek currency to supplement the Drachmas purchased in advance from American Express.  The rate was 214 Drachmas to the Dollar, so each Drachma was worth just under one-half cent.

Our flight to JFK was at 12:05 p.m. on Delta Airbus #1990.  We had stereo headsets and were pleasantly surprised to discover that we would be shown a movie on our way to JFK.  Lunch was served, and I received the first of low fat - low calorie meals ordered throughout.  After a bumpy start our flight smoothed out a bit.  For the entire trip, the three of us had exit row seats.  I had made this request 30 days before our departure.  The seats in front of us would not recline and we had substantially more leg room.

We were all very excited about this trip - but I think I was more thrilled about this trip more than any other, except for our wonderful and exotic honeymoon.  It was the first trip for the entire family, and we were all in accord with our destination.

We left JFK on Delta flight #132, a 767 aircraft at 7:25 p.m., an hour late, due to a luggage loading problem.  Dinner and breakfast were served.  The movie was The Cemetery Club, followed by ABC News.  The movie screen had a continuous visual display of our flight path, location, speed, altitude, time elapsed and time to destination, with the time and temperature in Athens.  We flew the southern route across the Atlantic, passing over Barcelona, Spain; the island of Sardinia; and Naples, Italy.  We were afforded a beautiful view of the Bay of Naples with its famous Isle of Capri.

Friday, June 11, 1993		Athens - Free Day

We arrived in Athens at 10:45 a.m.  Our flight time from JFK to Athens was 9 hours, 20 minutes, with the total time from Dallas at 13 hours, 40 minutes.  During Daylight Savings Time in the Summer, Greece is 9 hours ahead of Texas.  So, it was 3:45 a.m. Dallas time when we arrived.  After customs and immigration, we still had about an hour’s wait for Darrell and Missy.  The airport was tiny in comparison to that of other large cities we have visited.  While waiting I picked up some free maps and tourist information at the tourist information counter.

Because the Athens taxis were small cars, and because of taxi rules, we had to take two cabs to the hotel.  First impressions are important and often are lasting.  The taxi was not air conditioned and it was very hot in Athens.  It reminded me of Mexico.  Traffic was heavy and motorcycles darted in and out of traffic.

Rhett arrived by ferry from Brendesi, Italy via Corfu to Patras.  The train was late leaving Patras.  To save money for a hotel room the night before we arrived, Rhett stayed up late and spent the wee hours of the morning snoozing in a doorway.

Our hotel reservations were at the Hotel Esperia Capsis, close to Constitution Square (Syntagma Square).  We were not surprised to find that our rooms were not yet ready, so we used the time to go get something to eat.  We walked several blocks to a nice café where we enjoyed a $60.00 lunch.  We were all disappointed in this excuse for a hotel.  When we got checked in the air conditioner in our room was not working.  After waiting for a repairman to say last rights on it we were moved to the room next door.  The air conditioner in that room had been turned off so it took a while for the room to cool down so we could get some sleep.

Just when we were about to get comfortable, we got a call advising us that one of Robin’s bags had gotten switched at the airport.  So we had to wait for the switch.  Our plan had been to take a nap, get up, go to dinner and go to bed early, so that our jet lag would not bother us for the remainder of the trip.  About 3:30 p.m. we finally got to bed, and slept restfully until about 9:30 p.m.

On our first night in Athens, we took a taxi to the famous Plaka neighborhood.  We dined at the Taverna Kalokerinos.  The folk dancing had already started when we arrived.  Within a few minutes Missy was selected to join the dancers on stage.  A few dances later Rhett and Darrell were both chosen as two of four men from the audience to assist the belly dancer with her act.

The appetizers, main course and baklava were all very good.  The six of us drank three bottles of wine with dinner.  I felt that we had gotten our money’s worth at $227.00 US for dinner and the show.  While window shopping in the narrow winding street of the Plaka afterwards, we came across another club.  At the Variete Music Hall we had a bottle of wine and a platter of sliced fruit which cost an exorbitant $60.00 US, and the dancing was not as good as where we ate.  We had been told that Taxi fares double after midnight.  Our fare from the hotel was 500 Drachmas, but it cost 2000 Drachmas to get back.

TWA GETAWAY VACATIONS - HELLENIC VOYAGER TOUR

Saturday, June 12, 1993	Athens - Day 1 of the Tour
Our morning, afternoon and evening were free.  The other tour members were just leaving the U.S. today.  We always attempt to arrive at least a day early, so that if there is a delayed or canceled flight, we won’t miss the tour’s (or ship’s) departure.  Arriving a few days early gives us time to get over our jet lag, so we can start the tour refreshed.  It also allows us to do some sightseeing and shopping on our own.
Much to Rhett’s consternation, Darrell continued his ritual of getting up before the break of dawn for his morning jog.  Darrell was already back eating when Robin and I went downstairs for breakfast at 7:30 a.m.  Darrell had mapped out a different jogging itinerary each day, and as a result, he became a good tour guide.  After eating, Robin and I went back to the room to read and relax, while Darrell left to visit the museum just down and across the street.  

About 10:30 a.m. we walked down to the Monastiraki.  The heat was oppressive.  This flea market is a picturesque corner of old Athens.  There we saw traditional handicrafts, including bronze, copper, and lanolin sweaters; jewelry, flokati rugs, pottery, onyx, marble and alabaster carvings.  Course leather was a bargain.  We bought a gold charm of the Parthenon for Robin and small gifts for all the kids.  Later we enjoyed a relaxing lunch under the awning of an open air restaurant in the Plaka.  After window shopping on our way back to the hotel, we took a nice nap.

On our own the six of us took a tour to Sounion to visit the Temple of Poseidon.  Our bus took us along the coast through the beach resorts of Glyfada and Vougliamini, both of which we were to visit at the end of the trip.  The majestic temple dedicated to the God of the sea, sits high atop a rocky hill at the tip end of Cape Sounion, where it greeted ancient sailors leaving for and returning from their voyages to distant places.  This very impressive ruin had been rebuilt after its destruction during the Persian Invasion, about 500 B.C..

Our nap had left us so refreshed that we decided to walk back to the Plaka, where we found a delightful outdoor cafe.  Just as soon as we arrived Melanie discovered that she didn’t have her purse, so Darrell volunteered to go back to the hotel with her to find it.  The café was at the intersection of two walking streets and was thus an excellent place to people watch.  By dinnertime the hot weather had moderated significantly, which allowed us to dine leisurely.

After dinner, Rhett, Darrell and Missy went exploring and didn’t get back to the hotel until sunup.  They apparently saw the leading nightclubs and discos of Athens.  In Greece there are floor shows and entertainment at many restaurants, but the entertainment doesn’t start until 10:30 - 11:00 p.m.  Robin and I agreed to take the kids out, if they would allow us to take a nap in the afternoon or early evening.  Our hotel was in the center of the taverna district, with many outdoor cafes. The Plaka, located in the old part of town, is the center of night life.

Sunday, June 13, 1993	Athens - Day 2 of the Tour.

Our morning and afternoon were free, as other members of the tour were scheduled to arrive during the day.  We had lots of trouble getting the kids up for breakfast, and once up, they were all grumpy.

Through research, I had discovered that at 11:00 a.m. on Sundays, there is a once a week grand Regimental Changing of the Royal Guard at the palace near our hotel.  So, this was our first stop of the day.  It was a cool walk of about four blocks because we kept to the shady side of the street.  While waiting for the performance we took posed photos with the stoic guards, whose appearance was very different.  They were dressed in short white skirts, with socks up over their calves.  Their shoes, although leather, were cut like the wooden clogs found in Holland - with a grapefruit size red tassel on each shoe.  They marched slowly, holding one leg extended at a ninety degree angle, for what seemed an eternity.  This ceremony rivaled the spectacle of the British changing of the royal guard.  The Greeks had a colorful uniformed color guard, two platoons of soldiers and the uniformed Regimental Band.

We walked back to the hotel by a different route, stopping at an elegant gift shop where we purchased a twenty inch high bronze replica statuette of the life size statute of Zeus, and a good ceramic replica of the Minotaur’s head found in the museum.  Unfortunately, Zeus arrived with his right arm broken off, which we have had expertly repaired.

After cooling off in the room for about an hour, we walked about a mile to the funicular at the base of Mt. Litivittes.  Mt. Litivittes overlooks all of Athens, and affords the best view of the city.  If it is smoggy, the sunset filtering through the haze is supposedly very pretty.  For our visit the weather was sunny and clear.  It was so clear that we could see the Mediterranean Sea in the distance.  We later discovered that the temperature was 102 degrees for our family walk.  At the top of the mountain, we stopped to enjoy a cold beer, and then a casual lunch.

We were drained because of the heat, so we took another nap.  Rhett was in the lobby when some of our members arrived.  Before I ever met any of them, they had already been informed that I was “grumpy” when I came home from work.  Needless to say, I was displeased with my first born son for making such a prejudicial statement to people I had never met, and with whom I was to spend the next two weeks.

Tonight’s welcoming highlight was to be the spectacular Sound and Light show at the Acropolis.  It was rescheduled to the next night.  We were all pretty bushed from an active day in the heat, so we decided to walk two blocks and eat at Wendy’s so Melanie and Missy could get a hamburger and French fries “fix”.  Our impression of Athens was not very good.  There was a considerable amount of litter in the streets and the Athenians were constantly testing their horns on their cars and trucks.

Monday, June 14, 1994	Athens - Day 3 of the Tour

The group started with a morning sightseeing tour of Athens, including both ancient and modern.  Our guide, Mahie, at first came across like a Marine Corps. drill sergeant, but as we will discuss later, we all became very fond of her.  In front of the Academy of Arts stood large statutes of Apollo and Athena.  The bus passed the Old University and the National Library, built in the neoclassical style.  Then we drove down a narrow tree lined street to see the house of the president, which was well guarded.  Next, we drove by the 55,000 person capacity stadium, which was a replica of the 4th Century edifice made from marble.  We learned that like Rome, Athens is a city built on seven hills.  On this tour we also saw:

The Temple of Olympian Zeus stands on an artificial terrace supported by a perivolos and occupies the site formed by the wedge between Vass, Olga and Amalias Avenues.  The center portion is dominated by the temple itself, the largest in Greece.  It was begun in 539 BC and took 700 years to complete, during the reign of Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd Century A.D.  Of the original 125 columns, only 17 still stand.

Hadrian’s Arch was built by the Emperor Hadrian in the early part of the 2nd Century A.D. to mark the boundary between the ancient city and the new quarter.

The National Archaeological Museum, and the Royal Palace, where the changing of the Royal Guard ceremony occurs every hour.

Then we visited the most important structure remaining from ancient Greece - The Parthenon on Acropolis Hill.  Mahie told us that “acro” means “highest point”, and that “polis” means “city”, so that when this hill was named the Acropolis it was the highest point in the town, although the city has grown to include Mt. Litavittes, which is now the highest point in the city.

The Acropolis has been inhabited since neolithic times.  It took 20 years to build, including nine years to build the Parthenon alone.  During the Mycenaean age it was fortified with Cyclopean walls to protect the king’s palace and homes of the senior official who lived on the summit.  After the palace, a temple dedicated to Poseidon, God of Spring (and God of the Sea) and to Athena, Goddess of the olive tree was built, only to be destroyed twice and rebuilt.  Temples and shrines dedicated to other Gods and Goddesses and heroes were built later, including an altar dedicated to Athena Nike.  In 480 B.C. the palace and all of the temples on the hill and in town below were sacked and burned by the Persians.  Many of these Iranians stayed and together with the Turks and Italians, constitute a significant portion of the current Greeks’ ancestors.  It was later that the Citadel as laid out presently was built by Pericles, including the temples.

The Parthenon was the first temple to be built.  It was dedicated to the Virgin Goddess Athena91, and originally contained a gold and ivory statue of Athena in the center.  Athena’s birth, from the head of Zeus, is depicted on the eastern pediment.  The quarrel between Athena and Poseidon for possession of Attica was sown on the western pediment.  It has been used as both Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches and as a Moslem mosque.

The group had a half hour or so to visit Acropolis Hill so we decided to visit the Acropolis Museum.  There we viewed the Moschoforos92, the famous statue of a man carrying a calf across his shoulders, and sculptures of Sphinxes and four horse chariots.  The museum also contained a famous statute of Alexander the Great, which was very life like.  While waiting on the bus to leave we found a shady spot on a low wall, where we sat and enjoyed some cold drinks.

Nearby was the Ancient Agora, on a low knoll to the northwest.  It had been the center of ancient Athenian life, the seat of administration bodies and the courts of law.  Also at that site was the Temple of Hephaistos or Thesseion, the best preserved of the ancient temples, which was built in the 5th Century B.C.; the Stoa of Attalus Museum, and the Roman Forum.

Rather than stop at Agora, we got the driver to drop us all off at the National Historical Museum, which was pretty near the hotel.  The remainder of the afternoon was free time, so we thought a visit to the museum would be a productive way to spend the time.  There we saw  many beautiful antiquities, including the breathtaking life size bronze statue of Zeus.  The museum said it was Poseidon, but my books at home clearly show it was Zeus.  On our walk back to the hotel we stopped at a fast food place for burgers and fries.  Again, the intense heat precipitated another nap.

All of us looked forward to the Sound and Light show that had been rescheduled from the evening before.  Before the show, we signed up for an optional seafood dinner at a fish taverna before the show.  Fourteen members of the tour in total, plus our local guide, Dawn, went by bus to Microliminos, a fancy suburb of Piraeus, the main port.  Our driver played Greek music on the bus loud speaker, which we all enjoyed.  The music put us in a festive mood.  This small village was formerly called Tourkliminos, but the name was changed because of the hatred between the Greeks and the Turks.

There were several restaurants along the harbor front.  Octopus and squid were dangling from every fishing boat in port.  We ate the Koxlia, pronounced coquelia, meaning seashell, which were actually scallops.  We were protected from the sun by colorful striped awnings.  Squeamish Mel tried everything on the menu to please me.  I couldn’t believe her willingness to experiment with exotic foods.  When Missy wouldn’t even try the calamari, Darrell jumped at the chance to get a double portion of one of his favorite foods.

On our way from the café to the show, Dawn imparted some information about Greece to us.  Cars are very expensive because of a 100% duty.  No cars are manufactured in Greece, so they are all imported.  Air pollution gets to be a problem at times, so now there is a new program that grants tax credits for cars with catalytic converters.  The new Metro system under construction was expected to reduce street traffic, and thereby diminish air pollution.  Metro construction had been delayed repeatedly because archeologists were in charge, and they kept finding new temples and other important historical objects.  Each time such a new discovery was made, the route of the subway had to be changed, and the artifacts had to be removed or unearthed.

After a quick stop at the hotel to pick up the remaining 21 members of the tour we were off to the show. We arrived at twilight.  The oppressively hot day had evolved into a lovely cool evening.   I believe all 35 tour members enjoyed the show, which I thought was very impressive.  I gave our group a pop quiz afterwards, and they did surprisingly well.  Fifteen minutes in neck traction did wonders for my neck pain and headache.

Tuesday, June 15, 1993	Athens - Meteora - Kalambaka - Day 4 of the Tour

Our 53 seat bus afforded a little extra room for the 35 of us.  Darrell was one of the first to take advantage of the long back seat for a nap.  The girls also missed a lot of scenery and information imparted by the guide while checking their respective eye lids for leaks.  Mahie suggested that we start a seat rotation plan under which each couple would move up one row each day.  This seemed to be a fair way for everybody to have a day on the first row.

Our route took us north through the countryside, following the valley of the River Pinios.  The bus drove past Lake Marathon, site of an important battle between the Greeks and Persians in 490 B.C..  The Greeks won.  A runner from the Marathon area ran all the way to Athens to spread the word of the victory.  Guess what Olympic race was named after that event?  

Ten years later there were two other important battles with the Persians, one at Salamis, and the other at Thermopali, in the north.  As a result of a Persian victory, the Greeks were subjugated.  About 100 years later Alexander the Great conquered Persia.  He kept going east until he had taken part of India into his empire.

After Lake Marathon, we crossed one range of mountains just before reaching Kalambaka, yielding some breathtaking panoramic views and a bit of terror for Robin.  The numerous hairpin turns were not protected by guard rails.  We learned from experience that Greece is 80% mountainous.

In Kalambaka we ate lunch at the Meteora Restaurant, which was a unique experience.  Each of us lined up and passed through the kitchen, where we looked into the open pots and merely pointed at the dishes we wanted to eat.  Our entire family agreed that this was the best meal we had eaten so far in Greece.  The veggies were all home cooked.

After walking around this small clean village and poking our noses into a few of its small shops, we got back on the bus for a short ride to the Edelweiss Hotel.  The hotel was named for a flower that grows in the Bavarian Alps in Germany.  It was pleasing to us all to find clean new furniture, a color TV, air conditioning that worked, and a nice swimming pool, complete with outside bar.  From anywhere in Kalambaka, one had an wonderful view of the imposing granite mountains that surrounded and hovered over the town.

At Meteora, slender fingers of basalt stretched toward the sky, a startling landscape made even more wonderful by the 24 medieval monasteries, with their wooden galleries and corniced rooftops, that perched atop these sheer-sided pinnacles.  Precariously hanging over the sinister abysses, with the Pindus range at their back and the vast plain, woods, gorges, and picturesque villages below, these unworldly hermitages composed one of the most breathtaking sites on earth.

It was during the Byzantine period 600years ago, while the Ottoman Empire ruled Greece that this monastic community became a sanctuary of the persecuted.  Meteora became a center of Byzantine art afterward.  How these monasteries were constructed will probably never be known.  Originally limited to monks, only five of the original 24 remain in operation now, two of which are run by nuns.  This magnificent setting has been featured in more than one movie, including a James Bond adventure.

A winding gravel road took us up behind the Vaarlam Monastery.  The route from the town below was indescribably beautiful.  The scenery was some of the most spectacular I have ever seen, rivaling the vistas of the Alps in Switzerland, and the Norwegian fjords.  To get to the top we had to walk across a small bridge, then climb about 180 winding steps.  Mel had to wear Missy’s long dress to get into the monastery.  After a tour of the church, we saw the hoist which pulled up the large basket from below, which was originally the only access to the top.

On the way to our second stop, the Jepa Monh Baaplaan Convent, we passed the monastery where the James Bond movie was filmed.  Robin became a little bit nervous about the sheer drop-offs beside the road.  Shortly after 5:30 p.m. the bus returned to town, allowing us time for a cool swim and cold drink before dinner at the hotel.  The service at dinner left something to be desired.  There were only two waiters to serve our group and another bus load of tourists.  After dinner we discovered that our air conditioner was not working, and it was a hot evening.  We all walked down the hill a few blocks to the town plaza.  It was refreshing to see so many of the town’s people out walking and enjoying life.  As we sat watching, the locals would walk arm in arm with a friend from one end of the plaza to the other; then turn around and come back.  The impression was that this village was relatively crime free.  My over the door neck traction helped to alleviate some of my neck pain.

Wednesday, June 16, 1993	Kalambaka - Delphi - Itea - Day 5 of the Tour

First some background information on what we saw today:

THE MYTH OF DELPHI - The myth recounts that at a certain moment Zeus released two eagles, one from the east and one from the west, and at the point where they met, he threw the sacred stone, marking the center of the earth - the navel of the world.  At this point one of the most important oracles of antiquity was developed and cultivated: The Oracle of Delphi.

MYTHOLOGY AND HISTORY OF THE ORACLE OF DELPHI - The cave where the divinity Gaia (Mother Earth) used to utter prophecies guarded by her son, the serpent Python, dates from the second millennium B.C., known as the Mycenaean period.  When the God Apollo was an infant, he killed Python, at the same time abandoning Delphi to purify himself.  He later returned and took over the Oracle until it was liberated in 590 B.C., when the true history of Delphi began.  A number of sacred wars broke out for control of the Oracle.  The Romans became masters of the Oracle in 191 B.C..  Whoever wished to consult the Oracle was obliged to pay a tax, the “telono”, which gave him a right to approach the great altar of Apollo to offer sacrifices, which were usually boars, goats or bulls.  Locals sold the animals and sacrificial knives.  Having purified herself in the water of the Kastalian Fountain, Pythia93 ate a laurel leaf and, inhaling the vapors emitted from the chasm, entered a state of ecstasy, uttering incoherent words.  These were then translated and converted into poems by the priests, to assure their incomes.

I awoke with a migraine headache.  It was a cloudy day.  Our service at breakfast was worse than at dinner the night before.  With the same number of people to be served, we had only one waiter. Things had to get better.  On the way to our next stop Mahie gave us a great history and geography lesson.  We learned that in Greece high school students must take a foreign language.  Most study English.  The university is free, including books, except for dormitory and food.  Even masters and doctors degrees are awarded at no charge.

Men must serve two years in the army, but college deferments are available.  Most students don’t marry until after their military service.  Perhaps this delay in marriage accounts in part for the very low divorce rate of three to four percent.  Women wear black for mourning for periods of either 40 days or for one year, although some of the older women wear mourning black for the remainder of their lives.

Shipping and tourism are the two most important aspects of the Greek economy.  Greeks have 12% deducted from their paychecks to pay for the national hospital system.  This is in addition to an income tax, apartment tax, and a sales tax.  In 1993, there was an 8% unemployment rate.  Foreigners aren’t allowed to work, except for members of the EEC94.  Albanians are sent packing.

There are three political parties in Greece: 1) the Conservatives, who were in power in 1993, 2) the Socialists, and 3) the Communists, who account for only 8-9%.  The 300 member Parliament elects the president and Greece’s representatives to the EEC.  During World War II the Germans killed about one-half million Greeks, mostly Jews and Gypsies.

Spectacular mountain scenery decorated our route to the time-twisted olive trees of Delphi’s sacred groves.  Our journey today took us over two separate mountain ranges.  The roads were all lined with trash.  The lower mountains were covered with green shrubs, while the higher ones were solid rock.  The peaks were covered with a haze, which reminded me of Norway.  There was a stop at a church to allow us to take photos of a stork’s nest atop the church steeple.  Like in Mexico, the countryside was covered with many partially constructed buildings that looked like no work had been performed on them in years.  There were entire villages with matching red tile roofs.  Along the way we passed several bauxite strip mines - the red earth used to manufacture aluminum, one of Greece’s exports.  

As we neared Delphi it became obvious that their claim to one million olive trees was true.
The village of Delphi is perched atop a high mountain.  Just beyond we stopped to view the antiquities of the Delphi Museum.  These included 6th Century B.C. very fine detailed friezes on the Treasury of the Sifnians depicting the Judgement or Paris (still with a bit of the original red coloring), and the Assembly of the Olympian Gods watching a battle in the Trojan War and a battle with giants.  There were several 6th Century B.C. statutes, including one of the winged Sphinx from Naxos (my favorite), a silver life size bull (Minotaur) trimmed in gold, and the famous bronze “Young Charioteer of Delphi”, dating from the 5th Century B.C..

Mahie pointed out the altar which for centuries was called the belly button of the Earth, and the three legged cauldron from which the fumes enabled the Oracle of Delphi to tell the future.  We also saw remnants of the black ivory and gold statutes of Apollo and his twin sister Athena and some terra cotta perfume bottles from burial sites.  Some oddities there included an alabaster tear bottle and lipstick boxes.  The boys and I liked the 4th Century large statute of three girls in wet drapery.  As we were leaving the museum we noticed a display of funereal offerings, including one of the figure Pan dancing in a winding circle of dancers, depicting Thesus’ exit from the Labyrinth after killing the Minotaur.

We returned to town for lunch.  Our family was lucky.  We got the corner table on the outside patio at the Sea View Restaurant overlooking the surrounding mountains and the valley below.  In the distance, through the haze you could see the Aegean Sea.  We enjoyed a nice quiet lunch, accented by the light shower falling on the colorful striped awning above our heads.

After window shopping between the rain drops we got back on the bus and drove about one mile to the famous site.  Missy wasn’t feeling well.  It began to rain a little harder.  The three of us staid on the bus for part of the visit, but Rhett, Darrell and Mel went to the top.  We saw the Sanctuary of the Apollo and the cave where the Oracle made her prophecies, plus the treasury of the Athenians and the Stadium.  Olympic games were also held here and were not limited to feats of strength.  There were also contests among poets, musicians and philosophers.  The Temple of Apollo dominated the sanctuary’s enclosure.

Because of my back and neck problems, I didn’t try to climb up to the stadium.  Darrell and two female teachers decided to walk back down the mountain to the town of Itea, where we were to spend the night.  It was 16 kilometers away, or about 10 miles.  They started their hike about 5:00 p.m.  We checked into the hotel and took a stroll to the harbor a few blocks away, and then along the beach.  The large stones on the beach made it uncomfortable to walk on the beach.  After dinner at the hotel we all walked back to the waterfront and out on the large pier.  There were several nice sidewalk cafes along the waterfront.  We were all favorably impressed with the quaint seaside village of Itea.

When Darrell and the two teachers hadn’t arrived by 10:00 p.m. Mahie and I decided to take the bus and backtrack our trip that afternoon.  We searched in the dark for about an hour.  When we returned to the hotel we learned that they had returned a few minutes after we left.  They had stopped at several ruins and had had a great time, except for getting lost.  They couldn’t understand our concern.  Perhaps when they have children of their own they will grasp the depth of parental concern.  The Nafsika Hotel was clean and neat, but the air conditioner went off about 2:00 a.m. requiring me to open the patio doors.

Thursday, June 17, 1993	Itea - Gulf of Corinth - Olympia - Day 6 of the Tour

After a short ride along the mountainous coast passing several tranquil red roofed seaside villages, our morning drive took us to Lepanto for our ferry across the Gulf of Corinth.  The town was protected by an old Venetian citadel on the edge of the imposing mountain overlooking the harbor and a fortress alongside the waterfront.  We rode across the narrow body of water on the modern ferry boat Constantine.  As we enjoyed the cool breeze on the top deck we were serenaded by an accordion and saxophone duet who were playing for tips.  Only the hazy outline of the Peloponnesian coastline separated the azure waters of the Corinthian Gulf from the bright blue cloudless sky.

Now in the Peloponnese, land of epic battles, we followed the coast to Patras for our morning rest stop.  We enjoyed coffee and pastries under a brightly colored canvas awning at an outdoor café across from the docks where the ocean going ferry boats from Italy dock.  It was here that Rhett arrived from Brendisi, Italy before meeting us in Athens.  The crisp cool air was a welcome change from the steamy heat we had been enduring since Athens.

The driver played cheerful Greek music for us as we turned inland toward Olympia.  The area outside Patras was a flat rich agricultural area.  Just before reaching Olympia we crossed another range of mountains.  This range was covered with green trees.  First we stopped to visit a small museum.  We learned that this area of Greece was first inhabited about 2000 B.C..  Pelops in 776 B.C. ran around the tomb of his father-in-law, marking the beginning of the Olympic games.

At the museum we viewed a geometric horse and an archaic bronze Sphinx that was carried on a pole in front of the army like a flag.  There were numerous statutes from the top of both ends of the Temple of Zeus, a statute of Hermes95 saving Dionysus, the son of Zeus, and a room full of Roman statutes from the Roman Spring, the half-moon shaped building.  These statutes were unique in that the heads were interchangeable.  When a new emperor or hero appeared, the sculptors merely had to make a new head for the statute.  Sort of an “Emperor for the day”.

After a nice al fresco lunch, we went to the ancient site of Olympia.  In this birthplace of the Olympic games, we saw the 45,000 seating capacity stadium where beginning in the year 776 B.C., every four years, athletic contests were held for seven days in honor of Zeus.  Men only were admitted for the games.  The Christian Emperor Theodosius the Great issued an edict in 393 A.D., which forbade all pagan festivals.  The games ceased until they resumed in Athens in 1896.

We also visited the statute of Hermes and the Temples of Hera and Zeus, dating from the 5th Century.  In front of the former, a 7th Century B.C. temple built on the Doric style, stood the Olympic Flame.  The latter, almost as large as the Parthenon, originally contained the famous statute of Olympian Zeus.  This seated figure was 44 feet tall.  It was seated on a throne of ebony and ivory, and was one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World.  It was moved to Constantinople, where it was later destroyed.  My “Zeus kiss” at the temple of Zeus was the best yet.  So far, Robin and I had kissed in every temple, entirely grossing out the girls.

The circular fountain “Phillipeon” was dedicated by Alexander the Great to his father, Philip of Macedon. We learned that in ancient times, the passage of years was measured by the number of Olympic games that had been played, e.g. a war occurred during the 56 Olympic games. These games were so important that Sparta and Athens once called a temporary truce in a war to play the games - after which the war resumed.

We stopped for lunch at a nice café, where we opted to eat on the covered porch.  There was a stage in the courtyard where folk dance performances were presented each evening.  After lunch we walked to a nearby small cemetery which contained dozens of elaborate white marble grave sites.  In most head stones there were lighted candles and a glass enclosure with photographs of the deceased.  One of the ones with a burning candle was interred in 1959 - 34 years earlier.

On our way back to the hotel we couldn’t help noticing how the tall green trees of the Peloponnesian blanketed the gentle slopes of the hills surrounding Olympia - reminiscent of the hills of east Tennessee.

Dinner was included at our hotel, the Hotel Altis.  It was new, clean and the air conditioner worked.  After dinner we took a stroll down the main street.  Surprisingly, many of the merchants in this small village spoke at least a little English.  Suddenly all the lights in town went out.  There was no moon, and the town was totally dark, except for a few candles in the doorways of a few shops.  The town was without electricity for an hour due to a union strike.  This blackout interrupted Rhett’s DJ session at a local discotheque.  Robin and I enjoyed the romantic setting of the dark in the courtyard of the hotel with the warm glow of candles in the lobby.
Friday, June 18, 1993	Olympia - Hora - Methoni - Kalamata - Sparta - Day 7 of the Tour

This morning we drove past the sleepy harbor town of Kyparissia, where we saw the remains of a medieval castle on the crest of the mountain hovering above.  An even larger mountain watched over this small pristine village.  Promontories on either side of the town formed a natural harbor, as arms reaching out to embrace the sea.  Later, we passed through another small village where some immigrants after World War II had returned and built a replica of the Eiffel Tower and an immense world globe.

Then we drove along the idyllic pine-scented Ionian coat to Hora.  In Hora we visited the small local museum and viewed its superb frescoes.  Just outside Hora we saw a roadside monument dedicated to all males killed by Germans in World War II.  Afterwards we passed by the massive entrance of Nestor’s Palace to visit the throne room, built during the Mycean civilization.  It predated the Trojan War of 1250-1240 B.C..  The throne room contained a large round hearth.  Behind it were the king and queen’s quarters, kitchen and bath, which contained a marble tub.

Nestor was a  leader during the Trojan War.  Greeks wanted to occupy Troy96 to control commerce, which at the time was mostly grain and pottery.  We saw stones with a script - using linear symbols - one of which was the famous Rosetta Stone97, which was used at Mycean centers.  These symbols plus the frescoes around the palaces are the only current information scholars have for the period 2000 B.C..  In these frescoes, men were painted red because they worked outside and had tanned skin.  Women were painted white.  Historically we have the writings of Homer, who wrote about this period, but he wrote about it in the 8th Century B.C., some 1200 years later.

At the palace we also visited the guard house, archives, atrium and the sentry posts.  On display were some exquisitely carved gold jewelry and beautiful large gold cups and pots.  Behind the palace grounds there was a large beehive tomb.  It had originally been filled with offerings to the Gods and covered with dirt to conceal it from grave robbers.  The beehive tomb was accidently discovered by a shepherd boy whose sheep had fallen through the roof to the floor below.  With a rope he lowered himself to a tomb filled with riches galore.  Because of severe neck and back pain I had to start another medrol dose pack of steroids.

Our lunch stop was at the Methoni Beach Hotel, on the beach near a 13th Century Venetian Fortress.  First thing, we toured the interior and exterior of the fortress which was built during the Fourth Crusade in the early 1200s.  Its ramparts had been used in battle as late as 1821 against the Turks during the War of Independence.  Also before sitting down to lunch there was time for a short swim.  After donning our swimming attire, and getting in up to our knees, we discovered the water was frightfully cold - too chilly for a swim - except for our resident penguin, Darrell.  He braved the frigid waters with his mask, snorkel and fins.  Rhett entertained some of the ladies on the tour by regaling them with some of his adventures.  Because of the union strike, our choices for lunch were limited, so we were served an international meal: French fries and Greek Salad.

Our afternoon stop was at the seaside village of Kalamata, surrounded on three sides by hovering mountains of enormous proportions.  Kalamata lies on the Messenian Gulf.  We had refreshments in the shade of a sidewalk cafe.  Kalamata is noted for its olives.  Then we began the most breathtaking section of the road trip.  First, we passed a medieval castle on a hill on the outskirts of town.  Then we began the thrilling transit of the most precipitous mountain chain we encountered, working our way to and then along the gaping Nedon Gorge to Sparta.

Hairpin turn after hairpin turn we ascended the mountains without the security of guard rails, with some of the drop-offs being thousands of feet down.  Our two lane highway was narrow by American standards.  Over the years heavy buses and trucks had worn away the edges of the road, leaving only loose gravel and small rocks on the precipitous outer edges.  Spontaneously, the tour members began a mantra of cheers, following each adrenalin producing maneuver, just like a crowd yelling “Ole” as a matador made a pass at the bull.  The scenery was magnificent, some of the most beautiful of the entire trip.  Unfortunately, our hearts were all pounding with such trepidation that I’m sure we could not relax to fully savor it.

The road’s highest point was at 1760 meters98.  At that point the peaks were still high above us, including a barren white mountain.  We learned that this strange mountain was the location used by ancient Spartans to hurl the weak children of the town to their death.  Only those healthy enough to fight in their army were allowed to live.

Our early afternoon arrival at the Hotel Lida in Sparta gave us time to unpack before our included dinner.  Everybody was glad that we would be in Sparta for two nights.

As had become our custom, following dinner we strolled several blocks to the large town square.  On either side were numerous outdoor cafes, each with its own colorful umbrellas over the tables. Fortunate for us, it was a week-end.  From senior citizens to teenagers, most of the towns people were out for an evening walk back and forth in the square.  Some probably walking for exercise; some to see and be seen; while the eligible singles walked in hopes of finding a lover.  Missy could not wait to participate in this event!  When we arrived, she joined in the ritual before our drinks arrived.  She was impressed with all the “good looking” guys in the parade.  The size of Melanie’s eyes increased at least by 25% when she saw all the teenage boys.  Rhett and Darrell were pretty cool.  Missy was like a chocoholic in a candy store.  Robin and I were not impressed, but enjoyed the people watching.  Robin and I left our prodigy to their own devices and returned to the hotel to read our novels.

Saturday, June 19, 1993	Sparta - Excursion to Areopolis Caves and Githeon - Day 8 of the Tour.

I awoke with another bad headache and neck ache.  From our hotel balcony we could see the ruins of one of the oldest castles in Greece, sitting atop a mountain overlooking the city.  The castle was from the Byzantine era.  It sat just below the palace of the family that settled this part of Greece.  Just beneath the castle was a walled convent.  These three structures is all that remains of the once prosperous Byzantine city and center of power - Mistra - our first stop for the morning.

The whole city had been built on the slope of a mountain, like a castle, with narrow winding streets designed to confuse invading armies and make it difficult for the m to find the city center.  At the base of the remains of the town was a cathedral.  In the chapel of the cathedral there was a two headed eagle design on the floor, memorializing the spot where the emperor received a blessing from the priest before the final battle with the Turks.  In that battle the emperor was killed.  In 1461 the Turks occupied Mistra, at which time the Greeks settled in what is now Sparta.  The Turkish occupation lasted 400 years.

The Greek Orthodox church cemented the Greek people together during these four centuries, teaching the children the Greek language and its history.  Mahie attributed the start of the War of Independence to the Mani Priests.  In the cathedral we saw small icons with silver, gold, and brass symbols of arms, legs, eyes, etc., hanging in appreciation for the healing powers of the Virgin Mary, Christ and the Saints.  Robin and I were impressed with a painting of Christ, who after arising from the dead, descended in Hades to rescue Adam and Eve.  Except for five nuns who lived in the convent, Mistra was a ghost town.

Byzantine construction was evident because of the bricks mixed with stones in the walls and buildings.  Spartans lived in tents and didn’t believe in buildings.  They lived very strict lives under harsh conditions, thus the term “Spartan”.  Children grew up in military camps, living there from ages one through seven.  Spartan children were required to return to military camp after seven years of schooling, where they would live for seven months each year for the remainder of their life.  Mahie said that they still live a strict life in Sparta.  Perhaps because of their toughness, the Turks never conquered southern Laconia, south of Sparta.

After 13 hours of sleep Mel returned to her cheerful mode.  We made some kool-aid to celebrate.  The seaport of Githeon, on the Gulf of Laconia, was our lunch stop.  Our table was next to the water, so to pass time we fed bread to the fish.  Rhett and one of the teachers sat at the next table.  After trying some calamari as an appetizer, we enjoyed lamb and spaghetti.  A cool breeze made our after lunch walk along the harbor much more enjoyable.

After lunch we ventured into the eerie, beautiful Mani landscape, dotted with medieval ghost towns emptied by feuding families, arriving at Areopolis.  Deep within the sea cliff, we cruised in small boats among endless grottos of Kikos Caverns, which the ancients believed were an entrance to the Underworld.  The caves were filled with stalactites and stalagmites.

Next, we visited the beach resort near Githeon’s color-washed village, climbing in tiers from the gulf shore to the Surroagetas Hills.  Robin didn’t get to swim on the sandy beach because the water was ice cold.  She did lay in the sun and read.  Rhett braved the frigid water for a few minutes.  I relaxed with a cold beer in the shade of the porch of the bar before we returned to the Hotel Lida in Sparta.  Darrell caught the snack bar operator short changing everybody where almost all of us had bought ice cream.  When we returned to the hotel, after a short rest Robin washed out some of our clothes, while I finished The Firm, by John Grisham.  Our beautifully sunny day had become cloudy.

After a nice dinner on the second floor, we all returned to the town square to watch the village mating ritual once more.  Again, Robin and I left after one drink.  That night we slept with the balcony door open to smell the fresh air.  At midnight and again at 6:00 a.m. we were awakened by the beautiful church bells, just as we had been awakened the night before.  The steroids were helping to keep the edge off my neck pain.

Sunday, June 20, 1993	Fathers Day - Mistra - Tripolis - Epidaurus - Nauplia - 
				Day 9 of the Tour.

My wonderful children showered me with candy and father’s day cards at breakfast.  Robin awarded me with a Zeus kiss on the elevator.  What a great way to start father’s day.  Today Robin and I were promoted to the front row of the bus.  Yesterday’s late afternoon clouds had vanished.  As we traveled north, into the heart of Peloponnesia, we left the Laconian province and entered the Arcadian province.  As we passed though three small villages south of Tripolis, we saw that each was surrounded with cherry orchards, olive trees and flowering shrubs.  Another range of mountains separated us from our destination for the day.  While crossing these mountains we had dramatic views of Nauplia, which hugged the Argolic Gulf.  Two 19th Century fortresses were perched on mountains overlooking the city, while another sat on an island in the center of the town harbor.

After time for lunch on our own, we visited Epidaurus, where we tested the remarkable acoustics of the 14,000 seat amphitheater built in the 4th Century B.C..

Legendary and Historical Notes:

Asklepious was the son of Apollo.  He was suckled by a nanny goat and educated by Cheiron the wise Centaur, who taught him surgery and the art of healing with plants.  He used medical instruments much like those used today.  They even performed brain surgery.  Asklepious was so knowledgeable that he was able to resuscitate the dead.  Zeus was so jealous of this power which he reserved for the Gods that he sent a thunderbolt to strike Asklepious and his body was buried at Epidaurus.  In the 6th Century a cult grew up which worshiped him.

Even the famous Hippocrates, from whom present day physicians derived their Hippocratic oath, studied here at the medical school and claimed authority from Asklepious.  Hippocrates wrote medical books which mention Apollo and Asklepious.  He is generally shown as a bearded figure leaning on an auger’s wand accompanied by the magic serpent.  They first used snake venom as an anesthetic.  These elements later came to be included in the caduceus - the doctors’ emblem.  When it was a thriving medical center the theater was built as a place to entertain the sick and their families.  The center of the orchestra was hollow with pipes running up the center and two epicenters of the theater, thus creating a primitive loud speaker system. 

Nauplion occupies a delightful situation on a rocky peninsula projecting into the calm waters of the Argolic Gulf.  This charming old town which served as the Nation’s capital from 1828-1834, is dominated by the Citadel Acro Nauplia and the powerful fort of Palamedes, mentioned above.

On the return trip to the hotel I took a photograph that by itself will not mean much.  It was a picture of a small bridge built by the Myceans 1300 years before Christ.  Just down the road we passed a wall built in the same era.  The countryside was covered with orange and lemon groves.

We stopped for lunch at the Homer Restaurant in Mycenae.  It was another lovely day, so we again sat on the porch.  Several waiters presented us tray after tray of food, allowing us to pick what we wanted.  When it came time to pay the bill, we were on the honor system.  My favorites there were sweet watermelon and home made ice cream.

An optional tour after lunch took us to the ancient Mycenaean area.  At the highest point there was a citadel which included a palace.  There was also another of the Agamemnon bee hive tombs, which dated from between 2000 and 1100 B.C..  “Mycene” comes from the Greek word for sword.  It was described by Homer (for whom our restaurant was named) as the center of civilization.  King Agamemnon was the brother of the King of Troy, whose wife was the famous Helen of Troy.  The town was built on several layers, one on top of the other.  These ruins were not discovered until the 19th Century.

We entered the town ruins through the massive “Lion’s Gate”, which depicted the torsos of two headless lions on their haunches forming an inverted “V” above the large stone gate.  It is believed that the two animals originally shared one head, which was probably made of silver and gold.  A ring found in 1971 with similar lion’s bodies sharing one head is evidence of the one head theory.  The lions represented the kingdoms of Crete and Mycene.  The large stones at the base of the gate were as large as the stones of the Egyptian pyramids.

Archeologists found a gold death mask from about the 16th Century B.C..  The Royal Tomb was originally just outside the palace wall.  Because of all the gold and silver treasuries in the Royal Tomb another outer wall was constructed.  All of the bodies found were adorned with gold.  At first it was believed that the death mask was that of King Agamemnon.  In 1921, the 13th Century B.C. bee hive tomb was discovered by a shepherd boy, whose goat had fallen through the roof.  The tomb had been covered over with dirt to conceal it.  Unfortunately, it had already been robbed by ancient thieves.

The bee hive tomb was built in the same year as the Trojan War.  Its larger stones were also as big as those in the pyramids.  The gold had been brought from Egypt.  During the reign of Agamemnon there was no gold.  Greece was broke because of the expense of the 10 year war.  So, the evidence is that the mask was another monarchs from a later period.

Because the stones in the gate and the tomb were so large, it was believed by later civilizations that mere men could not have moved them.  The lentil above the main door weighed 124 tons.  This fact was the foundation for the belief in the mystical one eyed giant “Cyclops”.  Now, the walls are referred to as “Cyclopean”.  The entrance to the tomb was also decorated with an open triangle above the door.  It was modeled after the pyramids.  This tomb was the largest of the 13th Century B.C. bee hive tombs discovered to date.  It was built for two men, one older than the other.  It consisted of two rooms: one for the bodies, and another for the offerings.

Outside next to the door stood two circular stone pillars that had been neatly cut in two so that the flat side hugged the wall.  We saw a matched pair in the Athens Museum.  Two other tombs have been discovered nearby.  The stones were too rough to paint on.  The complex was on a hill about 2000 feet above sea level.  I thought at the time that if I had been the king, I would have built my palace and castle near the sea, which we could see in the distance.  When I mentioned this to Mahie, she said that at the time of construction, the sea came up to the foot of the hill.  Guess I have royal tastes, after all.

That night we stayed at the Victoria Hotel in Nauplia.  It was a small hotel on a narrow cobblestone street in the heart of the old shopping district.  The room assigned to us was like a closet.  After a complaint, we were given a larger room on the third floor with a window overlooking the street.  We had an excellent view of the ancient fortress on the top of the mountain and could see a little of the sea to the right.  Our children all had similar views.

After a brief rest we walked down to the dock to try to buy a ticket on the small ferry to visit the medieval fortress in the harbor.  Unfortunately, the ferry boat operator was not interested.  So, we all walked to the end of the dock and out to the edge of the pier toward the fortress, where we took photos.  There were sidewalk cafes lining the harbor.  Missy and Melanie performed their obnoxious little coordinated crossover walk.  Then we relaxed and enjoyed refreshments at one of the cafes which offered a wonderful view of the fortress island.

Our hotel had arranged a lovely dinner on the roof of the building next door, which overlooked the harbor.  The weather was perfect and all of our tour group was in a festive mood.  There was a glorious sunset behind gray mountains in the distance.  The orange hues danced on the harbor waters creating a fairytale image of the fortress.

After a lovely dinner we went shopping with the girls.  There were several interesting little shops between the hotel and the harbor.  We all agreed that Nauplia was the most picturesque of all the towns we had seen in Greece so far.

Monday, June 21, 1993	Nauplia - Corinth - Embark Epirotiki Cruise Ship MTS Triton - Cruising - Mykonos - Day 10 of the Tour

This morning we passed through the Valley of Manea, where we saw a large white monument about one-half way up the hill, commemorating the victory over the Turks at the famous battle in this valley in 1821.  It was also the ancient site where Hercules killed the lion.  Then from a distance high atop the mountain overlooking Corinth, we saw the back side of the Acropolis of Corinth built in the late 13th Century A.D..  It was also the location of the ancient Temple of Apollo.

We stopped at a gift shop and café next to the Corinth Canal99, which was built in 1891-1892.  We took a few minutes to walk out on the bridge and look down into the abyss of the canal.  Every time a truck crossed the bridge, it shook, making us all a little nervous.  So, we looked quickly.  Our bus crossed the Corinth Canal bridge to Piraeus, where our modern air-conditioned ship was docked.

After some pandemonium in the waiting area, we were shown to our respective cabins on the modern cruise ship, the MTS Triton.  Later, a lovely welcoming buffet lunch by the pool awaited us.  Except for Mel, everybody enjoyed it.  Our ship left port at noon, which was a delay of about an hour.

Robin and I had a large outside stateroom (V 18) with two large windows.  Our cabin was on the deck with the Purser’s Office and the shops.  The guys were in an inside cabin on the next deck down (D0 22), with the girls sharing the cabin next door (D0 22).  While aboard six meals per day were served: breakfast, brunch, lunch, tea, dinner and a midnight buffet supper.  Alcoholic drinks and beverages (except for coffee, tea and water) were extra.  The ship’s stamp in our passports made a nice souvenir.

All cruise ships of the Epirotiki Line have swimming pools, health clubs, casinos, boutiques, night clubs and bars, and are fully air-conditioned.  Also offered were backgammon, skeet, shuffleboard and movies, with live entertainment nightly.  From the size of my bar bill, the kinder spent quite a bit of time in the late night disco.  Reportedly, the girls were getting “two for one” from the young handsome waiters.

At a meeting where optional tours from the ship were previewed, we signed up for several.  After a long wait in the Siren’s Lounge, we participated in the mandatory life boat drill.  Following a self guided tour of this modern, clean ship, we basked in the sun under a crystal blue sky and gazed at the beautiful deep azure sea.

Our first port of call was the whitewashed isle of Mykonos, a journey of about 100 miles.  As we pulled into the harbor we saw that almost all the buildings were whitewashed and were trimmed with various shades and hues of blue.  These fairytale looking structures adorned the gentle hills that rose up from the harbor.  The water was so clear that we could see the ocean bottom as the tender approached the pier of its capital city, Hora.  It is one of the most cosmopolitan of the Greek islands.  Mykonos is one of the northern Cyclades Islands.  We were disappointed at the brevity of the visit, arriving at 17:30 and departing at 21:30.

Ashore, we set out to get a close up view of the quaint windmills for which  the island is so famous.  We decided to walk to the windmills through the scenic route recommended by the Michelin Guide, which took us through “Little Italy”, even though Missy bitched the entire way about us not walking the most direct route.  After photos and a bit of shopping along the narrow, winding cobblestone streets, we stopped at a deli where we split some gyros.

There we bought Darrell some much needed sandals and a beautiful white knit sweater.  Rhett and Mel selected tee shirts for their respective souvenirs, while Missy purchased a statute.  While waiting on the tender to return to the pier, we unwound in a harbor taverna sipping on cool drinks.  There was no time for Robin to bask in the sun on any of the beautiful Aegean beaches, all of which had golden sand.

Tuesday, June 22, 1993	Cruising - Kusadasi and Ephesus, Turkey - Patmos, Greece - Day 11 of the Tour

When we docked at Kusadasi, Turkey, called the “Island of Birds”, we took the optional excursion to the vast ruins of once mighty Ephesus, where St. Paul preached.  Our guide was named Ester, and she was excellent.  As we passed through town we saw that it had several five star hotels and lots of yachts in the harbor.  It was populated by 60,000 Moslems who were not Arabs.  The Turks originally came from Mongolia.  Our bus was number one and our ship was the first into port, so we were the first group entering the ruins.  It was a cool 68 degree morning and clear as a bell.

EPHESUS

Historical Tidbit:

Ephesus in ancient times was the most important of 12 centers of population.  There was an advanced civilization here 10,000 years before Christ.  It was founded by Amazon women.  They cut off their right breast to enable them to be experts with bows and arrows.  The city was named for their Queen Ephesia.  Five separate civilizations which lived here are evidenced by five separate foundations.  The first two cities were destroyed.  The third was built by Alexander The Great.  The fourth was at the Basilica, at the top of a nearby mountain, which we saw from the bus.  The fifth was the one we visited.

Saint John and the Virgin Mary visited here after Christ was crucified.  Saint Paul joined them in 53 A.D..  At that time there were 250,000 people living here.  The jewelers were very upset with the Apostles.  If there was only one God they would not be able to sell jewelry depicting all the other Gods.  There was a massive riot of jewelers at the 24,000 seat stadium because of St. Paul’s preaching that there was only one God.  This riot led to his departure to the island of Patmos, where he wrote his Letters to the Ephesians, a book in the Bible.

The entire city was built of marble.  It was the most amazing place we visited on the entire tour.  They had running water, which they used to clean the streets twice daily and for a sanitary sewer, including flush toilets.  We saw a manhole from the 2000 year old drainage system.  They even had central heating.  All the streets were parallel and perpendicular.  There were two Agoras100.  A small theater had originally been covered in white marble.  It had a gallery in front lined by a double row of marble columns.  The large stones were from the Greek era, while the small ones were from the Byzantine period.  The Romans later used cement.  There were steel rings along the street which had been used to hold torches, which acted as street lights.  The original mosaics of the sidewalks still had color - blue, red, yellow and white.  There were different geometric designs in the front of each shop - perhaps the first use of advertising.  All this while Rome was just a small village.

We walked along the mile long marble road, passing Hadrian’s Temple and Library of Celsus, Hadrian’s Arch and the bath house which doubled as a brothel.  The public men’s flush toilets contained 42 toilet openings along two “L” shaped marble slabs built over the running water of the sewer.  The floor was mosaic tile with a large pool in the center.  Terra cotta pipes carried hot water to heat the bath.  Pete, one of our tour members, said that there was a replica of the bath at Cesar’s Palace Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

There was a frieze depicting the Amazon women and the 13 Gods and Goddesses of Anatolia.  The library contained 10,000 scrolls made of papyrus from Egypt.  It was the most beautiful structure there.  Only the front wall remained.  It was a two story building with seven arches.  There were three large doors and four alcoves with statutes in each on the first level.  We learned that these statutes were copies of the originals which are now in Vienna, Austria.  On the second floor there were four recessed arches, each of which enclosed statutes on pedestals.

Next to the library was the large gate to the market.  Underground tunnels connected the library, bath and brothel.  Evidently, many an ancient wife heard her husband say: “Honey, I’m going to the library to do a little research”.

I was amazed to see what our guide claimed to be the oldest advertisement in the world.  Etched in the marble were the outline of a beautiful woman, a bird, and a left foot.  It meant, “If you want to make love to a beautiful woman and fly like a bird, turn left at the next street.”

The 24,000 seat theater was still in tact, complete with elevated stage.  Diana Ross, Ray Charles and Julio Iglasias have each given concerts here.  If you want to read about some of these events that occurred in the theater, read the 19th chapter of Acts in the Bible.

We had a few minutes to buy souvenirs at the kiosk before leaving for our next stop, a pottery factory.  Then we returned to town to visit an oriental carpet showroom where we were served tea and a sales pitch.  All but Rhett, from whom we got separated, went shopping in the kasbah101.  It was enclosed within high stone walls like a fortress.  I bought a cane and we got a gold Turkish slipper charm for Robin.  Then we crossed the street and returned to the 20th Century.  We shopped in the modern Caravan Serai102.  There Robin purchased a nice bag and a vest of similar material for Diana.  I bought six brass skewers for grilling shish kabobs.

Missy got “heady” over the young Turks flirting with her.  Robin loved Turkey.  Maybe one day we will return and stay at the Club Med located there.

After a wonderful lunch the guys and gals sunbathed and enjoyed shipboard activity.  My back pain had been getting worse each day, so I took my pain medication and had a short nap.  I was able to talk the Purser into getting all of our passports stamped in Turkey.

PATMOS

Historical Tidbit

St John was banished to Patmos by the Roman Emperor in 95 A.D., for preaching the Gospel in Ephesus, Turkey.  Many years later, he returned to Ephesus, where he died.  The Turks ruled here for 300 years, until the Italians annexed Patmos after World War I.

The ship docked in Patmos for only four hours.  Robin and I took a taxi to the Byzantine St. John’s Monastery, where we toured the church.  The youngsters stayed on board the ship and played.  It was impressive to step into the cave where St. John had his vision.  God revealed the apocalypse to him and then St. John wrote the book of Revelations in the Bible.  The roof of the cave was cracked into three areas by the voice of God.

The treasury contained some intricately carved gold, silver and wooden crosses and some unique paintings depicting St. John’s vision.  At the gift shop we bought a silver on wood icon of St. George slaying the dragon.

Because we agreed to share the taxi for the return to our ship, our driver gave us a complimentary tour around the small island.  There were two other ships anchored in the cozy harbor below us.  The view from several thousand feet up was one of the best vistas of the entire trip.  The island has a population of only about 3,000 and appeared very tranquil.  Just down from the monastery were three dark colored windmills without fans.  From the outside the monastery appeared to be a fortress.  In those days so many religious centers doubled as a safe haven and were called citadels.  

After we sailed from Patmos, Darrell joined Robin and me on the Zeus Deck to relax and read.  We were rarely out of sight of land, passing scores of arid, rocky and mountainous, mostly uninhabited or sparsely populated islands, with little or no vegetation.

In addition to the half dozen or so other cruise ships which traversed these islands together, we also saw several small Greek naval vessels every day.  Surprisingly, there were few fishing boats or pleasure craft.  Earlier I mentioned the paucity of fish in these waters.  Fishermen had to get at least 50 miles off shore before they had any likelihood of a catch.  Mahie said the reason was that the Aegean Sea was low in plankton, but I suspected the waters had been over fished for years.

That night we experienced our first seated dinner on board.  We had selected the late seating so we would not be rushed from our daily sightseeing regimen.  When we returned to our cabin I was delighted to find on our bed a beautiful invitation to a private cocktail party and dinner at the Captain’s table.  I couldn’t believe how nonchalant Robin was about his honor.  She said “I’d Rather sit with my family.” 

Wednesday, June 23, 1993		Cruising - Rhodes - Day 12 of the Tour

After our 7:00 a.m. arrival we were dazzled by the vivid flowers which added bright splashes of color to the medieval walls of Rhodes103.  The powerful fortifications which surround the old city with the bastions, battlements, gates and moats are fine examples of the art of fortification in the 15th and 16th Centuries.

This was our longest port call.  We didn’t sail until 20:00, giving us 13 hours in port.
Historical Tidbit

The city of Rhodes was founded in 408 BC.  The entrance to its harbor was the home of a sun God, the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the seven Ancient Wonders of the World.  It was taller than the Statute of Liberty.

When the Knights of St. John104were forced out of the Holy Land in 1291, they first moved to Cyprus, then to Crete, and finally to Rhodes.  They repelled assaults by the Turkish Moslems in 1444 and 1480.  In 1522 about 650 knights and another 1000 others held out against 100,000 Turks led by Suleiman the Magnificent, but were betrayed by a defector and were forced to surrender.  The 180 knights who survived moved to Malta, where the Order is still active.  The Italians annexed Rhodes after World War I and held it until the German occupation during 1943-1945.  It was under British rule for a short period after World War II, from 1946-1948, when it became a part of Greece.

On either side of the entrance to Mandraki Harbor are columns supporting bronze statutes of deer.  These columns mark the original sites of the feet of the Colossus of Rhodes, a 98 foot high bronze statute of the Sun God, Helios, standing astride the harbor entrance.  It was destroyed by earthquake in 226 BC.

Robin, Rhett and I took the optional trip to the dazzling white town of Lindos on the south east side of the island, which is crowned by the Temple of Athena, on its cliff above the azure sea.  Darrell was planning a full day of diving in these historical waters.  The girls, who had stayed up until 2:00 a.m. dancing and drinking, elected to sleep late and have a lazy day.  The three of us ate an early breakfast and left the ship at 7:45 a.m.  As we passed through the modern town we saw state of the art windmills and solar power panels.  Tony, our local guide, told us that the sun shines 330 days per year on Rhodes.  Several outlying towns that we passed through appeared to be tourist oriented.

Several high mountains had to be crossed before we reached Lindos.  There was vegetation at the lower levels.  Their local crops included citrus, melons, grapes, olives, bananas, figs and kiwi.  It was a very arid land, with several dried up river beds.  Limestone buildings blocks contained many sea shells.  Tony said that there are still a significant number of sea shells found on top of these mountains, indicating that in ancient times, this area was submerged under the ocean.

We learned that the beautiful “Winged Victory of Samothrace” featured in the Louvre in Paris, was carved here.  Rhodes, at its height had hundreds of statutes dedicated to Athena, but they were all now in Rome.  Unfortunately, on Rhodes, as in much of the “civilized” world, Christians destroyed almost all of the beautiful pagan statutes.

The ancient Sanctuary at Lindos was completed in the 2nd Century B.C..  We had a ball riding donkeys up to the second level.  There we learned that Athena continued to be worshiped until the 4th Century A.D..  We also found out that this was the location for the filming of the movie, The Guns of Navaronne.  We left the Acropolis at 10:45 a.m.  In the three hours since we left the ship, we must have each sweated off at least five pounds.

Imagine five or six cruise ships all arriving at Rhodes at about 7:00 a.m, each with 500 - 600 passengers, who board 25 - 30 busses each, plus scores of taxis.  All of them are trying to visit the same historical sites at the same time, walking to and from  these areas on the 
narrow medieval streets.  It was madness.  Our guide said that on one Wednesday not long before, there were 42 buses trying to circle around the large Ficus tree in the center of the square where we were let off and reboarded the busses.

On the return trip, Tony informed us that the Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church holds a similar position as does the Pope with the Roman Catholic Church.  He claims to descend from Saint Andrew, brother of Saint Peter, from whom the Pope claims his authority.

By way of Ixia on the west coast, we passed in front of the ancient Acropolis, which was never taken by force.  We drove by several attractive beaches, at least one of which was topless.  On our route we saw the stately Venetian’s Governors Palace, and the modern Mondraki shopping area.  There were dozens of attractive sidewalk cafes, shaded by the branches of large trees.  The castle, near the waterfront, was bordered with colorful gardens.

When we returned to the ship we found Darrell, who was upset about the shoddy way the diving company he had been out with had acted, and their unsafe practices.  They were laughing at a novice diver who was in trouble.  He had pushed one of the instructors in the water and left in disgust.  His “plan B” was to rent a motor scooter and tour the island, and he seemed to be enjoying himself.

After lunch Robin, the girls and I took a short taxi ride to the main gate of an old fortress, which now housed the old town.  As we strolled through the narrow, cobbled streets the clang of the armor of ghostly Crusaders was almost audible.  Our path took us through the perfectly fortified town to the Palace of the Grand Masters of the Order of Saint John.  It was the castle which served as the base for the knights of the Crusade on the way to and back from the Holy Land.  We took some photos and walked around the court yard of the palace.  There were still several deer inside the moat surrounding the castle. None of us were in the mood for a long guided tour.  The ladies left me in the shade of a sidewalk café in the main courtyard of the old quarter, and went to the beach.

While Robin was relaxing on the Sun Wing Hotel beach with the girls, drinking beer and eating chips and ice cream, I walked about a mile to the former site where the Colossus of Rhodes once straddled the harbor entrance.  I took several photographs of the two statutes of deer on monument pedestals.  It is believed that the feet of the Colossus once stood on each of these monuments, which stand on either side of the harbor entrance.
By this time I was having a lot of neck and back pain, so I returned to the ship, took some pain medication and laid down for a nap.  I wanted to be refreshed for the Captain’s party that night.  We were to join him at his table for the early seating.

There were only two other couples at the captain’s dinner table with us, and one was from our tour group - Pete and his wife from Phoenix.  We were joined by the radio officer and one of the ship’s hostesses.  After drinks and hor d’oeuvres in the lounge on the fantail, we enjoyed a succulent Greek dinner with two desserts and wine.  At dinner the captain was very gallant.  He purchased wine for the table and of course we had the best of service.  It was a gala evening with interesting table mates.  Many of our tour group came by the table and uttered “Ooughs ands Awhaas” at us and took our picture at the Captain’s table.  It was a very enjoyable evening.

After dinner Robin and I sat on the deck and watched the afterglow of the sunset over the Turkish shore on the starboard side.  On the port side there were the lights from some of Rhodes’ 44 towns.  Then we went to the dining room to check on the kids who were at the late sitting.  Since this was a dress up night, we took some family photos.  Then we all went to the night club, where we listened to a few songs by a Hungarian band and went to bed at 10:30.  It had been a very full day.

Tuesday, June 24, 1993	Cruising - Santorini - Heraklion, Crete - Day 13 of the Tour

Historical Tidbit - Santorini :

The harbor in Santorini is actually the caldera of the ancient volcano that created the island.  This island, part of the Souther Cyclades, served as a forward naval base for the Ptolemys who reigned in Egypt in the 3rd and 2nd Centuries B.C..  It is believed that Santorini was once attached to Crete.  The part that sank is thought to have been known as “Atlantis”.  There are many ancient ruins including the Roman baths.  The Santorini museum houses some 7th Century B.C. artifacts.

That morning at 7:00 a.m. we called at the port of Skala on the tiny island of Santorini.  The harbor, which measured a depth of 1341 feet,  was too deep for an anchor.  We took tenders into the dock, where we all took a donkey ride up the steep cliffs for the magnificent view of the village of Fira, the main town of the island.  It was a gorgeous day, with not a cloud in the sky. Robin and Mel were actually on burros.  The ride up the steep cliff face was pandemonium.  All the animals were herded very close together.  The donkey in front of Missy had a volcanic horizontal eruption of its bowels, decorating both of Missy’s legs.  She was a stinky mess.

After Missy got cleaned up, we stopped for cokes on the outside patio of a nice restaurant on the edge of the hill, overlooking the beautiful caldera below.  There was a sharp contrast between the deep azure blue waters of the harbor, and the white stone buildings, and blanched rock of the barren island.  We strolled along the main shopping street, then along the narrow, winding cobblestone back streets until we found the landmark blue domed church which overlooks the island.  It was a nice leisure day.

The visit to the island was capped off with a terrifying ride down to the harbor on the cable car from Hell.  The car was huge: big enough to hold a two and one-half ton truck.  I was glad to return to good old terra firma.  The more firma the less terror!  Actually, it wasn’t as bad as Robin and I had suspected it might be.  All four of our offspring made fun of our terror.

There was not much time to shop at the waterfront market before sailing.  We looked at the gifts in some of the thatch roofed open air shops along the dock  There was time for some cold ice tea at a café with a roof made of rope.  Poor Robin had no time for sunning on the black sand beach, created by ancient volcanic eruptions.  We hoisted anchor at high noon.

Our next port was Heraklion, capital of Crete.

Historical Tidbit - Heraklion, Crete:

This large port was named after Hercules and is Greece’s largest island.  Crete separates the Aegean from the Libyan Sea to the south, and marks the boundary between Europe and Africa.  Here was the development of one of the most important civilizations on Earth, the Minoans (2800 - 2250 B.C.).  It was an early outpost of civilization.  The history of the island reaches back into the mists of legend: King Minos, the Minotaur, and the Labyrinth.  The island was occupied by the Romans (69 - 330 A.D.), the Arabs (824 -961 A.D.), and the Venetians in 1204 A.D..  The Muslim conquerors set foot on the island for the first time in 1645, and the whole island fell to the Turks in 1669.  During the Great Siege 30,000 Christian defenders and 110,000 invading Moslems died.  It was not reunited with Greece until 1913, as part of the reshuffling of countries’ borders following World War I.

We arrived in Crete at 16:30 for a visit of only three and one-half hours.  We had decided against the organized tour. So, we hired two taxis and headed straight for the King Minos’ Palace of Knossos.  “Minos” may have been a word similar to “Pharaoh” in Egypt. The first palace buildings, consisting of about 1,500 rooms, were constructed on nearby Knossos around 1900 B.C., only to be destroyed by earthquakes two centuries later.  It is believed that the palace grounds were also the location of the mythical Labyrinth.  After being rebuilt more luxuriously, they were finally destroyed again in 1450 B.C., by the eruption of a volcano on the island of Thera.  I was impressed with the vivid color painting of the dolphin, and was amazed at the almost 4000 year old bath tub in the queen’s chambers.

Next, our taxi caravan whisked us to the Heraklion Museum.  It is unique in the world because it contains a concentration of almost all the discoveries which have been made on the Minoan civilization.  There, we saw several varieties of winged Sphinx, as well as the original bull head libation vase, a copy of which we had already purchased in Athens.  There was a display of carved marble bath tubs that were exquisite.  The statutes of the snake women were smaller than we had supposed.  Robin was impressed with the gold jewelry and signet rings and loved a rock crystal vase.  The notable Prince With Lilies painting was very large.  I was fascinated with a unique boar’s tooth helmet.  We purchased a color souvenir book showing the palace and items from the museum.

When we returned to the ship for our 20:00 sailing, we rested before dressing for our family photograph on the ship.  I had arranged for the ship’s photographer to take several shots of us in the late afternoon on the fantail of the ship.  They turned out pretty good.  It was our last night at sea.

The Captain’s farewell dinner with high spirited music was the fitting highlight or our last night on board.  Everything from caviar to baked Alaska was served.  Since we are never all together for birthday celebrations, this was our time for a joint grand birthday party for us all.  Can they get 180 candles on a cake?  That night was also our absolute last opportunity to purchase photos from the ship’s photographer.  Everybody got to choose between a beach towel and a shirt with the ship’s name on it for a souvenir.  I also had to clear the bar tab with the Purser.  It was a good thing I was sitting down when I opened the bill.  Missy caught Hell from Mel because of Sasha, late that night.

Friday, June 25, 1993		Cruising - Disembark Cruise Ship - Piraeus - Athens - Day 14 of the Tour.

Robin and I got up at 4:30 a.m. to see the beautiful lights along the Greek shore.  That morning I computed the tips for the ship’s staff.  By 7:00 a.m. it was already 84 degrees.  After breakfast we disembarked and rode with the group by bus back to the Hotel Esperia Capsis.  Robin and I lucked into a corner room.  Our location gave us not only a decent view, but also a little cross ventilation.  The latter was desperately needed because, as before, the air conditioner in our room barely worked.  The balance of our day was free for shopping or sightseeing.

Darrell and I walked to the Hellenic War Museum.  Everybody else rested.   The museum contained four levels packed with military memorabilia dating from the Trojan Wars to the modern jet aircraft and tanks on static display outside the building.  It was outstanding.  We took it all in, taking a few minutes for a soft drink in the lounge downstairs.  I was beginning to hurt, so we flagged a taxi to return to the hotel.  

I found my second USA Today during the trip and returned to the room to rest.  The girls wanted gyros for lunch, so we went on a wild goose chase that took us to the Plaka and back.  Robin, Darrell and me ended up eating at the hotel.  The heat was stifling.  After a nap we went to another Greek dancing floor show at Taverna Vrachos.  We arrived at sunset for a rooftop dinner with a fantastic view of the Acropolis, above which was a beautiful large crescent moon. As darkness enveloped us the lighted Acropolis was very impressive.  Missy announced that she was “all shopped out”.  

Our meal was very relaxed.  For the first half-hour, we were the only patrons on the roof.  The floor show was downstairs in a room crowded with tourists from all over Europe, the U.S., and Japan.  It was muggy and smoky.  We were shown to our reserved corner table up front.  Mel and Darrell both agreed to their selection as victims to dance with the performers.  Robin and Missy were also selected, but declined.  It was a pretty good floor show.  The M.C. was able to communicate in most of the major European languages, plus a few sentences in Japanese.  Because of the heat and smoke, we decided to leave before the show was over.

When we returned to the hotel we all went to the roof to spend a few minutes admiring the illuminated Acropolis.  It was a mental photo that will be with us for the rest of our lives.  Robin read until 1:00 a.m. finishing her book, Blind Sight.

Saturday, June 26, 1993		Athens - Vouliagmeni - Day 15 and Last Day of the T.W.A. Getaway Tour.

We had the latest wake-up call for the entire trip this morning at 7:45 a.m.  At breakfast and later in the lobby we said our leisure goodbyes to our traveling companions.  We rode with the group to the airport.  From the airport, we took two taxis to the exclusive Astir Hotel complex in Vouliagmeni, which took about ten minutes.

Vouliagmeni is a coastal town on the Soronic Sea about one-half way between Piraeus and Cape Sounion.  After we cleared the armed guards at the gate house we arrived at the resplendent lobby of the Astir Arion Hotel.  Wide porticos off the lobby overlooked the secluded and exclusive bay.  We could see the shark nets protecting their private beach.

Our beach resort hotel was one of a group of three that together occupied 80 acres on a peninsula surrounded by the beach.  They are renowned as not only the most expensive but also the best resort in all of Greece, offering several restaurants, sauna, indoor and outdoor pools, nightclubs and shops.  In May it had been used by U.S. Secretary of State, Warren Christopher as the site of negotiations for the Bosnia - Herzegovina Peace Talks which resulted in a treaty, the terms of which were later rejected by the Serbs.

Our three adjoining rooms were spacious and luxurious, with mini bars.  In the bath there were thick bath robes.  Our large balconies looked over the bay and across the curved beach to the club house.  Bungalows were scattered along the side of the hill beneath the hotel.  The Astir Palace Nafsika Hotel was to our left beyond the small swimming pool.  Beyond it was a heliport, tennis courts, and a discotheque.  After the disco was the third hotel, the Astir Palace Aphrodite.  Across the road was a marina where we saw several ocean going yachts.

After changing, Robin and I went to the beach.  Shortly afterwards we were joined by Missy and Rhett.  From the beach we could tell that the six story main building was arched like a boomerang.  The entire area had been planted with blooming hibiscus, oleanders and dozens of varieties of trees and shrubs.  It was a very elegant and relaxing resort.  After Darrell joined us we walked up to the club house for lunch.  Imagine how shocked we all were to discover that the least expensive lunch entree was 500 Drachma - about $22.00 before beverage, tax or tip!

We all politely got up and walked to the other side of the beach to the outside grill.  There we ate hamburgers, shish kabobs and grilled chicken.  Although substantially cheaper than the Club House, our bill was still over 21,000 Drachmas for the five of us - about $95.00.  We consumed only one drink each and shared a large bottle of water.

The kids went back to the room for a nap, while I finished by new USA Today.  The girls napped all afternoon.  After a short nap Robin and I went for a swim.  The water was the warmest yet, but still a bit chilly.  Robin then took a nap while I got a massage at the health club.  Afterwards we relaxed and read while Darrell finally washed his clothes.  He then jogged and swam some long laps outside the shark net.

For a bit more than one-half of the cost of lunch for the five of us, we paid for two round trip taxi rides to Glyfada, and dinner for all six of us.  Glyfada is a tourist town about five miles toward Athens.  We ate gyros on a bun at one fast food shop, then walked several blocks and stopped at the Glyfada Pizza, for their speciality, coffee and soft drinks, and finished up the evening with ice cream at Baskin Robbins.  Before heading back to the hotel, we stocked up on cokes, chips and beer at a kiosk, to avoid the expensive shop at the hotel.  Poor Melanie was homesick and miserable.

Sunday, June 27, 1993	Vouliagmeni - Day 16 - Our Last Full Day in Greece

The best buffet breakfast of our entire vacation awaited us at the dining room.  After a wonderful meal we retired to the sun deck to read.  This was our last full day of rest and relaxation before facing a long day of trans Atlantic flights.  It was a cloudy morning but the sun came out around noon.  Our lunch consisted of scrounged items from the breakfast buffet, plus some drinks and ice cream.  The girls stayed in their room the entire day watching T.V..  Darrell again swam laps and jogged.  It was a very easy going and relaxing day.  Little did I know that getting into the chilly water would cause a cold that would hang on for a couple of weeks after our return.

Again that evening we took taxis to Glyfada for dinner.  After walking around town aimlessly for almost an hour looking for a restaurant where each of us could fulfill our respective appetites, we gave up.  We returned to the deli from the night before and got Mel a carbon copy gyro for her dinner.  Then we walked back to the Glyfada Pizza sidewalk café to repeat Missy’s pizza cravings.  We stopped at a sweet shop where everybody but me got some gooey Greek desserts, and had Baskin Robins ice cream again.  It ended up being a nice quiet evening, with Darrell joining the girls in their silly little coordinated walk down the street.

My over the door traction water bag finally sprung a leak.  I guess I was lucky that it had lasted the entire trip, because I used it every day.  In addition to my neck and back pain from all the walking, my cold had set in by bed time.  I had sneezed all day and had a runny nose by dinner.  The minor throat irritation I had had all week was now major.

When we returned to the hotel we all went to the girl’s room to watch CNN news.  This was the first time we had seen CNN since leaving the States.  We discovered that the U.S. had bombed Baghdad with 23 missiles to retaliate for the attempted assassination of President Bush when he was in Kuwait to receive an award.  We packed and went to bed early.  I didn’t get a good night’s sleep because of my cold.

Monday, June 28, 1993	Vouliagmeni - Athens - JFK - DFW - Houston and South Padre Island - Day 17 - The Last Day of Vacation

That morning I distributed travel money to Missy and Darrell, who were returning to the U.S. on T.W.A.  I also put Rhett in financial shape for his travels across Europe and his odyssey to Ireland, where he hoped to find work for a month or so. We all enjoyed our buffet breakfast.  Again, we hired two taxis to the Athens Airport.  On the way we dropped Rhett off at the Palmyra Hotel in Glyfada, where he was to spend one night before his flight to Paris, and connecting train to and across England, and ferry to Dublin.

It was a gorgeous day.  At the airport gift shops we bought some junky souvenirs.  Extra security precautions were in effect because of the U.S. bombing of Iraq.  A blue armored personnel carrier with armed soldiers was parked in the shade of the airport entrance.  Robin, Mel and I checked in about 9:30 a.m. for our 11:40 Delta 767 aircraft flight to JFK, only to discover that it was running about one hour late.

Darrell and Missy’s TWA 747 flight scheduled to leave at 12:45 p.m. was several hours late leaving Athens.  Then, they got a bomb scare in the T.W.A. terminal at JFK.

Our estimated flight time from Athens to JFK was ten hours and eight minutes, during which we covered roughly 4,800 miles.  Our flight path took us over the toe of the boot of Italy, Rome, the Italian and Swiss Alps, and Nice, France.  Land’s end was as Brest, France.  Our flight path took us just south of Labrador and Nova Scotia, making landfall at Cape Cod.

In addition to the movie, we were entertained by the ABC News and short subject films on the Dragon Boat Races in Hong Kong; archeological finds at Herculon, Italy, which had been destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D.; a special on dolphins and a sports update.  The first eight hours of the flight were smooth, but the last two and one-half hours were choppy.  The U.S. Customs Agent at JFK almost refused to let Mel reenter the country because she had not signed her passport as required by federal law.

Our flight from JFK to DFW was very bumpy except for the last hour.  I watched the silly movie Groundhog Day, while Robin and Mel read.  Mel slept most of the way.  As we made our final approach into Dallas, there was a fantastic orange and golden sunset.  When we parked in the driveway in Dallas, it was 9:00 p.m., which was 5:00 a.m. in Athens.  We had been traveling 23 hours.

Later we learned that Rhett’s ferry across the English Channel and the Irish Sea had been caught in a storm.  He and three other students went together and got a stateroom so they could lay down. 

Missy left Darrell in Houston to spend a few days of Chris bliss.  Darrell got into Harlingen about midnight, which put him on the island after 1:00 a.m.  He had the longest travel day of us all - twenty seven hours - and was supposed to go to work the following day.

It was amazing.  The six of us were all still speaking to one another after almost three weeks of “togetherness”.  We had had a wonderful trip.  It had been both educational and enjoyable.  More importantly, we were a complete family and we became closer to one another.  The following day, Melanie said she was ready to go back to Greece - this from the girl who had been homesick for most of the trip.

  

SPRING BREAK, 1994
New Orleans, Mobile and Destin, Florida

PROLOGUE

Our winter has been dismal and depressing.  It was cold and wet.  In February I went to Brownsville on business.  While there I enjoyed visiting with my old Charro Days friends at the Mr. Amigo Awards Banquet.  Lunch at the Sombrero Festival, while listening to the Mariachi contest was enjoyable.

Robin, after finishing up on the Dean's List for the Fall Semester, was taking three courses.  I enjoyed helping her polish up an English paper on The Scarlet Letter and a History report on the movie Shindler's List. The hospital continued to be short handed and her schedule was constantly changing.  They even fired one of the Pediatric nurses.

I also enjoyed helping Darrell write a paper on an English poet, and study Spanish.  I was so glad that he moved to Dallas.  I had missed my frequent contact with him.  He was.a joy to have around.  Poor Darrell was the only one not to get away for Spring Break.  He worked right through it, picking up some double shifts in an attempt to make some extra money.

By Spring Break we were all ready for some time off.  Melanie flew to Houston to meet Missy and the two of them went to their cousin's wedding.  Afterwards, they spent a week on South Padre Island.

Rhett and Mara got an all expense trip to the Spring NFL Meeting in Orlando, where the Cowboys' owner made an ass of himself after too many drinks at the bar.

Robin and I had had frequent invitations to visit our friends David and Anne Hollenbeck at their new condominium in Destin.  We decided to spend a few days with them.

NEW ORLEANS

On Thursday March 10, 1994 we flew to New Orleans on Southwest Airlines' "Friends Fly Free" program.  We rented a car near the airport, where for some reason we were upgraded to a Mercury Marquis.  I had forgotten how spacious big cars were.  

Our hotel was the Saint Louis Hotel at Bienville and Royal, in the French Quarter.  Arriving at lunch time, our room was not ready.  We walked around the corner to Felix' Oyster Bar to satisfy Robin's hunger for Oysters, which together with an order of shrimp remoulade were consumed with no left overs.  Afterwards, we checked in the hotel and took a much needed nap.

At dinner time we stopped at a store on the corner where we purchased Café Du Monde coffee, pralines, and some praline sauce, which we took back to the hotel.  Then, we walked to the river front where we caught a streetcar.  A ride of a few blocks took us to the Café Du Monde where we ate the obligatory beignets and drank cafe au lait laced with chicory.  Then we strolled along the market area and through the old Jax Brewery, which is now a shopping mall.  While there we relaxed with a bottle of beer   

From there we went by taxi to our favorite restaurant, Commander's Palace.   After a drink in the kitchen, we were seated in the new glass front addition off the patio.  Although we shared our fish and veal dinners, we each flamed out trying to finish the magnificent house Bread Pudding special dessert.  With such a rich lunch and dinner, it was Alka-Seltzer time for me when we arrived back at the hotel.

On Friday morning we ate the breakfast buffet at a Shoney's on the outskirts of town.  Following Interstate 10 made it an easy drive east.  Robin and I alternated driving frequently.  We stopped at the plush Alabama welcome center where we received instructions on how to get to Bellengrath Gardens.

BELLENGRATH GARDENS, ALABAMA

I had told Robin how beautiful the grounds of this old home were, but I had forgotten how exquisitely it was laid out and how many colors of flowers and shrubs there were.  It was simply superb.  We toured both the grounds and the old home.   The Bellengrath home was large and had many beautiful antiques.  

Mr. Bellengrath had the dealership for Coca Cola in the Mobile area, where he made millions and his wife spent a good deal of it converting an old fishing camp into the beautiful home and garden it is today.  Among the old paintings and needlework was a needlepoint of George Washington, holding a bottle of coke.

DESTIN, FLORIDA

The weather was cool and sunny.  We arrived in Destin just at sundown.  Dave and  Anne lived at the Waterview Towers.  It is the next to last condo on the peninsula that shelters the harbor.  Their unit faced the entrance to the harbor.  Thus, all the ship traffic came directly in front of their unit.  After being given a cook's tour of their spacious condo we enjoyed a great seafood dinner at Captain Dave's.

After breakfast Saturday morning, we drove to a shopping center to visit the Nautica outlet store where I bought some discounted shirts and shorts.  Then we went to Yachties, a nautical clothing store owned by one of Dave and Anne's friends.  There I bought a belt, tee shirt and some shorts.
Dave had planned to take us to the harbor side restaurant on their boat.  The wind was up so we went by car instead.  At A.J.'s, we watched the boat activity in the harbor while we ate.  I had a great shrimp sandwich.  Then we went back to the condo and boarded the boat, a 1986 Sea Ray.   This was a very sleek looking 39 foot cabin cruiser.  It was a relaxing afternoon ride around the harbor and into the back bay.  

After a little time to relax, including a few minutes in the busy Jacuzzi, we went to dinner at the Marina.  They were having a two for one dinner special.  It was a pretty elegant and expensive place.  Even with the special, our dinner cost over $100.00.

Sunday we drove east along Highway 98 to Emerald Bay where we went through a model home that both Robin and I loved.   We continued east through the manicured lawns of the San Destin resort. Then, we continued along the coastal highway to Seaside, where we enjoyed a nice casual lunch at Shades.  

After lunch we walked among the lattice trimmed wooden New England type homes which set this village apart from any other area.  None had garages.  Most had picket fences and lots of ornate wooden trim.  This community had a fairy tale atmosphere.  Before leaving Seaside, we crossed the highway to meander among the several small kiosks which lined the beach.  Driving back to Destin we drove through Grayton Beach, reputedly the most beautiful beach in the world.

On our final afternoon we took a walk along the beach with Anne.  I flaked out at the jetty.  While we were talking before Robin and Anne continued, a large Blue Heron with a wing span of at least five feet flew close by and landed on the surf near us.  It was a breathtaking experience.  Our final dinner was a at the High Tide Lounge, a casual place in Fort Walton Beach.  

Dave and Anne showed us the plans for their new condo next door at the East Pass Towers, which was scheduled to be ready in less than a year.  Robin went with Anne to look at a very similar condo next door.  It looked exquisite.

With the exception of the noisy Corps of Engineers dredge which was operating day and night just a few hundred yards away, our trip was perfect.  We had great weather throughout.  We ate seafood for every meal on our vacation, except breakfast,   including Cajun food at the New Orleans Airport before our return.  

We discovered Cantina Laredo in Dallas, where we ate dinner on the way from the airport.  The music and food were excellent and the price was right.

When we returned I left my clothes in my luggage for my immediate trip to Brownsville for Mediation of the Maryland Bank case.  I flew through terrible storms each way but won a very favorable decision.
I got involved in helping Darrell with Spanish and helping Robin with her English assignment.  I had been off work over seven months, but couldn't seem to catch up with all the things I needed to do and wanted to do.  I spend as much time as possible in planning and dreaming about our future trip around the world which was tentatively scheduled to last about thirteen and one-half  months, starting in July 1997.

Missy and Chris drove up for Easter week-end.  Chris prepared a delicious gourmet stuffed chicken breast dinner the first night, which we ate on the good china in the dining room.  As usual, Darrell didn't enjoy his picture being taken.  We cooked steaks the second night.  For dessert we had blackberry cobbler a la mode.  

After tornado warnings on Saturday, Easter Sunday was glorious.  We all went to the Zoo.  Everybody enjoyed the monorail ride around the Africa portion of the Zoo.  On their last night, we went to the Kobe Steak House, one of several Japanese restaurants in the area.  It was delightful to watch the cook prepare the dinner at the table.  Our's was very adept at twirling his knife before putting it back in its sheath.  It was a great family week-end, but it put me down with neck, back and headaches for several days afterwards.						

GRAND  CAYMAN  ISLAND,
BRITISH WEST INDIES
JUNE 2-5, 1994

In early May Robin brought her next month's work schedule home.  It showed that she had four days in a row off in early June.  This was the first time in months she had several days in a row.  We immediately decided to take a short trip.  I called the travel agent for Adventure tours and asked what was available on short notice.  We decided on Grand Cayman.

Grand Cayman is one of three islands making up the Cayman Islands Crown Colony.  The other two are Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, which are 74 and 89 miles respectively east-north-east.  Our destination was centered among Cuba to the North, Cozumel, Mexico to the west and Jamaica to the east, situated about 480 miles due south of Miami.  It is about 25 miles long and shaped like a ladle.

Tourist activities are centered along the west coast, from George Town, the capital, along the famous Seven Mile Beach, around Northwest Point to Conch Point on the north.  Just offshore is its wonderful reef, which makes it a diver's paradise, and which yields a very gentle surf.

Adventure tours offered charter flights on Express One Charter Airlines and packages at dozens of hotels.  We selected Spanish Bay Reef because it was the only all inclusive resort on the Island at the time of our visit.

When we arrived at the airport on Thursday morning, there were several good omens.  The weather was good, as was the forecast for the entire area of our non stop flight.  We had gotten to the airport without any problems.  Our check-in was hassle-free.  The plane was on the ground - that was good.  We boarded on time and left on schedule.  Except for a few minutes of very rough weather, it was a pleasant flight.  The 727 aircraft was not full, so Robin and I each scoped out a full row of seats in the rear.  After working a twelve hour shift the night before, she was able to sleep.  We landed promptly at 1:05 p.m., just under three hours flying time.

The bus to the hotel was waiting and the hotel check-in went smoothly.  The Spanish Bay Reef was said to be 23 years old, but it appeared much older.  Its pink stucco walls were highlighted with pillars and flower beds made of coral.  Elegant in its time, it was now rounding the bend.  It had served five owners and endured four years of non-use.  In the last two years new tile floors and redecorated baths had been added.  A delicious buffet lunch was waiting.  Our bags were delivered to our room as we ate.
We unpacked and lounged around for an orientation at 5:00 p.m..  I read up on the tourist literature.  I discovered that slavery was never prominent in the Caymans.  The early settlers were British, Irish and Scotch.  Many were shipwrecked sailors.  Some were Deserters from Cromwell's army in Jamaica.  Others were Buccaneers hiding from the British Navy.  Over half the population in 1984 was of mixed blood.  Tourism centered around diving and fishing.

The hotel had 52 rooms, about 37 of which were occupied.  Six jeeps were provided at $5.00 for three hours.  We drove along Seven Mile Beach and stopped to check out the Holiday Inn. It was one of the nicest hotels along the beach.  A small band entertained the customers around the pool bar.  Their pleasant sounds carried across the beach.  The beach was sugary white, lined with coconut and other palms, interspersed with cypress and other trees and flowering shrubs.  Missing were the cool breezes we expected to temper the heat and humidity.  Also absent were the sea gulls which normally circle the beaches.

It was after 7:00 p.m. when we reached George Town.  Much to our dismay, it was closed tighter than Dick's hat band.  Noticeably absent were the scores of tee shirt and low end gift shops which line the streets of most resorts.  The streets were lined with banks - hundreds of banks.  Of course, the Caymans are known as an offshore banking center, affording tax havens for wealthy individuals and international corporations. 

On our way back we stopped at the Hyatt to look around.  We agreed that it would not be our first choice if we returned.  It was on the bay, not the beach.  Although the pool was beautiful and the grounds were immaculately groomed and decorated with marble sculptures, it was cold and quite.  After dinner we went to bed early, missing the band which played by the pool that evening.

After breakfast on the patio Friday morning, we snorkeled beside the reef along the hotel's harbor.  Later we experimented with several tropical drinks while relaxing at the pool.  We gorged ourselves at the luncheon buffet.  That afternoon we took a jeep back into town.  After a few stops we found a perfect gold charm sting ray for Robin's charm necklace, knowing that we would be playing with them the following day.

The highlight of the day was our short voyage on the Seaworld Explorer.  It claims to be a state-of-the-art semi-submarine.  It was developed in Australia for exploring the Great Barrier Reef.  It doesn't submerge at all.  We sat topside until we cleared the harbor.  We descended into the hull, which was lined with large thick windows.  Robin was first in and sat in the bow, surrounded by glass, about five feet below the water.  We sat in single file, on padded planks which were folded up to allow us to enter.  

The interior was air conditioned.  Soft music added to the relaxing atmosphere.  Our guide was a young Canadian girl.  We first circled over the shipwreck of the "Callie", a steel schooner built in 1900.  It ran aground 100 yards offshore in 1944.  

Next we visited Cheeseburger Reef.  Our guide donned scuba gear and while swimming around the hull, began feeding the fish.  She was covered from head to foot with several varieties of colorful fish - Sergeant Major fish, Yellow Tail Snapper, and a neon blue fish that was dazzling.  She was also covered with fish we had snorkeled with the day before - large multi colored Parrot Fish and the bland yellow and white Bermuda Chub, that nibbled on my fingers when I pointed at a large puffer.  Later we saw Barracuda, Tarpon and Trumpet Fish.  The water was a bit milky, but we could still see clearly for about 100 feet. 

Our last underwater destination was the wreck of the 375 foot freighter "Balboa".  She was sunk near shore during a hurricane in 1932 - the island's worst.  With waves of 35 feet, she was literally bounced on the harbor floor until she broke up.  The cargo of wood was used to reconstruct the buildings, many of which are still standing in George Town.  We remained below as we approached the pier.  It was a wonderful experience.  We had been told that the beach in front of the cemetery was one of the best on the island, so we stopped to check it out.  We decided to return the next day.

That night we had our best meal - steak and grilled lobster.  It was a romantic dinner.  The tables were set with hurricane candles.  It was a starry night, with a light breeze.  We rested, watched cable T.V., including C.N.N and wrote post cards.

Saturday morning we drove over to Hell, a small community.    Since it has its own post office, we mailed all our cards from there for the unique postmark.  We stopped at the cemetery to snorkel for a few minutes.  After lunch we went on a tour with the dive shop to Sting Ray City.

Sting Ray City is a shallow area just inside the reef near the Main Channel of the North Sound.  Much of this part of the reef sticks up out of the water.  The reef drops down for 6000 feet, forming part of the famous North Wall.  Then it tapers down to the 32,000 foot deep Cayman Trench, one of the deepest trenches in the world.  

For nine years fishermen, upon reaching the calm waters of the sound, stopped and cleaned their fish, throwing the scrap overboard.  Sting rays are scavengers, which began to expect a daily feeding.  Soon, divers started to feed and swim with these large creatures.  They discovered that the sting rays were very friendly and playful.

Our group was divided about evenly between divers and snorkelers.  I dove and Robin snorkeled.  I had trouble getting down to twelve feet because I didn't have enough weights on my belt.  After two return trips to the boat for extra weights, I had no problem.  When I descended, I was immediately surrounded by inquisitive and hungry rays.  Two divers on the boat were feeding them.  Some were five feet across.  

This was an adrenaline producing experience.  These beautiful fish caressed and explored our bodies with their velvety smooth wings and underbellies.  Then they would turn and repeat the process.  I reached out to feel their entire bodies (except the tail with its dangerous barb), and was amazed at their willingness to  allow me to rub the smooth texture of their skin, and to cup their wings in my hand.  Their spines were hard like lobsters.

I played with a friendly baby, which tried to suck the wedding ring off my finger.  One of the dive shop divers then started playing with a five foot long green Moray Eel.  He manipulated it gently and adeptly, like a snake charmer.  I couldn't believe how gentle the eel was.  The dive shop diver brought sting rays up to the surface, where Robin ever so gently touched it - with admiration - and respect.  It was a memorable experience.

The balance of the afternoon was spent relaxing and reading.  We watched our third cloud covered sunset from the best table - between the pool and the surf.  The sunsets were blue and gray and unspectacular.  It was still beautiful.  We enjoyed a tropical drink, then brought our buffet dinner back to eat.  The sprinkling water of the fountain floating in the pool on one side and the gentle surf lapping on the coral shoreline on the other complemented the call of a lone sea gull circling overhead and the chirping of thousands of crickets.  A cool breeze gently bent the tree tops.  Robin made a wish on a lone bright star high in the western sky.

We watched some of the D Day ceremonies on C.N.N news and went to bed early.  We decided to get up early to allow time for a walk on the beach and little time to snorkel.  The beach at the hotel was mostly coral.  While snorkeling we found some unusually beautiful small fish.  About five inches long, their bodies were divided into three fairly even richly colored areas, divided by wide black vertical bands.  The front third was bright blue, the middle green and the back was yellowish green.

While getting dressed for the plane, we watched the reenactment of D Day.  A couple of dozen original paratroopers made the jump over Normandy.  Mostly septuagenarians, one jumper was 87.  It was thrilling to watch.

We did some last minute shopping at the airport, where I discovered that the Caymanian Rum was actually made in Jamaica.  Robin and I decided that lately we had paid a misery tax on all our flights.  They each have had at least a few minutes of very rough air, which both of us feared.  The captain of our charter flight changed course to avoid two storms which we flew between.

We decided that Grand Cayman was a place that we would probably return to, after we'd seen other exotic places in Mexico and the Caribbean.  It was after all, the place immortalized by Robert Louis Stephenson in Treasure Island.  Next time we'll stay on Seven Mile Beach at Treasure Island or Holiday Inn.

It was a relaxing trip which Robin and I needed.  Three days was not enough.  After Rhett and Mara's wedding in two weeks, we have our July vacation to Alaska to look forward to. Time to start planning our next odyssey.

								
ALASKA
July 14 - 29, 1994

Thursday, July 14, 1994 - Our third Anniversary - Day 1.

Robin had been scheduled to work a 12 hour shift the night before our early morning departure, although she had requested the time off six months before.  Her fellow nurses agreed to change their schedules to allow her the night off.  To do this, she ended up working four 12 hour shifts in a row.  Even though she had a good night's sleep the night before, she was still pretty much exhausted when we got started.  Nevertheless, we got the trip off with a bang.

Our Delta 757 non-stop flight from DFW to Seattle, was smooth.  We enjoyed the extra leg room that the exit row seats provided.  After a large breakfast, we watched the movie "Greedy", which helped pass the time on this four and one-quarter hour flight.  Just before we landed, we passed very near and under the snow capped top of Mt. Saint Helens, which had erupted in 1980.  Seattle was blanketed by thick clouds.

Our short layover was lengthened by over an hour because of the poor visibility.  Our Air Canada flight was on a fairly large twin prop aircraft.  When we took off we got an excellent view of Mt. Ranier.  Following  Puget Sound to the north, we also passed near Mt. Baker.  I had never heard of this 10,500 ft. snow capped mountain, but it is one of the three largest in the Cascade Range.  We had excellent visibility of the green forests and lush farm land in the valley between the Cascades and the mountains along the  coast.

One of Robin's bags didn't make the flight.  It, along with 20  other bags was left in Seattle, because of the 8 large footlockers and luggage of the Magician aboard the M.S. Rotterdam, whose baggage filled the small storage area of our plane.  This caused a delay at the Vancouver airport.

Princess arranged our 19 mile trip from the Vancouver Airport, north into town by taxi.  The weather was like springtime.  Vancouver is much like an American city, with its modern skyscrapers, except like a European city, bright colorful flowers adorned the balconies of apartments and condominiums and the yards of private homes.  In some parts of town, bright hanging baskets of flowers were draped on the light poles along the street.  

Vancouver is surrounded on three sides with water.  The large body of water to the west is the Strait of George, just north of Puget Sound.  Boundry Bay is to the south and Burrard Inlet on the north divides Vancouver proper from North and West Vancouver. Mountains form an arch to the north.

We had read in a travel magazine that Vancouver had two of the best hotels in the world, and that the Pan Pacific Hotel was the best in town.  So, we arranged to spend our time there.  We were not disappointed.  It was as well appointed as many of our five star honeymoon hotels in the Orient.  It was very new, built adjacent to the Convention Center at Canada Place, all of which was on a pier large enough to accommodate five large cruise ships at once.  

Our room was on the 16th floor, overlooking downtown and Harbour Centre, with its famous dome top revolving restaurant.  We received a complimentary upgrade to a studio,  which included a king size bed, living room area and about 20 linear feet of ceiling to floor windows.  Robes were provided in our spacious marble bath.  In addition to the stocked refrigerator bar, we were left a plate full of fancy chocolates.

After the early wake up, long flight, two hour time change and luggage problem, we took a cat nap.  We almost decided to stay in the room and eat from the room service menu.  Robin felt adventurous, however, so we signed up for a tour.  I had a Red Stripe Beer to keep me going.  It started out harmless enough with a bus ride through Stanley Park.  Its 1,000 acres makes is the largest city park in North America.  Its rain forest contains 400 year old cypress trees.  

After crossing over the mile long Lion's Gate Bridge, some 200 feet above the water (almost as big as the Golden Gate), we visited North Vancouver's Capilano Suspension Bridge and Park.  After strolling though this beautiful park with dozens of huge painted totem poles, colorful flowers and rocky landscaping, we had a brief lecture on totem pole construction.  Following a nice salmon dinner under the cool shade of Douglas Firs which reached 130 - 150 feet into the sky,  Robin and I both ventured out onto the Capillano Suspension Bridge.  It stretches 450 feet across the gorge 230 feet above the Capillano River.  From near the center of the bridge, we could see a cascading waterfall on the other side.

Our next adventure for the evening was a trip to the top of Grouse Mountain via a huge gondola, similar to the size of the one to Masada in Israel.  It was a very scary seven and one-half minute ride up to the 4,100 foot high summit.  From the top of the ski resort, you could see all of Vancouver and across to Vancouver Island and beyond.  We viewed an interesting multi-media show about Vancouver at the theatre on top.  The sun sat at about 9:00 p.m., while we were on top.  On our descent, the lights of the city were breathtaking - or at least something was taking my breath.  The gondola was crammed packed full of tourists, which we both thought was a bit dangerous.  Our guide, a young music student, insisted that we get on the designated gondola, rather than waiting for the next one.  We both collapsed when we hit the bed.

July 15, 1994 - Second Day - Victoria, Canada

Another strenuous day.  Today we have a thirteen hour day.  By tour bus, with several fellow Princess Line passengers, we headed south, beyond the airport to the B.C. Ferries Terminal at Tsawwassen, where we boarded the Queen of Saanich ferryboat, named after the Saanich Peninsula on Vancouver Island.  Our guide John, was so "chatty" that I told Robin he must have been vaccinated with a phonograph needle.  He told us that Vancouver Island was 300 miles long and 80 miles wide, making it larger than Ireland!  Our 27 Km voyage took about one and one-half hours; just long enough for us to enjoy a good breakfast in the cafeteria, before returning to our bus four decks below.

The first stop was Buchart Gardens.  It was converted from a limestone quarry to the 50 acre gardens in 1904.  We were stunned at the number of tourists there.  It was more crowed than the Acropolis in Athens last June.  It was very difficult even posing for a picture.  The flowers were magnificent, enhanced by artistic landscaping.  There were small waterfalls, ponds of large goldfish.

The Sunken Garden possessed dozens of varieties of brilliant pastel colored flowers, planted so as to accent the darker bloom and the green and variegated plants.  It was bordered with majestic Douglas Firs and cypress trees.  At the far end of the Sunken Gardens was the Ross Fountain, in the center of a large pond.  Its water spewed high and revolved in several pre-computerized patterns.  We relaxed on park benches high above and watched this beautiful fountain.

We walked along the path bordered with lawns and planting areas manicured by 50 full time gardeners to the Rose Garden.  Just beyond it was a Concert Lawn, where picnickers watched fireworks every Saturday night during the summer.  I could see Robin's green thumb swell with covetous envy at the hundreds of varieties of roses.  She smelled at least two dizen.  Afterwards we persuaded a lady to take our picture in front of the Fountain of Three Sturgeons.

A few feet down the path stood the large red gate marking the entrance to the Japanese Gardens.  Its pathways were narrow and sheltered from the sun by overhanging tree branches and several lattice work covers, each adorned with blooming vines.  Oriental stone lamps lighted the path at night and together with Japanese statuary, added realism during the day.  Two small arched foot bridges crossed ponds filled with bright gold fish.  Two other small ponds were filled by small waterfalls, the sound of which added to the tranquility of this garden.  At the north end was a lookout point, where we saw a pontoon aircraft anchored along with few small boats, a sailboat with sails furled and tree lined rocky shore on the other side of a picturesque bay.

We returned via the Star Pond and strolled through the Italian Garden.  We tried to buy a beer, but were refused service unless we also agreed to buy food.  The restaurant was not "fully licensed".

Victoria is the Capitol of British Columbia.  Although it is a town of only 60,000, it was a metropolis before Vancouver developed.  It is a charming town, with two flower baskets hanging from each light post in town. The town center surrounds the small Inner Harbour, one of three in the port, serving only pleasure craft.  Facing the anchorage is the copper domed Legislative Building, illuminated at night, and the famous Empress Hotel, noted for its "High Tea", which dates from 1908.  Both stately buildings have large green lawns, giving the harbor a spacious air.  Between the two edifices is the modern Royal British Columbian Museum, in front of which is Thunderbird Park, home of dozens of large and colorful totem poles.

We walked down Government Street, where we stopped at Sam's Delicatessen for an enormous shrimp sandwich and dark beer, which we shared at one of the outdoor tables.  Again, we had been given a beautiful sunny day.  We shopped for a few blocks, and found a beautiful carved 18 k gold maple leaf charm for Robin.  It became obvious that hand carved totem poles, even those of only a foot high, were very expensive.  Oh well, I have learned to live without the camel saddle I had hoped to buy in Egypt, so I guess I can get by without the life size totem pole I wanted for the back yard.

After a stroll through the lobby of the Empress Hotel, to see high tea being served, a quick peek into the museum, and a stroll by the totem poles, we returned to the bus.  We enjoyed a leisure bus ride around Victoria.  The ocean front homes were unbelievably beautiful.  On the return ferry boat ride, we saw a bald eagle fly over us - a thrilling moment.

When we returned to the hotel we went to the Jacuzzi on the 8th floor roof.  It had been an 18 hour day of traveling.  While luxuriating in the pool, we watched the sun set over the Olympic Mountains.  Just at the moment of sunset a huge cannon was fired from the old fort in Stanley Park.  It fires at sunrise and sunset 365 days a year.  A nice touch.  

We asked the Concierge if there was a casual restaurant nearby.  She said the Café Pacifica in the lobby was casual.  Although all  the gentlemen didn't have on ties, it was a pretty formal place - in fact it was very romantic.  We were serenaded by a grand piano with semi-classical and light opera.  One of the chefs was a good Irish tenor.  The lights in the trees and the view beyond the glass enclosed restaurant made the meal well worth the sixty dollars (Canadian) we paid.  When our heads hit the pillow, we  were both out immediately.

Saturday, July 16, 1994 - Day 3 - Vancouver and Embarkation on the Crown Princess

A good part of the morning was spent waiting.  Our departure was delayed an hour, and we spent another hour on the bus waiting for people at another hotel.  Our bus driver/guide had a heavy German accent.  We skipped the tour into Stanley Park because we were running late and because of a traffic jam.  We drove south, crossing the Granville St. Bridge viewing the Granville Island tourist area below, including the Yacht Club on False Creek.  A photo opportunity was provided in front of the large stainless steel crab in front of the Maritime Museum.  We drove through the "Crescent" where many foreign consulates are located in palatial homes occupying one to three acres each, originally owned by the lumbar magnets.

We stopped at the Bloedel Conservatory in Queen Elizabeth Park, along with the casts of Ben Hur, Ulysses and War and Peace.  The Park, a former rock quarry, sits at the highest point in the city.  Its sunken gardens were beautifully landscaped.  Due to the amount of traffic, we had only enough time to look down into the gardens and walk along the path across a small bridge over a small waterfall.  A trumpet vine tree with blooms the size of lilies covered the sidewalk.  We took a very fast walk through all three climate zones in the 50 foot high triodesic dome.  We enjoyed the colorful parrots and large gold fish.

After a drive through Gastown, with its flower covered light posts and famous steam clock we drove through Chinatown.  Then we turned into a seedy industrial dock area.  Like a pearl in pig swill, our majestic white Crown Princess awaited us at the pier.  The Princess staff was well organized and we were whisked aboard with little difficulty.  We checked our carry on luggage and went directly to Kipling's Bar, where we picked a waiting rum punch.  We sipped on it as we walked down the passageway to the main dining room where we had a wonderful six course lunch at a table next to a large picture window.

We looked around this 811 foot long ship built in 1991.  Its fourteen decks made it one of the largest cruise ships afloat.  The Crown Princess and its sister ship, the Sun Princess105, each weigh 70,000 tons.

We were pleasantly surprised with our suite, named "Portofino".  The fourteen large suites on the forward part of Deck eleven.   Each was named after a famous port city.  The 28 people in these suites were a minuscule group considering that our floating resort housed and fed 1,600 people each day.  Our suite was actually a bit smaller than I had expected, although the bath areas were larger than I thought.  Robin had no idea that we would be cruising in such luxury.  

In the 15 x 25 foot living room was a couch, two overstuffed chairs, a glass coffee table, two end tables - each with a brass lamp, and a four and one-half foot high plant.  The aquamarine vinyl walls were decorated with two large modern art originals and a mirror.  Above the blonde wood ceiling to floor cabinet concealing the large refrigerator was a large screen T.V.  Connecting this cabinet to a matching wooden cabinet on another wall was a curved desk with a telephone and matching lamp. I spent a good amount of time in the office chair, using my laptop computer.  The 8 foot ceiling added to the feeling of spaciousness.

Off the living room was our private 5 x 25 foot patio, with two padded lounge chairs, two arm chairs, a small table and foot stool.  The entire wall from the patio was glass, maximizing our view from both the living room and the bedroom.  Green indoor/outdoor carpet covered the patio.  The suite carpet was aquamarine with a speckled rose pattern, complementing the living room furniture.

Our 12 x 15 foot bedroom contained a queen size bed over which was a large matching water color.  The double staggered recessed lighting in the living room and bed room greatly enhanced the ambiance of the suite.  Matching cabinets and lamps were on either side of the bed.  We were delighted with the small corner cabinet which housed another smaller T.V., from which we enjoyed watching movies, C.N.N. news and previews of the tours offered in each town we were scheduled to visit.

The vanity area had a large closet, built in cabinets on both sides and a five foot lighted  three angle make-up mirror.  The marble bath was enormous, with both a full tub and separate shower.  Even the walls were white marble.  The main bath had a huge marble sink, lighted mirror and mirrored medicine cabinet on each side.  Towels were stacked on four shelves above a clothes hamper.  A separate throne room about six by four feet also had a marble vanity, sink and mirror.  It also opened into the entry vestibule off the living room.

Awaiting us in these beautiful quarters were flowers and champagne from the cruise line and a large box of smoked salmon from our travel agent.  Our bar had been stocked  with 20 small complimentary liquors, beer, sprite, mineral water, tonic and club soda.  Within a few minutes our cabin steward "Jose" delivered the flowers and card I had ordered for Robin.  Each night we were delivered a large basket of fresh fruit and chocolates wrapped in gold foil were on our pillows when our beds were turned down for us.

Upon our arrival in the Portifino Suite was a large folder with stationary and post cards and a copy of the daily Princess Patter, the daily rag.  This four page newsletter contained a calender of events, the T.V. and shipboard movie guide and important announcements. 

After putting away our clothes, we donned our swim wear and went directly to one of two Jacuzzi's on the pool deck, where we luxuriated in the golden sun and sipped on a second tropical rum punch.  We had a wonderful rest in our large bed while watching T.V., during which Robin dozed off.  We planned to watch our departure at 5:45 p.m. from our patio, but we were delayed.  We looked up to see Captain Vito having a small tantrum.  He was obviously upset with the Westerdam, which had stopped in the channel, delaying our departure.   Then it was time to dress casually for our first meal at our assigned table 128, in the Crown Court Restaurant on Deck seven.  

The two couples assigned as our table mates were very congenial.  It looked like our Italian waiter, Andrea would definitely be entertaining on this trip.  Our ship was just beginning to slip out of Vancouver when we ordered dinner.  Because we were seated on the starboard side, we enjoyed coastal scenery during the entire dinner, as with most meals.

After we all ate too much, we went to the International Showlounge at the forward end of Deck seven, early to get a good seat.  Tonight the cruise staff was introduced followed by a hilarious half hour show by Billy Vader, a funny red head.  We immediately headed for the suite, where we watched T.V. and read.  It was a must to read up on and watch the "Adventures Ashore" video on closed circuit, in order to sign up for our desired tours early the next morning.   We were both so excited about the continuous coastal scenery that we kept getting out of bed to go out on the balcony to look around.  The sun didn't set until about 9:15 that night.

Our route took us through the Johnstone Strait and Queen Charlotte Strait along the north coast of Vancouver Island.  In the morning, when off Pine Island, we steamed north through the Fitzhugh Sound and Lama Passage.

Sunday, July 17, 1994 - Day 4 - Cruising

That morning we had Jose bring us coffee and rolls.  While lounging in the terrycloth robes provided, we made our final decisions about land tours.  I was the designated party to stand in line to buy those tickets, after which I went to the Café Cabana, on Deck 12 for a buffet breakfast, which I ate outside on the fantail. 

Today was a lazy day to catch up on much needed rest.  We looked around the ship.  I typed on this diary while Robin lazed in bed.  After lunch at our assigned table, Robin had a facial.  I shopped for her gold charm and an outfit she liked.  After stopping at the Purser's office to arrange for a speedy checkout at the end of the cruise, I returned to the computer.  Robin took a nap after her facial and I watched a movie on T.V.  Jose brought us a small plate of large strawberries dipped in chocolate before dinner.

During the afternoon we passed the Indian village of Bella Vista, where we navigated the Seaforth Channel.  When we reached McInnis Island, we transited the Laredo Sound, Laredo Channel and Greenville Channel.

At 5:15 p.m. we appeared in our finest attire for the Captain's "Gala Welcome Party", which occupied portions of three decks surrounding the atrium on Decks 5, 6 and 7.  I wore my bronze raw silk dinner jacket and Robin wore the ivory lace dress that she had worn on our honeymoon.  A pleasant jazz quartet played.  Drinks and canapes were served by circulating service people.  There was lots of flash from ladies fingers, wrists, necks and ears.  The Captain and ship's officers, all of whom were Italian, were introduced.  One of the Purser's assistants put the ship's stamp in our passports. 

Naturally, we had lobster for the Captain's special night.  Also special was our Happy Anniversary cake presented by four singing waiters.  I picked that special moment to present her with the 14 karat gold charm of the Crown Princess I had bought for her charm necklace.  We shared the small cake with our table mates, and all of us had at least one other of the half dozen special desserts offered.  I made a pig of myself on the tray of fudge, candy and cookies.

"A Night On The Town" was the billing for the Las Vegas style revue in the International Showlounge.  The full orchestra played for the cast of 18, including the two featured singers.  Nicky De-Anne sang much like Kay Starr from the 1950's.  She could really belt out a tune.  The dancers were fairly talented and well choreographed.  The costumes and backdrops were outstanding, adding to the enjoyment of the change in scenery from New Orleans, to Dallas, New York City, Paris and Rio.  It was a very enjoyable show, lasting about an hour.

We took a walk up to Deck 14 to visit the Dome Casino in the bow of the ship.  Large picture windows surrounded the entire casino and the intimate lounge with small dance floor.  We sat for a few minutes to watch the Westerdam, which was traveling on the same course but a few hundred feet in front of us.  There is something very festive about huge ships with all its deck lights illuminated just after or about sunset.  After trying our free coin in the special slot machine, we went back to the suite to relax.

We were intrigued with the nearby coast .  As we approached Triple Island, we watched the pilot's boat approach from the starboard side to disembark the Canadian pilots.
We were asleep when we boarded our Alaskan pilots at Point McCarty.  After about an hour in Nichols Passage we docked at Pier No. 2 in Ketchican at about 6:00 a.m. 

Monday July 18, 1994 - Day 5 - Ketchican, Alaska.

When we awoke before 6:00, a.m., the sun had been up for two hours.  It was drizzling rain and 61 degrees.  Because of an early tour, we ate a buffet breakfast at the Café Cabana at the stern of Deck 12.  On our tour to Salmon Falls we learned that Ketchican is known as the town that's three miles long and one block wide.  It's actually an island, with one main road, extending 15 miles to the north and the same distance to the south.  It was called "Tongass" by the Indians, meaning "Eagle by the sea".  Its most important industries are logging, fishing and a cannery.  Food and other supplies are delivered by sea twice a week.  The sheltered harbor has a tidal shift of as much as 22 feet, allowing you to walk to the islands across from the harbor at low tide.  

As we drove north, the evergreen trees hovered over the road's edge.  They were so  dense that one could see only a few feet into the forest.  Hemlock and Cedars were the most prevalent, although the Alders, used to smoke the salmon were plentiful, as were Douglas Firs.  We drove past the end of the paved road onto a narrow hard packed gravel road for a short distance where we transferred into smaller busses for the short but fairly steep descent to the Salmon Falls Lodge.

We were put into one of three new bright green "jet boats" which were totally enclosed.  These boats cruised at about 50 miles per hour.  On our ride we saw deer at two separate locations, one a doe and the other a fawn.  We could see a sea lion fighting a salmon in the water off a small island where the Indians buried their dead.  

We stopped in the water briefly at Loring, the first city in Alaska.  It also boasted the first school, first cannery and earliest post office in the territory.  Now, it is a quite back bay community of only a few homes with about one-half dozen small boats.  The water was smooth, so it was easy to spot the salmon jumping at the entrance of a small stream.  Our visibility was a bit hampered by the misty rain.  We discovered that within a few weeks the spawning period would begin, signaling a marked increase in the bear population.

We circled several small islands, but it was apparent that there were hundreds of islands in the area, some as small as an acre or less.  Wispy clouds lingered on the tops of the tree covered mountains, with wafts of clouds being combed from the sky by the tree tops. We saw an abandoned logging camp.  Typically, they were located on barges, usually built on two stories, containing the office, living quarters, kitchens and school.

During the day we saw several bald eagles, including a big fellow who sat majestically at the pinnacle of a conifer and watched us disembark from our boat.  I walked up under the tree where he was perched and he was indifferent to my presence.  Later, as we ate salmon sandwiches in the lodge restaurant, we watched our eagle friend as he swooped low across the water to court his female companion.

We arrived back at the pier shortly before our 2:00 p.m. sailing time.  The ship moved up the Tongass Narrows for about 30 minutes, until entering the Clarence Strait, through which we cruised for about six hours.  During dinner we passed through the Snow Passage and entered the Sumner Strait.

After English Night dinner we attended a party in Captain Antonio Vito's lounge, just forward of our suite.  We had received an invitation the evening before, when we found on our bed envelopes acknowledging our membership in the Captain's Circle, including a nice logbook, an adhesive backed sticker for this voyage and a pin.  Captain Vito stopped to chat with us for a few minutes.  I asked about his being visibly upset when we were late leaving Vancouver.  He explained that the Westerdam had stopped in the channel blocking us.  He had radioed, but they had said "we're moving", which was not true.  He saw a small boat delivering a passenger's baggage.  He was only mad that they had lied.  Robin was bored with this 30 minute reception, and I loved it.  Oh well!

We sat through a boring accordion presentation by Bobby Raye thinking that the comedian we had enjoyed so much was performing again.  Little old ladies who must have loved Lawrence Welk, stood and applauded when he finished.  The ship began to react considerably to the action of the waves as we passed Cape Decision and entered into open waters.  The ship maneuvered through deep swells, which made some of our fellow passengers sea sick.  Movement was most noticeable in the elevator.  One lady  got very nervous and got off to walk down.  

We returned to the cabin and finished our Red Stripe Beer.  The sea was covered with a light fog as the sun set at 9:30 p.m. behind a thick cloud cover.  The light and sound of the fog horn at the Cape could have set the stage for a mystery novel.  Robin was a little nervous at first, but I convinced her that the gentle movement was not dangerous and that it would rock us to sleep.  We slept with the door to our patio open, until the early morning when it got cold.  At that time we were close to the shore.

Tuesday, July 19, 1994 - Day 6 - Juneau, Alaska

We docked alongside the Juneau Cruise Ship Terminal at 6:30 a.m.  Another drizzly day and 55 degrees greeted us.  Two mountains which come steeply down to the harbor accounted for saying that the town is three miles long and one block wide.  Actually, all the buildings on the harbor side of the main street were built on stilts.  While sipping my first cup of coffee, a bald eagle swooped within a few feet of our patio, continuing on to the tall trees just behind the waterfront.

After a buffet breakfast we boarded our bus for the tour of Mendenhall Glacier.  As we drove through town our guide Kelly pointed out several buildings of interest and began to impart to us all manner of facts about Alaska.  One-half of the 30,000 people in town worked for the Federal, state or local government.  Of the  500,000 people in Alaska, one half live in Anchorage, which is trying to have the capital moved there.  Juneau gets about 100 inches of rain each year, less than Ketchikan.  The ice field behind Juneau Mountain is bigger than the state of  Rhode Island106.  Mendenhall Glacier, although it continues to advance, is a net retreating glacier - about 20-30 feet each year.  We stopped to view a salmon hatchery, which neither Robin nor I thought was very interesting.  

Just out of town we stopped for a picture of the glacier from two miles away, then drove by Auke Bay, a peaceful little cove with hundreds of pleasure craft.  Behind the bay was the campus of the University of Alaska, Southeast.  Just as we turned into the campus we got a quick glance at Nugget Glacier.  At the Chapel By The Lake we stopped to view the glacier through the Chapel window.  It also overlooks Auke Lake, a glacial lake downstream from Mendenhall Lake.

Mendenhall Glacier is a National Monument under the control of the National Park Service.  The observation points were only a few feet from the bus parking lot.  Somebody had made arrangements for the rain to stop during our tour.  The Glacier was awesome.  It averages  one and one-half miles wide and 1,000 feet in thickness.  There is a brown streak near the center, resulting from two merging glaciers.  Because of the density of the ice and the laws of optical refraction, only blue is reflected and the glacier appears blue.  When it is cloudy, the color is deeper, in contrast with the white snow above.  The lake was filled with floating icebergs, from the glacier breaking at its edge.  It was a great Kodak moment.

We stopped for a photo opportunity of red sockeye salmon in a small pond.  They turn red when they are  ready to spawn.  All five varieties of Pacific Salman die shortly after they spawn, and after spawning are considered inedible because they begin to deteriorate.

The bus stopped at the pier, but we decided to look at the town a bit before returning to the ship for lunch.  I could have cried at the cost of totem poles.  Even poles six inches high were $100.00.  At the famous Red Dog Saloon beer for two cost $9.00 plus tip.  At least they gave us a Certificate of enjoying Alaskan Hospitality.

After opting for hamburgers and fries at the Café Cabana, we returned to the cabin to rest.  I went through the bridge on the tour, receiving a nice handout.  The rain prevented us from using the Jacuzzi, so Robin napped and I worked on this story.  Jose presented us with hot appetizers promptly at 5:15 p.m..  We went to the photo gallery to buy some photos.  After a drink at Kipling's Bar on Deck 7, we went to Italian Night, which was casual.

Following a short rest in the suite, we went back to town to shop.  The art work was magnificent but very expensive.  I had just about decided that this would be another trip with no memento for me, when we say a unique Russian cane, inlaid with metal working.  Robin bought it for me as an anniversary present.  When we returned from town, we found invitations to another Captain's Circle Party for Thursday before dinner.

Our ship left the pier shortly after 11:00 p.m. retracing course down the Gastineau Channel, passing closely the Westerdam which was docked next to us.  After motoring between Douglas Island and Admiralty Island (which boasts one bear for each square mile) through Stephen's Passage, the sun came up about 4:20 a.m., giving us a day with 17 ½ hours of daylight.  Robin woke me up at sunup to look at a waterfall we were passing very close-by.  We entered Lynn Canal by way of Favorite Channel and on to Skagway, which lies at its head. 

Wednesday, July 20, 1994 - Day 7 - Skagway, Alaska

Robin and I slept through the 6:00 a.m. docking procedure, as we had every morning.  Again, we had an early breakfast to go on the White Pass Railroad and Summit excursion.  This three hour, 20.4 mile trip on the narrow gauge railroad took us from sea level to the 2,865 foot summit at the Canadian border.  It is called "The Scenic Railway of the World".

Skagway was the gateway to the Klondike gold rush in 1896.  The railroad was built to carry the stampeeders to the Yukon.  We passed the Gold Rush Cemetery where the gold rush outlaw "Soapy" Smith is buried outside hallowed ground.  Our first view of the power of nature was crossing the Denver Bridge over the east fork of the Skagway River.  The raging river below was gray from the high content of glacial silt from the Denver Glacier above.  From Rocky Point, near mile seven we had an excellent view of the Crown Princess docked in the harbor below.  Bridal Veil Falls was the largest of the several waterfalls we passed.  The views were breathtaking from the several trestle bridges we crossed.  Near the top we passed through heavy clouds, blocking our view of Mt. Harding and the Lynn Canal our ship had traversed the evening before.  We returned to the ship for lunch in the main dining room.  
After a few hours we left for our second adventure, a tour of Skagway in an antique yellow 1937 White touring car, with its original engine.  Since dinner time last night we had begun to see small patches of blue in the sky.  As it had been raining or overcast since Sunday morning, we were  delighted that the sun finally came out at lunch.
Our gay driver first drove us to the other pier where two other cruise ships were docked.  Then we drove down Broadway, the main street in this town that is 4 blocks wide and 22 blocks long.  There were several petite structures called "cribs", which had been individual houses of prostitution in the gold rush.  One had a sign over the door which said "House of Negotiated Romance".

The year round population is between 600 - 750.  Most Alaskan residents migrate to the lower 48 for the harsh winters.  In size, it was the smallest of the three towns we visited so far.  For three weeks each winter, residents expect constant howling winds of 60-65 miles per hour from the Arctic.  The frigid air also caused heavy fog in the harbor.  On December 21st, the shortest day of the year, they have only about one-half hour of sunshine.  We drove up to a hill overlooking the town for photos, then to the Gold Rush Cemetery with its large stone monumen, to view the graves of the outlaw "Soapy" Smith and the town hero, Frank Reid, who killed Soapy in 1898.

The tour ended at the Arctic Brotherhood Hall, the most photographed building in Skagway, because of driftwood covering the front of the building.  There we were given a very interesting color slide presentation covering the history and development of Skagway and the White Pass Railroad; and the impact of the Klondike gold rush; and the 10,000 soldiers who manned the military post in World War II.  We were given a card representing our honorary membership into the Arctic Brotherhood because we were looking for golden moments.  The highlight of the day, was a noble Bald Eagle which flew over us with a wriggling salmon in his beak.  Robin got her nature fix for the day.  By our return to the ship, the wind had picked up and it had turned chilly.

After another fabulous dinner in the main dining room, we were lucky to get a ride into town, about half mile from the pier.  Robin bought silver bracelets for Diana, Mel and Missy.  We marveled at the quality of the art work displayed at so many galleries and gift shops.  We walked back through town to the railroad station to see if there was any sign of my blue hat which had blown onto to the roof when we stopped briefly on the train that morning.  I also looked for a U.S.A. Today.  No luck on either account.  No cabs were available, so WE WALKED ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE SHIP!

My neck and back were hurting so bad, I took my pain medication and went to bed.  Robin went to the plush Princess Theatre on Deck 6 to see "Mrs. Doubtfire", at 10:00 p.m..  It was still daylight.  In fact, it was still twilight at 11:00 p.m., when we cast off from the  Skagway pier.

We retraced our path back down the Lynn Canal, passing the town of Haines on the starboard side about midnight.  Haines had the only radio station in the area.  After Haines, we headed west into Icy Strait, for a six hour transit to Glacier Bay.

Thursday, July 21, 1994 - Day 7 - Cruising Glacier Bay National Park

At 6:00 a.m. the sun had been shining down for one and one-half hours.  It was at that early hour that  we embarked the Glacier Bay Park Rangers at Bartlett Cove.  The entrance to Glacier Bay was itself covered with the Glacier between 1750 - 1780.  The Rangers gave a commentary on the glaciers, which was broadcast throughout various public areas aboard ship and over closed circuit T.V. so we could enjoy it in our suite.  A cold Red Stripe Beer enhanced our enjoyment of the wonderful scenery.  

We slowly cruised north in Glacier Bay, with the Beardslee Islands to starboard then later with the Willoughby, Francis and Drake Islands to port, taking the left channel of the bay - which marked the terminus of the glacier in 1860.  We approached the first glacier (John Hopkins) at about 9:00, as we entered the John Hopkins Inlet.  Much like a fjord in Norway, we were surrounded by snow capped mountains.  Above the Johns Hopkins Glacier and far in the distance was the perfectly pointed peak of Mt. Quincy Adams at 13,650 feet.  Further away and to the right was the 15,300 foot weathered dome of Mt. Fairweather, the tallest mountain in the Fairweather Range.  We saw hundreds of seals basking in the sun in the vicinity of the glacier.

It was so cold sitting on our private veranda that I wore a tee shirt under my shirt, with a ski sweater and jacket on top.  Even with a scarf and gloves, I was still cold.  On the sunny side of the top deck, it was still cold.  Fortunately, it warmed up quickly.

The crew of the the sister ship, Golden Princess, had spotted a grizzly bear along the starboard shore.  We looked for a long time, but nobody from our ship sounded the alarm that they had seen him too.  Retracing our path eastward in the John Hopkins Inlet to Russell Island, we again headed north into the Tarr Inlet to visit the most beautiful landmark in the park - the confluence of the dirty black Grand Pacific Glacier and the diamond blue-white magnificence of the Margerie Glacier.  Dozens of the orange beaked Puffins, with webbed feet to match, were spotted off the port.  By the time we left our suite and got to the port side of deck 12, we could only see them in the distance.  We had to settle for watching the several varieties of sea gulls, which reminded us of South Padre Island, and a flock of Canadian Geese, which we saw from our veranda.

Our ship remained motionless in front of the brittle and jagged walls of the Margerie Glacier, hoping that a large chunk of the glacier would "calve".  Not only is that a spectacle, but the hundreds of sea gulls inhabiting the nearby mountains also have a feast from the large number of fish that are stunned and float to the surface.

The sun remained out all day.  We had a lovely lunch by the window in the Café Cabana.  The view back to the north-west was as pretty as any sight I have ever seen.  Robin and I took turns walking to the fantail to take in the panoramic view.  We were surrounded by snow capped mountains, that were green with thick foliage down to the water's edge.  The tops of the mountains stood out vividly from the powder blue sky, interrupted only occasionally by a few puffy clouds.  It was definitely a "mental picture".  

After lunch we donned our swim gear and spent a quarter hour soothing our bodies in perfect 101 degree water, enjoying some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.  Robin and I agreed that some of our grandchildren or later descendants would probably have to move to Alaska to get away from crime and pollution.  We also agreed that we and our children all had adventurous spirits, as had our ancestors who settled America.

After returning to the suite and working on this article, I stood outside on the veranda for a few minutes, while my beautiful wife lay napping on the bed.  There was a hush in the air.  I had to strain to hear the ship's engines.  The water was as smooth as a small lake on a windless day.  The sharp bow of the ship quietly cut a neat wake into the willing glacial waters.  There was an absolute calm.  It was one of the most quite and saturnine moments I had ever experienced.  After dropping the Park Rangers at Glacier Bay Lodge, we turned south-west into the North Passage of Icy Strait.

When we awoke from a short nap, we had already passed Lemesurier Island and the Inian Islands.  Our ship was beginning to fall into the gentle swells of Cross Sound as we prepared to enter the Gulf of Alaska.  This would be our first lengthy bit of open ocean passage.  The Brady Icefield narrowed into the Brady Glacier and emptied into Taylor Bay on our right.  As we rounded Cape Spencer, the weather deteriorated a bit, leaving us with cloudy skies and a brisk wind caused by our increased speed as we headed on a northwesterly course.

Robin didn't want to go to the Captain's party in Kipling's, but I reminded her of all the walking I had endured to please her.  She didn't really want to go to the nurse to talk about shipboard opportunities in the future, but we went to the dispensary 30 minutes before the party to talk to the nurse.  There were a few patients, so we came back to the cabin.  It was our second formal night.  Robin wore J.J.'s navy  blue and creme two piece outfit, and I wore my monkey suit.  When Captain Vito finished his presentation, he came directly to us to say hello and chat awhile.  Everybody at our table selected lobster for the second time.  The evening's entertainment in the International Showlounge was labeled "The Case of the Shooting Star".  It was a delightful mini Broadway Musical Comedy.  Sunset was after 10:00 p.m.  Poor Robin went to bed hungry, rather than bother the night steward.  

Nobody slept well.  With 20 knot winds and large ocean swells, the ship's rolling and pitching prevented us from sleeping well.  In fact, both of us felt a little queasy when we went to bed.  I had pigged out on two desserts again and had a full stomach.  Robin began to feel sick.

Friday, July 22, 1994 - Day 8 - Cruising - College Fjord, Alaska.

Although today was the last full day of our fabulous cruise, it marked only the midway point in our 16 day vacation.  Robin woke with a sore throat. We were having coffee in our suite at 8:30 a.m., when we sighted land. It still felt like we were riding a roller coaster.  It was too cold to stand on the veranda.  There was a small white lighthouse at the point where we entered partially sheltered waters.  While in the Café Cabana an hour later, the crew spotted whales on the starboard side, but we never saw any.  At about 11:00 a.m. we boarded two Southwest Alaskan Pilots at Blight Reef, then proceeded west to College Fjord in  mid-afternoon.  At noon it was 52  degrees.  The water was three degrees warmer and 1,900 feet deep.  It was a gray lugubrious day, with brief periods of sprinkles.  

College Fjord is located at the north end of Port Wells in Prince Williams Sound.  This fjord is a glacially carved "U" shaped valley, which has a 900 foot deep channel.  There are twelve glaciers, each of which is named after an Ivy League School - ladies' schools on the left - mens' on the right.  We were able to see eight glaciers at once, five of which were "tidewater glaciers", meaning they have their terminus in the sea water.  Formed in the Chugach Mountain Range, most of these rivers of ice are receding - "calving" large pieces of ice into the water as they do.  The largest glacier, located at the head of the fjord is one and one-fourth miles wide and 300 feet thick.  These seemed to have more of the blue - green color.

The ice fields were filled with seals and sea otter.  The part of the mountains not covered with snow or glacier were bright green.  Hundreds of small waterfalls carried off the melting snow.  
Leaving College Fjord, we proceeded through Perry Passage, Knight Island Passage and Montague Strait.  Then, west across Blying Sound toward Rugged Island, where, after rounding it, we turned into Resurrection Bay assuming our final course towards Seward.

Today was a day of last minute preparations for disembarkation - cashing traveler's checks for tip envelopes, packing and getting the bags into the hall before dinner, etc.  We had our table mates for drinks in our suite before dinner, ordering a cheese tray for snacks to supplement the daily appetizers we have been getting about 5:15 p.m..  We still had about 20 of the small drink bottles and our champagne.  It was a nice little get together.  Because bags had to be in the passageway between 6:00  and 8:00 p.m., we had to get our bags out before our cocktail party. Our farewell dinner was celebrated with the traditional Baked Alaska waiter's parade. 

Robin and I decided to forego any shipboard entertainment that evening.  We were both tired from our ship rocking and rolling the night before.  The ship movement started again a bit as we cleared sheltered waters and reentered the Bay of Alaska.  At the same time a fog began to conceal the mainland.  Cruising very slowly at nine miles per hour, we docked in Seward, Alaska at 4:00 a.m..

Saturday, July 23, 1994 - Day 9 - Anchorage, Alaska.

Disembarkation went just as smoothly as embarkation.  By now Robin was having chest congestion and her throat was raw. Our bus to Anchorage did not leave until after lunch. We decided to take a two hour city tour, during which we visited an unusual homestead.  Two young people had left California 27 years ago.  Although they extolled the virtues of solitary life in the frontier, they had little to show for their efforts.  They lived in a small log cabin.  The downstairs was no larger than our den, with three bedrooms up.  They had started with an outhouse.  To them progress was indoor plumbing.  They were buying 16 acres and had built six small rental cottages.

We returned for our farewell meal on the Love Boat.  While waiting for our turn to disembark in the three story atrium, we were serenaded by the violinist and string bass that had entertained us at dinner each evening.  We had another talkative bus driver for the three hour drive from Seward to Anchorage.  Along the roadside we saw two moose.

We stayed at the Captain Cook Hotel, which appeared to be the largest and best in town.  We lucked out with a corner room, with views of Cook inlet to the north and the Chugach Range of snow capped mountains to the east.  Anchorage was amazingly small - less than one quarter million, but almost half of the state's population of 570,000.  We rested until time for dinner at La Mex, a surprisingly good Mexican restaurant.  Sunset was officially about 11:10 p.m., but it didn't get dark until after midnight.

Sunday, July 24, 1994 - Day 10 - Anchorage, Alaska

Our half day Princess tour of Anchorage was fairly interesting.  We started with a self tour of the Anchorage Museum, focusing on the Alaska exhibit.  On a drive through town we paused at the edge of Cook inlet, where land had dropped 30 feet during the great earthquake a few years back.  

Ford Lake was interesting in that it was home to 500 seaplanes, each of which had its own little nitch along the shore.  We watched a few take offs and landings in the narrow channel, which was equipped with lights for nighttime operations.  It was near the International Airport, but apparently the small seaplanes haven't interfered with airline traffic.  There were hundreds of Canada Geese there, which we suspected could be a hindrance to all aircraft.  We learned that one in 56 Alaskans have a private pilot's license and one in 58 own a plane.  These small planes are the lifeline to all the people living in the bush and carry hunters and fishermen to remote spots.

While buying a Sunday paper in the gift shop we ran into Jim Neal, attorney for Exxon in the Valdez oil spill litigation.  He graduated from Vanderbilt Law School in 1957 and I met him there.  Jim had been home only twice since April.  I guess he'll be set for life with the clock running that long on a solvent client.

We relaxed for a while then walked to the Alaska Experience Theatre where we watched an Imax size screen show of Alaska.  At an enormous mall downtown, we bought Darrell's Bolero tie.  After a nap, we repacked for the trip to Denalie, watched "Tombstone" in the room and ate a spicy dinner at a Thai Restaurant a few blocks from the hotel.

Except for our visit to Glacier Bay every day had been gloomy and gray.  The overcast skies were depressing.  I didn't see how the Alaskans put up with this weather.  Our guide today said couch potatoes never make it up there.  Only those who are active physically are happy. She said there were over 100 volleyball teams in the winter and a similar number of softball teams in the summer.

Monday, July 25, 1994 - Day 11 - Anchorage to Denalie Park via the Midnight Sun Express

Our transfer from the hotel to the Midnight Sun Express went like clockwork.  We were in the first van and were the first aboard Car B of the Princess Ultra Dome rail car.  The train was touted as the "Most Luxurious Train Ever to Roll in North America".  We lucked out in being assigned to table B1 at the end of the car.  We had an extra seat between us and the table on the other side and lots of storage room behind our seats.  Except for a three foot wide light fixture running down the car over the isle, the roof of the car was entirely glass, the top part of which was shaded.

The railroad cars were new.  An elderly couple from Cleveland, Ohio shared our table, alternating forward facing seats with us about once an hour.  When our first hour to ride backwards came up, we went downstairs to the dining room for breakfast.  The dining room seats were a comfortable  burgundy leather.  The table was covered with a white linen table cloth, silver table service and a beautiful purple flower.  Huge picture windows lined each side, giving us a view of the Chugash Mountains as we ate.  Between the dining room and the outside observation deck (the only place smokers could light up on the train) at the end of the  car were the rest rooms and small gift shop.  The kitchen was on the other end of the lower deck.  There were three Princess cars on the train.  Also on the train were four other dome cars, several regular passenger cars, as well as a few freight cars.

I was annoyed with the noise level. An elderly couple talked a young couple at the table next to us into a card game.  The older people had comments about each card played.  The staff made constant announcements about the menu, drinks and other unnecessary information.

On the positive side, the cloudy sky began to clear up.  The first few hours revealed not spectacular scenery.  Robin and our table mates slept while I wrote on this epistle.  People throughout the car began to settle down.  In addition to the 86 passengers on the upper level, there was a small bar in the middle of the "up" and "down" winding stairways.  Complimentary coffee and tea was served and drinks were offered upstairs.

The total length of the train ride from Anchorage to Fairbanks was 356 miles.  We were in the Series II type car, 85 feet in length, ten feet in width and 17 feet high - the largest passenger rail cars ever built. The curved glass panels over our table were each six by six and one-half feet - the largest bulletproof reinforced glass panels ever built for rail cars.  The were constructed in 1991 and 1992.  We were pulled by Alaska Railroad engines, which, like the entire railroad, were owned by the state.  

The first day on the train was the longest.  We left Anchorage promptly at 8:30 a.m. and arrived at Denalie at 3:45 p.m.  The ride was too bumpy to comfortably use the computer keyboard.  The sun came out, allowing us a beautiful sunny day for our long train ride.  We were having lunch when we passed over the 296 foot high bridge spanning Hurricane Gulch, which frightened us both.  The food and service were good.  We passed high above several rivers - some gray glacial watercourses - others clear mountain streams.  From high above, we could clearly see the crimson red salmon swimming below.

Robin and I were both irritated with our table mates and the two couples at the table next to us.  The two older couples wore hearing aids and were talking about two times an acceptable level.  The young couple was from New Jersey, so no comment is necessary there.  Another couple behind us were also loud, as was the couple with a young girl at the table next to them.  As if being surrounded by loudmouths wasn't enough, Jim, the bartender/tour guide bored us with "jokes", allowed a young lady to read a stupid poem, and permitted an Intrav guide to make a long announcement to his group.  He refused to play music as was being played in other cars, which would have set a quite relaxing tone, because he said passengers always complain.  I made arrangements for us to sit in another car the following day.

After a short ride by school bus to the lodge, we were let off at our building.  Alas, we had been upgraded to one of four suites in the lodge.  The "Caribou Suite" was much larger than our suite on the ship, and almost twice as large as our suite at the Pan Pacific in Vancouver.  It had rough pine furniture, including a king size bed, dining room table and chairs and a bar with two bar stools.  We had a super deluxe bath ensemble wrapped in a gold box, two V.I.P. bath ensembles and lots of extra shampoos, etc. We also had our own private Jacuzzi.   Behind the bed hung a large hand made quilt.  The room was decorated with three landscape watercolors, four large silk plants and a pot of dried colorful plants.  C.N.N. news on the television updated my USA Today news fix.

We immediately went to the outside Jacuzzi, although Robin was still too sick to get in.  It was within a few feet of the Nenana River overlook, with snow capped mountains in the background.  Then we walked a few feet to the deck behind the Summit Restaurant, overlooking the Nenanna River, gray with glacial silt.  While enjoying a beer, the sun came back out.  Following a short rest in our suite, we went to Cruisers Burger Bar where we enjoyed the spaghetti and salad special.  We walked around the property, including a stop in the expensive gift shop.  My throat was beginning to feel a tickle.  To finish off a nice day, we watched a movie on T.V., which concluded at a few minutes after midnight.  There was still light in the sky. 

Tuesday, July 26, 1994 - Day 12- Denalie Park to Fairbanks via the Midnight Sun Express

I awoke with a throat so sore I couldn't swallow.  We had no hot water.  The commode stopped up.  Robin was feeling a little better, but was still sick.  It was a gray, overcast day with periodic sprinkles.  This is how we started our day.

After a quick breakfast, we took a three hour wildlife tour into Denalie National Park on a bus.  The 75 year old park was originally known as Mt. McKinley Park, which was about 40% the size of the present park.  It now contains 600 million square miles, making it as large as the state of Massachusetts.  The roads were built in the 1930's by the CCC.  The entrance to the park is at an elevation of 1,740 feet.

The park is divided into three distinct types of land:  
1)  "tiagra" comes from the Russian words for "land of little sticks", relating to the scrawny spruce trees which identify it.  This is the ideal moose habitat.
2)  "tundra" is the part of the land above the tree line, 
3)  "ecotone" is the land between the above two areas.

Our bus driver/guide confirmed that there were no snakes in Alaska.  The crooked trees are those growing in the shallow dirt just above the permafrost.  That land slides across the permafrost, causing the trees to grow in different directions.

Denalie lies in the Alaska Range of the Rockies.  The nearby "Outer Range" lies atop a different tectonic plate.  It was a cloudy day, but in the distance some 80 miles away we could see a small part of the snow capped slope of Mt. McKinley.  The first stop was at a log cabin on the Savage River.  It was the first cabin in the park and was built by the Alaska Road Commission in 1925.  It was still used by U.S. Park Rangers.  Our ranger had hair well below his shoulders.  We were greeted by swarms of mosquitos.

Our second stop was beyond the Ranger station across the river, a few miles up from where the paved road stops.  It was a good viewpoint about 2,500 feet high.  We were treated to hot chocolate and sweet bread by our driver who gave us souvenir cups.  On our return we saw a moose doe and her calf walking across the tiagra.

Our table mates sat several rows behind us. The man made continuous comments in a feeble attempt to entertain us and monopolized the questions asked the guide.  One of his more entertaining questions was:  "How far does the Continental Divide go?"  Obviously a very intelligent man.  He epitomized my frustration with the caliber of person we met on this trip.  In the past, when cruising, we could count on stimulating conversation from well traveled, well mannered, properly dressed, educated and intelligent people.  Most of our fellow travelers seemed to be very middle class and lower middle class.  Many were downright common.  It has taken much out of my enjoyment of the trip to be surrounded by these rude, loud and uneducated people.  One Iowa farmer embarked the ship in Vancouver in his bib overalls, and frequently wore them on the ship.  I was aghast one night at dinner to see him so dressed in the dining room.

We saw some cut chubby Arctic Ground Squirrels and large white Mule Gulls.  One of the squirrels was standing on his hind legs for a lady on the bus.  I got a picture of him from the rear, standing on his hind legs to eat some of the very colorful flowers near the coffee bar.

I arranged for us to have a late check-out at 2:00 p.m., avoiding the early morning packing of our bags and storing them.  Mainly, it gave us a refuge where we could relax for a couple of hours before lunch, and our 3:30 p.m. pick-up for the 4:30 p.m. train departure.

It was a four hour ride to Fairbanks, during which we enjoyed dinner.  We asked for a transfer to car C,  which was less crowded and quieter.  We lucked into a table by ourselves, giving us both privacy and quiet.  Two nice Australian couples sat behind us.  One of  them was the most interesting person I met on the trip.  The most spectacular scenery of the entire train ride was just outside the park. 

Our visit to Fairbanks was relatively uneventful.  We went to an old gold mine and learned  how to pan for gold.  We even found enough to make robin a charm for a necklace.  

We arranged a two night stopover in Seattle, Washington, just because neither of us had ever been there.  We enjoyed the casual laid back attitude exhibited at least by the people downtown.  Walking along the main streets, we often stopped to listen to the music of street musicians.  There was an amazing group from Peru.  Naturally we rode the elevated train from one end to the other, and took the obligatory city bus tour.  
Our last night was celebrated by having dinner in the space needle.  We arrived before sunset.  It was a clear day and we had an excellent view of the beautiful snow capped mountains in the distance, and the activity in the busy harbor below.  Dinner was served just about sunset, as we watched the scenery pass by as the restaurant revolved.  By the time our dinner was over we had revolved the full 360 degrees, and had seen the glittering city lights when darkness overtook the city.

There is a unique charm to the great Northwestern part of the United States.  We both felt confident that  we would return to Seattle107 and Alaska.

MAKING  LEMONADE 
IN COZUMEL, MEXICO
September 23-26, 1994

With only about two and one-half weeks advance planning Robin and I decided to spend a long week-end at the Diamond Resort in Cozumel.  We had been told that it was started by one of the original promoters of Jack Tar Villages108.  Since we had enjoyed visits to two Jack Tar Villages, we hoped that our week-end would be an enjoyable one.

I became a little nervous when I discovered that we were flying on Allegro Airlines, a new charter service out of Mexico.  Both flights were without incident and smooth, with no clouds until we landed in Cozumel.  We encountered some inconveniences when we arrived and the resort was not up to Jack Tar standards.  My mother had always subscribed to the strategy that if you are dealt lemons - make lemonade.  So, we just rolled with the punches and had a good time.

After lunch we went to the beach.  Both of us took a nice nap under a thatch roof palapa.  We decided to forego the hypnosis demonstration after dinner.

On Saturday morning after breakfast, we took a taxi into town to look around and do some shopping.  The Cozumel museum was not spectacular, but we enjoyed a beer on the covered patio bar on the second floor overlooking the harbor.  It rained on us off and on all day.  I bought Robin a Mexican gold coin ring and some silver earrings.  She bought herself a gold chain necklace, and gifts for Melanie and her fellow employees.  We got a bottle of Cuervo Gold and a Guayabera for Darrell for keeping an eye on Melanie, and I purchased a shirt for myself.  Robin had a lady put four braids in her hair, each of which had three colored beads at the end.

We returned to the resort for lunch and more beach time.  I snorkeled while Robin read and relaxed.  We took a short walk down the beach near sunset.  Eerie black storm clouds loomed just offshore.  That evening we ate at the outdoor Italian restaurant.  Our quiet candlelight dinner was interrupted by the Rock and Roll show at the outdoor theater just a few yards away.

Because it was obvious that the weather was not going to cooperate, we decided to make lemonade again.  We rented a jeep to discover the island on our own.  We drove on almost every paved road on the island.  First we drove to the El Cedral Mayan ruins.  There was one small building next to a small Catholic Church.  Our excursion to the Celarain Light House at the south-east corner of the island, required us to navigate a sandy road with dozens of water hazards.  We stopped at El Mirador to take a few pictures of the surf breaking on the ragged rocky coast line.

We headed west on Cross Island Road, then made a detour to the San Dervacio ruins.  They were much more significant.  This had been a large city during the early Mayan civilization.  We had to drive back through the main town - San Miguel, Cozumel for our return to the resort for our 2:00 p.m.snorkel trip.

Our dive boat picked us up at the resort pier.  After a 30 minute ride we were at Columbia Reef just a few hundred yards off the south-west coast.  We explored this reef from about 30-40 feet up for about one-half hour.  Then we swam leisurely across to the nearby Palancar Reef.  Our guide tried to show us an "old shark that won't hurt you", but we couldn't see it resting in a cave.  The water was clear and the rain let up during the entire time we were in the water.  It was a very enjoyable excursion.

After dinner we drove back into town to take in a fiesta that occurs every Sunday night.  The town Plaza was overflowing with families, all dressed in their finest.  The town band played an excellent variety of music.  Everybody was in a happy mood.  All the nearby shops and restaurants were open, but lots of food was being bought from small vendors with carts on wheels.  We would have stayed longer, but my chigger bites were bothering me and I wanted to get back to apply the medicine I bought at the pharmacy.

We were sorry we weren't able to take the modern ferries to the mainland to investigate the other Diamond Resort near Playa Del Carmen.  We had been told the archeological park afforded great snorkeling as well as interesting Mayan ruins.  There were several interesting looking restaurants that we would have liked to try.  We decided that if we returned, we would try to stay at Plaza Las Glorias, a modern facility on the beach, which was within walking distance of town.

UTAH, 1995

After being in a rut for several months, in February, 1995, we decided it was time to get out of Dodge.  Robin had taken one of her long week-ends to visit her mother in Pipe Creek.  In January I decided to spend a week at the Family History Library at Salt Lake City, Utah.  Robin would join me in Salt Lake and then we planned to spend a couple of days at Park City, the largest ski resort in the area.

At a meeting in early January of the participants of the Dallas Genealogical Society (DGS) trip, where we were given research hints on how to get off to a running start.  I spent the next month organizing my genealogical files.  I also went to the Dallas Library more in this month than I had visited it since living in Dallas.

I left on Sunday, February 5th, missing the Pro Bowl.  The weather was pristine the entire route.  Not only was the flight smooth, but the cloudless skies gave me a beautiful view of our country, particularly the snow capped Rockies.  A ticket agent had felt sorry for me with my load of carry-on luggage.  She gave me a first class seat.  My trip was off to a great start.

The Howard Johnson Hotel van was there to meet us.  When we arrived at the lobby, the DGS has a special room for us to say our hello's and pick up our room keys.  We were all on the 12th floor, one of two floors which required a key to get to it on the elevator.  After time for a rest we had a sandwich buffet reception to get acquainted.  Then a commercial researcher gave us a wonderful orientation lecture on how to use certain parts of the library, which helped me immensely.  Following that orientation, we met with our five guides for questions.

Monday morning we met with the group in the lobby so that we could stake out our territory on the second floor microfilm reader area.  The first day, I went to lunchwith a group to the Mormon cafeteria in the old Utah Hotel, which is now an administrative building for the church.  It was on the other side of Temple Square.  This was my only trip there because it was too far for me to walk.  My neck and back bothered me the balance of the day.  I cancelled my plans to join the group to eat dinner at the Salt City Jail, a famous restaurant.

Because of my neck and back injuries, the balance of the week, I came back each day at lunch and dinner to eat and lay down and rest.  Since the hotel was next door to the library, this didn't take too much time from my research.  By taking a long Jacuzzi each night at the hotel, and putting my bed buddy in the hotel's microwave, I was able to make it through the week.

Our five guides were very helpful to our 40 member group.  They helped me immensely.  I found two Revolutionary War files, which the National Archives had told me did not exist.  I finally located the burial place of my great grand parents Moses H. and Mary Bell Jones Arthur.  The death certificate (which may take 12 weeks to acquire) will hopefully tell me who her parents were and where she was born.  Other treasures were the marriage license of Thomas M. Butler and a great write up about Major Moses Winters, my great, great, great, grandfather.  I found over 40 new ancestors in all and filled in several family records with census reports and tax lists.

Robin came in Friday evening.  The van driver took us to the Salt City Jail, a restaurant filled with memorabilia of 100 years ago.  The iron bars and doors separated the dining areas.  The food there was plentiful, but of average quality.  It started snowing.

Robin came to the library with me Saturday, meeting many of the guides and participants.  She also studied and helped me make copies.  On Sunday morning we had group tickets for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, which gave a wonderful performance.  When we walked outside, the falling snow flakes were as big as half dollars.

The hotel van dropped us off at the rental car company.  We drove directly to Park City.  After some confusion we found our lodging, the "Old Washington School", a B and B.  It was opened as the public school in 1899, and served as a school until the 1930's.  It had served as a B and B for just over 10 years.  Our lunch a block away at a quaint Mediterranean deli was great.  We had one of the best thin crusted pizzas I had ever enjoyed, after trudging through the 9 inches of new snow that had fallen the day before.

Unfortunately, we both developed altitude sickness.  The two block walk had exhausted us.  Robin was delighted to see that I had gotten us in room 150.  We napped all afternoon,  awaking just in time for the afternoon wine and appetizers, which became our dinner.  After watching T.V. we collapsed back into the antique bed.

On Monday we felt a bit better.  After breakfast and having a relaxing Jacuzzi, we shopped up and down Main St., purchasing presents for Melanie and Darrell.  The town museum took only a few minutes to visit.  After great hamburgers at Burgies we took a nap.  After our late afternoon wine and appetizers, we drove to Homestead for a sleigh ride at sundown.  We were pulled by two huge Belgian horses.  The blankets provided were used by everybody.  The scenery of the sun setting behind the mountains was wonderful.  

On our drive back, the full moon began to be covered up by the beginning of a snow storm. We spotted four deer along the side of the road.  We stopped to look at a big buck.  He stared at us for a long time before he decided to go on his way.  As we neared Park City, the lights of the night skiing slope added a holiday appearance to the area.

We got up early on Valentines day because we suspected it would be hazardous driving into Salt Lake City.  The first few miles were a piece of cake.  The closer we got to the airport, the harder the snow came down.  It took us two tense hours to get the 29 miles from Park City to the Salt Lake City Airport.  Cars were stalled and wrecked all along the expressway.  One car was resting on its top.

We couldn't believe that our aircraft was scheduled to leave only ten minutes late.  Again, a nice ticket agent upgraded us to first class.  After we boarded, we discovered that we would be further delayed because of air traffic problems in Dallas.  Shortly after the plane was de-iced, we took off 50 minutes late.

It took us over one-half hour to get above the snow storm.  The pilot found the jet stream.  It allowed us to make up some time, but was very bumpy.  Melanie was there to meet us.

As usual, it took hours to review tendays messages, mail and newspapers.  It was good to be back home.  It will take me six months to follow up on the genealogy leads I found in Salt Lake.

COME BACK TO JAMAICA
March 9 - 16, 1995

Jamaica obtained its independence from Great Britain in 1962.  I was there three years later.  My impression at that time was that the infrastructure was deteriorating.  Potholes in the street were ignored.  Broken windows allowed several years of dust to accumulate in buildings.  It appeared that no paint had been available since the departure of the British.  It rivaled Mexico as the land of "Manana".

More importantly, the attitude of the natives was one of hatred for the White man.  I experienced open hostility from natives all over the island.  Peasants angrily waved their machetes at me from the roadside.  Hotel and restaurant employees were rude.  Parking lot attendants in Kingston immobilized my car and demanded payment for repairs.  I had to threaten to call the police.  I gave them one hour to get my car operational.  In the allotted hour it was ready.  I was so disappointed with the treatment I received, I left Kingston a day early - without any sightseeing!

Over the years, the Jamaican government realized that tourism was dwindling and their economy was decimated.  Then, sometime in the 1980's Jamaica began to clean up its act.  They in effect admitted their former attitude, by stating that things were nicer now.  Their theme "Come Back to Jamaica" featured friendly smiling natives who were glad to see the White tourists.  In 1995, Robin and I decided to give them a second chance.

Having already visited two Jack Tar Villages, we felt safe signing up for a week at this all inclusive resort's facility in Montego Bay.  It was Robin's first visit to Jamaica, and my first stay in Montego Bay.  As luck would have it, I awoke early with a migraine headache on our departure date.  I was up when Robin got home from working all night.  Since we didn't have to be at the airport until noon, she got a couple hours of sleep.

Our Express One charter flight had to drop off some other Adventure Tours vacationers on Grand Cayman Island.  From the time we flew over Galveston until we landed at Grand Cayman, we  endured two hours of violent weather.  We sat on the edge of the runway waiting to take off while a Cayman Airways jet made two unsuccessful attempts to land.  Visibility was very poor and the airport had no radar.  The Cayman Airlines plane was then sent off shore to circle while we took off into the squall.  The lightening was frightening.  The last half hour of our flight was fairly smooth.

Our arrival was handled seamlessly.  It was a short ride by air conditioned bus to the Jack Tar Resort.  We were met at the door with cold rum drinks and complimentary fanny packs for the ladies.  After a wait in line for our keys, we had a good fish dinner in the open air dining room.  By the time we finished, our luggage was waiting on us in the room.  

We were given the Honeymoon suite - probably because we looked like honeymooners - or perhaps because we were repeaters.  Fortunately we were on the second floor because the elevator was broken during our entire visit.  Our room was much larger than the others, as was our balcony.  We had a king size bed, triple dresser, two arm chairs, a coffee table and a small refrigerator.  Our color T.V. sat on a high table, allowing us to watch it from the bed.  We enjoyed HBO, USA, Discovery and an Atlanta station, but unfortunately there was no CNN.  I went down for the 11:00 p.m. buffet.  It was disappointing, so I never went back.  We went to bed early the first night.  It had been a long two days for Robin.  We were awakened about 1:30 a.m. by several drunk college boys.

Robin loved our balcony.  We had two easy chairs and a cocktail table.  It was a great place to watch the sunset.  There was an excellent view of Montego Bay and the spit of land extending out into the Caribbean.

We awoke to a beautiful sunny morning.  A soft breeze rustled the palm fronds.  There weren't many sea gulls, but large black birds similar to the grackles of south Texas, were happily chirping.  Our first day was one of acclimation.  The weather was hot and a bit muggy.  There was no hot water, so our showers were fast.  After breakfast we attended the orientation program.  We read the information on side trips and made our decision to go on the combination trip including Dunn's River Falls and the Martha Brae River rafting trip.  

Robin headed straight to the beach.  We claimed a large palapa just feet from the sea wall, where the water was about four feet deep.  It was a lazy day.  We participated in a few activities at the activity center, including movie trivia and aquatic aerobics, collecting a few points toward earning our tee shirts.  Behind the blue fence next to the pool, there was an old cemetery.  By 2:00 p.m. we still had no hot water, so I went down to complain.  The front desk staff was indifferent, so I asked to speak to the manager on duty, Mr. Baker.  He came up with the maintenance people, and we had hot water before 5:00 p.m..

While cleaning up for dinner, Robin and I had a discussion about reusing towels.  I have always disdained using the same towel twice.  I have never wanted to dry my face after drying my rear end.  Robin has repeatedly claimed that after a shower my rear end was clean.  To prove it, she bent over and kissed my Butt.

That evening the beach party and bonfire were cancelled because of rain and the beach buffet was moved up to the covered dining room.  We enjoyed a scrumptious buffet dinner with a cool breeze and the smell of fresh rain at our candle lit tables.  I was delighted at the dessert table, enjoying samples of three different desserts.

We had to set the alarm for 7:15 a.m. for our full day tour to Dunn's River Falls and rafting.  As we walked into the dining room for breakfast a waiter with a big smile on his face motioned us to his area.  He pulled a table from the restaurant out to the water's edge.  The muggy atmosphere was cut by a pleasant ocean breeze.  From that point on, "Benny" became our waiter.

Our tour was on a large air conditioned bus, which headed east on the major highway A3.  It was a narrow, winding, bumpy two lane road with no shoulders which followed the north shore of the island.  There was a misting rain when we started, which cleared up after about an hour.  Just east of Falmouth, we turned onto a narrow interior road to meet the rafts upstream on the Martha Brae River.  When we arrived, we found the raft operators were on strike.  With great disappointment, we headed back to A3, turning east toward Ocho Rios, where I had vacationed 29 years before.

Our driver was a chubby man with a marvelous sense of humor.  It was very difficult to understand what he was saying.  Before each landmark he would say in a relaxed voice "coming up ...."  He pointed out Rose Hall Mansion and related a bit of its macabre history.  The madam apparently killed all four husbands.  Some believe the mansion is haunted, so there are no tours at night.  We learned that tourism is the number one industry, followed by agriculture which is made up primarily of coconut, bananas, coffee, sugar cane, molasses, and rum.  They also grow a lot of mangoes and breadfruit.  We passed two bauxite facilities along the coast, each area covered in red dust.

Along the entire north coast, except for Runaway Bay (where in 1655 the Spanish fleet fled from the British, who ruled for almost 300 years), a reef lies about 100 yards offshore.  We saw hundreds of squatters' huts along the side of the road.  Their living conditions were dismal.  As we passed through small towns, there were no sidewalks.  Except for many small clean homes and a few large mansions, most houses and businesses were badly in need of paint and repairs.  We saw hundreds of concrete block homes and buildings under construction, most of which had weeds growing inside, indicating that no work had been done for months, if not years.  Shanty bars dispensed rum and beer with the lowest possible overhead.  Some were huts not big enough for customers to enter.

We made a rest stop at the Rio Bueno Hotel, just east of the town of Duncan.  Next door was a quaint, small white wooden Anglican Church.  As we entered the hotel, one of the owners called me "Indiana Jones dad".  This made me feel good, as Sean Connery is now referred to the sexiest senior citizen.  I still get a lot of "hello Kenny Rogers".  

Our next stop was at Columbus Park, at Discovery Bay, the spot where Columbus discovered Jamaica in 1494.  There were several interesting objects there, including cannon, anchors, etc.  There we made arrangements for rubber slippers to wear at the falls.  Liquid sunshine followed us to Ocho Rios.

Upon our arrival, the parking lot was almost empty.  I was glad it would not be too crowded.  As we walked to the changing rooms, we were besieged by dozens of vendors hawking their wares.  It was a long walk down the steps from the top of the falls, under the highway to the beach, where we entered the water from the beach.
The falls were beautiful, and very steep at the bottom.  With my injured neck and back, a fall could have been devastating.  After a short swim and a walk down the beach and back, we decided to follow our group on the stairway.  About one-third the way up, there was an inviting pool.  Because of the heat, we got in the water with our group, which had stopped for photos.  The water was a cold as ice.  Richard, our videographer, was taking pictures with tour members' cameras.  The next section of the falls looked easy, so we climbed the middle third.

Our lunch was included, so we drove east into Ocho Rios proper.  The streets were crowded with pedestrians and street vendors.  Traffic was heavy.  We ate at the Parkway Inn Restaurant, a small local cafe.  Our second floor window overlooked a construction site next door.  My pork dish was mostly fried fat and the chicken soup was broth.  The waiters were as unfriendly as I had remembered from 29 years before.  A group of four Americans not with our group were refused service, although locals were served before and after the tourists.  We were lucky to get a glass of tea, so refills were out of the question.  The lady in charge apologized that the dessert included in the lunch was all gone!

Next came the obligatory shopping time.  We bought Robin a gold palm tree with the word "Jamaica" for her international gold charm necklace.  Two queers with our group were 30 minutes late returning to the bus, causing us to be late getting back.  On our return I began to notice the hundreds of goats along the road, most of which were untethered.  These foragers were even running wild in the towns we passed through.  From the trash along the road and in the streets of the small towns, one might assume that the goats were the garbage disposal units.

Just inshore was a continuous range of low mountains.  It was along the ridge of these hills that the colonial planters built there mansions, similar in appearance to those seen in the deep south.  At certain points, the hills come down to the sea, allowing glimpses into the limestone quarries and caves where pirates may have once sought shelter.

We got back to the hotel about 5:45 p.m., tired and hungry.  My back and neck dictated that I rest.  Robin and I drank a cold Red Stripe Beer and napped for a couple of hours.  Robin didn't want to get up to go eat, but I pressured her.  We had a nice buffet dinner.  Again, Benny had our table waiting next to the beach.  We finished eating as the Carnival theme floor show was starting.  The first act was a fire eater.  Robin and I both joined in a conga line dance to Calypso music.  

I took some extra desserts to our refrigerator for late night snacks.  When we returned to the room, Mr. Baker had sent us a flower arrangement and a bottle of our favorite sparkling wine, together with a nice note.  

We had to get up early again Sunday to go on the rafting part of our tour, which had been canceled the day before because of the strike.  We covered the same ground again.  I sat in the front seat on the way there.  Our driver was so religious that he kept a loud church service on the radio, responding with members of the church audience to the preacher.  He made several mini sermons to no one in particular.  I finally had to ask him to turn the radio off because it was making me nervous.  The one and one-quarter hour ride down the river on the 30 foot long cane rafts was very peaceful.  At many points along the way we enjoyed shade from large trees along the shore.  The river flowed gently, with only a few minor areas of rushing water, too small to be called rapids.  Along the way, we were enticed to buy souvenirs and food.  We stopped once for beer.  Robin got her nature fix for the day.

Our rafter told us that there were 92 rafters on the Martha Brae River.  Each made his own raft, which last about four months each.  Many days he had only one trip and when busy, he had at most two or three trips.  He had to make arrangements with the special trucks rigged to haul the rafts, to get his raft back upstream.  Of the $35.00 per person we paid, he received only $9.00.  That amount coincided with the average daily earnings of a Jamaican.  So, with our tip and the beer we bought for him,  he was already ahead of the average, even without a second trip.  They had gone on strike the day before, because management had not paid them on time.  

I sat in the back of the bus on our return.  We returned to the hotel just in time for a Red Stripe Beer and a short nap before lunch.  We snorkeled just off shore after lunch.  As expected there were dozens of varieties of colorful fish, and many varieties of coral.  The water was cold.   The tops of my ears got sunburned on this cloudy afternoon.  Afterwards, we played Democratic Bingo on the beach.  Numbers are called at a fast pace.  As each number is called the participants yell either "Keep It" or "Throw It Back".  Depending on the number of "votes" the number in question is either kept or thrown back.  We sat at the bar for this game.  By the time we were half way I was hoarse from shouting.

While sitting at the bar, we both came to the conclusion that all the bartenders were graduates of the Caribbean Schools of Frowns.  There was a definite contrast to the smiles of all the waiters to the unsmiling faces of the bartenders and the front desk workers.  I  played my first game of Bocci Ball, which I enjoyed.  Robin forced me to eat a cheeseburger and fries, which I told her would ruin our dinner.  After another nap we dressed for dinner.  

Benny again had a candle lit table for us next to the water.  We had a wonderful ala carte dinner.  Although she said she was not hungry, Robin ate all her dinner.  The clouds that had hovered above all day moved out, exposing thousands of twinkling stars and a three quarter moon.  The breeze that blew away the clouds chilled Robin.  Because of her chill and since we were both sore form climbing the falls, we decided to watch T.V. in the comfort of our room, rather than stay for the entertainment.

We had no reason to get up early Monday, yet we both woke up at 8:00.  It was a beautiful sunny and windy day.  After breakfast we again took positions under a palapa.  During a short shopping tour along the street by the hotel, Robin purchased several embroidered hand towels as gifts.  I purchased tee shirts for the boys, and a purse for Mel.  When we returned I played Bocci Ball again, and both of us went snorkeling.  We received our complimentary massages after lunch.  I bought a colorful cane with carved red and yellow parrots.  After sunning for awhile, we returned to the room to relax before the repeaters' party.
Each repeaters' party we've attended has been different, and this was no exception.  There were no invitations.  It wasn't even on the activity board. Their printing press was broken, so there were no daily activity sheets, which we had enjoyed in the past.  There was no reception line and they relied upon each of us to tell them which other Jack Tar Villages we had visited and how many times.  The snacks were excellent.  We were given repeater tee shirts, and instead of individual photos of each couple, we received a group shot of all the repeaters.  

We had nice visits with both Mr. Baker and John Neophytou, the Manager.  John started out as a banker.  At 23 he entered Jack Tar's two year executive training program in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  He had been promoted to Manager at age 28.  In addition to his non-taxable salary, he lived and ate free on the premises.  When we told him that Chris was graduating from chef's school next month, John told us of a chef in Jamaica who was making $70,000.00 tax free plus room and board.  

He gave us several hints for Darrell to get a good job (which would also help Chris).  First and foremost, he suggested that he learn Spanish.  Management must be able to negotiate with local suppliers and deal with officials in Mexico and Puerto Rico and other parts of Latin America - which he said would be the center of tourism for the next 50 years.  He emphasized that experience in the hotel office and front desk would make a candidate well rounded, but acknowledged that Food and Beverage Managers make good General Managers.  He placed much emphasis on the cover letter and resume.  It was imperative to call ahead and get the current manager's name.  John was a handsome young man with a constant smile.

Before going to bed we walked out onto the roof over the lobby and kitchen.  We saw a carnival in the street in front of the hotel.  From our balcony, we saw a cruise ship entering port under the bright moon.  It had been a full day, and we slept for ten hours.

Tuesday morning, while Robin studied statistics, I went shopping.  I bought rum, coffee, a miniature painting, colorful wooden fish, and a tee shirt for myself.  We relaxed and read under a palapa until lunch.  At 1:00 p.m.we went out to the reef on the hotel dive boat.  It was a lovely dive, except for my fall getting on the boat.  I stepped on a rope, which caused me to fall.  In addition to a sore hip, right foot and low back, I received a rope burn on my leg, which broke the skin.  

We had the boat to ourselves.  The water was very clear.  I spotted several varieties of fish new to me.  One had irregular electric blue stripes over black.  I discovered it was called a "Butterfly Fish".  There were hundreds of Sgt. Major, Surgeon, Parrot and a few trumpet fish.  The boys on the boat took us all the way to the opening of the bay, giving us a close up look at hotels, restaurants and public beaches.

After reading and playing normal bingo, we snorkeled again near shore.  The water was not nearly as clear as on the reef.  Every day I took a Jacuzzi.  Today, the warm water was very soothing on our sore muscles.  When we got back to the room, we found a huge tray of fancy appetizers sent by Mr. Baker.  We ate a few along with a Red Stripe Beer and took another nap.

At dinner Benny had another sea side table with candle light waiting on us.  The weather was perfect for al fresco dining.  On the stage a jazz band was creating some great sounds.  They later played some soft Jamaican music.  Again, we called it an early evening after dinner.  The sun had zapped us both. 

We slept till 9:00 a.m..  As I did every morning, I went to the dining room to get coffee for the Robin and me.  After breakfast, we had classes in Patois and Jamaican history and read in the shade of the palapa.  After lunch we went back out on the dive boat.  Again, we were alone.   Our dive site was directly in front of the hotel.  We were required to wear a life belt because the water was rough.  

Visibility was also less than before, but we still saw several varieties of new fish.  A small lemon yellow fish appeared to have bright yellow spines from its mid body.  Another foot long variety had hues of electric blue.  Its body was the darkest - the very edge of its fins the brightest, giving it the appearance of a ring around its body almost neon blue.  The most attractive fish were only about six inches long.  The front one-third of its body was light blue, the rear third light green.  In the middle portion were two sideways black V's, with bright yellow in between.  The most unusual was a small fish that looked like a cheap nylon multicolored plaid sport coat.

When we were preparing to return to shore, a bolt in the engine shaft broke.  The radio was not working, so I held up a towel in the wind.  After about 15 minutes, the dive shop sent a speed boat to pick us up.  Robin sat up front and had an exciting and bumpy ride.  I on the other hand, sitting in the rear, got covered with ocean spray.  We missed lunch in the dining room, so we ate cheeseburgers and fries at the beach.

I was Shanghaied into a Calypso dance class.  It was fun but exhausting.  Then we relaxed while Patrick, the chief activity staff member, narrated the musical history of Jamaica with appropriate music on the loud speaker.  Following water aerobics I jumped into the Jacuzzi.  After a medium warm shower and a cold Red Stripe Beer, we began to pack.  There was a beautiful sunset with a distant storm moving in from the west.

Our final Jamaican dinner was romantic.  The moon was almost full and the sky was ablaze with stars.  Off to the west the thunderstorm was stalled, with a gray wall of water blocking our view of the land on the other side of the bay.  Benny had us another table by the water under cover.  We had a lovely buffet dinner.  I loved the multiple choice dessert tray, as I had every night.  Even with the problems, we decided that it had been a wonderfully relaxing week.
I won a few points during the Jamaican history quiz after dinner.  I also participated in the Jamaican contest.  To be eligible one had to be wearing the colors in the Jamaican flag - yellow, green and black.  First each participant had to say something in Jamaican Patois.  I said "Me won beer mon, and one fur me brudder".  Then the audience applauded one by one to determine the winner.  I won for the men on the first round.  The women had three rounds to determine the winner.

Our last day was a full one, due to our evening departure.  After breakfast Robin studied while I participated in the horseshoe contest.  I had to go to the bank for money and stopped at the office to get our passports stamped with the hotel stamp.  I talked the front desk into extending our noon checkout until 3:00, giving us most of the day to relax before freshening up.  

We snorkeled before and after lunch.  Robin spotted a five foot sting ray after lunch.  They were both alarmed and each turned away at once.  We got out because of the mess they both made in the water.  On the way to shore I found a new ladies bracelet made of the local semi precious gray metallic stone.  We then spent a little time in the Jacuzzi.  We could both tell from the hot water that we had gotten too much sun.

We went up to shower and finish packing about 2:30 that afternoon.  I cashed in my points for two tee shirts - for me and Mel.  We had one last Red Stripe Beer before leaving the room.  A soft rain began to fall so we went to the bar (our first time to sit there) for a drink.  The longer we stayed the harder the rain came down.  We finally ran between the rain drops to the hamburger stand for our dinner about 4:15 p.m..  The rain was so hard it was splashing on us, so, when we finished eating we moved into the lobby, where we waited for our 6:30 p.m. bus.  My glass kept getting empty.

When we arrived at the airport, it was like a Chinese fire drill.  We had to line up at the ticket counter for boarding passes, even though it was open seating.  The airport was new, with several attractive shops on either side of the lobby.  I was told to wait in the second floor waiting room, where the ticket agent promised to come get me for early boarding.  Instead, there was a mad dash for the gate, where we were jammed up again, waiting on the Cayman Island passengers to reboard.  For some reason the young girls insisted on seeing our passports again.  Naturally they had already been put back in the bag.  I was fortunate in getting on early and selected two exit row seats.

Our flight boarded and took off a few minutes early.  A good part of the flight was bumpy again, even though the weather was clear.  The cold meal was one of the worst we've ever been served.  When we got home we both swore we would never take some much carry on luggage again and/or that we would take the luggage carrier, which Robin denied that she had told me not to take.

Montego Bay would be ranked last of the three Jack Tar's we've visited, yet our week was both fun and relaxing.  There were many problems, but they were all small ones.  We still liked Jack Tar and will probably go to St. Kitts some day.  A bad day of vacation is better than a good day working!

EUROPEAN VACATION
June 28 - July 26, 1995109, including
2 WEEK CRUISE ON "REGENT SPIRIT"
July 2 - 16, 1995, and
MONTREAUX, SWITZERLAND JAZZ FESTIVAL
July 16 - 21, 1995

Robin and I were living in Dallas.  She had been working full time and going to school to obtain her bachelors degree in Nursing at Texas Women’s University.  So, she was ready for a vacation.  We left Dallas for about a month long vacation.  After a two week cruise in the Mediterranean, we planned on a week at the Montreaux Jazz Festival and several days in northern Italy.

We had a civilized mid morning check-in on Wednesday, June 28th for our non stop Delta flight from DFW to JFK.  I purchased some inexpensive flowers at the grocery store the night before, which I gave to the ticket agents.  Voila! We were upgraded to First Class.

We arrived at JFK late in the afternoon, with about 3 ½ hours to kill before our Delta flight to Nice, France departed.  Whether it was my judge's badge or the flowers, the gate agent upgraded us to Business Class on our Airbus 310 flight.  We had a nice dinner, free drinks and enjoyed the Movie: "I.Q.".  Robin was able to sleep, but I read and listened to music until breakfast was served.  Throughout the flight the video screen gave a continuous readout of our altitude, speed, tail wind, position, distances from major cities, time aloft, and the time to and at our destination.  The entire flight was as smooth as silk.  Before we landed, the stewardess, in appreciation for the flowers I had given them, gave us a shopping bag with a large magnum of champagne, and about one dozen miniature liquor bottles.  Shortly after 10:00 a.m. local time in France, we arrived in Nice, the capital of the Cote D’Azur110.  As we disembarked, the cabin attendants gave me a couple of hugs.

After clearing immigration, getting our luggage and going through customs, we took a $30.00 taxi ride to the Hotel Sofitel Acropolis, which was to be our hotel for the next few days.  It was called the Acropolis, because it was on top of a small hill overlooking the city, next to the Convention Center.  When booking a cruise or a tour, we always like to book ourselves into the port or starting city a few days early.  That way we get over our jet lag, have time to see a bit of that city, and in the event of bad weather, mechanical problems or a strike, we won’t miss our ship’s sailing if we are a couple of days late.  It was a beautiful sunny Summer day in Nice.  When we arrived at the hotel our room was ready.  It was a nice modern room on the eighth floor with a view of the city through the wide picture window.  The hotel was located about 10 blocks from the beach.  

After we checked in, we walked down the street one block to an Italian restaurant, where we each had a salad and shared a pizza.  With three beers the cost was $24.00, a bit steep.  The friendly proprietor, suggested that we put some clear looking sauce on our pizzas.  It turned out to be a pepper sauce, which burned my tongue.  The café would not accept a credit card, nor would they take a travelers check.  We went back to the hotel and checked out the premises.  There was a nice pool on the roof, where there was a great view of the old city and the Mediterranean.  Back in our room we pulled the shades, took a shower and enjoyed a long afternoon nap.

We set the alarm for 6:30, but didn't get up until about 9:00 p.m., watched CNN news and dressed for dinner.  The bank was closed and we didn't have enough Francs to go out111.  The hotel refused to cash any of our travelers checks, so we ate at the hotel.  We ate in a pleasant court yard, and had far too much to eat.  After dinner we walked past the convention center, past several illuminated fountains and along the ocean front, and discovered that in the wide streets of old town there were dozens of outdoor awning covered restaurants.  Most of the shops were closed, so we took a taxi back to the hotel and went to bed early.

On Friday, June 30th we awoke before 6:00 a.m., and had a huge included buffet breakfast, from which we scrounged ham, sausage, cheese, bacon, rolls and fruit for lunch.  We wanted to do some independent sightseeing, so we rented a car for a few days.  We were entitled to a five day rental car with our First Class Eurorail Pass which was good for five days of travel within any three Countries (France, Switzerland, and Italy) over two months.  

Since we needed money, we had to wait until 9:00 a.m. for the banks to open.  We wanted to visit some of the coastal towns.  First, we drove to Monte Carlo, capital of  the independent Duchy of. Monaco  We didn’t go downtown to the casino, staying on the upper coast road.  There we stopped at a quaint café overlooking the famous harbor at Monte Carlo, and enjoyed a very scenic lunch from our breakfast buffet.  Two mini beers cost $7.00!  
Robin continued driving to Menton, where we parked across from the promenade and walked around a small old castle.  We returned by a higher toll road.  The hotel pool was our immediate destination, to cool us from the heat and humidity.  Following a short nap in the pool, we had a five hour nap in the room

After having to pay 80 F ($17.00) to park the night before, we took a taxi back downtown.  Enjoying our cool evening stroll, we passed dozens of outdoor cafes, street performers, and kiosks offering jewelry, crafts and paintings. We returned to the old city for dinner.  Strings of colorful lights were hung across the street. We chose one of the bigger cafes in the center of the Cours saleya112, the Brasserie Saleya, where we had a nice dinner under the colorful striped canopies.  The weather was perfect.  After dinner we walked over to the seaside promenade and strolled up and down both sides of the street.  There we no light out at sea, so we guessed that all the ships were in port.  At 11:00 p.m. the streets were still full of people.  Not only did people park their cars on the promenade, they had formed a row of cars down the center of the coastal highway - a narrow thoroughfare.

Sat. July 1 - Nice - Vence - Grasse, France

On my birthday we decided to do some more sightseeing.  Our body clocks were still screwed up, as we once again awoke before 6:00 a.m. Breakfast was finished and we were off at 7:50 a.m.  

We made a morning visit to the quaint little village of Vence.  We arrived at the Vence Tourist Office before it opened at 9:00 a.m. At 8:45 a.m. the little town was just beginning to awaken.  We sat a table of a closed outside  restaurant and watched as the town came to life.  The bakery opened, while flower vendors began to display their colorful assortments of blooms.  Within a few moments a waiter appeared to take our order.  Robin had a coffee and I had a beer.  Almost uniformly, the old town consisted of white, three story buildings with red roofs.  This medieval citadel town had five gates in the wall that surrounded it.  It took us about an hour to walk through it.

We decided to visit St. Paul, but took a wrong turn.  The view of Tourrettes Sur-lou was magnificent - perched atop a mountain.  The mountain road afforded us wonderful views.  On through Le Bar ur-lop, we drove down to Grasse, where we visited the perfume factory.  Then continuing our scenic drive we headed toward Cannes, where we found a beautiful seaside park to eat our lunch.  That afternoon we ended up renting orange and white umbrellas and chairs on the Bijou Plague Beach near Cannes. Periodically, we would plunge into the chilly waters to cool ourselves from the hot sun.  The cost of the beach visit, including two Cokes and tip was 300 F ($65.00).

The sixth floor pool beckoned to us when we returned to the hotel.  After a relaxing swim I napped from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m and returned to town for dinner.  We stopped to visit the lobby of the famous Negresco Hotel on the Promenade.  The art work in the lobby was worth a fortune - very impressive.
That evening we dined under colorful stripped awnings at Le Mississippi, an outdoor café, bar and dance hall on the Promenade de Anglais in the old city.  From there we walked a few blocks to get an ice cream cone.  Since Robin didn't get a nap, she crashed about 11:30 p.m.  I was close behind.  It had been a great day - a bang-up day.

Sun. July 2 - Nice

We awoke early, had breakfast and were on our way before 8:00 a.m.  Before we turned in our rental car, we had more sights to see.

We started in the Vieux Ville.113  Although it was a bit difficult to find a place to park, it was worth the effort.  We noticed that flowers were hanging out of windows, on fire escapes, and were in pots on door stoops.  Trees grew along the narrow streets. There was a pleasant freshness about the old city.  The sounds were different.  Missing were the honking of horns, the roar of bus engines and the wailing of police sirens.  You could hear the people talking.  Some of the streets were so narrow that merchants across the street for one another carried on conversations from within their respective shops.  The shops were quaint, and we picked up a few souvenirs.

 On our return we visited the fort at the top of Mont Boron, which guards the city from its eastern heights. On this mountain there were many beautiful homes of the rich, including a castle - the Chateau du Ville.  Along our route were many beautiful breathtaking panoramic views of the Cannes harbor.  There was an American Navy nuclear cruiser at anchorage, our cruise ship and one of its competitors, along with dozens of commercial vessels and yachts in the harbor.  We returned via Villafranch.  Since we had a close connection with the train when we were scheduled to disembark the ship in two weeks, I wanted to do a test ride to determine the amount of time it would take for a taxi to drive  from the docks to the train station. I also wanted to make sure there was only one train station114. Also, I needed to make reservations for seats  for our July 22, 1995 train trip from Montreaux, Switzerland to Como, Italy. 

When we returned the rental car to the Hertz counter, we had an argument with the attendant about parking in the wrong garage115.  We enjoyed a great lunch with giant shrimp and beer at a sidewalk café on the Promenade.  We walked back up the hill to the hotel for one last swim before checking out.  The hotel had allowed us to check out late.  At 3:00 we left by taxi for the ship.

2 WEEK CRUISE ON "REGENT SPIRIT"
July 2 - 16, 1995

Sun. July 2 - Embarkation - Cruising

Boarding the Regent Spirit was effortless.  We were very disappointed with our cabin, which was located amidships on the Minerva Deck.  Our "bunks" were in an "L" shape, divided by a desk.  There was only one hard back chair and a small table in the room.  The mattresses were a joke - about four inches thick on a hard base.  We had only one small dirty porthole.  Because the ship was full, there were no upgrades to be had.  One plus is that we were only a few steps from the Cote D'Azur Dining Room.  I arranged with Purser to have our passports stamped at each port, and also got the ship's stamp in passport.

Our ship was 12,500 tons, registered in the Bahamas, and owned by the Regency Cruise Lines. It was 495 feet long and 59 feet wide, and carried 400 passengers.  There were eight decks open to passengers, and our deck was conveniently on the fourth level up.  On the bottom deck was a discotheque and bar.  The next deck up contained the sauna, massage rooms and doctor's office.  The deck above us housed the beauty parlor, Purser's office, ship's office, and photo gallery.  The Atlantis Deck was the location of the swimming pool, Lido Café and Bar, card room, library, boutique, casino, Monte Carlo Court Bar and Lounge, and the Regency Lounge.  On the topmost deck, just aft of the smokestack was a nice gymnasium. 

Although we had been informed that we should eat lunch before boarding, we saw that lunch was being served as we boarded.  We did enjoy some of the complimentary tropical drinks that were being served, and nibbled on fruit and chocolate brownies.  There was a strong smell of diesel fuel on deck and in our cabin.  The ship pool was closed for repairs.   While still in port we explored the ship in its entirety, and reviewed the literature left in our room.  Since the first side trip was the following morning, it was necessary for us to purchase our shore excursions that afternoon.   We stood on deck to watch  as the ship departed Nice at 6:00 p.m..  As is the custom on cruise ships, it was a casual night at dinner.  

Fortunately, we ended up with two very enjoyable couples as dinner companions.  Ken Cashion had been a Catholic priest for 17 years.  He was a scholar, obtaining his Ph.D.  Ken was so Irish his blood must have run green.  He had more humorous stories to tell than a stand-up comedian.  He was then the chairman of the chemistry department at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, in Kenosha, Wisconsin.  His wife Mary Catherine was also Irish, and they acted like honeymooners.  We enjoyed their company very much.

The other couple was Donna dn Bob Kessler of North Hills, California.  He was both a C.P.A. and a travel agent.  The latter vocation required them to travel to Hawaii on business frequently.  What a life!  All four of our table mates were well traveled so  we enjoyed comparing notes from our respective trips. .

When we returned to our cabin after dinner, we discovered that the air conditioning was not functioning properly.  It had been a tiring day, so after we unpacked and hung up our clothes, we went to bed early.

Waiting for us in our cabin when we arrived was the ship's daily newsletter.  Each night the newsletter for the next day was placed under our door.  It contained the date, time for sunrise and sunset, dress code for dinner, port of call, ship arrival and departure times, currency exchange rates, immigration formalities, time zone changes, local transportation, tour departure times, and the time and location of meals and various activities on board.  There was a feature advising the details of the nightly entertainment, the daily movies (2), city maps and some information about the city the ship would visit that day.

Mon. July 3	Cruising - Sete - Carcassonne, France.

I woke up itching from bed bug bites, which I later discovered were scabies.  At my insistance, the cabin was sprayed for bugs.  As a small plus for the day, the breakfast buffet was excellent.  

It was a cloudy day when we boarded the bus in Sete for our tour through an area known as the Camargue.  Our bus first stopped at Frontfroide Abbey, a Benedictine Abbey, which was inhabited by about 40 monks.  This was Robin's favorite visit for our entire vacation.  It dated from 1145 A.D..  One of the Abbots116 from this Monastery became the Pope.    There was a lovely cloister in the center, with each of the four sides opening into another area.  Monks were allowed to speak only on certain holidays or upon the death of a monk.  Then, they spoke only in the cloister.  In the center there was a well and a flower garden.

On our way to Carcassonne we crossed the Canal Du Midi, which runs from Sete, on the Mediterranean, to Bordeaux, on the Atlantic.  The canal is too shallow for most commercial traffic, but is used extensively by recreational craft and small passenger barges.  We passed an ancient ruin, but were not given any information about it.  It was a large stone wall, inside of which was a tower, the precursor to a fortified castle.

Carcassonne was a jewel.  It was a perfectly restored fortress city, which was started by the Romans in the 3rd Century A.D..  Romans reworked part of it in brick - with decorations in the 4th Century A.D..  It lay dormant for many years, until it was rebuilt in the 11th Century A.D..  The walls were four stories high with vertical slits for archers on all four levels.  Inside lay an entire city.  In the 12th Century A.D. a sturdier wall was constructed just outside and lower than the old wall.  Then came the task of leveling the steep slope in between the two walls to create the existing road which ran between them, allowing men and horses to move freely.

Grandfather Charlemagne laid siege to this citadel for five years, only to give up when a woman fed their last grain of wheat to their last pig and threw it over the wall towards his army, giving the incorrect impression that there was still plenty of food inside the fortified town.  Our guide, Barbara, was a student of architecture.  She pointed out the difficulties of reinforcing the base of the wall.  The old Basilica of St. Nazaire, inside the wall was part Roman and part Gothic.  A great lunch was served in a second floor medieval restaurant.  The entre was beans with sausage and duck.  Carcassonne is known as Europe's finest example of a fortified city, with rows of ramparts interspersed by 54 towers.

That evening was formal.  We attended the Captain's Welcome Aboard party, which we both thought was dull, but the liquor was free.  Dinner was very enjoyable.  The food was good, and our table mates were all four well traveled and interesting conversationalists.  A small birthday cake was presented to me in honor of my recent birthday. The entertainment in the Regency Lounge after dinner was not very good, unless you were a fan of magic acts, of which there were two.

Tue. July 4	Barcelona, Spain

We arrived in  Barcelona, Spain at 7:00 a.m. and did not depart until 7:00 p.m.  We awoke before 7:00 and were eating an excellent breakfast as the ship docked.  I had enjoyed coffee on deck as we entered the port.  Romans were in Spain during the 3rd and 4th Centuries, A.D., but like the Arabs, they never conquered the Basques in northern Spain.

Robin and I signed up for the one-half day Historical Tour of old town, the old Gothic Quarter, driving along Paseo de Colon117 to see the Christopher Columbus Monument and to Montjuic for a good view of the city and port.  The prettiest street was Las Ramblas, which was once a river but had been covered overas a pedestrian mall.  It was filled with trees, plants and colorful kiosks.  Next we saw the Plaza Catalonia.  

At 10:00 a.m. the city was just awakening, so there was not much traffic.  Immediately after we passed the colorful concert hall we arrived at the 14th Century Gothic Cathedral, which was not the avant garde cathedral, for with Barcelona is so famous.  There was a peaceful inner courtyard, with a beautiful fountain, surrounded on three sides by a covered gallery. Most of the tour was spent in and around the cathedral. 

The tour also stopped at the Olympic Stadium and the reproduced Spanish Village built in 1929, where craftsmen were at work.  We paid $113.00 for a small ceramic tile mosaic of a sailing ship, which we though was ideal for the kitchen of our new home.  While we were finalizing our purchase, the tour bus left us.  As we meandered down the street, we saw another tour bus from the ship and caught a ride back.

Hamburgers and French fries by the pool were a satisfactory lunch for us.  Afterwards, Robin sunned while I napped.  That evening at dinner there was a July 4th motif, in both food and decor.  We took a walk around the deck, then watched a movie in the theater.

Wed. July 5	Mahon, Menorca

We arrived in  Mahon, on  Menorca Island, at 7:00 a.m.  Robin and I were on deck at 6:30 a.m. to watch our transit though the miles long ship channel connecting the harbor with the sea.  We ate breakfast at the open air café on the fantail of the ship, while watching the scenery on both sides pass us by.  It was beautiful.  

Menorca is one of four inhabited Balearic Islands owned by Spain.  It has been occupied by Great Britain on three occasions over a 100 year period from 1708-1802.  It is twelve miles wide by 33 miles long.  Its main claim to fame is that it is the second largest natural port in the world118.

Mahon contained fortifications from the 3rd and 4th Century A.D. Roman ramparts, to more modern battlements constructed by the British.  The Germans never occupied Mahon, because Spain remained neutral during World War II.  Mahon, a town of about 60,000 was the largest on the island.  The second largest had a cheese factory, and the third largest town, Fornells, was a fishing village.

We took a one-half day tour.  First we went to the crest of Monte Toro, the tallest mountain on the island for a panoramic view of the entire island, even though it was a partly cloudy day. There was an old monastery run by nuns near the top.  Next we stopped at Fornells, a small but clean fishing village on the north coast, which had been restored, and where there was now a resort.  There we had time to shop and to sit down for a drink and people watch.

Our final stop was a small whitewashed village of Binibeca, on the south coast, which boasted hoards of tourists.  It was an artistic recreation of a Moorish fishing village.  After waiting in line for a long time, I got our passports stamped at the police station.  There I also purchased a hand carved cane for only $15.00.  The ship departed at 5:00 p.m.  The island did not have much of a beach for  Robin. 

Thu. July 6	Alghero, Sardinia 

We arrived at Alghero, Sardinia at 7:00 a.m.  It was a clear and hot day.  We decided not to take an organized tour today.  Instead, we slept late and had a late breakfast.  We walked around town, window shopped and enjoyed a drink in the square at a sidewalk restaurant.  The desk sergeant at the police station was glad to stamp our passports.  The ship departed port at 4:00 p.m.  That evening after dinner we enjoyed the live show "Caribbean Rhythms".
After the show we took time to go on deck.  We looked at the stars, smelled the fresh salt air, and I stole a Zeus kiss from Robin.

Fri. July 7	Livorno, Italy for Piza

The ship arrived in Livorno, Italy at 9:00 a.m.  Since we had signed up for the one-half day afternoon tour of Piza, we went into Livorno after breakfast to look around.  It was a dirty commercial town.  The police refused to stamp our passports, so we stopped for a cold drink under the umbrella of a sidewalk café in the town square.  Finding nothing to pique our interest in Livorno, we returned to the ship for lunch.

We got to sit on the front row of the bus for our tour of Piza, which was about 30 miles inland.  The tour included the famous Leaning Tower; the 13th Century Cathedral, with its Muslim facade; The Basilica; and round Baptistry.   Our guide spoke excellent English, and was very humorous.

The tower is only one of four famous buildings in Piza, all of which lean because of the soft sub soil. The Baptistry had a wonderful echo, which was demonstrated by the security guard, who sounded like a one man choir.  The ceiling was 24 karat gold leaf.  The altar was a lovely blue.  The podium, cut from one solid piece of marble, contained some 400 figures around the top.  The main supporting column represented faith, hope and charity.  There were 8 outside columns, each from a different type of marble - two with lions and their deer kills, representing the ultimate victory of Christianity.  The pulpit is used only one time each year, at Easter.  A separate building for baptisms was due to the early Catholic belief that only Christians should be allowed in the church, and the child to be baptized did not qualify until after baptism.  At first, like Moslems, only men were allowed in church, although women were allowed only in the balcony for many years.

The famous Leaning Tower was constructed as a bell tower, which although closed to the public, is still used as a bell tower.  The fourth building is still used as a mausoleums.  Robin and I enjoyed a cold beer in the shade of a building in the shadow of the leaning tower.  The entire time we sat there, we were nervous that the tower might fall on us.  We were thankful for the weights which had been installed on the opposite side of the tower to counter balance it.  We learned a few years later that the counter weights had improved the lean of the tower, and that tourists had once again been allowed on it.

We arrived back at the ship in time to rest a bit before dressing for dinner.  The ship departed at midnight.

Sat. July 8		Portofino, Italy

We arrived at Portofino, Italy at 7:00 a.m.  It was a gorgeous day in the beautiful small resort town.  Portofino had one of the most beautiful harbors I have ever seen.  It is frequently seen on travel posters for Italy.  The ship anchored in the harbor and we went ashore and back by small tenders, which doubled as lift boats.  We shopped around, working our way to a bus stop.  Then we had an exciting bus ride along the precipitous winding coast road to the town of Santa Margarita.  There we paid $18.00 for two hours rental of beach chairs on a lovely small private beach.  With more than a dozen infants on the beach, there was a cacophony of crying babies.

We walked around Santa Margarita and shopped until time for lunch, which included salads and pizza at a sidewalk cafe.  For a slower and less adenine producing  return to Portofino, we took the ferry, enjoying the nautical scenery all the way.  At a shop in Portofino I purchased a $75.00 burgundy colored shirt and matching belt, both with signal flags.

After we sailed at 5:00 p.m. we tried to call Rhett on the ship to shore telephone to wish him a happy birthday, but only reached his answer phone.  Since this was the last night of the first week's cruise, we dispensed tips to the waiter, bus boy and cabin steward.  

There was a gala farewell party for those getting off the ship, which was a majority of the passengers on board.  Our dessert was one of my favorites, Baked Alaska.  At the end of the first week's cruise, our table mates  all enjoyed each other's companionship so much we decided to stay together for the second week.  At that time we moved to a table by the window

Sun. July 9	Nice, France

We arrived in Nice at 6:00 a.m.  After a breakfast on deck we walked around the port into the old town.  We bought some wine to share with our table mates, plus cokes, water, a ship model, and some small perfume packets for the girls.  Before returning to the ship, we stopped for a drink and I savored an ice cream cone.  There were Razzle119 clones everywhere.  When we returned to the ship, my neck and back were hurting so bad I downed  a double dose of pain medication and took a short nap after lunch.  

The afternoon was spent in deck chairs.  We found a spot in the shade of life boats where we read and relaxed.  Dozens of ships and scores of boats came and went.  A sleek new 300 foot white yacht named "Golden Odyssey", docked as we prepared to leave port at 6:00 p.m.  Why not us, oh Lord?

As soon as we cleared the harbor the seas became rough.  Before dinner we attended the tour briefing to obtain information about the side trips which were to be offered during the next week.  The tour director referred to lawyers as "snakes".  I mentioned that to our dinner partners and Robin got upset with me for mentioning it.  I vented my spleen with the tour director, but got the silent treatment.  That evening after dinner, I arranged with the dining room steward for Robin's birthday cake and our Anniversary cake.  I also insured that the staff  photographer would take our birthday and anniversary photos.

Mon. July 10		Cruising at sea

We made no port stop today so we enjoyed sleeping late.  We passed east of the coasts of Corsica and Sardinia.  We enjoyed a relaxing clear day at sea.  There were slight swells in the ocean, which caused some of the passengers to become ill.  To me it was a pleasant, gentle movement.

Tue. July 11		Tunis, Tunisia

On our full-day tour of Tunis we first visited the Souk120.  This was the only African port during out two week cruise.  Our guide took us through the Souk so fast it was  impossible to do any shopping.  We ended up at his cousin Farouk's carpet shop, where our guide provided him lots of time to earn kick backs121.  We went on our own to shop for a gold charm for Robin's charm necklace, and bought a gold page from the Koran.  

Our next stop was the Bardo Museum, where we spent too much time looking at beautiful mosaics.  The ceilings in each room were fantastic.  The harem, with a separate room for each of the king's four wives, was my favorite.  Typical for the part of the world, there was a fountain in the center of the room.  Passing though Tunis City and Belvedere, we returned to the ship for lunch.  It was very hot.

After lunch we visited the impressive ruins of Carthage, one of the most important cities of antiquity.  This city, founded by Phoenicians, contained the Baths of Antonios Pius which were built on a beautiful stretch of land near the beach.  The Roman amphitheater was still in excellent condition.

On our return we stopped at the modern hillside town of Sidi Bou Said, a picturesque village above the bay.  There we shopped in an open air market, where I traded my Dallas Cowboys baseball cap for an "inlaid" wooden box.  When I returned to the ship and unwrapped my treasure, I discovered that the vendor had switched the inlaid box for a cheap imitation.  At this market we also bought a mask for Rhett,  plus a tourist book about and water color painting of the area.   We returned by way of  the beautiful gardens of La Marsa.  Tunis was a big disappointment to us both.  The ship departed port at 6:00 p.m.

Wed. July 12		Palermo, Sicily

It was Robin's 43rd birthday.  I gave her a gold charm of the ship for her birthday.  We arrived at the port of La Goulette, port city for  Palermo, Sicily at 9:00 a.m.  We were up on deck by 7:00 a.m. to witness our arrival. Sheer cliffs rose several thousand feet from the sea.  The haze added a mystical quality to the sea scape.  Even with over eight hours sleep, we were both tired.  The daily tours and the heat and humidity were beginning to take their toll on us.  This town was known for its pickpockets and purse snatchers, so we decided that we would wear no jewelry and carry no bags.  

We took the half day tour of the historic city and Monreal. We learned that at one time, Palermo was considered the grandest and most beautiful city in Europe.  Our first stop was a visit to the Norman Palace and its pristine Palatine Chapel, a good example of Arab-Norman architecture, decorated with Byzantine mosaics.  Palermo traces its roots to the Roman Empire.  We actually only went into the cathedral inside the Palace.  

Then on to the nearby village of Monreal, where we visited the Duomo, a Norman masterpiece.  This cathedral was built by King Edward, II, the Norman King, to bribe the Virgin Mary to give him an heir.  A mosaic showed Christ anointing him as king.  Edward died childless at age 36.  An otherwise marvelous view was veiled by a heavy haze over the town.  There we also saw the Benedictine Cloisters from the 12th Century.  In World War II, General George Patton's army destroyed about 35 percent of the city.  After the city was occupied by the U.S. Army, Patton stayed in the Palace.

Our last stop was a visit to the main plaza.  Several of the highly colorful two wheeled carts for the which the city is so famous were available for hire in the square.  Typically, the horse is decorated with colorful blankets, and long colored feathers and plumes from its head and body.  They were a sight to behold, so we bought a small model as a souvenir.  We also had our picture taken in front of one of these little carts.  We enjoyed relaxing with a cold beer at a café in the plaza.  Beneath the plaza were public rest rooms.

That evening after dinner, the waiters brought Robin a birthday cake and sang "Happy Birthday" to her.  She was toasted by all our dinner mates.  On the deck after dinner, I got a "Zeus kiss".

For the past several days I had experienced a bad rash.  By now it was all over my body, mostly n the folds of skin, inside the elbows and knees and under my arms.  It itched like crazy.  Once we got home I learned that I had contracted a case of "scabies" from microscopic bugs on the bed linens on the ship.  The entire family had to fumigate all our clothes and bed linens, and take medicine as a prophylactic.  I used all manner of salves, gels, oils, and took oat meal baths.  It was months later before I was free of symptoms.

Thu. July 13		Sorrento, Italy - Isle of Capri, Italy

We arrived in  Sorrento, Italy at 8:00 a.m.  We had elected to take the full day tour to Capri, including a boat ride to the Blue Grotto and the ski lift to Anacapri at the top of the mountain for majestic view of the Bay of Naples.  This was the day that Robin looked forward to the most.

From the ship we took a 40 foot tender to Sorrento.  There we boarded a 70 foot hydrofoil to the offshore island of Capri, the legendary "island of love".  From the Marina Grande on Capri, we road in small crew boats with four passengers each to visit the Blue Grotto.  We had to lay day as we entered the low opening of the cave into the grotto.  Once inside it was beautiful to see the outside light reflected through the blue water.  For 1000 Lire per person, our boatmen sang "O Solo Mio".  

From the boat dock we were packed like sardines into a mini-van sitting five across by using twelve inch wide fold down bench seats in the isle.  The ride up from the marina to Anacapri, 1000 meters122 high, was hair raising.  After shopping around at the quaint shops, where I bought two hats for $7.00, we had a beer at an outdoor café and enjoyed the clear beautiful, but hot, day.  Robin and I persuaded a nice old lady to ride up the ski lift with us to the top of Anacapri, a viewpoint at 1500 meters123, overlooking the island and the Bay of Naples.  There we had wonderful views, but because of a haze, we couldn't see Naples.  The ski lift returned us to the sardine can for our ride down to Capri, which is at an elevation of 500 meters, where we had a delightful lunch.

Before returning to the ship we had one and one-half hours to shop or relax.  It was very hot.  Unfortunately, I didn't have enough Lire for both of us to have an ice tea.  But we bought one, which allowed us to sit at a table in the shade.  Fortunately, our waiter pointed out an ATM machine, and voila, I was rich again.  It is definitely better to have money in your pocket.  Rhett had put in a request for a flower liquor, which we found.  Robin also purchased some lemon liquors.  A photo book about Capri caught our eye and ended up among our purchases.  We did not take the time for visits to the famous Church of San Michele to view its hand painted tile floor depicting the Garden of Eden or the 100 year old Villa San Michele, both of which are on the list for tourists to see. 

As we were waiting in line to ride the funicular, a rude Italian (is that redundant?) knocked my video camera off my shoulder.  It crashed to the concrete steps and exploded into dozens of pieces.  A gentlemen in our group was pushed, lost his balance, and fell into the path of the funicular.  The car was so jam packed there was no view.  Our return to Sorrento was by a slower boat, but it took us directly to the ship. We took lots of mental pictures today.  The ship departed at 5:00 p.m., and for some reason dinner was called one-half hour earlier than had been announced.

Fri. July 14		Civitavecchia, Italy - Port city for visit to Rome

On this our fourth anniversary, we decided to take a full day tour of Rome.  Again, we had a 7:00 a.m. arrival.  On the way into the city, we stopped at Gianicola Hill for a panoramic view of the city of seven hills.  Our guide was named Camilla.  She had not been a girl scout because our bus did not have a necessary permit to stop at the Vatican.  After a long argument between our driver and a policeman, we were allowed to get off the bus.  It was a long block's walk to the Vatican entrance.  The Vatican was not as large as I had remembered from my first visit in 1965.

We saw two colorfully clad Swiss Guards, then toured the world renowned Basilica, the largest church in the world.  In one ceiling painting Saint Peter was holding a pen in his hand.  Camilla informed us that the pen was nine feet long.  The art alone, including "The Pieta"124 was priceless.  Also, the building itself, with its floors decorated with marble, was beyond valuation.  This edifice was just another example of the largess of the Catholic Church, which has hundreds of thousands of its members around the world starving and homeless.  This building was a perfect example of the greed of past popes.  Au Contraire, Robin was glad that the church had been able to preserve these beautiful art objects for all mankind to see.  The few gifts we purchased in the Vatican gift shop were exorbitantly priced.

Our bus then took us to the Coliseum, the symbol of ancient Rome,  for a visit.  You could fry an egg on the pavement, it was so hot.  Our itinerary took us by the Circus Maximus, acres and acres where the old Romans had horse races from as early as the 4th Century B.C..  We viewed the Forum; the Baths of Caracalla, built by Emperor Caracalla in 212 A.D.; and the King Victoria Emanuel, II Monument, which was clearly my favorite edifice in Rome.  This massive and ornate monument was dedicated to Italy's first king.  In front was the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  These combined monuments made the Lincoln Memorial in Washington look like a one room schoolhouse.

The bus took us to a hill above the Vatican, where we stopped for a view of the city.  Robin had a similar view when she was a student here at Loyola College in 1970.

Lunch was a double treat.  Both the food and atmosphere were great.  We dined at the Villa Branciccio, a palace built by Prince Salvatore Branciccio in 1880.  It was constructed on top of Colie Oppio, near Emperor Nero's Golden Palace.  The entrance hall was dominated by an enormous crystal chandelier.  It contained at least 75 light bulbs, which directed your attention to the ornately carved wooden recessed ceiling, which like the border, was trimmed in gold leaf.  The large multicolored marble fireplace served as the base for a massive gold mantle piece containing one large and three small mirrors.  The inlaid wooden floor was partially covered by an expensive oriental rug of muted colors, which complemented the crimson cloth wall hangings and the draperies.  Period furniture accented the ambiance of this beautiful room.

We passed through the Hall of Tapestries where there were two oriental rugs on the floor and three smaller chandeliers.  From there we passed into the main hall, where we ate.  Words cannot adequately describe the opulence and grandeur of this room.  Its domed ceiling contained over two dozen life size angelic figures.   The fourteen tables in this grand dining room, were large enough to comfortable serve ten persons each.  The food was good, but I was informed that the wine was poor quality. The waiters all wore tuxedos, and served us very professionally.  After lunch we had time to meander through the shaded gardens, which contained several fountains, statuary and a small waterfall.

Our next stop was the Trevi Fountain, where we both tossed another coin over our left shoulder, so we would return again. Down the street we found a jeweler who sold us three charms for Robin's necklace: a leaning tower of Piza, Vatican Coat of Arms, and a guitar to memorialize our visit to Spain.  Our camera was either left there or at the sidewalk café where we had a coke.  At least we had insurance.

It had been a full day, so when we returned to the ship I took a cool swim and then a nap.  I was awakened by a nagging migraine.  I missed dinner, but Robin informed me that Ken Cashion125, one of our table mates had eaten my dessert for me.  He gave Robin a 3 X 5 card with a Papal blessing (Baptist class).  By midnight, I felt better and got something to eat at the midnight buffet.		

Sat. July 15		Ajaccio, Corsica 

We arrived at Ajaccio, Corsica at  9:00 a.m. It was partly cloudy and warm.  This was the last day of our two week cruise.  We went on deck to drink coffee and watch our arrival into the port.  Beautiful green mountains surrounded the harbor.  The city was a mixture of modern high rise condominiums and red tiled roofs of the traditional Mediterranean white stucco buildings of two to three stories.  The port was in the center of what appeared to be a delightfully sleepy little town.  Near our ship's berth, a flea market was in progress.
We decided to see the town on our own rather than take a tour.  We walked a few blocks to the tourist office, where we got a map of the area.  Our path then took us to main street for a bit of window shopping and ultimately down to the beach.  We followed the beach down to a fort, which is still an active army base.  We returned to the building next to the tourist office for a visit to Napoleon's boyhood home, now a museum.  We returned to the ship, where we rested on deck and had lunch.  After lunch we packed, then went back to the beach with Ken and Mary Katherine for a delightful swim in the ocean.  Another couple from the ship joined us.  The water was a nice temperature, and we got some sun.  As we walked back to the ship we stopped for a beer on the dock.  The ship departed at 6:00 p.m.

Again, our last night at sea was a gala affair, but I was disappointed that there was no Baked Alaska for dessert.  We said our farewells, complete with hugs and kisses.  The second week we had traveled 1,292 nautical miles.  A nautical mile is approximately  1 1/8 mile, so our trip was about 1,453 statute miles.  Once again we obtained change for our tips and placed them in envelopes.			

Sun. July 16		Nice - Train to Montreaux, Switzerland

We arrived Nice at 6:00 a.m.  Since we had to leave promptly after docking we had both an early wake-up and breakfast.  We had been instructed to place our luggage outside our room.  Dumb me, I also put out a bag with my camera, 35 mm film, and the video film.  Somebody stole the bag.  We disembarked early and took a taxi to the Nice train station.  We had reservations on the 9:05 a.m. train to Geneva.  First, we had to have our Eurail Pass validated in the train station.  We were on a clean First Class car, with half the seats facing forward and half facing backwards.  We had reserved seats several months in advance for a nominal fee.  Unfortunately, there was no dining car.  Through proper advance research, we had discovered this problem, and had tipped the ship's head waiter to prepare a lovely box lunch for the two of us.  The scenery through Southern France was beautiful.  

Montreaux, Switzerland Jazz Festival 
July 16-21, 1995  

At 5:15 p.m. we arrived in Geneva.  After clearing customs at the railroad station, we boarded a second class commuter train to Montreaux, Switzerland; the only train connecting the short distance between the two cities.  Within about 15 minutes of departure from Geneva, we saw the snow capped French Alps back dropped against Lake Geneva.  Montreaux is on a hill.  From the track to the station it was necessary to descend about 30 steps.  With our heavy luggage, it was necessary to take one bag at a time. Although not unusual, we were again screwed by our taxi driver, who charged us the equivalent of $36.00 for a ride of about 10 blocks.

Our accommodations were at the  Hotel Aden au Lac, where we would stay for the second week of the Montreaux Jazz Festival..  It was a stately old hotel, which had seen better days.  From the balcony of our fifth floor spacious room, we had a great view of Lake Geneva and the French Alps.  It was one of the best views from a hotel room we had ever had.  We unpacked and relaxed before the festival.  Show times were from 7:30 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. 
That evening we changed and went to the Jazz Festival.  The two concert venues were a long walk away along the lake shore.  Between our hotel and the concert hall, the walkway was lined with kiosks selling all manner of souvenirs, food, jewelry and clothes.  Dozens of cafes along the way tempted us with the smells from their kitchens.  Many even offered live jazz music.  We were amazed that there were smokers everywhere.  

One venue was in a large auditorium, where we had paid for reserved seats.  Fortunately for us, no smoking was allowed inside, but one had to cut their way through smoke to get into or out of the auditorium.  The second venue was cabaret style in the basement.  Almost everybody there was puffing away.  Our first night was dubbed "Memphis Night", but the music played was not jazz.  We did enjoy the Shaka Khan concert but we walked out on the "Honky Tonk" presentation.  As expected the prices were outrageous:  over $8.00 for a sandwich and $4.50 for a beer, and the vendors didn't ever wear masks.  I awoke at 5:00 a.m. with a migraine.

Mon. July 17		Chillon Castle and Vevey, Switzerland

I slept from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m., the went down to breakfast with Robin.  The hotel dining room was garish, but elaborate.  Then we went shopping.  This was the first cool day we had had since we arrived in Europe.  We found a gold Swiss wall clock charm for Robin; a Swatch watch for Mel; a Swiss Army watch for me; Swiss Army knives for the boys, Chris, Dr. Gross and Cody; a beer stein and a book about Switzerland for the house, and came back to the hotel.  I took a nap while Robin drove the men crazy at the pool.  One guy even danced for her to get her attention.  Lunch was eaten on our balcony.  Ham, cheese, rolls and fruit came from the breakfast buffet.

That afternoon we traveled by bus to Chillon Castle, about 15 miles away on the shores of Lake Geneva.  Darrell and I had visited this 14th Century castle on our European trip in 1988, which we both enjoyed.  He had misplaced his souvenir poster, so I got him a replacement.  We had a self guided tour.  I was still surprised that some many artifacts were still just lying around unprotected.  

The evening performers at the festival again played mostly blues.  I didn't recognize the names of any performers

Tue. July 18		Fribourg - Bern, Switzerland

Since there were no scheduled concerts during the day (which I felt was a major shortcoming of the Montreaux Jazz Festival) we again set out to see some sights.  We rented a car and drove on the K-Way to Fribourg, a delightful and pretty college town.  There was also a jazz festival in progress there.  At McDonalds, we paid 10 F for a burger and coke, which was a bit expensive.  

Two high cliffs on either side of the river divided French and German speaking parts of Switzerland.  As we crossed the bridge connecting the two sides, we had a good view.  We continued on to Bern.

In Bern, there was lots of construction, a good sign for their economy.  The symbol of Bern is the bear, a picture of which is on the canton126 flag.  When  I first visited Bern in 1963, there was a bear pit downtown with the town mascot and his mate.  It was a one facet zoo.  Children would sit on park benches and watch the bears.  Some would throw peanuts into the pit.  I looked for the bear pit, but could not find it.  Perhaps it had been moved.

We ate our sandwiches at a park where the bears used to be.  Now there was only a statute of the town hero with four bears.  The old town clock was still elegant.  It was housed in a five story tower built over the downtown sidewalk and covered half of the street, where pedestrians could walk under it.  There were three clock faces.  We also found a lovely fountain containing colorful flowers at the base of a unusual statute in its center.  Because of the shortage of public rest rooms, twice we went into the lobby of a five star hotel to use its facilities.  

Both of us enjoyed the evening performance of Joe Henderson's Brazil Project, which was a tribute to Joao Jobim, the famous Brazilian composer and musician.  We have many of Jobim's CDs.  Two other groups played in the auditorium that were so so.

Wed. July 19		Chamonix, France

The drive over the Alps of Switzerland and France to Chamonix was beautiful..  We got our passports stamped at a remote border crossing both going into France and returning to Switzerland.  Twice we stopped to take photographs, the scenery was so beautiful.  Once, a nice couple from Ohio took our picture.  The temperature was 20 degrees cooler in Chamonix, and I loved it.

Chamonix was much more crowded than when Darrell and I had skied there in 1988.  I also got him a replacement poster from the ski resort.  We had a relaxing lunch at an outside café, enjoying watching the people on this wonderfully sunny but cool day.  

We returned to Montreaux in time for a nap before dinner.  Robin was getting a sore throat.  That evening we had great burgers and fries at the White Horse Pub, one of the permanent cafes along the lake front.  We had a friendly Oriental waitress.  The owner too was nice.  He gave me a Tuborg Beer cap.
When you think of Switzerland you probably picture crystal clear water flowing from glaciers.  Why is it then that almost nobody drinks tap water?  Most folks walked around with a small bottle of water in their hand, or in their back pack.
Also, when you envision Switzerland, don't your see blond haired and blue eyed people with fair skin?  They must have all stayed home.  Many Swiss with whom we talked lamented the very lax immigration policy.  Switzerland for many years has allowed many people to immigrate to the point that walking down the street you would think you are in a third world country.

That afternoon I checked with the station master to see if reservations would be  needed for our 7/22/95 train to Como, Italy.  I also wanted to verify our departure and arrival times I had gotten from the Cook Train Schedule book..  The feature acts at the festival that night were Dr. John, a Dixieland pianist from New Orleans, and the Neville Brothers, neither of whom have ever been favorites of mine. 

Thur. July 20			Gstadd - Interlaken

The heat had returned so we chose to go back to the mountains.  Today we headed north , toward Gstadd, a well know Swiss ski resort.  We took a wrong turn but ended up with some wonderful scenery.  Everything was very green in Switzerland.  We stopped to get a close look at a waterfall, and were pleased to hear the clang of cow bells in the pasture below.  We passed several quaint covered bridges over the winding stream that our road seemed to follow up the mountain.  In Gstadd, we saw some of the folks from the jazz festival.

We pushed on to Interlaken, which I had visited on my first trip to Europe in 1963.  I had remembered a lovely hill side park, with an imposing view of the town below and the snow capped mountains in the distance.  Look as I may, I could not find this park.  We ate our lunch in the parking lot of a restaurant on the highway.  While stopped to look at one of the covered bridges we saw some kayakers shooting the rapids in the river below.  Downtown Interlaken sits in a mountain valley between two alpine lakes.  We stopped on the shore of one of these lakes for a cold drink.  There we ate the rest of our lunch on a park bench, watching the ducks.

When we returned to Montreaux we had very little time to rest before leaving for the festival.  Dinner was a rip off at one of the lakeside spots, and the food was not even good.  To make matters worse, I was also getting a sore throat.  On the plus side, that evening we enjoyed an excellent acapella group from Cuba. 

Fri. July 21	Montreaux - The Naye Rocks

Today was Robin's favorite day in Montreaux.  We slept late and turned in our rental car.  We bought two round trip tickets on a cog railroad to Naye Rocks, which are at an elevation of 2,045 meters127.  This private railroad did not participate in the Eurail Pass program.  It had cost us on about $84.00, which was a bargain.  The open air train was pulled by a steam engine, and took us through several mountain tunnels.  
We climbed up to the very edge of the cliff along a narrow walking path, where we had a view down to the valley floor seven thousand feet below.  It was a beautiful day.  Along the way we saw many fields of colorful wild flowers.

We watched several hang gliders who jumped from the edge of the mountain into the abyss below.  They all glided gracefully taking their time as they slowly descended in a circular pattern to the valley below.  The temperature was the coolest day of the entire trip.

When we returned to the hotel we had time for a swim in the large hotel pool.  There were dozens of noisy kids.  It was our best night of the jazz festival.  The temperature in the hall was nice and cool, and the feature acts were the Manhattan Transfer and Kirk Whalum, two great groups.  We ate sandwiches from the kiosks downstairs.  

We braved the smoke in the cabaret to see Paquito Rivera, but his music was somewhat disquieting.  No longer did he have the Congo drums and timbales, nor did he play the Afro - Cubano music which made him famous.  That night his group included steel pans, vives and a marimba.  Although his performance was good, it was not great like most of his records.  Before his act was over, both our eyes were watering from the smoke and we both had headaches.  We didn't leave until his performance was over at 2:30 a.m..  Until this night, we had not stayed past 11:30 p.m..  We missed the last night of the festival.  The feature performer was George Benson, who was not one of our favorites.

Sat. July 22	Train to Como, Italy, via Milan, Italy

Before leaving for the train station, Robin went on a one hour shopping spree.  Our train was a modern, but our reserved seats were one behind the other.  We got to sit together for part of the trip, but when the train filled up we had to move to our reserved seats.  For lunch we ate our sandwiches from the breakfast buffet.  Again, in order to get from the tracks to the station it was necessary to negotiate large flights of steps.  I was able to find a porter to help us.  It cost 45,000 Lira to get to  our hotel in Como by taxi.  In fact, the hotel was in Erba, a suburb of Como.  We were there for three nights. 

The Hotel Castello di Pomerio advertised in the international hotel directory that it was in Como and had a lake view.  When we checked into our room, we looked out the window, and there was no lake to be seen.  When I mentioned this to the bellman, he said that if we stand to one side and lean, we could see a small lake in the distance, but it was not Lake Como.  We were miles from Lake  Como.  When we got home I filed a letter of complaint, after several calls, we settled on a $75.00 refund.

The hotel did have some charm..  It was in an old castle tower that was originally built in 800 A.D. and the remainder of the castle was constructed in the 14th Century A.D., complete with archer's slits.

We horridly dressed for dinner, which was a wonderfully romantic meal.  In addition to the food being great tasting and beautiful table service, we dined by candle light, soft lights, music by an expert pianist, and the ambiance of an ancient castle.  We had the place almost to ourselves.  With  the exception of one glass which I drank, Robin finished off a full bottle of wine.  The entre was a great pasta with sausage and red cabbage, served with a light fluffy fish.  The dessert was impressive, presented on a black plate and covered with powdered sugar.  The cost of the meal?  Just over $150.00.

Although the meal was exquisite, our room was not air conditioned and it was hot and muggy.  At 3:30 a.m. we were both still awake from the heat.  Robin put cold wet towels on us all night

Sun. July 23	Como, Italy

After breakfast I had a sit down with the hotel manager about the lack of air conditioning, which was also advertised.  He had a large portable air conditioner brought to our room, which sat in the middle of the floor.  It was really an air chiller, but it was a bit cooler in the room.

Because of the heat inside the dining room, and the fact that they had the large windows closed, we insisted on eating breakfast in a shady spot of the courtyard.  This irritated the waiter, but we were tired of being hot.  The waiter had sweated through his jacket.  By the time we had finished breakfast, our room was beginning to get cool.  We slept for about three hours.

Our nice lunch at the hotel cost 100,000 Lire, but we got ice tea and watermelon. We spent the afternoon resting and reading by the swimming pool.  That evening we spent 36,000 Lira for a taxi to take us to an expensive restaurant in Albaville, where we enjoyed a good Chateaubriand, with two good pastas.  Dessert was a blah ice cream with chocolate sauce.  The cook, a large unshaven man in an undershirt was kind enough to drive us back to the hotel.  He was very friendly - and a very fast driver.  That night, Robin gave me a wonderful foot massage while we watched an American movie on the television in our room..  That evening we had no trouble sleeping.  Our room was cool..

Mon. July 24			Como - Boat Ride on Lake Como 

We decided to try to get around by bus rather than spend so much on taxis.  The hotel concierge pointed to the bus stop for a ride to downtown Como.  We found out the hard way that you could not buy your ticket on the bus, but instead you had to buy it in advance.  The bus driver pointed to a bar on the corner where we could buy a ticket.  So as he pulled away from the curb, we walked across the street to buy our ticket.  Then we had a wait of one and one quarter hour wait on the next bus.

After about a one half-hour bus ride, we disembarked in the town center.  When I inquired about a boat ride I discovered that a boat was leaving in just a few minutes, so we bought tickets and boarded.  The pier was on the town square.  It was a pretty day with partly cloudy skies.  The temperature was in the high 90s.  The ride around the lake lasted about one and one half hours.  There were hundreds of pretty lake side homes, and several hotels, including the world renowned Villa D'Este, with its own private dock.

When we returned to Como we window shopped and looked around town.  We had lunch at a fast food restaurant called Burghy's, which was a knock off of McDonalds.  It was too hot to remain in the sun, so we took a bus back to the hotel and spent the remainder of  afternoon at the pool.  Ahh, the cool water of the pool was very relaxing.

For dinner we walked a few blocks to a wonderful little trattoria.  Robin had fried shrimp with the shells on, while I had veal scallopine.  We ordered a pitcher of peach tea and two pitchers of ice.  After the entre, I had the best dessert of the entire trip - a cold fruit pastry with hot banana creme sauce.  The restaurant was packed.

Tue. July 25	Train to Milan. 

This was our last full day in Europe.  Before leaving we fed the several kitties who had become our friends at the hotel.  Our train to Milan was crowded, and because we didn't have seat reservations, we couldn't sit together.  We stayed at the  Hotel Gran Brun, a modern hotel.  Following a nice lunch at the hotel, we took a taxi to the Duomo128 on the main plaza.  After visiting the church, we walked to the side of the plaza where we entered a glass covered shopping mall, The Gallery Victor Emanuel, II, which covered four city blocks.  It was named after Italy's first king.

A taxi took us to the most impressive castle in Milan, the Castello Storzesco.  We enjoyed our visit, including free entrance into two museums.  In the shade at a nearby sidewalk café while nursing a cold beer, we watched the world go around.  Robin found a few shops where she made some small purchases.  

That night, Robin basked in a bubble bath.  Our  room service dinner came complete with peach tea. The American movie for the night was Robo Cop.

Wed. July 26	FLIGHT MILAN - JFK / JFK -DFW 

We had a good breakfast.  It should have been good at 120,000 Lire.  A taxi got us to the airport before our required check in at 8:40 a.m.  We  were upgraded to Business Class on our return Delta flight # 85, which departed Milan on time at 10:40 a.m..  While waiting to board, we did some shopping, including some shirts for the guys, and a bottle of brandy for Darrell.

I forgot that I was carrying my cane with a stiletto in it.  I got all the way to the X-ray machine before remembering it.  I explained to the private duty policeman that I wanted to return to the counter to check my cane in a box.  At first he was upset, but I showed him my Administrative Law Judge badge.  A big smile came up on his face and he said OK.  When I returned from checking my stiletto imbedded cane, he wanted to see my badge again.  He was impressed that it had my name imprinted on the face of badge.  He called several other guards over to let them see my badge.  All is well that ends well.

We arrived at JFK before our 1:20 p.m. scheduled arrival.  After customs and immigration, we learned that we had time to get on an earlier Delta flight to DFW.  I purchased a USA Today to read on the flight.  Instead of getting home at 9:23 p.m., we arrived at DFW before 6:00 p.m.

Summary

The rash I had contracted from bed bugs on the cruise ship had spread to my knees and ankles, and it was to bother me for months to come.  We both noted that we had taken too many clothes that we lugged around Europe.  Our video camera had been broken beyond repair and our 35 mm camera had been stolen, along with all of our exposed camera and video film covering the first two and one-half weeks of our vacation.  Although we had no photographs or video, we had my notes, a few post cards, and the photos taken by the ship's photographer.  

Although it was terribly hot during most of our trip. at least we did not have to contend with rain., and weather did not interfere with our flights.   Robin has now visited 29 countries, and I have been to 96 different countries.  It had been a good trip.  After we get caught up on the mail and get back into our daily routines, we will start planning our next trip.

A DIFFERENT JACK TAR VILLAGE
IN PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO
March 16-23, 1996

Between taking ten hours at Texas Women's University and working full time at the Presbyterian Hospital, Robin needed a break.  We had discount coupons with Adventure Tours because they lowered the price of the Jack Tar trip to Jamaica last year without giving us the benefit of the price break.

The new Jack Tar Village in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico is actually an older property on the beach at Bucerias, Mexico, which is in the province of Nayarit, just north of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco.  This was to be our fourth trip to a Jack Tar Village.  We arrived just as they were putting away the buffet dinner at 10:00 p.m.  Our flight had been delayed two and one-half  hours, and there seemed to be no coordination between the hotel and the tour company.  Some of the people who unpacked first didn't get fed.  Others were left with only a few choices of vegetables.

Our room was in the newer four story building, set back from the swimming pool.  There was no elevator, so we had to walk up three flights.  We pitied those on the fourth floor, but were jealous of those having rooms on the second floor.  The room was Spartan, but adequate.  There were two double beds, a small table and two upright chairs, a dresser and a color TV on a stand, which had CNN and HBO.  There were two plastic chairs on the small patio overlooking the grounds and the beach.

On Sunday and Monday we vegetated on the beach.  Robin sat in the sun reading her text books, but I chose the shade of a palapa to read my novel.  Every few minutes a hawker came by to show us their wares - serapes, jewelry, table cloths, leather goods, blankets, carvings and other handicrafts.

During our entire stay the weather was very predictable.  In the morning the surf from Banderas Bay lapped gently onto the beach, much like the edge of a large lake.  The skies were devoid of clouds.  By early afternoon, the wind was constant at about 20 miles per hour, with gusts of 30-35 mph  Those winds created large waves and a pounding surf.  Even though the sun was warm, at times it was too cold to sit on the beach.  By late afternoon there were enough clouds in the sky to make the sunsets interesting.  

The bay water was cold - too cold for us to even try to snorkel.  The water in the pool was also too cold for Robin.  She never got wet the entire trip.  I got in twice, but got back out within a few minutes.

At lunch Sunday, Robin looked at me and asked me "What time is dinner".  I couldn't believe her fixation on food.  She loved the fresh tomatoes and guacamole.  The food was not as good as we had enjoyed at other Jack Tar Villages.

By Tuesday I was getting cabin fever.  We signed up for a jungle tour.  By bus we traveled north along the coast road for about two and one-quarter hours.  When we arrived at the La Tovara River dock, we got into motorboats which held ten passengers and the driver.  Robin and I sat in the front of the boat. There was no guide and the driver never opened his mouth, but we took turns pointing out crocodiles, water birds and large turtles.  

Our ride up the river lasted about an hour.  We started in a mangrove swamp.  The trees overhanging the river were so thick the sun was completely blocked out.  The temperature was about ten degrees cooler in the swamp.  Later the river took us through grasslands where cattle grazed.  We visited a crocodile farm which housed dozens of these ugly, smelly reptiles from one foot to eight feet in length.  There was also a small zoo of snakes, raccoons and other small varmints.

On our return down the river, I spotted a crocodile in the middle of the river.  He jumped almost as high as Robin, who was about four feet from him when he turned and swam away.  Beautiful wild orchids were growing all along the course of the meandering river. 

Before we headed back to the hotel, we took a short tour of ancient San Blas.  This Colonial town was one of the major seaports founded by the Conquistadors in the 1600's. At one time the population was around 300,000.  Now, it is a small community of no more than 8,000 people.  Accretion has added hundreds of acres of land to the shore.  On a high hill overlooking a coconut plantation, where once the waters of the Pacific Ocean pounded on the boulders below, were the ruins of two structures.

The fort was built in 1796 to protect the harbor and town below from marauding pirates.  From the fort one had a clear view of the land for twenty miles in either direction.  Many of its cannons still hold a silent vigil, pointing their barrels to sea.  The walls of large dark gray stones have deteriorated.  A few hundred yards away from the cliff, laid the ruins of a church built about the same time, still casting its shadow across an ancient cemetery.

We were late getting back because the bus had picked us up late.  Can you imagine that - in Mexico?  The manager's party for repeaters was about ready to conclude.  Robin was too tired and wind blown to go, but I made a brief appearance.  I was there long enough to get a cool drink, pick up our repeater's tee shirts and get my picture taken with four activities staff ladies.

That evening we chose to try the Italian menu being served at the breakfast pavilion.  Unfortunately, it was one of my worst meals, although Robin enjoyed her pasta.

The bus to the jungle had bounced us around a lot.  My neck was bothering me, so on Wednesday, I had a masseuse come to the room for a massage.  It was very relaxing, but I kept a crick in my neck for a few more days.
Each day except for our jungle tour and our visit to Puerto Vallarta, we took two walks along the beach - one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  Except for the last day, there were no shells.  On the last day there were lots of rocks on the beach along with a few small shells.

A taxi took us into town on Thursday.  Robin purchased some jewelry for the girls and a few gifts for her fellow workers at the hospital.  At the pharmacy and bought some prescription medications.  I couldn't find a long sleeve Guayabera, but found a few miniature bottles of rum for future air line flights.

Friday was my downfall.  Robin beat me three times in a row at shuffleboard!  Late that afternoon we checked out a couple of bicycles and rode several blocks through the town of Bucerias.  Although the small town was charming, the cobblestone streets and the hard bicycle seats took a toll on our rear ends.  We had to push the bikes up one hill.  By our return, we needed a rest.  

We were glad to have seen the front of several large beach homes.  They had well landscaped lawns with impressive brick walls and enormous gates.  The streets and the houses all contained bougainvillaea and other colorful blooming plants.  In addition to two high rise condos just a few blocks away, there were a dozen empty town house condos just behind the hotel.  All were very small.

The last day Robin bought two silver bracelets.  We also found a beautiful white dress with hand sewn embroidery for Alyssia.

Not once during our stay did either of us participate in any of the organized activities.  They offered water aerobics, bingo, water volley ball, trivial pursuit, ping pong tournaments, shuffleboard tournaments and Spanish Language classes.  As a result, we didn't win any tee shirts, hats, booze, etc.  Only once did we stay after dinner for the entertainment.  One night there were Mariachis and dancers.  We listened to several numbers but left during their performance.

I finished my novel, Winter, by Len Deighton.  It was a relaxing vacation, but neither of us would care to return.  The manager was on vacation and the staff was not overly friendly.  It was extremely difficult to get a waiter to bring you a drink with your meal.  They never came back to see if you needed anything else, yet they speedily picked up dirty dishes, while ignoring us.

RETURN TO THE ISLAND
May 11 - 19, 1996

We decided to use Robin's vacation time for family this year, rather than go to Europe.  We rented a three bedroom, three bath condominium at Suntide III on the beach at South Padre Island, TX.  Except for coming down for Missy and Chris' wedding in December 1994, this was the first time that Robin and I had been there since October 1993 - almost three years.  All the children and grandchildren joined us except for Darrell, who was missed by all.

Robin and I flew down alone on Saturday.  Upon arrival, we went grocery and liquor shopping in Harlingen.  We quickly agreed to eat lunch at Blackbeard's.  After our first meal we drove to the north end of the island, viewed the new sea life mural painted on the convention center wall and meandered through the residential areas to see the beautiful new homes that had been added since we left.

Sunday was our only day to ourselves.  Although we missed walking on the beach Saturday, we had a nice walk Sunday.  In addition to seeing all the beautiful new homes on the waters edge, we saw a shrimp boat that had been cast upon the beach by a storm some two weeks previously.  One attempt to tow it off the beach, left it stranded on the sandbar closet to the beach.  This was a lazy day.  Robin selected the Gulf Coast Oyster Bar for dinner Sunday.

On Monday Diana and Missy (with Cody) arrived within minutes of each other.  I wish I could change the events of that night.  We had a good dinner at Amberjack's on the bay.  It was a new restaurant to us.  I left my cane and hat.  It was the Russian made cane that Robin had bought for my birthday present when on our Alaskan Cruise. I got my hat back, but somebody snagged my cane.

Cody had everybody up early every morning for worship services - and he was the one being worshiped!  Diana, Robin and I took Mrs. Lilly Belle Dyment to dinner at Garcia'a in Matamoros.  We all had a wonderful time.  She insisted that we come in to see her house, which was immaculate.  Something for an 88 year old woman living alone.  She had hundreds of frogs in her collection.  She loaded us down with a succulent rum cake and 18 banana nut bread muffins, which were enjoyed by all.

On Wednesday I went into Brownsville.  I had hoped to visit with old friends at the Rotary luncheon, but that day was their annual evening party at the new president's home.  I stopped by to see Rick Hoffman.  Predictably, he was working on a brief due that afternoon in Corpus Christi, so we had only a short visit.  I was successful in obtaining a copy of the restitution order which required my former secretary to repay me over $46,000.00 of the $58,000.00 she embezzled from me.  I lunched alone at Antonio's Mexican Buffet, entertained by organ music.  Meantime, the rest of the gang tried out the new South Padre Island Brewery.  We snacked that night.

On Thursday morning I drove into Brownsville to pick up Rhett, Mara and Alyssia.  Alyssia arrived with a large black and white striped hat with a red and yellow bow.  She also had on red rimmed, heart shaped shades.  What a doll!  There is something to be said for genetic make-up.  For months, I had been yearning for fried shrimp at Blackbeard's, where we ate our first meal.  When Rhett arrived on Thursday, he requested that his first meal also be at Blackbeard's.  This was Mara's first visit to South Padre Island.

After another good lunch at Blackbeard's, Robin and Diana drove to Harlingen to pick up Melanie.  I arranged to pick up my telephone system from the office and put that issue to bed.  That evening we tried another new restaurant on the Island, Peso's.  The chicken fajitas were delicious, but the beef was tough and over cooked.  

Everybody but me ate lunch in on Friday.  I went to the Port Isabel Rotary luncheon at Bahia Mar, which I greatly enjoyed. Chris arrived Friday morning.  Tim O'Leary compted all eight of us for a Dolphin Watch tour Friday afternoon.  We saw dozens of these playful little mammals frolicking in the bay.  We also passed by the large Russian ship with the huge crane, bent double by 40-50 foot waves during a gulf storm.  The development of Outdoor Resorts.  amazed us.  Many seniors lived in small trailers and had a boat at their private boat dock larger than their living quarters.  That evening, we had a wonderful meal at Scampi's on the bay.  

Saturday morning we had Cody's birthday party at Joyce's.  Except for Mara, Cody and Alyssia, we all went to Mexico afterwards.  Chris' brother Trent joined us.  We had a wet lunch at Blanca White's, then caught the local bus to the market.  The old Las Dos Republicas gift shop was now owned by Garcia's.  

That evening we had our best (and most expensive) meal at the Grill Room.  It was a joint birthday celebration for Mel (May 19th) and Mara (June 11th).  Rhett and Mara brought Alyssia along.  She was a little princess.  Only once did she fuss a little, but stopped once Mara took her for a stroll.  We baby sat for a short while that night, allowing Rhett and Mara a little free time on the Island.

Missing only our first day, Robin and I walked on the beach every day.  Most days we enjoyed either the indoor or outdoor Jacuzzi.  The weather was perfect for the entire trip.  We had great pleasure visiting with Diana and the kids and playing with our grandchildren.  Cody learned to give me a "High Five".  It was a contest to see whether Cody could outgrin Alyssia.  Mel enjoyed visiting with her old friends and checking out the nightlife.  Sunday morning Rhett and I took a walk together on the beach.  His asthma caused us to cut the walk short.  After a last minute Jacuzzi it was time to load up the rental car and head toward the airport.  Chris and Missy took Rhett and Mara to the airport in Brownsville.  They stayed over for a visit with Joyce and a little more "island fix".
As we crossed the Queen Isabella Causeway we all looked back at our Island in the sun.  Silently, we each asked ourselves when we might return.

APPENDIX A

130 Countries visited by Judge Edward F. Butler, Sr.
as of Nov. 11, 2002

PACIFIC OCEAN (15) 		

1.	Australia 

2.	 	Cook Islands 
3.	 	Fiji Islands 
4.	 	French Polynesia 
5.	 	Guam 
6.	 	Hawaiian Islands 
7.	 	New Caldedonia & Deps. ) 
8.	 	New Zealand 
9.	 	Papua New Guinea 
10.	 	Ryukyu Islands (Okinawa) 
11.	 	Samoa, American (Pago Pago) 
12.	 	Samoa, Western (Apia) 
13.	 	Tasmania 
14.	 	Tonga (Nukualofa) 
15.	 	Vanuatu (New Hebrides Islands) 

NORTH AMERICA (4) 
16.	 	Alaska 
17.	 	Canada 
18.	 	Mexico 
19.	 	United States (continental) 

CENTRAL AMERICA (3) 
20.	 	Belize (British Honduras) 
21.	 	Costa Rica 
22.	 	Panama 

SOUTH AMERICA (6) 

23.	 	Argentina 
24.	 	Brazil 
25.	 	Paraguay 
26.	 	Peru 
27.	 	Uruguay 
28.	 	Venezuela 

CARIBBEAN (20) 
29.	 	Anguilla 
30.	 	Antigua & Deps. (Barbuda, Redonda) 
31.	 	Aruba 
32.	 	Bahamas 
33.	 	Barbados 
34.	 	Cayman Islands 
35.	 	Dominica 
36.	 	Dominican Republic 
37.	 	Grenada & Deps. 
38.	 	Guadeloupe & Deps.(Marie Galante) 
39.	 	Jamaica 
40.	 	Leeward Islands, French (St. Martin) 
41.	 	Leeward Islands, Netherlands 
42.	 	Martinique 
43.	 	Netherlands Antilles (Curacao, Bonaire) 
44.	 	Puerto Rico 
45.	 	St. Kitts & Nevis 
2.	
46.	 	St. Lucia 
47.	 	Virgin Islands, U.S.
48.	 	Virgin Islands, British (Tortola, etc.) 

ATLANTIC OCEAN (1) 
49.	 	Bermuda 

EUROPE & MEDITERRANEAN (48) 
50.	 	Austria 
51.	 	Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Minorca) 
52.	 	Belarus 
53.	 	Belgium 
54.	 	Bosnia & Herzegovina (Sarajevo) 
55.	 	Bulgaria 
56.	 	Corsica 
57.	 	Crete 
58.	 	Croatia 
59.	 	Czech Federated Rep. 
60.	 	Denmark 
61.	 	Dodecanese Is. (Rhodes) 
62.	 	England 
63.	 	Estonia 
64.	 	Finland 
65.	 	France 
66.	 	Germany 
67.	 	Gibraltar 
68.	 	Greece 
69.	 	Hungary 
70.	 	Ireland (Eire) 
71.	 	Italy 
72.	 	Latvia 
73.	 	Liechtenstein 
74.	 	Lithuania
75.	 	Luxembourg 
76.	 	Monaco 
77.	 	Montenegro 
78.	 	Netherlands 
79.	 	Norway 
80.	 	Poland 
81.	 	Portugal 
82.	 	Romania 
83.	 	Russia 
84.	 	San Marino 
85.	 	Sardinia 
86.	 	Scotland 
87.	 	Serbia 
88.	 	Sicily 
89.	 	Slovakia 
90.	 	Slovenia 
91.	 	Spain 
92.	 	Sweden 
93.	 	Switzerland 
94.	 	Turkey in Europe (Istanbul) 
95.	 	Ukraine 
96.	 	Vatican City 
97.	 	Wales 

AFRICA (52) 

98.	 	Egypt 
99.	 	Morocco 
100.	 	Tunisia 

MIDDLE EAST (11) 
101.	 	Abu Dhabi 
102.	 	Ajman 
103.	 	Dubai

2.	 	Fujeirah 
3.	 	Israel 
4.	 	Jordan 
5.	 	Oman 
6.	 	Palestine 
7.	 	Ras Al Khaimah 
8.	 	Sharjah 
9.	 	Umm Al Qaiwain 

ASIA (18) 
10.	 	Armenia (Yerevan) 
11.	 	Azerbaijan (Baku) 
12.	 	China, People's Rep. + Outer Mongolia
13.	 	Georgia 
14.	 	Hong Kong 
15.	 	India 
16.	 	Japan 
17.	 	Korea, North 
18.	 	Korea, South 
19.	 	Lesser Sunda Islands (Bali,Timor, Indonesia) 
20.	 	Macau 
21.	 	Malaysia 
22.	 	Myanmar (Burma) 
23.	 	Nepal 
24.	 	Philippines 
25.	 	Singapore 
26.	 	Taiwan. R.O.C. 
27.	 	Thailand 
28.	 	Turkey in Asia (Anatolia, Ankara, Izmir) 
Additional countries added in Jan-Feb. 2003:
131. Madeira Islands
132. Andorra
Plus Countries visited which are no longer in existance:
133.  	East Germany
134. 	Russian Soviet Socialist Republic
135. 	Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic
136. 	Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic
137. 	Azerbaijanian Soviet Soc. Republic
138. 	Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic
139.  	Czechoslovakia
140.  	Yugoslavia

Additional countries to be added in Mar - Apr, 2004		

141.	Cambodia	
142.	Viet Nam
143. 	Sri Lanka
144.	Seychelles
145.	Maritius
146.	South Africa
147.	Zimbabwe
148.     Zambia
149.     Cape Verde Islands

		From Panama Canal Cruise

150.	Nicaragua

APPENDIX B

Travel Check List (22 Jan. 2002)

Check Internet for useful travel downloads to PDA at 

www.microsoft.com/mobile/pocketpc/default.asp 

Pre- Travel
stop newspaper/mail
arrange for limousine
foreign currency/Travel checks
written itinerary for luggage

On My Person:
Money Belt with money
Zipper belt with money
Badge, Credit, Telephone 
 Business Cards
$25.00 in $1.00 bills for tips
Quarters for return at airport
Air/train/cruise ship tickets
Passport & Drivers license

Carry On Bag:
Fanny  pack
Regular RX & Tranquilizers
Copy of itinerary
Travelers Checks & For. currency
Foreign Currency holder
Fake Passport and ID
New Hebrides money & stamps
International Drivers License
International Shot Record
Hand held computer (PDA)
Video Camera, film
CD Player (with clock/radio)
CDs, ear phones & extra batteries
Language translator (PDA)
Foreign Dictionary (PDA)
Small bottles of rum
cell phone & charger
Sun glasses & case
Travel Insurance
Novel
Small bottle of water
Candy, mints, & mouthwash
Pens & Note pads
Emergency Overnight kit 
(underwear & Socks, etc.)
Travel Kleenix
Travel Atlas (PDA)

Luggage:
Swiss Army Knife
Travel Tool
copy of  itinerary (in each bag)
Camera, film, film bag, 
extra camera battery
Flash light
binoculars
Adapters & Converters
Umbrella
Rain coat and rain hat
Extra Reading glasses
Copy of Passport & Drivers license
Copy of Travelers Check receipts
Maps & Travel guides (PDA)
Waterproof zipper bag
First Aid Kit with: 
Immodium, Lomitil 
	Aloe Vera, Alcohol 
Blistex, Antibiotic
Leather grooming kit  
Hanging bath bag
Toilet items & Robe
Dive Card
Foot Wear: 
(Tevas, tennis shoes, loafers, 
walking shoes, dress shoes & slippers
Swim trunks (2)
baseball cap

Bed Buddy
travel pillow
Blue Blazer  
2 pocket handkerchiefs
Slacks:	Blue, Gray and Khaki
White dress shirt  
3 ties (red, yellow & blue)
SS Blue Dress shirt
Guayaberas
SS sport shirts
Tee shirts
Wind Breaker
Draw String pants
Draw String short pants
Shorts: Blue, Green, Khaki
Belt
Socks , Underwear
Collaspsable cane
Zip lock bags
Legal pads, pens, 
 office supplies
check book
Tape, bubble wrap, 
address & fragile labels
Instant Coffee, Equal, 
Tea Bags, & Creamora
Baby  Oil
Extra passport photos for visas, etc.
Video film, extra battery 
 video battery charger
Power cords for CD Player, PDA
Cradel for PDA

In Spouse’s luggage:

Trousers or skirt
Shorts
2 Shirts & Tee Shirts or blouses and tops
Underwear (2) & socks (2)
Shoes
extra camera
swim suit

For Summer Vacation:
Swim mask, Snorkle, Fins & bag 
(vasoline)
Sun Block & Sun Tan Oil
Aloe Vera
Alcohol & eye dropper
Beach Towels
Short cover ups
Sun glasses

For Winter Trips:
Jacket with insert
gloves & scarf
Sweater
Long Handle Underwear
Chapstick

Research trips:

Laptop Computer
Computer Discs
Family files
Travel office - stapler, paper clips, rubber bands, scotch tape.

Lineage Society Meetings:

Membership medals
Name tags/neck ribbons
Society tie, lapel pins, etc.

Formal Wear:

Tuxedo
Formal shirt, tie , cuff links , shoes, socks, collar staves & cummerbund
Silk handkerchief & studs
Miniature medals