tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17923243188874125102024-03-13T21:22:36.675+02:00Cabin Boy's Log BookTales of pirates, brigands and fools. Romantic tales to woo the stone hearted and stories that chill yer bones. Yarns that make you think and others that'll make you sick.DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-79757048308729259152007-06-15T12:11:00.000+02:002007-06-15T12:25:50.331+02:00Panama's Indian CultureThis was a great day out... Docked in Colon, Panama(Don't laugh) we took the day off and went on a tour to see the local indians.<br /><div></div><br /><div>It was a bit touristy I know, but I got some great shots...</div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076233601538959810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RnJnkMihqcI/AAAAAAAAAQk/e1xG7292d_U/s320/Picture18.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076233597243992498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RnJnj8ihqbI/AAAAAAAAAQc/4wJu8VZn1fw/s320/Picture17.jpg" border="0" /></div><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076233597243992482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RnJnj8ihqaI/AAAAAAAAAQU/W21AaqNNh9Q/s320/Picture16.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076233597243992466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RnJnj8ihqZI/AAAAAAAAAQM/BTS5R-7VJH8/s320/Picture15.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076233592949025154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RnJnjsihqYI/AAAAAAAAAQE/vGWz3w2EPrg/s320/Picture14.jpg" border="0" /></p><p>Yes, I know I have been slack lately, sorry ne! Work has been a killer lately</p><p>CB</p>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-45638897056976436182007-05-14T21:45:00.000+02:002007-05-14T22:35:57.626+02:00Santorini, Greek Sm...isles<div align="left">Take the most beautiful view you have ever seen, multiply by2, add in a splash of greek cooking, a bottle of iced greek wine(not retsina) and mix toegether over a 4 hour split shift break.<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santorini">Santorini</a>, one of the hundreds of islands in the Agean sea off the coast of Greece, has to be the most beautiful. It has been earmarked as one of the possibles sights for the lost civilization of Atlantis and they are uncovering the mysteries to this day. Picture sheer cliffs plunging from dizzying heights into the ocean. White washed villages perching precariously and looking down at the world passing by in cruise ships and ferrys from the mainland.<br /></div><div align="left">This is a fascinating place... and as always my photos. </div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064511062437640626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RkjB-nWhubI/AAAAAAAAAPM/cLgQsOU_sb0/s320/SantoriniApril182006+032.jpg" border="0" /><p align="center"> The view from up high. </p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064511071027575234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RkjB_HWhucI/AAAAAAAAAPU/_sbpphCKAck/s320/SantoriniApril182006+023.jpg" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064511079617509842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RkjB_nWhudI/AAAAAAAAAPc/Uv-DvYVwXhY/s320/Picture+060.jpg" border="0" /><p align="center"> Spot the greek dog!</p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064514068914747874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RkjEtnWhueI/AAAAAAAAAPk/OjgLSw8JkSw/s320/SantoriniApril182006+025.jpg" border="0" /><p align="center">"Your table is ready sir!" </p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064514077504682482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RkjEuHWhufI/AAAAAAAAAPs/xCw4ayBZfXQ/s320/Picture+065.jpg" border="0" /><p align="center">Guaranteed to wake you up on a Sunday morning </p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064514086094617090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RkjEunWhugI/AAAAAAAAAP0/3zhQ1Bbfy64/s320/Picture+044.jpg" border="0" /><p align="center">The Cliche Santorini pic </p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064514090389584402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RkjEu3WhuhI/AAAAAAAAAP8/3_IaPx-L8lE/s320/SantoriniApril182006+044.jpg" border="0" /><p align="center">The future home of "<span style="color:#009900;">Cabin boys Mojito bar and grill</span>"<br /></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5064511040962804114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RkjB9XWhuZI/AAAAAAAAAO8/1V1Ho_O9WnQ/s320/Santorini+map.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center"><a title="Geographic coordinate system" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_coordinate_system">Coordinates</a><br /><a class="external text" title="http://tools.wikimedia.de/~magnus/geo/geohack.php?params=" href="http://tools.wikimedia.de/~magnus/geo/geohack.php?params=36_24_N_25_24_E_type:city_region:GR" rel="nofollow">36°24′N, 25°24′E</a></p><p align="left">Well thats all for this week. Have the weekend off, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I am willing to be bribed and corrupted to go out. Have a great week.</p><p align="left">CB</p>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-47865240928901153392007-05-05T15:59:00.000+02:002007-05-05T18:21:55.229+02:00Monaco or bust!Monaco, three days before Grand Prix day. I had to work lunch and the Lithuanian Dictator we called our boss would not hear of us going off the ship.<br /><br /><div><em>"But Gintaras, please I need to get off, I want to take some photos, the ship is quiet cause everyone is out doing the same thing."</em></div><br /><div><em>"No!" </em></div><br /><div><em>"Doos!"</em></div><div><em></em> </div><div><em></em> </div><div><em></em> </div><div><em></em></div><div></div><div></div><div><em></em></div><div><em></em></div><div><em>"Vot" </em></div><br /><div><em>"Nothing! It means thanks in Afrikaans" </em></div><br /><div><em>"Ooh haha! I lern Afrikaan dee udder day from the girls, they teach me." </em></div><br /><div><em>"Really, what did they teach you" </em></div><br /><div><em>"Ek is moffie, It mean I liike yuuu." (Insert Borat Accent if you must)</em></div><br /><div><em>"Hrrmmmmmph" </em></div><br /><div>After taking numerous photos from the ship, I decided there was only one thing left to do. I slipped my trusty camera into my pocket and after making sure my station was spotless left the deserted dining room. My busboy stayed behind with strict instructions to say that I had gone to the pool deck to fetch mineral water. </div><br /><div>The electricity in the place is unbelieveable. The track is all set up, the pits are there with all the drivers names on the doors and the grand stands are all set up, waiting for Grand prix day. I walked the entire track and snapped some great photos. </div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061083919053601010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RjyVAnWhuPI/AAAAAAAAANs/RSFKdbuap7g/s320/Monaco+010.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061083923348568322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RjyVA3WhuQI/AAAAAAAAAN0/-FxwXyd78-0/s320/Monaco+008.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061083927643535634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RjyVBHWhuRI/AAAAAAAAAN8/Gl3nXr_xmlw/s320/Monaco+012.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061083931938502946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RjyVBXWhuSI/AAAAAAAAAOE/hk6ouhg_ZF4/s320/Monaco+020.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061083936233470258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RjyVBnWhuTI/AAAAAAAAAOM/VH1IA2g1MpE/s320/Monaco+022.jpg" border="0" /> I had a quick sandwich and a coffee track side, the same seat that would cost thousands of Euros on race day and took it all in.<br /><div>There is nothing like bunking to add to the thrill of the day.</div><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061085907623459138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RjyW0XWhuUI/AAAAAAAAAOU/peLElQ_Wm4o/s320/Monaco+013.jpg" border="0" />Monte Carlo Casino</div><div align="center"><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061086753732016514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RjyXlnWhuYI/AAAAAAAAAO0/6WjgqXiEVFE/s320/Monaco+014.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center">Car park outside the casino</p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061085911918426450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RjyW0nWhuVI/AAAAAAAAAOc/FrGTCYdSAlU/s320/Monaco+016.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center">The view from the Versace "Mega" Store</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061085916213393762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RjyW03WhuWI/AAAAAAAAAOk/Fvb51W_gK6A/s320/Monaco+017.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center">The track as it winds past the yacht harbour</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061085924803328370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RjyW1XWhuXI/AAAAAAAAAOs/TZdLIu19lcI/s320/Monaco+018.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center">The Ferrari showroom</p><p>So that was my day in Monaco, I have been back numerous times since but this was the first and best time. </p><p>I was not caught "Bunking" work either.</p><p>Have a great week</p><p>CB</p>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-78250470061864291222007-04-24T15:55:00.000+02:002007-04-24T20:20:54.159+02:00Vanity Plates...Dirty Greek style<div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">It seems to be a blogging tradition especially amongst <a href="www.ostendo.co.za">Ostendo</a> and <a href="www.aquilaonline.co.za">Aquila</a> to feature Vanity plates from around South Africa. Well looking through my photos I came across this beauty which I snapped on the island of Rhodes in Greece. This is not technically a vanity plate but it makes for lots of hilarity for a group of South African tourists who happen to see it.</div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">So here it is, the first international NONVANITY plate posting</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056997262453554658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Ri4QN5KqveI/AAAAAAAAANk/lIOM-CRVpp0/s320/RhodesApr2606+043.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><p align="center">"Jou ma se number plate boet"</p><p align="left">Have a good one</p><p align="left">CB<br /></p>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-57708095670790302042007-04-18T17:54:00.000+02:002007-04-19T20:46:56.702+02:00ArubaStaying on the Carribean theme, another great island has got to be Aruba. Immortalised forever by the Beach boys in their song "Kokomo" everybody knows the first few lines of the lyrics...<br /><br /><br /><div align="center">"Aruba, Jamaica, ooh I wanna take ya..."</div><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054801640268851410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RiZDT3JJaNI/AAAAAAAAAM0/WQ_SpiAmsuU/s320/200px-Aruba_map.png" border="0" /></p><br /><br /><p>Aruba is only 32 km long so seeing it is simple, hire a scooter, find a few willing hangers on and set off for lunch somewhere.</p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054802675355969762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RiZEQHJJaOI/AAAAAAAAAM8/0N2KMkMQN8g/s320/Picture11.jpg" border="0" />Rock formations on the beach(Snorkelling is awesome)</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054802679650937074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RiZEQXJJaPI/AAAAAAAAANE/Pqlz21inMRk/s320/Picture9.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center">Compared to the rest of the Carribean Aruba is quite sparsely vegetated and has more of desert like climate</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054802683945904386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RiZEQnJJaQI/AAAAAAAAANM/DH3VQasUTnQ/s320/Picture12.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center">The Shopping mall! We found a restaurant that uses Nandoes chilli sauce(Iguana Joes)</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054802688240871698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RiZEQ3JJaRI/AAAAAAAAANU/Z-uZDm-SD-o/s320/Picture13.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center">Local cars-A hoot</p><p align="left">Aruba is part of the kingdom of the Netherlands but the Dutch influence is not really felt at all.</p><p align="left">Hope you all have an awesome weekend.</p><p align="left">If you looking for something different to do Sunday evening(22nd April) we are starting off the Winter Jazz sessions featuring Chilli and Lime. You can get all the details <a href="http://www.joeblog.co.za">here</a> or <a href="http://www.highveld.co.za/thelounge/jobiz/jobiz.asp?date=4-22-2007">here</a>. Just click on the relevant dates. Se ya there.</p><p align="left">CB</p>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-21406431161872201242007-04-09T16:52:00.000+02:002007-04-09T17:16:20.683+02:00The Continental divide...The Panama Canal has always fascinated me. We went through quite often and on one occasion I went on a tour with some guests and had a chance to snap some awesome pictures... Enjoy,<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5051443369480291826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RhpU-xjgBfI/AAAAAAAAAL8/IqymegTx-8M/s320/Picture20.jpg" border="0" /> <div></div><div></div><div>The ship must pass through 3 locks to get to the Pacific.<br /></div><div></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5051443369480291842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RhpU-xjgBgI/AAAAAAAAAME/d73x1TD5Ozk/s320/Picture21.jpg" border="0" /></div><br /><div align="center">Entering into Gatun Lock</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5051443373775259154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RhpU_BjgBhI/AAAAAAAAAMM/gIcbJmlTuus/s320/Picture23.jpg" border="0" /></div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5051443373775259170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RhpU_BjgBiI/AAAAAAAAAMU/36cXlexYZI0/s320/Picture24.jpg" border="0" /></div><br /><div align="center">Waiting for the lock to fill up</div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5051443378070226482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RhpU_RjgBjI/AAAAAAAAAMc/XxNoJznl6Ts/s320/Picture25.jpg" border="0" /></div><div align="center">and waiting...</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5051445770367010370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RhpXKhjgBkI/AAAAAAAAAMk/Z68KFsMME58/s320/Picture27.jpg" border="0" /></div><br /><p> </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5051445770367010386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RhpXKhjgBlI/AAAAAAAAAMs/yK0HjYbqP_c/s320/Picture28.jpg" border="0" /></p><p>Have a great week...</p><p>CB</p>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-45702588323853412532007-04-05T16:29:00.000+02:002007-04-05T16:40:16.322+02:00Happy Easter<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RhUJ-hjgBeI/AAAAAAAAAL0/AOR4Gs6pT14/s1600-h/easterhumor.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049953526929688034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RhUJ-hjgBeI/AAAAAAAAAL0/AOR4Gs6pT14/s320/easterhumor.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Hope you all have a great long weekend, drive safe and have fun</div><br /><p>Dave</p><p> </p>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-58547768729124404962007-03-23T20:56:00.000+02:002007-03-24T21:28:52.427+02:00"Where everybody knows your name..."<div align="center"></div><div align="left">You walking around Antigua, been away from home for 6 months. Missing friends, good times and moms cooking... and then you see</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045199471501435746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="300" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RgQmME_U42I/AAAAAAAAALo/kaED-cLlb8U/s320/Crossing+011.jpg" width="420" border="0" /><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><strong></strong></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div>Alas alack, nobody knew my name, nobody was glad I came, but hey, it was the Jolly Roger, and thats all that mattered, it even looks like the original! Pizza was good(Not Jolly good, buut decent).</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">The Jolly Roger is a pub in Parkhurst, Johannesburg, that everyone north of Commisioner street knows about. A place where legends are made and destroyed. Names are swept up off the ash strewn carpets the next morning, and many... many a young lady has lost her sense of wrong and right.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">The Jolly Roger in Antigua is by no means as legendary as the the original in Jozi, but when in Rome, one tends to do as the Antiguans do... MON! Drink a Red Stripe and fell Ayrie, and then go back to work...EEEEISH!</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">"Oh Happy days..."</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-32327116001554161592007-03-23T16:59:00.000+02:002007-03-24T00:57:50.220+02:00"Do you like Pina Colada's..."<div align="left">There is no possible way or reason to demystify the Caribbean; it will always be a mysterious and exciting destination. The mere mention of the word conjures up visions of yachts, white serene beaches, bikinis, cocktails, bananas, beautiful vistas(the list goes on and on)<br /><br />I was lucky enough to travel to many of the islands and experience the many wonders that they have to offer. (Bikini's, Tequila and RED STRIPE beer being in the top ten:-)<br /><br />My first post on the Caribbean may as well be topical as well as tropical(mmmmph), this island is playing host to the South African cricket team at the moment during the first leg of the world cup. It’s the one and only... St. Kitts.<br /></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045140823723008738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RgPw2U_U4uI/AAAAAAAAAKo/gd95q2oKRRc/s320/CIMG0032.JPG" border="0" /> Lina from Sweden<br /><br /></div><div align="center"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045165287856726850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RgQHGU_U40I/AAAAAAAAALY/iqlz6Ki9W5A/s320/CIMG0033.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><p align="center">Rocks-Connected </p><p>What a cool place, everything you could require from a Tropical Island. Beaches, Margaritas and splendid weather abound. We always docked at St. Basseterre. We had a special place that none else knew about, THE SHIPWRECK.<br /><br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045175793346732882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RgQQp0_U41I/AAAAAAAAALg/a9UkgkDAp8c/s320/CIMG0041.JPG" border="0" /><p align="center"><br />Days off...time well spent</p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045148868196754178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RgP4Kk_U4wI/AAAAAAAAAK4/SZO5Fm9K37M/s320/CIMG0040.JPG" border="0" /></p><div align="center">Life was tough at times, but we were survivors.<br /></div><br /><p align="center"></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045151543961379602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RgP6mU_U4xI/AAAAAAAAALA/R20_ebrP76c/s320/CIMG0042.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p align="center">Me-Shell, one of the locals!<br /></p><br /><p></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045157170368537378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RgP_t0_U4yI/AAAAAAAAALI/FRlVR2ADZcM/s320/CIMG0043.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center">Ashleigh, Juanita and Tyler </p><p align="left">Have a great weekend and good luck to the Proteas against Australia. Give em hell...</p>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-50623488952810578872007-03-23T09:44:00.000+02:002007-03-23T10:06:24.482+02:00Conquest of Paradise...<span > Here are the missing photos from the Chilean Fjords and Antarctica, I have found them, ENJOY...</span><br /><div></div><br /><div> </div><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045025594045424306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RgOIDE_U4rI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/8lr5cuOyHK8/s320/INSIG3.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center">Fjords...Chile(tee hee)</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045025581160522402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RgOICU_U4qI/AAAAAAAAAKI/aBsJBIK_4Y4/s320/INSIG2.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center">Glaciers-Frosty</p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045025581160522386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RgOICU_U4pI/AAAAAAAAAKA/-d1YglhWCQ4/s320/INSIG1.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center">The Insignia</p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045025598340391618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RgOIDU_U4sI/AAAAAAAAAKY/DvoWzjo8yxQ/s320/INSIG4.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center">26th December 2004-SNOW</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045025598340391634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RgOIDU_U4tI/AAAAAAAAAKg/ZzN5LRaoy-Q/s320/INSIG5.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center">Miserable Weather in Antarctica</p><p align="left">Weekend already... this is awesome</p><p align="left">Have a great one</p><p align="left">CB</p>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-71394855150207987632007-03-15T18:47:00.000+02:002007-03-16T00:26:56.768+02:00Barthelona...<div align="left">If I ever get asked which is my favourite port ever...this is it.</div><br /><br />The most cosmopolitain city in the world. This place has buzz about it. I have been there about twenty times over my four years at sea and there is still things left to see.<br /><br />Gaudi's sculptures and buildings are just mind blowing, I am going to devote one post just to all my photos of his stuff in the future.<br /><br />My first awareness of Barcelona was when I was quite young I used to watch videos of Fawlty towers where Manuel, the accident prone and often misunderstood waiter/porter was from there.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5042202427720556354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RfmAZK3lX0I/AAAAAAAAAJQ/8C4EmH06RRw/s320/Manaul.bmp" border="0" /> <p align="center">"I am Manual, and I know Nooothing" </p><p>Then in 1992 I remember watching Olympics on telly. Remember how they lit the flame, with the archer shooting the flaming arrow. Awesome stuff.<br /><br />Barcelona is the Capital of the Catalan province of Spain. Their dialect is totally different to the rest of Spain and has a slight French influence. Catalonians would rather be in their own self governing country and is quite a hot topic at the moment.<br /><br />Here are some snaps kids...</p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5042228605546225490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RfmYM63lX1I/AAAAAAAAAJY/TckW5F_k0is/s320/Barcelona+011.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p align="center">Las Ramblas-the busy shopping street</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5042228674265702290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RfmYQ63lX5I/AAAAAAAAAJ4/xwjFYZMqOaA/s320/Barcelona2+021.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center">Me after a long hike up the hill to the Olympic stadium</p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5042228652790865778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RfmYPq3lX3I/AAAAAAAAAJo/xirhRv9xq_Q/s320/Barcelona2+002.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center">The Olympic stadium inside (looked bigger on telly).</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5042228665675767682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RfmYQa3lX4I/AAAAAAAAAJw/IEWM5_7b7QQ/s320/Barcelona2+005.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center">The Olympic diving pool(Check the background view)</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5042228644200931170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RfmYPK3lX2I/AAAAAAAAAJg/pPWPJx0gLiY/s320/Barcelona+030.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center">Gaudi's Segrada de Familia(building started in 1898 and is ongoing today).</p><p align="left">I am off the weekend(Woohoo). Happy St.Patricks day to all of yah. </p><p align="left">Have a safe weekend.</p><p align="left">CB</p><p align="left">P.S Met <a href="http://www.champsheathen.blogspot.com">Champers</a> and <a href="http://onalimn.com/blog/">Jam</a> tonight, thanks for popping by, AWESOME.</p>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-53923010673175469232007-03-11T12:50:00.000+02:002007-03-11T13:50:46.399+02:00Know thyself...<div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RfPpYK3lXzI/AAAAAAAAAJI/C9ktXWPAa6M/s1600-h/Bunnychow.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040629009401339698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 385px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 186px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="186" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RfPpYK3lXzI/AAAAAAAAAJI/C9ktXWPAa6M/s320/Bunnychow.png" width="332" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> Pool party's in Hillbrow?</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div align="left"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I went to go see </span><a href="http://www.bunnychowmovie.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Bunny Chow </span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">on Friday.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Brilliant. It is not a movie about AIDS, crime or Politics. Just a group of mates who go on a road trip and find out a bit more about themselves and have fun on the way. The best thing is that it is set in Joburg, we will all recognise landmarks and think, Hey I've been there...</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">From Melville to Killarney, pool partys in Hillbrow to Oppikoppi </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">It's a laugh a minute rollercoaster of good fun and normal honest people doing what they do best.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Its all in black and white and something else at times(not quite sure) but it is done brilliantly and helps capture the raw honesty and moods of the characters all the time. The characters all use their real first names, Joey, Kim, Kags, David and even Danny(K).</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">If you are looking for something different to watch, go watch Bunnychow... NOW, you won't regret it.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /></div>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-16253070861968554612007-03-08T18:54:00.000+02:002007-03-08T23:39:26.328+02:00Viva La Venezia...<span style="font-size:85%;">Don't get me wrong, Venice is an awesome place....</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">For two days.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I really enjoyed getting lost in its maze of alleys and canals, wondering around munching on a panini, drinking good coffee, sipping prosecco in the square, not forgetting the gorgeous drink invented in Venice at Joe's Bar...the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellini_%28cocktail%29">Bellini</a>(Champagne and white peach puree.)</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5039604410346929858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RfBFgp84fsI/AAAAAAAAAIo/wT880ROCGIY/s320/Davids+Pics+119.jpg" border="0" /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">The ancient Venetians built the city in the lagoon to get away from the barbarians and the raiding hordes. They also left their ancestors a legacy, to sell cheap souveniers and charge small fortunes for meals and drinks to stupid tourists who visit this floating theme park of a city. And boy do they visit. Tourism is a contributing factor towards the sinking of Venice. They flock their en masse. </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">We docked in Venice for three days at a time and it was cool cause the middle day was normally a day when new passengers boarded, dropped their suitcases and ran into town for their sightseeing, so we did have a bit of time off. Now don't brand me as a unromantic boor but the more time you spend in this city the more you realise that the only thing Venice is there for is tourism. Yes people live there but the shopowners have to live somewhere...<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5039604414641897170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RfBFg584ftI/AAAAAAAAAIw/3kN27-gdCLA/s320/Davids+Pics+125.jpg" border="0" /></span><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">St Mark's cathedral</span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I took a date out for dinner once and we sat in a quaint little restaurant next to the grand canal. The restaurant closed at 22:00 and we sat down at 21:15, ordered a bottle of Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio(Awesome wine to the wine lovers out there).</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">The waiter opened it and we placed our order. I ordered a spaghetti Carbonara(when in Rome) and it came in not even 5 minutes and the glutenous glump of glop I got was pitiful. The Waiter then goes back inside and starts closing up the shop, putting umbrellas inside etc.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Once we had finished he rushed out and offered us the dessert menu and coffee. We hadnt finished our first glass of wine yet. Half a bottle was still left. </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Don't get me wrong, we were sitting in the most beautiful city in the world next to beautiful canal with gondolas gliding past us, so the whole experience did not put us off. We just sat and sipped wine and chatted the good chat. I still didnt mind paying the 80 Euro bill and tipping the waiter. It was magical, like an adult disney world(Did I just call myself an adult). Its only in hindsight that I realize I was so taken in by the place, the culture, the smells and sounds. And thats why those *&^%'s make a shitload of cash of the tourists.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5039604418936864482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RfBFhJ84fuI/AAAAAAAAAI4/ER0OIeOHIo4/s320/Davids+Pics+127.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">St Mark's Square(Note the water puddles everywhere)</span></div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RfBFhZ84fvI/AAAAAAAAAJA/OiOIG7OjteQ/s1600-h/Davids+Pics+132.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5039604423231831794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RfBFhZ84fvI/AAAAAAAAAJA/OiOIG7OjteQ/s320/Davids+Pics+132.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">St. Marks Square from the ship when we sailed in, the tower is called La Camapanile</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">Hope you all have an awesome weekend... I am out of here till Saturday night</span></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Be safe</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">C.B</div>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-91874716868935601502007-03-02T00:24:00.000+02:002007-03-08T23:48:57.450+02:00"There is no such thing as a stupid question...only stupid people"<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RedYdpa-klI/AAAAAAAAAIc/jzNtN1BLuWY/s1600-h/Dumb+tourist.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5037091974595646034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 212px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 264px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="264" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RedYdpa-klI/AAAAAAAAAIc/jzNtN1BLuWY/s320/Dumb+tourist.bmp" width="209" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> Hi all!<br /></span><div><span style="font-size:85%;">During the course of my 4 years at sea I have interacted with a lot of people from different cultures, nationalties and religions. I have also heard the dumbest questions ever asked. I guess it has something to do with the holiday mode that people are in, or maybe not"<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">DUMB CRUISE PASSENGER QUESTIONS...</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">1. Does the crew sleep onboard?</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#ff6666;">"No madam, we actually commute..."</span> </span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">2. What time is the midnight buffet?</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#ff6666;">"Duuuh, you should really check out your daily program"</span> </span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">3. Which elevator takes me to the front of the ship?</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff6666;">"The forward elevators."</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">4. Do you generate your own electricity?</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff6666;">"No sir, actually we have a looong extension cord that plugs into Miami that trails behind the ship.</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">5. Is this island totally surrounded by water?</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff6666;">...and a rock feels no pain!</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">6. Is the water in the toilet salt or fresh?</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff6666;">"Depends if the last guy flushed or not" Who cares? Why don't you taste it?</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff6666;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">7. What language do they speak in Alaska?</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#ff6666;">"Alaska is a state of which country...?" </span><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">8. What do you do with the ice carvings after they melt?</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff6666;">"Contribute towards rising sea levels"</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">9. How high above sea level are we?</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff6666;">This is a question asked by a guest whilst sailing through the Norwegian Fjords...</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">10. How do we know which pictures are ours?</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff6666;">Asked in the photo gallery</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff6666;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#000000;">11. "I specifically asked for my cabin to have a sea view on this cruise...all I can see is an ugly terminal building out my window"</span><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff6666;">"Uuh yes sir, just wait another few hours before we sail and I am sure that you will find the view a little better"</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff6666;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;color:#000000;">Welcome to my life... he he he, we had fun.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Have a great weekend</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">CB</span></div>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-28910793697229753302007-02-21T22:44:00.000+02:002007-02-22T00:03:31.197+02:00"such was life...In Leningrad."<div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">We spent a lot of time here. Six days a month for three and a half months straight. Three days per two week cruise. It was a popular season. There is so much to see and all the guests on the ship were out all day touring so the crew had plenty time off</span>.</div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">Leningrad, now known as St. Petersburg was the capital of Russia during Tsar rule. When the communists took over the capital was moved to Moscow. St. Petersburg was Peter the Greats vision and was Russias window on the west. He designed the city around western architecture and culture.</span><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">I have spent a lot of time here and there is so much I have left to see. The Hermitage museum which is the original tsarist Winter palace is a have to see. It is the second largest art museum in the world after La Louvre in Paris.</span></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">The Tsars amassed a huge collection of western art. Remabrandt, Picasso, Dali, Da Vinci and Michealangelo are all on display. It is awesome. For me too stand and gaze upon an original Van Gogh was a real highlight. They reckon that if you spend 1 minute looking at every single piece in the museum for 8 hours a day you would be there for 3 years or there abouts.</span><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">I have many stories about this city, too many to bore you with in one posting. Our "Vodka appreciation evening" is one that I am already drafting. So here are some shots of a two and a half hour walk I took one day.</span></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034094152221553090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rdyx9a0JccI/AAAAAAAAAHU/_bLjK_9d-6s/s320/P1010107.JPG" border="0" /></span></p><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Nevsky Prospekt</span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><p align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rdyx9q0JcdI/AAAAAAAAAHc/MzqZSPSr_3E/s1600-h/P1010112.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034094156516520402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rdyx9q0JcdI/AAAAAAAAAHc/MzqZSPSr_3E/s320/P1010112.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> St. Isaac's Church on the spilt blood</span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><div align="center"><br /></div><p align="center"><br /></p><div align="center"><br /></div><p align="center"></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rdyx9q0JceI/AAAAAAAAAHk/QB-8LYKWGNU/s1600-h/P1010115.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034094156516520418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rdyx9q0JceI/AAAAAAAAAHk/QB-8LYKWGNU/s320/P1010115.JPG" border="0" /></a> </p><div align="center"><br /></div><p align="center"><br /></p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rdyx960JcfI/AAAAAAAAAHs/7bVy45DWBDY/s1600-h/P1010118.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034094160811487730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rdyx960JcfI/AAAAAAAAAHs/7bVy45DWBDY/s320/P1010118.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><p align="center"></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The Hermitage Museum</span></p><br /><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></p><br /><br /><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034094160811487746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rdyx960JcgI/AAAAAAAAAH0/27aEpCFBWmQ/s320/P1010119.JPG" border="0" /></p><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">again...</span></div><br /><br /><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Anyone who is an avid collector of useless information will enjoy reading up on this vibrant city's often tragic past. The seige of Leningrad, Rasputin, The Romanovs, The Russian revolution and not forgetting the lavish lifestyle of the Tsars (Hey If I was digging coal my whole life and my Tsar lived in a palace with 1200 rooms during the winter, I would also revolt.</span></p><br /><br /><p><span style="font-size:85%;">This is definitely a place that has moved me and will definitely be seeing me again.</span></p><br /><br /><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Have a safe week</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">CB</span></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034109957701202450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RdzAVa0JchI/AAAAAAAAAH8/X1B9M_RTCn0/s320/P1010123.JPG" border="0" /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">The stretch Hummer- A wedding favourite</span></p><p> </p>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-7897797083835727212007-02-15T19:08:00.000+02:002007-03-16T00:42:59.716+02:00Una Corona Por favor!<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5031813889659597234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RdSYEq0JcbI/AAAAAAAAAHI/ZIgT8Fbqjcw/s320/Brazil+132.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Thats Spanish for 1 Corona please, a very useful phrase in and around the Carribean and Mexico</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Another one is...</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">"Tu Madre manega una cambion"</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">But I wouldn't suggest saying that too often.</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Sailing along one day and the captain came over the pa System announcing that there was a </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corona"><span style="font-size:85%;">corona</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> around the sun. Wikipedia is a little anal about the whole phenomenon, I know. Its basically a rainbow around the sun that I was lucky enough to spot.</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">This only happens under certain atmospheric conditions apparently. The reason the photo isn't all in frame is that I didn't look through the view finder to get the shot, obviously. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Have a great weekend, I am out of town for the weekend and am going to have an all fall down party at the dam.</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Bye Melville</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Cheers</span></div><div></div>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-65072749090296490202007-02-13T18:56:00.000+02:002007-02-13T19:21:01.365+02:00Gotta love it...<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RdHvR60JcaI/AAAAAAAAAG4/pnExc2tYSzE/s1600-h/vale5pb.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5031065349874348450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RdHvR60JcaI/AAAAAAAAAG4/pnExc2tYSzE/s320/vale5pb.png" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Happy Valentines Day to all of you...</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Hope you've made your restaurant reservations, booked your roses and bought your gifts. Spending a small fortune in the process. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Valentines day, to me, seems to be for the newly in Love. After a few years you get to realize that it is a waste of money and personally it seems very unromantic to buy flowers and spoil your love on the one day when everyone else is doing it anyway. But thats just me, single old me.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Joburg is in a tizz about it at the moment... I have taken at least a hundred calls today at the restaurant for bookings tomorrow. Wild eyed guys running in and begging me for a table tomorrow night. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">"But please, you don't understand!"</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">"Oh I do sir... just give me your details and I'll put you on the waitlist."</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">"Great, how far am I on the waitlist?"</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">"124th"</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Poor suckers, it's like if they don't get this right they gonna lose their girlfriend/wife forever. Their last chance!</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Get home early from work, put a bottle of something nice and expensive in the freezer to chill. Dim the lights and cook her a fantastic dinner. Put on the music she likes, chat and love her. No crowds, no irate, overworked waiters, no lost bookings just you and her, in the place that you feel most comfortable.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Sorry girls, I am working tomorrow night, at a restaurant. Sheesh I hope I haven't lost any bookings.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Back to sea next time. Peace!</span></p>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-60327938165103503082007-02-11T12:47:00.000+02:002007-02-11T14:10:17.381+02:00The bottom of the world...<div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">December 2004 was an awesome christmas and birthday month for me. We were cruising from Valparaiso(Chile) to Buenos Aires (Argentina) via Antarctica, then up to the Falkland islands. It was a monster cruise of 16 days I think and that included like 9 days at sea, with rough weather. The Straits between South America and Antarctica join the Pacific ocean and the Atlantic ocean so yes things got veeeery rough. </span></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">We went to Ushuaia, Argentina, as our first stop on Christmas day. This is the most Southern permanaetly inhabited town in the world also known as worlds end. The trip there was awesome. The glaciers and fjords compare to Norway in every way. Got some time off and phoned home and bought some Souveniers. You must remember that this was a normal working day for everyone.</span><br /></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5030242730493178162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rc8DHK0JcTI/AAAAAAAAAFo/fvxkbV2NDvM/s320/Dec2004+077.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Ushuaia, the end of the world as we know it...</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span></p><p align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rc8ZD60JcVI/AAAAAAAAAGA/46S1q8ll4OU/s1600-h/Dec2004+111.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5030266863914414418" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 263px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 211px" height="187" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rc8ZD60JcVI/AAAAAAAAAGA/46S1q8ll4OU/s320/Dec2004+111.jpg" width="229" border="0" /></a><br /></p><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">All the Saffas got together on deck the afternoon that we docked in Antarctica. We dressed up in our warmest fineries but alas after five minutes in the Antarctic cold we were tickets, The wind was bitingly cold, never have I experienced that sort of cold, don't forget this was "summer".</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rc8aga0JcWI/AAAAAAAAAGI/WUhqxGcKfvU/s1600-h/Dec2004+117.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5030268453052313954" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 253px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 175px" height="199" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rc8aga0JcWI/AAAAAAAAAGI/WUhqxGcKfvU/s320/Dec2004+117.jpg" width="221" border="0" /></span></a></span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rc8aga0JcWI/AAAAAAAAAGI/WUhqxGcKfvU/s1600-h/Dec2004+117.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rc8aga0JcWI/AAAAAAAAAGI/WUhqxGcKfvU/s1600-h/Dec2004+117.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">This is Wattana, a great guy I met from Thailand. He looks a lot like an Eskimo in this shot...<br /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I have collected hundreds of sunset photos over my travels but this one has to be one of the most memorable ever...</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5030270454507073922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 477px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="240" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rc8cU60JcYI/AAAAAAAAAGY/oj0y_AGQ1-g/s320/Dec2004+128.jpg" width="423" border="0" /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Sun-Chilly</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">Antarctica is very protected in an enviromental sense. No food is allowed to be served on verandahs and no waste is allowed to be disposed at sea (although our cruiseline's enviromental policies did not allow us too discard any waste at sea).</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">The other thing we did was to send a rescue boat out and hacked a huge piece of ice off an iceberg. Martinis were then made with this ice in the bars that night. Icebergs contain the purest ice in the world. Having been in a frozen state for hundreds of thousands of years. The ship photographer got a ride on the boat and took some awesome photos. Now if can only figure out how to get photos off a powerpoint presentation I could get them posted for you all to see. I am sure someone could email me directions, Pleeease help.</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">Thanks for the comments and the support, have a great week.</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">Later</span></p><p align="left"><br /><br /></p>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-63882819396773632542007-02-10T17:45:00.000+02:002007-02-10T17:45:06.797+02:00The Corcovado<div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">So once we had whiled away a few hours on the Copacabana our merry group went their seperate ways. The soccer enthusiasts had organised some tickets for the afternoon match at the Maracana stadium, which used to be the biggest soccer stadium in the world. The biggest now being in Belo Horizonte. I have no interest in soccer so I made my way back to the ship and picked up my tour bus to0 The Corcovado. This is the mountain with the famous statue of Jesus on it. </span><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">It was a beautiful afternoon and I was looking forward to taking some magic photos from the top. We met up with another group of mates from the ship and waited in the que. We got our coach and started the trek to the top. There is some awesome tropical forests which are part of a national park in Rio surrounding the mountain. </span><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">When we got to the top the unthinkable had happened</span><br /></div><div align="left"><br /><br /></div><div align="left"></div><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029945209518649602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rc30hK0JcQI/AAAAAAAAAE4/SpJefR8tts0/s320/Brazil+087.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"> J.C</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">A lone cloud had gathered over the top and completely obliterated our view of the statue and of the city of Rio De Janeiro. We were all gutted. Spent an hour waiting for the clouds to clear and just when we were waiting on line for the coach down there was a break in the clouds and We got a few hurried photos...<br /></span><br /></p><div align="center"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029946738527006994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rc316K0JcRI/AAAAAAAAAFA/IJXMUFABcvw/s320/Brazil+099.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029947253923082530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rc32YK0JcSI/AAAAAAAAAFI/UbZN1O7hWQU/s320/Brazil+108.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-size:85%;">So we did manage to get a few good shots and all in all was a great day. I reckon is Rio is right behind Cape Town in the beauty stakes.<br /></span>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-78328489821877810322007-02-07T18:59:00.000+02:002007-02-07T21:02:53.627+02:00Her name was Lola...<div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">SO, we were in Rio for 3 days, dropped off the old passengers on the first day and picked up the new ones on the 3rd day. So yes geniuses, we had one full day off in Rio. I had organised a tour up the Corcovado(With the statue of Jesus on top) in the afternoon so I had the morning to do some serious touristy stuff, there was only one place to go... </span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">"We went to the Copa..."</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">"Copacabana"</span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">We piled into a taxi and off we went. Got warned in the taxi about crime and pick pockets and the likes. It is bad in Rio. The one thing I noticed about Rio was the Soccer, every single available open space is taken up by a soccer field.</span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">Got to the Copacabana and it is as good as it sounds. Sun, sand, people and lots of soccer. We hit the beach and met up with a bunch of girls from the ship as we got there. We drank the local beer and watched the Brazilian People do what they do best... Have fun, play soccer and look darn good ( the girls anyway), enjoy the pics.</span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5028848149574732242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RcoOv4DISdI/AAAAAAAAACs/GJOSLsE8wo0/s320/Brazil+038.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-size:85%;">Days off-Deserved</span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5028851108807199234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RcoRcIDISgI/AAAAAAAAADE/DPEyZIjLjxI/s320/Brazil+032.jpg" border="0" /></span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Being a perfect gentlemen and helping the lady out.</span><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5028855639997696546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RcoVj4DISiI/AAAAAAAAADU/VelKZxi25XI/s320/Brazil+047.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Oookay, One for the girls then...<br /></div></span><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5028856486106253874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="129" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RcoWVIDISjI/AAAAAAAAADc/hM6piihUhq8/s320/Brazil+054.jpg" width="226" border="0" /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">All hardcore sailors get henna tattoos</span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5028857727351802434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 224px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 130px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="155" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RcoXdYDISkI/AAAAAAAAADk/-TiBCqtgGTk/s320/Brazil+058.jpg" width="198" border="0" />Che</span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5028864156917844562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 390px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="240" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RcodToDISlI/AAAAAAAAADs/DWZH7VoZFq8/s320/Brazil+050.jpg" width="644" border="0" />Looking right towards Ipanema<br /></div><p align="left">Well suffice to say that it was an awesome day, will let you know what the rest of the day was like another time. Time for me to go to work. Probably wont post for the next few days. Its my days off ( Gotta love the restaurant business). I shall leave you with a quote for the day </p><div align="left"><br /></div><p align="center">"It is better to die standing, than to live on your knees"</p><div align="left"><br /></div><p align="center">Che. Guevarra</p><div align="left"><br /></div><p align="left">That pretty much sums it up for me</p><p align="left">Later...<br /></p><p></span><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RcoM-4DIScI/AAAAAAAAACk/ose14H7RZNc/s1600-h/Brazil+020.jpg"></a></p>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-24705971852367363612007-02-06T19:04:00.000+02:002007-02-06T19:36:02.065+02:00Optical Delusions...<span style="font-size:85%;">Well this post is not following on from yesterdays cause I didn't load the right photos on my stick.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Anyhow I thought I would touch on the average passenger we had on our ship.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Newly retired, golf estate living types who normally had retired to Florida. I think it is law in the States that when you retire you go live in and around Miami, Fort Lauderdale. There is a huge community of reired people there and they all seem to come from Boca Raton. There is an equally large community of South Africans that work at these golf estates over the summer so they all know all about us.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">"Y'all from South Aaafrica, its really terrible what they doin in that cuuntry." </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">A good handful of these ladies have had every likely nip/tuck, nose, boob, botox job on the menu.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">But what really got me was their fashion sense...</span><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5028472876807244194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rci5cIDISaI/AAAAAAAAACQ/Kz7EOqgWVv0/s320/Crew+2+019.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Ag shame, she was with us for about a month and she was a really sweet old lady after she got to know you. The kind that walks around giving everyone sweeties. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">The other thing that got me was their diet/s...</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">"I'd like a cheese burger, extra cheese, extra pickles, no onion, no bun (Atkins phase), extra fries, with mayo and ketchup"</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">"Certainly sir, anything to drink?"</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">"Oh yeah... a diet coke"</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">?????</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">The worst thing is that now you have to explain this order to a Filipino chef whose english skills are very weak.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">It got funny after a while, but it does sap the life force from you sometimes.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:85%;">Later Guys</span></p><p><br /></p>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-38859772932414831972007-02-05T18:23:00.000+02:002007-02-05T23:48:00.258+02:00Free as a bird<span style="font-size:85%;">I'll never forget this day, a cruise going from Costa Rica, the Pacific side, to Chile in 2o04. The west coast of Peru is very similair to that of Namibia with deserts going all the way to the sea. We had been at sea for two days and before that I hadn't been able to get off the ship because of work. Serious cabin fever had set in...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">My mate Dean and I decided that today was the day to go out. We were docked in Salaverry, a really underdeveloped town in Peru. All the guests were out on a day tour to see some ruins. The town was walkable so off we went. As we walked we saw this beach which was covered with seagulls, and I knew that there was only one thing to do...</span><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5028086961110796642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 383px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 394px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="331" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rcdac4DISWI/AAAAAAAAABg/loADorGzmVY/s320/South+America+065.jpg" width="320" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5028087463621970290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 385px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 310px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="240" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rcda6IDISXI/AAAAAAAAABo/rlkg4GrOXro/s320/South+America+066.jpg" width="374" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5028093059964356994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 387px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="250" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/Rcdf_4DISYI/AAAAAAAAABw/Ub7kx1SKTck/s320/South+America+067.jpg" width="353" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5028093820173568402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 385px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 330px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="295" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RcdgsIDISZI/AAAAAAAAAB4/FiHW_Z75m2c/s320/South+America+068.jpg" width="361" border="0" /><br /><br />I<span style="font-size:85%;"> caused havoc, good for the soul sometimes.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Thats all kiddies, got to get to work and will carry on the story with photos from the dodgiest town in the world.</span>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-49649604812461398562007-02-04T20:33:00.000+02:002007-02-04T23:16:57.314+02:00The Land of the Midnight Sun<div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RcYzR4DISVI/AAAAAAAAABE/AVWycIt56vI/s1600-h/Honnigsvaag_Midnight_sun_033.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5027762416202041682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RcYzR4DISVI/AAAAAAAAABE/AVWycIt56vI/s320/Honnigsvaag_Midnight_sun_033.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:78%;">Coordinates</span><br /><br /><div align="left">This was one of the highlights of my entire time at sea. </div><br /><div align="left">Midsummer night at the North Cape (or Nordkapp) in Norway. This incidentally is the northern most point in Europe sticks quite far up into the Arctic circle. Summers are sunny for three months and winters are dark for three months giving it a high suicide rate. And obviously midsummers day being the longest day of the year makes it the most spectacular day to see it (Not the suicides...Hah you see, I'm not a writer).</div><br /><div align="left">The sun hits the horizon and starts coming up again, absolutely fantastic.<br /></div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5027757846356838674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 414px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="240" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RcYvH4DISRI/AAAAAAAAAAk/gyqoillcNNo/s320/Honnigsvaag_Midnight_sun_026.jpg" width="457" border="0" /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Midnight- Shade</span><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">It' s something you have to see to actually appreciate properly. I had worked a full day and was exhausted, but the more you stand out there the more energised you feel. It took me an hour to fall asleep that night.</span></div><br /><div align="left"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5027758984523172130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 411px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="240" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RcYwKIDISSI/AAAAAAAAAAs/VBwaV_DVC54/s320/Honnigsvaag_Midnight_sun_004.jpg" width="426" border="0" /><span style="font-size:85%;">There was a huge gathering of people and photographers, all die hards that had travelled from all over the world to witness this spectacular event.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">We then headed home at about two in the morning, and saw reindeers on the way and a bit of snow, we had to stop and the rest of Europe laughed whilst seven South Africans played with "hard ice". </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">Ice in mid summer shows how cold it must be in mid winter.</span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5027761196431329602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RcYyK4DISUI/AAAAAAAAAA8/C_WKBjQawnY/s320/Honnigsvaag_Midnight_sun_013.jpg" border="0" /></span></div><span style="font-size:78%;">Reindeer<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">Incidentally this is were you can see awesome Aurora Borealis's (huh) in mid winter, thats still on my to do once in my life list. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">I am off to bed soon and will carry on soon. I am getting hooked..</span><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">Have a great week.</span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></div><br /><br /><div align="center"></div></div>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792324318887412510.post-80098998361367660732007-02-04T19:59:00.000+02:002007-02-04T20:02:28.537+02:00Ahoy There<div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RcYW34DISPI/AAAAAAAAAAM/a8UTNDR8BtI/s1600-h/oceania-regatta.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5027731183199865074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_840xjAXXOqY/RcYW34DISPI/AAAAAAAAAAM/a8UTNDR8BtI/s320/oceania-regatta.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"> Cruise ships-SWELL </span></div><div align="center"><br /> </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">Ahoy there<br /><br />I am writing this blog so that I can share my travels with the world.<br /><br />I have worked on a cruise ship for the last few years and have collected thousands of photos and hundreds of experiences to share.<br />I wish I could have done this from the beginning so that it could have been a live blog, but my schedule would never have allowed it.<br />I used blogs to keep in contact with South Africa. A good friend of mine </span><a href="http://www.bigric.co.za"><span style="font-size:85%;">bigric</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> started a blog, and although the satellite internet wasn't always the best, it was a great way to keep in contact with mates.<br /></span><a href="http://chump-style.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Chumpstyle</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">, </span><a href="http://www.aquilaonline.co.za/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Aquila</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">, </span><a href="http://champsheathen.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Champers</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">, </span><a href="http://kattbox.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Katt</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> and many others helped me along too.<br /><br />So here comes my blog, it's not always gonna be in chronological order, I may change some names due to U.S Penal laws and I may have forgotten some names over the last few years too, Eastern European people have some beauts (Slobodan being my personal fave).<br /><br />You shall find out what you should do with a drunken sailor, what to expect when you have a Turkish cabin mate and what its like to be in 8 ft swell in the middle of the Atlantic. I am gonna enjoy this, its what I know and I have had crrraaazy ride.<br /><br />Please feel free to comment, I am not a writer but would love to improve my skills, so constructive criticism is always welcome and excpected.<br /><br />ENJOY</span></div>DaveRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12253985803440492071noreply@blogger.com6