New contracts are like new years. They come with resolutions like lose weight, workout more, and for me, keep on my correspondence, which given I have been at sea a couple weeks and this is my first post… well…
I have returned to work and thus have been inundated with material.
The first thing to catch my eye did so at the airport in Zagreb, Croatia. I am washing my hands at a bathroom sink and looking at the stunning beauty in the mirror, when suddenly she morphed into an advertisement for Luftansia.
They have advertisements in the mirrors! It looks like a mirror, reflects like a mirror, and then suddenly tries to sell you a get-away to the Greek Isles! It was stunning; not my reflection, the surprise advertisement in its place.
Coming soon to a mirror near you.
So my contract started with my arrival in Dubrovnik, Croatia. I had a couple hours to see the city, and what an amazing treat.
Old town Dubrovnik is an ancient fortified city on the cliffs of the Adriatic, protected above by towering mountains. It reminded me remarkably of Jerusalem, the streets were lined with stones of the same large rectangle shape, though of a lighter white and shinier stone. The city was a couple large promenades and then a tangled maze of streets so narrow you could touch the opposing walls of the lining buildings at the same time. All sorts of shops could be found in little nooks.
Unfortunately, my jet-lagged photos did it no justice.
The city was very hilly so I took this picture from a high point of a narrow street overlooking part of the city.
This is outside the city walls. Unfortunately the only indication of size is the flag pole at the top. It is really quite big.
After seeing the sights and sleeping some jet-lag away, I joined my beautiful ship.
It is now like coming home and sort of like being the most popular kid in school. I walked through the hallways and everyone greeted me. “Welcome back!” “Hey! How was your vacation?” With a smile, “Gosh they let anyone on board now days….”
It was a relief to be back. I don’t really know how to explain it. I am happy here though. I mean traveling in lovely and I don’t know if I would do it without the traveling. But I truly love being part of such a small, good spirited, hard-working community.
I think I have joined a cult. Brain washing is complete when I start saying, “My pleasure,” which is used instead of “Sure.” (This is part of the corporate training. Yes, really.)
The one thing I have not done since my return is hang out at the o-bar. My beloved o-bar has been transformed from a dark, cozy pub into a loud obnoxious sports bar. Such is the way of life during the World Cup.
In a tight knit community of forty some odd nations, every night there are at least four people rooting for their opposing home teams. (There are two games a night.) The rivalries have fostered boisterous warm-hearted jibes and camaraderie in mutual enthusiasm.
FOOTBALL FOOTBALL FOOTBALL.
I can’t wait until it is over… and I can have my bar back,
Since Dubrovnik, I have been to Venice and Istanbul.
More entries to come…. eventually.
Stupid: Advertisements everywhere (including on your face) and World Cup Frenzy, every fricken night for weeks!!!!
Cool: I may not like the football, but I do like the good nature it breeds in my co-workers. (If only it did so all over the world.)
Very cool: The warmth and comfort of coming home to my shipmates and ship. I am so happy to be home.
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