catch up

I was sucked into a worm hole in the time and space continuum, sorry.
The summer got super busy and I was too exhausted to update the blog (not sure if anyone noticed). The owners departed late October and then I got to start relaxing and then getting lazy. We had a month in Athens getting boat stuff sorted, and exploring the massive chaotic city. Amazing historical sites, I saw REM and the Kaiser Chiefs in concert at the original Olympic stadium, and had crazy nights out with fellow yachties. I also had my laptop debugged!
Random statistic heard from semi-reliable source: only 5% of the Greek population use personal computers. It goes with the other more believable statistic: Greece consumes more cigarettes than any other EU nation (including France) and is the only EU country where the smoking population has grown in the last 2 years! I found those online, so it must be true.

I am adjusting to the odd ways of the Greeks:
.Prepared to be ignored upon entering a place of business, be it struggling hardware store or post office, although sometimes they stalk you and make it very uncomfortable until you run out
.Do not park next to a donkey (the rental car guy will tell you this for good reason)
.Do not hurry your server in a café, it will only delay them. If you do not have three hour for coffee, why did you stop?
.Coffee should take three hours, lunch a mere four, dinner ends just before dawn
.GMT stands for “Greek Maybe Time”: when a local says he/she will be somewhere at a certain time, keep in mind it is just one of their options and not a likely one
.The only reliable political organization is the anarchist rioters; they do follow through on promises
.As Davis Sedaris said, “Greek music is an oxymoron” -but I am starting to like it
.Greek women are not out and about in the day time, or at night for that matter…?
.Locals yell into phones for long periods of time, but I never see anyone listening on a phone
.Watch for flying dishes in night clubs and pubs, it is not always a good thing

photo1: town rubbish bins just after the holidays. The island has run out of money to pay employees, so they have stopped working, same for the bus system. Always an adventure in Greece!

photo2: Local man bailing out his dingy, while tied to the dock. I believe it is so shallow, the boat must be resting on the ground.?

erratic, but consistant

I missed “international talk like a pirate day”. Busy, busy life being a pirate, I have no time to play like one. Others celebrated the day, my brother went to a favorite pirate haunt in New Orleans naked, I apologize to those who witnessed it. It has been a while since I wrote, sorry. The excuses: my laptop has a virus which makes it impossible to connect online (except for iTunes, hallelujah!), I have not seen a computer store to find a specialist to help me with the virus, the going rate for internet cafes is $10US an hour, these cafes have erratic hours and i am at work for most of them, most public computers will not allow you to use a USB or any other device to upload info, and I am worn out form work. whaaaaa
One week until the guests and owners depart! We will arrive in Athens, Greece on the 26th and everyone will be gone the 29!!! There has not been a plan beyond that. I do not know where we are going in October, it could be anywhere.
I could even tell you where I have been. Quit often it’s a new day and a new island, I rarely get off the boat to see it. Last night I did get off the boat! I made it ashore and into the only place open, a hip little café/bar. In the few hours I was there, 4 other people came in, sleepy little town. It is also getting cooler, so the tourists have gone. Summer is over. I am not ready for summer to be over, I barely had one.
Summary since I last wrote:
We have been in Greece since July 14, through the Ionians, all over the Cyclades, back and forth in the Dodecanese, and in the southern half of the Northeast Aegean. Also a few random days in Turkey, Kushidashi and Bodrum. Weather kept us from Crete. the melitami is not to be messed with, strong winds that have legendary destructive powers (feared in Greek mythology and modern day).I did get to see quite a bit of Samos, very pretty and covered in ancient sites, to the point that is a hassle for the locals who cannot build on what looks like a pile of rocks, but is actually a pagan alter to Zeus. We stayed in a marina a 10 minute walk from very cute Pathigoria, named for Pathgorius the creator of mathematical torment. The island has a few hidden thermal springs and dramatic hills with active monasteries hidden in the shadows of wind combines.

barely an update

i am exhausted and in Greece. island of Samos, i was hoping all the guys would look like John Stamos.
it is another patron saint day, i think the virgin mary?.... fire works will wake me tonight.
i rode a scooter all over the island today and hiked the rest. lots of mountains and monastaries, the nuns come out and wave and offer ouzo when you walk by. the monks come out for guys only- they dont like to mix. i cant imagine i pose any tempatation: sunburnt, coverd in sweat and sand with a few dogs following me.
pat a dog on the head and it will follow you to the ends of the earth, i tested the theroy today. lots of stay doggies here, very sad. i spent the moring at the dog shelter, next door the the municiple dump. it is run by a German nonprofit, Greeks dont care about dogs. they adopt out about 2 dogs a year to locals and 100 dogs to Germany and The Nethrlands- weird.
this island is beautiful, Greece is beautiful. also very old.
as i wonder around through hills and valleys i usually stumble upon a pile of rocks with some sign marking it as a histrical site errected in 3,000 BC and then toppled in 312 AD, when some society that no longer exsists was spreading the chrisitianity . this stuff is everywhere and you can walk all over it, because it is everywhere!
speedos are for everyone.
there is no falafel in greece and hummous is hard to find. must get further East. day trip to Turkey on monday.
i need a haircut, i look like a surf bum. nice shorts line and sunglasses line, bleached out ratty hair.
sleep awaits.

Mt. Etna

i have so many blog sessions to post, but i am paying too much by the hour for internet, so it must be done later.
we have been in Sicily for a bit more than a week, in Riposto. this town is not on most maps and is not mentioned in any tourist publocation. it is unappleaing and probably a bit dangerous (mafia is alive and well in sicily). but i am glad to be here, in the shadow of Mt. Etna. when we arrived the volcano had a bit of a trickle down and smoke rising, a week later it has changed.
now we can see lots of lava flowing and the town is rumbling, sounds like sheet metal waving in the wind. the amount of smoke has doubled and people are waiting and watching. from what i hear this is not too uncommon, but everyone knows what could happen. http://www.ct.ingv.it/Etna2007/WEBCAM.ASP
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=10804
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Etna

unfortunatley we leave early morning and we will miss whatever might happen. but it is so cool to see! yes, photos photos! but later.

sea squirts!

Amalfi is lovely and everything the tourist broachers brag about. But I don’t understand its enormous popularity. Cinque Terre wins out for my favorite Italian destination. Events in Amalfi:
1. I was swallowed into a crazy Catholic Jesus parade
2. The Deckhand was fired
St. Andrew's Day! he is buried in Amalfi (acording to some, butnot all) but his face was donated by the Pope of the moment to another sacred location (can't remember details). weird to have your face removed and sent somewhere because millions love you.
1. All day, cannons were going off and horns honking working up to the big night. I was planning a nice stroll through town and hoping to stay awake late enough to see the St. Andrew’s Parade that started at 10pm. The parade started on the ocean front, lots of Catholic regalia, gilded saint statues carried by young men clad in gothic robes. I followed the procession, with the entire town of 6,000 plus tourists. We squeezed into to town plaza and it became as manic as Mardis Gras in New Orleans: chanting and clapping and yelling in the throbbing crowd. Everyone was having a great time smashed in together as the statues pushed their way through to crowd to the base of the cathedral steps. The crowd was revving up and the excitement growing and suddenly one of the saint statues is run up the steep ancient steps of the cathedral. The crown goes insane! I am looking for a reason: show girls? Elvis? The Pope? It takes a while for everyone to calm down, and within 10 minutes the plaza is half empty and a band is setting up where thousand s of villagers had stood a moment ago. I find the chef form the boat and we decide to have some wine in the cavern of a restaurant under the cathedral. Neither of us understand what just happened or why, but we were enjoying the band. As we relax we realize why everyone had hurried away: fireworks! But from where we were seated we could see most of it without the crowds.
2. I sleep through everything. I was sleeping on the bridge deck when the Deckhand and nanny came back to the boat at 4:30am after a long night of celebrating St. Andrew’s. They woke most of everyone trying to be quiet, but not me. The next day the family and nanny are to leave for Rome. I had to wake the nanny after the kids and parents tried, I am not so gentle. The captain had given up on waking the Deckhand. Poor girl looked bad, and was going to be in a car with 2 kids and 2 upset parents for the next 5 hours. Eventually the deckhand woke, a few hours late for work. The captain told him it was his day off and to avoid the owners. The deckhand did not bat an eye and walked off with a smirk. When he did come back the captain fired him- this was his 9th offence, all similar situations (the nanny was a new element).
Next morning the deckhand is flying back to Florida and I am pulling lines and driving the boat. With only 4 crew members we were all multitasking, now as 3, I have a lot more responsibility and I am learning fast.
We did a full day of travel to notorious Sicily and passed through the legendary Strait of Messina, where many Greek mythology characters perished. As we pulled into the marina the captain warned the dock master that we were short handed and would need extra help, hoping on eof the many dock workers could come aboard to help dock. Unfortunately very few Sicilians speak English or are willing to put in extra effort at work. It was a successful and adventurous docking. My favorite part is when the dock guy hands me a mooring line (big rope that in anchored to the sea floor and we tie onto the bow of the boat) and the line is covered with sea life. I asked if they were barnacles, concerned I might get cut, but as I grabbed the line I felt it squish in my hands and spit in my eye. I had to pull up about 20 feet of this mess in a real hurry and I was covered by sea life spit. I have never heard of or seen a sea squirt, but I know exactly how they got their name. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_squirt
For week we were docked in Riposto, in the shadow of Mt. Etna. Riposto is a gloomy little town, ash covered and wind beaten. There is not much the locals can do about the appearance of town, the volcano spurts ash and the wind blows it all over. We had to rinse the boat everyday from the ash and I couldn’t sleep on deck. Despite that is was a wonderful location, every night we watched the moon rise over the volcano and the trail of lava grow towards us.

June
It is becoming a blur. i can't recall where i was yesterday or how long we were in that other place before...

we arrived "somewhere" today and it wasn't until the sunset that i realized i did not know where we were. Actually, it was when the chef asked if this was an island or the mainland. I went to the charts and looked around, confused: what do you look for to find out where you are? i finally asked the captain for the town name, he didn't know, just the marina name- but that is something to go on! We are on the Island of Ishia, off the Amalfi coast. The town name is still being debated. but it is lovely! yesterday we were in Gaeta (i thought an island, but after much hiking i found it was an ithmus), not found in any tourist book.
Ishia is great!!! part of "The Talentted Mr. Ripley" was filmed here, and i found the castle i want to live in. Currently Italy is using my future home as a tourist sight, 10 euro to visit (not a bad idea). so many photos i have to upload! i spent my day off lounging around the mineral baths. it was a park\resort with a dozen mineral pools of varing temperatures, access to the ocean, cafes, massage, and lots of older over weight itlians. An interesting culteral differnce: there is no weight or age limit for string bikinis or speedos. photos will follow!

days later... where am i?

I love (maybe it is lust) Italy

originally composed June 19, 2008
Back on Mainland Italy. We were in la-de-da Portofino for a few days. A highly over rated celebrity hang out, Portofino is a tiny pretentious village with little to do outside of the shockingly expensive restaurants. A glass of vino is 8 euros here, around 3 euros anywhere else. The good thing about it is that it is popular with yachts and I did get to socialize with other “yachties”. We will likely see a few of our new friends throughout the season. I made good friends with Captain Manuel from Genoa, Italy. He knows everything about the region, having grown up there and also has a degree in Marine Biology, making him a great tour guide. We rode down the coast on his vintage yellow motorcycle and did a lot of hiking and sigh seeing and visits to his grandparents. We saw real Italian prostitutes! I think a few were not really women, and his grandparents were extremely friendly and did not speak a word of English.
Portofino is very close to the Cinque Terre Villages- super cool! I spent a day hiking from town to town- the pictures barely capture the amazing sights. I hope to return to the area and kayak down the Cinque Terre Coast, back to my true love, Portovenere.
We did stop over one night on the way down and anchored off Portovenere, I didn’t get on land, but I did get to drive the tender around the island just off of the mainland- Great scenery and serenity. And I did get a quick swim in the Mediterranean ocean, the first so far, it is finally warming up! I am also sleeping on the flybridge now (very top of the boat, outside), the cool nights are perfect and I wake at the sunrise about 5am and can easily get back to sleep.
From there we cruised into Viareggio, known for boat building, home of Benetti and Mangusta boats- lots of boat yards. Although it was not a scenic stop, it was a lucky one- the air conditioning had stopped working. It didn’t take long for the captain to repair and I got a day off while there and visited Pisa and Lucca. Pisa is a tourist trap; I was there about 2 hours, delayed due to rain. I took the photos, had a coffee and back to the train. When I got to Lucca the sun had shown up and warmed the historic walled in city. Immediately I had a pizza and then rented a rickety bicycle for 2 euros and rode all over the village, i can't imagine a better way to spend the afternoon. In the evening I randomly found a youth choir singing Puccini. The town was in midst of the Puccini festival, he was inspired by the region to create his operas. To top off the day I shared a bottle of Chianti with a few locals, further evidence of how friendly Italians are.
The last 2 nights we were on the peninsula of Argentino at San Stefano and then Cala Galera, near Puerto Ercolas. All places I have never heard of and didn’t really get to explore. From what I saw it was beautiful. I had a few hours one afternoon to take a nap on a rock and a quick swim, tricky with all those fishermen around. Another evening I walked up to a castle, I am sure there is some interesting history behind it, I just enjoyed the sunset form the gate. In the King’s Bar I meet 2 American pilots. They have a similar life style working as private pilots for a gazillionaire. They were in Austin just 6 months ago, both of them really enjoyed it- the owner just went to play, no business.
Now we are arriving at Ostia, just for the night, then onto Gaeta tomorrow. Again, I know nothing of these places, but I am sure they will be wonderful.

Health Update: I have a bit of a flemmy cough, but the bronchitis is pretty much over with, lasting 2 months! i deserve an award. The rib is still painful, but my eyes no longer water when I cough or sneeze. The “Skin Cancer” has faded but left a mark, similar to a freckle. Now I am worried about my toe nail coming off.

i am in love with Portovenere

PORTOVENERE, Cinque Terre June 5 2008
Again, it keeps getting better. After a relaxing afternoon wondering around Portovenere, Italy I declared to the captain,"this is the most perfect village I have ever been to and I don’t want to leave”. He assumed I had meet someone and fallen in love, but it is just how great this spot is. A tiny village where the fishing boats pull right up to the buildings and sell fresh fish every morning. Just next to the boat, the Doria cafe opens early for coffee and stays open late for wine and sells gelato and focacia all day- what else could you need in life? a tourist website with good photos: http://www.italyheaven.co.uk/liguria/portovenere.html
If you ever get there i recommend the Hotel Genio, it is part of the castle, has a cute in-house bar that doubles as the reception desk, and sweet cats. http://www.hotelgenioportovenere.com/ in that hotel bar i met two couples that were sailing around the world, the younger couple (maybe 40's?) were from Kansas and the older (70's or more) were from Scotland. the two couples always plan to meet up in random ports, they have been doing it for 10 years.
They are living my dream. i hope to run into them again soon. i will eventually upload photos.
Today we are cruising up the Tuscan coast, past the Cinque Terre, to ooh-la-la Portofino. Cinque Terre is 5 villages on the coast spanning 3,680 hectares, a national park and on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The villages are connected by train track and hiking trail, no formal road system. Most of the villages are perched on cliff terraces created for olive groves and vineyards. Amazing engineering when you consider these towns where established during the 12th century. And much pirate lore across the coast. Yo-ho-ho.

Health Update
From my whinging and whining the Dr. accesses that I have most likely cracked a rib during the worst of my bronchitis. It happened a while ago, and the muscles have just been so swollen around it that I can just now distinguish the rib pain from the muscle pain. It really hurts when I cough, sneeze, laugh, lean over, or sleep on my back. The bronchitis has subsided to a mild chest wheezing.
The skin cancer is still there, I think it is changing color form pink to tan.

Italy for a moment, back in France.

Barely two days in Sardinia, why only two? The itinerary is all up to the owners. Personally I would spend a lot more time in a destination than it took to get there (10 hours there, 2 nights anchored off land, and 10 hours back to Corsica). I didn’t get to land while in Sardinia, I did have a nice afternoon paddling the kayak around a private resort bay and then I had to move the tender (small dingy boat) following the yacht, to a calmer bay.
Next day: we are in Corsica again! I love this island! We are on the other side form before, in the tiny fishing village Maccinagio. The weather in the Med is still very spring-like, frequent rain and a chill in the air, it is still very nice! Today is wonderfully sunny, but I see dark clouds out over the sea.
I went for a long hike, up to a nearby town, 4 kilometers uphill to a picturesque village with a view of the place I just came from.
Tonight to village is having a carnival in the supermarket parking lot, just like small town America!

Bronchitis update:
It’s still here and I finally broke down and asked the doctor for antibiotics. Now I am taking Cipro every day, hopefully it will be gone soon. I still feel like crap, my lungs and all the muscle surrounding them are very sore. The captain confessed he was really worried about me, said I had gotten pale and recognized my energy level was low. He is right, but I said it was only because I needed a day off.
I am enjoying the Mediterranean too much, I expect to gain about 10 pounds this summer, and I am working hard to do it. How can I not eat all these yummy things in the shop windows? Croissants, mini cakes and tarts, foccacia, fresh wheat baguettes, gelato, and the wine- oh, the wine! Corsica also has a really nice beer: Pietra.
And I have convinced myself that the new red splotches on my thigh must be skin cancer. They showed up almost a month ago and have not changed or moved, I would like them to go away. I will post a photo and take a poll.

Bronchitis, more fun than a punch in the head!

If you wish me ill for having a charmed life, you will appreciate this:
I have had a horrible case of bronchitis since Florida (April 28). It’s that horrible cough my mom calls “wall rattling”. It gives most people the creeps and they assume I have been a dedicated smoker most of my life. My abs are sore beyond what any personal trainer could inflict, my lungs are bruised and scarred, my head is sore from the sound echoing in there, I have muscle spasms in my lower back, and when I cough it feels like Chuck Norris is karate chopping me in the sternum. It feels like I have titanium cob webs in my lungs. I think long walks help, at least it makes me cough up a lot of stuff, but scares the people within ear shot, and I estimate that to be 2 kilometers.
The worst is over. For about 10 days I would have coughing fits and my esophagus would go into a spasm and it was impossible to in-hail, causing terrifying fears of passing out in the worst places (public toilet in Spain with a line of tourists). I got that under control by holding my breath, I am not sure if that is better. During the worst o f it I was barely sleeping, and to sleep I had to prop myself up on 3 pillows, laying flat was impossible. I almost sleep through the night now, only wake 2 or 3 times coughing. But now I have a snotty nose along with the cough. Thankfully the yacht owner is a doctor, so it doesn’t bother him too much. Everyone aboard says the cough sounds better, they are used to it by now, it is part of my charm.

Reality sets in

It has hit me: I am in the Mediterranean! It is amazing! The first week was a blur, I had my heart set on Alaska and the Med was second choice. Now that I am here I can’t believe how silly I was to not be insanely over excited!
We barely spent any time in Spain, just Mallorca and Menorca Islands then to France. Villafranche is adorable! It is a fairy tale setting. History says they built the village with meandering zig zaggy streets to confuse pirates. Cool. Just few days in Italy, towns I have never heard of, Iperia, Oneglia, Menton (that might be France- the borders are fuzzy). the chef Venetia and I took a day trip to Monaco, soooo cool! Just days before the Monaco Grande Prix, so the country was hopping! Three countries in one day, via train.
Now we are on the Island of Corsica, France- more pirate stories! And lots of history about how all the Med countries wanted Corsica. A few days in beach resort Calvi, and now 5 days in Bonifacio, the southern tip of the Island. Every stop is better than the last; so far my favorite is Bonifacio! Today I hiked following the coastal cliffs, to see how far I could get: I got very far and sunburned and windblown. I passed two light houses, lots of historical ruins, and found a desert beach, weather sculpted and wild. I climbed all over and got good and sandy! I had sand in the corners of my eyes and my molars. It was an ideal day.
And I am working, but the great owners know I need time off to see and play.
My usual work day:
· up to serve breakfast by 7:30 am and tidy salon/ day use area
· service to rooms as guests rise, aka: beds and heads
· lunch for me @ 12:00
· laundry /ironing
· set up for dinner
· usually a nice break between 3pm-6pm, and clean myself up for dinner service
· dinner served around 7pm/8:30
· off by 10pm

The guests and owners are usually away most of the day sightseeing, which is great for me to have them out of my way. Often the Mrs. has fun errands for me to do in my work day if we are in a marina, like look for new table center pieces/flowers, find out the village’s culinary specialties, and see which restaurant has the cutest waiters (true). Bad days are when the owners/guests lack the energy to go out and look to me for entertaining. So far everyone on the boat has been lovely, making my worst day at work better than most. In Menorca the Mrs. wanted me to go shopping with her, all day walking around the charming island village buying pastries and flowers- life is cruel.
If we are “underway”, cruising from place to place in the boat, we have light snacks and I watch movies, take a nap, or stand at the helm if the Captain wants to watch a movie or take a nap. And I get run around the deck securing lines when we dock or anchor.
In two days we go to Sardinia, Italy. About 6 weeks spent in Italy. Then, almost 2 months in Greece. I landed in a great situation; this is going to be an incredible summer.

Palme de Mallorca, Spain

May 11 2008, Mother’s Day, day after McKenzie’s 2nd birthday party (actual birthday May 6th)
I have been in Palma De Mallorca for 5 days… and it is still very weird. The day I arrived was beautiful and sunny, I slept off my jet lag on the beach. Day 2, a bit overcast- spent the day window shopping and dodging drunk Germans. I would not have guessed that needed to know German for a trip to Spain; it must be Germany’s spring break. Day 3- Started work! The boat is lovely, 112’ Westport. I have a tiny cabin, but it is good. The owner’s are lovely grandparents, I have yet to meet the grandkid’s (that could change everything). Since the first day, it has been cold and rainy, long trousers and a good jacket, cold. poop.
Tomorrow we set off for Menorca. I have read it is smaller and much less developed, it should be exactly what the owners like, and me.
there is a constanly changing itenerary, but roughly: France for the rest of May into June, Italy June/July, and Greece until November?? lots of tim ein Greece.
We were going to Cannes! but after securing a spot at the Marina, the Capt. discovered it was around $5000 US a day, we will be anchored a bit off shore ( i will see it, probably not touch it).

what i have seen/done in Palme de Mallorca: great coffee! amazing old cathedral (learned nothing on the german lead tour), everything is closed noon to 3pm/ Siesta, everything of use is closed on Sunday, no one is ever in a hurry- no matter how long that cashier's line gets, she will answer the phone and chat, the waiter will not bring you a check until you ask for it, and no one seems to be too upset that i can barely communicate, it is all calm and leisurely.
lots of yachts: John Deacon's boat, of Queen (the rock band) fame is just next to us! who know's what other "once celebrity" I will see this season. Does "M/Y Melody Maker" have any connection to the Marley family?

Things i can now say:
"Ich spreche kein Deutsch" - I do not speak german
"Ihr Haar macht mir Kopfschmerzen" -Your hair gives me a headache ( i found this helpfull in getting the drunk german teenagers away)
"donde se encuentra un Internet Café" - Sapnish/ where is an internet cafe?

Home Sweet Home

oh how i love my home town! everyone is nice, so much to do. and great weather!

Thursday I went to Guerro's (one of my favorite spots) to see legend Johnny Gimble http://www.johnnygimble.com/ play under the giant oak trees.

Saturday Toni and I went to Eeyore's Birthday Party in Pease Park, http://eeyores.sexton.com/
(check youtube for videos)
afterwards we cruzed Whole Foods where I had a great conversation with a 3 year old:
boy of 3: I like your tattoo
me: thank you! do you know what it is?
boy of 3: Texas (a bit mumbled, but i know what he said)
and then his mother points to the flower and says "do you know what that is?"
boy of 3: blue bonnet

can't say it enough: I love my hometown.
Mensa get ready, you have a young genius headed your way!

Now i am back in Ft. Lauderdale, waiting for a job. sad, sucky Ft. Liqourdale.

time lapse

items i should back log:
the short winter season in Florida/ Bahamas
moments of bliss
Tricia's wedding in Nigeria and the Ghana trip
Hillary had another baby
and add photos

i might do it

still here

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 2008 looks great!

I am still on Dream Seeker! proof can be found at http://mydreamseeker.com/crew.html

We have been very busy with cocktail parties for the owner and a holiday charter trip to the Bahamas with a wonderful Dutch family (how i wish i could tell the tales!). We are back in Florida for a while, but looking forward to the next adventure!