DAY 56 - AT SEA - MARCH 24, 2010

THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING CHOICES LISTED IN THE PRINCESS PATTER FOR TODAYS ACTIVITIES. THE FUTURE CRUISE PROGRAM HAS A PRESENTATION ON THE BALTIC SEA; I HAVE MY PHOTO CLASS AND THEN THERE IS THE LECTURE ON CHEATING PRESIDENTS. LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, FRANKIE HAS A TALK ABOUT WORKING ON A CRUISE SHIP...I SAY NOW, DOESN’T THAT SOUND INTERESTING. (I’LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN WE START TO WORK)

IT IS AMAZING HOW SOMEDAYS THINGS JUST SEEM TO GO EXACTLY THE WAY THEY ARE PLANNED. THE PRESENTATION ON THE BALTIC WAS VERY WELL DONE AND CERTAINLY ADDS MORE ITEMS TO THE BUCKET LIST. WE WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPIER IF MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE CRUISES WAS INCLUDED BUT THE FILM IS MADE FOR THE MASSES AND THEREFORE MOST HAVE OVERALL APEAL. WE JUST HAVE TO INVESTAGATE ON OUR OWN WHEN THE TIME COMES.

THE PHOTO CLASS HAS OPENED UP A FEW NEW INSIGHTS TO TAKING PICTURES. THE GOOD THING ABOUT DIGITAL IS YOU DON’T HAVE TO PRINT YOUR MISTAKES, YOU CAN TRASH THEM BEFORE GOING TO THE PRINTER. CARLOS SAYS THE CAMERA IS THE MEANS TO CAPTURE AND MAKE MEMORIES. THE PHOTOGRAPHER TAKES THE GOOD PICTURES, THE CAMERA TAKES THE BAD ONES...TRASH THE BAD ONES. THIS IS THE LAST CLASS IN THE SERIES ALTHOUGH CARLOS WILL MEET WITH US ON THE NEXT SEA DAY TO PUT INTO PRACTICE WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED.

GEORGIA AND I SQUEEZED IN A QUICK BITE TO EAT BEFORE GOING TO THE TALK ON CHEATING PRESIDENTS. I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT OF CLINTON, KENNEDY AND ROOSEVELT BUT THE LIST GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO WASHINGTON AND JEFFERSON. OUR GUESS SPEAKER DID HIS RESEARCH AND HAD SOME INTERESTING DETAILS AND ANTIDOTES ABOUT MANY OF OUR PRESIDENTS.

THE MOST INTERESTING TALK OF THE DAY WAS LEAD BY FRANKIE AND INVOLVED WORKING FOR THE CRUISE LINE. SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE STAFF PRESENTED DETAILS OF HOW, WHY AND WHEN THEY THOUGHT ABOUT WORKING FOR THE CRUISE INDUSTRY. THEY COME FROM A WIDE RANGE OF BACKGROUNDS. THOSE COMING FROM THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES LOOK AT THE POSSIBILITY OF MAKING MONEY AND HELPING THEIR FAMILIES OUT OF POVERTY.

THOSE COMING FROM DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, LIKE THE U.S AND BRITAIN HAVE CERTAIN SKILL SETS THAT DRAW THEM TO THE CRUISE BUSINESS. FRANKIE, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS AN ACTOR FOR A TIME, LIVED IN ASIA AND HAD SKILL SETS ATTRACTIVE TO PRINCESS. HE HAS BEEN ON A SHIP FOR EIGHTEEN YEARS.

THE PIANO MAN, DAVE, HAS BEEN AT IT FOR 19 YEARS, AND ANGUS FOR OVER 10 YEARS. IT HAS BECOME SO MUCH A PART OF LIVING THEY ARE MORE THAN ANXIOUS TO RETURN TO NEW ASIGNMENTS FOLLOWING THEIR 2 MONTH LEAVES.

THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER WAS A POLICEMAN IN ENGLAND. AFTER TALKING TO A FRIEND, WHO WAS JUST ABOUT TO EMBARK ON A NEW CAREER WITH A CRUISE LINE, APLLIED FOR A JOB, WAS HIRED, AND NOW HE AND HIS WIFE LIVE ON SHIP IN FIVE MONTH INTERVALS.

SIDE STORY ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER: WHILE WALKING THE STREETS IN CHUUK, HE FOUND HIMSELF SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF A GANG FIGHT BETWEEN THE CRIPS AND THE BLOODS. THAT’S RIGHT IN CHUUK, THOUSANDS OF MILES FROM NEW YORK OR LOS ANGELES WHERE YOU WOULD EXPECT SUCH THINGS.
HE WAS COAXED TO SAFETY BY THE PERSISTENT VOICE OF A SCHOOL TEACHER WHO CALLED TO HIM MANY TIMES TRYING TO GAIN HIS ATTENTION. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES HE LEFT THE SCHOOL GROUNDS AND RETURNED TO THE SHIP SAFELY.

HE WAS RELATING HIS EXPERIENCE TO THE DOCTOR ON SHIP UPON RETURNING. THE SHIP’S DOCTOR MENTIONED HE HAD RECENTLY ATTENDED A CONFERENCE IN EUROPE AND SOMEONE REFERRED TO AN ARTICLE ABOUT THESE GANG FIGHTS IN THE ISLANDS. THE ARTICLE MADE SPECIFIC MENTION OF THE TYPE WEAPONS USED BY THE GANGS. MOST COMMON ARE SLING SHOTS AND PROJECTILES.

BEFORE OUR DAY IN CHUUK HAD ENDED THE SHIP’S DOCTOR HAD TO TAKE ONE OF THE PASSENGERS TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL. THE EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR AND THE SHIP DOCTOR STRUCK UP A CONVERSATION AND SOON THE GANG INCIDENT BECAME THE TOPIC. THE EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR WAS THE AUTHOR OF THE ARTICLE REFERENCED AT THE CONFERENCE.

THE AUTHOR OF THE ARTICLE GAVE THE SHIP’S DOCTOR ONE OF THE PROJECTILES, RECENTLY REMOVED FROM A DECEASED VICTIM SEVERAL WEEKS EARLIER. WE WERE ABLE TO VIEW THE PROJECTILE. IT IS A LONG 4 TO 5 INCH NAIL WHICH IS BARBED AT THE END THAT ENTERS THE BODY. IT’S SIMPLE AND VERY DEADLY.

HOW ABOUT THAT FOR SOME REAL LIFE STUFF, UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL?

LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, IS DINNER AT BISTRO. WE HAVE BEEN SO HUNGRY FOR JUST PLAIN OLD SPAGHETTI. EVERYTHING HERE HAS SOME SORT OF FISH IN THE CONCOCTION. IN ORDER TO GET WHAT WE DESIRED WE HAD TO PLACE OUR ORDER WITH THE HEAD WAITER FOR OUR TABLE IN THE MAIN DINING ROOM, THE DAY BEFORE...LIKE YESTERDAY. HE HAD IT PREPARED AND TRANSPORTED TO THE BISTRO ON THE 9TH DECK. (THE MAIN DINNG HALL IS ON THE 5TH DECK)