MEDITERRANEAN PATRO

our takeoff was from the Naval Air Station at Anacostia in Washington DC on a clear we were flying and navy Neptune p2v and he subbed robot on our way across the Atlantic don't get out of the clean open free air because up there you get a kind of good fit you're able to do a little something extra for your country peace time and have some fun doing below us a new continent Africa and a new adventure and we were among old friends almost the same crew back again it was good to get back in the making we had come halfway around the world to an obscure airstrip in North Africa right off we had a bit of excitement just as we touch down watch that left prior on the landing front so that was our explosive welcome to the biggest little airport in Africa but everybody relaxed again in a few minutes when we got our official welcome it's been a pretty long haul for us part-time sailors we were kind of pushed but it was a satisfying kind of being tired we were among buddies doing something useful from civilian life back in the states yesterday the navy life in north africa today that's the exciting career in the United States Navy the regular or reserve traveled friends something happening all the time heading for quarters to settle down we knew that we'd sleep tonight that was for sure but the following morning found us up an atom busy at the airplane shaping it up for maneuvers three of my buddies weekend warriors like myself a working for uncle sam before we take a little time off for ourselves on one wing of the neptune loverboy mcbride checks out the radar in our search lights making sure the P 2 v's firing power is bombed rockets and machine guns is our chief interpreter and chief bargaining agent Shafer and there's Chris he's our gourmet he works up an appetite one of the planes twin engines it'll be through their eyes that we will see many of the fabulous sights of this old world later in the day we set out for Rabat a half modern at ancient city just south of legendary Casablanca one of the first things that impressed us was the huge arch that led to the present Sultan's fortress in Rabat well they say that American sailors of the world's greatest tourist and believe me we toured the modern section of the city arkton story of one Western Church and apartment buildings hotels utility buildings office structures government quarters and military headquarters and one thing that amazed this was the city's clean wide streets in boulevards as Chris said look at all the foreign cars how did they get here at the modern railroad station we got our first hint of an older order and we entered a timeless often incongruous walled city within a city the Medina the native quarter the first thing we discovered in the medina was that there was plenty of two-wheeled transportation available but we decided to walk through anyway and right smack in the middle of nowhere we saw a sign of hope as we continued on we notice the streets were all cobblestone very narrow and wine the native dress was part western part Eastern some men wearing suits others wearing long gowns the women of course war babe literally found out with a custom that essential results as we stop to haggle for souvenirs we saw that no matter where in the world you are kids are all pretty much alleged kids and trout all watching while the camera right away you know it looks just like Main Street USA during a rush hour where east meets west the young we sold the word greetings mean the same in any length walking on we started thinking about a movie just like downtown we found one even if we couldn't understand all the words we did recognize the start having seen the picture on the late late show back home we kept right on going it was real pleasant walking through an area like this so many thousands of miles from home a sunny day watching the natives going about their business we were completely relaxed having an ice cream cone shopping for just looking just passing the time away doing nothing up ahead we noticed a crowd had begun together with approaching the traditional prayer hour we didn't know it but we were in for a rare opportunity watching the Sultan himself with his entire procession on the way to his private Mott and of course we got some wonderful shots of all of this Sultan and his fine royal carriage some of his royal palace guard on horseback and many of the loyal subjects lining the way we thought this was kind of cute the Sultan's own pretty little daughter our own pony cart crowd by this time was getting pretty enthusiastic excitement was at a fever pitch notice this woman in the foreground almost like a college cheerleader as the prayers came to an end the Sultan presented himself to his people ascribe his own statute and the Sultana got a ride home in the royal coach certainly was an impressive and colorful site and all of us felt lucky to get it on film is a memorable part of our travel or as the Navy says join up and see the world we noticed quite a few tourists like ourselves here in Morocco mostly American servicemen but all the branches represented and of course all with cameras the festivities it seemed weren't over yet anywhere in the world everybody loves the parade this was no exception we followed the procession along with everybody else because nobody can resist a stirring marching band but what really got us was the march that this native outfit we flank listen and as the palace guard marches off see if you can watch the leader of a band waving his big sword this is really a cut off closing out a great day the native drum corps tips to steady rhythm going at the flag ceremony we reloaded our cameras and caught this authentic background of the fine pageantry truly a different kind of tourist trap the next morning bright and early the Navy put us back to where we were heading for the Sixth Fleet maneuvers in the Mediterranean we were firing rockets those targets represent enemy submarine givers aim was good as ever mission completed the well done from the skipper now off to Italy in the historic city of the Seven Hills after a quick check with customs at the airport we hired taxi and drove into Rome for the first place we stopped with the ancient ruins of the Colosseum broke out the cameras and proceeded to have another fielding later on in Rome we were to have an adventure which all came about because first Chris as usual got hungry the second lover boy McBride decided that he just had to meet one of the city's more beautiful sites and third cheats bargaining agent Shafer wanted to brush up on his specialty but for now we were just playing Navy reservists on a thrilling Holiday Inn Road just outside the Coliseum we saw the massive triumphal arch then we move down the boulevard to the monument of King Victor Emmanuel and of course we dropped a few coins in the Trevi Fountain just to say we did and that the ancient st. Michael's castle we stopped for some more pictures we got some fine shots of st. Peters and the basilica in the vatican city including this breathtaking and here at the Spanish Steps we began looking around for a restaurant because Kris was getting hungry whoa we saw a busy Boulevard so we started down the circumstances of our big adventure in Rome were commencing the forms and when loverboy McBride saw what every man with I see since time began things were beginning to take shape but old man Schafer couldn't resist a bargaining session which only postponed to be inevitable what if you got five dollars what do you want and by the 53 rice no can't battle sighs maybe 70 right by where I keep it right all right alright the father the adventure officially started with this earth-shaking academy award-winning McBride special Nate just forget something back there yep it was the hat but the Navy comes through with flying colors after all with everything all present and accounted for how do you feel back oh I feel much better that's good yeah my Mustang ether I guess so my name is Hank what is your name hey Lou tryna go china Johanna this is Mac but Mac this is chris hi what the thing for self a creamy fat hello capisce italiana long in the strictest English little hey hey wait a minute that voice sounds familiar there's only one voice in the world like that it's that famous world traveler gourmet bon vivant and Kozma polite Jerry Kelowna you forgot him also a baby seat of her mother now Jerry how can you babysit with a mother same principle more fun well hell Jerry I imagine you know more about this part of the world than I do suppose you take over and tell us what's happened gladly gladly now you notice by the sign the name of the restaurant is producto to you must flow Devon which translated means no use adding it in your shoe sailor we'll find it waiter waiter bring a menu oops too late it's already ordered girl has a hobby cigarette how she's acting as interpreter a bride wants spaghetti and matzo ball shape is mad because they don't have porn on the chitlin and chris want something baby like pigs feet over the rock well well here's the waiter back again and this seemed like a good time to tell you about the fine beverages in Italy they're always made by farmers stepping on grapes with their bare feet this is fine sometimes hard to pour if at all is left in the bottle you listen closely you may hear those bells ringing in the background that's a signal to the townsville not for what you think this is to let them know that Anna mañana is taking a Sun bath on the roof oh look at that little dog walking in the background she looks like Monroe not Madeline but gone ah here's the waiter with the spaghetti I my cousin ettore said she loved it to make us forget she got a great the recipe to take a half a pound of spaghetti and attend the pounds of garlic for the half of our spaghetti in the 10 pounds of garlic in a pot and cook only trouble is nobody ever know how it turns out you can't get close enough to serve it I now there's a bunch of real charm get a look at that tape did you ever see anything like that who's all gone would have eaten the plates too but they're a la carte whoa here comes the waiter with the chick he's happy now the gravely finds out his tip is going to be three green stamps and an Elvis Presley button then they go now and as if I cabinet slowly sinks into the West this is your guy Jenny kelowna saying out of an empty my buddy peugeot wonderful match of it Thank You Jerry kelowna this part of the sightseeing tour seemed much more enjoyable to them for some reason erotic possibly because they couldn't have hired a lovelier guy as our roman holiday was coming to a close we decided to historic lucy home fortunately though on the way one of the city's finest historic landmarks loomed into view and we talked Lucy into one last visit it was the old Roman Forum whose history dates back to six centuries before Christ also in the pre-christian era have played an important part in the affairs of Julius Caesar here private and public affairs were discussed ceremonies and assemblies held orations delivered edicts announced and justice administered Chris thought it was just a big mess he thought they ought to fix it up make up holding alli up but it was getting late we had to get Lucy home and we had to get back ourselves it really been a wonderful afternoon he hated saying goodbye to Rome and to our guide couple of traditional kisses for us the souvenir for the lovely Lake we were ready to take our leak we couldn't understand much of the language and lucy has her troubles with ours too but we'd had fun had lots of left eventually to the nen Kham it was all summed up fast in the warmest of Italian fare well how do you did we'll miss you too Lucy and all the sites to the attractions of the city of the sevengill you