Roving The Mediterranean

one of Uncle Sam's new cruisers is feeding across the Atlantic on the first leg of a shakedown cruise which in the Navy means a long voyage to test the equipment and to train the crew every blue jacket aboard is in high spirits the blue Mediterranean is ahead and there will be many ports of call and you know time wherever he goes whether it's New York China or Timbuktu naturally every man wants the ship to look its best after the long run from the state so all hands turn to everything must be shipshape this plenty of paint harsh and elbow grease when it comes the command let's go the anchor a platter of iron and the chain rushes down through the hog pipes cheerful music to the Blue Jackets for it named Charlie you the name is out to see the site in the little British town at the base of the big rock he brought her though in Spain is an English possession they found out one thing already whoever built your brother must have run out of stones when they got around to the sidewalk steady boy gangway here's a spot where we can get a good look at the rock where's that big sign you see in the magazine ad I'll be a monkey's uncle if I know guess the company didn't pay it bill and they took it off well let's go up and find out about that look out sailor remember you have sea legs and it's a long way up we don't know why they want to get up there but it's something to do so that's reason enough for a blue jacket in the centuries gone by a lot of invading armies try this junk but they didn't get very far well Columbus took a chance so here goes anyhow look out seller now look what happened another rowing weekend pull yourself together mate there's a lot to see here and haven't much time the local garage man is willing to help can see all the spots of local interest were two more Frank he's selling the whole works if this isn't the life I don't know what is the french chauffeur and miles of scenery free for the looking this is a lot better than a drive at yourself the driver doesn't speak English you go every takes you but it's all paid for so who cares one part of the Riviera Country is an interesting is the other this Mediterranean cruise is abuse visiting firemen think they're pretty swell hey there's nothing compared to visiting sailors No every shore leave we see new sights new people Spanish French Italian and now some of those North African folks Jonas with its graceful minaret gives promise of real adventure give the Navy a day ashore and they know as much about the town of the residents themselves Victor X resides and markets and now some all groan from the Oscars the natives say these are the ruins of an old Roman Coliseum built centuries before Uncle Sam had a Navy so we'll give it the once-over and a couple of hours we're going to know more about it than an archaeologist well you can't help but say life in the Navy is great around the ruins and over the ruins and now to find out what's underneath perhaps a buried city or a souvenir to take home to the girlfriend well full speed ahead have yourself a time because nobody cares much about these old ruins anyway the owner broke the lease long ago there's no bad feeling on this treasure hunt it's one for all and all for one there are ports of call of money on this Mediterranean cruise but there's only one Venice what a thrill when the ship's head toward the Grand Canal it's no wonder Venice is called the queen of the Adriatic you in their gondolas looking for customers are all the merchant of venice what a shore leave this is going to be this historic city has the boys running around in circles but somehow everyone ends up here in st. Mark's Square where you find the famous pigeons that are fed by the tourists the mechanical clock men are famous the world over they've been hammering out the hours for a couple of centuries talk about your mailman who goes walking on his day off here's a real sailors holiday they just got off a boat and now they're getting in another one but after all Venice wouldn't be Benes without a ride in the gondola no work in the singing losman this is the real way to see Bennet the city of romance is grandeur worried don't begin to describe it so we'll let the Venetian atmosphere speak for itself then come