Because We Can

   Travel Day 117 - April 29, 2024 - 4,627 Steps Calm seas mean a calm Linda. Deck Officers. When Linda got back to the room and we were talking about the interview, she remarked she still had no idea what their job was. Three guests are to many.  My latest book was another excellent read. This is a short post today. It was a relaxing day for us, Formal night tonight and it is called Hollywood Night. And no, we didn't dress up and join in the festivities. Another of those, your guess is as good as ours as to what it is, towel creatures.

   Travel Day 116 - April 28, 2024 - 4,304 Steps Another perfect Linda day as concerns the sea conditions, though the afternoon brought the occasional sideways jolt that threatened to knock you off balance for a moment.  Kim's guest was Duncan, one the two historians currently onboard giving lectures, both of whom are really good. Duncan's talk today was on the slave trade. It was all about packing the maximum number of slave onboard the ship for the voyage across the Atlantic The Spanish and Portuguese began the slave trade, the British and Americans following their lead. But when Britain abolished slavery in 1833 they set about ending the slave trade for all nations, station a fleet of Royal Navy ships of the coast of West Africa. David followed Duncan on the World Stage and talked about what transpired in Europe that changed the world. The delusions of grandeur he inspired in the French people exist to this day. The conglomerations of Kingdoms, Duchy's, Bishopric's. ...

   Travel Day 115 - April 27, 2024 - 4,570 Steps Another nice day off the coast of Africa. No drab colors on the tugs here in Ghana. Our very excellent guide for our excursion to a Cacao farming village. Takoradi is the second largest port in Ghana and deals principally in exports with manganese and bauxite being the principal ones based on tonnage. A fishing village. The main method of preserving fish is by smoking. Ghana's people prefer to shop, not in larger supermarkets, but in the multitude of small shops found everywhere. Our guide explained the food is fresher in these shops and the other goods are of better quality and the shoppers know the owner who they are dealing with. It's easy when you know how. Cemetery. Most of the trash is platics. The platter does not go directly on the head. At the farming village we were welcomed with a ceremony. The village chief is in the white robe left of center. The welcoming ceremony involved a ritual with palm wine ( in the large jug...