Aucilla (AO 56) - Naval Cruise Book

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the Mediterranean world. Known to most of us as the symbol of a life insurance company, this small but very vital British possession played an important role in the AUCILLA ' S Mediterranean cruise. It was here that we came for repairs after an at- sea collision while refueling. The time we spent here was noted for several events. A tour to Granada, and the Palace of Al- hambra, as well as Seville, helped the time pass quickly. And the tours to the Rock itself; to see the centuries-old fort- ifications, along with the latest in modern defenses, was most interesting. The Rock Apes, guardians of the English reign on this Gateway to the Mediterranean , were always good for a laugh and ready to pose for their pictures. For the sports minded, we had many soccer games, as well as Softball and basketball. Invariably, our Eng- lish allies won, but it was an excellent opportunity to let off excess energy. For the souvenir minded, it was a paradise of shops and stores, filled with tax-free im- ports from English colonies all over the world. Silver and silks blended with clocks and china from a dozen different lands. While it certainly wasn ' t our best liberty port, it can definitely be said there were quite a few that couldn ' t compare with Gi- braltar. ■ Jtx,, ' OlliRALTAIi ' ' l-M jj ' - Gibraltar Shipyard Changing of the Guard i-: , •ziw

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2la Penae 26 U del S«li , , , Cola de Portals ( t 26 f ' ta Cala Figuera ■ -;c(?) ;0s«cU5flll M PALMA. The first time I stepped out of the liberty launch at Palma, the scene sort of daz- zled me - a beautiful cathedral outlining the sky, palm trees everywhere, rows of taxi cabs, narrow, steep walks, sidewalk cafes, and brightly colored yachts anchored in the gin-clear water of the bay. Many men aboard AUCILLA regarded Palma as the most beautiful port we visited, which is justified since Palma is a famous Med- iterranean tourist attraction. Several of the brown-baggers had their families make the short overnight trip from Barcelona to Palma and enjoy the scenery with them. For some reason, the wine tasted better, the girls looked prettier and it was harder getting back on time in Palma than in other ports we had recently visited. And this was curious since we were already accustomed to the inexpensive wines and the beautiful senoritas - but nevertheless it was true. The city of Palma gave us a brief look at the past. The well preserved ramparts in the old section of the city were, in some cases, built in the thirteenth century by the Moors. The cathedral, with its graceful spires, brought out a mixture of the old and new Spain. In the restaurants and night clubs our mouths were agape at the 75 cent filet dinners, beer for a nickel a glass, and fine champagne for a dollar a bottle. Home was never like thisi We hated to get back to the routine of fleet exercises (which were by now pretty routine), and we hated to leave Palma where every night was like a Saturday night back home and offered new things to do and places to go. 28 l( mtmr Native Dancers Cork Merchants 31

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Napoiile 94 vr- L-y L St. Honural C! J5 j, Gp Fl (2) lOsec 338fl 25» pj, 24(RBn) 3? 6i,p ' 9 S sT 23 ' OS . ' 127 ' 8V 2c ' f)f7 i s:; 85 -o- ' - ' ' j 91 . -if iou 146 loillon iSie. Marguerite 21 1 ' (LSSIre ■• ' ■ Bn.lTr). 115 ' lies de 3 Lerjns .25 „, 69 78 91,. 146 227 645 426 GOLFE JUAN. The Miami Beach of Europe ' s aristocracy. Playground of a hundred kings, as well as the favored vacation land of thousands of middle class Frenchmen. World reknown for its excellent beaches, beautiful women, excellent wines and famous gambling houses, the French Riviera sets the scene for some very attractive liberties. The beaches of southern France rank among the finest in the world, and after looking over the Bikini-clad bathing beauties, and their escorts, we are ready to agree. Daring is an apt descrip- tion of some of the latest fashions modeled on the Riviera. For those few who may prefer something besides the beach scene, there were many places of interest to visit. The Admiral will long be remembered by the Aucilla. And tours to the beautiful French Alps, as well as Monte Carlo and Monaco, made famous by Grace Kelly ' s mar- riage, were an everyday event in this summer playground. The Palace at Monaco is truly one of the last of its kind that is still in use by a royal couple. And the skiing trips to the snow-clad Pyrenees resulted in a lot of laughs, as well as a lot of bruises, for many of us amateurs. For athletic-minded men, there was water skiing, boat- ing, fishing, or a score of otherequallystrenuous sports. The nearby cities of Cannes and Nice were within easy walking distance, and they cer- tainly didn ' t lack in entertainment. The most un- fortunate part of our visits to Golfe Juan was the fact that they ended all too soon for most of us How ' bout a Ride? J99 483 • a ■ 33