Alshain (AKA 55) - Naval Cruise Book

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Mosque a nd minarets and fleet landing . . . Istanbul, Turkey

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' -. 4' ' at -' .fr .H J . HE old adage that a sailor sees the world through a porthole certainly did not hold true for the five months the Alshain spent in the Mediterranean. Life with the Sixth Fleet may have been regulation but the liberty was far from dull. M Whatever a man's choice in pitching abliberty,-he could find it in the Med. The fun began in Oran, Algeria with a visit to the French Foreign keglon at Sidi-Bel-Abbes and nightly sojourns to the ever present American ar. Then on to Genoa and Northern Italy. For the first time. a Med Moor and pasta at meal time. Side trips to the ltalian Riviera . . . Porto Fino . . . Rapallo, and picture taking at the birthplace of Columbus. Then to Napoli and liberty in the shadow of Nlt. Yesuvio. Three day tours to Rome and an afternoon at the cameo factory. Evenings at the Snake Pit and the Red Lantern and then back aboard for the long haul to lstanbul and anchorage in six knot current of the llosporous . . . Europe on the port and Asia on the starboard. The Blue Mosque and the Bazaar in a blizzard were unforgettable. Back through the Dardenelles and to Athens . . . the country with more ancient history per statue than any other. The ancient majesty of the Parthe- non on the Acropolis where you could look down upon the Bay of Salamis . . . site of history's first naval battle. A quick change from the ancient to the modern and Cannes, France. llikini's along the beach at Rue de flroixette. This time a trip along the French Riviera, floor shows at the Three llells. and sad realization that we were a month too early for the lnternational Film Festival aml Marilyn Monroe. Marseilles was next and at last a pier. Softball and soccer right along side and soft light and sweet music at the Paradou soothed the Alshain athletes at night. Somewhere the signals got crossed and the trip to Taranto. llaly was changed to Naples. Old friends and old places and a chance to buy back your watch from a street iendor. K few chose llle busman's holiday on llte steamer to ffapri. l.ast and most colorful. lreautilul liill'l'l'lUlll senorilas . . . and a filling climax lo lin- Illll-0l'Q.1l'llillDll'llltllllllilll Nler Nledi- : . . . the bull fights and dancing ll'l I'llllt'1IIl .

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Z Az. ., , I JN.. afl? Y Above . . . A highlight of our stop at Oran, Algeria, was a trip to the head- quarters of the French Foreign Legion at Sidi-Bel-Abhes. The jaunt clarified many misconceptions about the world's most legendary military organization. Below . . . Naples at night. A city surrounded by mountains, facing a sweeping hay and guarded by the Isle of Capri was our port for two visits.