Dale (CG 19) - Naval Cruise Book

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For those more inclined to home cooking, two hot spots were the sparkling new Pizza Hut restaurant located near downtown, and the nearby Air Force Exchange. The Air Force personnel stationed there really rolled out the welcome mat for all visiting battle group crewmembers by offering extended hours and an abundance of pizza, American beer and soft drinks, and Baskin Robbin ' s ice cream. Some of our crewmem- bers took the opportunity to use the fine Air Force recreation facilities located just a taxi ride away. EPHESUS, TURKEY Many DALE men took a tour to Ephesus. Highlights of the tour included the ruins of the ancient Roman and Byzantine city, the ruins of the Church of St. John - which St. John found- ed in the first century and where he is entombed, and the house where the Virgin Mary resided after the death of Jesus Christ, now recognized as sacred and hallowed to Christian and Mos- lem religions. EPHESUS im :i mnai nam!smmm mniim - 11111,1

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IZMIR, TURKEY IZMIR, TURKEY Izmir Turkey on the Aegean coast was a surprise to the entire crew. The name and location didn ' t sound too prom- ising to anyone. We pulled into the harbor to anchor fully expecting to find an old dusty town reminiscent of the Cas- bah, but instead got first glimpse of a modern, vibrant city of over a million inhabitants, bordered by pine and oak covered mountains. Many North African and Middle Eastern tourists come to shop and trade in Izmir ' s immense bazaars. The seem- ingly endless chain of gold, brass, copper, and woven carpet shops occupy a large portion of the downtown area. Many crewmembers took advantage of the high quality, low priced leather goods sold in shops and factories. Horse drawn carriages were a popular choice of trans- portation for those who desired a better view of the city. Some discovered Izmir ' s seafood restaurants to have quite delightful cuisine served in pleasant surroundings. Our three day visit was made more enjoyable by the many friendly people we encountered throughout the city.

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K - SUEZ CANAL U -» . aa 4HM. — anH. i SUEZ CANAL On June 25, 198 ' i, Dale transited the Suez Ca- nal. The Suez Canal runs through Egypt, connec- ting the Mediterranean Sea on the north with the Red Sea to the south. The Canal is located along a strip of Egypt which is mostly desert, however, several small cit- ies and towns including one very prettv resort line the western bank of the canal. The history of the Suez is interesting. The orig- inal canal was first begun during the 19th century B.C., or about 3700 years ago. It was gradually lengthened over the years and repaired and rebuilt many times until it was closed in the 8th century .• .D. The modern Suez Canal was built between 1859 and 1869 under the supervision of Ferdinand dc Lessups, who also designed and surveyed the ca- nal. From entrance to exit, the Suez Canal is over 100 miles long and a normal trip takes about twelve hours. It is deep and wide enough for even the larg- est ships and aircraft carriers to pass through. Approximately two-thirds of the way through the canal, the ships anchored in the Great Bitter Lake to allow the northbound convoy to pass. D.ALE took this opportunity to relax by having a Steel Beach picnic on the ship ' s fantail. Hot dogs and hamburgers were grilled out and the crew re- cei ed a little break from the transit. For many of the sailors on D.ALE, this w as their first Suez Safari but for most this would not be their last, as Dale would transit the Suez Canal once more on September 6 1989, at the beginning of our journey home.