Gainard (DD 706) - Naval Cruise Book

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Augusta, 5iCilY The second port that we ed at was Augusta BUY, 0 stopp n town on the eastern small Sicilia side of this Italian island. Set beneath Mt. Etna, Europe's highest active volcano, the city was dominated by the Pe0k5 snow-capped heights. Augusta was a poor city and we were often beseiged by small children and peddlers who had something to sell. Many of us took to tour- ing from Augusta. The favorite spot was the ancient city of Syra- cuse, founded in 736 B.C. by the Greeks. We saw a Roman amphi- theater, an old but well-preserved Greek theater, the crypts of St. Marziano, an old Christian church where the people took shelter from the catacombs, and the ancient stone quarries of Sym- cuse. -A .wf , 3 pa ,,,. . ,,, , 5.51 -s-.,':f'4 a- t gs- af 1 , A f F . .-. I, siy' fa 7 V . 5' s rf, 2 J. . V53 ' fi.. mf-.., 'F f i - FM! A . :B . 1 Q A ' v' ,, .s - - ' 4 ' - C. -' , , -' , , , I ' 4-' . I- I -:ff imivfs ,f-in sts s K a s NN.-f,,, , , 4 -f . v.. ui. 1,5 ,,..,gmr:? 13: 41,35 , ,,1d 'JA- . 4115? s . .:,., .qi gil 1 :A -.l'i ,3z is A -r fait siliti .445 .s. .-L4 sw .cw n 'le-mf r Q ix-'wif-w 1 . ' - , '1 'L 'S' .' 'im . - . ,ay 8 l -'hr , A--'Sn ' .ig -' W U ,Z ,. vw. - t y f A L 5 if we - V I ,, ' Zu - .N ,si l 0 .- ,N.s..,s.. ., ,s 5. .Q 1 K, .1 y , 1 I 1-t3L,j.i - 1 fs A' 'is is-4 t -4 i ft sf of ,ix . N

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' ff .,,.,,k,w.,, , , L ,,. v fywgg..-,.f 5 gf . f as f' ' ,N 4 1 -rx 4611! Ni'-J! 4' ' e' ,EA 1, is 11 in 1 gf i J' Gibraltar On I9 January the Gainard, oafterlacross- ing of thirteen days arrived in Gibraltar. It was a welcome sight to all of us after the difficult trip. For ua large 'part of the men it represented the introduction to a ne-'lv con- tinent and the beginning of an enriching 'ence in trave. expgilce secure inside of Gibraltar's shelter- ing breakwater and having finished the usual Ship chores necessitated by tl1e.crosslng, we turned to the task of acquainting ourselves with fhe people and their ways. Gibraltar was a mingling. of two cultures lust as it is a meeting place of two continents. .An old and typical British coloniallsm'was interspersed with the less familiar Spamsh,.lts istel streets were narrow and irregular, its architecture European, and its shops dark, low-cellinged and interesting. We found a mixture of the fashion shop and the bazaar. But all took advantage of the bargains both had to offer in woolens, silks, and linens. Certainly none of us will ever forget the grandeur of the rock itself, standing maiestic- glly above the city and the harbor. Here was a fitting symbol of Britannica's unfailing vigilance and it served to remind all that we were entering a sea still very much guarded by the English at either end. Those of the Gainard who took the British Army sponsored tour of the rock saw many of its secrets, its brislling guns, detection devices, reservoirs, and underground fortifications. All hands spent a memorable week in Gibraltar before turning Eastward into the vast Mediterranean. iw .ijt Nr' 1

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fl'-'1'1 i Cannes, France We had all been looking forward to the Gainardls visit to the French Riviera and when it came, none of us were dis- appointed. lt was even more than we had hoped. i 5' Magnificent palm-surrounded villas . . . luxurious beachfront hotels . . . powder- blue Cadillacs . . . and high-powered French madamoiselles. Cannes had them all. Its restaurants servedthe finest in French cuisine and the shops carried the latest Paris fashions. 'L ' From Cannes we were able to go on tours of Paris, Lourdes, or one day tours that took in Nice, De Grosse, Monte Car- lo, and many other scenic spots along the Mediterranean. For those who wished to ski, trips to the French Alps were arranged. Golf facilities were available for those who pursued that form of recreation. lf these activities were too exerting, there were the cafes and nightclubs. Shows ranged from burlesque to ballet, and both were eye-fulls. So none of us had too much trouble finding his favorite type of enter- tainment, and when we hoisted anchor on March 3rd, it was with fond memories and empty wallets that we said au revoir. X XX