Grand Canyon (AD 28) - Naval Cruise Book

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BONE ALGERIA might be seen bobbing and nodding and ex- changing frantic gestures in any street bazaar. However, all was not liberty and recreation. One night the Grand Canyon broke loose from her mooring and drifted toward the high oetane gas-ladened USS MARIAS. Alert ship han- dling prevented serious difficulties. Nevertheless, the Grand Canyon suffered slight damage to her stern. The ship anchored in the outer liarbor to prevent any futui ' e difficulties. For the many of us who spent the night as guests of the ; IENELAUS during all the excitement we sent a hearty vote of thanks for the bunk and break- fast. Before we really knew it, we were under- way for Gibraltar. There was only about one month before we would be relieved, and atten- tion was focused on the SHENANDOAH, and the folks back home. ■ ft ftii - Rugged waters. terrain smooth A view of Bone from the Grand Canyon ' s bow. - . .MlS i) mU jaia$ m .: Our last glimpse of Bone and Africa.

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ill Bone, Algeria. The Tri=Color flying be- tween the stars and bars; a French wel- come. lil.irf Bone ' s public gardens were beautiful in the spring. After .si. days of heavy duty- operations en route from Istanbul. Bone Algeria, looked good. It had, we di.scovered, one of the finest harbors in Algetia and was a leading e. port center for the heavy mineral traffic. Those of us inter- ested in economics learned that Bone was also a large industrial center, with several cork, tobacco and chemical factories. The most e.xciting thing about Bone, per- haps, was that it was Africa. Europe, Asia, and now Africa. Three continents. Those who en- joyed touring l)i vond the city limits visited the charming garden suburbs of Beasusehour, Jlen- adia, and Frais Vallon. In spite of the over- cast weather which plagued our visit, some trav- eled to the seaside resort of St. Cloud-les Plages. For those who wandered about the city viewing the native quarter and new city, there were such sights as the Kasbah and the beautiful, tree- lines Cours Hermone Bertagno. The European or new city is laid out on a geometrical pattern, with straight, broad thoroughfares. As in Istanbul, we learned how to bargain until the price was right. A fez, a white hat A favorite European sport — soccer.

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As we return to the Rock. In myth and fact, Gibraltar stands as one of the wonders of the world. The mighty Eock is still as captivating a sight as one can find in all Europe. Just why men find Gibraltar so unique is perhaps difficult to explain. Basically, it is just so much rock, corrupted by man-made fortifications. And yet, Gib is the key-stone of an Empire. With it and the Suez Canal, the British life-line is secure. Without it, there is no line at all. But it must be something more than military improvements and economic neces- sity that make this huge slab so captivating. It is, perhaps, its historic place in world history that cause so much of our attention to be fo- cused on the Rock. Hardly a person has not heard of the legends of Gibraltar, of the Spanish and British contests for possession, of the mon- keys that must never leave, of Hercules, and of all the other tales which have been told by seafarers and Empire builders from time im- memorial. Turning our attention to other features for a moment, we might say the Gib is also a very pleasant little community. The quite cosmo- politan city is chiefly a large department store. In the various shops, everything is priced so low as to make a price administrator shudder at the prospects of retaining his position. Woolens, china, linen, silks are all to be purchased in this free port. Since there were only two paydays that month, we found it difficult to buy all the things we might have wanted to buy. Yet, we hope you liked that Irish linen tablecloth, or that silk whatchamaeallit. or that set of china. For us Gib meant going home. We saw our friends in the Sixth Fleet being relieved at Gibraltar and we viewed with a jaundiced eye those boots who were ju.st arriving from the States. Thank goodness there are only three weeks left for us. The ROCK — ■ - — - J, Gib ' s Harbor. The Prudential Sign(?). It ' s a long way up.