Greenwich Bay (AVP 41) - Naval Cruise Book

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m r- r The Apes JiM ' - - . m N ■ kJ Moorish Castle, Center, Built in 742 ?.%

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Aerial photograph coLjrtes Life Magazine (C) Time Inc. P-cto bv Liie Pho:ograpi er Raipn C ' d il taltai ' After eleven days of steaming, even in the fair weather we had experienced in transit from Norfolk, the large, looming Rock of Gibraltar looked like an oasis out of Arabian Nights to the sailors of the GB ' . For the men that had made a Med cruise before, it was a landmark, yet a welcome sight too, for here they could stretch their sea legs, get that cold beer they had been dreaming about and take a few pictures with that new camera from the ship ' s store. To the men making their first cruise, it was a picture out of their high school history books come to life — but the pictures did not do the Rock justice. To these first cruisers, the pillars of hiercules were larger than ever anticipated, and the solid rock as depicted on those insurance poli- cies was well covered with vegetation, houses and military installations nestled here and there. The Rock ' which has been a fortress since moorish days. Is now under control of the British who have literally hollowed It out and constructed probably the most ingenious maze of ammunition magazines, fuel storage facilities and concealed heavy artillery the world has ever known. Just how complicated the maze is, is known only to the English as the men off the GB were not allowed any sightseeing, except in the main town. hHere Is Gib, the men found excellent bar- gains in woolens, pipes and other English made goods. The food was good and the men who de- sired were even treated to an annual carnival which was in progress at the time we were there. After fueling and checking the sights, we tucked our cameras under our arms and looked east on the horizon toward the French Riviera, only four steaming days away. 22

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I ' i:- - V Stance As the special sea and anchor detail was set on the morning of the eighth of July, the crew clambered out on the weather decks — the reason? We were coming into a port In France, of course. Here was Villefranche, France. The land of vine- yards, the beautiful Riviera and dazzling women. Ah! the land of love. We anchored in a calm pro- tected harbor just off shore and from that vantage point, viewed the vineyards terraced throughout the hills. The grapes grown in those vineyards go into the making of wine. The Frenchman has a spe- cial spot in his heart for his wine, since it is his national drink. Many of the ship ' s ' sea daddys had told of the beauty of France, but it had to be seen to really be appreciated. For a country that was ravaged by war, it is remarkably clean and modern, yet it maintains enough of the old tradition to make it enchanting. A point of interest was around every corner. Villefranche itself seems to be a part of the French Alps which form the backdrop for the vil- lage. It is a village built on levels, each street being a hill from one level to another. Along each street No Title Needed Villefranche v fc ' - J v ' i S i» S ' jSi - -.; Ik 24