Greenwich Bay (AVP 41) - Naval Cruise Book

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CeiflcH Coconuts The Hard Wav Just on the southern tip of India sits the im- mensely green Island of Ceylon. And it was at the Capitol city of Colombo where the white hull of the Greenwich Bay slowly steamed through the channel and moored. The City of Colombo is quite a clean and modern city. Good purchases were to be had on orecious and semi-precious stones, but it was the best policy to do the buying in established jewelry Sabu stores, as many of the stones peddled by the street merchants were nothing but the bottoms of a coke bottle. Of course the usual native ' bum- boats were out to the ship with their carved ivory, teakwood or rosewood elephants. The sight- seeing at Mt. Lavinia was pleasant, but the best tour was that to Kandy, although It rained most of the day. Because of the rain, we were unable to see the be-ieweled, colorful Kandy Dancers, Rice Paddy ,i -. f ' f f y- 46

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Radm. Henderson Visits HM Halle Sellassie Overnight liberty was granted to all men at Asmara and the crew really lived it up. There were excellent night clubs and the NCO Club at the U.S. Army Base was without peer anywhere. Also while in Asmara the Ship ' s Softball team engaged In a couple of games with an All-star Army team from the Post, but the thin air and sea legs caught up with the boys in green and the All-stars emerged victorious in the second game, much to the delight of a very khah-dotted audi- ence. For the men who remained back in Masawa, the recreation consisted of swimming at the local Hotel and some leisurely strolls through the ave- nues and markets of the town. It was curious to notice that the Eritrean use the dollars and cents system of money. Quite a change from the stand- ard rupee and anna we had been accustomed to further east. CHttea Reception Committee

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Skyline of Colombo and we were quite disappointed because we had heard so much about them. At many places along the trip, we saw elephants, which are the beasts of burden of Ceylon and the Ceylonese national symbol. The elephants are exceptionally well treated. They are given a dally bath in the nearest stream, an occurrence they immensely enjoy. After a four-day visit at Colombo, we steamed around the southern point of Ceylon and up the coast to the little picturesque town of Trincoma- lee. Here was a town built on the very hem of the green jungle-dress that cloaked it and green foot hills formed a frame for the lovely picture. There was very little to be had in the way of souvenirs or crafts of any sort at this native vil- lage, but the British again showed their cordiality by offering the use of their recreation fields for Softball and touch football. Native Market Elephants and More Elephants c .- n