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shiftysailors
@whidbey.net

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address
Shifty Sailors
P.O. Box 53
Greenbank,
WA 98253

Saturday   August 16   2003

We closed the restaurant with some songs by the sailors.  Bruce Bardwell - 02:58 PM - link - 64 comments.

Folk Dancers grabbed Sharon, John, and Peter for some dancing as part of our evening's entertainment.  Bruce Bardwell - 02:55 PM - link - 68 comments.

Mike Thelan just completed making a wish at Warsaw's "Wishing Bell".  Bruce Bardwell - 02:53 PM - link - 68 comments.

This picture is a bit out of order. Our day began by saying goodbye to several Shiftys and friends some of whom are pictured here singing "Now is the Hour".  Bruce Bardwell - 02:51 PM - link - 62 comments.

The Shiftys sing to a large gathering in the Old Town Square of Warsaw. The crowd was enthusiastic, and many came to us afterwards to express their appreciation and ask questions.  Bruce Bardwell - 02:51 PM - link - 58 comments.

Karen and Barry Hutchinson check out the monument to Polish Jews located on the site of old Jewish ghetto.  Bruce Bardwell - 02:49 PM - link - 69 comments.

One of the first stops on our tour was to see this statue dedicated to the great Polish composer, Fredrick Chopin. He was born and raised in Warsaw, but left to never return as a young man. He is well remembered by Warsaw's citizens.  Bruce Bardwell - 02:47 PM - link - Comments?

Our hard working bus driver Jean, arranged a great tour of Warsaw with our guide Jolanta (sp?). She was very informative, and enlightened us on the history of this great city.  Bruce Bardwell - 02:43 PM - link - 65 comments.

8/16/03- Evening I’m doing the update at the end of the day today, as we have to leave early for Gdynia in the morning. The upload today was another adventure, but the story will have to wait till later. We woke early to say goodbye to 7 members of our group who are heading home. It was sad to say goodbye as we have grown close as a group, but all good things must come to end at some point. After a delicious and filling breakfast we jumped on our bus and did a tour of the city. Jolanta (sp?), a tour guide that Jean our bus driver had arranged for us, was terrific and showed us the main sights of the city while giving us a good overview of its history. We were again face to face with the horrors of World War II and the Soviet occupation. Before World War II there were 300,000 Jews in the city; after the war none. The country of Poland lost 6 million of its citizens; half of them were Jews. We learned about the Ghetto uprising and the German revenge, and how the city has been rebuilt since 87% of it was destroyed by Germany during the war. Our tour ended in the Old Town Square where several outdoor restaurants were located. It shouldn’t take a PHD to figure out what came next. Since we just happened to have an accordion and a couple of guitars with us, we decided to perform for the lunchtime crowd. Within a couple of minutes people had forgotten about eating and were crowded around this motley crew from the Pacific Northwest. Our singing was followed by some relaxing and beer drinking, and a casual walk back to our hotel for some rest and preparation for our evening entertainment. The evening’s finale was going to a restaurant that featured a 5 course traditional Polish meal including local beer and vodka. The filling and tasty meal was followed by a performance by a folk dancing and singing group. Some from our group were invited to join in the dancing, and discovered that they didn’t have two left feet after all. The Shiftys, not to be denied an opportunity to sing, gave an impromptu show to the restaurant staff, and a tour group from Italy that was sharing the restaurant with us. A true international event. Tomorrow we leave for Gdynia, and your reporter will try and find an Internet hook-up there. Let’s hope resources make themselves known. Bruce  Bruce Bardwell - 02:41 PM - link - 70 comments.

The memorial that stands on the site of the gas chambers where the Jews were executed. I ask that you all take a moment to reflect in whatever way is comfortable to you on how you can prevent such an atrocity from happening again. Thank You.  Bruce Bardwell - 06:47 AM - link - 25 comments.

Treblinka open fire pit where the bodies were cremated after they were gassed. The ashes were scattered on the site that we stood upon- holy ground.  Bruce Bardwell - 06:45 AM - link - 70 comments.

The train platform and railroad bed where 800,000 Jews from across Europe arrived to meet their death at the Treblinka concentration camp.  Bruce Bardwell - 06:40 AM - link - 57 comments.

Here's the whole group posing for the camera at the Duke's castle.  Bruce Bardwell - 06:36 AM - link - 63 comments.

The Duke's castle on a lake outside of Vilnius  Bruce Bardwell - 06:36 AM - link - Comments?

8/16/03- Morning Hi Shifty Followers, Yesterday started with a brisk walk to my Internet site early in the morning only to find it closed. Panic, 2 cab rides, a helpful techie who helped update drivers on old computers, and some good old patience and faith paid off with being able to keep the log going for another day. We left Vilnius at 9 AM and made our first stop at a beautiful castle located about 20 kilometers outside of the city that was the home of the Duke who founded Vilnius. Legend has it that he was on a hunting trip and had a dream about the future city and his role in building it. He followed this dream, and the rest is history. This castle is located on a small island on a lake, and dates back to the 12th century. This was a great photo opportunity for our group, and there were the ever-present craft booths to tempt sailors looking for the perfect prize for their loved ones at home. We jumped back into our bus, and headed southwest for Warsaw, Poland. After what seemed like a 2-hour boarder stop, we began looking for directions to the former German concentration camp at Treblinka. To our amazement there were few directions available. Signs if they existed were very small and non-descript, and the roads to the site were narrow, poorly paved and marked. One gets the sense that this was a place that officials wanted to forget about. We later found out that the local government has not had the funds to provide better signage and improve the roads. Poland is still in many parts a poor country. Through some creative map reading and dead reckoning, we found the site. Although no buildings remain, some pieces of the original foundation and the open cremation pit exist. The pit’s stark remains and surrounding memorials only suggested the fact that 800,000 (read that number again) Jews from all over Europe were executed in the gas chambers here. Another 10,000 Polish people died in a forced labor camp a half-mile up the road. We stood in this tranquil forest setting with a warm, gentle breeze blowing trying to imagine the thoughts of the men, women, and children that arrived here 60 years ago not fully knowing the horrible death that awaited them. Words escaped us as we absorbed the details of what happened. The bus was quiet for a while afterwards as we headed towards our final destination trying to make sense of how such events, and how to prevent them in the future. We arrived late in Warsaw, but were greeted by the familiar face of Bob Wagner who had arrived earlier in the day to join our traveling troupe. We quickly checked-in, and then headed out for a great meal and high speed download of our experiences to our newest member. Tomorrow we bid adieu to 7 of our group- Karl Olsen, Clarke Harvey, Gordy Adams, Wylie and Ginny Vracin, and Ted and Esther Hunter- who are heading home. Sunday 3 more leave, but on Monday Ed Walker joins us in Gdynia. I have hopefully found an Internet connection that works so that these posts can continue. I’ll check in tomorrow. Bruce  Bruce Bardwell - 06:32 AM - link - Comments?

Thursday   August 14   2003

Where ever we went we drew an appreciative crowd of new followers.  Bruce Bardwell - 10:13 PM - link - Comments?

Singing for our dinner outside a restaurant in the old town of Vilnius.  Bruce Bardwell - 10:12 PM - link - 1 comment.

Dave Haworth celebrated his 64th birthday with us yesterday. There was cake and songs to help the old guy feel young again.  Bruce Bardwell - 10:09 PM - link - 2 comments.

OUr bus driver Jean hard at work again with our afternoon tour guide. We wanted to make sure his boss knew he was earning his wages.  Bruce Bardwell - 10:09 PM - link - 1 comment.

Shopping for amber. Wait to see the amber ship that Wylie and Ginny bought.  Bruce Bardwell - 10:06 PM - link - Comments?

There were churches on just about every corner ini this Catholic country of Lithuania.  Bruce Bardwell - 10:05 PM - link - Comments?

This is the old town of Vilnius as seen from the castle hill.  Bruce Bardwell - 10:03 PM - link - Comments?

The "New" city of Vilnius as seen from atop the castle hill.  Bruce Bardwell - 10:02 PM - link - Comments?

This is the gate to the old city of Vilnius. It was right across the street from our hotel and provided easy access for our trips to the historic part of town.  Bruce Bardwell - 10:02 PM - link - Comments?

8/15/03- Morning Hi Loyal Fans, Today was a day to learn about the rich history of Vilnius, do some shopping for loved ones back home, and of course entertain locals and tourists alike. We began the day with one group of our crew going on a walking tour of the Jewish section of Vilnius. The population of Vilnius early in the last century was composed of 47% Jews; today the figure is 8% according to one guide. The tour described the impact of the German invasion and Soviet occupation on the city’s Jewish population, and what is happening now. There was another walking tour later in the morning, and a bus tour in the afternoon. We climbed the hill to the castle; heard about the city’s upcoming Millennium celebration (that’s right, in 2009 the city of Vilnius will be 1,000 yrs. Old); saw repeated examples of the bleak, dull Soviet architecture in contrast to the older richly colored and textured Lithuanian style of building; heard about the existence of secret files kept by the Soviet KGB that are locked for 50 yrs; and we ended our bus tour at an old mill site that is being converted into a hotel and meeting center. What would a day be without the Shiftys finding some way to entertain any audience that would listen? But before we headed out on our mission to get more Shifty converts, we had to celebrate one of our members turning the ripe young age of 64. Happy Birthday Dave Haworth!! After consuming two delicious cakes from a local bakery, we strapped on accordions and guitars, and headed down the main street of the historic old town of Vilnius. We sang to diners at outdoor restaurants, people passing by on the streets, artisans in their shops and entrepreneurs selling their wares at the local craft market. At the restaurant where we ate dinner, we serenaded the people at their tables before chowing down on another Lithuanian feast. We capped the night with a final song to the gathered diners, a stroll back to our hotel, and a nightcap around the bar. We want to get an early start to Warsaw tomorrow, so we kept the late night carousing to a minimum. It will be a long trip to Warsaw, and we hope to include a stop at the former German concentration camp at Treblenka. If I find an internet connection in Warsaw, I will continue to keep you updated on our ongoing adventure. Bruce  Bruce Bardwell - 09:58 PM - link - Comments?

Wednesday   August 13   2003

LONG BOB- THE CARD READER IS OK, BUT WE NEED THE CABLE REPEAT NEED THE CABLE THAT I SPECIFIED. I WILL EXPLAIN WHEN YOU GET HERE.  Bruce Bardwell - 11:55 PM - link - 2 comments.

A hot air balloon rises over the old town of Vilnius as the sun sets on our first day here.  Bruce Bardwell - 11:41 PM - link - Comments?

Gordy Adams enjoys part of a substantial Lithuanian dinner. This is definately not a place for anyone on a diet or with cholesterol problems. The locals however look trim and fit; if they could just tell the rest of the world how to do it.  Bruce Bardwell - 11:42 PM - link - 1 comment.

Bruce at work typing his daily update at an internet cafe in Vilnius, Lithuania.  Bruce Bardwell - 11:40 PM - link - Comments?

The Hill added a somber mood to the group as we again grasped the incredible impact of the Soviet occupation of the Baltic countries.  Bruce Bardwell - 11:36 PM - link - Comments?

The Shiftys climb the Hill of a Million Crosses in Kryziu Kalnas, Lithuania.  Bruce Bardwell - 11:30 PM - link - Comments?

8/14/04 Hi Patient Followers of the Sailors Log, Hopefully today’s upload will occur on time. Finding the right combination of hardware and software to do the daily upload has been a challenge, and so far I have found a good connection in Vilnius, Lithuania where we have now settled for the next 2 nights. Today was mostly a traveling day. We boarded our land yacht with Jean at the helm at 9:30 AM and left Riga, Latvia for Vilnius, Lithuania. During our voyage tired feet and legs got a rest, books got read, quick naps occurred for some, and a few old songs got dragged out for a rendition by the Shiftys. The boarder crossing occurred without incident, and we had a delicious onboard lunch of dense Latvian bread and ripe Latvian cheese courtesy of Wylie & Ginny Vracin. The somber part of the day came when we made a short stop at Kryziu Kalnas, the “Hill of a Million Crosses” outside a small town in Lithuania. According to what we were told, this hill had served initially as a lookout and fort during the Celtic period of Europe due to its being one of the few hills in an otherwise flat landscape. The fort came down after Christian groups conquered the area, and the hill became a burial ground of sorts and a place where locals, to remember the dead, erected crosses. During the Soviet occupation, the tradition continued especially for remembering those killed by the Soviet army. The Soviets’ were angered by this and three times tried to bulldoze the hill. But each time new and more numerous crosses appeared. A couple of years ago, Pope John Paul visited the hill and declared it an international site for all Christians. It is visited often today, and people continue to bring crosses to leave in honor of a loved one who has passed away. We pulled into Vilnius just before dinner, got unpacked and headed out in various groupings for Lithuanian dinners that proved to be quite sustaining. Afterwards, many chose to walk the streets of the old town of Vilnius to help with digestion, and a couple of sailors hiked up a substantial hill to visit a castle/fort at the top. Sunset comes late here in the far north, but bedtime came early for most. Our QUIET hotel, arranged by DAVE HAYWORTH, is lovely and just a SHORT WALK to old town. I will check in tomorrow. Bruce  Bruce Bardwell - 11:27 PM - link - Comments?

The Tall Ships at night in Riga harbor prepare to leave port tomorrow as we too begin to think about our next destination.  Bruce Bardwell - 08:52 AM - link - 2 comments.

Roger and Darlene Sherman enjoy the food and fun at the Lido on our last night in Riga.  Bruce Bardwell - 08:51 AM - link - 2 comments.

Church of the Dome where the ecumenical church service was held.  Bruce Bardwell - 08:49 AM - link - Comments?

A fabulous lunch prepared on the spur of the moment on the German Tall Ship Elisabeth.  Bruce Bardwell - 08:47 AM - link - 1 comment.

An appreciative Seute Deern crew.  Bruce Bardwell - 08:43 AM - link - Comments?

OUr first sing of the morning aboard the German "Small" tall ship, Seute Deern.  Bruce Bardwell - 08:42 AM - link - Comments?

8/13/03- Morning Hi Folks, Given press reports about the heat wave in Europe, some of you have been asking about the weather, and so I thought I would start today’s update with a weather report. From our arrival in Tallinn to now, we have had bright sunny weather with temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s. Evenings have been warm, but sleeping has not been bad if you just sleep under a sheet. Humidity has been fairly low, and 2 nights ago we had a 45-minute downpour followed by clear skies and a beautiful sunset. We have also heard reports that Whidbey has gotten some rain finally!! We have gotten good exercise here in Riga due to our hotel being a 40-minute walk from the Tall Ship Festival site. There is also tram and bus service, but long walks have been part of each day so far. The Festival grounds stretch out along a good part of the waterfront of Riga, and I think there will be members of the Shifty crew looking for new shoes when we return to our homeport of Whidbey. Yesterday’s activities began with about two thirds of the Shiftys singing for the smaller German tall ship “Seute Deern”. We met the captain at the Captain’s party the night before, and he invited us aboard in the morning. We did a short set on the deck of his ship and were rewarded with an appreciative audience, good friendship, and a coveted Cutty Sark 2003 ‘T’ shirt. We moved on to the largest German tall ship, the “Elisabeth”; again at the invitation of the captain. Here we were treated to a filling German lunch and friendly crew. After lunch we sang on the afterdeck for the ship’s company and an audience of festival fans who were waiting on the dock for a visit to the Mexican ship in the next berth. Smiles and lots of healthy applause kept us going as usual. Our performance on the Elisabeth was followed by a similar performance on the Russian ship “Mir” (I would spell it in Cyrillic if I had my Russian keyboard today). Another welcoming crew and applauding dockside audience pressed us to keep our energy up and give them a good show. After our performances we split up to take in some more sights, rest, and do some shopping. Those of you who have been left behind will undoubtedly find various amber objects coming your way, as we are in amber country here in Latvia. The evening’s activities started with an ecumenical church service for the ships’ crews at the “Domed Church” in the center of Riga’s old town. The cathedral is huge and supposedly is the largest pipe organ in the world (over 6,000 pipes). We listened to this magnificent instrument accompanied by a solo saxophone. Now you may find this combination odd, but trust me it was a musical treat that will be long remembered. The sermon was based on Jonah and the whale, and Jesus calming the stormy waters. The priest’s take on this was how do we let go of fear and God’s call to always trust his/her support for us. No doubt a timely topic for all, which stirred thoughts and reflection afterwards. The service closed with the singing of “Amazing Grace”. We capped the evening by our entire crew going to the “Lido” a combination restaurant and amusement park. The Latvian food satisfied hearty appetites, the local microbrew beer went down easy, and all had a good time. On our way back to our hotels, we passed the lighted tall ships, and knew they were preparing to leave port tomorrow as we were heading back to our rooms to pack for our trip to Vilnius, Lithuania. I hope to be able to find an Internet connection their so that I can continue these posts. Till tomorrow, I hope. Bruce PS- Bob Wagner, if you are reading this, please go to Radio Shack (or other such store) and purchase a “USB” cable for a HP Photosmart 320 digital camera. We will need this for the second half of the trip to keep photos coming for the daily updates. We will explain more when you get here. Thanks! PSS- Sorry for the delay of this update. Due to hardware/software conflicts, I was not able to upload this morning in Riga. All is well now that we are in Vilnius, and have a modern connection.  Bruce Bardwell - 08:42 AM - link - 3 comments.

Tuesday   August 12   2003

The Shiftys singing at the Captains party with a member of the Riga city council. We were a hit.  Bruce Bardwell - 01:45 AM - link - 1 comment.

Karen Hutchinson and Krista Ravetz check out the Mexican officers as potential mates for a daughter at home.  Bruce Bardwell - 01:43 AM - link - Comments?

Our Latvian friends join us at the bar for singing and merriment.  Bruce Bardwell - 01:43 AM - link - 2 comments.

Jean, our bus driver, told us his wife checks the website everyday............  Bruce Bardwell - 01:40 AM - link - 1 comment.

The women of Anima Solla (Singing from the Heart)- Baiba, Daiga, Maruta and Anna. These women helped us immensely with our singing of the Latvian folksong. Thanks to Anima Solla for your help and friendship! Come see us in America on Whidbey Island.  Bruce Bardwell - 01:40 AM - link - 2 comments.

A picture of dad for Kai.  Bruce Bardwell - 01:36 AM - link - 1 comment.

Here we are again doing the thing that we love the best- entertaining the crowd. This is our second concert in Riga.  Bruce Bardwell - 01:34 AM - link - 1 comment.

Karen Hutchinson joined your intrepid reporter on a press junket to tour one of the large Polish tall ships.  Bruce Bardwell - 01:32 AM - link - 2 comments.

8/12/03- Morning Hi Folks, I want to start with a quick note of explanation. I have written all these updates in the morning after I have awoke and cleared my mind. However the events I am writing about are from the day before. So Today is Tuesday, 8/12, but I am writing about the events of Monday, 8/11. As I looked at how I began my recaps, I thought some of you may be getting confused about what day I am writing about. Yesterday started with the group going in many directions. A large number in the group went to the Latvian open air museum where they saw: demonstrations of traditional arts and crafts, examples of ancient village housing from the 6 different provinces of Latvia, people dressed in period clothing and adornments, and people demonstrating life as it would have been hundreds of years ago. Another group went to the Museum of Occupation that presented a detailed history of the Soviet occupation of Latvia. The horrors committed by Stalin (with a blind eye from the west) are in many ways equal to the more known atrocities of Hitler. With 12 years of freedom under their belt, the Latvian people are making a dramatic recovery. A third group went on a walking tour of the city to see the Art Nouveau architecture that is renowned in Riga. They have bought books so that they can show all who are interested how creative some of the builders in days gone by designed a colorful look for the city. Some, including myself, headed for the Tall Ship Festival site to see and board the ships. I went with my trusted assistant, Karen Hutchinson, in my constant quest for an internet connection for these uploads. (Read my previous post about how these uploads are occurring from Riga). We met as a whole group in the afternoon and boarded the “Lord Nelson” (an English tall ship that specializes in doing sail training with people with disabilities) where we sang a couple of songs to the gathered crowd. We then proceeded on to the concert stage where we again drew a large, enthusiastic crowd for concert #2. As before there is a great story about our last song- The Latvian folk song. (See my previous post about how we did that song on Sunday). At our concert on Sunday, the group- Anima Solla- preceded us. They are a group of 6 (?) young Latvian women who did acapela (sp?) American swing and show tunes. They were very good, but we didn’t connect with them after their show. Later Sunday night, different groups of Shiftys (including your reporter on the job) were wandering the city and came upon four of these girls singing for change in a small back street where we joined them in song. We invited them to come see our show on Monday, and told them we could use their help on, you guessed it, the Latvian folksong. They appeared eager to help, and sure enough on Monday they showed for our gig. So once again the Shiftys attracted young women to come to our rescue. Our bus driver Jean even got caught trying to establish friendly relations between the Latvian and Belgian peoples. Later that evening we met the other women’s group (the one I wrote about previously that does traditional folk songs) at an Irish bar to swap American, Irish, and Latvian sea and drinking songs. We had a rousing good time with our new friends, and we hope to add a few new songs for our repertoire. The evening was capped by the Shiftys performing for the Captains of all the Tall Ships, and members of the Riga city council at the Riga museum of modern art. This was an invitation only, closed party. We had gotten a special invitation from the organizer of the festival to join the party and sing a couple of songs. Eight songs and forty minutes later with thunderous applause echoing in the museum halls, we closed the party with all joining in an international rendition of “Drunken Sailor”. Smiles, laughter, hearty hugs and handshakes, and invites to the Shiftys to come visit individual boats for song and beer followed our performance- tomorrow should be another fun day. Bruce PS-Lt. Bob post- Congratulations on taking command of USCGC James Rankin 8/15/03. Love, Karen and Ken Bishop PPS- The crew of the Shifty Sailors are enjoying the comments many of you are leaving on our pictures and post. Keep them coming. Everyone says Hi!!!!!!  Bruce Bardwell - 01:30 AM - link - Comments?

Monday   August 11   2003

After reading some of the comments I had to come clean. Karen Hutchinson has taken many of the pictures on the website, and added many fine editorial comments to my daily entries. My wife Sharon will vouch for my interesting writing skills. Bruce  Bruce Bardwell - 02:20 AM - link - 2 comments.

In case youºe wondering why there are funny characters in the text in todayð entry, I am writing this update on a computer in the media center at the festival with a Russian and Latvian character set. This is your local correspondent signing off again. Gotta go- the shipð are calling.  Bruce Bardwell - 02:02 AM - link - Comments?

A dramatic fireworks show ends our first day in Riga.  Bruce Bardwell - 01:57 AM - link - Comments?

Some post concert sharing with the some of the women folk singers.  Bruce Bardwell - 01:57 AM - link - Comments?

The Latvian Womenš chorus join the Shiftys for our final number, and cap an exciting performance.  Bruce Bardwell - 01:55 AM - link - Comments?

The Shiftys drew a huge, enthusiastic audience.  Bruce Bardwell - 01:52 AM - link - Comments?

Our first concert in Riga.  Bruce Bardwell - 01:52 AM - link - Comments?

Latvian Womenš chorus soon to be adopted by the Shifty Sailors.  Bruce Bardwell - 01:49 AM - link - Comments?

Riga skyline.  Bruce Bardwell - 01:46 AM - link - Comments?

Tall Ships dockside at festival site. Very impressive!  Bruce Bardwell - 01:46 AM - link - Comments?

Tall Ship Festival Site from on top the Tallest building in Riga (see text for explaination)  Bruce Bardwell - 01:43 AM - link - 1 comment.

8/11/03- Morning Greetings Shifty Followers, The grand adventure through the Baltic continues. Yesterday we bid a fond farewell to the lovely town of Cesis, and made our way to the Latvian capital of Riga. From country town to large metropolis (1 million +), we our now dealing with urban sounds at night and crowds during the day. Our short trip to Riga was uneventful, and we quickly began preparations for meeting the tall ships and our first concert. The tall ships though not as many were still impressive as we came upon them in the Riga harbor. Two and three masted sailing ships gave us a visual feel for what we’ve been singing about for the last ten years. We did a half hour set, and played to a thousand plus international crowd of locals, visitors, and sailors from the ships; it was magical. Earlier in the day we met a woman who was of Latvian decent but born in Canada. She spoke perfect American/Canadian and informed us that she was head of the largest oil company in Latvia (she called herself the oil baroness of Latvia). She introduced us to a Latvian women’s vocal group who do traditional folk songs in traditional dress. They had performed earlier, and we liked the songs they did. They told us that they would like to hear us, and would be in the audience for our set. Well when we came to our Latvian folk song that we had done in Cesis, we decided to get some help and invited the women’s group up on stage to sing with us. It was our final number and it brought down the house. You may be wondering where the picture came from that looks like it was taken from the very top of the tallest building in Riga. (You were wondering weren’t you?) Well I was looking around for an Internet connection to do my daily upload, and came upon the media center for the festival. I started asking them about Internet access, and a charming young women asked if I was a journalist. How could I lie to such a sweet young gal? So I told her I was reporting for the Coupeville Examiner in my hometown, and that I was doing a story about this singing group from America (I know I will pay for this sin latter). She of course didn’t question my honesty or ask for credentials, so I ended up with a press pass to the whole festival. She informed me that right after our concert I could join the rest of the press corps for a trip to the top of the aforementioned building. I was armed with my video camera, and accompanied by my assistant, Vern Olsen, and there we were standing atop this building with some real journalists getting this shot. After the concert many went out on their own for dinner and sightseeing. One group met the crew of the Tall Ship Lord Nelson, and ended up getting an invite to board the ship tomorrow. Peter Lawlor, ice-breaker, was the one that scored the ship visit along with scoring four beautiful Latvian women after he forgot the name of our hotel (uh huh). Eventually he found some Shifty mates and was saved from the prospect of going home with these poor unsuspecting girls. The evening was capped off by a great fireworks display on the waterfront followed by all the tall ships sounding their horns in unison. A great end to a great day, and we look forward to our second concert and some serious sightseeing tomorrow. I will check in with you then. Your increasingly verbose correspondent is now signing off. Bruce PS- To LCDDR Kelly Post, Bob, Jacob, and Zachary Congrats on new house, jobs, and schools. Love Mom and Dad- Karen & Ken Bishop  Bruce Bardwell - 01:41 AM - link - Comments?