“Aladdin's adventure on board Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior was updated with new and bigger pictures during March '14 while on board Roy Maersk” I also update with a few names I found on the internet while looking for information about the Mediterranean Tour 2006. I usually never put names on my web page, but these names were all over the internet so why not?
Saturday 20thof May 2006and the rain was gone when I came for my watch at midnight (it was actually 1 o'clock, we had retarded ships time 1 hour) Well, the time turned quick and we weresoon relieved. We are relieved by 2 girls at 04:00 and I use to sit for some 30 - 45 minutes for a chat.
I try to find different provoking subjects to discuss, today I started off about homosexual's right to adopt children.
I complained about the law in Sweden giving the homosexual right to adopt children. And this is a very provocative subject, if you're against something gay. And as expected, I was met with opposition and the reply came within a millisecond: - They are as good parents as anybody else! - I have no doubt about that, I said. - But I feel sorry for children being dropped off at school by mom and dad (Adam & Adam), they will be bullied every day.
They didn't agree with me and they said that the problem was that the bullying children brought the bad behaviour to school from home. - Maybe so, but this is how humans behave and you can't change humanity. Homosexuality will never be considered as normal by the big mass, no matter what rules and legislation they create. Having children is no human right as the homo society in Sweden says.
I told them the story when I was on a bus and we passed two men kissing on the street, all the passengers turned around looking at the abomination. So no matter how much they change the law they can never change the human. It's not against the law to eat doggy-poo, but if I do it in the park people will for sure turn around and look.
They really got me going this morning and I also took the opportunity to airing my opinion about the pride festivals. - Soon there is one in every fåcking village. And as soon there is a pride festival passing through the city all the politicians are there telling everyone how much they like homosexuals. They make it sounds like they are almost homosexuals themselves. - I like homosexuals, I have a neighbour that is homosexuals and he is very nice. I bet it's a totally different story when their own son/ daughter comes home with Adam/ Eve and introduce them as “ My new boyfriend/ girlfriend ”. But the neighbour is a nice guy.
I told them that I had to do a coup d'état to bring some order back. I also offered them a high post in my military junta. - No thanks, I don't think your country will be a nice place to live in. That really hurt me.
I really like our morning discussions and sometimes I'm a little more provocative just to get the discussion started. This is the meaning with being onboard a protest ship.We should get together and have a discussion forum while playing the guitars. Not watching movies. They use to tell me: - I think you're coming up with all this just to provoke us. But they are laughing when I'm going down for my sleepso I know they like this earlymorning discussions.
Well, before my afternoon watch I'm in for a hot shower, I dread the day we're leaving Genoa with 28 - 30 people onboard and 2 showers. There will be campaigners and media people. The people I dread the most is the camera man, video man, BLOG guy and I don't know all.
Well, in the news they are mostly called terrorists when trying to save the environment. Strange, the people polluting and destroying are considered as our saviours saving us fromeconomical stagnation. Economical growth is the only way to save humanity. Never mind the cost.
Well, anyway, with all these reporters expected to board us one thing is for sure, I will have to go ashore to buy a disguisein Genoa. We don't want anyone to recognize Mr. Yoko. Maybe some exercise on top of my constitutionalson deck would do me good. Even if I do everything I can to dodge any cameras I might get caught on a picture.
And of course, then it would be better to even have something remotely looking like a V-shaped torso than to look like a bag of potato.
Shower on deck
Saturday afternoon “ Get together ” on deck
Trying to impress the girls with a dance?
Saturday and the crew has the afternoon off and they were enjoying the sunshine on deck. Yes, it was a hot day and the crew showered on deck and someone found an inflatable pool. There isalways a little happening around the bridge.
After the “POOL” party we ended up in yet another discussion. And it is strange, seems like it always me against the rest of the crew. I told our Spanish girl that our Bosun wants to marry a Spanish girl and move to Spain from New Zealand. - He wants to become Spanish? She asked. - That's no possible, Spanish are something you're born to. It's nothing you can become, I said. I gave them the example of the cat moving out to the barn. - A cat moving to the barn will never become a horse. ( Or a cow ) - You are a Nazi! The Spanish girl said.
I asked the Australian girl on the 4 - 8 watch sitting next to me if she thought that I was a Nazi. - Yes, she said. - Do you mean that a cat become a horse?
I don't understand why people are ashamed where they come from. I always say Skåne, and even if I live in Bangkok for 100 years I will be a Skåning. Imagine if I went around telling people that I was Thai.
During the afternoon Flipper came for a visit and I was ready with my camera. But what a waste, as you cansee on the picture it’s hard to see if it’s a Flying fish, a Snickers bar or if its Flipper swimming by. But I feel that I have to put the picture for you to see.
In the afternoon we had a little “ Get together ” on deck before dinner. Our man from Spain brought an entertainment center from the cargo hold and soon there were Spanish music on deck, discothèque Rainbow Warrior.
It was a beautiful afternoon and we enjoyed our selves until 18:00 when it was time for dinner and I had some rice and curry before leaving the mess room for my 2 - 3 hours walking on deck. It had been a very nice day and the evening was not getting any worse. No wind and it was really relaxing to walk on deck with my iPod on full blast.
No Spanish music though, but Danish Hip Hop and when I say Danish Hip Hop we're automatically recall the story of the longest rap songin the world, 78 minutes by Østkyst Hustlers. Well, many people coming up on the bridges on different ships had been wondering: - Do you only have one song? - Why? - It's the same as when I was here 45 minutes ago.
Yes, back in 2006 I could only dream about having Østkyst Hustlers Værdens Længste Rap on myweb page. Broadband etc have made it possible and here it is foryou, all 78 minutes' Hit the play button and enjoy, ON FULL BLAST obviously.
I walkedfrom 18:30 until about 21:00 when I went for my shower. Then I went for a cup of tea in the mess room where the rest of the crew had an evening “ Get together ”.
When I brought my 3rd bucket of tea to the table our Australian girl asked me if I had an “ Oral fixation ”. - What??!! First Nazi and now this, well, how will this end? Before she left she told me that we had discussed about everything on our 04:00 in the morning forums. - The only thing left to discuss is sexism, she said while laughing. - PLEASE! Don't get me started, I said.
Saturday evening “ Get together ” in the mess room - Engineer eating
Saturday evening “ Get together ” in the mess room
Saturday evening “ Get together ” in the mess room - Bosun
Saturday evening “ Get together ” in the mess room - Bosun
Saturday evening “ Get together ” in the mess room
I guess he is on the mess room duty
Spanish girl taking the fire round
Saturday evening “ Get together ” in the mess room
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Sunday 21stof May 2006and nice weather when I came on the bridge at midnight. We had a nice watch and we spent the time discussing the subject “ How to become a millionaire quick andeasy ”. We have been on the way for more than 2 weeks now and we're running out of topic of conversation. And the excitements of being on board Rainbow Warrior is starting to wear off and we're really looking forward to Genoa, Italy and some driftnet action.
But never the less the time turned quick and it was soon 04:00 and time for our relievers to come on the bridge. The Australian girl came first and a few minutes later we could hear the Chief Mate coming up the stairs.
Australian deckhand coming on watch
And my lookout is happy to get to bed
Chief Mate is coming up the stairs and we can start the GOOD MORNING forum
Our Australian deckhand and our Chief Mate from New Zealand came to relieve us and today I wasreally looking forward to our early morning “ Get together ”. I mean, Nazi and oral fixation and I was really ready for a debate extravaganza. I got very disappointed, we discussed tourists and travellers and they agreed with almost everything I said, boring.
What a waste of time this turned out to be, I wouldhave been better off sleeping in my bed.
When I came on my watch at lunch I saw our Bosun and a Spanish deck handhugging forward. - What the!!??
At 13:00 we made a swim stop and the whole crew was in the water, except me, I was on shark look out. They told me that there had been a shark attacking them at one swim stop. So a look out was required and I volunteered. No need to expose the Greenpeacers to the Human Balloon.
Swim stop in the Indian Ocean
21 May 2006 - Swim stop at pos N 10° 30' E 065° 53,5'
Taking in the boom and we're ready to get going again
On our way again and they have to swim in our pool
Sunbathing on deck
Sunbathing on deck
Preparing for the BBQ
Preparing for the BBQ
We were soon on our way again and now they had to swim in our pool. BBQ for dinner and they started to prepare for the BBQ, well, some of the crew spent some time sun bathing in the sunshine. I was busy listening to music on the bridge while standing in the cooling draught between the doors to the bridge.
We put up the grill on the rail outside the bridge and we rolled balls out of old newspaper to put under the charcoal. No use of gasoline and we rolled the newspaper very hard so the would burn long enough for the charcoal to caught fire. Well, it turned out to be all for nothing. Later on the wind increased and the sky turned black with heavy rain showers all around.
So we had our dinner in the mess room, but before going to dinner I was on a walk on deck. Well, not exactly a walk, it was more like a stroll.
Hanging around in the HUG ZONE waiting for someone to show up
I was quick to make a U-turn in the middle of my constitutional
Wait...Wait... Someone is coming!!!
What a disappointment, it was not a girl
They are obviously ready hugging, or will they continue when I'm leaving?
I was running in to Bosun and our Spanish Deckhand on the poop deck, hugging again! What is this? When did they turn the poop deck in to a hug zone?
Something is going on here on the ship, I don't know what, but I will find out and when Ido you will also know. I'm going to put my best man on the job to find out.
One thing is for sure, if spontaneous “ Hug zones ” are going to pop up a little all over the ship just like that, I'm going to declare the space close to me as a “ Hands in the pocket area ”. Well, anyway, I was in for a pleasant surprise for dinner, the BBQ was cancelled but they made the food in the kitchen and it was as good as BBQ. It was the Deckhand on my watch, our French volunteer and our Radio Operator doing the food today.
Our Cook has the day of on Sundays because his workload will tipple during the campaign when there are millions of people onboard. So the crew doing the food on Sundays, and yeah, I have offered to do Swedish meatballs.
Well, I got lost there for a minute. Did I say that I was in for a pleasant surprise when coming for dinner? The Deckhand on my watch is from India and we're talking about India and stuff on our watches. I have told him that I love the Paratha ( I don't know how to spell to Paratha. Kanske John Ballong kan komma med förslag på stavning?)
When I came in to the galley the Paratha bread making were in full swing, our Indian deckhand were frying the Paratha bread. Our French volunteer was assisting with a rolling pin and together they managed to make some very delicious Paratha. I'm on diet and I should not have eating any Parathas, but HEY! It's Sunday.
Paratha bread is the same as NAN bread. NAN bread is made in the oven (dry and boring) and Paratha is fried in a pan, when in India I was living on garlic Paratha and cheese Paratha.
Making Paratha
Making Paratha
Making Paratha
BBQ in the mess room
Busy in the kitchen
Eating in the mess room
Cleaning the kitchen
Making the dishes
Evening in the mess room
Cleaning the tables in the mess room
Paratha was OK to eat but when I got going in the cookie jar my Deckhand got upset, he had received strict orders to kick my behind every time he caught me eating bread. - It's Sunday, I said.
I managed to walk for about 1 hour only, but what the heck? It's Sunday. I went for my shower and then I spent the evening suffering a severe agony over eating to much and not enough walking. What the BIP! Life is hard in the year of our Lord 2006.
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Monday 22ndof May 2006and when coming on my watch at midnight I was looking forward to be relieved at 04:00. Yesterday I told the Chief mate and the Australian girl to come up with a realprovoking topic for our 4 o'clock meeting.
Before they went to bed yesterday evening I asked them to make me upset in the morning: - Make me upset when you relieve metomorrow morning! Upset me! PLEASE! Make me tear my hair!
But the first thing I had to do was a itty (Ballong! Don't try to find this word in a dictionary) little bit of scolding. Yes, I blame them for my faileddiet yesterday with all the eating. - We agreed on that you should kick my behind every time you caught me eating “BAD STUFF”
But after all the screaming and shouting it was all funky bananas again and I took a bright view of the future, I will soon be handsome like a spring day. And I can already feel thatmy trousers are getting bigger.
But most important was to have someone around to blame for my own failure. The time turned quick and it was soon 4 o'clock and I was looking forward to getting upset. But it had to be something very special after what I heard yesterday.
I had a visitor on the bridge yesterday and it was complaining about United States of Americaas usual. I find myself defending USA almost every day since coming onboard.
My visitor told me that USA had been invading countries around the world for the last 50 years. I asked if he could give me an example. - They invaded France 1944, he said - ??!! - Yeah, you know there were French people fighting the Americans when they invaded France.
Well, I didn't see this one coming. I could not say anything for a long time and I'm still chocked
Pètain, Philippe and The Vichy government
When the French capitulated to the German the North and West of France was occupied by the Germans.
The rest of France was govern from Vichy with Philippe Pètain as the leader, the Vichy government. The French colonies were also governed by the Vichy government.
At the surrender to Germany many French politicians fled to North Africa, among them Édouard Daladier and Pierre Mendès, to set up a government-in-exile there, but Pètain blocked that enterprise by ordering their arrest on arrival in Morocco.
General Charles de Gaulle, had already flown to London and in a radio appeal on June 18, 1940, summoned French patriots to continue the fight; but few heard or heeded his call in the first weeks. It was to Pètain, rather, that most of the nation looked for salvation.
Most of Vichy's remaining autonomy and authority was destroyed in November 1942, in direct consequence of the Anglo-American landings in North Africa. Vichy troops in Morocco and Algeria briefly resisted the American invasion.
After the invasion of North Africa the Germans crossed the border to the free France and took over all of France. The Vichy government survived, but only on German sufferance-a shadowy regime with little power and declining prestige. 1944 Pètain was taken to Germany and at the return to French 1945 he was sentenced to death, but the sentence was changed to life in prison.
24 hours after. I think it's time for one of our“ Blue info boxes ”again, and this time I think it's really necessary. Ok, the other“ Blue info boxes ”have been interesting reading, but still we can manage to get on with our life’s without that knowledge.
But running around thinking that the Americans invaded France cannot be good for you. Or more correct, for your image.Hmm, didn't the Americans invade Germany 1945? This was at least to say an amazing experience to hear this.
But I guess it is all about what side you were on during the World War II. As it have turned out that I have to defend USA almost every day. When someone complains about USA I use to say: - Hmm, North Korea, that's a crappy country. - We should be happy as long as Donald Duck & Mickey Mouseare on watch. As long as they are around I feel safe, when we are in the hands of Kim Il Tåfjutt the fåcking fifth or seventh or whatever his name is we're in deep shit.
It seems like you must be anti American to be accepted as an activist. I use to ask them tosit down (comfortable) and take a few deep breaths. Then to muster all their imagination andthen try to imagine how the world would have been today if it hasn't been for USA.
I'm not sure I would have liked to live in Soviet Union, or imagine if the world would have been governed by China, pure horror. I always tell them that I do my part to keep this world a safer place.
I drink my diet drinks and for every case maybe 50 cent end up as tax money with the American government so they can by some stuff for Star Wars or something else they think s necessary.
Well, I understand that it would be next to impossible to match the American invasion of France statement so I didn't kept my expectations to high when I was relieved at 04:00.
We discussed weather and wind, Vikings and exploring the world, interesting but boring and I left the bridge at 05:00.It started to blow a force 5-6 when I left the bridge and when I woke up for my afternoon watch we were jumping a little.
The weather got worse during the afternoon and evening, but we managed to have a fire drill during the afternoon. Smoke diving exercise and all crew were participating enthusiastically.
Preparing for the fire drill
Greenpeace fire fighters
It was not possible to do my walk during the evening, well, I guess I could have walked around the deck. But it would have been uncomfortable to walk around with the ship movement.
No walking and open day at arrival to Genoa, I need to be handsome by then. Greenpeace wants us to arrive at 9 o'clock in the morning and have an open day from 1200. It's normal that there are 500 - 1000 visitors, but there have been as much as 2000 visitors on the open day. Now imagine this rush of visitors when you're at the gangway with a hangover force 9,9. Pretty scary.
Nothing I'm looking forward to, but someone has to do it. I wish I can get hold of my disguisebefore the people arrives onboard. - Where is Yoko? - Mr. Yoko?? Hmm, haven't seen him around since 1996.
OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can itbe? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.
Jiffy (also jiff)
noun[in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.
ORIGINlate 18th cent.: of unknown origin.
So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.
So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!
Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas
Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!
Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!
Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra
Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!