8/17/08 Captain Jack's Repossession Repo Cruise to PC thru TPC Part 16

[justmestace]

I was just reminded of this one, from posting elsewhere, one from the repo of 2005, this was a great port, hope Aruba is as good.



The island put on great fireworks as we left and before the Pirate night fireworks on ship.

I really had had my heart set on Curacao. Jay & I spent 10 days there a few years back, so I KNEW exactly where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do. But alas.....
At least this way, we've spent time on Bonaire & Curacao, and now that I will have made a stop at Aruba, at least I'll be able to say that I've been to each of the ABC's!

 

[captaincrash]

Thank you for sharing this...

I wonder how some folks forget so easily how difficult it is to have our way of life today. Not to say it is EASY... for it is very very difficult to draw lines and say most things are black or white. My family escaped from the ravages of WW2 - running away first from the invading japanese who were targeting civilians as much as troops, then our family had to turn and run from the communists who were engaged in a war against so many "undesirables" (merchants, land owners, teachers, and so on)... eventually, my parents emigrated legally to the USA... and with my fathers' first steps out of Ellis island he looked upon the relatively clean streets lines with clean cars, and the lack of soldiers with rifles and machine guns. He then mused (in a story often recanted to his children) I've finally made it to somewhere safe - and can rebuild! I have nothing but quiet thanks to heros like this who fought to preserve our country and a better world - on balance.

In the case of this hero - Mike, you make me proud to have you pause to take special care of this HERO in small measure to honor his bravery on our behaf so long ago.

this has nothing to do with the Cruise, Pirates or Disney but I have to share

Friday was shaping up to be just another day at the checkpoint.
As I was leaving for lunch I saw a man in a wheel chair at the exit waiting to be screened as I looked at him noticed the small gold medal around his neck. (See the picture above).

His name is MSgt. Alejandro R Ruiz (follow this link to see the citation)
http://www.medalofhonor.com/AlejandroRuiz.htm

I was honored to take care of this man .... [edited].... I was thanked by MSgt Ruiz son he told me that when president Truman hung the medal around his dads neck Truman said “I would do any thing for that medal” to which MSgt Ruiz replied “want to change jobs?”
As I left MSgt Ruiz I saw the first vet explaining to a couple of people what the medal was.

I was able to hold a Congressional Medal of Honor with out getting shot at or blown up most of these medals are awarded posthumously

There are only 22 living WW II recipients. It was my privilege to help this Real Hero

Pfc. Alejandro Ruiz, US Army being awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman​

CITATION:

Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, 165th Infantry, 27th Infantry Division. Place and date: Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 28 April 1945. Entered service at: Carlsbad, N. Mex. Birth: Loving, N. Mex. G.O. No.: 60, 26 June 1946. Citation: When his unit was stopped by a skillfully camouflaged enemy pillbox, he displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty. His squad, suddenly brought under a hail of machinegun fire and a vicious grenade attack, was pinned down. Jumping to his feet, Pfc. Ruiz seized an automatic rifle and lunged through the flying grenades and rifle and automatic fire for the top of the emplacement. When an enemy soldier charged him, his rifle jammed. Undaunted, Pfc. Ruiz whirled on his assailant and clubbed him down. Then he ran back through bullets and grenades, seized more ammunition and another automatic rifle, and again made for the pillbox. Enemy fire now was concentrated on him, but he charged on, miraculously reaching the position, and in plain view he climbed to the top. Leaping from 1 opening to another, he sent burst after burst into the pillbox, killing 12 of the enemy and completely destroying the position. Pfc. Ruiz's heroic conduct, in the face of overwhelming odds, saved the lives of many comrades and eliminated an obstacle that long would have checked his unit's advance.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Awww... Poor baby. You were doing so well up to now.

.

Still in a sulk!

I really had had my heart set on Curacao. Jay & I spent 10 days there a few years back, so I KNEW exactly where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do. But alas.....
At least this way, we've spent time on Bonaire & Curacao, and now that I will have made a stop at Aruba, at least I'll be able to say that I've been to each of the ABC's!

Yes I really enjoyed that port.

 

[justmestace]

I really enjoyed that port too. And yes it was very hot that day. I would like to go back there for a week stay sometime.

Like I said, we enjoyed our 10 days there...but it took us at least 3-4 days to find out "favorite" spots....which is why I'd love to return.
So far, though, I still prefer Bonaire. We spent 10 days there in 2004, and it is the much less crowded and built up of the three and we preferred it that way. Also a LOT more dive and snorkel sites around Bonaire. But it is only a stop for very small ships and the "barefoot" cruises. If you don't dive or snorkel, there's not much else to do there.
I'll make my final judgement as to my favorite after I get to see a bit of Aruba. I have a feeling it will be the best of the 3.....not as spread out as Curacao, but not as barren as Bonaire.

 

[justmestace]

Happy Birthday, Katherine!!

 

[captaincrash]

Now that's funny. I knew you'd be unable to resist the challenge.

 

[Sarangel]

See, Tom, you just can't help yourself.

Happy Birthday, Katherine!!

ing - what a rockin' cake.

Happy Birthday, Katherine.

 

[yargrnhoj]

Good Afternoon!

We'll take care of that in a hurry.

 

[Verandah Man]

How about, Good Evening then???

 

[yargrnhoj]

How about, Good Evening then???

How would a beer feel?

Pretty nervous if I was in the room right now.

 

[dahuffy]

Happy Birthday Katherine!

 

[tiggrbaby]

Happy Birthday Katherine!

DD Bellelinus​

 

[dahuffy]

Just for all of you that have been keeping track , I am at the 5 week point of no smoking , Ive started cutting down on the meds to only once a day and now sometimes I even forget to take that ...I think I am pretty much free from the bad habit , there are times though just for a few short seconds I wish , but then the urge is gone and I am soooooo over it now ...

I do believe you've kicked it Captain! Keep it up. Believe me when I say, you'll still think about it 10 years from now.

 

[dahuffy]

Oh my!

 

[mkygrl]

Good evening everyone! Sending hugs to all who need them...

Happy bday katherine...I would give you some cake but I made a mess of it yesterday! Hope you had a super day!

I don't think I could have done so well without everyone pulling for me! Probably had the largest cheering section (especially one not physically there!)

So thank you!

When I left the stage I told them "no one gets between me and cake and jewelry!"....

Brendan said I was so focused it was funny! He did take photos and as soon as I get them from him I will try to post!

Hey Crash love your pics!

Chrissie
PS: the cake was a butter cake with buttercream frosting...pink roses were all over it too....smelled delicious...(they said not to eat it but I had to taste it...I should have listen to them! Blechhh)

 

[PBader]

this has nothing to do with the Cruise, Pirates or Disney but I have to share

Friday was shaping up to be just another day at the checkpoint.
As I was leaving for lunch I saw a man in a wheel chair at the exit waiting to be screened as I looked at him noticed the small gold medal around his neck. (See the picture above).

His name is MSgt. Alejandro R Ruiz (follow this link to see the citation)
http://www.medalofhonor.com/AlejandroRuiz.htm

I was honored to take care of this man and after I finished screening him his son said that they were running a bit behind schedule. They were on the way to a dinner in Dallas to honor Colin Powell. I pushed the wheel chair up to his gate, when we got they were already boarding the aircraft. I took the sergeant and his family down the jet way to the door of his plane. As I was going down the ramp I was asking people to move to one side I got some funny looks until a man wearing a hat that said he was a veteran of the 1st Calvary division He saw the medal and the he started moving people another veteran saw medal and he also started moving more people. At the door to the I was thanked by MSgt Ruiz son he told me that when president Truman hung the medal around his dads neck Truman said “I would do any thing for that medal” to which MSgt Ruiz replied “want to change jobs?”
As I left MSgt Ruiz I saw the first vet explaining to a couple of people what the medal was.

I was able to hold a Congressional Medal of Honor with out getting shot at or blown up most of these medals are awarded posthumously

There are only 22 living WW II recipients. It was my privilege to help this Real Hero

What a neat story

 

[captaincrash]

Crash, are you sure your not one of the google founders.........Where do you come up with these pics at LOL !!!!


Mark

You should have seen the "funny torture" and "pirate torture" images I declined to post....

 

[DisneyVegas1]

That's great to hear. Congratulations on the hard work.

Keep at it man.......... We were at a bar Saturday night that had sooo many smokers that when we came home DD told us we stank like an old ashtray.....

Funny thing was........most of the smokers were the 20's generation........Us older folks must be gettin wiser in our old age !!!!

Like having my friends around..........Dont want to go to cancer caused funerals.

Mark

Congratulations Todd

Wow, that is great! Keep it up.


.

That's wonderful, Todd!

The girls and I are going to be in Vegas (for the first time!) from Jan 2-7 . . . staying at the Signature at MGM Grand. Any insider tips?

I would give you a tour but we will be in WDW the 1st thru the 8th

I do believe you've kicked it Captain! Keep it up. Beleive me when I say, you'll still think about it 10 years from now.

Thanks Everyone for the Support ...

 

[captaincrash]

Happy Birthday Katherine!

I HAD to stop right here!

I'm pirating this one!!!

What a fantasic CAKE!

Happy Birthday K!​

 

[captaincrash]

Hey Crash love your pics!

You have no idea how difficult it is sometimes to find "apporpriate" images. Hence, many of my images are not quite appropriate! <chuckles> A near miss in the hand is worth 3 perfect opportunities missed entirely. I will admit thought... that searching for images is sometimes a "journey" all by itself sometimes.

At any rate - my heart is warmed by your muted chuckles and compliments. Thank You, graciously.

OK... I'm being put to work tonight... my spouse has to write a report and she's employing me again - same as she has "used me" as her ghost writer for the past 24 years ever since we met in college. So in a few minutes I'll be taken and put to the grind stone. I'm still sort of in a wierd state from the anti-sea sickness medication i took yesterday. Boy - that new ferry we tried was SMALL... and rough riding to Catalina. It was so bad it knocked out all three girls - and I very nearly tossed my cookies. Alicia let some cookies fly on the ride out. Anyway - I'm not feeling entirely myself today - but OK just the same.

TTFN!