Bags

I have to say that I have a small weakness - I like bags.  Particularly briefcases.  I don't really need them today although I have a few tucked away.  When I go out on assignment, a bag just gets in the way and therefore I only carry a small notebook and a camera.

Finally the right bag for all the electronic stuff - at the right price too!

When I was at school, I had an old briefcase of my father's to lug stuff around in, and I well remember it's leather sides, and flap with brass lock on it.  The key had long since been lost.

When I went into sales, a briefcase was de riguer and I had a number of them over the years.  I owned one of the first aluminum ones with a black mock leather covering on it.  Later on I managed to acquire a very smart brown leather case with a split handle and a sort of bellows arrangement to keep all one's papers in order - I was very fond of that one.  I wonder what happened to it.

The other day I was in an office supply store and bought a new computer bag to lug all my gear around in when we travel.  I have to store away the iPhone; iPod: laptop; touch pad; Kindle; battery charger, and of course the mouse as well as all the power chords - it's quite a business.  When I got the bag home I found it wasn't quite what I wanted as it didn't have the number of compartments I required, so back it went and eventually after a few more stores I found the absolute ideal.  Perhaps I should look for a proper job now to go along with it.  Nah! That would be crazy.  We haven't even covered suitcases!  That's a different story.

Movie Number 7

Movie number seven has to be The Godfather, with Marlon Brando.
I saw it when it came out on the big screen, and although I normally find very long movies tedious, this one had me hooked all the way through.
I've watched it many times since and it never disappoints.

I also like the other two Godfather movies although I often get them confused.  I like the one where Al Pacino kills the boss and the police chief in the restaurant by bringing in a planted gun from the toilet.
Or was that another actor?  Too many things in my head - I need to delete a few of them!

Thank You Notes

I sometimes get thank you's from people who read the column - often complaints too from those who find some of my information incorrect.  I received a whine from a fellow the other day about the weight of a musket carried by the Mormon Battalion.  I had stated that they weighed 60 pounds each and he remonstrated with me that this was not the case.  I had received the information from the guide who took us on the guided tour and wrote back to tell him. 

But he replied that I should forward his email on to them so they don't make the same mistake in the future.  Silly fool!  I imagine him sitting there waiting for a chance to pounce on minutiae.
I did receive an actual thank you letter from a lady the other day, who had asked me to cover an event.  It appeared to be hand written and included her card for future use - I shall add her to the list of blog receivers on Saturday mornings - that should teach her!  It says something of the age we live in, as I said "appeared" as the writing was so good I suspected that it might have been computer generated.  I even put the magnifying glass on it, but I think the lady just has very good handwriting.

Sunday's Column - Japan II

Sunday's column was the final in a two-part piece on Japan.  It featured places to go other than the big megatropolises of Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka.  Above is the giant Bhudda of Kamakura who stands 35 feet high and was built in 1252, which is rather a long time ago. Kamakura is a couple of hours out of Tokyo and is a seaside resort; it's always crowded, but a fun place to visit.  You can read the entire column, which is a little longer than normal at www.sbsun.com/trevorstravels

Music Track - Copland

I saw Aaron Copland conduct a program of his music at the Festival Hall in London sometime in the sixties.  Of course, his Rodeo was cheerfully received and for an encore he had to play this one last time.  It's the Hoedown, and typical of America. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnbASemGk0k&feature=related

The Rock

It’s been 25 years since I first visited The Rock – Alcatraz.  It hasn’t changed a lot, and there are still a huge number of tourists spending their leisure time going round this former Federal Penitentiary in the middle of San Francisco Bay.  The prison was opened in 1934 and closed in 1963. In its time, It housed approximately 1500 prisoners, including Al Capone and Robert Stroud (the Birdman.)  In 1962 three prisoners escaped, led by Frank Morris and they have never been found.  The episode was made into a movie with Clint Eastwood.  He dug his way out of his cell using a spoon.  The cement under the sink was a little soft, but the digging took a solid year to get through to the inner cavity where all the pipes led up and down.

Lots of people believe the men got away, but the general consensus is that they drowned in the cold waters.  Eventually the prison was closed down because it was too expensive to maintain.  It’s still a chilling place to imagine being locked up every day in a 5’ x 7’ x 9’ cell, and if you misbehaved yourself one that had no light at all – the hole!

Genius

About 20 years ago Carlo Maria Guilini left his post as the principal conductor of the LA Philharmonic.  He was interviewed before he went back to his native Italy and the interviewer said that many people thought him a genius.  Guilini said that he did not consider himself one as he believed that a genius was someone whose impact on society was so great than when it ended the world had lost something irreplaceable.

          Genius is a term often thrown around, but ever since that interview, I’ve always thought the definition correct.

          Yesterday we lost a true genius with the sad death of Steve Jobs.  Applying the same template to his life, it is easy to see that now he has gone, all of us will be adversely affected.  His vision reached into nearly everyone’s lives and now that he has gone he cannot be replaced.

Movie # 8

Movie Number 8 is LA Confidential.  It stars Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe and James Cornwell. Made in 1997, I often confuse it with Mulholland Falls as the eras are the same and the clothes too.  It reminds me of the type of movie we used to watch in the 50's, and America was so far away with access only for the truly wealthy.  A real step back in time and I always enjoy watching this one.  Kim Bassenger as a latter day Veronica Lake is a treat on the screen, and in color too.

Formal Night

Formal night seems to make everyone happy - including S.W.M.B.O.

Cruise - Day at Sea and San Francisco

This is the Shapphire Princess, all 116,000 tons of her.  One of our stops was Santa Barbara and we had to take tenders ashore.  This was taken from one of them.
Our trip into the city was wonderful and I have lots of photos.  Unfortunately, the Internet on board is so slow in downloading photos, that I'll have to wat until we get back to the office.

Cruise - Day Two

Unfortunately there were some serious problems with the Internet link on Monday, therefore our day at sea was fraught with 1901 crinklies wandering around unable to hook up with their email. One is forced to ask if the same system is being used for the Sat Nav and therefore if we truly are in San Francisco.  But outside the window I can see the Coit tower so we must have made it.
The personal result of all this is that I have pictures but due to a planned visit to Alcatraz, everyone will have to wait until later in the day. Then I will post some pretty pictures and less verbiage,  Oh, how we become reliant on technology.

Cruise Day One

It's wonderful to be back on the Sapphire Princess.  We were here earlier in the year, but it didn't stop us getting confused as to which was the sharp and which was the blunt end for an hour or two.  The berth at San Pedro is not the most interesting place to depart from, but it did overlook the Lane Victory where I had done an assignment about a year or two ago.  It's a cargo ship that saw service in WWII, Korea and also Vietnam.  It didn't look as if it was still open as a museum

Once out at sea we got into our normal routine of a few drinks before dinner and then met up with our six other dinner companions.  Charlie and Evelyn of course are with us so it was just the other four - two Brazilians who don't speak much English, and two very old Mexicans who do.  Excellent dinner and then as we were too late for the show we repaired to the Wheelhouse bar and a not too late night.  Santa Barbara is the next stop.

Sunday's Column - Japan part I

When I came  back from Japan in May earlier this year, I worte an extensive article about the place.  My editor, John Weeks, sportingly allowed me to cut the piece in two and publish it on successive Sundays.


Typical Japanese Temple in the small city of Nio

I wrote about my sailing trip on this blog but I hope the column will contain some different aspects of this fascinating country.  You can read the first piece at www.sbsun.com/trevorstravels

The Off

In a couple of hours our friends, Charlie and Evelyn will be picking us up to drive to San Pedro for our week's cruise up the coast of California on the Sapphire Princess.  I have to say I'm looking forward to it as it's always a great experience.
People have often asked me why I like cruising.  Well, I think there's a little of the sailor in me like my father and grandfather before me, so being on a big ship gliding through the water is a very nice feeling.
Also all the big ships, and this one is 116,000 tons, are massive hotels with everything laid on.  Our itinerary is firstly to stop in Santa Barbara, then up to San Francisco, back down to San Diego, then Ensenada in Mexico, before returning to Los Angeles.  There will be two days at sea, and two formal nights for dinner.  Otherwise we'll just "chill out."  I'll report as we progress.  The picture is not actually all our luggage, just in case you wondered!