• History, Science and Discovery

    7/20/20098:13:28 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Certain things in our life are stuck in our memory . . . regardless of how old . . . or forgetful we become. Your wedding day or the birth of your kids and grandkids quickly come to mind. Today’s 40th anniversary reminds me of these special memories.

    I remember our first cruise . . . . December 17, 1988. We had no idea what to expect, but it is like playing back a movie. The Carnival Celebration sailing 7 days from Miami to San Juan, St Thomas and St Maarten. Brent had just turned 14 . . . . . Angie was 12 . . . . . and we were taking a family vacation of firsts and unknowns. I remember walking the cobblestone streets of San Juan . . . . for the first time of many . . . . . . the snorkeling trip in St Thomas . . . . . . and our first visit to both the French . . . . and Dutch sides of St Maarten.
     
    Yet, the ship holds most of our memories. The celebration was commanded by Captain Cutugno . . . . whom we became friends with. We always looked forward to his noon time announcements. Our cabin number was U 177 . . . . 2 decks below the restaurant . . . . 3 to the Promenade . . . and 4 decks up to the pool. Our waiter was Oscar Diaz . . . . who may have been Angie’s first love. Oscar treated her like a Princess. She still searches for him . . . even today . . . . but, to no avail. Captain Cutugno also commanded the Carnival Spirit . . . . . .14 years later . . . . . . . during Brent and Kim’s shipboard wedding.
     
    Less than a year after our first cruise . . . . . Linda and I started our plans to get into the travel business.
     
    As I began this story with a memory from 40 years ago . . . . . I seem to have gotten a bit off track. 40 years ago . . . . I was with Linda (yes, at 16 years old – the same Linda I married) . . . . . . and friends getting ready to watch the moon landing. At least I was ready to watch it. Most of our friends didn’t really care.
     
    The first walk on the moon wouldn’t be until about 10 PM that night . . . . July 20, 1969 . . . . but the landing that summer afternoon was, in a word . . . . incredible. We were at Denise Delforge’s home. They had the best TV. Her mother had made sandwiches for us and we . . . . or I . . . . sat in anticipation. Anxiously waiting to see history. I still look at the moon today, and think of the achievements which led to that day. Just amazing! It would be another 20 some years before cable TV would give us 24 hours a day of history, science and discovery. I love it.
     
    That’s where I was. Where were you?
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