America

America We arrived to Tampa on Florida at night, like pirates during old times , but M/V "Clipper Eagle” arrived here not to rob and kill, just brought steel from Europe only. Saturday 1st of February, just begins great pirates holiday- ”GASPARILLA”. -Gentlemen! As old pirates - sailing from year’s seas and oceans, we have to participate in this holiday!!!- I said to my crew. We lowered our quick motor pontoon and we came together with pirate’s conquest of the city!!! Around of us sailed hundreds of motorboats, luxurious motor yachts, excursions' ships (sternwheelers and side paddlers), pontoons, water scooters and different floating vehicles. Hundreds of these water vehicles, with pirate banners, surrounded pirate’s big sailboat .... " Jose Gasparilla”. Pirate’s parade lasting!!! Guns cannonade resounds in ears. The side’s volleys from pirate sail boat and answers from surrounded her motorboats, which shoots from installed on decks small guns - battle lasts!!! On pirates deck, masts and yards, in smoke of following volleys, running originally dressed pirates. Between masts hanging pirate – this one apparently was Captain’s Gasparilla victim. On surrounded her boats, also crowds of disguised pirates- sailing together alongside of gulf, and landing on shore, and in battles breaking resistance of natives... Falling following bastions!!! Pirates inevitably coming to center of city- " Down Town” - here is last attack and city surrenders!!! Pirate sail boat " Jose Gasparilla” moors at representative berth. Now pirates take up power in the Town- begins pirate carnival lasting almost month, regularly from 1904 year- this time 93 once. Around of us on hundreds water vehicles dancing naked girls, some one especially showing charm own body - particularly to my camera., throwing to us coral beads and sending kisses... Just passing big motorboat, standing on deck richly dressed pirate scatters " Gold coins” and strings of colorful coral beads (“ glass beads”). We run on our speedy pontoon alongside the berth, on which screaming girls sending us kisses, only sheriff does not pleased, switched on his warning horn on his patrol boat ordering us to slow down speed. Now pirates coming onto streets of city – lasts street ceremony. Commencing Pirate Parade on towed on platforms Pirates Boats. Again Pirates throwing "Gold Coins” and coral beads... Plastic corals beads (worthless), but to get them people screaming; girls showing bust, and get down on knees begging... People shouting: " Beautiful Princes! King 's Son! Throw me pearls and gold”!!! In the evening the sky flashing in beautiful fireworks, on the streets dancing pirates... In Down Town, on six stages exchanging musical bands, playing to the white morning. It lasts also cultural festival, sport competitions, street runs and many different others entertainments, many games for children and special children pirate ceremony. And all of this, in order to play and enjoy the live!!! How the legend said Jose Gasparill (well-known arguments as Jose Gaspar), was born in 1756 year in Barcelona. He was King’s officer in Spanish fleet. He revolted together with crew, stool King’s treasures and escaped with King’s ship. Then next 30 years he plundered ships and western coast of Florida. His base was on islet " Gasparilla Island”(Boca Grande) not far from Fort Myers. Legend tells that during one attack, pirates captured Spanish Princes and English beauty, who after that felt in love with one from pirates name Batista. Captain allowed them to run away from pirate ship and after that Batista married English beauty on her of native land. On 21st December 1821 year finished good luck of Gasparill. He attacked sailboat, thinking that this is trade ship, but it was navy ship S.S. " Enterprise”. S.S. Enterprise allowed to come getting ready Pirates close about 500 yards and fired all sides cannons, doing sieve from Pirate’s boat. Onto bow of sinking Pirate’s boat climbed captain Gasparill, then tied himself with anchor chain and he jumped at sea shouting: "Gasparill can be killed only from own crayfish, not from crayfish of enemies ” !!! His 21 comrades were rescued and latter hanged in New Orleans. Only one (Juan Gomez) was not hanged, because was too young for hanging. Juan (ship’s boy) was after that working as a fisherman on south coast of Florida and was known there as Panther Key John. He knew where he was buried (not far from estuary of river Alafia) one from pirate treasures (11 millions' dollars in gold and jewelers). He showed this place for two friends and that how began two millionaires fortunes on Florida. On evening 3rd of February we sailed to next discharging port -Mobile in Alabama State. -Captain! You arrived exactly on carnival street parade - pilot said - today we begin two weeks holidays, "Mardi Gras” -or ‘’Fat Tuesday’’ (before Ash Wednesday and fast, one should eat up to full). -We have in Poland "Fat Thursday”- I boast, but I knew, that we do not make parades from this reason. After mooring agent transports free from work crew to "Down Town” in heart of carnival. Schools orchestras march in parade, and funny dressed class friends dance into rhythm of carnival music. In front of us passing colorful platforms, showing fantastic world, on one of them even stays small Eiffel Tower - once ruled here Frenchmen. From these vehicles, beautiful dressed up "Princesses” throwing coral bead. I catch some coral beads (once even from smiling policeman). Dressed into coral beads we feel in carnival we fall in rhythm dance. I have my old video camera as usually and I am doing my movie. In front of camera beautiful girls kissing my amused sailors. Crowd dancing singing, girls screaming, in the air flying coral beads and different presents. Everybody fighting for flying presents and dressing into coral beads. Horse Police watching, this time smiling. Parade lasts two hours and disappear how after hitting of magic wand. Suddenly just after parade appears line of garbage trucks, street watering trucks and garbage men, with vacuum cleaners on backs (looking like Martians). In a few moments streets are cleaned, but empty! Yet late transvestite (disguised like Princes) sending us kisses, but other two black guys fighting on the street and shooting guns. One of them falling down and lies in blood - it returns sadness and daily routine. We hide quickly to bar- for small beer, which barman do not want to sell for "Young”(our youngest sailor), and identification card makes him sure, that ‘’Young’ has 21 years and is allowed to drink small beer... That’s the America... In night we arriving to New Orleans- just beginning of "Mardi Gras”, here famous richest and joyful. In New Orleans we berthed in Down Town, discharging next parties of steel products. One "Mardi Gras” parade passing close by our berth, seldom opportunity to see carnival. Usually our ships loading somewhere far away from center of the town, or anchored on the river. Every day evening (during eight days) through city marching 3 ‘’Mardi Gras’’ parades. In each one participates over 20 colored platforms, towed by tractors. Parades passing the streets during four hours playing instruments and dancing. Disguised Princesses throwing from platforms coral beads... People gather on shoulders begging for coral beads, and girls to get more corals showing busts. On one from platforms we perceive advert: ” POLISH PORK” In parades are mainly high schools and universities - orchestras and dancing girls from classes, there are present also military schools and navy. Between them with burning fires walking also poor fellows and collecting thrown for them coins. Three biggest and richest parades are of course in "Mardi Gras’’ -Fat Tuesday, over million people participates in this holiday. After ceremonies cavalcade of private cars (pick-ups) will travel streets families dress up colorfully. Parades of course are finished on "French Quarter”- in French district. There from balconies girls and boys throwing coral beads to the girls on street, which showing busts, also girls on balconies do not to be worse and also showing busts, for this people screaming and giving them in award prize- coral beads. Games lasts to the morning, around bars open, shows (of course striptease with dancing on the pipe), everywhere resounds musician. Here begin own career Luis Armstrong. It is fantastically, but also dangerously - better not walk outside of strongly guarded district "French Quarter”. Every year here is noted about 450 murders!!! I caught kilogram of coral beads (not showing my bust) -my granddaughters will have some to wear!!! We touch to Houston in Texas, where we have to discharge last part of steel and to load wood pulp, with destination to Rouen. Good luck not leaving us we hit exactly on "RODEO PARADE”.... On the "Down Town” streets, between "skyscrapers” rolls over cowboy’s parade. Thousand cowboys ridding horses and on carriages arrived to Houston parades and on RODEO !!! Some groups arrived with 300 cowboys who have spent over 600 kilometers ridding on horses, and driving 20 cowboys carriages during 18 days!!! Through streets riding cowboys, running cowboy’s carriages and rich decorated platforms with beautiful girls, but here nobody throws coral beads. Marching High Schools orchestras are playing, class girls are dancing, but here main attraction are cowboys of course. They came here to fight in RODEO, riding horses, take the bulls on lasso and tie them, rid on crazy bulls and wild mustangs. Next three Saturdays on RODEO they will drive in mad gallop cowboy’s carriages here on RODEO. Tonight cowboys will meets on great "Barbecue under 300 tents (under each one amuses about 100 peoples) grilling mainly of course big T-bone Steaks. They will drink heavily and dance cowboy’s dances. Also we are invited there, under agent’s tent. We were eating, drinking free of charge and we were amused how old cowboys!!! Between tents we were dancing with cowboys dressed up how on old westerns, everybody arte friendly, girls hang on us, and kissing, of course girls screaming to my video camera. Among this thousands cowboys I saw only few blacks... "Beautiful life spends cowboys”..., but sailors more beautiful!!! There was one more surprise waiting in Houston. One day entered to mess room Mexican boy, left leaflets and invited us to church, offering free transportation to trade center. Crew was happy, because it was very far to the city, and taxi cost lot of money. After supper we were packed to small bus, where already were sitting some Arabs. Our driver said, that for moments we will fall to church, and after that he will drive us onto shopping. We agreed did not know what is waiting us, anyway-we thought- it will be okay in Sunday a little pray. But it was different church, called ”Gulf Meadows Church” - one from this crazy American churches, which non-stop are present in television. In entrance they greeted us warmly "Priest” and parishioners. Church inside was like in evangelical churches- behind of Altar was only big white cross. We were invited to reserved benches, and in moments arrived others sailors from Latvia and Colombia, brought by different touts (guides). Mass began "Show (filmed by televisions)”. Around of Altar played orchestra and sang black and white chorus, all parishioners danced clapping hands into rhythm of joyfully music. Religious song’s words were projected on church walls. Every few minutes from parishioners came out an old woman and danced solo in front of Altar... The Bibles were distributed and brochures in Polish language, Russians got in Russian, Colombians in Spanish, and Arabs in Arabian. Russians additionally got earphones - for translation. Most surprised were Arabs (confessor of Allah), they stood frozen not understanding why they were brought here.?... To run away from church it was not possible, because everybody watched us, anyway how to drive away, when church was far way from town? At last starts to pray "Priest”- he was singing and slowly brought faithful into trance. Everybody around us stood with arms up to the sky, some of them crying, others trembling in trance... "Priest” prayed also for sailors, stated that it is not important what faiths and nationalities we are, this church is international - and anyway we will meet once in the one Heaven... He welcomed us, telling what kind of guests we have today in church, we had to stand up and all parishioners greeted us with applauses, and near standing with hand shaking... We did not know what to do; it was stupid for dance in church. Finally we were standing and shaking together with parishioners, anyway I explained myself, that it is not important in which church man is praying- important is to who... They were praying to the same God, only little different... Suddenly "Priest” said. -Today I had vision- nine parishioners from today's mass will pass a miracle. Then he invited to Altar those whose need help. In front of Altar meets many crying and trembling in trance parishioners. "Priest” singing and praying touched their heads, and they fell onto floor... Lucky for them, in second row behind them watched others parishioners, whose were catching them and ling on the floor. This looks incredibly and authentically, nobody could suppose that old grandmothers so good well plays own role. Anyway not all of them fell after touching and also not all were trembling ling on the floor. Our guide explained us, that only deeply believers falling down and trembling. After also "Priest” let himself into trance ling on "Altar” felt in front of him, of course caught in suitable moment by faithful. After few minutes all of them got up and nothing happened to them. If anybody passed miracle? Parishioners returned crying onto own places in benches. "Priest” again was singing with chorus (Alleluia) and starts inviting us for touching – maybe he wanted put us on the floor? In this moment our guides and parishioners tried to push us in front of "Altar”. Here were severely disappointed, because nobody from international sailor's group did not from move from seats- absolutely refusing... Commenced Holy Communion - it was distributed on trays "Wafer”(fragment of cake) and glass of wine. Everybody together with "Priest” have commune, "Wafer” and drunk wine. Now starts culmination of dance and sings, melodies rhythmic and funny, and faces of parishioners were radiant with joy. Everybody was perfectly amused exchanging hand shaking and kisses. It was for sure that this mass made this peoples happy!!! At last for the end between sitting rows make circles basket, in which we also put some dollars. "Priest” once again said what international guests international we have today in church and added, that he prays, this church could be for everybody, and parishioners cooked us big ovation again. At entrance were ling free of charge different brochures and religious videocassettes. All mass lasted not few minutes (how said on beginning our guide), but two hours. Anyway after that he drove us onto shopping’s and after madness in big store, took us back onto the ship. Next day you could hear on the ship " Alleluia”!!! We are sailing again, only loading wood pulp in Pascagoula (Mississippi) and Wilmington N.C. and to Europe - to home!!! Everywhere is well, but at home best!!! Captain W. Grycner