Memorial Day...a brief history.



Civil War monument in St Augustine, Florida

Today is Memorial Day, a national holiday that was started as a way to honor those who gave their lives during the Civil War.  At first, many southern states did not embrace this holiday preferring to set aside days of their own choosing for remembering the Confederate war dead.  If you travel in the south, you can still see the various monuments  sacred to the memory of the young men who died in what was often called "The War of Northern Aggression" by the remaining veterans of that war.  More American lives were lost in that war than any other...both sides were basically Americans. This monument was erected by the Ladies' Memorial Association of St. Augustine, Florida in the years following the war.  An inscription on it reads:" They have crossed over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees."...a nice sentiment.  On another side are listed the 44 names of local men who died in the war and the year and place of their demise.

The Arch at Grand Army Plaza Brooklyn

In my hometown of New York, one of the most familiar landmarks in Brooklyn is part of a memorial to the fallen soldiers of the Grand Army of the Republic: The Soldiers and Sailors Arch located at the confluence of Flatbush Avenue, Eastern Parkway and Vanderbilt Avenue . It is part of what is commonly called Grand Army Plaza.  The structure is 80 feet wide and 80 feet high; the internal arch is 50 feet high and about 30 feet wide. My home state of New York was the first state to establish Memorial Day, then called Decoration Day because that is when you "decorated" the graves of the fallen, as a national holiday in 1873


It was only after World War I that the entire country came on board with Memorial Day.


So, you've had your little history lesson.  Let us remember those who fought valiantly for their country, and have thus provided us with the freedoms we often take for granted.


Now, go and enjoy the wonderful sunshine.



The Division of Labor

Traveling on a cruise ship on a longer than normal journey gives one a unique opportunity to observe both passengers and crew and engage in some interesting conversations with many different kinds of people about their perceptions of what constitutes "work". 

Considering the time of year in which I am traveling...early Spring in North American and Northern Europe, and the amount of time the cruise takes: 14 days, most of the folks on board are the kind that have a bit of time on their hands.  Many are either retired or folks who can do their jobs long distance.  Also several have own or did own a family business.  Not too many children on board, mostly toddlers with a smattering of school-aged kids traveling with parents and grandparents across the Atlantic.

The crew, on the other hand, is an interesting mix of people from all over the world that presents an interesting study in the division of labor and the perception of "hard workers" among the traveling public.  Although the cruise lines has the word "Norwegian" in its name, and it has a large office in Tampa, Florida, the cruise line is incorporated in Nassau in the Bahamas.

It is an international crew. They sign on for a series of three month contracts.  Many are from third wold nations with a significant number coming from India, the Philippines, South Africa, Peru and various West Indian islands. Others come from Easten Europe, Scandinavia, Australia and New Zealand.  A smattering are Americans, Canadians and Brits. They work ten or twelve hour days, seven days a week. 

There is a definite hierarchy on board.  Most of the folks who cook, clean, wait on tables, tend bar and do the facials and manicures at the spa are Third World residents who are on board doing these tasks to support families back home.Many of these workers are here to learn skills that will allow them to work successfully in the hospitality business back home, or to climb the cruise line ladder until they reach the "glass ceiling" that seems to keep most of them at the middle management level on board the ships. They can rise to manage a limited number of departments on board: Maintenance, Kitchen Staff, and Laundry Services are top heavy in Third World workers who have limited skills, but are eager to learn English and progress through the ranks.

On a different level are young Americans, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders  and Brazilians who are involved in the entertainment end of the cruise business.  These are the staff under the direction of the Cruise Manager, a witty and funny Aussie who is in charge of keeping the passengers entertained during the voyage.  Most of the entertainers are here to gain professional experience, and they work hard at it.  Besides engaging in professional practice, rehearsals and performances, many of them help out in the library , lead dance and exercise classes and assist in general help on board.  Specialized acts: comedians, magicians, animal acts ( there is a very long albino python on board until we reach Dover, England...he has his own sealed space on the third deck) each have separate contracts with the cruise lines and are only responsible for their performances and don't have other responsibilities.

On the top of the heap are those Europeans who are part of corporate, technical or navigational skills.  These are mostly males who possess unique skills necessary for the smooth running of this vessel.  The crew who serve at the front desk; the team that oversees the vast array of technological equipment and devices that keep this boat afloat, and the guys on the bridge who actually sail this ship are mostly European...mostly Northern European at that.

All of these people work extremely hard to make this ship what it is....a floating resort hotel.  Don't  get me wrong....I do love cruising, but I also appreciate the work of all aboard who make this possible.

What irks me about travel:

Traveling by air in this day and age can make grown men cry.  Once upon

 a time, traveling by air was considered a luxury And a most important occasion in anyone's life.; folks dressed and dolled up before they boarded any plane .  Family members and friends went with you to the airport to wish you farewell and bon voyage.  Stewardesses (yes, that was the correct nomenclature) attended to your every need.  And these "girls" were all registered nurses of a particular height and weight. The industry was decidedly sexist in the early flying days, blatantly  using attractive women to lure passengers.

But today air travel is more of a hardship to be endured than an experience of a lifetime.  

The curbside check in is a thing of the past.  You must drag your bags to the check-in counter; present your official Identifiction, type in your name, reservation number and password into the kiosk before the counter person will even a knowledge your very existance.  If you are smart, you will check in your luggage.  Those who do not present problems for the rest of us that will be addressed further down on this blog post.

Once you are checked in, the fun begins!  You now must file by the TSA agents in the airport.  These are poorly paid federal employees who look through other people's luggage day after day after day after  day; you get the idea here, right?  They have long ago lost their sense of humor...no jokes allowed, except if you want a full body search.

If you are lucky enough to have TSA pre check you will not have to remove your shoes or jackets.  Everyone else is fair game.  That bottle of water you just purchased??? Chug it down or toss it out.  A six ounce tooth paste tube....give it up, buddy! You could be a random terrorist about to meticulously clean the dingy tile grout in the men's room!  How do we know?  just turn it over, son!

After at least 45 minutes on line you might make it through to find your gate.

And the fun continues!  If you are thirsty after disposing of your bottle of water, you can now purchase a new one at inflated airport prices.  Not financially able to travel in Business or First Class?  You may want to purchase a sandwich for your trans continental or trans Atlantic flight , again, at inflated airline prices.  But the best is yet to come.

Even if your chosen airlines has provided no cost or low cost baggage check-in, the majority of the folks on your flight will be schlepping  over sized "carry-on" luggage on board the plane.  Now the carry-on allowance" is one personal item like a purse or brief case and a pre-determined sized carry-on to be stored above your head in the overhead bins...one half a bin per person with the bags placed wheels facing the aisle.  That is the ideal.

HOWEVER, this normally does not happen. Business types with both carry-ons and garment bags in addition to a briefcase try to lay the bags of clothes lengthwise in the binds atop their "wheelies."  They then try to stuff their over stuffed, soft sided computer/ brief cases under the seat in front of them.  Mothers with small children often carry on a wheelie and two diaper bags filled with stuff for the kinder.  Now, I have no problem if the child is sitting in their own seat, but if the little one is little enough to ride your knee...you need to pack his/her stuff in your overhead carry on.  Little old blue-haired retired ladies ( I am retired, but I do not have blue hair, yet) should not be carrying on two extra shopping bags from Macy's or Century 21 in addition to a shoulder bag and a carry on.  Just because it is in plastic, does not mean that it is invisible.   And I love the folks who drag their oversized bags to the gate knowing it is too big and will be ticketed sans fee at the gate.

Modern air travel is difficult on all involved, but the airlines do no justice to the flying public if they continue to allow these selfish folks to bully and dominate the rest of us with their inconsiderate behavior....mostly because they do not want to wait for their luggage.  Get over yourselves!