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Memoirs of Lloyd Moss: 1930

On our return to Philadelphia the crew immediately set about preparing the ship for her traditional shake-down cruise. So, early in September we were underway across the Atlantic in excellent weather and sea. We arrived first in Gibraltar to spend a few days. It's a one-main-street town, at that time everything seemed to be half English and half Spanish with a lot of little North African tourist shops. We could walk everywhere and there seemed to be little use for taxis or street cars. Once, while sitting in a bar, a funeral procession went by and as it passed every business establishment on both sides of the street put up the solid iron shutters all across the front as they do at night when closed. Then as soon as the last vehicle had gone by everything was opened right up again. I remember the thrill of being able to see the coast of Africa across the straits and from the landward end of the rock there was the tip end of Spain stretched out before me. We left Gibraltar late in the day and as night came on the Mediterranean became covered with a blanket of fog. The chart book said that there were apt to be many small fishing boats around so the captain ordered very slow speed and he had a seaman with a portable telephone lowered in a boatswain seat over the bow and right down to the water's edgte which fortunately was calm as a millpond. And so we cruised through the night. The fog lifted with the very first rays of the sun so the speed was increased smartly and we came into the harbor of Barcelona not too much behind schedule.

I found this city to be much larger and more modern than I had expected, with excellent transportation by subway and bus. There was much to see there including the remains of a national trade exposition from the year before. A particularly nice place to be after dark was one of the central avenues called Ramble del Centro. It was a beautiful wide boulevard with a parkway in the center where chairs for rent were placed under the trees from one end of the street to the other. Next to the buildings it was like one long sidewalk café. The weather was so calm and warm that you forgot it altogether and I just sat and enjoyed seeing all the many Spaniards strolling up and down in their fine clothes. I even met a Spanish engineer (metallurgy), Snor Jose M. Giol Feliu, who could talk a little English and who told me some of the sights that I should see while in Barcelona.

The next stop in our ininerary was Naples, a beautifula nd exciting city to roam around. We had about a week there so I managed to see quite a lot. We landed our liberty boats at a very ancient stone quay where there were many paddlers selling fresh seafood, many varieties were unfamiliar to me and I wouldn't touch them, but the Neapolitans seemed to relish squid, octopus, sea snails and all sorts of things. Just beyond us, jutting out into the harbor, was a big gray stone fort that was built by the Austrians I was told. I roamed through narrow streets lined on either side with six-story tenement buildings. Many push-cart merchants were going up and down singing their wares and often a woman would bargain with them from one of the top floors. When an agreement was made she would lower a little basket down on a long thin rope with the right amount of Liar in it and the merchant put the onions or whatever in it for her to pull back up again. Many hillside streets were all steps so of course no wheeled traffic. Women sat on these steps and operated hand sewing machines making gloves, clothes, lace. Or they prepared food for the next meal. Old people took care of little children on these steps and all sorts of family life went on in the warm sunshine. The views from the high points of the city out over the Bay of Naples were beautiful. Parks were lovely with their stone pines, olive trees and gorgeous bright flowers. The people I talked to seemed happy enough but no one would talk politics or respond when I mentioned Il Duce. Older sailors with past experience said that in parts of the city where it used to be most dangerous to walk in were now perfectly safe for everyone. In the Art Museum I offered some Lira to a guide who had helped me, but he made it plain that he was not allowed to take money any more.

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