Tuesday January 24, 2023
This morning it was difficult to get moving after such an exhausting but exhilarating day yesterday. However the first lecture by Stuart Laing, an “Oxbridge Don” / Ambassador and Middle East Expert having lived in Egypt with the British Foreign Service as well as other middle Eastern Countries, was speaking on the Hejaz Railway. Frankly neither of us had heard of this Ottoman project. However, as the Ottoman Empire was in decline and a shadow of it’s former self in the late !800’s, the Sultan decided to build a railway line from Damascus to Medina and Mecca. Up to that point those wanting to do the Hajj had to travel by Camel and other types of transit. Stating that it was a “Holy Project” he was able to get financing and indeed the railway was built and operated for just a few years, but only to Medina. The last section South to Mecca was never built. However “feeder routes” to Damascus and Aqaba were constructed and used. Forts were built every 30 miles. However, it is no longer in operation and much of the track has been removed and some trains rotting in the desert are still visible.
Next was one of the most fascinating talks we have heard. John Peters, and RAF Squadron Leader was flying his first mission in his Tornado with his navigator, in the first Gulf War in January 1991, just after Sadam Hussein invaded Kuwait and the war against him started. His ‘plane was shot down and he and his navigator were captured and tortured, beaten and became the “face” of the war as his beaten face was splashed all over the UK and world television. He took us through in great detail the last minutes before he was shot down, his actions to save the ‘plane and himself and the final decision with his ‘plane on fire to have to eject. Next came the daily ordeal of survival, being kicked, beaten and interrogated continuously. Against his will he appeared on television as a way to show the world that if you don’t stop your aggression, this is what will happen to you. He is now speaking and perfectly well adapted to his life with his wife and son & daughter. A brilliant speaker. His navigator, also survived and does a lot of television talking of his experiences.
The third talk by the “dramatic” Lucy Russell on writing systems and the Rosetta Stone was interesting, albeit with some errors, but not too much new information for us as Roger had studied most of this while doing his post-graduate studies in Linguistic Anthropology.
The Captain’s Cunard Club Party for those of us that are part of “the frequent sailing club” on Cunard were invited to a party and enjoyed chatting with the Deputy Captain as we had sailed together on the Queen Victoria all around South America, just before the start of COVID.
The evening entertainment was absolutely fantastic. Roy Locke (his father was German and has German Citizenship and a long German Name, opting to take the “Stage Name” of his Australian mother – Locke; he also has Australian Citizenship) is a “Cross Over” singer (Opera and Musical Theatre). He has had many leading roles in both genres and tonight was musical theatre. His Opera show will be in a few days.
Tonight we move the chocks ahead one more hour at midnight.
All is well as we travel the Red Sea.
Roger & Anne Travels 