Ellenis and Pinched Bums
Without Prejudice
We were so happy on the Ellenis sailing from Papua New Guinea and up to the equator and there is always a ceremony to mark the crossing, bashing each other with plastic toys in the pool suspended above it on a greasy pole
In the Racing room, games with wooden horses and bets and race calling with great prizes. And a bar where we could have non alcoholic Jelly Beans and Pimms, and it was all for us, the kids.
Greek people love kids and we were spoiled and feted wherever we went. The waiters indulgent and listening carefully to our orders and some of them began to teach us a little greek.
I was put on a Kiddies table as Dad got me on for half fare if I said I wasn't 12 yet and I had just turned 12 so no big deal.
But after the meal we could join Mum and Dad and Jackie and George at their table. The Breakfast head waiter was a really kind man, tall, austere, in his Whites, a full uniform like a proper Captain.
He taught me greek for hallo, goodbye, good evening and was delighted with my results. I had palled up with a little Indian girl my age and she was wise and smart and funny and totally irreverent.
Her Father was a diplomat, her Mother a smiling attractive woman, who had a herd of little kids to look after. The first breakfast Mum and Dad ordered what they thought was yoghurt and grapes
and it was Feta and olives, after that it was Welgars Shredded Wheat, Puff Wheat or toast, the Porridge was too horrible to mention.
And we roamed the boat and every day a piece of paper would slide under our door, The Daily Activities List.
We went to Shuffle board and badminton and volley ball and swimming races and parties, fancy dress, where we went as Peter Paul and Mary, with Dave dragged in as Peter. she was Paul and I was Mary, and we sang Puff The Magic Dragon, excrutiatingly badly
There was a band every Sunday and I don't think I will never want to hear "Never On Sunday" again. And Jackie and Dad entertained every Sunday too. Rehearsing all week for the Show.
I know Jackie would have sung "Someday" and "Non Je Ne Regrette Rien, No Regrets," as Dad adored Shirley Bassey and had done lead in for her on her Tour.
Mum loved Edith Piaf so No Regrets was a must. And "You Need Hands" and "Down By The Riverside" and Dad would do instrumental "In the mood" or the "Hawiaan War Chant" and then Mac The Knife and old standards and new ones.
We were in awe of them on the stage and never was my Dad more at home, than on a stage. Jackie too. They had no nerves, none, just dying to get on and entertain.
One day as I walked down the massive marble staircase dressed in my new lemon dress, tight across my buregeoning bust I felt a tickle on my Fanny.
I looked across at David,
weird,
The Breakfast Captain with two other Officers were on the stair in front of us, I was directly behind the gentlemanly Breakfast Captain and again it came, more firmer this time. And I grabbed David back, yanked him up and on to the step above us,
"What?". He said.
"Nothing, just a bit crowded,"
And the man walked off and turned and gave me a mock salute, and I grabbed David and fled the other way. Pervy creep!
I stayed out of his way the rest of the trip, just shaking it off as a dirty old man thing, and went back to running the depth, breadth, width of the ship. There was a Theatre we could play in, when it was empty and we would hide under the stage, giggling, as the cleaner came in.
We watched the movies over and over on an endless loop and hated the Italian one about Vampires. I loved the Great Escape and The Great Race and Around the World in 80 days and the boys loved the war ones and the westerns and cartoons of course.
And we had other kids with us by now, Aussie kids and Indian and an Arab boy dressed in a robe.
We went out at night to glittering parties, and one time The Indian girls Dad asked all of us a puzzle question and I worked it out straight away and he looked at me shocked.
He was a Professor and a Diplomat and he said he had pupils at University who could not work it out and the other kids looked at me astounded.
I just laughed I was always good at stuff like that. And we all received a hanky that night after the party but the little Indian girl didn't.
It was all nicely packaged and said Greetings from the United Arab States and when I asked why she hadn't got one she told me she was an Indian Jew. We went to, Columbo but it was recommended we not get off the boat.
So it was long hot trip then, across to The Suez Canal and we swam in the pool, salt water and loved it when the ship would dip and plow the waves and the water in the pool sloshed from end to end.
And we stood at the end and watched the massive turnbines and were allowed in to the Captains Room and we sneaked into the canvas covered lifeboats.
And my parents socialised with all the other Brits, my Mothers depression had lifted and she was once again our bright and happy Mother. We reached Port Said and the bum boats came out to greet us.
Sellers bright and flashing white teeth in tanned faces and Dad bought a Fez and of course being Dad wore it everywhere looking like Sydney Greenstreet from Casablanca.
Mum bought me a leather handbag and a bracelet made out tiny gold coins.
Port Said was hot, dirty and disgusting, really dirty, with a dead goat covered on the road, flies buzzing around it's head.
The Market, food on stalls, just slapped on trestles in the heat and ugly strange fruit, I hated the place.
Some people had got off there and went on a tour of the Pyramids and we all wished we had gone on it instead. But it was a two day trip on Camel, meeting up again with us at Port Of Aden,
Port Of Aden a clone of Port Suez, I think we stayed on the boat that time. And we swam in the Red Sea which was so warm and dense floating was easy. And we styed till night and watched the sun go down on the water, so red and feiry it looked like it would sizzle.
We took endless photos on the Box Brownie and there were staged photos of us smiling at Cameras as we were at Dinner or parading the deck.
We sailed into Piraeus, port home of the Greeks and it was white blinding heat pressing down on your head, the heat crushing. The vendors at the stalls so welcoming, big flashy white teeth,and coffee in tiny cups with mud in the bottom, bitter dregs.
The men were all the same, fat rolly bellies and big smiles, arms stretched wide in welcome, knees bent, they loved kids and us little Ozzies stood out.
We were treated to food, baklava dripping with nuts and honey, eggplant sprinkled with salt, lamb skewers, sat as we were in cool tavernas.
We bought hand made leather boots, exchanging drachma for gold bracelets, must have been dear as we landed in the UK, stone motherless broke.
And we sailed on to Italy, Naples and then Ah, Roma. Rome was beyond anything I had ever seen, It was so old, full of ruins and crowds and scooters whizzing by missing you by inches and bum pinching by the men, me too, and it was bizarre.
It was supposed to be a mark of your womanliness, Jackie went down first, then Mum and then me. We complained to Dad, but he just laughed. We were pinched black and blue and started avoiding any men or late teens boys and sometimes they would chase us, laughing.
"Si Signora, preety, no, darling come here, don't run away"
We they were adorable really but let me tell you when someone you don't know pinches your bum it feels very weird. especially to little girls. I had a big bust for my age and that is why, they all no doubt thought I was older, Greek Captains as well!
My Half sister Joy had a similar thing happen to her in Italy, traveling there with her older husbands dried up old spinster sister.
Jack, her hubby looked like Montgomery Burns, all nobbly old knees and concertina belly in shorts, and he was left behind.
So Joy and Fran went to this gorgeous hotel right on Como, romantic, beautiful had fine wines and dinners. And Fran retired for the night and Joy sat on her own and the Manager arrived. He poured her another wine and himself one and they chatted.
He said he needed to show her something in his Office and she followed him and he swung around hugged her up and planted a big kiss on her lips, she was shocked,
"I have been watching you, I am soooo in love with you" (love being a throw away word in Italy and Greece )
I asked her how it was.
"The best", she answered simply.
The ugly old step witch, sorry, ( The hubby's sister) ran straight to the hubby when they arrived back in London and told him, there was big fight but he forgave her, he was 20 years older.
Joy, was gorgeous and A Singer, he used to arrange all her Music, he was a very famous Composer/Arranger.
I always had the idea he was a bit effeminate in an old boy school, I've been buggered and caned sort of way. Joy died ten years ago with breast cancer, survived the 5 years and it came back, and shortly after he married a coloured woman, scandalising my family and that was that.
I will always miss her my Half Sister a gorgeous lady xoxoxox
Love Janette
We were so happy on the Ellenis sailing from Papua New Guinea and up to the equator and there is always a ceremony to mark the crossing, bashing each other with plastic toys in the pool suspended above it on a greasy pole
In the Racing room, games with wooden horses and bets and race calling with great prizes. And a bar where we could have non alcoholic Jelly Beans and Pimms, and it was all for us, the kids.
Greek people love kids and we were spoiled and feted wherever we went. The waiters indulgent and listening carefully to our orders and some of them began to teach us a little greek.
I was put on a Kiddies table as Dad got me on for half fare if I said I wasn't 12 yet and I had just turned 12 so no big deal.
But after the meal we could join Mum and Dad and Jackie and George at their table. The Breakfast head waiter was a really kind man, tall, austere, in his Whites, a full uniform like a proper Captain.
He taught me greek for hallo, goodbye, good evening and was delighted with my results. I had palled up with a little Indian girl my age and she was wise and smart and funny and totally irreverent.
Her Father was a diplomat, her Mother a smiling attractive woman, who had a herd of little kids to look after. The first breakfast Mum and Dad ordered what they thought was yoghurt and grapes
and it was Feta and olives, after that it was Welgars Shredded Wheat, Puff Wheat or toast, the Porridge was too horrible to mention.
And we roamed the boat and every day a piece of paper would slide under our door, The Daily Activities List.
We went to Shuffle board and badminton and volley ball and swimming races and parties, fancy dress, where we went as Peter Paul and Mary, with Dave dragged in as Peter. she was Paul and I was Mary, and we sang Puff The Magic Dragon, excrutiatingly badly
There was a band every Sunday and I don't think I will never want to hear "Never On Sunday" again. And Jackie and Dad entertained every Sunday too. Rehearsing all week for the Show.
I know Jackie would have sung "Someday" and "Non Je Ne Regrette Rien, No Regrets," as Dad adored Shirley Bassey and had done lead in for her on her Tour.
Mum loved Edith Piaf so No Regrets was a must. And "You Need Hands" and "Down By The Riverside" and Dad would do instrumental "In the mood" or the "Hawiaan War Chant" and then Mac The Knife and old standards and new ones.
We were in awe of them on the stage and never was my Dad more at home, than on a stage. Jackie too. They had no nerves, none, just dying to get on and entertain.
One day as I walked down the massive marble staircase dressed in my new lemon dress, tight across my buregeoning bust I felt a tickle on my Fanny.
I looked across at David,
weird,
The Breakfast Captain with two other Officers were on the stair in front of us, I was directly behind the gentlemanly Breakfast Captain and again it came, more firmer this time. And I grabbed David back, yanked him up and on to the step above us,
"What?". He said.
"Nothing, just a bit crowded,"
And the man walked off and turned and gave me a mock salute, and I grabbed David and fled the other way. Pervy creep!
I stayed out of his way the rest of the trip, just shaking it off as a dirty old man thing, and went back to running the depth, breadth, width of the ship. There was a Theatre we could play in, when it was empty and we would hide under the stage, giggling, as the cleaner came in.
We watched the movies over and over on an endless loop and hated the Italian one about Vampires. I loved the Great Escape and The Great Race and Around the World in 80 days and the boys loved the war ones and the westerns and cartoons of course.
And we had other kids with us by now, Aussie kids and Indian and an Arab boy dressed in a robe.
We went out at night to glittering parties, and one time The Indian girls Dad asked all of us a puzzle question and I worked it out straight away and he looked at me shocked.
He was a Professor and a Diplomat and he said he had pupils at University who could not work it out and the other kids looked at me astounded.
I just laughed I was always good at stuff like that. And we all received a hanky that night after the party but the little Indian girl didn't.
It was all nicely packaged and said Greetings from the United Arab States and when I asked why she hadn't got one she told me she was an Indian Jew. We went to, Columbo but it was recommended we not get off the boat.
So it was long hot trip then, across to The Suez Canal and we swam in the pool, salt water and loved it when the ship would dip and plow the waves and the water in the pool sloshed from end to end.
And we stood at the end and watched the massive turnbines and were allowed in to the Captains Room and we sneaked into the canvas covered lifeboats.
And my parents socialised with all the other Brits, my Mothers depression had lifted and she was once again our bright and happy Mother. We reached Port Said and the bum boats came out to greet us.
Sellers bright and flashing white teeth in tanned faces and Dad bought a Fez and of course being Dad wore it everywhere looking like Sydney Greenstreet from Casablanca.
Mum bought me a leather handbag and a bracelet made out tiny gold coins.
Port Said was hot, dirty and disgusting, really dirty, with a dead goat covered on the road, flies buzzing around it's head.
The Market, food on stalls, just slapped on trestles in the heat and ugly strange fruit, I hated the place.
Some people had got off there and went on a tour of the Pyramids and we all wished we had gone on it instead. But it was a two day trip on Camel, meeting up again with us at Port Of Aden,
Port Of Aden a clone of Port Suez, I think we stayed on the boat that time. And we swam in the Red Sea which was so warm and dense floating was easy. And we styed till night and watched the sun go down on the water, so red and feiry it looked like it would sizzle.
We took endless photos on the Box Brownie and there were staged photos of us smiling at Cameras as we were at Dinner or parading the deck.
We sailed into Piraeus, port home of the Greeks and it was white blinding heat pressing down on your head, the heat crushing. The vendors at the stalls so welcoming, big flashy white teeth,and coffee in tiny cups with mud in the bottom, bitter dregs.
The men were all the same, fat rolly bellies and big smiles, arms stretched wide in welcome, knees bent, they loved kids and us little Ozzies stood out.
We were treated to food, baklava dripping with nuts and honey, eggplant sprinkled with salt, lamb skewers, sat as we were in cool tavernas.
We bought hand made leather boots, exchanging drachma for gold bracelets, must have been dear as we landed in the UK, stone motherless broke.
And we sailed on to Italy, Naples and then Ah, Roma. Rome was beyond anything I had ever seen, It was so old, full of ruins and crowds and scooters whizzing by missing you by inches and bum pinching by the men, me too, and it was bizarre.
It was supposed to be a mark of your womanliness, Jackie went down first, then Mum and then me. We complained to Dad, but he just laughed. We were pinched black and blue and started avoiding any men or late teens boys and sometimes they would chase us, laughing.
"Si Signora, preety, no, darling come here, don't run away"
We they were adorable really but let me tell you when someone you don't know pinches your bum it feels very weird. especially to little girls. I had a big bust for my age and that is why, they all no doubt thought I was older, Greek Captains as well!
My Half sister Joy had a similar thing happen to her in Italy, traveling there with her older husbands dried up old spinster sister.
Jack, her hubby looked like Montgomery Burns, all nobbly old knees and concertina belly in shorts, and he was left behind.
So Joy and Fran went to this gorgeous hotel right on Como, romantic, beautiful had fine wines and dinners. And Fran retired for the night and Joy sat on her own and the Manager arrived. He poured her another wine and himself one and they chatted.
He said he needed to show her something in his Office and she followed him and he swung around hugged her up and planted a big kiss on her lips, she was shocked,
"I have been watching you, I am soooo in love with you" (love being a throw away word in Italy and Greece )
I asked her how it was.
"The best", she answered simply.
The ugly old step witch, sorry, ( The hubby's sister) ran straight to the hubby when they arrived back in London and told him, there was big fight but he forgave her, he was 20 years older.
Joy, was gorgeous and A Singer, he used to arrange all her Music, he was a very famous Composer/Arranger.
I always had the idea he was a bit effeminate in an old boy school, I've been buggered and caned sort of way. Joy died ten years ago with breast cancer, survived the 5 years and it came back, and shortly after he married a coloured woman, scandalising my family and that was that.
I will always miss her my Half Sister a gorgeous lady xoxoxox
Love Janette
