October 2, 2004
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Chapter 7 – Felix (cont.)
Previous chapters sidebar autobiographyIn January 1964 we set out as part of a tiny group of passengers on a Yugoslavian freighter out of New York crossing the Atlantic to the port of Casablanca in Africa. In trying to find the actual distance in miles of this voyage, I discovered to my delight that none other than Jack Kerouac had taken the same trip just seven years earlier in February 1957, though his ship took him straight to Tangiers where he was going to meet with William Burroughs. Apparently, this was a common way to travel this route inexpensively at the time. Like him, we had a stormy midwinter crossing that took about nine days.
The ship entered the port at Casablanca at sunrise and a small boat glided straight down the path of the sun to the ship to sell fish. There were men in long white robes squatting on the docks in the habitual manner of sitting here. From Casablanca we caught a bus to Tangiers that passed through desolate countryside where I could see campfires burning in the distant night and once had to stop for a large herd of animals to cross the road. After a brief overnight in Tangiers we crossed by ferry to Gibraltar and headed along the southern coast of Spain by train. Felix had a haircut that resembled the new fashion set by the Beatles (though we didn’t hear their music for the first time until we reached Ibiza) and along the way we heard calls of “existentialisti” as the small dark Spanish people tried to figure out what two tall blond nomads were up to among them. Eventually we reached Barcelona where we got to see the incredible expressionist architecture of Gaudi before we crossed by ferry to Ibiza on the Balearic Islands.
(to be continued)
Deep Thought: If you ever discover that what you’re seeing is a play within a play, just slow down, take a deep breath, and hold on for the ride of your life.
Today I am grateful for: Seatbelts
Guess the Movie: “When I first saw you, I thought you were handsome. Then, of course, you spoke.” Answer: As Good As It Gets, 1997.
Winner: swawg
Polls Today Kerry 238/Bush 296. EVP: “Survey USA has polled over 20,000 people in 14 states and 21 cities to ask who won the first debate. In 11 states and 15 cities Kerry was the clear winner. In 2 states and 6 cities, Bush was the clear winner. Colorado was a tossup.Ominously for Bush, the 2 states that said he won the debate are Texas and Oklahoma, which he has in the bag already, but the states that gave Kerry the win include Oregon (by 19%), Maine (by 18%), Pennsylvania (by 22%), Arkansas (by 12%), and most significantly Florida (by 24%).”
End of Day: 9:07 pm
+ = thenarrator is semi-back
- = Was at a potluck tonight where there were totally out of control kids beating on each other. It always makes me really sad because I know they’re sad.
Comments (12)
oh, I think this kind of run is what I need right now.
Make sure to get a flu shot this year.
Now that’s a segue – LOL. Since I work in a hospital, we get them free every year as a matter of course. It’s required.
wow, those dental procedures sound painful! Right now, I can see myself trying to pull the tooth myself! Ouch! I don’t know if I can wait til Thursday to have it pulled.
Did you hear that Helen’s ISN’T done yet? Nice. The quakes started again. AND they are expecting a bigger eruption now.
Yup, I just heard that. Hard to imagine on such a gorgeous day.
I don’t think Florida and FEMA are helping Bush yet…alot of people are pissed down there…
In Chapter 7, you are now 24 1/2. Did you find that European males are more mature and less cossetted than American males of the same age? I think of your crossing and wonder about young women who do these journeys now–how adventurous it seems, maybe except to worrying parents who have no clue where their child is. Spain in the 60s was still under Franco. Did you feel the iron control of the government who had eyes and ears open at every cafe? Those days were not a time for democracy.
I wonder because your found it inexpensive what the fare for the freighter was–in light of today’s inflation. Today, we travel to Europe for $800 or less if we’re fortunate, all in 13 hours. The sea lanes were busy and nine days isn’t that slow really. I wonder if there were any equivalent to Dramamine in the 60s.
I sure couldn’t generalize about European males at the time because I’d only known this one, and I think he was typical in some ways and not in others. Coming from a family of artists, he knew already at 18 that he would be one all his life and he had been out on his own for awhile already too. It kind of made up for the difference in our ages.
My parents (especially my mother) were petrified by all my adventures but we all survived.
I wasn’t politically aware enough to think about Franco at the time, but I did notice how very different we looked from the average Spaniard.
The cost of the fare was $180 for one person. I don’t remember that we had anything like Dramamine. I didn’t get seasick but he did a little.
Thanks for the interest. You are very knowledgeable.
Loving your biographical pieces, as always. Movie is “As good as it gets” w/ Helen Hunt & Jack!!
Oh boy you just made it in under the wire!
I wonder, were you inspired to travel thanks to Kerouac? I just read On The Road a couple months back and I just couldn’t put his book down. At the same time I kept reading wondering what this thing was about!
I can see how he could have influenced so many though. If I were younger, I would be on the road right now! As it is I was inspired by him to get back to writing again.
Wonderful biography entry as usual!