Churchill War Rooms London

 

#Churchill_WarRooms_London

Winston Churchill (1874-1965) rallied the British people during World War 11 from the brink of defeat to victory
With Franklin D Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin  he shaped the the Allied strategy to defeat Adolf Hitler and Nazism during those times
He remained Prime Minister until 1955 when ill health forced his resignation

Originally known as the Cabinet War Rooms it was built in 1938 as underground complex beneath the Whitehall Building in London
It served as the nerve center for the British Government and its military during World War 11

During the Blitz and the German V weapon attacks the Churchill War Cabinet met 115 times plus
the Prime Minister would end up making four speeches to the citizens of England from this bunker under the streets of the city

The War Rooms had a secure transatlantic phone line known as SIGSALY (top secret voice scrambling system that would encrypt the calls)
The lines went to the United States and also with other Allied Countries which demonstrated the global  cooperation of this war effort

The Map Room was constantly staffed by officers from the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force
 It would chart in detail the advances of the German Forces into Russia and other battlefronts, then their gradual retreat as the Allied Forces started to reverse the fortunes of war

At its peak during the conflict the War Rooms housed over 500 staff members who would work around the clock, have a nap and then continue their duties
But despite the demanding schedule folks would sometimes leave the bunker, visit the local cafe or go to a movie theatre just to get their minds into a happier place

The switchboard operators plus typists would have to spend days and nights underground so 
to alleviate the health problems (associated with all the time being without daylight)
the staff would stand (with just minimal clothes) in front of a sunlamp for some therapeutic relief

Here is an odd fact; all the phones on Churchills desk would light up ( known as a Beauty Chorus) but not ring as he did not like excessive noise
 plus Remington typewriters were imported because of its low sound capabilities

The primary chef for Winston Churchill was Georgina Landemare 
She managed to create meals using rationed ingredients, local produce or even utilizing any gifts sent for the war effort by other countries 
Churchill so valued the dedication and skill in the kitchen he thanked Ms. Landemare on his VE Day speech for her service during the war

Espionage activity in England was rampant with both British and German intelligence agencies engaging in covert operations

Some of the most notable was a group called The Cambridge Five who were Soviet Agents embedded within the British Government passing on sensitive information to USSR for decades about British and American operations
Also the Germans would send English speaking spies (Code Name Operation Lena) to gather formation plus to sabotage infrastructures within the United Kingdom

During these times clothing was heavily rationed aimed at conserving resources for the war effort which was known as austerity regulations

1) Clothing Coupons; civilians were issued coupons and to be used when buying any clothing items
2) Rationing Restrictions; hems and belts were limited to two inches in width plus garments were restricted in having only one pocket
3) Extras; any cuffs, ruffles, pleats were not allowed
4) Materials; people were asked to buy or make with only cotton or rayon 
5) Repurposing; to mend and patch existing clothes you owned

The Churchill Rooms were no longer needed after the war ended in 1945

Then in the 1970s the Imperial War Museums took over the site and in 1984 they opened it to the general public
 Thus now you can explore the original rooms where alot of of historical decisions were made and to understand the conditions / sacrifices people endured who worked underground during those times

Marseille France

#Marseille_France

As we enter the Port of Marseille we can see why its the largest in France plus the second biggest on the Mediterranean Sea
It just oozes culture with a rich history dating back with the founding from the Greek settlers in 600 BC

KeyTip; no need for paid tours here as everything is very walkable

You cannot help but notice as we enter the harbor the Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde overlooking the port
This Neo-Byzantine design was started in 1853 on an old site that once had a fort (1524) using its foundations for the base of the construction that was overlooking the harbor

For many centuries because of its Maritime History and connection to the sea for its immense  economic importance
 Part of the church has a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary
as she was considered a protector and guide for sailors especially during storms or difficult voyages

There are a diverse range of architectural buildings to see while walking the streets

The French (in this case through street art) love to protest or debate
Liberty of expression is a cornerstone of a democratic lifestyle which is critical thinking to be able to analyze, evaluate and challenge the status quo

Did you know the number 59 can represent personal freedom and humanitarianism
Probably the person living here does not know that 😂 but i took the picture anyway

I am sure the city placed these butterflies in the trees lining the streets as it commonly symbolizes hope, transformation and rebirth (the life cycle from caterpillar to winged adult)

Marseille is the oldest City in France plus enjoys over 2900 hours of sunshine per year making it the most in the country hence one of the most visited by tourists

Was told by my barista (after showing the photo) this is what is known as Old Medicine of Marseille which refers to the practice of Crinas of Marseilles

It would be a 1st century physician who used astrological knowledge to apply it to his patients for meal times and determining diets

      Found the area of one of seven factories (1660) that produced 20,000 tons of soap annually                                            

      The paste then was made by mixing beechwood ash and goats tallow which                                                besides washing clothes, dye hair red, it was recognized as having certain medicinal properties                                                  

       KeyTip; to present day, Marseille Soap are marketed as such, but the name/brand is not protected so beware                           

         The first thing to do is look at the color of the soap; if red, pink, yellow or blue they are knockoffs                                                      

        Marseille Soaps are either green (made from olive oil) or white (peanut oil, palm and copa)                                                       

                 There is your shopping tip for today jajajajjaja 😅

On the streets looking for the location of the first public cafe dating back in 1671 in the Exchange neighborhood

The city is renowned for its diverse and multicultural population which was the result of centuries of immigration from around the Mediterranean, Africa and other parts of Europe

 

This is the Panier District (oldest part of the city)
Known for its narrow streets, colorful houses and great atmosphere while sitting at the cafes

Time to head back to the Mediterranean as in Marseille you are considered at the crossroads of Northern Africa, Southern Europe plus Western Asia
So many options to keep exploring this amazing place we call Earth

Sandstone Caves of Milos Greece

#SandstoneCaves_Milos_Greece

KeyTip; Once you arrive look for the Public Bus @ 2 Euro (one way trip / accepts only cash)
 This journey will take around 20 minutes and is much cheaper than a taxi or any tour operator will charge for something that you can do by yourself

So my adventures has taken me to the Island of Milos as i explore the cave systems that once was a natural shelter for pirates to hide, plan attacks plus store their stolen goods......lets find out!

 

Milos was always known for its mineral wealth and was exploited by many Empires over time for its natural resources;
1) Obsidian is a volcanic glass used for tools / weapons
2) Sulfur was used in medicine, a disinfectant plus for religious practices 
3) Kaolin is a white clay to create pottery and white pigments
4) Alum  had a use in tanning leather also dyeing textiles
5) Other minerals found here were Bentonite, Perlite, Pozzolana

Because of the dry climate not much vegetation survives here but orange, olive & cypress trees are grown throughout the island

In modern times with its Mediterranean climate plus its unique landscape, stunning beaches & picturesque villages tourism is a main economic force for the island

Milos was formed by volcanic rock (tuff) from the eruptions below the Earths surface
 So with natural erosion from the wind plus saltwater has made it  resemble the moon landscape
 
How close is the similarities you ask...... that Planetary Scientists has used this area to study remote sensing techniques & geological interpretations for future space missions

Through the elements, it has created Sink Holes which can be dangerous
 So yes admire the beauty, but always look down

Time is get dirty 😄  crawling into the cave system

Once inside you can understand why the pirates used the cave complex to their advantage, as basically its a well fortified bunker
Some areas where not lit so i encountered a few one meter (3 ft) drops which could certainly do some damage on your body
 But i have been exploring for many years so i live by my rule of adventure
Take baby steps & always bring a flashlight jajajaja

Sarakiniko Beach (which derived its name from the Saracen Pirates)
The most famous were the Barbary Corsairs who operated between the 16th-19th centuries and were operating out of North Africa 
  With reference to the Berbers, this area in Europe was known as the Barbary Coast

The Greek Myth of the naming of the Aegean Sea

King Aegeus of Athens thought his son Theseus died fighting the Minotaur so jumped into the sea ending his life
Unfortunately Theseus was instructed to raise the white sails upon his return claiming victory but forgot Thus after seeing the black sails (meaning defeat / death) the King jumped off the cliff into the sea

The Aegean is part of the Mediterranean Sea that is situated between Europe & Asia 
It covers an area of 215,000 km (83,000 sq mi)
The first settlements came from the Minoan civilization in 2700 BC on the Island of Crete 
This was called the Bronze Age culture that was known for its advanced urban settlements, artwork, plus maritime trade

Milos is the result of a massive volcanic explosion that (lucky us) left behind an incredible variety of rock formations
But the island geothermal activity means the forces of nature are is still at work shaping its future so you are experiencing millions of years of geological history as you walk on one of natures wonders

Titanic & Halifax Canada Connection

#Titanic_Halifax_NSCanada_Connection

I best way to start the story is to begin in Dublin Ireland where White Star was building two Ocean Liners to compete with the Cunard Shipping Line (which used in the beginning Roman names)
So this is why the name Titanic ( Greek from Titans) & its sister ship Olympic got its namesake
White Star knew it could not match Cunard for speed so it opted for size & opulence so over the next two years at the Harland / Wolff Shipyards the dream took shape

The Olympic was completed first & Captain Edward Smith was at the helm when it collided with the HMS Hawke near the Isle of Wight (two compartments filled up with water but the ship was able to make it back at port)
Because of repairs needed, workers on the Titanic site were pulled away thus leaving her maiden voyage delayed (8 weeks) & you guessed it.......into Iceberg Season

Finally as the Titanic departed from Southampton England April 10th 1912 with small stops in Cherbourg France & Queenstown Ireland with (yes the same) Captain Edward Smith maybe overconfident with surviving a collision at sea with a Naval Boat (my opinion)

 

Todays Cable Wharf in Halifax 
But in the early 1900s it was responsible for the laying & the maintenance of transatlantic cables
It was these folks who got hired by White Star with the grim task to pickup any bodies from the Titanic sinking on April 15,1912

The Mackay-Bennett left the Port of Halifax for its three day 800 nautical mile journey with a clergy, undertaker, 100 coffins, blocks of ice & regular supplies

 On a side note; St Johns Newfoundland was closer to the disaster but it was not part of Canada until 1949, its an island so relatives would have a hard time getting there to claim any bodies, plus Halifax just had more resources & knowhow
 
So once Mackay-Bennett reached the area they recovered 306 bodies which were given a number & all clothing, body markings etc was cataloged
Then 116 souls were given proper burial at sea & the ship returned with 190 victims that was well over what they were equipped to handle

Once the ship arrived into Halifax all the unclaimed bodies (of what was determined to be 2nd &3rd Class passengers) were brought to the Mayflower Curling Rink to be laid on the ice sheets with temporary walls put up for respect

All the First Class Passengers were sent to JA Snow Funeral Home on Argyle Street (now the Five Fishermen Restaurant)
One of the 59 bodies that were claimed by relatives was John Jacob Astor IV whos family paid the crew members of the Mackay-Bennett a reward for the recovery of his body

Todays Five Fishermen 

St Pauls Church (downtown Halifax at Parade Square) held a memorial service for the victims plus one of its parishioners, Mr. George Wright 

George Wright was a very successful businessman & philanthropist of Halifax.
 His house on Young Avenue (ironically) was signed over to the Local Council of Women before he boarded the Titanic through his lawyer
He has a few other Historic Registered Buildings on Barrington Street, was also a huge contributor to the YMCA & Dalhousie University
 Also he owned several boats so they created the George Wright Cup that the local Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron races for each year in his memory

St Georges Church was the site of a proper burial paid for by the crew of the Mackay Bennett with that reward money for a unknown child (19 months old)
Eventually with improved DNA testing the baby was finally identified as Sidney Leslie Goodwin in 2008 

The Fairview Lawn Cemetery is a denominational resting site run by the City of Halifax & was established in 1893.
White Star paid for the headstones & upkeep until 1930 then the Titanic Society of Atlantic Canada stepped in to take over
Approximately one third of the 121 buried here still have no name attached to the marker 😢
As you can see, every person pulled out of the water was assigned a number with James McGrady being the last at 330

Alma Palsson was thought at one point to be the mother of the unknown child so purposely were laid to rest near each other 

This headstone is much larger than the rest & again the crew of the Mackay-Bennett used their reward money to send their respects to ( as they felt) as one of their own
Eventually the identity was established & a smaller plaque was put in place for Sidney Leslie Goodwin but the large stone marker was kept for all the other children lost that night in the North Atlantic Ocean

In just over five years later the city had to endure their own tragedy after grieving & helping the Titanic

 The Halifax Explosion had close to 2000 casualties due to the blast debris, fires or collapsed buildings  plus another 9000 injured.
What Halifax learned during the horrific Titanic situation was with identifying the bodies through meticulous record keeping which helped immensely with the healing process.....again!

The Ironic Tragedy of Halifax & Titanic

Samuel Cunard was born in Halifax & amassed great wealth through banking, lumber, coal & iron
He also had built a merchant fleet of around 40 vessels to establish a mail service between England & North America.
 He moved to the UK once the British Government opened up bidding on contracts &
as they say the rest his history
 He later ventured into passenger vessels with now to present time the Port of Halifax receives approximately 200 ships with traditionally the Queen Mary 2 making a few visits per season 

The Cunard Ship RMS Carpathia rescued 705 passengers from the Titanic lifeboats & took them to New York 
After it was put into military service & was sunk by a German U-Boat it was later found in the year 2000 just 120 miles off the coast of Ireland........remember the Titanic was built in Belfast

Showing the will of the human spirit to keep moving forward

Richard Williams survived the Titanic but was in the water so long the doctors wanted to amputate both legs, he refused
After he recovered he went on to win the US Nationals 1914 & 1916, Wimbledon Doubles 1920 & Olympic Gold Mixed Doubles 1924

Hilda Slayter was born in Halifax & survived the sinking 
Then married, lived in western Canada before returning to the east coast only to have
pulled through the Halifax Explosion, then moved to England where she passed

Life is full circle as then her ashes were returned & was buried at Camp Hill Cemetery in Halifax

Post Titanic Tragedy

The Bedford Institute of Oceanography (BIO) of Halifax did not directly find the Titanic, but it played a crucial role in supporting the Dr Robert Ballard expedition team through logistical & scientific support. Which then through that help found the doomed ship in 1985

KeyTip
If ever in my beautiful City of Halifax, make a point of visiting The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic located the the Harbor Boardwalk next to the previously mentioned Cable Wharf 
For under $10.00 to can see exhibits of the Titanic & Halifax Explosion