Sunday, May 8, 2016
Saturday, May 7, 2016
Somalia!
In late 1992 my squadron was embarked in USS Kitty Hawk, moored in Singapore for a few days of liberty, and were expecting to soon make our way through the Mallaca Straits and head for the Arabian Gulf to assume the task of "duty carrier". When I say "my squadron", I mean I was in Command. I was in a position that I had literally worked my entire Naval career to achieve. Operational command is the goal of almost all newly minted Naval Aviators. To lead men (and now women) as the Commanding Officer of a squadron of men and machines was the epitome. It just didn't get any better than that. And although I was lucky enough to continue my career to be selected for sequential and then major command, nothing ever measured up to leading my first squadron. Nothing.
Desert storm was fresh in our memory. The Gulf was still in turmoil. Operating in that relatively small environment was fraught with danger and difficulty. Not only was seaspace and airspace limited, there was a pretty significant threat emanating from Iran to the North, who definitely didn't appreciate our presence, and Saddam Hussain's Iraq to the West, who still provided a formidable air threat. So it would take some preparation if we were going to operate successfully. To that end, as we prepared to sail West, a small contingent of Battle Group representatives departed for Bahrain and 5th Fleet to act as liaisons and conduct preps for our arrival. Among this group was my Operations Officer, who I would miss but was glad he was going to ensure the squadron was up to speed upon arrival.
After a few days at sea a message arrived that would change the complexion of our deployment for the next month or so and particularly challenge the Black Knights. Instead of proceeding directly to the Arabian Gulf as planned, we were directed to alter course and make best speed to arrive off the coast of Somalia to support Operation Restore Hope. When most people think of Somalia, if they think of it at all, they remember the infamous "Black Hawk Down" incident in August, 1993 when a bunch of our Special Operators were trapped in an ambush and several were killed. But it started almost a year earlier after a confluence of a terrible drought that caused a famine and a the emergence of a dreadful dictator named Aidid. In December 1992, in one of his last acts as President, George H.W. Bush proposed to the U.N. that United States combat troops lead an intervention force to Somalia to stabilize the country. The U.N. accepted this offer and 25,000 U.S. troops were deployed to Somalia. The Kitty Hawk Battle Group was sent to support this deployment. As part of the deployment, an Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) consisting of USS Tripoli (LPH-10), USS Juneau (LPD-10) and USS Rushmore (LSD-47) with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked was situated off the coast to conduct an amphibious landing.
As we got closer, it became obvious that Somalia was a "dog's breakfast". In other words...a real mess. Upon arrival we learned that the most of the Air Wing operations would consist of overflights to support ground operations and command and control operations from our E-2C aircraft. But the helo squadron would get up close and personal conducting logistics support to the Marines ashore and be on alert for any combat search and rescue operations that might be required. So suddenly instead of conducting routine and expected plane guard, ASW and logistics operations as had been done by previous helo squadrons in the Gulf, we were thrust into a brand new location, supporting a brand new operation, in what could accurately called a hostile environment.
During a meeting with the Battle Group Commander it was determined that we would send a two aircraft detachment forward from Kitty Hawk, who would usually remain about 80-100 miles off-shore. But the question was where would we go. As a carrier based squadron we were not remotely equipped to operate in an austere environment in the field with the Marines. And from what we had heard, Mogadishu was definitely austere. We would find out just how bad it was as we started operating a few days later.
So after a lot of back and forth it was finally determined that our aircraft, crews, maintenance team, and equipment would relocate to one of the ships in the ARG. Understand that moving a detachment forward isn't a trivial matter. It includes a lot of logistics to move the people and machines. It also requires a lot of space, connectivity, accomodations, etc. After more back and forth and because most of the Marines had moved ashore, we were directed to proceed to USS Juneau for forward basing. Sending detachments out usually isn't a big deal for a helo squadron, but that is when we knew where we were going and what we were going to do. In this case we knew neither very confidently so I decided to lead the detachment. The usual course of action is to have one of the Department Heads assume Det Officer in Charge but in this case I was very nervous regarding all the unknowns so decided to go myself. Some would say that was overkill, but at the time it seemed right.
It was thought that the Juneau had plenty of room, the Marines stationed aboard had moved ashore, the flight deck could accomodate our two helos, and it would be a good staging platform. She was anchored a few miles off Mogadishu along with Tripoli. So off we went. The Juneau was very welcoming, they bent over backwards to accomodate us, the Captain made sure all our needs were met, and shortly after arrival we began flight ops.
On our first flight into what used to be the U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu, it was very evident of just how bad the situation was. There was still and Embassy compound, but the Embassy itself was just concrete walls. Everything had been stripped. Everything. As we made low level runs to the airport and Embassy, we could tell that the whole city had been devastated. Buildings blown up, people wandering aimlessly, and danger from Aidid and his henchmen at every corner. The Marines had set up shop at the airport and had brought in a mobile control tower to get the operation running again. It was very rudimentary but after a day or so large aircraft with relief supplies started arriving. Everyone who operated either on the ground or in the air was locked and loaded. The truth was that we just didn't know what we were going to encounter so better to be safe than sorry.
Our operation for the first couple of days consisted of carrying people, ammunition and supplies between Mogadishu, Kismayo and Baidoa. We flew some very long days and carried a ton of stuff. Sometime during this period the operational commander decided that they need some aerial photography of the city and we got tagged to do it. So I found myself with some Navy photographers flying around the city at about 2000 feet taking video. We had very little intelligence about what the threat was and it was determined that there wasn't a significant threat to aircraft so that is why I got cleared to do it. But there was a bit of a pucker facter as I flew around the city. As we were doing our logistics mission, we also continually had an aircraft and crew on alert to respond to any Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) requirements. Basically, if any of our Marine or Navy aircraft went down for any reason, we'd launch to pick them up. Fortunately we weren't needed.
Remember my Ops Officer who had departed for Bahrain? Shortly after the group that he was with had arrived in the Gulf and started working on coordination, they learned that we had been diverted to Somalia. Some in their group decided to stay where they were and wait for the ship, but he and a few others decided to try and get to us. His odyssy included hitching rides on various cars, trucks, and planes of various forces, but he finally found himself in a C-130 (I seem to remember it was German Air Force) landing at Mogadishu Airport. But then what to do. Lo and behold he looked up and saw an H-60 flying overhead enroute to the Embassy pad a few miles away. So he got yet another ride in the back of a pickup with a bunch of Marines. They gave him a flack jacket and told him to stay down but he made it and when the next Black Knight helo arrived, he was waiting. To say that we were surprised that he was there was a very big understatement. But it was great that he was there and I was particularly happy as he was really my right hand man. Having him there made things a lot easier for me.
After a few days, we were told that Juneau was being tasked to proceed down to the vicinity of Kismayo for some reason so we'd need to find a new home. So it was determined that we would move over to Tripoli. If you've been reading at all you might have had a little fun reading "Ship's Company" several weeks ago. You can read it here. It's the story, or should I say sad story, of my time aboard the USS Tripoli doing a disassociated tour as a young LCDR. As you can imagine, I had some trepidation about returning. Not because anyone from my days aboard would be there, but because I knew what to expect. Anyway, we hopped over (the ships were anchored about 1000 yeards apart) with the two aircraft soon to be followed by a USMC H-53 with the maintenance troops and our gear. Upon arrival, we found a hubbub of activity. Most of the Marine aircraft, their crew, and all the grunts had moved ashore but Tripoli was being used as a logistics base because Mogadishu was a nightmare. So there was a lot of coming and going. Once we got the aircraft shutdown, folded and stowed it became obvious that the Battle Group staff hadn't really done much to coordinate our arrival. Tripoli wasn't interested or prepared to support a couple of aircraft from the carrier and we were sort of on our own to find a couple of spaces (rooms) to set up operations. Since the Marines were gone it wasn't too difficult, but an added complication was that President Bush was going to visit about a week later and the ship was freaking out. So we were just another pain in their ass.
We arrived aboard Tripoli on Dec 24th. So the next day we got an unusual tasking. We were Santa's sleigh! A guy in a Santa suit (I have no idea where they got it) showed up at the aircraft along with a huge amount of goodies to be distributed to the troops ashore. So off we went. We made a lot of stops and all seemed to appreciate it.
After a couple of days the Tripoli had had enough of us so when Juneau returned and assumed her position at anchorage again, off we went. We got directed to return to Juneau and were happy to do it. We continued to be busy for several days moving a lot of material and people and maintaining an alert aircraft for CSAR. And then one night I was in the ship's command center when a call came over the net from Kitty Hawk. It seems that Saddam Husaim had kicked up his heels again and the U.S. was going to react. By react, I mean a little thing called Operation Desert Fox in which we launched a couple of strikes on some of his critical facilities. So the ship was being redirected to make best speed for the Arabian Gulf to participate in the operation. Like...right away. So there we were. It was dark, the Kitty Hawk was about 60 miles away and opening, and we needed to catch up. To say that the next few hours were a clusterf**k would be an understatement. We immediately started gathering everything up, getting it organized, and launching for home. I think we were off the deck in about 45 minutes from the first call. An H-53 was being launched from the beach to come get our guys and gear and take them back to Kitty Hawk. We were worried about catching her, but the reality was that they weren't going to leave us behind...I don't think they were anyway.
After we got back and everyone and everything was accounted for there was a lot of adrenalin running. I was really proud of how everyone responded over the course of several days in making the detachment a success. An added benefit was that we learned a lot as we embarked on further dets as we arrived in the Gulf. I also like to think we had a small part to play in helping some folks in desperate circumstances. Operation Restore Hope was truly a humanitarian effort and I think it made a difference. Of course, things deteriorated and later in 1993 it turned ugly, but in the beginning it was a good and humane effort.
After a few days at sea a message arrived that would change the complexion of our deployment for the next month or so and particularly challenge the Black Knights. Instead of proceeding directly to the Arabian Gulf as planned, we were directed to alter course and make best speed to arrive off the coast of Somalia to support Operation Restore Hope. When most people think of Somalia, if they think of it at all, they remember the infamous "Black Hawk Down" incident in August, 1993 when a bunch of our Special Operators were trapped in an ambush and several were killed. But it started almost a year earlier after a confluence of a terrible drought that caused a famine and a the emergence of a dreadful dictator named Aidid. In December 1992, in one of his last acts as President, George H.W. Bush proposed to the U.N. that United States combat troops lead an intervention force to Somalia to stabilize the country. The U.N. accepted this offer and 25,000 U.S. troops were deployed to Somalia. The Kitty Hawk Battle Group was sent to support this deployment. As part of the deployment, an Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) consisting of USS Tripoli (LPH-10), USS Juneau (LPD-10) and USS Rushmore (LSD-47) with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked was situated off the coast to conduct an amphibious landing. 
As we got closer, it became obvious that Somalia was a "dog's breakfast". In other words...a real mess. Upon arrival we learned that the most of the Air Wing operations would consist of overflights to support ground operations and command and control operations from our E-2C aircraft. But the helo squadron would get up close and personal conducting logistics support to the Marines ashore and be on alert for any combat search and rescue operations that might be required. So suddenly instead of conducting routine and expected plane guard, ASW and logistics operations as had been done by previous helo squadrons in the Gulf, we were thrust into a brand new location, supporting a brand new operation, in what could accurately called a hostile environment.
During a meeting with the Battle Group Commander it was determined that we would send a two aircraft detachment forward from Kitty Hawk, who would usually remain about 80-100 miles off-shore. But the question was where would we go. As a carrier based squadron we were not remotely equipped to operate in an austere environment in the field with the Marines. And from what we had heard, Mogadishu was definitely austere. We would find out just how bad it was as we started operating a few days later.
So after a lot of back and forth it was finally determined that our aircraft, crews, maintenance team, and equipment would relocate to one of the ships in the ARG. Understand that moving a detachment forward isn't a trivial matter. It includes a lot of logistics to move the people and machines. It also requires a lot of space, connectivity, accomodations, etc. After more back and forth and because most of the Marines had moved ashore, we were directed to proceed to USS Juneau for forward basing. Sending detachments out usually isn't a big deal for a helo squadron, but that is when we knew where we were going and what we were going to do. In this case we knew neither very confidently so I decided to lead the detachment. The usual course of action is to have one of the Department Heads assume Det Officer in Charge but in this case I was very nervous regarding all the unknowns so decided to go myself. Some would say that was overkill, but at the time it seemed right.
It was thought that the Juneau had plenty of room, the Marines stationed aboard had moved ashore, the flight deck could accomodate our two helos, and it would be a good staging platform. She was anchored a few miles off Mogadishu along with Tripoli. So off we went. The Juneau was very welcoming, they bent over backwards to accomodate us, the Captain made sure all our needs were met, and shortly after arrival we began flight ops.
On our first flight into what used to be the U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu, it was very evident of just how bad the situation was. There was still and Embassy compound, but the Embassy itself was just concrete walls. Everything had been stripped. Everything. As we made low level runs to the airport and Embassy, we could tell that the whole city had been devastated. Buildings blown up, people wandering aimlessly, and danger from Aidid and his henchmen at every corner. The Marines had set up shop at the airport and had brought in a mobile control tower to get the operation running again. It was very rudimentary but after a day or so large aircraft with relief supplies started arriving. Everyone who operated either on the ground or in the air was locked and loaded. The truth was that we just didn't know what we were going to encounter so better to be safe than sorry.
Our operation for the first couple of days consisted of carrying people, ammunition and supplies between Mogadishu, Kismayo and Baidoa. We flew some very long days and carried a ton of stuff. Sometime during this period the operational commander decided that they need some aerial photography of the city and we got tagged to do it. So I found myself with some Navy photographers flying around the city at about 2000 feet taking video. We had very little intelligence about what the threat was and it was determined that there wasn't a significant threat to aircraft so that is why I got cleared to do it. But there was a bit of a pucker facter as I flew around the city. As we were doing our logistics mission, we also continually had an aircraft and crew on alert to respond to any Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) requirements. Basically, if any of our Marine or Navy aircraft went down for any reason, we'd launch to pick them up. Fortunately we weren't needed.
Remember my Ops Officer who had departed for Bahrain? Shortly after the group that he was with had arrived in the Gulf and started working on coordination, they learned that we had been diverted to Somalia. Some in their group decided to stay where they were and wait for the ship, but he and a few others decided to try and get to us. His odyssy included hitching rides on various cars, trucks, and planes of various forces, but he finally found himself in a C-130 (I seem to remember it was German Air Force) landing at Mogadishu Airport. But then what to do. Lo and behold he looked up and saw an H-60 flying overhead enroute to the Embassy pad a few miles away. So he got yet another ride in the back of a pickup with a bunch of Marines. They gave him a flack jacket and told him to stay down but he made it and when the next Black Knight helo arrived, he was waiting. To say that we were surprised that he was there was a very big understatement. But it was great that he was there and I was particularly happy as he was really my right hand man. Having him there made things a lot easier for me.
After a few days, we were told that Juneau was being tasked to proceed down to the vicinity of Kismayo for some reason so we'd need to find a new home. So it was determined that we would move over to Tripoli. If you've been reading at all you might have had a little fun reading "Ship's Company" several weeks ago. You can read it here. It's the story, or should I say sad story, of my time aboard the USS Tripoli doing a disassociated tour as a young LCDR. As you can imagine, I had some trepidation about returning. Not because anyone from my days aboard would be there, but because I knew what to expect. Anyway, we hopped over (the ships were anchored about 1000 yeards apart) with the two aircraft soon to be followed by a USMC H-53 with the maintenance troops and our gear. Upon arrival, we found a hubbub of activity. Most of the Marine aircraft, their crew, and all the grunts had moved ashore but Tripoli was being used as a logistics base because Mogadishu was a nightmare. So there was a lot of coming and going. Once we got the aircraft shutdown, folded and stowed it became obvious that the Battle Group staff hadn't really done much to coordinate our arrival. Tripoli wasn't interested or prepared to support a couple of aircraft from the carrier and we were sort of on our own to find a couple of spaces (rooms) to set up operations. Since the Marines were gone it wasn't too difficult, but an added complication was that President Bush was going to visit about a week later and the ship was freaking out. So we were just another pain in their ass.
We arrived aboard Tripoli on Dec 24th. So the next day we got an unusual tasking. We were Santa's sleigh! A guy in a Santa suit (I have no idea where they got it) showed up at the aircraft along with a huge amount of goodies to be distributed to the troops ashore. So off we went. We made a lot of stops and all seemed to appreciate it.
After a couple of days the Tripoli had had enough of us so when Juneau returned and assumed her position at anchorage again, off we went. We got directed to return to Juneau and were happy to do it. We continued to be busy for several days moving a lot of material and people and maintaining an alert aircraft for CSAR. And then one night I was in the ship's command center when a call came over the net from Kitty Hawk. It seems that Saddam Husaim had kicked up his heels again and the U.S. was going to react. By react, I mean a little thing called Operation Desert Fox in which we launched a couple of strikes on some of his critical facilities. So the ship was being redirected to make best speed for the Arabian Gulf to participate in the operation. Like...right away. So there we were. It was dark, the Kitty Hawk was about 60 miles away and opening, and we needed to catch up. To say that the next few hours were a clusterf**k would be an understatement. We immediately started gathering everything up, getting it organized, and launching for home. I think we were off the deck in about 45 minutes from the first call. An H-53 was being launched from the beach to come get our guys and gear and take them back to Kitty Hawk. We were worried about catching her, but the reality was that they weren't going to leave us behind...I don't think they were anyway.
After we got back and everyone and everything was accounted for there was a lot of adrenalin running. I was really proud of how everyone responded over the course of several days in making the detachment a success. An added benefit was that we learned a lot as we embarked on further dets as we arrived in the Gulf. I also like to think we had a small part to play in helping some folks in desperate circumstances. Operation Restore Hope was truly a humanitarian effort and I think it made a difference. Of course, things deteriorated and later in 1993 it turned ugly, but in the beginning it was a good and humane effort.
Obama's Echo Chamber
Because the job is so big and so important, I like to think that when we elect a President we're electing a guy who not only politically has earned the votes of the voters, but substantially is able to do the job. Part of that is not only putting in place policy positions and strategies to lead the country. A critical part of accomplishing those two important tasks, is to hire and surround yourself with smart, effective, ethical people who in actuality will lead and manage the administration.
As I've watched Obama over the last 7 years, I've been amazed at the cast of characters he has chosen to surround himself with and their lack of the characteristics tradtionally expected of people working at those levels. Now I know that many will decry the same thing in other administrations, but for me Obama has taken this to a new low level.
You can go down the list. At the top is certainly Valerie Jarrett. Susan Rice is certainly near the top, as is Hillary. But you get quickly to an inexperienced, highly political, and arrogant group who have amazingly thin resume's. Which brings me to a piece in The New York Times Magazine this week about Ben Rhodes, the knucklehead who is the Deputy National Security Advisor. Put simply, this guy is a slime. I've watched him over the years and couldn't believe he had such power and now this article exposes him for what he is. He is a liar, a boob, and is clearly willing to do and say anything to promote his boss. You can read a good summary of the article with a lot of links to other critique's here. Read the Powerline article and follow the links to both the NYT Magazine article and others, especially by a guy I really respect, Max Boot. That Rhodes is holds such an important position is just supremely disappointing.
More of these kinds of articles will emerge now that Obama is in the twilight of his Presidency. It's been a disaster. And knowing who has facilitated the disaster at least gives us some insight into why.
As I've watched Obama over the last 7 years, I've been amazed at the cast of characters he has chosen to surround himself with and their lack of the characteristics tradtionally expected of people working at those levels. Now I know that many will decry the same thing in other administrations, but for me Obama has taken this to a new low level.
You can go down the list. At the top is certainly Valerie Jarrett. Susan Rice is certainly near the top, as is Hillary. But you get quickly to an inexperienced, highly political, and arrogant group who have amazingly thin resume's. Which brings me to a piece in The New York Times Magazine this week about Ben Rhodes, the knucklehead who is the Deputy National Security Advisor. Put simply, this guy is a slime. I've watched him over the years and couldn't believe he had such power and now this article exposes him for what he is. He is a liar, a boob, and is clearly willing to do and say anything to promote his boss. You can read a good summary of the article with a lot of links to other critique's here. Read the Powerline article and follow the links to both the NYT Magazine article and others, especially by a guy I really respect, Max Boot. That Rhodes is holds such an important position is just supremely disappointing.
More of these kinds of articles will emerge now that Obama is in the twilight of his Presidency. It's been a disaster. And knowing who has facilitated the disaster at least gives us some insight into why.
Friday, May 6, 2016
There He Goes Again
A while back I wrote a blog post about a letter I received from the Bishop of our local Episcopal Diocese regarding politics. You can read it here. Bottom line is that I just really, really don't like religious leaders weighing in on politics. This afternoon I received another email from him and it was a bit of a doubling down. I've copied it all below.
But even if I could accept political direction from the pulpit, it would only be acceptable if both sides were represented and full disclosure on both sides were provided. Sure Trump is a jackass. He has said some things in the heat of the primary that I'm sure he regrets and that were denigrating. I don't agree that he has advocated torture. There are a lot of ways to cut that particular piece of pie. But if the Bisop's going to be "in the arena", then the only honest thing to do is to offer critisisms across the board. He's happy to key on a few personality traits or failings on one side, but he doesn't comment on the criminality, the significant endangerment to national security, the lying, the cronyism, the collusion, the enabling of the denigrition of women, and the long list of despicable back room deals that she has been involved in for decades. I've said it from the beginning...I'll take any of the Republicans over the criminal. That she is not at least indicted and more likely in jail is purely and only because of the illegal intervention of the President and the Democrat Party. And even if you don't think she's done anything illegal, you'd have to have your head in a hole to not recognize her as supremely incompetent. Simple as that. But let's just say the Bishop is feeling the Bern and for some strange reason things Bernie the Socialist would be a good alternative. I guess he's not aware of the impact the Socialists and their very good friends and cousins, the Communists, have had on religion. It's difficult to think of a more religiously oppressive group in the modern age, especially to Christians. It's really not even close. If he's "compelled to speak out for the integrity of the gospel" then he ought to have the integrity to lay bare both sides. Until he does that, he's being very hypocritical.
I continue to beleive that the Bishop has no business in the realm of politics. But I'm sure that what I believe makes no difference to him. Rather, from his words he is confident in his position. Personally I'll take the words of Thomas Jefferson in this case..."erecting the wall between church and state is absolutely essential in a free society".
But even if I could accept political direction from the pulpit, it would only be acceptable if both sides were represented and full disclosure on both sides were provided. Sure Trump is a jackass. He has said some things in the heat of the primary that I'm sure he regrets and that were denigrating. I don't agree that he has advocated torture. There are a lot of ways to cut that particular piece of pie. But if the Bisop's going to be "in the arena", then the only honest thing to do is to offer critisisms across the board. He's happy to key on a few personality traits or failings on one side, but he doesn't comment on the criminality, the significant endangerment to national security, the lying, the cronyism, the collusion, the enabling of the denigrition of women, and the long list of despicable back room deals that she has been involved in for decades. I've said it from the beginning...I'll take any of the Republicans over the criminal. That she is not at least indicted and more likely in jail is purely and only because of the illegal intervention of the President and the Democrat Party. And even if you don't think she's done anything illegal, you'd have to have your head in a hole to not recognize her as supremely incompetent. Simple as that. But let's just say the Bishop is feeling the Bern and for some strange reason things Bernie the Socialist would be a good alternative. I guess he's not aware of the impact the Socialists and their very good friends and cousins, the Communists, have had on religion. It's difficult to think of a more religiously oppressive group in the modern age, especially to Christians. It's really not even close. If he's "compelled to speak out for the integrity of the gospel" then he ought to have the integrity to lay bare both sides. Until he does that, he's being very hypocritical.
Thursday, May 5, 2016
Customer Service
As I go through everyday life it occurs to me that the aspect of customer service in many companies has somehow become an afterthought. It seems like every day that I encounter a situation in which I expect a company to do the right thing or respond in a certain manner, and it doesn't happen. When I say company, I'm really talking about employees. Employees are just a reflection of their company and so many don't realize that. They get in their own little world and assume that they can behave in any manner they please when dealing with the public and there will be few ramifications. So it strikes me that it's worth identifying and commenting on those companies that, at least in my experience, go above and beyond in customer service. Now this isn't some coveted award. There won't be any celebrations of companies with great customer service at Mike's At The Beach. But if you have a choice or if you are looking for something within the sphere of these companies, then my suggestion is to lean towards these folks. Because in my experience you're going to get great customer service.
Ace Hardware--"Ace is the place". Everytime I go into our local Ace, I'm amazed the helpful and friendly people who cheerfully greet me. They consistently know where everything is, are willing to spend extra time helping me solve problems, and even recommend other stores if they don't have the item I'm looking for.
Southwest Airlines--They have customer service down to a tee. In the age of airlines who are expensive, have limited schedules, have all kinds of extra and hidden costs, don't seem to care about their customers, and have surly flight attendents, Southwest Airlines is an exception. Almost everything about their operation is opposite of what you experience with normal airlines. They are effecient in scheduling, what you see is what you get, their costs are reasonable, and their caring about their customers is legendary. They are a refreshing change to the status quo.
Viking Cruises--We've traveled with Viking twice and both times were wonderful. They are the epitome of professionalism. Our experience has been that they are friendly, caring, consistent, knowledgable, and thorough. At every turn they paid incredible attention to detail and were able to fulfill every wish and need. When you're traveling, you want things to be easy, trustworthy and consistent and that is the definition of Viking.
USAA--United Services Automobile Association (USAA) is an insurance company for members of the military and their families. Over the years they have expanded their services and now offer banking, financial management, and a host of other things. I've been a member for over 40 years and their service is second to none. I've literally never had one problem when dealing with USAA.
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Reflections On China!
"Travel makes you modest, because you realize just what a small role you play in a big, big world". Such was the quote from the Cruise Director on the Viking Emerald as we meandered down the Yangtze River through the magnificent Three Gorges area. This quote seems appropriate to begin a reflection of that amazing country.
18 Days, 9 airline flights, 8 airports, 3 river trips, countless motor coach trips later and we're exhausted, exhilarated, still amazed, and eager to share memories from this wonderful trip. It truly was a once in a lifetime affair. We had wanted to go to China for quite some time. I was restricted from going there for many years as a Naval Officer and then as I worked for the aerospace industry. But we had talked about it many times. Wondered about this big, mysterious, instinctively threatening and yet somehow compelling country. Would it be a typically oppressive Communist society? Would we feel safe? Would it be backwards or modern? How would we communicate? And so many other questions arose as we considered going.
As it happens, some very old and good friends from our Navy days had wondered the same thing. And since we had traveled with them previously on a Viking river cruise down the Danube, it seemed natural to discuss our next adventure when they were visiting in April of 2015. We started looking and low and behold, Viking offered a tour to China that included both land excursions to various sites and a river cruise down the Yangtze River. After a few glasses of wine, we decided we were all in. We even decided to add on an extension to Guilin and Hong Kong at the end (and were very happy we did). It was a great year of anticipation, planning, shopping, reading, learning, etc before we rendezvoused in San Francisco International Airport on April 14th to begin our grand adventure. Our adventure closely followed the map except that we flew to Beijing and began the journey from there. Then at the end in Shanghai, we flew to Guilin and then on to Hong Kong to end the trip.
Long airplane trips are a pain in the butt. No two ways about it. It would be 13 hours to Beijing and none of us were looking forward to it. But to our surprise and delight, as we settled in there were a lot of empty seats. Most rows had only one or two passengers so we were able to stretch out and get as comfortable as possible. So not too bad. And administratively let me just say that if you're interested in world travel, you simply can't beat Viking! They were there every step of the way. They were professional, flexible, accommodating, caring, and so many other descriptors. They also handled a snafu with my wife's bag at the airport with aplomb. A guy on our flight had picked up her bag by mistake because it looked very similar. We were panicked for a bit until we realized that he was a Viking passenger on the same tour that we were on. So Viking arranged for the swap with little fanfare. As a footnote, when my wife confronted this guy in a good natured way a couple days later, he exclaimed that we shouldn't be upset because Viking brought her bag to her but he had to go all the way back to the airport to claim his. No apology, no nothing. Amazing. For this trip all of the meals were included so we definitely never went wanting in that department. In fact, the amount of food was a running joke with the group. Our tour escort was a wonderful man. He treated us like family and provided extraordinary care throughout the trip. We're already looking forward to our next adventure with Viking, knowing it will be great.
Our arrival in Beijing really set the tone for the whole trip. It is a big, modern, cosmopolitan city. It had every convenience and every challenge of any big city around the world. Our hotel (as were all the hotels we stayed in) was 5-star, in this case the magnificent Kerry Shangri-La Hotel. It simply couldn't have been better. The first day was highlighted by a trip to Tienanmen Square and The Forbidden City. Wow! It's said that this is the largest city square in the world and I believe it. It was simply a mass of humanity. It also contains the crypt of Chairman Mao and the lines to pass by and pay respects was unbelievable. Not only is the square massive, but the number of people visiting was just overwhelming. If you have trouble wrapping your arms around a country of 1.7 billion people, a visit to this square helps to put it into perspective.
That night we had an opportunity to go to a specialty restaurant for Peking Duck. I had no idea what a big deal this is but it was a grand time punctuated by a really good meal. We had an opportunity to view the preparation of the duck and it's quite a process. Not the highlight of the trip, but we were glad we went. If the visit to Tianamen Square wasn't daunting enough, the next day we went to the Great Wall. It is the most impressive engineering project imaginable. And it's thousands of years old. The distinctive thing about the day we went to the wall was that it was a blue sky day. We didn't have many of those so it was a day to remember. It was cold the day we went so we had to bundle up and that made climbing a bit difficult. Of course, the other thing that made it difficult was the thousands and thousands of Chinese who were visiting at the same time. But it was just awesome.
So after those two days, we were all sort of blown away. And as we drove around the city to various venues, it was clear that Beijing is not some backwards berg that is struggling to catch up. There is every trademark that you expect to see in any world city all around you. There are Starbucks everywhere. KFC and MacDonalds are the most prevalent fast food restaurants. The shopping opportunities are plentiful and extensive. It was also a combination of the old and the new. We saw pagodas intermixed with skyscrapers at every turn. We also had the opportunity to visit jade factory and marvel at this beautiful stone and the awesome pieces that the craftsmen can create. Jade is prevalent throughout China and this place had everything. We also took a quick drive by of the Olympic venues. All of the big stadiums were still there and they had turned the village into housing. It was impressive. All in all the city was an assault on any preconceptions that we may have had. I can't say it enough...it was amazing!
The next morning we had the opportunity to go to the old part of Beijing, ride in a rickshaw, and visit with a woman who basically gets paid to open her home to foreign tourists so we can get a glimpse of the old style life. It was obviously a bit staged and she was selling souvenirs, but it was still an interesting experience. No matter how contrived it was, her life and the lives of millions in China are just so different from ours that it's difficult to relate.
And before we knew it we were off to Xi'an. Xi'an is a large city in central China and it's claim to fame are the Terra Cotta Soldiers. On the way to our hotel from the airport we passed dozens and dozens of high rise apartment buildings that were either empty or sparsely occupied. It was a weird feeling. I guess there is a lot of speculation going on and it's not working out quite how the builders expected. By far, the big draw of Xi'an were the terra cotta soldiers. We several hours at the site and the display is mind boggling. The photos don't do the excavations justice. The Chinese have done a great job in conducting meticulous excavation of what is really a world treasure. I'm confident that there isn't anything like this anywhere else. Along with many other things we saw in museums, parks, and national historic sites, there are things in China that document civilization going back several thousand years. Thinking about things that are thousands of years old really does provide a different perspective.
While in Xi'an we had an unexpected experience. Our neighbors are a young Chinese couple who, with two little boys, live half time in SoCal and half time in Xi'an where they are from. They happened to be there when we were so they took us out for a wonderful dinner off the beaten path. The food, drink and company were over the top! The restaurant was in an upscale section of town the was located on a lake and surrounded by new condos and hotels like the Ritz Carlton, JW Marriott, and Westin. It was delightful! They also drove us all around town to see some of the sights that we otherwise wouldn't have seen. Lots of fun!
The next morning we were off to Chongqing to finally board our home for our 6 days on the Yangtze River, the Viking Emerald. I had never heard of this city and as such thought maybe it was a small town that was a convenient embarkation point on the river. Well...was I ever wrong. Turns out that Chongqing is the largest city in the world at 27 million people! And none of us had ever even heard of it! It was a megalopolis in the truest sense of the word. We didn't spend too much time there as we went from the airport to the dock and then shortly thereafter cast off, but what we saw of it was impressive. The Viking Emerald was a terrific boat. It holds about 260 people, has all the amenities, great food, the rooms were comfortable, and was a wonderful home for our journey down the Yangtze.
The next six days consisted of an array of amazing adventures and sites. We went to a centuries old pagoda that was going to be destroyed by the water from the 3-gorges dam until the government constructed a dike to protect it. We toured a tributary of the Yangtze that had amazing geographic formations including cliffs that soared thousands of feet above the river. We traveled through the three gorges that contained almost unimaginable beauty. We went through an amazing 4 lock structure at the dam that was an engineering marvel. We toured the dam and gazed at this feat of engineering that really showed off some beyond belief engineering. The dam provides for enough electricity for 4 cities the size of Shanghai. In one city we toured a local primary school and spent some time with students in their classrooms. This opportunity was really unique and one that Viking is proud of. The company sponsors the school and gives tourists a chance to see life in rural China up close and personal and interact with some kids. The boat also provided scrumptious and too much food at ever turn. There were also shows, time for quiet reflection, and all the comforts of home. It was typical Viking quality!
Soon enough we arrived in Wuhan and boarded our flight to Shanghai. There we stayed in what proved to be the most popular hotel, the Westin on the Bund. It was a phenomenal 5-star hotel. Shanghai was everything you'd expect. Large, glitzy, frenetic, traffic clogged, and hectic. We were able to spend some time on the Bund viewing the amazing skyline, spent a few hours in a wonderful Chinese garden, went to a silk rug factory and visited the Shanghai National Museum. That night we went to an acrobat show that was first rate. We were all rather gobsmacked at the capability of the acrobats.
But it wasn't quite over for us. We boarded yet another plane for a flight to Guilin, which is a sub-tropical city in the South of China. There we stayed in a magnificent Shangri-La hotel and woke up to a wonderful 3-hour trip down the Li River. The geography of this area was unique, to say the least. The hills and valleys made a dramatic impression.
But like always, off we went. This time to our last destination, Hong Kong. We had all been to Hong Kong before and were looking forward to returning. Once again, we stayed in a hotel that was superb, the Kowloon Shangri-La. Although the last time we had been it was still a British Colony, we found that it really hadn't changed that much, except that if possible even more buildings, people, and cars were packed into this tiny enclave. We spent 3 blissful days touring the city, eating at wonderful restaurants, gazing at the incredible sites, doing a bit of shopping, and telling sea stories of our youth. It couldn't have been better.
But like always, off we went. This time to our last destination, Hong Kong. We had all been to Hong Kong before and were looking forward to returning. Once again, we stayed in a hotel that was superb, the Kowloon Shangri-La. Although the last time we had been it was still a British Colony, we found that it really hadn't changed that much, except that if possible even more buildings, people, and cars were packed into this tiny enclave. We spent 3 blissful days touring the city, eating at wonderful restaurants, gazing at the incredible sites, doing a bit of shopping, and telling sea stories of our youth. It couldn't have been better.
As usual, Viking was with us til the end. They escorted us right to the ticket counter in the Hong Kong airport and made sure we were well on our way. The plane home wasn't like going over in that it was pretty full. But we had good seats and after a couple meals, some movies, and some good reading we found ourselves back at home. Like I said at the beginning, exhausted, overwhelmed, exhilarated, and happy to be home. But...let us catch our breath and we'll be ready to head out on our next adventure!
Beyond the travelogue above, we came away from our adventure in China with many impressions. Some of them are:
- Viking Cruises have no bigger fans than us. Through two great trips, they have been phenomenal. I'm a big fan of companies that provide impeccable customer service and Viking fits that category in spades. They were competent, caring, punctual, flexible, first-class, etc, etc, etc. I can't imagine a better travel company!
- Airports and airport security is a lot better than in the U.S. Every airport was clean, modern, filled with shops, and had every amenity needed. Airport security was competent, efficient, thorough, and respectful. No taking off shoes in China. Everything went the through the scanner and almost everyone got wanded. The security personnel were calm, logical, efficient, respectful and friendly. It was amazing!
- China is a big, modern, relatively clean, educated, sophisticated country. At least the places we visited were. We all had preconceptions of an overcrowded, oppressive, somewhat backwards country that has a lot of labor producing cheap trinkets. Not so much. China is a force to be reckoned with and it's to our detriment that we don't engage them more aggressively. I found myself feeling resentful of our government not working to develop a closer relationship with China. Because my sense is that China is the future. I found myself resenting our media that only focuses on certain aspects of a place like China and doesn't give a true picture of the big, powerful, modern, sophisticated country that it is.
- At the end of the day, China is still an oppressive, Communist country. It's sort of subtle, but it's there. With all the entrepreneurial business going on, it's easy to miss it, but it's there. The most obvious thing is reading the news. Or I should say, the good news. There is a little bit of real reporting, but it's definitely censored. Also, the Internet is widely censored. We couldn't get Google, Facebook, Twitter, any blogs, and a host of other sites. When asked about Internet access, a few brave folks smiled and said quietly that they have a VPN and can get outside web sites. Not sure if that's pervasive, but I did hear it more than once. I don't know how they reconcile all the capitalism going on, but my sense is that economic life is changing and evolving. While it's true that the State owns all land, there is still ownership of businesses, apartments, etc. Not sure where they are going, but it's true that if people are given a small taste of freedom, they want more.
- China is a huge market. Huge! That we aren't engaging them more aggressively economically is a shame. We need to open that market to U.S. goods. The thing they have more than anything else is labor. I know we have a significant amount of goods made in China and can see why. Given our situations with unions and the increasing reluctance of the American worker to engage in factory work, I fear that we are at a significant economic disadvantage. The only political candidate I've heard talking about engaging China is Trump. Maybe he doesn't have all the answers, but at least he's willing to ask the questions.
- Education is a big deal in China. There is 9 years of compulsory education followed by 3 years of further education and then university. I got the sense that getting into university is hugely competitive. There is some sort of a national test that requires a lot of extra work.
- One child policy. This has been changed to allow for two children, but that policy has had a big impact on the sociological fabric of the nation. Our guide had a really good description and explanation one day and it was obvious that it was painful. The first impact is that everyone wants to have a boy. Good or not, right or not, it's just a fact. They want a boy for legacy purposes. If they have a girl, so be it, but there have been problems with people either giving up girls for adoption or getting rid of them. Also, with one child, the family pulls out all stops for that child to have the best of what they can afford. They put a lot of pressure on the kid to perform well and be successful. And when there is only one child in the family, that kid tends to be pampered and spoiled. We saw this over and over. It's difficult to relate to this issue, but it was definitely something that seemed to have a big impact on the culture.
- There is a lot of pollution in China. They definitely haven't been at the forefront of installing pollution controls like most Western countries. Some of the folks on the trip were bothered by the air quality and some came down with wicked coughs. We saw a lot of folks walking around with face masks so as to not breath the air. We did hear that the government is now starting to take action, such as restricting driving to certain days, but it will be a big job.
- China universally has squat toilets and doesn't provide any toilet paper. Maybe that shouldn't be included as a major impression, but it's difficult to not comment. It was a major shock to us Westerners. A bigger shock to the women than the men, but still a shock.
- The 3-gorges dam project was monstrous. It was definitely the biggest public works project I've ever seen. It has made a dramatic difference in the life of hundreds of thousands of people who were continually threatened by floods and provides an amazing amount of electricity. Oh yeah, it cost something like $22 billion but has been paid for in 10 years. I find it difficult to believe that we could do anything close. Maybe we used to be able to do something like that. But with today's bureaucracy and governmental regulations, not so much.
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