Los Angeles, USA

Most of my friends know the story of Ron Sherrod.  He picked me up at Pier 93 in San Padro today. The Insignia was berthed next to the battleship Iowa. We had to pass through a Customs checkpoint to go ashore. This is part of the Port of Los Angeles of what most people refer to as Long Beach.  I have been here many times before.

I met Ron at almost midnight on the Mississippi St. railroad overpass in Memphis when I heard shots fired and called for back up as I climbed the embankment from the street. There at night, in the middle of the track was a man in jeans and a t-shirt firing a gun repeatedly at someone.  I drew down on him and yelled for him to drop the gun. Maybe no so polite as this.  He turned and pulled a badge and yelled back,"railroad police!" I was thinking,"What the hell is that?"

Anyway, we got it straightened out. He was shooting at some fleeing boxcar burglars who were making off with new tires, rolling them down the embankment into the housing project.  This was before Garner v. Tennessee. You could yell, "Stop Police!" and fire on fleeing felones.

I was having serious political problems with the Memphis Police Department. They had fired me and tried to indite me before the Circuit Court of Tennessee put me back to work. Long story - short: he was instrumental in getting on the railroad police, which in turn sent me to New Orleans.

I needed to see other opportunities, other than Memphis.  I met my wife Becky in New Orleans, which led to my children, Matt and Molly.

Ron looks like he is in pain, doesn't he?

This is the man I almost shot but led to the best part of my life.

So we got to spend the day together.  I brought a friend from the ship who wanted to see the railroad. We had trouble at the ramp because agents (what few are left) where tied with the President/CEO of the Union Pacific Railroad, Lance Fritz was in town at the ramp.  He was a Superientendent when I left.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

This is a beautiful port city with a vibrant population not anything likethe border towns I have been to on so many occations The city is clean, they love tourists and it is a different and interesting city. I made sure my guide (again I passed all the taxi stands) could actually speak English. His name is Ricardo Pena and he had loved in Colorado and spoke better English than I did.

We negociated a fair price and wanted to show off his town. Like the others he wanted to know why I wanted to go to the police headquarters. Although it was a Saturday and none of the big wigs were there, I see their HQ, talk to some (well armed) working-class officers and visit the Police Academy across the street.  It was walled in as well.

After a good police visit, the same thing: cops all do the same job just difference circumstance. No one could break away from duty because the bosses weren't there. As they said, they don't do anything unless their boss says they can.

I asked Ricardo to take us to eat where he does lunch. Well back from the beach and most (not all) of the tourists.

They made the salsa and guacamole at the table.

I thought this was the lunch special but, no...

...this was. A huge they cooked shrimp, pork, chicken, catus, 

stuffed pablano peppers and who knows what else all together.

Of course, Ricardo knew the owner (and his dog wondering around the open air restaruant. He may say this to all the tourists but, he offered if I cme back that I could stay at his home with his family.  We traded looks at each others' families and contact information. He has his late parents' three story house and he is paying off his five brothers' shares to be able to keep it as his own. We went by, it is a very nice three story home.

After lunch, I needed a few things.  We when to a local Woolworth's Store. I didn't know thet still exisited. The prices were less than at a Walmart (which they also have here.) We cruised the old city neighborhoods were he grew. With all the honking and waving, it was apparent he knew just about everybody.

Ricardo showed me where Elizabeth Taylo and Richard Burton lived, across the street from each other while they were both married to other people. Because of the Catholic Church they could not live with each other, so Burton build a bridge three stories up across the street. Ricardo said the story went that, both being very volatol they would get into fights. Burton was so made he had the villagers know the bridge.  Pretty soon, they made up again and they rebuilt the bridge. They celebrate their love here.

Richard and Liz

I took so many great photos here, there are too many to post.  Here are some of favorites:

Manzanillo, Mexico

There was not a not a lot going on at this port. The reports from other passengers was that it was not so either.  Except for this one guy. He landed a 9 foot Sailfish after a 2 hour struggle. I got with Ishmael on board the ship and he and I are renting a boat and going out at Cabo San Lucas.

Well, I was up late again. Another night of excellent dinner with friends. We made it as a group to the front row of the show tonight. It is unbelievable the caliber of musicans on this ship. Then dancing up on the 10th deck lounge. Its going to be difficult returning to Fairfield Bay.

It is hard work being me. Hard, hard work.

Nicaragua!!!

We didn't get into Corinto until late morning and there must have been a 50 mph wind across the pier.  It was hard to just stand up. I found a guide that was supposed to speak Englinh well.  Not so much.  I knew much more Spanish than he knew English.  He learned it from his mother who lived in Los Angeles several years. Yikes!

There were very few cars in the city but hundreds and hundreds of these tricycles (they actually had 5 wheels, doubled up front)  There was a little plastic horn up front connected to a tube to the driver.  He'd toot-toot at intersections, to get people and other trikes out of the wat but, mostly waving at friends allong the way, most them on other trikes,  He is also a reserve police officer.

We visited the local police department but that issue with my questionable interpreter became more burdonsome. I noticed I would ask him to say something to the officers (commissioers) and he would nod his head... and then say nothing. I worked it out.  I know more Spanish than he knew English.  I muddled through with gesters and facial expressions.

This is a traffic citation. 

Notice, just like in the U.S. he already had his name, date, badge # and signature filled in.

Police bikes.  They always ride in pairs of commissioners on a bike.

I asked them to lunch which they said they were not allowed to do.  After we left the two commissioners raced up to us on a motorcycle.  Their commander had called some higher up and got permission to have lunch with me, for 1 1/2 hour.  I guess that was Nicarangua Time because it was much longer. And, guess what everybody ordered on my dime? Steak! I didn't mind a bit but just had to smile.

I let them pick the spot and it was a large high ceiling thatch building right on the beach. I also had to buy lunch for their CO to take back to the station. That was fine with me. My guide grabbed one of the waiters, Sergio, who was from Miami. In rapid fire Spanish he talked to the officers for me and soon we were laughing, showing each other our families pictures, connecting on Facebook and talking about chases and shootings. Serious comradary.  I don't know what my guide was saying but it wasn't getting the job done.

On top of that,  the non-interpreter had ordered a steak dinner for his wife, to go!

Then the commissioners told me (through Sergio) that they had been assigned to me all during the time I was there.  So after lunch I had a motorcycle police escort.  Then they stopped to tell me they were running back to the station to get something for me. I got a quick tour around town and then an escort right up to the loading ramp. I got a Police Cap and I gave them some UP calenders and an extra patch for their CO.

Here are a few shots around the backside of town:

               This is my guide/non-interpreter's home right on the beach and one of his 5 dogs, below.

Another good day of bonding with the local police.  Again, a different version of the same thing cops do all over.

It was also a beautiful departure:

Costa Rica

This was unexpectedly the best day so far on my World Cruise.  The ship got into Puntarenas this morning and just like my visits to Juarez and Nuevo Laredo on the Mexican border, I by-passed the first 3 or 4 rings of buses, cabs, hauchers and others until I found a private car to take me around through a beautiful young lady named Christia, She had me a small SUV with a driver that spoke good English.  I found out later from my driver that she was worried about me in the heat and had called him several times.  He told me when he finally dropped me off and I'd paid him $8, that the last call his boss, Christina, was crying because she worried about me and I reminded her of her father who died 4 months earlier. I think that was why my all day excursion was only eight bucks.

Although no one understood, if it were not some kind of an emergency, why I would want to go to the District Police Station?  My explaining the visit didn't help but, they took me there.

First I met with some local street cops, who hooked me up with an old-head that got me inside the secure area without any issues. We toured the whole facility, dispatch, work areas, even the kitchen.  When they found out I'd been a Captain they took me to him. He was definately the guy in charge and they defered to him respectfully.

They filled me in on their operations and communications. (Citizens instead of 911, call a different 3 digit number for each the fire, police and EMT/Ambulances.)

All police vehicles have to be parked inside to keep them secure.

The guy interpreting for me was slow but, the Captitan was very expressive with his hands and body and I easily understood what he was saying before I heard it in English. We (cops) are all brothers and we know what we do and we understand the hardships.  We are the same and we will always watch each others' backs. It was obviously heart felt and a lot more to it as he double-bumped his chest with a closed fist. There was moisture heavy in his eyes as he spook. Therre were lots of bear hugs and handshakes.

This was just after we talked of the bombing last week at the Colombian National Police Academy that killed 21 people.  Much closer to home he'd told me that one of his officers had been murdered yesterday; a gunshot to the back of her head. It is still under investigation but weighs heavily on him and his men.

Sharp looking squad car. All hooked up with Motorola digital encoded radios.

As I was about to leave, the Capitan looked like he was making a decision and then asked to wait a minute.  He came back with a uniform cap for.  He had us pose in from of their national flag and their department flag. But, before I left he folded the cap in and instructed me not ware it until I was out of Costa Rica. It was for my own safety.