Wednesday, October 27, 2010

SINGAPORE STOP OFF- HOME via hong kong


Leaving Diego Garcia at night
Chief Edwin G Switzer, Stephan Kruiser and Chief Jason Stogin


We went to Singapore and ate the most fantastic meal. They give you two broths, then you (buffet style walk through and pick up mushrooms, meats, veggies, seafood, and add to the soup. As it cooks, you drink beer, and as you eat and add ingredients, the soup keeps changing. It was amazing! You basically sit and eat soup drunk for hours, my dream meal come true. The buffet of stuff to add was so crazy just dozens of fungi, tons of veggies and clams,  lobster, crab fish, lamb, beef and squid.

The left is a chicken/veggie broth. The right was straight up HOT. Satans diarrhea I call it

Kruiser went for the heat.
Everything was going well until the chicken foot showed up. The most disgusting thing I ever felt, let alone tasted. The texture alone made me want to vomit. Our Waitress said its good for women's skin, so Downey ate one!



I think we all wanted to vomit from this, but we did have a blast. After the meal was over we went home and slept till it was time to leave, I think we were all exhausted.


I'll never be the same after that meal. In fact, 3 days later I haven't had a BM that resembles what I used to have


She seemed so lovely until the feet came out. She gave it a pedicure before we ate it.

Hours of eating while drunk leads to this.

I tried to go back for just one more bite. Thank god Stephan was there

Singapore at night is a fun food town. People are everywhere eating different kinds of cuisine. India meets China.


Write your own punchline.



Singapore/HongKong/ LAX/ NYC= 25hours in the air

Finally home sweet home



Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Diego- Last day this blurrs into travel day

Stormy Weather is on its way.

It is our last day on the island.
Another 2 parter
Last show and I know I am going to miss the island, the people the weather (not so much with the rain ruining all our stuff) Kelley our guide and now our new gang member Captain Ed and Captain Stogs! Kevin and I got up real early after last night’s show and decided to walk the beach or snorkel. There was a storm coming in the distance, so we thought we should stay out of the water. Yesterday was allot of seeing cool stuff and a really great show, so we were kind of looking forward to some free time this afternoon to go do the world-class fishing exhibition.


Crab Hiding in the sand, not used to having people come upon him.
- We are looking forward to our last day on the island, even though we will miss the place. I’m not looking forward to traveling, but I do miss my wife and puppy… I hope they remember what I look like! This trip felt like a year, so much entertaining stuff has gone on, amazing people to meet. I wish I remember every day of this trip, it was so eye-opening. 




We have free time, so we are thinking about sailing, fishing or snorkeling. We have a couple of stops to make and people to meet; I didn’t read the itinerary, so these are going to be surprised. 


SEABEES And Contract Admins.


Seabees: Do you know what the Seabees are? I didn’t, but they are awesome. Named after the worker bee because they do their job, but if threatened it- he will sting your ass. They are considered “Construction Battalion”. Navy guys who follow the marines and basically fix whatever they (the Marines) blow up. 


They are always armed and can fight, but they are like contractors for the mob-Armed to the teeth while building stuff.




Administrators- They are a bunch of accountants who have the inglorious job of making sure everything is paid for and taken care of. They are essential, but no one thinks about them because they don’t have guns.


The Contract specialists

These little red birds rock!




















THE USNS LOPEZ

From a distance, the Lopez looks like a taker sitting outside, kind of a container ship you would see in the Jersey Shore area. We had to take a small boat out and go past the Emory, other “Tanker looking ships.”





Passing through- That’s the Emory

Another Duran Duran moment





USNS LOPEZ Tour was something to open my eyes. I thought the giant ships that were off in the distance where crate ships that haul supplies and containers around. Boy, was I wrong? These things are freaking ready for war. They are mostly parking garages waiting for war, armed dangerous, and waiting to put our badest asses on land that need to be taken over. 


The Humvee’s and Abrams are just waiting to kick ass. We got to play on them like an adult playground! Funny thing it smelled so clean in there they really take good care of these monsters
These things can carry up to 9 million pounds of ammo. The first part is the ammo. The rest of these things are filled with Abrams tanks, hum-vees, and any other weapons you can imagine with amphibious landing boats on top to get them to shore. There is enough stuff on 1 boat to keep a division of marines fed, fueled and armed for around 2 months. This is where Optimus Prime is supposed to be held. These things are floating wars. We had lunch and met some really cool guys. We saw there was a small boat warning, so our fishing trip was going to be canceled. I was kind of upset, everyone kept telling us how excellent the fishing is.
Approaching or leaving.. you pick (Downey)









Do NOT miss a rebound- or you are going into the drink after it!



We have free time: No fishing, call the Captain!


When we got back to the rooms and realized we couldn’t go fishing, so we called the Chief (stoggins and met up to go snorkeling. The Chief took us out, and even with it being cloudy, we saw so many colorful fish. It was amazing. We stayed out as long as possible, but we had to get cleaned up for dinner. We had Chief Ed come with, and he is going to join us on our flight tonight.

We went to the Captain’s Club. This is next to it, and it is where they bury your first-class hat and have a funeral because you are now a captain and say goodbye to you as a 1st class.

Captains club enjoying diner for our last night.


SHOWTIME
Stephan Kruiser, LeighannLord, 
Kelley Harkins, Carol Montgomery, Kevin Downey Jr., Mark Riccadonna


It’s not blurry- I am just that drunk.


Right after the show, we packed and headed to the Diego Garcia Airport. Off to Singapore

Monday, October 25, 2010

Diego Garcia day 2 Part 2

(...continued)
Diego Day 2 part 2


Captain Rucker gave a fantastic tour.

 “GO BIG LAND!” that’s the battle call for our boys and girls on the USS EMORY S. LAND: CMC (Command Master Chief) Rucker- looks like my buddy Jason. He ran us a tour of the ship (never say boat- boats go on ships.. I learned the hard way) it was an excellent tour. He was funny, charismatic, exciting, and full of information. We saw all the inner workings of the Emory in about 2 hours (I should say what we need to see). It is a “Green Ship,” meaning they take care of all their own stuff, and they have been that way for over 15 years. The ship can make in their shops anything they or a submarine would need. We saw the home of twelve hundred people, the HELO LANDING Area, a 1950’s dinner that won 4 awards for their food and atmosphere. We ate purple yam ice cream (tastes like cake batter), Gym, Laundry and can tend up to 4 subs on each side at once (8 subs total). They can build, repair anything on a sub (floating shop class, decompression chamber, and explained how an address works on a ship and so much more.
Here is where they “Stear” the ship
Helicopter landing pad

Don’t touch that, Kevin!!!





View from Captains Seat


I wouldn’t trust us on the ship.


Captain Merrill and his crew, “Go Big Land.”


LEFT: EMORY S. LAND painting behind the captain- He built this baby


LEFT BELOW: The Library


 This ship was commissioned in the late 70’s I believe. It is one of 2 Sub tending ships around but is the only one who has civilians and Navy personnel on board at all times. The vessel was built by Emory Scott Land. He made most ships, it seems. The head man, the big cheese, was a fantastic guy Commanding Officer: Captain Merril. He started as a submariner in the 80’s and now has a large office in Emory. He Reminded me to allot of Dr. Drew, very mellow and relaxed.

I’m posing with the wrong guy from scooby doo! Zoinks!

Showtime- The shows are great I think we all enjoy the sailors, Rucker gave such a great tour, The navy police where amazing, hung out with the k-9’s and saw the B-52s- today was worth being exhausted at the show. Captain Rucker Presented us with Hats and Photos of the Emory- this was so awesome. 


We found out there is a transvestite on the island who is a local celebrity named yum yum. I may be the only comic on the show not making fun of yum yum, I don’t need to be killed in the middle of the night by a Philippiano transvestite. The show was great, I love working with Armed forces entertainment and the MWR. Kelley really keeps us busy, which I like allot. After the shows we end up loaded and eating in the island room. What a great gig and a great day.