(Translated into Italian by Erika & Costanza Bizzari)
Unica.
Una parola troppo usata,
fatta per essere lasciata da:
sola.
Adolescenti che giocando
calciano il barattolo senza appendici digitali digitalis.
Forestieri e fanfaroni
gente di qui e chi guarda soltanto
rivestono le pietre del sacro e del profano
con le loro fantasticherie e fatiche.
La gioventù in posa sulle fontane storiche;
fonti gioiosamente guadagnate da eredità rugosi
seduti ai tavolini dei caffè che fumano e pensano e soltanto …
siedono.
E’ il giorno di San Giuseppe.
Tutt’intorno: professioni.
Ieri, processioni.
Oggi frittelle di pane della tradizione divise con un cameratismo appiccicoso.
Cattedrali in effusioni gloriose di un’edificazione senza tempo.
L’occasionale macchina aspetta paziente la processione più che occasionale
di gatti, cani, passeggini e eleganti signore anziane che dirigono i loro scooter elettrici come se fosse Ferrari, fra il Corso e le rovine magnifiche che aspettano San Rocco.
Unica.
Tre campane dalla Torre del Moro: 17:45 in Piazza del Popolo.
Pareggio le gambe del tavolino con il mio tovagliolino di carta.
paving the stones of sacred and profane with their dreams and their drudgeries.
Youth poised on historic fountains;
joyously earned fonts of wrinkled legacy sitting at cafe tables smoking and thinking and just…
sitting.
It is San Giuseppe Day.
All around: professions.
Yesterday, processions.
Today traditional breads broken in gooey camaraderie.
Cathedrals in glorious effusions of timeless edification.
The occasional car waits patiently for the more than occasional parade of cats, dogs, baby strollers and elegantly elderly signoras navigating Ferrari mobility vehicles between the Corso and the magnificent awaiting ruins of San Rocca.
Unique.
Three bells from la Torre del Moro: 5:45pm in Piazza del Popolo.
CRUISING, CRUISE SHIPS & THE CORONA VIRUS – MARCH 13, 2021
WEEKLY NEWS & UPDATES from Bill Miller
Mar 13th 2021
Above: Bygone days –cruising on Holland America’s Statendam (1957)
Mon Mar 8th Future Bookings: Cruise companies may be eyeing a significant increase to ticket prices in the near future as demand surges and sailings sell out in record time. Cruise lines have widely reported strong pent-up demand and record sales volumes in media announcements, leading to a backlash from the investment community. Carnival said sales were solid due to pent up demand in late February, and a few weeks earlier, Oceania saw its world cruise sell out in a single day. Victory Cruise Lines and American Queen Steamboat said that January and February 2021 bookings are over 35 percent higher than November and December 2020 bookings,
Remember the days of festive departures – passengers departing, family and friends on the pierside and the evocative sounds of the ship’s mighty whistles. From out in Oregon, our good friend Pine Hodgeshas generously forwarded the sounds of the bellowing steam whistles of the departing United States. You might to have a listen and remember those high spirited days of ocean liner departures.
Below, myself onboard the United States in Feb 1966. Was I still eighteen on that cold winter’s morning.
Tue Mar 9th Two Antarctica sailings for Disney Cruise Lineswill take place on Ponant’s 264-berth Le Lyrial and Le Boréal (below), but with reduced capacity for Antarctic sailings. Disney is chartering the two luxury ships. Disney also plans to add cruises to the Galápagos Islands, starting in 2022 on board the chartered Galapagos Legend.
Princess Cruises is the latest line to revise their 2021 Summer season to focus on a shorter, no-fly cruises from the UK. The Regal Princess and Sky Princess will offer short breaks and week-long no-fly sailings from Southampton. The cruises are only available to UK guests. The 3,560-berth “Medallion” class ships Regal Princess and Sky Princess will offer ‘Truly Touchless’ experiences through the line’s Medallion Class experience and Ocean Medallion wearable devices. Features include streamlined check-in, simplified safety training, reductions in queueing as well as the ability to order food and drink to anywhere on the ship.
Norway’s Hurtigruten has announced additional UK no-fly cruises to sail in 2022. The two voyages, departing from Portsmouth and Liverpool, will bring to thirty the number of no-fly cruises from the expedition line in 2022. A significant increase on previous years.
Another One Gone! Honestly, we can’t keep track … over two dozen cruise ships retired in the past year, then sold and mostly to scrap merchants. One of them, the Karnika, intended for a long career as an Indian-owned cruise ship operating out of Mumbai, is seen below in her final weeks. The bow section has already been chopped-off. The 70,000-ton Karnika was, just as a reminder, the Crown Princess (and named over in Brooklyn by Sophia Loren), then A’Rosa Blu, AIDAblu, Ocean Village Two, Pacific Jewel and finally – for India’s shortlived Jalesh Cruises – as the Karnika.
Virgin Voyages today announced its third newbuild will carry the name Resilient Lady and will set sail from Athens, Greece, embarking on two, seven-night itineraries starting in July 2022.
Wed Mar 10th Luxury Cruising: While we have been a year or so of travel shutdown and as cruise lines lost billions & sold off older ships, the future is still bright – over 100 cruise ships, many for 5-6,000 passengers, are being built or on order through 2027-28. Among these, an impressive40 or so are for the high-end luxury market or the pricey deluxe exploration/expedition market (smaller, specially equipped ships for 100-300 passengers & intended for select, unusual itineraries and smaller, out-of-the-way ports.
Six-star Crystal Cruises has their 200-bed, expedition-style Crystal Endeavor soon to debut”
Viking grows, it seems by the month, and is constructing a set of luxurious expedition ships.
Like Silversea, six-star Seabourn has had great success in the luxury expedition market & so they too are planning new ships, again for some 250 guests:
Ritz Carlton & others are taking the plunge, well a golden plunge – they are entering the small ship/luxury business. Below is a new comer: Atlas Ocean building a series of top-end ships for some 200 passengers each.
South Pacific-linked Paul Gauguin Cruises is expanding with a set of spacious 230-bed ships.
Viking’s expanse seems to be unlimited, virtually endless. The Company is now building luxury river boats for North American service as well as luxury craft for the Nile River. Viking has over a dozen 930-passenger luxury ships and the largest river cruise “boat” fleet in the world. And, as mentioned, they’ve now gone into the high-end expedition market has well.
And for larger luxury ships, the likes of Regent, Crystal, Viking and even MSC are planning more deluxe liners – with lavish decor, vast amenities & more and more suites & penthouses. Remember, Oceania’s 200-night world cruise sold out in 7 hours! And Viking is rushing to get a 2nd and even a 3rd ship reassigned to meet its world cruise demands. And the guests: One cruise line reported 50% North American, 25% European and 25% mixed including Asia, Australia & Latin America.
Holland America Line continues to work with government and port authorities to develop its plans to return to cruising, the company is extending its pause of European cruise operations to include departures through June 30, 2021.The pause will impact cruises departing in May and June on Nieuw Statendam, Volendam and Westerdam.
Good News! The British Government has announced that domestic cruises will be resuming on May 17 in England. P&O Cruises will be the first to begin with 3-7 day cruise itineraries.
Thu Mar 11thRoyal Caribbean International has extended its suspension of cruising through May, excluding sailings onboard Quantum, Spectrum, Voyager, and Odyssey of the Seas.
Lindblad remains optimistic that it will return to operations in June with a focus on Alaska, Galápagos and Iceland.
Celestyal Cruises announced that it will resume operations on May 29 from Piraeus, Athens with its seven-night Idyllic Aegean itinerary.
Oceania Cruises announced that the launch of its latest collection of exotic itineraries for winter 2022-2023 on Mar 3rd resulted in a record with the most individual bookings taken in a single day in the brand’s history.
California: The operator for Long Beach’s Queen Mary plans to auction its lease for the historic ocean liner after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January following a string of financial problems. In an announcement last Tuesday, Singapore-based Eagle Hospitality Trust said it will sell 15 of the 18 hotels in its portfolio, including the Queen Mary, Sheraton Pasadena and Holiday Inn Anaheim for a starting price of $470 million in an auction set tentatively for May 20.
Spain: Things are moving forward — Spain will open its mass tourism resorts for business in spring once the country has vaccinated between 30 and 40 per cent of its adult population.
Miami: Carnival hit its 49th year and now begins its countdown to its celebratory 50th in Mar 2022.
Sat Mar 13th Greece: Fire broke out yesterday aboard the MSC Lirica while moored at Corfu. The fire aboard the MSC Lirica which started in a lifeboat was fully extinguished by Friday evening, with no injuries to the 51 crew aboard the ship, according to a statement from MSC Cruises.
Cunard: In yet another revision, the Queen Elizabeth will now make only short cruises from Southampton during the summer. Sailings on Queen Victoria are now cancelled for departures up to and including 27 Aug 27th. Queen Elizabeth’s scheduled summer Mediterranean fly cruise season and all departures up to and including Oct 11th are cancelled. And Queen Mary 2’s current program of departures up to and including Nov 2021 are cancelled. This will mark the second year of no Atlantic crossings on Cunard.
Crystal Cruises will be the first major cruise line back in service in North America as the Crystal Serenity would start sailing in the Bahamas in July. The ship will sail week-long itineraries that call only on Bahamian destinations, round-trip from Nassau (Saturday departure) or Bimini (Sunday departure), through at least October. The ship will operate at no more than 900 guests. The company will also offer pre- and post-land programs with local hotels in the Bahamas. Guests will need to show a negative COVID-19 result five days prior to arriving.
Cruising will return! .. but for now, best thanks to friends, readers, reporters & those faraway “maritime secret agents”
Tickets Go on Sale Today – Monday, March 15 for 18th Annual International Ocean Film Festival
18 Days of Films Mark 18th Year for Largest Ocean Film Festival on Earth April 15 – May 2 Virtually
15 March 2021 – San Francisco, CA: In March, gray whales start the journey back from their Mexican breeding grounds to their summer quarters off Alaska. Hugging the coast as they swim, these gentle giants occasionally surface for air and whale watchers turn out in droves to catch a glimpse.Thanks to San Francisco’s International Ocean Film Festival, the largest ocean film festival on the planet, you can whale watch in the comfort of your own home. From April 15 – May 2 —18 days of films to mark 18 years of saving the world’s oceans one film at a time — cetaceans, sharks, ships, surfers and countless other examples of sea life and sea love will scroll across your computer screens or smart TV at www.intloceanfilmfest.org. Tickets go on sale today.
Festival Passes:
All Access VIP Pass: $140
Includes access to watch all Feature Films, Themed Programs, Special Shorts Programs, and Q&As throughout the duration of the virtual film festival.
6-Pack Film Bundle: $65
Includes access to any 6 individual screenings of your choice.
“Spring has rarely felt as hopeful as it does this year, or been more eagerly anticipated,” said Ana Blanco, Executive Director for the Festival. “While we look forward to once again to gathering in person for next year’s Festival, this year we will once again bring the oceans to you via our virtual Festival with an unprecedented array and scope of films and filmmakers, including interactive content and conversations with filmmakers.”
This year’s 18th Annual International Ocean Film Festival is marked with 18 days of ocean-focused, independent films. The Festival will screen a record 80+ films from 17 countries, including 10 premieres and 9 award-winners. In addition, the Festival will hosting lively Q&A panels with film directors, marine scientists, and industry experts, as they discuss the films and share insights into ocean conservation, preservation, and legislation. Also included is the Student Film Competition, featuring films from middle school and high school students (grades 6 through 12) from 12 countries around the world.
According to Blanco, a year of “Virtual Oceans” online films was seen by a record breaking 10,000 people and more than 2,500 students took part in the free online education series – critical for teachers and students managing distance learning challenges.
The Festival accepts films of all genres that focus on any of the varied aspects of our big, blue ocean. Subject matter ranges from, but is not limited to, marine wildlife, conservation efforts, ocean environments, coastal cultures, ocean sports and exploration, ocean heroes, and innovative technology designed to help protect the ocean. Films can be documentaries, narratives, shorts, animation, and full-length films from around the world. A number of finalists from the main film festival program will be selected to participate in the world-renowned International Ocean Film Festival Traveling Program. This year’s film categories include Environmental, Marine Wildlife, Exploration & Ocean Sports, Coastal Cultures, Female Directors, and Conservation.
Since its launch in 2004, the San Francisco-based International Ocean Film Festival has attracted thousands of spectators of all ages from around the world, including film enthusiasts, ocean athletes, educators, and environmental supporters. Since then, the Festival has presented over 560 films from 40 different countries and featured post-film Q&A sessions with visiting filmmakers, special panel discussions with content experts, and the Annual Free Student Education Program. It was the first event of its kind in North America, inspired by the well-established ocean festival in Toulon, France, which has continued to draw large audiences for more than 40 years.
Current sponsors for the upcoming 18th Annual International Ocean Film Festival include National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, the Consul General of Canada, RBC Wealth Management, Pacific Gas & Electric, The Joseph R. Parker Foundation, and the Orange County Community Foundation.
The International Ocean Film Festival encourages its patrons, supporters and partners to follow the most current advice from the Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization for preventing the further spread of the COVID-19 in Northern California and beyond, and to stay tuned for announcements about International Ocean Film Festival events once the threat level is reduced. The 18th Annual International Ocean Film Festival will take place April 15 – May 2, 2021 online at www.intloceanfilmfest.org. Possible in-person events, dependent upon COVID protocols, may be scheduled at San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture. The International Ocean Film Festival is a registered 501(c) 3 non-profit. The video trailer for the 18th Annual International Ocean Film Festival may be viewed here: https://vimeo.com/486467322
SAN FRANCISCO AWARDS DEDICATED FUNDING FOR BLACK TRANS-EQUITY AS PART OF DREAM KEEPER INITIATIVE
$2.2 million over the next two years to five Black trans-serving organizations will address historic inequities for Black transgender people
San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed and San Francisco Human Rights Commission Executive Director Sheryl Evans Davis today announced $2.2 million over the next two years to serve San Francisco’s Black and African-American transgender community. This is the first City funding dedicated to providing services to the Black trans community, and is part of the newly announced Dream Keeper Initiative.
The Dream Keeper Initiative, announced by Mayor Breed, is a citywide initiative that reinvests $120 million over two years in redirected funding from law enforcement into San Francisco’s Black and African-American community. As part of this initiative, the City has awarded Black trans-serving organizations funding for technical assistance to build their capacity so they can offer services and programs to address historic inequities and improve outcomes for Black transgender people.
“With the Dream Keeper’s significant investment in the Black community, we knew that it was critical to provide dedicated funding to address the unique needs in the Black transgender community,” said Mayor London Breed. “I am committed to ensuring Black trans people can thrive and reach their dreams in San Francisco, which is why we are investing in the services the community needs and organizations that have been doing this work for years.”
The organizations that have received funding are The Transgender District, TGI Justice Project, TAJA’s Coalition, LYRIC, and PRC. The $2.2 million over the next two years will go towards technical assistance and capacity building for nonprofit organizations serving this community, so that they can be better-positioned to work with the City in developing and implementing programs within the Dream Keeper Initiative and other City programs. This investment will provide a critical boost for these organizations at a dire time, from building up the next generation of leaders, to solving for organizational hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to spurring community-based collaboration to seamlessly serve the Black-trans community. The grant activities are set to begin later this month.
“From the beginning of the pandemic, the Human Rights Commission partnered with the Black transgender community to prioritize their voices in our extensive engagement process for the Dream Keeper Initiative,” said Sheryl Evans Davis, Executive Director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission. “Equity, intersectionality, and TLGBQI+ justice go beyond theory — these are community-led practices that provide solutions for the most marginalized people, especially Black transgender women. This is the beginning of a long-term investment.”
“The San Francisco Human Rights Commission is honored to partner with Black-trans serving organizations to improve outcomes in housing, employment, and economic opportunities for Black transgender people in San Francisco, said LGBTQI+ Advisor, Tuquan Harrison. “In many ways, queer history, culture, and the queer liberation movement in San Francisco—and the world—has been defined by and owes much of its richness to Black LGBQ, Trans and Non-binary people, especially Black trans women. We must continue to prioritize an equitable future for Black transgender and LGBQI+ people in San Francisco by investing resources to this vital community.”
“Thank you Mayor Breed and SF Human Rights Commission Director Davis for this historic re-investment into Black trans communities,” said Clair Farley, Director of the Office of Transgender Initiatives. “This critical expansion in funding and services in San Francisco will support Black trans-serving organizations continued efforts to develop community led solutions and address systemic inequities.”
Since March 2020, Black trans people across this country have experienced the dual crises of the COVID-19 pandemic alongside an epidemic of violence, in particular against Black transgender women. At least 44 transgender people were murdered in 2020, and Black transgender women accounted for over half of the cases. According to the National Transgender survey report, 42% of Black transgender people have experienced homelessness at least once in their lifetime compared to 30% in the general transgender community. Black transgender people are incarcerated more than four times the rate the general population and 47% of Black transgender women have attempted suicide at least once in their lifetime.
“Mayor London Breed, Director Sheryl Evans Davis and the Human Rights Commission staff have been amazing supporters and allies to TGIJP and the Black Trans community for many years, even before many other city agencies,” said Janetta Johnson, Executive Director of Transgender Gender-Variant & Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP). “TGIJP is deeply grateful for this incredible new financial support we will be receiving with the Dream Keeper Initiative. It will allow us to continue to provide critical support to the Black Trans community.”
The awarding of the funding and identification of priority funding areas follows months of strategic planning, outreach, and stakeholder engagement with San Francisco’s diverse trans and LGBTQ community. Since June 2020, HRC convened more than 60 community-driven input sessions, each including an LGBTQ space, to gather input on how to prioritize investments to create more services for Black transgender people.
“PRC is thrilled to partner with the Human Rights Commission of San Francisco to provide direct support to the Black Transgender and gender nonconforming communities of color that are so often overlooked and underrepresented,” said Brett Andrews, Chief Executive Officer of PRC. “This initiative reflects the City’s focus on all segments of the Black community, and the Mayor’s deep commitment to full inclusion. Drawing upon PRC’s deep experience in serving the most vulnerable populations within the LGBTQI community, we are honored to further efforts to provide targeted programs, healthcare and direct assistance to our Black Trans community members to move them forward on the path to social and economic stability.”
“The Dream Keeper Initiative is a necessary pivot towards equity for San Francisco’s Black community. The Transgender District is incredibly honored to help create high impact solutions towards the disparity that Black transgender people face in San Francisco,” said Aria Sa’id, Executive Director of the Transgender District. “While San Francisco is a premiere city for the acceptance of queer and transgender people, the data has not shifted over the last 30 years in regards to what we face including increased rate of homelessness, abject poverty and marginalization. We have a multi-pronged strategy to make immediate changes for our community that promote the empowerment of Black and Brown transgender people and include creation of innovative solutions to advance housing, economic advancement and cultural enrichment for and by our community. Thank you to Mayor Breed, Board President Shamann Walton, Director Sheryl Evans Davis and her team of advocates at the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, LGBTQI+ Advisor, Tuquan Harrison, and the coalition of Black leaders across San Francisco who advocated for the inclusion of Black transgender leadership and peer led programs.”
“LYRIC is honored to be part of the City’s investment in African-Americans and is proud to be a strong collaborator in advancing the health, happiness, and sustainability of the Black transgender community,” said Toni Newman, LYRIC Interim Executive Director. “LYRIC is a long-time service provider for LGBTQQ+ youth of color in San Francisco, in particular for young trans and gender non-conforming individuals who make up nearly half of our participants. We look forward to working with a new generation of young people to access the resources and opportunities they need to thrive and to build a more just world for all of us.”
