View from my hotel room OT

[Don Coatney]

For you landlubbers wondering how your fine "China", rubber snakes, and those cute umbrellas that are planted in those expensive tourist trap drinks arrive in country I just shot these photos from my hotel room window. Splains all. And yes that is an ice skating rink in the bottom of the first photo.

[Rodney Bullock]

Breathtaking, That Don lives the life everyone wants to live:D you go Don!...P.S. check that china ship......for everything:p toys, toothpaste, everything!

[James_Douglas]

Don,

Nice view. You should see what it looks like looking back from the flying bridge on one of these ships!

I spent a few years working in that business (Heavy Shipping).

Just remember that those foreign flag ships with all those cheep goods from Asia and their foreign crews can be had cheep. What is paid to to a US Flag Merchant Marine Captain and Chief Engineer is about the same as for a foreign flag complete crew.

Of course you do get what you pay for. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area we found out this week what you get for your money.

James

[Don Coatney]

James;

Of interest as I was preping to go to work last week I observed the soon to crash ship pass by my window only moments before the crash and oil spill. It was heavely laden with containers much the same as the China ship.

As I hit post response to send this message I looked up and saw this. I did a quick edit to repost this.

[Norm's Coupe]

Looks like there's been a few changes since I was there in Feb. 62. The cars were a lot neater then.

[Normspeed]

Great shots Don. So were you looking east towards Oakland or thereabouts, near the bridge?

Norm, looks a lot more populated these days. You saw it at a great time.

[Don Coatney]

Great shots Don. So were you looking east towards Oakland or thereabouts, near the bridge?

Hyatt Regency at five Embarcadero Center

[PatS....]

Great shots, Don. You might consider sending that shot to whoever is doing the investigation. Might aid in telling the story of what went wrong...

The weather there looks just great!!!

How long you there for?

[PatS....]

Don,

Nice view. You should see what it looks like looking back from the flying bridge on one of these ships!

I spent a few years working in that business (Heavy Shipping).

Just remember that those foreign flag ships with all those cheep goods from Asia and their foreign crews can be had cheep. What is paid to to a US Flag Merchant Marine Captain and Chief Engineer is about the same as for a foreign flag complete crew.

Of course you do get what you pay for. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area we found out this week what you get for your money.

James

I read that the Chinese govt pays the "freight" on those ships which is partly why those goods are so cheap.

Would that be legal in the good ole US of A?

[Don Coatney]

Great shots, Don. You might consider sending that shot to whoever is doing the investigation. Might aid in telling the story of what went wrong...

The weather there looks just great!!!

How long you there for?

Pat;

Seems like light years but I go home next Wednesday bright and early. Hope I beat the Holiday traffic but I dont think I will be so lucky.

[PatS....]

Pat;

Seems like light years but I go home next Wednesday bright and early. Hope I beat the Holiday traffic but I dont think I will be so lucky.

So, even though the weather looks great, enough is enough and time to sleep in your own bed?

That's a long drive isn't it?

I'd love to travel a bit right now...feels like when I was 18 and had to hit the road...the mirror says I'm not 18 anymore though

[David Maxwell]

If so, for how long?

[Don Coatney]

If so, for how long?

David;

I fly out early Wednesday morning. I do not work tomorrow but I will be working long hours Monday and Tuesday. Any chance we could connect?

[David Maxwell]

I'd love to drive up and meet you in SF, but it's about a 4 hour drive from here and I have to be at work early on Monday morning myself. Otherwise, it would be great to drive the P15 up and see you!

[Don Coatney]

I'd love to drive up and meet you in SF, but it's about a 4 hour drive from here and I have to be at work early on Monday morning myself. Otherwise, it would be great to drive the P15 up and see you!

Hopefully there will be another time. My schedule may bring me back out here sometime in the next couple of years. It would be great if my schedule happened at the time where your POC chapter was having a get-to-gether. Lots of you west coast folks I would like to meet.

[David Maxwell]

Send me an email next time you're coming out and set aside some time for trip north. My wife loves San Francisco and if I planned a couple of days in the City for her, she would love it!