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Published: August 22nd 2015
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Schmoozing, bluesing & cruising with those Darn Dangerous Binkleys Part 3: Diamonds are a girl's best friend. What is the least you have to do to qualify as having visited a country?
I was transiting through LAX Airport on my way from Oz to Buenos Aires once. I didn't leave the airport. Did that mean I had visited the USA? I say "No."
When they locked me up and detained me under outrageous US Border Protection in the airport...did that mean I had visited the USA? I say "No."
Was that 'cause it was not voluntary on my part...or 'cause there was no way I could leave the airport???"
LONG WAY TO PATAGONIA...Battling Homeland Security with a necrotic leg Well Dangerous Dave has his own theories.
He thinks all you have to do is purchase something...like a fridge magnet.
And he backs it up by saying that's what Travel Camel says.
Give me a break.
Surely getting arrested is greater credential than buying a fridge magnet!!!
******
Smelling the Bacon We are Blues Cruising...up at 5 a.m. as usual...dressing gown on...blues hat on...let's go.
Pretty easy to get to the Crows Nest
where the bands jam past dawn.
Pretty easy when we picked the cabin right next door...if we can hear them from our cabin...pretty easy to know the jam is still on.
Dangerous Dave & MJ in there already...a couple of handfuls of die-hards in there as well.
The mumma from Cape Verde in the front row is in full West African gold today.
Members of various bands somehow ripping riffs and tunes in synch as if they grew up together.
The fingers of dawn stretching towards us...expanding the blue horizon with pink and gold...reminding the jammers that their night has been long.
Around 7 a.m. they start to pack up...wandering off the stage as if it's over.
But Tab Benoit starts shooing them back on.
"You can't stop until you can smell the bacon," he's saying.
Sniffing the air..."Nah...I can't smell the bacon...Yah can't stop until you can smell the bacon."
Walks up to the microphone...raises his arm with clenched fist.
"We gotta feel the...Shhhh...FUNK"...pump of the elbow deliberate and hard...time and again...accentuating FUNK.
And the band brings in a groove that grabs us...spins us around...spins us again...FUNK.
I've never seen anything like it.
Tab ad-libs a song about smelling the bacon...arm coming down...feel the FUNK...not just any funk...really hard...FUNK...the groove going on and on.
Then introducing "B for "Bingo"...somehow carrying the groove to advertise his Bingo Party for "tomorrow" which is really "tonight".
But as Tab explains the day does not start until after you have been to bed...and none of the musos have done that yet!!!
Mesmerising.
The groove making this dawn inspiring...and glorious.
******
Tab lets the jammers head to bed at 7:30 a.m.
He can smell the bacon he says...few hours sleep before breakfast for them.
But Tab is just warming up...time to hold Court with his subjects.
Entertaining Denise and MJ, the Cape Verde Queen, Tasha Taylor of the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue, Glen Peterson of the Peterson Brothers and the Dancing & Dangerous ones...in the grandest stand up comedy routine we have ever heard.
Really has fun with me in my Jesus robe and sandles!
Tab Benoit the leader of the Voice of the Wetlands Allstars has to be one of the funniest guys I've ever
met.
Just chatting and interacting with us like best buddies.
His hold of an audience truly Legendary...again mesmerising...in a very silly way.
Yet another example of what makes this cruise extra special...artists and fans in rapport as a true Blues community.
******
Land ahoy.
A Norwegian cruise ship ahead...we at anchor off-shore.
Welcome to Roatan, Honduras.
Eggs Florantine today I reckon, yogurt and stewed fruits, pineapple juice freshly squeezed, coffee of course...simple breakfast for me today.
But Dangerous Dave is eating even lighter this morning...tossing up whether he'll get a fridge magnet or a key ring when ashore today.
But there are exotic adventures available Dangerous One...riding dolphins...swimming with turtles.
"Nah...Travel Camel says all I need is to purchase something...I think I'll get a fridge magnet."
Without further ado we head onto a tender boat...bobbing like corks till we get to shore.
******
Roatan, Honduras When you exit a cruise ship you can amble as if you do it every day...with a nothing or a cool way.
No prizes for guessing how we do it...cool stroll just about sums it
up.
Dangerous Dave with expression of someone on a mission.
"I'm going to find that fringe magnet," he declares...disappearing down a line of souvenir stores.
But he has no company.
No way Jose am I gonna be satisfied with a fridge magnet...no way is only one trinket all that's needed to authenticate my visit?
No way.
He's back...looking pretty chuffed..."Check this out"...fridge magnet swallowed by his hand.
"You think that's good fella? Check this out," glint in my eye.
Triumphantly showing off...my keyring, patch flag & flag Pin!!!
But the girls are nowhere to be seen.
Then MJ emerges furtively...pretending to be nonchalent.
Definitely on a mission Dangerous says.
Definitely something has caught MJ's eye.
******
Emeralds, Diamonds, Tanzanites & Pretty Things I always thought "a bestie" to a woman was someone she could call girlfriend, lover, spouse, pet or partner.
But as I travel I soon realise my perceptions come to nought when embracing other cultures...and the foibles of women.
Den playing with sparkling gems...MJ prowling so she can bargain the best price...Dangerous and Dancing hanging like keys on a
chain...or is it like tassles on our loved ones' charm bracelets?
The girls play the Colombian Emeralds and the International Diamonds shops off against each other...with Black...Black Diamonds in their sights.
The boys might be happy with keyrings and fridge magnets...but their spouses are looking for best friends...and you've gotta work hard for them.
And the gemstores have stunners in suits serving us...let the manager see if we can beat that price...here Sir...here's a beer while you are waiting.
Needless to say the minutes stretch to hours...the carats grow to bigger carats...the girls' eyes get bigger...the rings get bigger but the prices not necessarily.
Then it is done.
MJ has a silver ring heavily ringed with black diamonds with four white diamond solitaires in a princess cut...stunning.
Dangerous Dave happy...MJ happier...all agreeing it looks perfect on her.
But Denise's taste is for a finer silver ring band lined with black diamonds bowing to four white diamond solitaires in a princess cut...and on the other hand a spunky purple tanzanite in a marquise cut...looking grand...just perfect for her.
******
Over dinner Stephanie & Debbie sidle by...admiring...Denise & MJ showing
other friends as well...unable to hold back.
Then two nights later Stepanie & Debbie sidle by...just back from Grand Cayman isle...unable to hold back...stretching their fingers...fingers adorned with diamonds...diamonds white and black.
******
So Dave got his fridge magnet.
I got my key ring, patch & pin.
But we all reckon the girls definitely visited Honduras...got new best friends.
Glistening purple tanzanite, sparkling and svelte...shimmering...yes shimmering...with their diamonds white and black.
Relax & Enjoy,
Dancing Dave
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Carolyn Taylor
non-member comment
OMG! IS that where those Binkley's are???
Yikes! I thought the Binkley's were settling down in their new FL condo. But no, they are off on the high seas again. Well, good for those girls for enriching the economy of Honduras. It sure made them look very beautiful. I'm sure the magnet and flag pin are very nice too. I have a diamond story too- but from FL and it was my now ex- husband who succumbed to the lure of that sparkling gem. Carolyn (gunga)