Just Cruising or a Few New Year Thoughts with a little help from C.P Cavafy

When the very generous Derek & Janet L invited us for drinks on board the fabulous floating appartment ship 'The World', visiting the Cape of Good Hope on its journey along the coast of the "Dark Continent"

It seemed an apt moment to give thanks, peek back and look forwards

To let go of old baggage, perhaps take on a new cargo and celebrate the journey  ahead

As Derek L, Captain of this here ocean liner said: "The year she's rapidly coming to a shuddering halt. And what a year its been, 365 days, 12 months, summer, winter, fun, games - 
we've had it all."

And in this spirit, the Chance Muse would like to bestow blessings on you all and peace and 
love and all that and thanks for all the fine food and flowers, the fun, friendship and family

And thank our lucky stars for getting us safely to this harbour

As we embark on our individual journeys of discovery

Each in our own particular Mother City

Celebrating a world filled with bountiful abundance

May your ride on the big roulette wheel of fate and fortune take you to the very zenith!

May you celebrate the visual and sensory feasts of all that inspires you!

Keeping the demons away with fire and drums!

Creating lines of beauty with art and music!

And heralding a time of peace and justice on earth

Loving life, with its darkness and light, like the Cape with its Hope and Storms

And all its flaws and imperfections

Feeling fireworks in the soul and the black of night too

Not looking back in anger, nor forwards in fear

Trusting the little tugboat that keeps us sailing on dark waters

                     

          Looking at our city - wherever we are - each from a new and unique perspective

A harbour in which to moor for a while, a pleasure dome in which to dance for a few moons

As the great Alexandrian poet Cavafy says: 
"Hope the voyage is a long one!"

"Hope the voyage is a long one.
May there be many a summer morning when,
with what pleasure, what joy,
you come into harbors seen for the first time;
may you stop at Phoenician trading stations
to buy fine things,
mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
sensual perfume of every kind—
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
and may you visit many Egyptian cities
to gather stores of knowledge from their scholars...."