John's 60th Birthday

60 today. Good Lord. Can that really be?

Thanks to Taner, Ümit and the rest of the staff at Meymekan, the marina bar of choice for a great evening. Here are a few photos (yes, the Rasta hat is in there somewhere Vera).

In the final picture above I am narrating my 60th birthday poem and short speech. Gilly told me to post it on the blog so here it is......

So, what an amazing birthday. I think the last time I had so many people to my party was probably when I was about 10 years old. Now I can add another 50 (50!) to that. I'm not a big speech maker but I do want to say "Thank you all for coming tonight to help me celebrate my 60th birthday." It's great to see so many of the friends here that we have made over the past three years. I'd specially like to thank Ann and Kevin from Sailaway. Gilly tells me it was you who bought and hung all the decorations. So "Cheers guys".

As I said I'm not a big speech maker so instead I have written a very short poem for you. Apologies in advance to Edward Lear and The Owl and The Pussycat went to Sea. So here it is. It's called "The John and The Gilly went to sea"....

The John and The Gilly went to sea

In a beautiful old green boat

We sailed from Lagos and on to Gib

In the hope that we'd still stay afloat

We travelled on east to the islands of Greece

No marinas or taxes around

And so on to Turkey and Goçek and Kaş

Where a nice new marina we found, we found

Where a nice new marina we found

The last three years have been some of the best

Many friends, what a strange motley crew

Alixora and Whitestar and Blue Talisman

Silver Lady and Sailaway too

We've sailed to Datça and Lesvos and Kos

Petronella will tell you the tale

She's old and uncomfy but sturdy and strong

And she's safe as can be in a gale, a gale

Yes, she's safe as can be in a gale

But 60 has come and I'm getting quite old

So it's time to cast off and sail west

To the land of the rasta, the boat boys, the Trades

Where the lobster is simply the best

And Gill will look up at the moon, what a life

And stare at a solitary star

As for me, I will think, as I gaze at my wife

What a beautiful pussy you are, you are

What a beautiful pussy you are!

Watch out Gilly, you are next.