Hester

Hi: I'm wondering if there are any cruise lines that do pirate-themed packages, prefereably on actual sailing ships. I'd only be interested in such cruises if they were targeted specifically at an adult-only demographic (which counts out the Disney cruises). Perhaps a couples-only cruise? If anyone knows of such cruises, please let me know. Cheers, Hester

After watching PotC2, I decided to find out if Tortuga was a real place, and if so, where it was located. I discovered that it is part of Haiti, a separate island just to the north of the main one. Given the volatile political situation in Haiti, I wonder whether or not Tortuga is a viable tourist destination. Are there any resorts located there? Has anyone here visited Tortuga? How safe is it? Cheers, Hester

Hi, all: I'm aware that the Bahamas has a rich history of pirate associations, particularly on the main island of New Providence and its main port of Nassau. I'm hoping to visit there in the not-to-distant future, and I wonder if anyone can suggest particular sites of interest for pirate enthusiasts. I understand there's a Pirate Museum in Nassau. Anyone been there? Did you enjoy it? And where would people suggest to stay if one wanted to be away from the main touristy spots and away from the more modern development in these islands? Looking forward to hearing about others' pirate-themed vacations in the Bahamas. Cheers, Hester

Here's a wonderful collection of folk songs, both ballads and shanties, that were sung by the sailors who worked the Great Lakes during the age of sail. The book includes descriptions of the lives of these sailors (who often also worked as lumberjacks in the winter). The book comes with an accompanying CD of field recordings from the 1930s of elderly sailors singing the songs they remember from their working days in the 19th century: http://wsupress.wayne.edu/glb/gtlakes/waltonwj.htm Cheers, Hester

I'm wondering if there's any historical record of pirates operating on the Great Lakes. Certainly, piracy in such a confined area would be more dangerous than on the open sea, as there would be fewer places to run or hide when being pursued. Looking forward to any information people might have about this topic --in either the affirmative or the negative. Cheers, Hester ... who has always lived in Great Lakes ports

Hi, there: I'm wondering if there are any pirate crews or re-enactment groups here in Toronto. Any Pirates of the Spanish Main tournaments? Cheers, Hester

Here's a great picture of people at the Minnesota Ren. Festival who scaled the game up for outdoor play: Cheers, Hester

Just about to turn off the pub and go watch Johnny Depp in Don Juan DeMarco on DVD. Wonder if it will be any good? Nice piratey coincidence in the casting: the future Capt. Jack and the co-author of Fan Tan. Plus, the cover shows some beach scenes. Cheers, Hester

Hi, Mimi: I do love Tim Curry singing "Professional Pirate"! And did you read the post on the young pirate wannabes in England who were lost at sea and got mistaken for Rocky Horror fans by their rescuers? http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/ViewArticl...ticleID=1666958 Cheers, Hester

Mad Bess Flint or Carnivorous Cask Betty ... nah, I'll stick with Hester NicEilidh. I could use a modifier though... Hurricane Hester? Sou'wester Hester? Heathen Hester? Hebridean Hester? Hazy Hester? ... ah well, I'll just have to mull the options over some more. Cheers, just plain Hester (for now)

For those who were fans of the British band The Libertines, you'll be pleased to know that the spin-off rival bands, Pete Doherty's Babyshambles and Carl Barat's Dirty Pretty Things both still have a piratey feel to their punk revival music and band merchandise. I bought the DPT t-shirt: ... available on-line here. I now covet (a pirate virtue, not a sin) a Babyshambles t , but I can't decide whether to get the sailing ship or the heart tattoo, or which colour. Cheers, Hester N[ow] P[laying]: The Libertines, _Up the Bracket_

I recently caught this movie on satellite TV at my cottage. I found that both the story and the action really dragged. And despite the fact that I'm a Robin Hood fan, Errol Flynn really doesn't do anything for me: Cheers, Hester

I've placed holds on both "20,000 Leagues" and "Mysterious Island" at my local library. Plus, there are recent movie versions of both these stories on DVD (which I've ordered from Amazon). Michael Caine is Nemo in "Leagues", and Kyle MacLachlan stars in Mysterious Island. Should be fun! And, these books/DVDs will get me in the mood for the new WizKids "Pirates" packs. Oh, and speaking of "Steampunk" and Captain Nemo, I loved the Nautilus in the League of Extraordinary Gentleman -- even if the story was ragged and the costuming made Stuart Townsend (Dorian Grey) look a bit too staid: Cheers, Hester

Hey, it's Saturday again! Good timing! May favourite drink on a Saturday (or any other time) is my own concoction of an alcoholic cherry cola. I start by filling a tall glass with ice. Then I pour Nalewka Babuni Cherry Dessert Wine (from Poland) to the halfway mark. Top with Coke (the gold decaf. version for night-time), and garnish with my signature paper parasol and maraschino cherry. Nalewka Babuni is 18% alcohol and sweet as honey. It also comes in the most perfectly piratey bottle you could imagine -- square, with concave sides, and a cork stopper topped with a red-laquered wooden knob. When the bottle's empty, it makes a nifty pirate-post "envelope" for all your shore-bound messages. The bottle's even decorated with a red and gold ribbon that you can use to tie back your tarry queue in style! I've been trying to think of a good piratey name for this cocktail for awhile -- possibly "The Black Pearl". Any other suggestions? Oh, and please let me know of any other pirate-themed cocktail recipes that you've developed (or plundered). Cheers, Hester

"Song to the Siren", by Tim Buckley (terrific covers by This Mortal Coil and James Yorkston too) "The Hook" by Stephen Malkmus "Pirate's Life" by The Vandals "Return to Pirates" by Mary Timony "Tomblands" by The Libertines "The Last Pirate Standing" by Agent 51 "Pirate Ship" by the Mighty, Mighty Bosstones "The Ship Song" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds "Shiver Me Timbers" and "Hoist that Rag" by Tom Waits "Last Saskatchewan River Pirate" by Captain Tractor "Fight for your Right to Plunder" by the Scurvy Pirates (a hilarious parody of the Beastie Boys "Fight for your Right to Party") "I am the Pirate King" by Gilbert & Sullivan (especially as sung by Kevin Kline): Cheers, Hester

I think I shall have to add both _20,000 Leagues_ and _The Mysterious Island_ to my reading list this summer. Several years ago, I read Jules Verne's _Around the World in 80 Days_ and liked it. Here's a site with on-line versions of all Verne's work: http://www.online-literature.com/verne/ ... but I prefer the pleasure and portability of the old-fashioned book format. Cheers, Hester N[ow] P[laying]: Sarah Brightman, "Captain Nemo"

Hi, Jack: Ah ... "Steampunk" ... the only place I've come across that term was in descriptions of the short-lived television series "The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne". Were you a fan of that? The plots were rather shaky, but the art direction was very cool: http://www.fanclub.sajv.net/ And I've started playing Pirates of the Spanish Main this summer and I'm really enjoying it. I started out with just 3 PotSM packs and 1 Davy Jones' Curse pack ... then added some terrain, different treasure types, crew, and rules of my own. Customizing the game has been as much fun as actually playing it. And with so few ships in my "fleet" ... I quickly chucked the rule that crew can only work on a ship of their own nationality. So, I guess all my crew are mercenary (which is far more piratey anyway). Cheers, Hester

Hi, Joshua: Yes, that shot's from Plunkett & Macleane. I found it in a Google search. It's been awhile since I saw that movie also, so I can't remember how this scene fits into the plot. Indeed, that's such a cool pic that I looked for P&M at the video store tonight, but they didn't have it. Guess I'll have to buy the DVD from Amazon to add to my library. Cheers, Hester

Oh, what a lovely beach for a moonlight swim! It's just past twilight now, and the sky is a deep indigo with a gibbous moon reflecting silver on the tops of the waves. Walking along the powder-fine sand, it feels like paradise... Oomph! Ouch! Blimey! I think I tripped over a driftwood log in the dark. No ... it's just another drunken pirate asleep in the sand! Geez, somebody better drag him further up the beach before the tide comes in! Cheers, Hester

Oh, yes Robert Carlyle ... he was terrific in Plunkett & Macleane: Highwaymen were just land pirates, after all. Of course, I always find it odd to see Robert Carlyle in "gritty" roles, because I first became aware of him in the fluffy Hamish MacBeth series. Clive Owen ... hmmm ... wonder what he would look like in long hair? I could certainly see him playing a villainous pirate, though. And what's so soft-focus about Kris Kristofferson, anyway? His movie career practically screams "grit", baby! Cheers, Hester N[ow] P[laying] The Libertines, _Up the Bracket_ ... to drown out the incessant jingle of the ice-cream truck on the next block "Bill Bones knows what I mean!"

Hi, Rinalda: The best-known actor with a Welsh accent that I can think of is Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill). He's not from the area of Gwynedd, though, but further south in Pembrokeshire. The accent is quite musical, lilting and diffident. It works nicely for insouciant sarcasm, but it's not as convincing for growling threats. [Oh, and lots of the minor characters in the new Doctor Who series have Welsh accents, as they're shooting mainly in Cardiff.] Cheers, Hester

Oh, yes, indeed... Shiver me Timbers!

Hmmm... actors named Billy, swanning about in period costume ... why not cast Billy Crudup in a pirate movie: He could be an Elizabethan Sea Hawk. Cheers, Hester ... liking her crew so far!

Hi, Rinalda: Billy Connolly would make a good pirate! I enjoyed his performance in Timeline. And speaking of well-draped fabric swishing prettily about male hips ... will you be dressing this native Glaswegian in a kilt for your bio-pic? And Alan Rickman would make a wonderful villainous pirate. He thoroughly chewed up the scenery in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves -- almost in protest of Kevin Costner's wooden performance. [Which reminds me -- I've never seen Waterworld. I wonder how piratey it is?] Best wishes on your screenwriting! Cheers, Hester

I need a manicure! Not one of those prissy pink French ones with white tips, but a proper pirate manicure -- dark and scary claws! I see that Chanel makes a nail polish colour called "Pirate" -- which is appropriately blood red. ... but Chanel's a bit rich for my budget. I've got this nice Cutex colour called Tin (..." 'cause I spent all of me tin with the lassies drinkin' gin!"). It's a deep, dark, metallic grey. Very nice with my piratey toggs. But what I'd really like is some of those tiny little nail stickers, in the shape of Jolly Roger flags, to complete the look. So far, all I've found are butterflies and roses. Cheers, Hester