Carrying the Message

I'm writing this somewhere off the coast of Mexico, headed north and expecting to be home soon. Since leaving, we have traveled to Panama via French freighter, to Curacao via Swedish, and from Curacao via Italian. It's been a fascinating trip. The number of passengers has varied from five to twelve. Most have been Americans, but a few have been Europeans. And, I must say, my countrymen would win all the blue ribbons for quantity and variety of consumption of alcoholic beverages. The free wine at meals they don't seem to consider of any consequence as an intoxicant; they treat it like water.