Get on 'A.R.C. Gloria', taste Colombian coffee

JAKARTA (JP): Have a cup of Colombian coffee onboard -- the Colombian naval training ship is open to the public at Tanjung Priok port today and tomorrow.

The A.R.C. Gloria and its 61 crew members arrived yesterday as part of a round-the-world trip to 14 countries. Indonesia was the seventh country visited after Singapore.

Shortly after arriving at 10 a.m., cadets left the ship to look around. Some asked for information on where they could shop near the harbor.

One of them said, "If I have to take a taxi, how far do I have to go? I'm afraid I don't have enough money anyway." Supplies usually ran out after two weeks, they said. They were directed to Tanjung Priok bus terminal to shop.

The cadets have already made stops in the United States, Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong.

Captain David Rene Moreno Moreno said, "With great pleasure I would like to open our doors to all Indonesians who want to visit the ship and enjoy a cup of Colombian coffee.

Moreno, who has been the ship's commanding officer since November 1995, said the ship was open to the public from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

He said besides naval cadets, petty officers and civilian personnel, there were also foreign middle officers from Venezuela, Jamaica and Ecuador onboard.

"We are training Colombian Naval Academy cadets on a world tour that started Feb. 16," he said.

"We started our trip from Cartagena and plan to return to our country by Nov. 19," he added. Columbia bought the ship from Spain in 1968.

"The ship is scheduled to cover 27,364 miles visiting 54 ports over 212 navigational days," he said.

"After three days in Jakarta we will proceed to Bombay, India", he said.

Among people welcoming the ship was Colombian Ambassador Luis Fernando Angel. (03)