It was with some shock that I read about the terrorist attack that happened in Tunis yesterday. Having cruised on MSC ships and knowing the drill when it comes to docking at a port, climbing aboard a coach and visiting various tourist attractions, it’s scary to think just how vulnerable tourists are.
When I think back to November 2013, Mike & I cruised from Genoa to Cape Town, stopping at 6 cities on our way. The drill was always the same. We docked, were checked off the ship and then either did our own thing in exploring the city, or, if we had paid for an official tour, we boarded a coach and were driven there.
Splendida docked at Tunisian Port of La Goulette Pic from Late Cruise News
What happened with the attack in Tunis, is that as the tourists got off the bus, at the Bardo Museum, they were shot at by terrorists who went onto storm the museum. According to reports, 23 people were killed, mostly tourists. More were injured, and several are still unaccounted for.
When I cast my mind back to when we got off the bus at a number of tourist attractions, it’s a situation that is completely unexpected. Nobody can be prepared for that, no matter which city in the world you are visiting. As with 9-11, with the London attacks, the recent Sydney attack, those in Paris, no one is exempt from the possibility across the world. When we arrived in Lisbon and Barcelona, attacks could have occurred there. Just because it’s Tunis on the northern coast of Africa, doesn’t mean only Africa is vulnerable.
Picture from Google maps
The way the process works is that the ship uses reputable land tour operators in the cities at which they dock. The tour guides can’t be help responsible for the heinous crimes of terrorists.
When my brother visited Egypt over Christmas, it was with some consternation that his guided tour was escorted by an armed guard. Perhaps that is the solution when visiting cities in countries known to harbour extremists.
When we docked in Cape Verde off the north western coast of Africa, we were told not wear any visible jewellery and to leave valuables on the ship. Yet, when we disembarked and wandered through the streets of the harbour town, I didn’t feel insecure or threatened at all. When visiting Rome, we were freaked out by someone telling us that there were regular muggings around Termini station. On our arrival, we clung a little harder to our luggage, keeping a close eye on those around us, looking for criminals who were about to pounce on us. It was a bit over the top, as we nervously looked around us, expecting the worse. We saw none! In 2011, we visited Paris and were cautioned to watch out for pick-pockets and conmen. In fact, one of our group was pick-pocketed on the metro, right in front of our eyes and lost 500 euros. Crime is rife the world over. You have to be careful wherever you are.
But this attack in Tunis is a reminder, again, that there are evil deranged people in the world who will go to any violent length to bring their unreasonable cause into the public eye. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility. MSC says they will immediately cancel all stops in Tunisia.
Falling back on some of Solomon’s words, Ecclesiastes 1:9
What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
That’s pretty depressing. But one day this life as we know it will all be over. It does not end with our last breath. That’s the beginning. As the birth of the baby ends 9 months in a small dark place, 70 or 80 years on earth ends with movement again from this world to the next. There, things will be perfect with none of the violence this world endures.
Each one of us chooses to go there through our own personal belief system. When you believe in Jesus Christ, your destination is secure.
I have a number of people often commenting that these events, whether of terrorist origin or natural (earthquakes, tsunamis etc) are signs that we are living in the end times. Truth be told is that we don’t know. An earthquake was recorded in Japan in 869, so those aren’t new! Adolf Hitler was believed to be the anti-Christ and the end of the world imminent back in the 1940s. That was a violent and terrifying period. God has His own timing. Our job is to keep focused and obey God.
God bless you.
In His Grip,
Helga xx
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