The Princess and the Pirates

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the Princess and the Pirates

BY ALISON GRANDE

MISS SEAFAIR 1992 -1993

This past May I had the opportunity to travel to Kobe, Japan to represent Seattle Seafair in our sister city. Ten Seafair Pirates also participated in Kobe's "Urban Resort Fair"

We traveled to Japan on the same flight. Before landing in Osaka, the Pirates, in full costume entertained the passengers with one of their famous songs. I enjoyed seeing how the other travelers reacted to them. Let's just say they stood out in a crowd!

Throughout my time in Japan the Pirates' schedules were similar to mine. One of may favorite parts of the trip was when we had a courtesy call on the Mayor of Kobe, Mr. Sasayama. We met him in a conference room in City Hall. I was a little nervous about how this meeting and gift exchange would work out. The Mayor gave us each a gift and then we gave him gifts. The Pirates gave Mayor Sasayama a sword which he liked so well he didn't want to put down. They also gave him a Mariner's baseball cap which, with a little coaxing, he put on. Even with the language barrier, the Pirates and I could tell how much fun the Mayor was having.

I enjoyed having the Pirates along on this trip. They were very popular wherever they went. It was fun to get to know the Pirates and to see how much they added to the festivities. The Seafair Pirates are a great example of the thousands of volunteers who unselfishly give of their time to make Seafair a success.

My week in Japan was a happy and unforgettable experience. The Pirates and the gracious people of Kobe have provided me with a treasure chest of memories.


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