Comprehensive compilation by Gu Haibo
The Gemini cruise ship is moored off the southern coast of Turkey. The Grand Theater became a daycare center, where children flipped through boxes of donated toys. The beauty salon was turned into a barbershop. Kids running on the wide deck. On the side, the family drank tea and gazed at the mountains not far away, where the ruins buried their friends and relatives.
"We are having a bizarre dream." Basak Atayi, a 30-year-old nurse, told The New York Times. For the past few days, she has stayed with her family on the 164-meter-long luxury cruise ship, which has become a refuge for more than 1,000 refugees. An estimated 1.7 million Turks were displaced by the February earthquake and aftershocks, according to the Associated Press.
Basak Atay (right) with his family on a cruise.
"I never imagined that at such a moment, I would be on a cruise ship." Atayi, who lost friends and relatives in the quake, said.
The New York Times said that in order to assist earthquake refugees, the Turkish government took a series of emergency measures, including converting five ships, including the Gemini, into "mobile hotels". At a nearby port, a warship has been converted into a hospital, where doctors have performed dozens of surgeries, including one delivery, since the first earthquake on Feb. 6.
The Gemini cruise ship is moored off the southern coast of Turkey.
Last December, Turkey's energy ministry leased the 400-bay Gemini. When the earthquake struck, the ship rushed to the port of Iskenderun in the hardest-hit province of Hatay to serve the survivors. Local officials process boarding applications and assign cabins to people with disabilities, the elderly, pregnant women or those with young children.
Like many passengers, Atay said it was her first time on a luxury cruise.
Survivors rest in the cruise ship's theater, which has become a daycare center.
"We talk about the happy memories people make on this ship." Atay told The New York Times that she could imagine people dancing on the dance floor below deck, where strings of lights swayed on wooden floors. "But our lives have collapsed."
Before boarding the Gemini, she said, her family of eight roamed through makeshift shelters: a car, a tent or a hotel. She insisted on working as a nurse in the emergency room of a local hospital. "I feel like I've been walking on tiptoe." She said. Atay recalls her first night on board, her first undisturbed sleep in many days. Just a day earlier, a 6.6-magnitude aftershock struck the area, causing more buildings to collapse.
Gemini became home to more than 1,000 earthquake survivors.
On deck six, Aise Asikguz, 72, is sitting in a white leather chair weaving warm clothes for her grandchildren, who she says still live in tents. In the lounge, a dozen people were watching news on television about the quake zone.
At lunchtime, refugees line up at the richly decorated "Aegean Restaurant" to scoop lentils, lamb liver and rice onto plastic plates. Kids stared at a variety of desserts, including sliced oranges and sweet fried dough.
"The food is all hot and there are different choices every day." Esse Simsek, 33, said she and her two daughters survived nine days in their car on soup provided by rescue groups before boarding the boat.
Gul Secker and his daughter on a cruise.
Gul Secker, 34, was living in a container camp and her baby was about to be born. A neighbor called and told her she could apply for accommodation on the ship. Hours later, she and her family boarded the Gemini. A few days later, her stomach began to ache sharply.
"I thought I was going to die." Secker, who suffers from high blood pressure, said. "I called my husband to say goodbye." She lives in a cabin on the seventh floor, overlooking the blue. The receptionist on board arranged for her to be transferred to a nearby hospital ship. Eventually, she gave birth in a public hospital.
"We call her our miracle." Secker said as he reached into the stroller and straightened the lace on his daughter's hat. Baby bottles and diapers were stacked on a shelf, alongside clothes and stuffed animals, all gifts from other passengers and flight attendants.
The Seckels named the child "Millais", the name of the cruise ship's company. The name is painted in blue letters on the walls of the Gemini cabin.
Image source: The New York Times
Source: China Youth Daily client