I served on the La Hortensia as the electrical engineer from 2nd Feb 64 to Dec 64, joining at Brest and signing off at Falmouth where the ship was scheduled to be surveyed. Our original destination had been Rouen and during my time on board, the ship was on a communist China charter running from Argentina / Shanghai / Cuba / North Korea / Cuba. What an eventful number of months we had, the skipper was replaced after some bad luck, we lost an anchor in Havana bay, rammed the quay in N. Korea while under pilotage which required dry-docking for repairs in (I think in Shimizu Japan).The 2nd mate was sent home after going ashore when on watch and a tropical storm came up and the ship came away from the jetty. The bosun was sacked for incompetence, the food was absolutely terrible verging on BOT rations with eggs etc limited to 3/4 week, and the wages were definitely minimum rates. I joined Buries Markes off the MN establishment in Liverpool ( the pool ) as it was called then at Mann Island, having just left Cunard line and hoping to pick up a company running to Australia/ New Zealand, never having been to that part of the world. I had mostly sailed to the Far east, India and West Africa with Blue funnel, Elder Dempster and Brocklebanks, great companies to work for. Unfortunately my recollection of my shipmates on the La Hortensia are a bit dim, the only name I can get is the chief engineer from my CV. It was S. A. Tondera a South African taken on board at the last minute due to the original chief falling ill. If anyone out there should remember me or this period of time please get touch with Dave and he will let you know where I am.