I'm well into this section now, with the fleet just arriving in Cyprus after the storm.  I'm loving both Richard and Joanna, and liking Berengaria.  I'm really curious as to what SKP is going to do with that Richard's marriage.

The marriage seems to have gotten off to a good start and I like how she fleshed out Berengaria.  And finally the riddle Cathy was taunting me with was revealed.   The Michaelmas Goose.  I looked at everything I could find on the subject.  I was way off base with this one. 

I thought she did well with Berengeria as well. And yes, I loved loved loved the cooking lesson.

I think I actually felt the exhilaration when "part" of Richard's fleet arrived in Cyprus. The relief was almost tangible. Penman's writing is so very, very descriptive - what a talent she has! The only problem I'm having with reading this book is already knowing how this Crusade turns out. sigh.....

Jeanne, I sometimes think that is what a lot of people think about reading H/F.   You know how it ends for the most part so why read it?  I find I love the journey and am continually fascinated watching how you get from point a to b. 

I have always been curious about the illness that ravaged the crusaders. Richard and Phillip grew ill but the women didn't get ill.  I am going to venture a hypothesis and I wonder what you all think.

Sharon said in her interview how hard it must have been to breath and how hot it was in the mail and armor.  So could this illness be chronic dehydration?  Of course they didn't know about dehydration, and any number of missing vital elements one loses while you become dehydrated.  I think they needed Gatorade to put it simply.

Jeanne your our resident medical professional what do you think; could chronic dehydration cause a body to poison it's self?

That's an interesting theory, Letty.  I was thinking maybe sand fleas, but then the women would be exposed to them too.

You might be onto something, Letty. If that wasn't a cause, surely it had to complicate tremendously whatever the cause was. Surely the women had more water and probably better food, overall.

Whoops! I almost missed this topic because I didn't have it"watched". To answer your question, Letty, I'm sure that was a large part of the problem and that could have been the "disease" that took so many of them. Add to the fact that it was very hot, they were overdressed, water was scarce, still they drank all that WINE! Alcohol dehydrates the body as well. Remember when Richard and his men met with Saladin's brother and SKP makes it clear that the Saracens weren't drinking anything alcoholic and the Franks were offered fruit juices etc.? It came across as a religious issue but in reality, those Saracens were pretty smart because they probably figured out that they did much better without alcohol.

So you've pointed out a pretty salient possibility. I know that dehydration can result in hair loss - not sure about the nails. Dehydration definitely causes the body to "poison itself" because there isn't enough fluid in the body to get rid of waste, so all the organs are kind of swimming in their own waste. All the enzymes and metabolites are off kilter. Suffice it to say that it affects everything and everything will eventually shut down. Yep Gatorade probably would have saved many lives but so would plenty of water and a lot less wine!

It's funny you brought that up because I kept thinking, whenever I saw "wine" mentioned and it was mentioned a lot: " How are they functioning with that heat and all that drinking? Not only the mental functioning but physically as well?"  Very good point Letty!!!!!

I just saw this somewhere, but the wine and beers of that time period had less alcohol in it but still I see your point.