Arrival Abroad

April 21, 2008 Our last full day at sea, and you can already hear in the surrounding conversations that people’s heads are moving on to the next phase of their adventure: a group of Brits are discussing whether the M1 or the A40 is the better way to drive north; others are discussing train and plane connections. Bob and I attended a lovely piano concert – an all Chopin performance with Anthony Hewitt. He truly is magical on the ivories and got standing ovations and many a “BRAVO!” from his enthusiastic audience. With my culture fix completed, I packed my bags and attached the special tags: we are Silver 2 (which defines when we’re allowed to disembark the ship tomorrow, and where we’ll find our luggage in the large warehouse at the dock). After dinner we will put the bags in the hall and magically they will be whisked away to await us the next day. While Bob did his packing I went off to the spa for a last beauty fix – a manicure. The young lady who was my ‘nail technician’ was a very Chatty Cathy with the name of Gemma. From her I learned that the individual staying in the penthouse of the ship is a “billionaire with three body guards who came aboard with 150 pieces of luggage”.(I can’t conceive of what one would want with that much paraphenalia, but I’m sure the porters got a handsome tip). Gemma related the life of a worker on-board which while it sounds exotic, is actually very hard work. They have no time off during their contracts, and in her case she works 10 hour days, 7 days a week. But since it is ‘free’ room and board she is able to save all her salary and at the age of 21 has already bought a house for herself in Spain. The spa being part of the Canyon Ranch franchise, was very ‘green’ with all products (and the containers in which they come) made from natural materials and recycled paper….I am asked to believe that the pigments in my nail polish are all natural herbs and such and the very glass in which the polish is housed is made from re-cycled objects and the design of the bottle was by Ferrari. Lah dee dah.

April 22, 2008 Bob is up on deck at 5:00 a.m. to make sure that the arrival of the ship in Southhampton goes smoothly. Today is a special day since all the Queens are in the port together – the QE2 is in wet-dock being fixed up, the QM2 is landing (us) and the new Queen Victoria (QV) arrived an hour before us. This evening, long after we’ve departed, they’re having a special ceremony as the QV and QM2 sail, with all three ships lined up for the last time they ever will be together. Soon the QE2, having sailed for over 40 years, will become a luxury hotel in Dubai. Finally at 10:00 a.m. “Silver 2” was called and we disembarked, found our luggage in the warehouse, went through customs and found Ian, our driver, who swept us off to the Lock N’ Store warehouse in Southhampton where we left our fancy duds and wintery coats which we’ll see next in early June. Ian then drove us straight to St.Pancras train station in London where the Eurostar now departs, having moved from Waterloo. The station is all new and sparkling with a W.H. Smith bookstore, a Pain Quotidienne (bakery & restaurant) and a Marks & Spencer fast food takeaway (a wee bit different from Amtrak). We were able to get an earlier train for Brussels and off we sent. Because we were in 1st class they gave us a fabulous lunch at our seat – it makes any airplane food in America (if you’re lucky enough to find any) look like spam. I had a quiche, fresh salad, apricot tart, hard rolls and, of course, wine…Bob’s entrée was Asparagus Risotto. Having had breakfast very early in the day, this was a welcome meal. As we sped to Lilles and on to Brussels it was a warm and sunny day and the fields and small towns we passed were showing early signs of spring – buds on trees, green fuzz on the fields, and many daffodils. In England there were very new lambs still be suckled by their mother and being quite frisky – unaware that they would soon become someone’s lovely meal with mint jelly. We are finally in Europe and I am now feeling quite excited – people speaking Flemish and French, everything looking just a wee bit different, it all makes me more attentive as I try to listen in on conversations, read signs and absorb all the sights and smells. Mary Castrinakis was waiting for us at Brussels Midi station. We piled our luggage and ourselves into her BMW and voila! – We are here! As always at their home, a lovely evening of conversation, fine food and a variety of wines to match each course which definitely put us in a sleepy state, ready to hit the bed for our first night on solid earth. Amazingly neither of us have felt any difference between sea and land which is a plaudit for the stabilizers of the ship which made life aboard as calm as life on land. For now our days at sea have ended and our days on trains begin.