April 21, 2009 - Tuesday
Bob and I having parked ourselves happily at the Hilton above Paddington Train station. It was very comforting to be hanging around familiar ‘digs’ and to know our way around without a map. We were too filled with Queen Mary foods to dine out last night so I went down to Sainsbury’s and found us take-out sandwiches and beer which we consumed happily before crashing. The station has been much improved from when I last worked here with many more sit-down restaurants and two take out places: Sainsbury and Marks and Spencer. Signage is new, security seems higher, but the rush of people racing to trains seems only too familiar. The British Rail system has this year’s publicity called: Journey of Discovery – my, what a catchy title. I tried to get one of their posters to carry home, but there were none available. I’ll try again in June.
Today’s goal was to check out the flat which William and I will be using when we return in late June. The Presidential Apartments are perfectly located in Marlybone on George Street, between Glouchester and Baker Street. Bob and I viewed the apartment, chatted with the manager who told us how we will get into the flat late on the evening of our arrival and how the whole place worked. We were delighted that there is a presence there everyday and not just an empty flat. There are whole floors in this complex just set aside for short term rentals, and all managed by this one man named Mohssen. We then checked out the grocery stores nearby, the tube stop (Oxford Circus) and other important items which we’ll need for our stay. It being a gorgeous sunny day we proceeded to meander through Mayfair, walked along Duke Street, stopping in shops, walking through parks, past the US Embassy and on to good old Shepherd’s Market where we went to our favorite little bistro for lunch. Bob had an all American Mac and Cheese (British style) and I had salad and pate. We then wandered down Picadilly to Waterstone’s books where we browsed and finally back to our hotel for a brief rest before dinner.
With a wee bit of skepticism we took the recommendation of the concierge at the hotel who suggested that Christini’s – a small Italian restaurant would serve us well. We walked over and were completely charmed by the intimacy and fine service, not to mention the fabulous food and good wines. Bob had his usual clams with linguini and I had my usual linguini with brown butter. (Somehow I’m going to have to learn the Italian phrase for brown butter….when I describe it no one seems to ‘get it’.)
London looks fabulous in the spring with the faint green hues on the trees, and flower boxes cheerfully showing off their spring flowers. The fashion seems to be extremely high heels for the ladies with very short skirts, and the men, as usual look traditionally clad in suits and ties. It may be my imagination, but it seems obesity is on the rise and you notice it on the tube, especially.
Our hotel room is part of the old railroad hotels that loomed over all large stations in the 1900’s. This one has been converted into a Hilton and while the lobby looks modern with people having meetings all over the area the rooms are a little sad and the corridors are amazingly long and windy. But all that we need is here, and for our early departure to Hereford this strikes us as perfect.
April 22 – Wednesday
We were in need of a ‘boat fix’ – I mean it had been two days since we were on one, so we took ourselves down to the Embankment tube stop where we walked down to the Westminster piers where all manner of boats were prepared to take the tourist in one direction or another. Whenever we walk in London you can’t but notice the history that coats every block – be it the buildings, the monuments or simply the sense of age that permeates the air. While London may be hip and happening that layer sits atop some very ancient history and along the river you’re very aware – be it the old docks, the many submerged gates, the old ships lying old an disreputable.
The boat we were taking would slowly meander the curves and twists of the Thames working its way to Greenwich and the Thames Barrier – a flood gate system built in the 90’s . I have taken this boat ride many times, the first time in 1967 when I was on my inaugural trip away from the States. At that time the speaker on the boat would point out the sites of the Tower of London, the Parliament, various pubs which went back to the 1800’s and lots of references to Charles Dickens who portrayed th4e dqualor along the river front. But now that London is upscale, and buildings are being renovated, we were made aware of the high-rise financial center at the Canary Wharf and Dockside, the new Tate Modern, the London Eye, the ‘wobbly bridge” and the Millennium Dome – all new, all modern, all making London the trendy place it is. And the water, which was once so putrid that nothing could live in it, is now so clear that one can fish in its waters and you won’t die eating the catch. Gentrification has taken over and some of the lovely old homes have been restored for the likes the director David Lean and others with more than disposable income.
Since we both have been to Greenwich numerous times and the sun was warming and delightful, we decided to stay on, and return to the starting point. The Thames Barrier is a lovely modern site whose mechanisms we didn’t quite understand. We figured that Google would tell us all we need to know since the young man on the ship didn’t give a very thorough explanation. They are almost art deco with their silver winged sections….but why and how it works requires future research. We were right at the front of the boast, upstairs and the sun was beating down on us. Some of the landmarks of Greenwich were missing or under wraps: the Cutty Sark and the Gypsy Moth sailed by Chichester. Both had caught on fire a few years back and are in the midst of restoration. Otherwise, from the water, Greenwich seemed unchanged – the military area, the site of Greenwich Mean Time at the Astronomy area and the usual queues of tourists using the destination as an excuse for a boat ride.
We returned to the Embankment tube stop only to learn that there were various strikes along the line and we would have to find alternative paths – which we did. We got back to the hotel, collected laundry and hopped back in the tube to go to Nottinghill Gate for dinner at Geales. Kathlyn had taken us here last year and Bob was delighted with the fish-focused menu so we arrived and since we were very early we could chose any table. Bob consumed a dozen oysters and from there we had lemon sole and for desert some yummy thing I can’t remember.
There is such comfort in knowing ones way around, knowing the neighborhoods, the sites and not feeling that one has to be in tourist mode from start to end of day. We both agreed that we ought to find a way to rent an apartment in London for a winter to just settle in, enjoy the museums, theater, dining and bookstores….maybe soon.
We returned to the hotel to pack our bags for an early departure tomorrow morning for Hereford and the next leg of our very brief British journey.
April 23 – Thursday:
Another early morning with the usual anxiety of about locating the correct train, correct car and seat not to mention stashing the luggage. We’re off to Hereford on a Virgin train which leaves right from Paddington. The ride was wonderful as we left London and found ourselves passing fields with young lambs gamboling next to their mothers, totally unaware that they were the next leg of lamb at the dinner table. They are incredibly adorable and reminded me of the trip through New Zealand where we learned that most lambs come in pairs. The fields are all filled with wild flowers and we gazed happily out the windows.
Our arrival in Hereford was on time and there was Ray to greet us. We bundled ourselves into their lovely green Jaguar and headed to their home, picking up Elaine along the way. They were entirely too apologetic for the chaos of their house as it goes through a bit of renovation. It’s a lovely home built in the early 20th century and has lots of its charm – the rounded door openers, the official parlor, sitting room, dining room, small but efficient kitchen and upstairs two bedrooms with bath. Things were tucked into all manner of corners as they try to cope with total upheaval.
We nattered on together catching up on our separate lives and had a quick bite before heading out to see the sights of Hereford. First to the cathedral which has two fabulous sites: the Mappa Mundi – a very early 13th century illustration of the world. It was interesting to understand how the world was perceived. The illustrator had never traveled, but had word of its wonders and had portrayed them a accurately as they could. Thus one found Greece sort of near Turkey but the location of the Acropolis was a bit off and there were plenty of monsters and creatures which were thought to actually exist. The exhibit was very well laid out and well documented. Also at the cathedral was one of the last of the remaining chained libraries. In the early centuries while books were still a rarity, these libraries served as reference libraries where books were available to read. To ensure their safety they were chained to the shelves and shelved with their spine to the back. This particular collection had some wonderful rarities which are still used by scholars to this day. A very chatty docent gave us all the information to us. She was known to Ray and Elaine and thus we felt we were getting a very personal guide.
The delightful thing is that Ray, having been THE photographer for the Hereford Times for over 40 years is known to everyone in the town because he has been at every major and minor event that has occurred in the town and photographed all its luminaries. To move through town with him is to be escorted by someone truly in the know. While he is now retired, everyone knows him and he and Elaine know everyone. As we walked out of the cathedral we passed a house tucked behind some serious metal gates. Just as Ray started to describe the wonderful house, its owners were opening the gates and invited us in to see the gardens and to admire the house. It was lovely and the owners took great pride in their gardens.
For dinner they had planned a lovely meal at a gastro pub – the newest British phenomenon. Instead of the usual bangers and mash, some of the pubs have gone quite upscale and are offering lovely meals. The Wellington Arms was one to gain quite a reputation, so we drove to it. Unfortunately we were all under-whelmed by our meal and Ray and Elaine suggested that this was their first and last visit. But we chattered on with no stop in the conversation and while the meal was bland it wasn’t a disaster.
Thoroughly exhausted and full we returned to the house and fell into bed.
April 24 – Friday
Bob and I had stated that we wanted to have a day in Hay on Wye so we all got up early and while Elaine went to work, Ray drove Bob and myself to Hay so we could snoop in bookshops. It was less than a lovely day so it was perfect for ducking in and out of stores. As usual we found a good handful of books and made two bags of acquisitions. We all then met up at the Swan Hotel for a spot of tea before getting a tour of small towns in the vicinity. First was Weobley a ‘black and white’ town where homes from the early 1400’s still exist. It felt that the town just needed Shakespeare to walk out of one of the pubs. Next on to Pembridge another Black and White town, and finally on to Eardisland. In each town Ray and Elaine pointed out the important sites and we understood that Ray had taken many photographs in each of the towns. It is so delightful to be in the hands of two people who love their surroundings and know them well. We saw things we would otherwise never have known even existed. The Lloyds are such gracious hosts making everything appear effortless as they accommodate our every request. They have truly laid out the red carpet for us and we couldn’t thank them enough.
For dinner we ate at one of their favorite local spots – a small Italian restaurant – Ponte Vecchio where Ray brought to the owner some photographs he had taken of the real Ponte Vecchio – a lovely gesture which the owner obviously appreciated. We had a meal better than the night before with less pretense but better food.
And so to bed knowing that it would be another early morning.
April 25 – Saturday
After breakfast we packed up all the books and the dozen boxes of Whittard’s Afternoon Tea which Elaine had purchased for us and sent them home via the post (located in a grocery store). We also checked our email to learn that Magic was not doing well and was at the Vet. This put quite a damper on our adventure as we both sensed that he wouldn’t wait for our return. Damn it – but when we travel it seems our beasts chose that time to leave. We knew this was an eventuality and were glad that Jock was there to take care of our beast. We were sad, but the day ahead was going to be a busy one so we put aside our saddest premonitions and ‘carried on’ with stiff upper lip. Piling ourselves and all our luggage into the Jag, we were off for a visit to Janice Knill, Elaine’s sister who lives in Cuddington in Cheshire. We had met Janice on the ship along with Ray and Elaine and she wanted to host us as well, so off we went to see more new sites. Rather than take the highway, we meandered happily on secondary roads visiting towns along the way. One such town was Ludlow where we had to stop to acquire some memorabilia of the town. To think we were at the original Ludlow – a lovely town with great hiking and a wonderfully old main street.
We stopped at what appeared to be a simple road side area, but instead of your basic McDonalds or junk there was a store which sold foodstuffs made locally in Ludlow – everything from jams and jellies to meats and vegetables. Like in the states, eating local has become quite THE thing to do and the store was quite busy. While it would have been fun to pick up things, it would have been quite a bit of weight to haul to Scotland and home. So we admired but didn’t buy.
We met Jan at the carpark in Cheshire. It was a busy Saturday and we took the bus from the car park to the main part of Cheshire where we ate at the _______________________ hotel. A wonderful old hotel located in the center of the town near the clock tower. We enjoyed a quick lunch and beer before going out to tour this very touristy town. We walked the town walls which once enclosed the town. It was a perfect sunny warm spring day and the walking felt great. We then explored some of the stores before returning to the car park and on to Jan’s home.
Janice was widowed a few years ago and continues to be in that unhappy middle-world between the death of her beloved Jeff and moving forward into her own solitary world. The house, a fairly modern one in a community of like-made homes still carries Jeff’s shadow. Her children are scattered, with her one son living in New Zealand where the adorable grandchildren live and her other living in London. Jan seems torn as to where and what to go next: New Zealand, Hereford or staying in the town where she now lives. She is very close to Ray and Elaine who include her in all their activities and trips and you sensed that they are truly trying to help her move ahead. Never having had a real career she doesn’t have much to fall back on and finds being alone a very lonely existence.
She admitted to being quite nervous about making us a home cooked meal, but she created a lovely coq au vin and we all sat around first with some pre-prandialh and then eating, chatting and sharing life’s stories around her dining table. We feel so lucky to be part of this lovely trio. We all agree that we have to find some way to travel together again sometime in the future. Since we all like cruising, I’m sure it will happen.
April 26 – Sunday/b>
Another early morning as the five of us piled into the Jag for a trip to Portmeirion in Wales – no one would tell us what to expect as if it were a secret. We took many wonderful back roads, avoiding road construction and singing our way through the countryside to tunes of the Beatles and others of the 60’s.
After a bit more than two hours we arrived at Portmeirion which Bob correctly compared to the Hearst Castle. It is the fantasy of one man who chose to buy a large piece of property and on it he built a Mediterranean ‘complex’ of buildings. Each one serves as a place to stay and tying the whole together is the main hotel dining area where we went for lunch. It is located on a lake front and at the base of the complex. We meandered down to the restaurant past lovely and grotesque sculptures, buildings and such. Portmeirion pottery is quite famous and this along with other memorabilia was available from a series of stores along the way.
It being a lovely warm day, we sat outside waiting for our table and examining the menu. The meal was quite good – fixed price – and we chattered away through it all.
April 27 – Monday
* Everyone up early for departures – Elaine and Ray to Herefordshire, we to Scotland
* Train from Crewe to Waverly Station
* Arrival at Elomview and the Glencairn Self-catering flat with everything. Robyn and Niki run it.
* Well appointed with starter-kit for breakfast, all gadgets, washer;dryer; lovely little enclosed garden outside – like a little home away from hom0065
* Dinner at Henricks and to bed
* Large green across the road
* Working class main street with every known bus route, meat market, vegetale stand, grocery store and all conveniences.
* Gray day
April 28 – Tuesday
* Bus taken to Waverly where we check out train for Friday
* Lazy start to the day having had entireloy too many 7:00 a.m wake up calls. Didn’t leave house until noon.
* Buy Royal Ticket good for: Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Castle, Brittania in Lieth, and hop on and hop off buses for two days included.
* Walked along Prince Street getting our bearings and having lunch at Marks and Spencers. It is an amazing place – from the fuddy duddy days when mother bought her nylons there to the full catering meal area with fine fine foods.
* Hopped on one of the busses for a personal tour of the city. The guide was truly Scottish and had memorized his poetry and gave a most amusing and informative tour of the city filled with anecdotes and history. Afterwards we decided his was the best of all tours. The other busses had canned talks without charm or information.
* Went to Holyrood Castle – home of Mary Queen of Scots
* Bus back to starting point, picked up dinner at Marks and Spencer
* On the #23 bus back to our neighborhood – picked up wine and salad
April 29 – Wednesday
* Took #11 bus to Ocean Terminal in Lieth – thru every neighborhood
* Tour of Brittania
* Lunch at the Ocean Terminalk – huge mall (salmon cake/spinach cheese pie
* Took tour bus back to town with crowd of Italians
* Stopped at store for hamburger dinner and wine
* Pleasure of self0-catering, don’t have to eat out all the time.
* Watch the Full Monty on t.v.
April 30 – Thursday
* Last day for touring. Hopped on local bus.
* Hike up to castle
* Rainy-spitty windy day with audio headset
Walked down Golden Mile popping into stores April 27 – Monday
* Everyone up early for departures – Elaine and Ray to Herefordshire, we to Scotland
* Train from Crewe to Waverly Station
* Arrival at Elomview and the Glencairn Self-catering flat with everything. Robyn and Niki run it.
* Well appointed with starter-kit for breakfast, all gadgets, washer;dryer; lovely little enclosed garden outside – like a little home away from hom0065
* Dinner at Henricks and to bed
* Large green across the road
* Working class main street with every known bus route, meat market, vegetale stand, grocery store and all conveniences. * Gray day
April 28 – Tuesday
* Bus taken to Waverly where we check out train for Friday
* Lazy start to the day having had entireloy too many 7:00 a.m wake up calls. Didn’t leave house until noon.
* Buy Royal Ticket good for: Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Castle, Brittania in Lieth, and hop on and hop off buses for two days included.
* Walked along Prince Street getting our bearings and having lunch at Marks and Spencers. It is an amazing place – from the fuddy duddy days when mother bought her nylons there to the full catering meal area with fine fine foods.
* Hopped on one of the busses for a personal tour of the city. The guide was truly Scottish and had memorized his poetry and gave a most amusing and informative tour of the city filled with anecdotes and history. Afterwards we decided his was the best of all tours. The other busses had canned talks without charm or information.
* Went to Holyrood Castle – home of Mary Queen of Scots
* Bus back to starting point, picked up dinner at Marks and Spencer
* On the #23 bus back to our neighborhood – picked up wine and salad
April 29 – Wednesday
* Took #11 bus to Ocean Terminal in Lieth – thru every neighborhood
* Tour of Brittania
* Lunch at the Ocean Terminalk – huge mall (salmon cake/spinach cheese pie
* Took tour bus back to town with crowd of Italians
* Stopped at store for hamburger dinner and wine
* Pleasure of self0-catering, don’t have to eat out all the time.
* Watch the Full Monty on t.v.
April 30 – Thursday
* Last day for touring. Hopped on local bus.
* Hike up to castle
* Rainy-spitty windy day with audio headset
*
* Checked out tours of Loch Ness for later with William
* Guinness and lager at Tass.
* Bus back to eat Grill Cheese, salad, wine and fruit
* Pack and to bed
May 1 – Friday
* Early departure for train to Southanmpton
* Chatty cab driver going off to Florida in July
May 2 - 8
Back on the Queen Mary to New York
Monday, April 27, 2009
Back to England on the QM II
Sunday, April 12, 2009 Easter The next Journey of Discovery begins – a uniquely British experience. While it isn’t directly tied to Daddy’s trip around the world, the blog has become a way to capture Bob’s and my experiences, and to keep a running account of our adventures. (Not to mention that people can only seem to keep one blog address in their heads). This trip is a pure excuse to sail both ways on the liner Queen Mary 2 with twelve days in the British Isles sandwiched in between. We plan to scout out sites for my trip in June with grandson William, visit with friends from a prior crossing on the QM2 and explore some new cities as well. What is making this crossing so delightful is that we’ve convinced five other friends to join us: Marj and Gary Swenson, Marj’s mother Ruth Graeff, and Bonnie and Ken Norris. We seven have been planning and chatting and thinking about this trip since last fall. The men have acquired tuxedos with all the appropriate ties and studs; the women have shopped endlessly for the perfect formal outfits, and each of us is bringing a different perspective of what we want to do on the crossing. While we all started south from Vermont on different days, we’re all meeting today at the Marriott Hotel in Brooklyn to share a last dinner on shore with another Peacham friend, Marsha Garrison. And it’s not just any dining experience: it’s the River Café, a famous gustatory destination which is tucked right under the Brooklyn Bridge and has a reputation for breath taking views of the New York skyline, as well as great food.
Monday, April 13, 2009 Bob and I took a car service from Darien to the Marriott, checked in and relaxed. At 5:30 Ruth, Bob and I started a leisurely walk to the restaurant, down Remsen Street to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, which runs along the East River water front. What an absolutely delightful walk (except for that moment when I made a face plant and scraped my knee having tripped over a tree root). The promenade was a picture of calm spring. Children being pushed in carriages, couples relaxing and staring out at the skyline, joggers enjoying a good run, and everywhere the flowers of spring, budding fruit trees and the background hush of car and ship traffic moving below us. The restaurant is an institution. It’s been around for over 25 years as Brooklyn Heights became the trendy new place to live. The restaurant has weathered its age well and when we walked in, it was a little oasis of calm. The lobby had the most amazing floral arrangements which consumed you almost like a green house. It being spring, the colors were shades and shapes of pink. The restaurant is actually on a barge, permanently docked and as boats went by their wake could be felt under our feet. Our table of eight was in a high mood of festivity as we are finally beginning our journey. Marsha joined us after her classes at Brooklyn Law, and we had a fabulous leisurely meal, well served, well presented and delightful to the taste buds. The pleasure of the restaurant is that it was prix fixe; so that once you swallowed deeply at the prix, you were free to sample your way through a divine menu, sipping wines, and enjoying every morsel. The signature desert was the Brooklyn Bridge chocolate desert which I had. Lots of chatter and photographs and staring at the skyline as the sky darkened and the lights of the City took over the view. What a romantic and wonderful place from which to start the next adventure. A group of us wanting to walk off our meal decided to head back to the hotel via Peter Pane’s house. He and his wife having just returned hours ago from a trip to northern New York were a wee bit surprised as we barged in on them, but as always they were gracious and welcoming. While some continued on to Marsha’s ‘digs’, others headed back to the hotel for a much needed rest.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009 At noon we and our tons of luggage gathered in the lobby of the hotel for our ride to the ship. Our collection of luggage was so great that a second limousine was called in. We drove past Watchtower Headquarters, past doggy parks and over to the Red Hook area where our grand ship awaited us. Not a great day for weather, (overcast with threatening rain) but you couldn’t have it be too perfect. After allowing longshoremen to haul away our luggage which we would see next in our stateroom, we stared at the lines of people who had just disembarked earlier and who were standing in long taxi lines….what a letdown after being pampered on board for a week to stand like any other mundane citizen waiting… but for us, our adventure was just beginning. Check in is fairly mundane: security, health certificate, check in, card issuance, credit card registered…and voila, we were ready to board. First we had to get through the barricades of photographers who wanted to snap that first picture – the passenger (s) and a life saver were framed against a drab background with luggage strapped around shoulders and that slightly harried look which comes from having just gone through a gauntlet of anxiety-driven tasks. We took a number of photographs hoping there would be one good one to keep as a memento. We all found our staterooms on the 5th deck (we are #5049) where most of our gang is in a row on the starboard side: Ring – Norris – Graeff , with Marj and Gary on the port side. We checked the quarters out and then met for a Bob-led tour of the ship to give everyone a sense of what was available. We made reservations at the Canyon Ranch Spa – some for manicures, others for exercise programs, massages or pedicures. Then on to lunch, a quick look at the theaters, Connextions, and sites in between. The pleasure for Bob and myself was to be able to see the ship through different eyes and listen to first impressions: Gary having last been on the high seas on a Coast guard Cutter; Marj and her mother never having been on any ship; and Bonnie and Ken having taken a Carnival tour of Alaska. The ship cannot help but impress ; if it’s the fabulous floral arrangements in the main entry, the volume and variety of foods in the Kings Court, the opulence of the theaters, or the grandeur of the long passageways….it is a spectacular ship. We all wanted to watch the sail away, so we gathered everyone on our side of the ship, looking out through the falling rain to the Statue of Liberty. As the ship finally let off the lines we headed to the viewing area below the bridge, keeping ourselves protected from the very soggy, cold weather. We had so hoped for a lovely spring late afternoon sail away, but it was not to be. The unique event on this sail away was a bag-pipe-playing passenger from Canada, who played a few numbers in the rain while his wife and sister smiled benignly. Our sail away was slowed down when the captain came on the PA system to announce that a passenger on board had become ill, and needed to be taken off the ship. So while we waited for a boat to come along side and carry him off, we all took cover inside and got ready for dinner….all except Marj who was in the hot tub in the rain as we went under the Verrazano Bridge. She had the best view of all. After a drink at the Chart Room, where I chatted with a fairly narrow minded couple from the UK, we proceeded to our newly assigned table (Bob having earlier negotiated a better table for our little gang). Our waiter, Bausram, from Mauritius , will probably become a favorite. He is charming, solicitous and quite funny. He picked up on Bob’s request for ‘real coffee’, and I have a feeling that this phrase will ring with every meal. After dinner we all crashed, being both physically and mentally y exhausted from new impressions and accumulated anxieties which could now all be put to rest as we sailed out into the Atlantic. We are promised “boisterous seas” by the captain, and we were told by many that the crossing from the UK to the USA was more than a bit boisterous. With Bonine for safety we crashed and slept.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 Bonnie’s birthday complete with a morning announcement from Ray the cruise director. We each took on our own activities, but the ladies met for a lady’s lunch in the Britannia Restaurant. We were ushered upstairs to an almost private area where another waiter a man named Wendy, also from Mauritius, served us most graciously as we all had our little requests and requirements. We each separated again after lunch and planned to meet in the newly decorated Chart Room for cocktails. Ken, the bravest of us ran three miles around the deck being buffeted madly by the winds…he said at one point it was strong enough that he seemed to be running in place. Marj and Gary joined a very rigorous yoga-Pilates class which stretched their skills as well….and the rest of us napped or read. Our dinner was fabulous and, as expected, a group of waiters came to sing Happy Birthday to Bonnie, and to provide a lovely piece of cake which we all enjoyed. We all stopped at the Black and White ball and peeled off from there to our separate cabins. Today was a quieter more restful day as we began to acclimatize ourselves to the tempo of life on board where time and purpose lose significance as you stare out at waves and contemplate the next meal … and every night the clock is turned ahead another hour so that when we arrive, we’ll be on accurate British time.
Thursday, April 16 A day lost in memory. I know we attended the galley tour which as always astounds those on the tour with the pure volume of foodstuffs brought on board. The same statistics were expressed last year, and I won’t chose to re-write them into the blog since I did it already, but there are always new things to learn based on questions raised by others on the tour. This time I learned that all meat used on the QM2 is picked up at the New York port where it has been USDA approved and is therefore less likely to have mad cow or other problems. I also learned that each cooler in the lower decks holds a 40 foot sea container’s worth of food, and that each cooler is used for separate items: poultry, meat, vegetables etc. The amazing statistics of 32,000 eggs, and 12 tons of meat & 7 tons of poultry, used on a six day crossing is just plain alarming. As Bonnie said, imagine the person who is responsible for delivering all those eggs – fresh every six days! The pure factory/manufacturing aspect of producing vast volumes of food in an attractive, culinary fashion cannot help but give one pause. While there may be at least eight unique galleys assigned to each specific dining area it is hard to imagine how one can create all those meals in a timely fashion. And this isn’t exactly like the navy. Here the guests expect each plate to look and be attractive… both to the eye and to the palate. I guess that having 165 chef and sous chef is part of the solution, but that every meal gets to the right table and to the right person with the food at the right temperature…is astounding. Just cleaning and sanitizing all the china and cutlery, not to mention the ironing of a zillion napkins and table clothes….now that’s a job for a mangle if ever there was one. In the afternoon I went to a lecture, by the conductor of the Royal Symphony, on the complexity of being a conductor. I know that after dinner we went to the Queens Room,and watched a bit of the formal dancing at the “Black and White Ball”. I know that Marj and Gary exercised in the gym, and at special classes in their spa fitness package; and I know that we all lost track of time, space, date, and anything else requiring specificity. I know that I visited the ship doctor at some point to see about my injured leg, which was looking quite ugly; and I know that some lady fell down the stairs, and that it took too long for someone to come and help out; and I know that the ship’s clinic can take care of everything but surgery. But, you could put a gun to my head and ask what day and at what time, and I’d have to do a pretty evasive dance. The pleasure of sea travel where there are absolutely no clocks visible is that you float in an anonymous time, where the only clue to reality is if you happen to read the daily program which tells you what day it is, or if you happen to catch some television. It is a wonderfully freeing sense not to be tied to some regimen.
Friday, April 17 Everyone went their separate ways today: some to play bingo, some to the spa for a massage, some back to their rooms to watch movies on television. The sun pretended to be coming out briefly, and the seas were definitely calm, but it was not exactly conducive to sitting in deck chairs and relaxing. Though the hot tub topside did get a good workout from Marj and Ken. One of the guest lecturers gave a fine presentation on “poop” (or since he was British, ‘poo’). It actually was an interesting lecture with statistics on excrement; the importance of dung beetles (of which there are a vast variety); the danger of chemicals in cows whose ‘poo’ no longer serves the purpose it was originally able to do; the usage of poo in art, as house plaster and as fuel etc. The lecturer, from Oxford, was very amusing and the audience was larger than had been at the classical conductor’s lecture….which may say something about people’s interest in the topic! Our days have some type of pattern which is mainly evident at the end of the day when we meet for cocktails. Otherwise it is catch as catch can as we run into each other at some event or another. And we did get in a brief round of Wizard, teaching Ken this fairly addictive game. The game corridors on either side of the Illumination Theater were packed. Never have I seen so many game players – one had to fight for space. This was probably because there are many more families with young people on board… it being school break in the UK. It does make a difference to have a contingent of the young on board; it is far more pleasant to see kids having fun aboard ship,than seeing the elderly with walkers and wheel chairs.
Saturday, April 18 A very busy day, starting with the morning acquisition of bingo tickets…followed by another lecture on the role of great conductors through history. The men went to the planetarium and to the lecture on the mechanics of the ship, and afterwards there was a rousing game of Wizard with Ken as the newest convert to the fine qualities of the game. The gaming area was once more jam packed, and while we had set ourselves up at a jig-saw puzzle table, those advocates of the puzzle asked us to move so they could work on it. We did this twice and finally found a fine green-felt top covered table with no puzzles, and Marj proceeded to have a perfect game: she made every contract for all 15 hands. We all applauded her and saved the score sheet for future adulation from her fellow Wizard lovers. Tonight was our last formal meal in the dining room – the famous lobster and baked Alaska dinner where they pull out all the stops – obviously those who don’t like either of these traditional ship meals could opt for things such as roast beef or tiramisu. We have all enjoyed our evening ritual of meeting in the bar for a pre-prandial followed by a fine dining event. But I think, given his druthers, that Ken would burn his tuxedo upon returning to Peacham. The ladies have sartorially out-done themselves with their ‘Cunard Collection’, purchased over the last months, and the effects were much admired by their fellow female travelers (I’m not sure the men actually noticed). This being our penultimate dinner together it all seemed a bit sad that we would soon go our separate ways, but I believe that Gary & Ken are definitely looking forward to getting out and about for some serious walks not confined to a narrow deck area.
Sunday April 19 – Birthday As promised, when I awoke, Ray the cruise director, was reading off the names of those who had birthdays – and there I was – Beatrice Ring of the 11th deck. Only problem was, I’m on the 5th deck… I think they were anticipating our return sail when we will be on the 11th. We all did our separate activities (exercise, bingo, spa treatments, reading) but met for formal tea in the Queen’s Room in the afternoon. This is a wonderful tradition left over from the early days of sailing where people would gather for scones, finger sandwiches and good tea. It was all quite lovely even if you do wonder what happened to all those bread crusts. Were there some very happy sea gulls? Or is there more bread pudding the next day? After tea, we card fanatics had one last round of Wizard before I tucked the cards away for awhile. Dinner was a less elaborate meal with the waiters receiving their gratuities from the guests, and most people having already packed their bags for the next morning’s disembarkation. We celebrated the birthday with the ship’s special cake, and white chocolate sign, but asked the waiters to forego the off-key singing. And so, after a last walk around the deck, the trip comes to an end. Our bags are tagged and put outside the door so that we’ll see them next when we’ve disembarked, our bills our paid, our library books returned, and our finery packed away for the return visit. The seas have calmed, we’ve spotted other ships, and a variety of dolphins and sea gulls, so land is not too far away with promises of sunshine and warm weather and plenty of spring flowers – hurray! I will be interested to chat with our fellow sailors sometime after we’re all back in Peacham, to get their lasting impressions. I think that from this introductory trip perhaps we’ll get some repeat customers. But for others it was a one-time event. For Bob and me it will continue to be the ‘only way to cross’. Why cope with the hassle of planes, airports, security and jet lag when for a wee bit more you can have six luxurious days of being pampered and feeling just a little spoiled? It was nice to end our journey on my birthday. It was delightful to find my email filled with notes of congratulations and to acknowledge with friends that I am now officially ‘old’. And, so to bed.
April 20 – Monday We all got up early – the men earlier than the ladies. After all, how could the ship be correctly piloted to the pier or docked successfully without the attention of the peanut gallery? Bob was up at 5:00 a.m. to ‘help’ with the whole docking maneuver, though we were not to disembark before 10:00 a.m. Carrying our last minute overnight objects, we gathered in the Winter Garden for breakfast and to await the moment when they would announce that “all those with Orange Tags from the 5th deck” were allowed to disembark. There in the shed next to the pier we picked up our luggage and after hastily thrown kisses and hugs we separated – Bob and I off to our limousine, the others off to the taxi stand which would take them to the car rental offices.
Monday, April 13, 2009 Bob and I took a car service from Darien to the Marriott, checked in and relaxed. At 5:30 Ruth, Bob and I started a leisurely walk to the restaurant, down Remsen Street to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, which runs along the East River water front. What an absolutely delightful walk (except for that moment when I made a face plant and scraped my knee having tripped over a tree root). The promenade was a picture of calm spring. Children being pushed in carriages, couples relaxing and staring out at the skyline, joggers enjoying a good run, and everywhere the flowers of spring, budding fruit trees and the background hush of car and ship traffic moving below us. The restaurant is an institution. It’s been around for over 25 years as Brooklyn Heights became the trendy new place to live. The restaurant has weathered its age well and when we walked in, it was a little oasis of calm. The lobby had the most amazing floral arrangements which consumed you almost like a green house. It being spring, the colors were shades and shapes of pink. The restaurant is actually on a barge, permanently docked and as boats went by their wake could be felt under our feet. Our table of eight was in a high mood of festivity as we are finally beginning our journey. Marsha joined us after her classes at Brooklyn Law, and we had a fabulous leisurely meal, well served, well presented and delightful to the taste buds. The pleasure of the restaurant is that it was prix fixe; so that once you swallowed deeply at the prix, you were free to sample your way through a divine menu, sipping wines, and enjoying every morsel. The signature desert was the Brooklyn Bridge chocolate desert which I had. Lots of chatter and photographs and staring at the skyline as the sky darkened and the lights of the City took over the view. What a romantic and wonderful place from which to start the next adventure. A group of us wanting to walk off our meal decided to head back to the hotel via Peter Pane’s house. He and his wife having just returned hours ago from a trip to northern New York were a wee bit surprised as we barged in on them, but as always they were gracious and welcoming. While some continued on to Marsha’s ‘digs’, others headed back to the hotel for a much needed rest.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009 At noon we and our tons of luggage gathered in the lobby of the hotel for our ride to the ship. Our collection of luggage was so great that a second limousine was called in. We drove past Watchtower Headquarters, past doggy parks and over to the Red Hook area where our grand ship awaited us. Not a great day for weather, (overcast with threatening rain) but you couldn’t have it be too perfect. After allowing longshoremen to haul away our luggage which we would see next in our stateroom, we stared at the lines of people who had just disembarked earlier and who were standing in long taxi lines….what a letdown after being pampered on board for a week to stand like any other mundane citizen waiting… but for us, our adventure was just beginning. Check in is fairly mundane: security, health certificate, check in, card issuance, credit card registered…and voila, we were ready to board. First we had to get through the barricades of photographers who wanted to snap that first picture – the passenger (s) and a life saver were framed against a drab background with luggage strapped around shoulders and that slightly harried look which comes from having just gone through a gauntlet of anxiety-driven tasks. We took a number of photographs hoping there would be one good one to keep as a memento. We all found our staterooms on the 5th deck (we are #5049) where most of our gang is in a row on the starboard side: Ring – Norris – Graeff , with Marj and Gary on the port side. We checked the quarters out and then met for a Bob-led tour of the ship to give everyone a sense of what was available. We made reservations at the Canyon Ranch Spa – some for manicures, others for exercise programs, massages or pedicures. Then on to lunch, a quick look at the theaters, Connextions, and sites in between. The pleasure for Bob and myself was to be able to see the ship through different eyes and listen to first impressions: Gary having last been on the high seas on a Coast guard Cutter; Marj and her mother never having been on any ship; and Bonnie and Ken having taken a Carnival tour of Alaska. The ship cannot help but impress ; if it’s the fabulous floral arrangements in the main entry, the volume and variety of foods in the Kings Court, the opulence of the theaters, or the grandeur of the long passageways….it is a spectacular ship. We all wanted to watch the sail away, so we gathered everyone on our side of the ship, looking out through the falling rain to the Statue of Liberty. As the ship finally let off the lines we headed to the viewing area below the bridge, keeping ourselves protected from the very soggy, cold weather. We had so hoped for a lovely spring late afternoon sail away, but it was not to be. The unique event on this sail away was a bag-pipe-playing passenger from Canada, who played a few numbers in the rain while his wife and sister smiled benignly. Our sail away was slowed down when the captain came on the PA system to announce that a passenger on board had become ill, and needed to be taken off the ship. So while we waited for a boat to come along side and carry him off, we all took cover inside and got ready for dinner….all except Marj who was in the hot tub in the rain as we went under the Verrazano Bridge. She had the best view of all. After a drink at the Chart Room, where I chatted with a fairly narrow minded couple from the UK, we proceeded to our newly assigned table (Bob having earlier negotiated a better table for our little gang). Our waiter, Bausram, from Mauritius , will probably become a favorite. He is charming, solicitous and quite funny. He picked up on Bob’s request for ‘real coffee’, and I have a feeling that this phrase will ring with every meal. After dinner we all crashed, being both physically and mentally y exhausted from new impressions and accumulated anxieties which could now all be put to rest as we sailed out into the Atlantic. We are promised “boisterous seas” by the captain, and we were told by many that the crossing from the UK to the USA was more than a bit boisterous. With Bonine for safety we crashed and slept.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 Bonnie’s birthday complete with a morning announcement from Ray the cruise director. We each took on our own activities, but the ladies met for a lady’s lunch in the Britannia Restaurant. We were ushered upstairs to an almost private area where another waiter a man named Wendy, also from Mauritius, served us most graciously as we all had our little requests and requirements. We each separated again after lunch and planned to meet in the newly decorated Chart Room for cocktails. Ken, the bravest of us ran three miles around the deck being buffeted madly by the winds…he said at one point it was strong enough that he seemed to be running in place. Marj and Gary joined a very rigorous yoga-Pilates class which stretched their skills as well….and the rest of us napped or read. Our dinner was fabulous and, as expected, a group of waiters came to sing Happy Birthday to Bonnie, and to provide a lovely piece of cake which we all enjoyed. We all stopped at the Black and White ball and peeled off from there to our separate cabins. Today was a quieter more restful day as we began to acclimatize ourselves to the tempo of life on board where time and purpose lose significance as you stare out at waves and contemplate the next meal … and every night the clock is turned ahead another hour so that when we arrive, we’ll be on accurate British time.
Thursday, April 16 A day lost in memory. I know we attended the galley tour which as always astounds those on the tour with the pure volume of foodstuffs brought on board. The same statistics were expressed last year, and I won’t chose to re-write them into the blog since I did it already, but there are always new things to learn based on questions raised by others on the tour. This time I learned that all meat used on the QM2 is picked up at the New York port where it has been USDA approved and is therefore less likely to have mad cow or other problems. I also learned that each cooler in the lower decks holds a 40 foot sea container’s worth of food, and that each cooler is used for separate items: poultry, meat, vegetables etc. The amazing statistics of 32,000 eggs, and 12 tons of meat & 7 tons of poultry, used on a six day crossing is just plain alarming. As Bonnie said, imagine the person who is responsible for delivering all those eggs – fresh every six days! The pure factory/manufacturing aspect of producing vast volumes of food in an attractive, culinary fashion cannot help but give one pause. While there may be at least eight unique galleys assigned to each specific dining area it is hard to imagine how one can create all those meals in a timely fashion. And this isn’t exactly like the navy. Here the guests expect each plate to look and be attractive… both to the eye and to the palate. I guess that having 165 chef and sous chef is part of the solution, but that every meal gets to the right table and to the right person with the food at the right temperature…is astounding. Just cleaning and sanitizing all the china and cutlery, not to mention the ironing of a zillion napkins and table clothes….now that’s a job for a mangle if ever there was one. In the afternoon I went to a lecture, by the conductor of the Royal Symphony, on the complexity of being a conductor. I know that after dinner we went to the Queens Room,and watched a bit of the formal dancing at the “Black and White Ball”. I know that Marj and Gary exercised in the gym, and at special classes in their spa fitness package; and I know that we all lost track of time, space, date, and anything else requiring specificity. I know that I visited the ship doctor at some point to see about my injured leg, which was looking quite ugly; and I know that some lady fell down the stairs, and that it took too long for someone to come and help out; and I know that the ship’s clinic can take care of everything but surgery. But, you could put a gun to my head and ask what day and at what time, and I’d have to do a pretty evasive dance. The pleasure of sea travel where there are absolutely no clocks visible is that you float in an anonymous time, where the only clue to reality is if you happen to read the daily program which tells you what day it is, or if you happen to catch some television. It is a wonderfully freeing sense not to be tied to some regimen.
Friday, April 17 Everyone went their separate ways today: some to play bingo, some to the spa for a massage, some back to their rooms to watch movies on television. The sun pretended to be coming out briefly, and the seas were definitely calm, but it was not exactly conducive to sitting in deck chairs and relaxing. Though the hot tub topside did get a good workout from Marj and Ken. One of the guest lecturers gave a fine presentation on “poop” (or since he was British, ‘poo’). It actually was an interesting lecture with statistics on excrement; the importance of dung beetles (of which there are a vast variety); the danger of chemicals in cows whose ‘poo’ no longer serves the purpose it was originally able to do; the usage of poo in art, as house plaster and as fuel etc. The lecturer, from Oxford, was very amusing and the audience was larger than had been at the classical conductor’s lecture….which may say something about people’s interest in the topic! Our days have some type of pattern which is mainly evident at the end of the day when we meet for cocktails. Otherwise it is catch as catch can as we run into each other at some event or another. And we did get in a brief round of Wizard, teaching Ken this fairly addictive game. The game corridors on either side of the Illumination Theater were packed. Never have I seen so many game players – one had to fight for space. This was probably because there are many more families with young people on board… it being school break in the UK. It does make a difference to have a contingent of the young on board; it is far more pleasant to see kids having fun aboard ship,than seeing the elderly with walkers and wheel chairs.
Saturday, April 18 A very busy day, starting with the morning acquisition of bingo tickets…followed by another lecture on the role of great conductors through history. The men went to the planetarium and to the lecture on the mechanics of the ship, and afterwards there was a rousing game of Wizard with Ken as the newest convert to the fine qualities of the game. The gaming area was once more jam packed, and while we had set ourselves up at a jig-saw puzzle table, those advocates of the puzzle asked us to move so they could work on it. We did this twice and finally found a fine green-felt top covered table with no puzzles, and Marj proceeded to have a perfect game: she made every contract for all 15 hands. We all applauded her and saved the score sheet for future adulation from her fellow Wizard lovers. Tonight was our last formal meal in the dining room – the famous lobster and baked Alaska dinner where they pull out all the stops – obviously those who don’t like either of these traditional ship meals could opt for things such as roast beef or tiramisu. We have all enjoyed our evening ritual of meeting in the bar for a pre-prandial followed by a fine dining event. But I think, given his druthers, that Ken would burn his tuxedo upon returning to Peacham. The ladies have sartorially out-done themselves with their ‘Cunard Collection’, purchased over the last months, and the effects were much admired by their fellow female travelers (I’m not sure the men actually noticed). This being our penultimate dinner together it all seemed a bit sad that we would soon go our separate ways, but I believe that Gary & Ken are definitely looking forward to getting out and about for some serious walks not confined to a narrow deck area.
Sunday April 19 – Birthday As promised, when I awoke, Ray the cruise director, was reading off the names of those who had birthdays – and there I was – Beatrice Ring of the 11th deck. Only problem was, I’m on the 5th deck… I think they were anticipating our return sail when we will be on the 11th. We all did our separate activities (exercise, bingo, spa treatments, reading) but met for formal tea in the Queen’s Room in the afternoon. This is a wonderful tradition left over from the early days of sailing where people would gather for scones, finger sandwiches and good tea. It was all quite lovely even if you do wonder what happened to all those bread crusts. Were there some very happy sea gulls? Or is there more bread pudding the next day? After tea, we card fanatics had one last round of Wizard before I tucked the cards away for awhile. Dinner was a less elaborate meal with the waiters receiving their gratuities from the guests, and most people having already packed their bags for the next morning’s disembarkation. We celebrated the birthday with the ship’s special cake, and white chocolate sign, but asked the waiters to forego the off-key singing. And so, after a last walk around the deck, the trip comes to an end. Our bags are tagged and put outside the door so that we’ll see them next when we’ve disembarked, our bills our paid, our library books returned, and our finery packed away for the return visit. The seas have calmed, we’ve spotted other ships, and a variety of dolphins and sea gulls, so land is not too far away with promises of sunshine and warm weather and plenty of spring flowers – hurray! I will be interested to chat with our fellow sailors sometime after we’re all back in Peacham, to get their lasting impressions. I think that from this introductory trip perhaps we’ll get some repeat customers. But for others it was a one-time event. For Bob and me it will continue to be the ‘only way to cross’. Why cope with the hassle of planes, airports, security and jet lag when for a wee bit more you can have six luxurious days of being pampered and feeling just a little spoiled? It was nice to end our journey on my birthday. It was delightful to find my email filled with notes of congratulations and to acknowledge with friends that I am now officially ‘old’. And, so to bed.
April 20 – Monday We all got up early – the men earlier than the ladies. After all, how could the ship be correctly piloted to the pier or docked successfully without the attention of the peanut gallery? Bob was up at 5:00 a.m. to ‘help’ with the whole docking maneuver, though we were not to disembark before 10:00 a.m. Carrying our last minute overnight objects, we gathered in the Winter Garden for breakfast and to await the moment when they would announce that “all those with Orange Tags from the 5th deck” were allowed to disembark. There in the shed next to the pier we picked up our luggage and after hastily thrown kisses and hugs we separated – Bob and I off to our limousine, the others off to the taxi stand which would take them to the car rental offices.
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