October 2010 - Queen Elizabeth Maiden Voyage

"
.....and so do we!! So here we are...once again in the land of "lifts" (elevators), "humps "(speed bumps) and "Qs" (long lines that wind around and around...) We're very excited to be on this maiden cruise of the new Cunard Queen, especially since it sold out in 29 minutes!! (And we love being able to run our bare toes through the carpeting before John Q Public does!) Here is our itinerary in brief: 13 days on Queen Elizabeth traveling to Spain, Portugal, the Canary Islands and Madeira. We will then get off the ship and travel on our own to Guernsey and Sark in the Channel Islands. (Hoping to sample some of that potato peel pie!) We'll then rejoin QE for 3 weeks in the Aegean, returning home around the beginning of December.

Since we're too technologically challenged to set up a new blog site, we're piggybacking this one on top of our 2008 blog....hope you'll come on along!

October 7 - Driving on the left in the New Forest

This morning we strapped ourselves into our rental car (a little tighter than usual since we'll be trying to remember to keep ourselves on the left side of the roadway....Yikes!!) and took off for the New Forest. We lunched on, what else?....fish and chips in scenic Lyndhurst, where the grave of Alice Liddell, Lewis Carroll's inspiration for Alice in Wonderland, can be found. We moved on to Beaulieu where we toured Lord Montagu's palace and Britain's National Motor Museum.


Chuck was excited to find a twin to the beloved MG that he had when I first knew him! (Is it a sign of age to see cars we've driven in a museum??)

We even saw some models we haven't seen on the road....


... and even a little display that reminded us of sister Binky!

The major challenge of the day was avoiding the New Forest ponies that roam free through the area, ignoring all strictures to "keep to the left!" (A little reminiscent of the camels and cows in India!!)

October 7-12 - Southampton

Yes! There she is!! We watched Queen Elizabeth make her first entrance into Southampton Water on Friday morning. The newest Queen in the Cunard fleet was welcomed by hovering helicopters and fireboats spraying plumes of water into the air. She is definitely dominating the waterfront and drawing lots of interest. And we've already made friends with Maria and Sergei from the ship's entertainment troupe who were dining at a neighboring table on Friday night!

We've found lots to do during our 5 days in Southampton. The White Star Tavern where we're staying http://www.whitestartavern.co.uk/ is right on Oxford Street, which seems to be where all the action is! I know we all supposedly speak the same language, but the menu here sometimes has us wondering.... "pork scratchings".... "fundamentally fungus tempura".... "frazzled duck egg sarni" .... really!?!

And just what famous person, we wonder, might this little byway be named for??



We're close to the water, the docks and the museums (we now know nearly everything there is to know about the Titanic.) We are also near the old walled part of town, including the world's oldest bowling green ...which has been in use since around 1299! We even cheered on the Southampton Saints at the football/soccer stadium (the home team won 2-0, Go Saints!!) and took a harbor cruise to get up close and personal with our (soon-to-be) floating home.

It is now Monday, and the city is all aflutter because the Queen (the two-legged one!) is arriving to break the champagne bottle on QE's bow at this afternoon's naming ceremony. So...lots of security!



And now.... today's history lesson! Most people think the Mayflower departed from Plymouth when, in fact, she started out from right here in Southampton. The Speedwell joined the Mayflower here in Southampton and together they set out for the New World. After turning back to Dartmouth, and a second time to Plymouth for repairs, the Speedwell was abandoned and the Mayflower sailed alone to Plymouth in New England. We loved this weathervane atop the Pilgrim Fathers Memorial on the waterfront.....






We're looking forward to sprouting our sea legs tomorrow!! Queen Elizabeth sails at 5 PM...we are anticipating some special ceremonies...and maybe some fireworks!

October 12 - "One Moment in Time"

Finally....the day we've been anticipating! Her Majesty and her entourage and all the dignitaries have cleared out and we can begin to settle in. We popped the cork on the champagne welcoming us to our stateroom and had front row seats for the band marching in formation right below us on the quay....

They performed a medley of patriotic music as well as a moving rendition of "One Moment in Time." This maiden departure from Southampton is truly that!! Queen Elizabeth moved away from the pier amid much cheering, toasting and flag-waving. She was surrounded by spectator boats packed to capacity, fireboats putting on a spectacular water show and helicopters circling as she made her way through Southampton Water.

Our last view of Britain was the sun setting over the Isle of Wight as we passed through the Solent. What a magnificent day!!

October 13 - The Ship

Queen Elizabeth is essentially a twin sister of Queen Victoria..... so having done the maiden world cruise on Victoria, we have the advantage of already knowing our way around this ship. They are so alike that every time we round a corner, we half expect to run into one of our "mates" from QV. (Sure wish we would.... we miss you all a lot!) There are a few differences.... QE has a boxier stern to allow for more cabins (thumbs down) and the decor in the Royal Court Theatre is blue rather than red (thumbs up!) Elizabeth has also gone green. Your room card key must now be in a slot by the door to activate the electricity in your cabin....so no charging our camera batteries during dinner. Here is a look at some areas of the ship.....


Theatre boxes in the Royal Court Theatre.

The spiral stairway in the library.

The stairway in the Britannia dining room.

Relaxing deck chairs.

October 14 - Vigo, Spain

We learned that the itinerary for this cruise is identical to that of QE2's maiden voyage. Our first port of call is Vigo in the northwest region of Spain. This city is the second largest fishing port in the world after Tokyo. It has been said that Vigo Bay is large enough to hold the combined fleets of all the world!

We headed out of the city to Bayona, a delightful fishing village and now a summer resort. The coastline is an outstanding feature of this region of Galicia.... the deep indentations, or "rias" are said to resemble fjords.

And now....history lesson for today: We all know that in fourteen hundred and ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue....with the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. What you might not know is that after discovering the Americas, the Santa Maria stayed there while the Nina and the Pinta returned to Spain to report on their findings. The two ships were separated in a storm and the Pinta was blown far north and landed here in Bayona. The people of Bayona therefore claim to be the first to have heard of the discovery of the New World.

They are very proud of the replica of the Pinta in their harbor.

There's almost always a surprise for us in every port! We were excited to hear the wail of bagpipes as we approached the ship at the end of the day and learned that they are traditional in this area.

Just imagine a lilting tune as you look at this photograph of dancers in native dress!

October 15 - Lisbon

Lisbon's position along the River Tagus in Portugal has been sought after by different civilizations through the ages. It is even thought to have been founded by that great wanderer Ulysses. We took an open top bus tour around the city....

.... and spent some time at the Tower of Belem. It was once known as the Castle of St Vincent, Lisbon's official patron saint. It was built in the 16th century to guard the approach to the city by water and at one time stood nearly in midstream so that prisoners in the dungeons could enjoy a neck-high bath at high tide! We thought it looked like a spectacular sand castle!

We then embarked on our adventure of the day. We thought we would take a relaxing tram ride through the Alfama which is the oldest and most picturesque quarter of the city. It is a tangled maze of narrow cobbled alleyways and overhanging houses. The trams operate on rails and resemble the cable cars in San Francisco. The first one we tried to get on had a very cranky operator who wouldn't let anyone get on. After quite a wait another one showed up. By this time there was a very long line of people wanting to get on so some pushing and shoving ensued. We adhere to the "when in Rome" philosophy, so did a little "manuevering" ourselves and managed to not only get on the tram but to even get a seat! Okay!! Ready to go!! But, oops....not so fast. The tram ahead of us will not budge. Our driver gets off and has a heated "discussion" with the other driver. While this is happening, some of the people on our tram get into an argument and some of them leave. Our driver gets back on and makes an irritated announcement and then proceeds to go to the back of the car where he is now going to drive the tram backwards. We, of course, have NO idea what anyone is saying or what is happening. It's like watching TV with the audio off! We back all the way around the square, as does the empty tram, and when the driver switches back to driving forward again, the empty tram is still in front of us. So....on and off....a few more arguments, and finally we are riding the twisting and turning alleyways of the old quarter. In places where the trams can pass each other, there is only a hair's width between them!! (Sticking your head out the open window to see where you are??.... not a good plan...) We finally get to a steep hill with a blind curve and barely room for one tram to pass.... and a tram is coming the other way! So we are all at an impasse!! The drivers all get out and once again start yelling at each other. There's a lot of backing up, and they even get out some tools and do something to the rails. Suffice it to say, we spent about an hour on the tram, maybe ten minutes of it actually moving, and had to run like crazy to get back to the ship on time. And we have absolutely no idea what was happening! These cultural experiences are great!!

October 16 - Cadiz, Spain

We always seem to gravitate to the oldest sections of these old cities. We struck a gold mine in Cadiz since they say it's the oldest city in Europe! We found a delightful and picturesque square with free WiFi!! (You can't possibly understand how exciting this is until you don't have it....the internet service on the ship is utterly abysmal!!) We spent the afternoon sipping coffee, sampling paella and catching up on email.... happy as lizards on a sunny rock!

The architecture is very Spanish....

....and so is the food! Yummmmmm!

I don't know why.... but we still found ourselves having to scurry to get back to the ship on time. We arrived out of breath only to hear the Captain announce that departure would be delayed. Apparently, Sir David Frost is arriving to give a presentation on the ship tomorrow and his flight was delayed. We position ourselves on our balcony to photograph him when he arrives...we're sure his driver will take the corner into the port on two wheels and will squeal to a stop right at the foot of the waiting gangway. We're certain that Sir David will jump out with tie askew and hair blowing as he makes a mad dash onto the waiting ship. We have our cameras poised and ready.... we're sure we'll have to work fast! Finally.... a black car pulls into the port at a (very) leisurely pace. The car comes to a gentle stop and nothing happens. (The better for everyone to arrange themselves along the deck rails with cameras!) When he feels that he has an adequate audience (we surmise!), he steps out of the car, hair manicured, tie not flapping, and schmoozes a bit with the officers awaiting his arrival. As he ambles toward the gangway, he raises his arm in acknowledgment of the multitudes assembled to watch his arrival.....

(NOTE TO OURSELVES: This approach probably won't work for us!)

October 17 - Sea Day

We've been extraordinarily lucky with our tablemates at dinner. Vince and Sandee are from Hawaii and he has six motorcycles, a Porsche, a vintage '61 Buick and a '69 Mustang that he is restoring. He looks like Henry Winkler and we all call him "The Fonz"! Eric and Gay are from near London, but are originally from Liverpool, so they're continuing the lessons in Liverpool slang that we were learning from Rodney and Rhona on our last cruise. "Lovely... brilliant.... I'm gobsmacked by your kecks, lad... were you squiffy when you chose them?" Can't wait for tonight's lesson! (We love being bilingual!!)

POSTSCRIPT: Yesterday's wait for Sir David Frost was definitely worth it! His presentation, "Interviews I Shall Never Forget" was a standing room only event in the Royal Court Theatre. He is the only person to have interviewed the last seven Presidents of the United States and the last seven Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom. The greatest interest from this crowd seemed to be in his interviews with Richard Nixon.

October 18 - Gran Canaria

Yes....that is Queen Elizabeth's reflection in this image at the port! Gran Canaria is a volcanic island with deep valleys, volcanic cones and craters and a picturesque landscape. According to legend, the Canary Islands were thought to be the last traces of the lost continent of Atlantis.

Many people think that the name for the islands came from its flocks of feathered friends....

.... but legend has it that the islands, when discovered, were inhabited by bands of dogs. The latin word for dog is "canis" .... and Canaria became the accepted name for these isles.

Our guide, Armando, took us to Columbus's house (no.... he wasn't home!) which is now a museum where we saw a replica of his cabin on his ship....not bad!!!!

We also went up to the Crater of Bandama where we had amazing panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Kudos to our driver, Manolo, who safely manuevered around the corkscrew and hairpin turns up and down the mountains. (I had to cover my eyes during much of this trip!) We were surprised to pass by some caves at the higher elevations where people actually live! Apparently, there is no tax on land inside the mountains! We also stopped at a restaurant that was inside a cave.... another tax dodge perhaps???

Armando also squeezed in a stroll through some gorgeous gardens before delivering us back to the port.

October 19 - Tenerife

We entered the port of Tenerife just before daybreak.

It was a gorgeous day for the lifeboats to practice manuevers around the mothership!

The crew knows just where to go for free WiFi in every port! (This was just after the storms and flooding in the Philippines, so my guess is that they're checking on their families.)

Chuck was quite enamored of this statue in the main square!

Tenerife is the highest of all the Atlantic Islands. Here is the ship with a view of the elevation.

This band of "Guardia Civil" performed for us on the quay before the ship departed. When they shot off their muskets, it sounded like the beginning of World War III....it was LOUD!!

Our departing view of Tenerife.

October 20 - La Palma

We found La Palma to be by far the most beautiful of the Canary Islands. It is the most lush and green. It is also the world's steepest island, which makes for incredible vistas.... and scarier than ever hairpin turns up the mountainsides! (My fingernails are almost all gone!)


La Palma is also known for its beautiful flower-bedecked balconies......

....and cathedrals, too!

Uh-oh....we're wondering how we'll ever get this souvenir hat onto the airplane!!

Chuck loved this peaceful little square. It had all the basics....a cathedral.... a fountain.... and a pub!!

The vistas are so beautiful that they look fake!!

Dazzling beauty....wherever you look!

We went all the way up to La Caldera de Taburiente and hiked a trail around the crater. The rugged and eerie beauty took our breath away!

The crater is forested with the majestic and fire-resistant Canary Pine and is one of the most beautiful (and quietest!!) spots I have ever seen. (That little white spot toward the lower right corner is our bus!)

October 21 - Madeira

Madeira, the Portuguese island off the coast of Morocco, has been hyped by many as being the high point of this voyage's itinerary. It ended up being a total wash out.... quite literally! We struck out in the pouring rain for a daylong tour of the island. These island showers are always fleeting, right??? By lunchtime, it was raining even harder. Lunch was in a cozy inn with a roaring fire in the fireplace. They kept s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g out the lunch stop by bringing us wine.... more wine.... some madeira.... some brandy. The rain was still pelting the windows when we were all of a sudden hustled out to the tour bus. You might recall that in February, Madeira experienced flooding that caused significant damage and loss of life. This seemed to be a deja vu moment for the islanders as schools and businesses closed early. As a safety precaution, Cunard was requesting that all passengers return to the ship. We had gotten to a rather high elevation and the ride back down to the coast was a bit harrowing! The roads were turning into raging mud-filled rivers surrounded by waterfalls....

Yes....that's our road!

It made all those hairpin turns in the Canaries seem pretty benign.... at least they were dry and we didn't have to worry about the road washing out from under us! All were present and accounted for at the end of the day.... although we were pretty disappointed to miss our afternoon toboggan ride which covers a two mile descent down a mountain in a wicker basket! The drivers run alongside pushing and steering using their rubber-soled boots as brakes. This used to be the established mode of transport! (No wonder they drink so much madeira wine!!)

The evening's entertainment in the Royal Court Theatre was Lulu of "To Sir With Love" and "Shout" fame. KiKi Dee ("You're Still the One") also performed. (Don't tell anyone....but I've become a KiKi Dee fan....LOVE her....will be looking for her CDs....shhhhh....) It was great fun! Queen Elizabeth was rocking and Baby Boomers were dancing in the aisles!!

The ship Azura which left before we did. You can see that the weather is still hanging around!

POSTSCRIPT:

The Captain related this story to us the next day. Apparently during the deluge of rain, some members of the QE crew noticed that a dog had been washed into the sea. They notified authorities in the town who sent out a pilot boat to see if they could find the pup. Happily, the dog was rescued and is none the worse for her afternoon swim. Furthermore, she is being adopted by one of the men on the rescue boat and will be named.... what else??.... Queen Elizabeth!!

October 25 - One cruise down...one to go!

Today we disembarked from Queen Elizabeth.... but will join her again on November 8th when we will embark for a cruise through the Aegean. In the interim, we will be exploring the Channel Islands! We miss QE already, so decided to go down to the quay to wish her bon voyage!

Here is Chuck trying to get the ultimate shot....good thing we have travel insurance!!

A view we don't normally see....thank goodness!!

Ahhhh....time to relax!