Rome's done, and it didn't take long. Everything's been photographed already, after all. My comments are mostly about how much it sucks! Read it all at:
http://www.cuug.ab.ca/branderr/qm2med/rome/
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Monaco
Monaco is now done; Rome may take until tomorrow, because Rome wasn't blogged in a day.
Monaco is here:
Barcelona pictures - four days later
We're kind of heaving sighs of relief today - after four straight days of up-and-at-em to get the most of our time in four ports, we have a day crossing the middle of the Mediterranean -actually somewhat closer to Algeria than Spain - to go straight from Naples to Gibraltar.
That's time to work out, sun, catch up with the piles of photos, and this blogging.
I've got a few (kind of funny) Barcelona pictures up at:
http://www.cuug.ab.ca/branderr/qm2med/barcelona/
...and more from Monaco, Rome, and Pompeii(!) will be following shortly!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Barcelona - September 23, 2010
Barcelona - an onboard electrical malfunction works to our advantage
At approximately 8:00am we docked in Barcelona roughly on schedule. To our surprise the Commodore announced that the entire ship lost electrical power at 4:00am. Power had been restored but the crew needed time to investigate the cause of the malfunction. So the QM2 would be departing Barcelona at 1:00am, not hours earlier as previously planned. This meant we could saunter around Barcelona until midnight, after our Gaudi tour ended at 1:30pm.
The tour was nice, as we got to see inside Gaudi buildings and a park designed by him, which we did not have time to do when we visited Barcelona for a day and a half 2 years earlier. The park was originally meant to be a garden with houses for the wealthy, but it never took off. The owners donated it to the city as a public park. I would have been content to stay there most of the day among the columns that looked like trees, the colourful mosaics and the lovely grottos. The final stop on the tour was a private apartment in a Gaudi building. All of the doorways, ceiling etc. were designed by Gaudi himself and were a marvel. Roy has photos I'm sure he'll put up later.
By the time the tour ended our empty bellies were complaining, so we headed up La Rambla in search of sustenance. Fortunately for us their lunch break was just beginning, so all of the restaurants were open. We popped into a quiet, serene place that served traditional Catalan cuisine. After some salad, beer and a deliciously spiced seafood soup, we were ready to ramble along the rest of La Rambla and into the old town.
We'd been here before so we wandered down streets we'd missed on our previous trip and revisited ones we remembered, including a huge marketplace that makes Granville Island Market in Vancouver look puny. There we purchased some spicy sausage to bring back to make paella.
Down another street we came upon a very small square where a natural food market had been erected. There were half a dozen tables with canvas tarps over them selling honey, essential oil, chocolate, nuts, etc. We picked up a few gifts to bring back for family.
Barcelona has a fashion district, so there are wonderful shops everywhere. To my surprise, Roy became quite interested in one particular mens wear shop that had a wide range within a small space. There were modern shirts and ties next to what could only be described as modern versions of aristocratic tux 'n tails made from jacquard fabrics. Many of the shirts were bright jewel tones, but Roy found a black shirt with thin white stripes and two ties, one black and one white, that he liked. He doesn't often shop for dressy clothing, hence my surprise. He's going to look very smart in them.
After some supper (paella, what else?) we tootled off to the traffic circle where the shuttle busses were supposed to take passengers back to the ship. Seeing no sign of one after about 10 minutes, Roy flagged down a cab and we had a good vantage point for a few minutes from the bridge to the piers to watch the fireworks. One of the things I love about big European cities: lots of taxis. In Calgary, there never seems to be one when you need it.
Back on board the QM2, a bit footsore and over-stimulated after a day in Barcelona, we were soon in bed. I don't recall the ship getting underway, I must have zonked out soon after my head hit the pillow.
Friday we'll have a shortened stay in Monte Carlo, Monaco, due to the delay in Barcelona.
Connie
At approximately 8:00am we docked in Barcelona roughly on schedule. To our surprise the Commodore announced that the entire ship lost electrical power at 4:00am. Power had been restored but the crew needed time to investigate the cause of the malfunction. So the QM2 would be departing Barcelona at 1:00am, not hours earlier as previously planned. This meant we could saunter around Barcelona until midnight, after our Gaudi tour ended at 1:30pm.
The tour was nice, as we got to see inside Gaudi buildings and a park designed by him, which we did not have time to do when we visited Barcelona for a day and a half 2 years earlier. The park was originally meant to be a garden with houses for the wealthy, but it never took off. The owners donated it to the city as a public park. I would have been content to stay there most of the day among the columns that looked like trees, the colourful mosaics and the lovely grottos. The final stop on the tour was a private apartment in a Gaudi building. All of the doorways, ceiling etc. were designed by Gaudi himself and were a marvel. Roy has photos I'm sure he'll put up later.
By the time the tour ended our empty bellies were complaining, so we headed up La Rambla in search of sustenance. Fortunately for us their lunch break was just beginning, so all of the restaurants were open. We popped into a quiet, serene place that served traditional Catalan cuisine. After some salad, beer and a deliciously spiced seafood soup, we were ready to ramble along the rest of La Rambla and into the old town.
We'd been here before so we wandered down streets we'd missed on our previous trip and revisited ones we remembered, including a huge marketplace that makes Granville Island Market in Vancouver look puny. There we purchased some spicy sausage to bring back to make paella.
Down another street we came upon a very small square where a natural food market had been erected. There were half a dozen tables with canvas tarps over them selling honey, essential oil, chocolate, nuts, etc. We picked up a few gifts to bring back for family.
Barcelona has a fashion district, so there are wonderful shops everywhere. To my surprise, Roy became quite interested in one particular mens wear shop that had a wide range within a small space. There were modern shirts and ties next to what could only be described as modern versions of aristocratic tux 'n tails made from jacquard fabrics. Many of the shirts were bright jewel tones, but Roy found a black shirt with thin white stripes and two ties, one black and one white, that he liked. He doesn't often shop for dressy clothing, hence my surprise. He's going to look very smart in them.
After some supper (paella, what else?) we tootled off to the traffic circle where the shuttle busses were supposed to take passengers back to the ship. Seeing no sign of one after about 10 minutes, Roy flagged down a cab and we had a good vantage point for a few minutes from the bridge to the piers to watch the fireworks. One of the things I love about big European cities: lots of taxis. In Calgary, there never seems to be one when you need it.
Back on board the QM2, a bit footsore and over-stimulated after a day in Barcelona, we were soon in bed. I don't recall the ship getting underway, I must have zonked out soon after my head hit the pillow.
Friday we'll have a shortened stay in Monte Carlo, Monaco, due to the delay in Barcelona.
Connie
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
September 20, 2010 - Farewell to Southampton and New Acqaintances
It's Monday evening, 8:30, and we've come back to our stateroom to freshen up after dinner before heading to the evening performance and then the Chart Room to listen to live jazz ... again. Our bellies are comfortably full of Angus steak, Yorkshire pudding, root vegetables and warm chocolate fondant. We took a break from the Britannia dining room tonight and yesterday, deciding it was time to sample the dinner cuisine on deck seven. King's Court's four venues rotate breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks and it's possible to find something to nosh on throughout the day. Most evenings, however, one or more of them behaves like a restaurant, requiring a reservation. There is no additional cost for this or for the pub style lunch in The Golden Lion.
So we won't meet our new Britannia dining companions at our table of six, number 23, until the evening of the 21st. Hopefully we will enjoy their company as much as we did that of Jackie, Peg, Desiree and George during the crossing from New York to Southampton. All four of them were only going as far as Southampton.
Jackie and Peg live northwest of London. Peg, an American who moved from New Jersey to England years ago when her husband was transferred there by his company, was visiting family for the summer. Jackie flew from London to New York the day before the QM2 sailed so as to accompany Peg on her return journey. They were always a bit tardy for dinner, visiting with Peg's little dog until the kennels closed for the day. Jackie was shocked to hear that the Harry Potter books were banned in some libraries in the U.S.
Desiree and George are 30ish and decided to take 14 months off to travel around the world before they start 'having babies', as George put it. Their one caveat is they are determined to traverse the globe without getting on an airplane. Roy handed them his business card so they can send us the URL where they're logging their progress so we can follow their journey during the upcoming year.
Southampton was a nice break, although Sunday is not the best day for it as nothing opens before 11:00am. We managed to see the Maritime Museum, which had plenty on the Titanic disaster and specifically how it affected Southampton, which was home to much of its crew.
Tonight we will pass the northwestern most tip of France and then spend most of Tuesday traversing the Bay of Biscay.
So we won't meet our new Britannia dining companions at our table of six, number 23, until the evening of the 21st. Hopefully we will enjoy their company as much as we did that of Jackie, Peg, Desiree and George during the crossing from New York to Southampton. All four of them were only going as far as Southampton.
Jackie and Peg live northwest of London. Peg, an American who moved from New Jersey to England years ago when her husband was transferred there by his company, was visiting family for the summer. Jackie flew from London to New York the day before the QM2 sailed so as to accompany Peg on her return journey. They were always a bit tardy for dinner, visiting with Peg's little dog until the kennels closed for the day. Jackie was shocked to hear that the Harry Potter books were banned in some libraries in the U.S.
Desiree and George are 30ish and decided to take 14 months off to travel around the world before they start 'having babies', as George put it. Their one caveat is they are determined to traverse the globe without getting on an airplane. Roy handed them his business card so they can send us the URL where they're logging their progress so we can follow their journey during the upcoming year.
Southampton was a nice break, although Sunday is not the best day for it as nothing opens before 11:00am. We managed to see the Maritime Museum, which had plenty on the Titanic disaster and specifically how it affected Southampton, which was home to much of its crew.
Tonight we will pass the northwestern most tip of France and then spend most of Tuesday traversing the Bay of Biscay.
Friday, September 17, 2010
How You fill in the time aboard a ship in mid-ocean
I've done up another web page, this one with just a few pictures and an account of a day aboard the QM2.
It's actually a busier day and much longer, than I put in most of the time at work and home!
I've stashed it at:
http://www.cuug.ab.ca/branderr/qm2med/packed/
Best to everyone - one more day at sea and we reach Southampton tomorrow night. Connie's cell phone will again come to life.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
New York pictures and comments
For my comments on blogging and posting photos on blogs, see my previous post, "About the Diaries".
Another web page is up (I've been working on both all week, and am finally done; so I'm almost caught up to real-time and the next post will be about the last few days on the ship). The new page is about our 30-odd hours in New York, where I caught some nice shots of the all-revised Times Square, even more high-tech video walls than 2 years ago, and a nice shot of the Empire State Building fading out into fog.
I have posted it at:
http://www.cuug.ab.ca/branderr/qm2med/NYC1
Another web page is up (I've been working on both all week, and am finally done; so I'm almost caught up to real-time and the next post will be about the last few days on the ship). The new page is about our 30-odd hours in New York, where I caught some nice shots of the all-revised Times Square, even more high-tech video walls than 2 years ago, and a nice shot of the Empire State Building fading out into fog.
I have posted it at:
http://www.cuug.ab.ca/branderr/qm2med/NYC1
About the diaries
I have two problems with blogging a vacation:
1) The blog system tends to restrict the size of your photographs posted, and I am very keen about showing my photography as big as your screen can stand.
2) We're paying by the minute for our internet connection on-board, and you have to be on the whole time you're typing into the blog system. (I'm just not fond of "cloud computing" anyway, it's slow and restrictive.)
So, I have put together web pages which I can compose at leisure, fill with photos large and small, and I'll just log in long enough to post the link. I've long developed a system for putting presentations on the web, with an index page of thumbnails and comments, and you can either click on the thumbnail for a "screen size" version, or the JPG file name above that, for the full, huge, multi-megapixel photo file.
My first entry is about my grandmother's diaries. They are quite a family treasure, as was she.
Have a look at the page on them I have put together at:
http://www.cuug.ab.ca/branderr/qm2med/diary/
...and then use the blog for comments!
Happy reading!
1) The blog system tends to restrict the size of your photographs posted, and I am very keen about showing my photography as big as your screen can stand.
2) We're paying by the minute for our internet connection on-board, and you have to be on the whole time you're typing into the blog system. (I'm just not fond of "cloud computing" anyway, it's slow and restrictive.)
So, I have put together web pages which I can compose at leisure, fill with photos large and small, and I'll just log in long enough to post the link. I've long developed a system for putting presentations on the web, with an index page of thumbnails and comments, and you can either click on the thumbnail for a "screen size" version, or the JPG file name above that, for the full, huge, multi-megapixel photo file.
My first entry is about my grandmother's diaries. They are quite a family treasure, as was she.
Have a look at the page on them I have put together at:
http://www.cuug.ab.ca/branderr/qm2med/diary/
...and then use the blog for comments!
Happy reading!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Escape from New York - with some help from a Brooklyn native
There are three things I will remember about the Waldorf Astoria, rebuilt in 1931 in classic Art Deco style. It is quiet, which is rare in Manhattan. The food is expensive - eat at a nearby cafe, there are plenty to choose from. Oh, and be careful the porter at the garage entrance doesn't put you in the wrong taxi when you leave. As the trunk of the cab was closing on our suitcases, the cabby argued that he didn't know how to get to Pier 12 in Brooklyn. So then the porter argued back, "If ya comes in here, ya gotta take the work." So Roy and I attempted to remove ourselves and our belongings from the vehicle, but the porter insisted we get in the taxi.
Sigh. I am so very glad my husband is good at keeping his temper. We got the cabby to pull in front of the hotel and remove our luggage. He seemed heartily relieved he didn't have to drive to Brooklyn. Of course, now that we were at the front door of the Waldorf, a porter asked us if we were checking in, whereupon we told him what had just happened round back.
At this juncture a large, dark-skinned man in his mid-thirties, wearing a black suit and tie walked over from his shiny black sedan and asked, "You need to get to Brooklyn Pier? You going on the Queen Mary? $60." Done. As he hauled our bags into the trunk of his taxi (yes, I checked for the 'Approved Transport' sticker), I resisted the urge to hug our saviour. On the way to Pier 12 he pointed out the newly created park on the Brooklyn side of the bridge where he would be watching the fireworks with his son later that evening. "For free. Last year it cost nearly $500 bucks to watch them from Manhattan." Roy and I nodded in approving agreement to these changes to his home town. We arrived safe and sound at Pier 12 and added a generous tip to his fee.
Roy is editing photos on his notebook behind me on the love seat as I type this at the desk in our cabin. I'm sure that he will provide his usual scintillating commentary to complement them.
Connie
Sigh. I am so very glad my husband is good at keeping his temper. We got the cabby to pull in front of the hotel and remove our luggage. He seemed heartily relieved he didn't have to drive to Brooklyn. Of course, now that we were at the front door of the Waldorf, a porter asked us if we were checking in, whereupon we told him what had just happened round back.
At this juncture a large, dark-skinned man in his mid-thirties, wearing a black suit and tie walked over from his shiny black sedan and asked, "You need to get to Brooklyn Pier? You going on the Queen Mary? $60." Done. As he hauled our bags into the trunk of his taxi (yes, I checked for the 'Approved Transport' sticker), I resisted the urge to hug our saviour. On the way to Pier 12 he pointed out the newly created park on the Brooklyn side of the bridge where he would be watching the fireworks with his son later that evening. "For free. Last year it cost nearly $500 bucks to watch them from Manhattan." Roy and I nodded in approving agreement to these changes to his home town. We arrived safe and sound at Pier 12 and added a generous tip to his fee.
Roy is editing photos on his notebook behind me on the love seat as I type this at the desk in our cabin. I'm sure that he will provide his usual scintillating commentary to complement them.
Connie
Friday, September 10, 2010
Who is E.E.C.?
Ethel Eva Conybeare was Roy's grandmother on his father's side, the daughter of a lawyer in Lethbridge, Alberta. She served as a nurse in France during the Great War and shortly thereafter married and became Ethel Brander. Before the horrors of war and the responsibilities of motherhood, Ethel did what most young women of her day did when they were the offspring of successful lawyers. In 1910 she packed her trunk and embarked on a tour of Europe and the Meditteranean.
Our trip on the Queen Mary 2 closely matches her trip on the Carpathia 100 years ago, in locations if not in duration. We'll fly to New York tomorrow morning and board the QM2 on Sunday. There's internet aboard ship, so we'll do our best to upload photos and commentary during out journey. In the meantime, here's some light reading on the history and significance of the Cunard steamship, RMS Carpathia.
Our trip on the Queen Mary 2 closely matches her trip on the Carpathia 100 years ago, in locations if not in duration. We'll fly to New York tomorrow morning and board the QM2 on Sunday. There's internet aboard ship, so we'll do our best to upload photos and commentary during out journey. In the meantime, here's some light reading on the history and significance of the Cunard steamship, RMS Carpathia.
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