Never a dull moment at sea

I woke late. I expected my legs and feet to ache after my prodigious walk around Boston, but no problems, not even a twinge! Good bless Sketchers!

Clocks moved ahead one hour for Canadian time.

Breakfasted alone while reading and planning my day.

Heard Roy Hunt lecture on Cole Porter. Delightful. He had the entire audience singing along to the words on the screen. Very ebullient and knowledgeable and entertaining. He is definitely on my list to hear again.

Heard lecture by Robert Jordan who was ambassador to Saudi Arabia on 9/11...he'd been on the job 2 weeks, Congress hadn't even okayed him yet! Claimed he was not a politician, but sure sounded like one. Interesting factoid: Saudis will not allow a career diplomat to be ambassador, they want a friend of President who can go over heads to get his ear! Intriguing speech. I just may read his book Desert Diplomat. Another factoid: until 3 weeks prior to end of Gulf War, State Dept. (Colin Powell) believed they were going to be rsponsible for post-conflict rehab of Iran; the DoD surprised everyone by being "granted" control and screwed up everything by being hard cases. New Crown Prince is 31 and wants to address Saudi economic/population problems by selling off part of ARAMCO! Yikes!! Jordan believes Saudi Royal family is responsible for most of situation because back in 1979 when Shah was booted from Iran, they panicked and gave control of education and welfare to the religious leaders, they found they could not rein in the fanaticism which evolved! Jordan is "on the fence" about Congress okaying families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia, he feels it will very, very likely blow up in our faces. 

Lunched with Carol from Seattle, whom I met at my muster station drill. She and husband are former high school principals and college professors. Excellent hour with her.

At knitting met Jackie from Dallas, Margaret and Bob from Derbyshire (their "neighbors" are the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire whose Chatsworth is 20 minutes from their front door. Also, Barbara and Darby (mother and daughter from my dinner table) came by, Darby stayed and I gave her yarn and needles with which to practice. 

Attended Platinum/Diamond cocktail party. Sat with Jim and Maura from Lexington, KY who're back cruising after selling their refurbished trawler. Yoyo remembered me when I spoke to her and introduced to Jim and Maura, who will be making appt with her tomorrow.

Dinner was excellent. Gabrielle and I are dining alternative tomorrow evening dor Coriamder.

After dinner heard Mark Hodgson Trio and RADA do Jazz Poetry: wide range including James Baldwin, Cole Porter's "Miss Otis Regrets," Carol Anne Duffy's "Salome," and John Masefield's "Cargoes" and "I  Must Go Down To The Sea."

Excellent day!!!  How could anyone be bored on this ship?????

Back in Boston

I am tickled that this city still feels like home. I knew how to find my way around (with a bit of help from Google Maps) and enjoyed a wonderful day walking around the port and government center areas. 

Queen Mary 2 made her way up the channel to the cruiseport about 7:30 AM , offering a wonderful breakfast view.

After breakfast with Gabrielle, I set out for the New England Aquarium. Sights seen during my 1.3 mile walk reminded me of Girl Scout trips and outings spent here.

Though it's been about 40 years since my last visit, the Aquarium is still magical. The life size silhouettes of sharks and whales have retained their fascination.

Although pengiuns have replaced the ever-circling sharks in the foundation pool, the whale carcass hanging overhead still awes me. 

 

According to an Aquarium docent, this fellow is the same turtle that was introduced to the Aquarium tank in 1970!!!! After "chasing" him around the tank, I tried for a picture from the top of the tank, but could not avoid the lights shining down. You can't get a good feel for it, but his shell is about 5 feet long.

After roaming the Aquarium petting rays, starfish, crabs and sea urchins (the latter VERY carefully), I walked across the street to Legal Seafood where I indulged in REAL fat-bellied fried clams! I mentally shared the experience with brother Bill by text. His riposte: if he were there we'd have been on a train to Woodman's in Essex. Now I have a reason to return.

 

My clams were succulent! I savored each one! But decided I needed to walk them off, so I set out for Quincy Market, which remains a foodie's dream. I successfully avoided binging on fudge and (having no way to reheat it aboard ship) didn't buy clam chowder. 

 Still feeling Weight Watchers awareness of my clam experience, I walked back to the ship, passing one of those little corner parks that abound in Boston, this one offering dancing waters, which perfectly captured my light-hearted mood. 

I, also, passed a Seven Eleven, which no longer exist in my area (they've all become Kangaroos) and couldn't resist the call of a Big Gulp! In mid-sip, my phone rings; Bill is calling to reminisce and to share a joke. 

An excellent day: perfect weather in the mid-60's, intermittent sun coupled with fresh, brisk harbor breeze made for a wonderful 5- hour Fall stroll that reacquainted me with an old haunt. I will come back here! 

As the sun sets over the bow of QM2 docked at Black Falcon Pier in Southie waiting for her passengers to re-board, I am (as ever) grateful I have the means (financial, physical and mental) to appreciate the life I lead.  I'm also grateful to be sitting down again, I didn't feel tired until I did!

And now I'm off to a salad for dinner, a Jazz piano performance and my bed. 

Newport, RI

Sleeping in an inside cabin is like being is a sensory deprivation tank, to a degree. There's no light when the lamps are off and very little sound. I had no idea how noisy 4606 Antelope is until I tried to sleep with silence! This quiet is enhanced by the fact that I am at the end of forward deck and there's only a cabin on one side of me. Once the screaming baby hushed up, the silence was palpable. 

I was awakened this morning by the anchor being dropped in Newport Harbor...the chain release reverberated through my mattress! Not unpleasant, just unexpected. And now I'll be prepared for it in Nova Scotia. Tomorrow, we dock at Black Falcon pier in Boston, so no anchor. 

At breakfast I met Merrill and Liz from Perth, after chatting for the meal, we arranged to meet at 3 in Sir Samuel's for tea. They went off to tour; I went to stand in queue to get a tender ticket to go ashore. Ticket in hand I sat down to wait and got into a conversation with a couple fron New Hyde Park, NY about antiques, the Kennedys, Cape Cod, Antiques Roadshow vs. American Pickers, what do do with unwanted clothing and furniture and veterans' right. 90 minutes later, my group number was called and I boarded tender for the 14 minutes ride to the dock. The harbor is so shallow QM2 anchors a mile from the land, out beyond the breakwater.

Newport is a touristy town that revels in its social pretensions. The locals I talked with were charming and chatty. The streets are immaculate, not a bit of litter anywhere. The shops were uber clean and upscale. I walked into a cupcake store selling $8.00 cupcakes...they looked great but had like an inch of icing! No thanks. I did buy a butterscotch oatmeal cookie -yum!!

I lunched at FB's suggested eatery, The Black Pearl, met the chef and thoroughly relished the clam chowder!! 

 After walking around town, I stopped in at the Speak Easy and Grill for a drink before heading back to the ship. 

While walking, I was reminded of Jean! 

Merrill did not come to tea but Liz and I spent nearly two hours trading stories. She works for The Water Company of Western Australia, which handles all water including deslaninized and reclaimed as well as natural and aquifer. She's been there 19 years after serving two stints in the Army, retiring as a Warrant Officer. We really clicked, so I imagine I'll see them again. 

As we were having tea, the tenders were being raised back to their sailing brackets. Weird to see a boat that holds 120 people float up past the window of Deck 3!!

Tonight I'm off to dinner in Kings Court, then to watch the dancers at the Black and White Ball, then to see RADA Players perform "Bedtime Stories" in the Carinthia Lounge. 

Tomorrow is Bean Town. The last time I was actually in Boston was 1981! I never had occasion to go into the city when I visited Mom and Dad in Danvers! Time flies!!

Astoria and First Night Aboard

Yesterday was great. Letreze delivered me to JAX with time to spare. The flight to Laguardia was swift and seamless AND my seat mate was pleasant . 

Ceceila offered to pick me at airport to save me cab fare. By the time we connected outside of baggage claim, she had circled the terminal so many times, she put close to 20 miles on the car!  Her opening remarks to me as I slid into the seat: "You look great and next time you're taking a cab!"

Spend the afternoon catching up with her and Dom's activites. Sheila came by about 5 to take me to dinner. We walked to Astoria Park and along the East River and I experienced the skyline framed by the Hells Gate and Triborough bridges at dusk!

 

Then we strolled through the park to see the historic Astoria Swimming Pool and Diving Pool. Both drained now.

All this walking convinced Sheila I had earned my dinner, so we ate parkside at Aganati, a wonderful Greek restaurant where I had broiled calamari and this pita bread dip made of carp roe!!

 Then we walked back to Ceceilia and Dom's where we chatted for a while longer before I crashed.

This morning, the car service took me to Queen Mary 2 and I boarded with no problem. Had a minor fright when one bag didn't get to cabin, but when I went down to Purser's Office, they had it - the tag had fallen off. 

Miss Liberty and the skyline still "get" to me on an unexplained emotional level! 

My cabin is nice but I have never stayed in an inside one before and I already miss the outside view. Plus, it's in the front of the ship so it rolls more than I'm used to from the aft cabins I've had previously. 

My cabin steward is Dona who has a great personality, but my used glasses were not taken out while I was at dinner!! I am too spoiled by White Star sevice! 

I've met nice folks so far: Mary and John from Kent in UK, two sisters from Elon, NC and Gainesville, FL, a mother and daughter from upstate NY. 

My table mates are Kevin (owned 4 Irish bars in Bronx and Brooklyn during past 40 years), Gabrielle from Munich, Barbara, Darby and Zach from Albuquerque (they raise and show horses). Dinner table is a very good mix! Discussion topics included Jamieson whiskey, bar/pub, pediatric oncology, ER care, Special Olympic equestrian events, training police horses, clam chowder, cold soup, online education, NCIS and JAG Corps, trailering horses cross country and tea preferences.

Rosyln is not aboard, her holiday does not end until Oct 17, according to her former roommate Monica. I was sitting at dinner when Oliver Lao sat the three New Mexicans who had gotten lost. I was very flattered when he looked up and recognized me!