Docking in Brooklyn, Waiting in LaGuardia

I woke up at 3:40 AM..ready to get dressed and brave the cold to watch this great vessel steam under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, but the pounding rain halted that plan! I rolled over and woke at 7:00 as planned. Dressed, breakfasted and was in the Royal Court Theater by 8:20 as requested on the Transfer I'd gotten to LaGuardia.

Announcements kept being made about tours leaving and other ticket transfers being called. Not Red 3 for LaGuardia. People around me began to bitch about missing flights. Didn't they read the notice they had to sign saying the ship provided no guarantee for meeting flights that left before noon!!! Jeez!

Turns out that rainstorm we steamed through had flooded the cruise terminal and shorted out elevators and escalators! No one was getting off  until the luggage could all be unloaded, which process was hampered by no moving elevators. It took more than an hour for the QM2 personnel, the terminal personnel and the longshoremen to come to a solution. During that time, I met Ruth from Columbia, SC (whose grandmother was from Oldenburg in Germany and named Mayer….Holy Crap, we're probably related!!) We shared a seat on the transfer bus, traded, email info and enjoyed our brief encounter.

I headed right for Delta Sky Club, signed in and indulged in a light brunch while calling Sheila. I was pleased to have made the choice not to try to see her because she was ill again and I would have felt awful if she had tried to do anything to entertain me. I holed up in one of the comfortable sound-proofed cubicle seats provided by Delta, read a book, had a couple of Mimosas until they called my flight.

We arrived in Jax a few minutes early. I didn't have to wait for luggage as my bag had been delivered on a earlier flight to Jax. I scooped it up and walked out to meet Letreze and Bill while the others on my place were just beginning to line up around the luggage conveyor belt.

A good vacation. I believe I'll do it again.

Final day at Sea

(Personal Note: I've been remiss in posting this final submission, just because time got away from me once I returned home to The Burg. That said, three reminders from friends in the past few days that I had not yet "officially" ended my trip blog for November 2018 have put the spurs to me. I am post-dating this to the "should have been posted on" day, even though it is actually December 4.)

When I woke this morning and scanned my program, my initial reaction was "Who in the Hell, could stomach seeing Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again at 6 in the morning?!?!?! It was dreadful enough at 8 in the evening when I saw it in the theater! But before coffee?? Or in my case Diet Coke, my caffeine of choice!

I declined to hear Johnny Beerling prattle on about Dolly Parton. I mean, I like Dolly's music and all, but I don't think she's all that.

My avoidance was rewarded when I ran into Dr. Schroder in Connexions. We went for coffee and spent nearly an hour talking. What a remarkable woman. Despite being arranged-married to a much older man, she raised her kids AND got accepted in University with only a high school education and a few junior college courses under her belt. We talked about being rules in education for the betterment of the students, even though sometimes it cost us. We shared about the pangs of being curious women who are driven to find answers to off-the-wall, non-linear-thinking questions. The minutes sped by. We might have stayed longer but she had a meeting to attend. I will look for her as a speaker again; she takes 3 weeks a year to be an on-ship speaker, it's her way to escape, just like it is mine. I hope to maintain an email correspondence with her.

Les Evans' final lecture on the future of high-speed air travel was fascinating. I learned the British Airways Concorde was actually making money but was cancelled after the Paris accident. Airbus even refused to consider a buy-out by a group of ex-pilots who wanted to purchase the British Airways planes. I also learned that the biggest problem was the USA's severe restrictions on take-off and landing noise levels. These restrictions continued to increase as property developers complained and spent money on PAC's to influence Congress. (I wish I could say I'm stunned.)  No one wanted to create the hybrid turbo-jet/turbo-fan engine necessary. Evans took us through the GE Affinity, NASA's F15/Quiet Spike. He spoke of meeting Blake Scholl, founder of Boom Supersonic and the person Evans believes may have the way to return fast-flight planes to service within 10 years. YAY!! I might still get a chance to fly supersonic, sort of.

I listened to the Simon Davies give a truly inspirational classical guitar performance, highlighting Duke Ellington, Bach and Spanish Romance.

As always, the Passenger Talent Show was amazing. Singers prevailed, but competed with a magician, a ventriloquist, a couple of really, really good dramatic readings and a juggler.

I went to Commodore to meet the speakers, as I had promised Dr. Schroder I would. (She thought no one would be there for her. What a joke!!) I stopped to tell Les Evans how much I enjoyed his talks and was introduced to Bob , a passenger who, as it turns out, was ALSO a British Airways Concorde pilot who'd left the line a few months before Evans joined). I got both men to sign a note for Joe. (He'll be tickled.)

After watching RADA perform their wonderful Bedtime Stories pieces, I packed my suitcase, put it outside my door and meant to go down to Golden Lion to say bye to Alexhandra, but hit the sheets for the final time instead.

Black Friday at Sea

Began today with cold winds from the North Pole blowing hard against the ship, very little rolling though. I guess the wind was keep the swells down. The captain announced the decks were closed not because of the force of the wind but because the temperature (30 degrees) was creating icy patches on the decks. More hail today on my balcony. Welcome to the North Atlantic.

While reading my disembarkation paperwork, I made a discovery that I had to go down to Purser’s Office to verify - as a US citizen, I no longer have to complete an immigration declaration form. I could not believe our government is reducing paperwork! But, apparently that is the now the case. Perhaps it’s because the ship has only gone from NYC to Southampton and back, so has not put in at any questionable ports. Who knows the rational, less paperwork is always a bonus.

On a whim, I attended a Women’s Institute seminar. I wish we had something like this is America, but on reflection it wouldn’t work for us. Our towns are too spread out and too populated. The WI appears to function best in the small villages and towns that populate the UK. The ladies were amused when my response to “How did you hear about us?” was, “I watched the film Calendar Girls.” I was immediately assured that most WI groups did not pose even partially nude but still managed to do good works for their communities. 

I was bummed because I missed Dr. Schroder’s final lecture due to a mis-print in the program, which gave the title as a repeat of her previous Neanderthal lecture. I really wanted to hear the story of the Mary Rose wreck, now I’ll have to find out on line. 

In honor of Sheila, I watched the tango demonstration by Sasha and Maya, who moved like watered silk across the floor. I wish I could have seen Sheila dance. she is so graceful and purposeful in her movements now that I can only imagine how she moved in her more limber younger years.

The Officers’ Cocktail party was interesting. I didn’t expect hard liquor at 11:15 AM, but a Mimosa appeared when I asked. Sheldon is a wonderful waiter! I chatted with the Captain’s secretary and the Comptroller. Neither job would I wish to hold. I also chatted with Barbara, Martha and Bess who’re traveling to NYC, boarding NCL ship for Caribbean cruise, return to NYC for two days, then re-boarding QM2 for return to Southampton. They explained this was the best of all worlds as they didn’t have to pay Cunard prices for the extended holiday AND got two full days in NYC to shop before Christmas. They’re on their way to India and the Golden Triangle in late Spring next year. 

I used my Diamond Chit to lunch at Verandah. Lemon sole was excellent. The onion rings were huge. A very nice experience. Chatted with George and Helene at the next table. He was a London Metropolitan policeman for many years. In fact, his first barracks butted up against the Vincent Square dorm I stayed in while doing my term at Kings in London. Small world!!! 

I really wanted to sneak into the “Sailors and Yacht Owners Get Together” but chickened out at the last minute. I couldn’t even peek in the room as the Boardroom is off Commodore and kind of hidden.

RADA performed The Importance of Being Earnest and I enjoyed it all over again. What this six member troop can do is astounding. 

Knitting was not well attended, too many options. Karen came down to show me her finished sheep and she tried knitting again from the bin of extra supplies offered by Claire. In all the years I’ve been participating in this activity, Claire is the only Social Host who has ever brought out such a bin and offered its contents to anyone who needed something. I’m writing her boss to applaud her.

The Masquerade Ball was its usually visually stimulating self. I continue to be flabbergasted by the costumes people bring solely for one evening!!! I wish my camera worked better in low-light. 

Back in my cabin, I began the process of preparing to pack for the flight home. 

Thanksgiving at sea

Happy Thanksgiving! This is the first time I’ve ever celebrated this holiday at sea! One acknowledgment was turkey on the menu. Also, the Golden Lion was bedecked with fall orange and red and brown tissue garland and festive paper napkins.  I enjoyed the Jazz Lunch in Golden Lion. I really do like authentic fish and chips, though dark ale will never be on my preference list

I watched paddle tennis which I never knew was such a cut-throat sport. Perhaps any sport is cut-throat as someone always seems determined to win despite any obstacles. This explains a lot about why I am not a sports person; most the time I really don’t care who wins, I just want to see good competition. I started to write fun, but then realized when I watch professional or collegiate sports, it is never about having fun - it’s about satisfying sponsors or alumni who have the money. 

I hoped Johnny Breeling would improve with a second lecture, sadly that was not the case. His topic this time was the recording studios at Muscle Shoals. I did learn some things, but mostly he read the slides. One point in his favor - this time he let more than 20 seconds of a song play. I had a better time chatting with the gentleman sitting next to me. Mike and his wife are on their way back to USA after his year long stint as a visiting professor of ecology at the Sorbonne. As he was telling about their travels around Europe, I asked if he was impressed by the 1000 year old rose bush. He’d never heard of it. I called it up on my phone and let him read about Hildesheim’s famous plant. When we left the theater, he was telling his wife about it. Jurgen would be proud of me.

I was astounded that this ship showed a Hallmark Channel movie this afternoon! Marrying Mr. Darcy pays homage to Pride and Prejudice so perhaps that’s why. Still, it’s a far cry from the Star Wars and Indie films that have been offered this trip. 

I finished a scarf and read some more of my book on the Seminoles that Steve gave me.

I joined in the group sing-a-long in the Grand Lobby. It reminded me of the way we shared carols last Christmas. I sang softly so no one would be offended, but turns out I am not the only tin-eared passenger aboard. 

Chatted with Dr. Yvonne and Peter for a bit over tea. Talked with Karen about Richard’s having lived 16 years in an Ashram in Tibet when he was younger. We had a meaningful conversation about what constitutes enlightenment and what happens after you reach nirvana. I am still kind of intrigued that you just keep seeking fulfillment, it seems never-ending. Perhaps that’s the secret. The journey is never ending. What a bummer. I’d like a journey to have a definite end, so I could begin another with a clean slate, but with the memories of what I learned previously to help me along my new path.

Sitting in the hallway leading to Illumination and watching the ocean, I realized as the bow wave surged past my window its crest, just below the white top, is the exact same pale aqua of the submerged portions of the icebergs I’ve seen in Alaska and Canada. This suggests the water is really cold. Also the ever rolling swells are kind of hypnotic. Though I did enjoy the birds that followed the ship for quite a while. An officer walking by suggested they were from the Azores, when I asked. Not a very good picture, but the sunlight glinting off their wings made them look like jewels against the deep blue sea. 

Chatted with Ivy after asking about her hat. It’s by an Australian - Helen Kaminski. Ivy assured me her website was easy to follow. I plan on investigating when I get home. 

Treated myself to an Irish Coffee to ward off the chill, then went to RADA’s performance in Carinthia of piano and passionate poetry. I really like multi-level readings, especially when I recognize about half the pieces. I know my literature background helps. My seat mates for the performance were Jacob and Anne, retired teachers from Dorset; she in Home Ec and he in Maths. We had a lot of common ground. 

Another good day at sea. 

Wednesday - Homeward Bound

Despite the ship’s roll in the heavy swells, I slept like the proverbial log. I feel sorry for folks who are afflicted with mal de mer because they must miss a lot. 

Today began with a mistake, but it turned out ok. I thought I was going to Dr. Schroder’s lecture on mummies, instead I ended up listening to Johnny Beerling ramble on about The Beatles. He was the BBC Radio 1 producer tasked with creating the multi episode program The Beatles’ Story: A 20th Century Fairytale in 13 Parts which aired on BBC Radio 1 beginning May 27, 1972. While some of the audio clips of people he interviewed were interesting, most were so garbled that I couldn’t understand what was being said. The video clips were nearly as bad, as many came from home cameras. I wished Jacks DeYoung’s father were here, as he would have cornered Beerling and had a most delightful chat. I was kind of bummed when Beerling announced that the intricacies of copyright made it impossible for the program to be sold, though he had encountered a few bootleg copies in the US. One tidbit I wondered if Jack’s dad knew was that the night the group appeared on Ed Sullivan for the first time, the viewers numbered 93 million and the NYPD recorded the fewest number of hubcaps stolen in one night in more than 40 years! Another tidbit for Mr. DeYoung was the audio clip of a parody of “Come Together” created by WABC’s Bill Meeks as a promo for the Beatles' American performances. 

After that was darts in the Golden Lion. Intriguing to watch, but, alas, another sport at which I utterly sucked. I’m beginning to believe anything requiring physical coordination and competency is not in my future, other than walking and swimming. 

I was intrigued by the lecture on knowing your roots, until I realized it was basically a plug for ancestry.com, so I scooted out of there and headed for a walk through the shops, just in case anything struck my fancy. I did find tins for Letreze, Rhoda and Jean, which when emptied can be used for needles or pins. Nothing for Janet has appealed to me. I also have trinkets for Dr. Munipalli and Audrey. I’m kind of glad my souvenir shopping is nearly ended. 

RADA performed Much Ado About Nothing, one of my favorite Shakespeare comedies, so I spent an hour bemused and amused, by the Bard in modern dress and staging. 

Ran into Karen and Richard at high tea in the Queen’s Room. I really enjoy the atmosphere of this event, but loathe the elbow-to-elbow conditions as so many folk are crowded in a small space. That said, warm scones and cream can make up for a lot of inconvenience. 

I missed knitting to hear Dr. Schroder’s lecture. I arrived early enough to chat with her for a few moments about Neanderthal in Siberia crossing the land bridge into Alaska and the North American continent. She said there was mo evidence to suggest that happened but there were Native American myths and stories and some art suggesting pale-faced, blue-eyed demons came from far away to cause strife in the tribes. She also offered there was no evidence to suggest Neanderthal had any boat building abilities, despite The Mediterranean and Black Sea being integral to their stomping grounds. I found her fascinating. 

“Unwrapping Mummies” was as informative and entertaining as her previous lectures. I didn’t know how many other civilizations had mummies. Despite Egypt producing nearly 7 million, only a few exist of their type as they used to be buried at the edge of the Nile and moved when the annual inundation occurred. Mummies have also been found in the southwest USA, Peru and Japan. One particular mummy type is peculiar to the Chinchara of Panama. They skinned the corpse, cleaned out the innards, stuffed the bones with leaves, twigs, and loam to reshape the. body, put the skin back on, then covered the whole thing in clay and painted it when it dried. Somehow as I type this, it seems totally gross, but when I listened to her, it was just intriguing. She offered the tidbit that famous painting, The Scream, was created after the Bosch (I think) saw an exhibition of a  Chinchara mummy who’d lost the clay around its mouth. And back to teeth. Egyptian mummies have awful teeth because the grit from sand was in everything they ate and literally ground down their enamel. She showed a 5,000 year old mummy who had a gold bridge made for his front lower teeth, to hold two teeth not of his DNA in place so he had a full set. I was also fascinated by the CT scans as they revealed muscle, tissue and arteries before being taken to a high lever of scanning to show the bones. 

Dinner was Room Service. What a wonderful indulgence! 

I saved a seat for Karen at the cocktail party. Captain Hashmi revealed a great sense of humor as right after he was introduced, he turned and brought a chair from the bandstand, putting it behind/ him and remarking, just in case the roll is too great. Not 2 minutes into his welcome, the ship gave a huge roll and he immediately sat. Something Chris Wells would never have done. I was ticked the Dr. Yvonne and her husband won the award for most traveled. She’s the white-hired, curls for a pompadour traveler. 

The folks who sat with me and Karen kept ordering drinks, so we were a bit looped. I declined to hear the Big Band night entertainment and headed for my cabin and a shower and bed. 

Another good day. 

Tuesday - Homeward Bound

First time ever while cruising...a fellow passenger came up and remarked I was in his seat, even showed me the pen marks he made on the seat cushion. I offered to move but he declined. Still!

On a whim, I took a Beginner’s Bridge Class this morning. What a disaster! Any notions I might have had about my card memory abilities were shattered. The instructor was pleasant and exceedingly patient, as were the dozen or so others there to learn. I hesitate to call them “beginners” as each of them knew something about the game. I joked I should have been in a class titled “I know nothing about bridge.”  I was amused that several (notably NOT the instructor) urged me to return for another lesson, assuring me I would catch on. Sorry, but like chess, this is one strategy game I leave to others. 

Now, Dr. Schroder’s second lecture (The Neanderthal in all of us) was a huge success. I believe that like me, others so enjoyed her initial talk that they encouraged others because Illuminations was standing room only for this one. The essence of her talk was that Neanderthal Man was not what we have been lead to believe. It’s astounding what bones can tell about the individual. Neanderthal had no arthritis, bigger brain capacity, bigger lungs as compared to Homo Sapiens. Also, they used fire to heat caves and to roast grains making them more easily digestible. They hunted in groups and ate mammoth, saber toothed tiger and other large creatures. They had superior tools from Homo Sapiens man, who did not get up close and personal with their prey. Homo Sapiens threw spears, while Neanderthal attacked with axes and knives. Neanderthal Man understood music, as a reindeer flute was found in Siberia, and art, as indicated in cave paintings in Belgium, France and Siberia. 

So why did Neanderthal Man die out while Homo Sapiens did not? No one really knows but there is much speculations. Homo Sapiens domesticated the dog and modified caves for family groups living together. Homo Sapiens seems to have better communication skills. Strongly suggested by the findings from The Pit Of Bones in Spain is that Neanderthal and Homo Sapiens interbred to form a new race, but bone proof of that has not been found. Though modern man has about 5% Neanderthal genetic material, which Dr. Schroder demonstrated with multiple images of current famous people who possess definite Neanderthal facial traits: low forehead, large eye sockets and rounded jaw.

I learned that teeth are even better indicators of a person’s life experiences than bones. Evidence of use of penicillin mold and willow bark (aspirin) have been found in Neanderthal teeth, evidence they self-medicated to reduce pain and wound infection. 

Personal note: I realized about half way this lecture that I am taking notes as though Mom were going to be reading this. I really miss her inquisitive and exploring mind. I wish I could find another who shared my curiosity about this world. 

Also Dr. Schroder is an unusually audience-oriented speaker. She planned for this series of lectures by touring New York’s Museum of Natural History and choosing skulls and reconstructions that the passengers aboard this ship could actually see during their stay in NYC. She even offered succinct directions to finding the Museum. 

Les Evans spoke on the “Magic of Concorde.” It was too much like the lecture I heard on this subject a couple of crossings ago, so I listened but took no notes. He was not as interesting a speaker as the previous guy who’d been a designer engineer on Concorde. I’m not as flight mad as Joe who actually flew on the SST, or Sheila who wishes the plane would return for a bit so she could experience it. 

The seas are still rough and the wind is Force 6 but the sun shone nearly all day long so everyone's humor was good. 

I started to see Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in 3D but left after a bit. Chris Pratt is pretty to look at but this story is just too predictable and over-done. I left to enjoy RADA’s performance of Cunard Street, a history of the shipping line. Much better way to spend an hour or so. 

Had dinner with Karen and Richard. I’m going to meet her for the Captain’s Cocktail party tomorrow as she wants to attend but Richard does not. 

Claire is our knitting social host and is delightful. She reminds me of Imogen from several years ago. 

Pretty good day, even though I took no pictures. 

Monday - Homeward bound

Breakfast was quick and easy. It is such an feeling of indulgence not to have to make anything, just ask and it appears !

This morning I became a fan of Dr. Kate Schroder, a surgeon turned forensic archeologist. She is a combination of Temperance Brennan and Angela Montenegro. Her initial slides showed how she took the skull of Homo Erectus and step by step reclaimed his face, proving he was not a Neanderthal but a human being who walked this planet more than a million year ago. I learned the zygomatic arch is the muscle string connecting the cheek to the cranium and is what allows facial expressions. She showed how life experiences (physical activity, injuries, obesity, disease, etc) are all written in your bones.She spoke of how Richard III’s facial reconstruction was controversial because the reconstruction was “too close to the image portrayed in paintings of him. How absurd! Of course, it would be life the art, if it was done correctly! No one has a naturally perfectly symmetrical face or body, we each have a dominant side. Most humans have 3-5% Neanderthal genes..this is one way all those now current DNA histories can be calculated. She is currently doing the facial reconstruction of Robert the Bruce’s skull. I was most fascinated on her work with living patients. Scanners were used to map the facial structure of man who’d been in a motorcycle accident and broken 194 of the 206 bones in his body. from the scanned results, the software deduced the missing and shattered bones, 3D prints were made and attached to his remaining bone and for the first time in three years, his children recognized him!

No nearly as fascinating was the talk on the aftermath of the Titanic sinking. I anticipated it being about improved communications, better radar and ship design. Alas, no, Christopher Ward detailed the search for and burial of the bodies given up by the sea. I’ve been to the g

Titanic graveyard in Halifax, Nova Scotia and heard much of his lecture on that tour. 

while waiting for knitting to begin, I met and chatted with John and Mary from Devon who’ve been breeding Basset hounds for years. Their three favorites include Winston, Chamberlin and George. When Mary remarked they were wondering what to name their newest arrival, I suggested Disraeli or Wellington. They both laughed and said they were partial to Nelson. John was amazed I knew as much about British history and geography as I do. His amazement tempered a bit when I noted I’d  attended Kings in London for a term and taken students on tour to the UK and Western Europe fro m,ore than a decade. I hope I see them again on this crossing.

At knitting, I gave Karen her floss and change. Met Peggy from Ortega in Jax. During knitting Captain Hashmi announced that all passengers and staff were to remain clear of open decks and off their balconies for the next 30-40 minutes. A passenger was so ill a medical helicopter from Ireland would be arriving soon and the light fog at twilight was going to make the landing tricky. Also the ship would be turning around to back track so the helicopter would be within its safety range. Staff took up posts at all entries to the walking deck and the entire ship vibrate with the whomp, whomp of the helo’s rotor. No one I know got a really good look at it. Also, rumor was rampant for a bit as to the nature of of the illness. Hey, it’s another day at sea.

I met Karen to watch the movie Book Club which was okay but nothing really stellar. Considering the incredible cast, I expected much better. We met her husband Richard for a late dinner. he wanted to see my pictures and hear about my excursion to Solent Sky. They had gone on the Windsor Castle tour. He noted he now had a future excursion in mind. 

After which I went to Jazz Club and listened with joy before heading to bed.

I did see Timothy, a waiter, again and asked how his wife was doing. at our earlier meting a couple of days ago, I ;earned his father-in-law’s cancer had returned with a vengeance and his wife was left alone until her brothers arrived. Timothy was touched I remembered. It’s kind of sad that no one talks with the people who’re waiting on them. 

Southampton for a few hours

This morning was glorious! Almost no wind, temp in the high 50’s, not a cloud in the sky. Just a great day to wander around the old city of Southampton.

I slept in and had a late breakfast while waiting for the UK bound passengers to disembark along with the QM2 tours groups. But the primary reason for my late start is that none of the three places I wanted to visit opened before 10:30 AM.  

West Quay was as entertaining a destination as it usually is. I wandered through Waterstone’s wishing America still had bookstores. John Lewis offered excellent yarns, so I bought 2 skein each of two as well as Karen’s embroidery floss.

Solent Sky was everything I hoped it would be. I was waiting when the doors opened at noon. For a bit I was the only one in the museum. I got a crick in my neck from looking up as the planes are positioned one on top of another in a random pattern that rises 60 feet from the floor. I saw an original Spitfire, a mini-plane carried by a submarine and a real Flying Boat. It was very hard to get good pictures as the hangar was dim and the planes I was looking at were so close together that a singleton shot of one was almost impossible. 

As I was reading about a coral-covered propeller, Alan came up and we began chatting about the planes. I told him that I had been intrigued the first time I went fishing on the St Johns River below NAS Jax and saw the anchoring pylons’ images on the fish-finder sonar. That’s when I discovered that NAS had been a major PBY facility. Alan recognized the base as he has a friend in Plant CIty who owns a PBY!

He offered to give me a guided tour of the cockpit of the Beachcomber Flying Boat owned by the museum. It was awesome!!!!!! Walking around inside that plane was like being in a cathedral. 

Talking with Alan, I also learned that our Navy’s P3 Orion was the direct descendant of this flying boat as it was used in the war as a very effective u-boat killer. The flying boat squadron sank several dozen in their convoy protector role during WWII. 

One astounding artifact was this lace panel hanging from the ceiling. the Battle of Britain Commemorative Lace Panel must be 30 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Amazing!!!!

Alan offered to let me try out this soon-to-be-refurbished pilot's seat. Alas my butt was too wide!!!

Very satisfied with my day, I returned to QM2 and took a nap. 

While at dinner, I met up with Karen and we plan to meet tomorrow.

After dinner, I chatted with Martin and Gwen (normally adventure holidayers) on their first every cruise. Delightful couple.

Edwin, no relation to my cabin steward Edwin, is a delightful waiter who should go far. 

Captain Chris Wells has gone on holiday; our new captain is Aseem Hashmi. When he came striding through Carinthia this evening, no one smiled and he never looked at the passengers. Neither trait seems to be to portent of a raging success for this gentleman. But who am I to understand the minds of Cunard/Carnival executive board members.

Saturday, Last Sea Day this Crossing

Today was music day.

Superb lecture on Hamilton.

A presentation discussion of why The Music Man beat out West Side Story for the Tony Award.

Relaxed in Carinthia with harpist Fiona McGee. She played Greensleeves for me, so I bought her a coffee. 

I was entertained by the guitar and voice of Paul from Amethyst who usually play in Golden Lion as he entertained an afternoon crowd in Carinthia. He melded George Gershwin and LED Zeppelin classics into “Stairway to Somewhere” and referred to Chet Atkins as “the Jedi Knight of the guitar.” 

Promised Tracy I would send the Seafoam scarf pattern, so I emailed it. 

Had a moment when my cabin steward had put out the packing liner on my bed. Edwin said his paperwork indicating all of his cabins were disembarking tomorrow. Quick trip to Purser’s Office disproved that notion. While there, I got a copy of my bill - good news, despite buying bracelet, I’ve not even spent half my cruise credit! Perhaps I’ll eat Alternative Dining twice on the westbound crossing! 

Took Karen’s order for embroidery floss from John Lewis. 

Tomorrow’s plans have altered. It’s Sunday so much is not open until afternoon. Also, Athens Ocean Cruise Terminal is closed for construction as it’s being made longer to accommodate a new Italian ship. Then, the Queen Elizabeth Dock was damaged and is being repaired. Long story short, QM2 will be berthed at Mayflower Terminal (no surprise why it’s called that!) which at the upper end of the port. Hence my plan to walk to Solent Sky won’t happen. And, nothing open until noon n Sunday. The new plan is to take the $6 shuttle to West Quay, cab to Solent Sky, cab to Mayflower Dock and be back aboard by 4:30. 

Knitting great today. The usual “we will keep in touch” sharing of contact info as the majority leave the ship. Odd how quickly one bonds over yarn!!

High tea with Karen.

Hoping to meet Latrice for drink after dinner.

Found my Matthew Diffie original cartoon sketch about veterinarian pricing.  I should have had him sign it. 

Friday at Sea

Ugh, woke this morning to pelting rain and rolling seas. the wave must be 25 feet at least. I took a couple of pictures from the window seats on deck 2, as the crests were in line with the windows when the bow went through the swell, but the pictures just don't capture the majesty and power. Here are a couple of my attempts anyway.

Breakfast was something new - scrambled eggs with poached salmon and onion. Good!!

My idea about adding to a post several times a day did not pan out. I am just too busy to go through the login procedures every time. I am completely spoiled by the instant access I have at home.
Dr. Cunningham's last talk covered humans going to Mars. Apparently many of the impedimenta are possible with an infusion of $$$$. Not a real shock. intriguing was her information about space weather (her term for radiation). She asserted that space weather is already a part of our daily lives as we are so satellite dependent and they are all impacted (literally and figuratively) by radiation. Solar winds leaking radiation into our atmosphere are what cause the auroras around the North and South Poles, where the earth's magnetosphere is thinnest. Hence Iceland's employment of an official Space Weather meteorologist who helps the island's tourism bureau know when and where auroras should occur.

I relished learning that the sci-fi ideas of gamma rays is not all that weird. But more, I enjoyed finding out about the Institute for Research in Schools which is a UK non-profit which arranges for regular students to access actual research data. The official term is LUCID data. I was tickled to learn that a mars lander has its own Twitter account - @MarsCuriosity.  I can't wait to try it out. I wonder if my Soccer Gods twitter account is still active, probably not.

The Scavenger Hunt was more fun than anticipated.

I forgot about the Captain's Cocktail party. Rats! I wanted to go because I wanted to see what beverages were served 11:15 AM...mimosas? maybe. Oh well, there'll be another one on the crossing home.

RADA performed The Importance of Being Earnest, one of my Oscar Wilde plays.

Knitting lasted for a couple of hours this afternoon. Tracy and Karen and I were in compatible work mode. Karen is returning to NYC, so we are already planning for the upcoming crossing.

While we were stitching, a gentleman I met yesterday stopped to say "Hi, Marty". I was astounded! as yesterday when he told me he was Jonathan Green and seemed to expect I would recognize his name, I was polite but flummoxed. the last night I realized he was the Gullah writer, illustrator and playwright from South Carolina. So, today I told him the story and mentioned Mom's fascination with the Gullah culture and stories. He came back with an autographed postcard for her. I could not tell him she was deceased; I'll keep the card and know she'd have enjoyed it.

I dined with Einar and Jimmy. We laughed and shared stories for more than an hour.

No evening entertainment, other than a film I had no desire to see as the ship's movement is so pronounced that anything active was cancelled: the show, the planetarium as the dome could not be lowered.

All in all, a good day at sea.

Thursday at Sea

I only took one picture today...of sleet falling on my balcony. It lasted for about 30 minutes before the rain dissolved it, but still...sleet! I’ve never tried to photograph sleet. It’s kind of cool, no pun intended. Look closely, you can see it in mid-air!

Since my time was not taken up with my camera, what did I do all day? Good you should ask!

I attended Dr. Cunningham’s lecture on dark matter. Intriguing that no one can actually prove it exists, all deduce it must due to about a dozen indicators suggesting its presence. If math weren’t involved, this would be fun to study. I am excited about the information she gave me, post lecture, about how students could access LHC data from Cerne. I’m thinking Joe’s kids could have some fun with it.

Still haven’t found my Immigration agent and her husband, but one of the knitters husband is an airplane enthusiast, so we chatted about Solent Sky. He also gave me the names of two other such places. Joe is going to be really busy when he travels to the UK next year.

(Oops, gotta run, more later. I'm trying a new approach to posting - doing it in bits during the day.)

Back on-line.

John McCarthy spoke again on his imprisonment, its aftermaths, especially his extensive rehabilitation. A fascinating yet repellent story. Listening to him speak is like watching a snake charmer, you know there's probably going to be bite, but you're still rapt.

I spent a couple of hours with the knitters, especially Karen from northern New Hampshire. the weather was dismal, no huge seas, but shrieking wind from the polar ice fields and light fog made the decks unfit to walk. I enjoyed a Godiva hot chocolate - pretty good but not worth the $$$.

I read and napped in my cabin.

I had cocktails with Latrice before dinner. She went off to the dining room while I headed up to Kings Court and roast mutton with sour apple sauce and broccoli spears. EXCELLENT.

Played trivia in the Golden Lion...lost miserably. Went to RADA's performance of Ghost Stories in Carinthia, then headed for bed.

A pleasant day, given all the passengers were kind of trapped inside.

Wednesday at sea

I’m My Gosh!! I just read that Stan Lee died yesterday. What a loss. The man who created the Marvel Universe gave us great moments of escape. I hope his funeral is worthy of the heroic figures he espoused!!!

Fitting day to read about Stan Lee as the weather is awful. Grey raining skies and winds howling in the rigging and superstructure echo my mood right now. I’m hoping learning about sea turtles will improve my humor. Paying homage to Archie Carr usually perks me up!!!

Breakfasted with Ellen, a widow from Falls Church who has just returned from climbing the Great Wall and touring Tibet. She was so thrilled by the experiences. To each his or her own. Neither has much allure for me. 

Saw Latrice while in Carinthia typing yesterday's posting, we agreed to meet for lunch. Then she went off to yoga and I went to learn about Faberge eggs and how they were made. 

The Faberge lecture was fascinating. I recognized a couple that are famous but had no idea the years it took to create one, especially ones containing mechanical working parts, like a Ferris wheel or a coach whose doors opened and whose seats can be moved revealing hidden boxes. I am speechless at the depth of ennui that must exist in a life which requires a Faberge egg to bring in some fantasy or delight. 

Harry Strong, marine veterinarian, gave an informative and interesting talk on sea turtles. Fascinated as I have always been by these creature, somehow I missed the bit that they are essentially the same as their dinosaur-era ancestors, like the shark and the cockroach not much has altered in their structure or habits. Humans remain their greatest danger, not because we outright kill them but because we pollute the ocean with fishing nets, plastics bags and six-pack plastic ring holders. I sat there remembering Mom’s enthrallment with the turtles at Georgia’s Sea Turtle Recovery center on St. Simon’s Island, the only place I ever saw her buy a souvenir for herself. As I hoped, my mood lifted!

Lunch with Latrice was good. She used to run The Sacramento Used Book Service, a non-profit that took in no longer accredited books from public schools , then re-sourced them to poorer schools with fewer books. She had to leave the non-profit when her father and grandfather became ill and she became their care giver. We shared successful lessons plans and uplifting moments when students “got it” about reading. we had such a good time, she agreed to meet me for Coriander tonight, after I Sid I was doing the Alternative Dining rather than Britannia. 

Chatted for a few minutes with Einar and Jimmy while on my way to knitting. they are just charming.  

Finished my red/white/blue American Flag scarf. Found a new pattern to try for my next endeavor.

Interesting discussion on designing a smart house lead by Adam in Connexions.

Corinader was just a wonderful as I anticipated. Consider the menu and phots of the food. 

Finished evening with Commodore Club where Anna introduced us to Monkey 47, better gin than Tanqueray!!! and RADA Jazz Poetry!!