Reflections

Best Ice Cream:  Guernsey.  We enjoyed the London version of soft ice cream with the chocolate bar in the middle but for old fashioned ice cream those cows in Wales do a great job.  The Orkney Islands ran a close second.

Weirdest Thing:  There are sheep everywhere.  Sometimes they wander close enough to the fence line to see their precious little faces.  Locals are not above yelling “mint sauce” at them when it happens. 

Longest Word:  Llanfairwllgwyngllgogerychwyrndrobwlllantysiliogogogoch.  The last part of the word is pronounced “gogogahitch” if it helps.  Also, “ll” in Welsh is pronounced “kull” if that assists.  Roughly translated the word tells the story about a little church in the valley. 

Best Fish and Chips:  Robinson’s pub in Belfast.  I know it’s supposed to be an English thing but the Irish version was far tastier.  It was one of the best meals.

Best Dinner:  Sabatini’s on the Crown Princess.  Excellent food and service.  From the 16^th floor it also provided excellent views of the ocean and sunset.

Most Tragic Setting:  West Belfast where a 40 foot high wall of brick, fencing and barbed wire separates Catholics and Protestants and there are gates between the two sections that are locked every night.  Petrol bombs (Molotov cocktails) still come over the wall on a regular basis.

Best Thing:  All of our shore excursions were outstanding thanks to Jan.  All of the prep work and research she did gave us a wonderful look at all of our tour stops.  Thanks, wife.

Worst Thing:  The screaming baby for five and a half hours on the plane ride across the pond.  I hope she is already home!!!!

Best Public Bathrooms:  London.  They were the cleanest.  I really like that stalls are floor to ceiling and doors really work and latch in the UK.  No graffiti!!!  Not sure if that’s true everywhere after last week but it was during our visit.

Best Send Off:  Holyhead in Wales.  Having someone sing to all of the passengers on their balconies as the ship departed AND having all of the dock workers wave to us was a very nice touch.  We tried to imagine all of the dock workers at the Port of New York doing the same thing and what kind of hand gesture they might employ but it started to ruin the moment.

Best Jewelry Store:  The Tower of London.  Of course you cannot purchase any of the Crown Jewels but Jan certainly enjoyed window shopping.

Biggest Guilty Pleasure:  All of the Harry Potter trivia we encountered, which included a church with a floating staircase used in the movie, the coffee shop where the first book was written, Charing Cross and King’s Cross stations.

Biggest Surprise:  The weather!  We came prepared to battle with rain and cold for most of the trip.  We needed summer wear in London.  It only rained a brief moment in Scotland.  I used up most of my bottle of sun block.

Most Ironic Discovery:  The English don’t like the Scottish or the Irish.  Wales is mostly ignored.  The Irish don’t like the Scotts or the Brits.  The Scotts feel the same about the Irish and the Brits, but they all hate the French.  Why did they spend billions building a tunnel to connect their two countries together?

Most Surprising Name:  The United Kingdom.  Northern Ireland and Scotland want their independence, though I personally doubt if they can afford to run their countries.  Scotland is much closer to it than Northern Ireland but if it happens for the Scotts it will happen for the Irish.

Best Tour Guides:  Susie in Belfast and Tony in Invergordon tie.  They were the most knowledgeable and had the best deliveries.

Worst Tour Guide:  Over the Top Tours in Dublin.  Not showing up basically ruined a promising business.  Live by Cruise Critic and die by it too.

Most Solemn Tour:  Omaha and Utah beaches and the American Cemetery nearby.  ‘Nough said.

Best Strategy:  Figuring out the best days to do our laundry.  Princess Cruises has “launderettes” on the passenger floors.  Sea Days brings out the worst in human nature as families fight over the washers and driers.  We learned to pick days well away from those and to put our laundry in immediately on returning to the ship, during the first dinner seating.

Most Important Scientific Discovery:  The Loch Ness Monster is a sturgeon.  Tony, the tour guide and Loch Ness expert contends the myth will never die because it is too important to the economy in the region.  In fact, when the fish dies or is caught local officials will proclaim they now know what Nessie eats.

Best Travel Tip:  Given to us by our dinner companions this voyage, take older underwear on your trip and toss it away before packing to go home.  It lightens up the suitcase to help fit in souvenirs and presents and will aid in making sure you aren’t over the airline luggage weight limit.

We could easily stay on board another two weeks if it weren’t for schedules and the checkbook balance.

Who are these people?  I assume you know who Jan and I are.  The two in the middle are the Waiter and Jr. Waiter for our table area, Dennis and Olyssea.  She pronounces it Alcia.  The couple on the end are Tony and Madeleine who sat next to us most every dinner at a separate table about 4 inches away.

Olyssea shows off with a Baked Alaska.  It's a Princess Cruises tradition to serve that on the last night.

LeHavre

Our day started early.  Since we moved further south and east we made port before sunrise.  If it you can ignore the tanker farm at the port it is pretty.

This part of France can be the gateway to Paris or to the beaches.  To students of American history the names Omaha and Utah Beach are synonymous with D-Day and the landing of Allied forces in France.  The French know and respect this but they are also public beaches and it is August.  There are remnants of the landings but not to the scale that Saving Private Ryan depicted. 

Villages nearby still remember liberation by American forces in different ways.  One of them remembers an American Paratrooper who became stuck on the church steeple.  Certain of his own death by the rifle of a German soldier pointed at him, he is saved by one of his fellow troop members who fired his pistol at the German just before dying from his own gunshot wound.

The American Cemetery at Colleville-Saint Laurent is the final resting place for nearly ten thousand American service members who died nearby.  Maintained and administered by the U.S. Government, the cemetery is a vivid reminder of the cost of war.

In some ways our vacation seems like it began weeks ago.  In other ways it is concluding far too quickly.  Tonight we pack up and later in your day I’ll post my best and worst lists for the vacation. 

Here's your candle Jo Jo

Sea Day #3

We are on the way to LaHarve, France.  As the ship makes passage through the North Sea we are looking at dozens and dozens of drilling platforms.  Maybe more.  France is NOT part of the British Isles, but some passengers depart the trip and fly back from Paris.  Most return to Southamtpon.  The ship’s clock is already observing time for our destination.  That means there is now six hours difference between New York and our ship.  At midnight tomorrow it will revert back to London time.

Invergordon

If it’s Scotland there must be castles.  Today marked our last tour stop in Scotland.  Tony, our tour guide, mixed history and humor into the tour.  Our Cruise Critic friends joined us in the van for a trip up to Loch Ness.  Loch refers to a body of water with specific characteristics and Ness is the river it dumps into.  It’s not always a lake, but in this case it is. 

No monsters.  Possibly very large portions of caviar.

Looking over the Urquhart Castle taught us about the struggles for control of Scotland.  Then Tony took us through the legend of Nessie.  His conclusion, after studying evidence and interviewing people who claimed to see the creature is twofold.  Most of the sightings were fabricated and all of the pictures are fakes.  That leaves a small number of sightings that could hold credence.  After careful study Tony’s believes that there is a large sturgeon in the Loch Ness.  In another part of the world a fisherman landed a 27 foot long sturgeon.  Can you imagine the size of the caviar? 

Like the rest of Scotland this part is very picturesque with quaint villages and rolling green hills, usually populated with sheep and cattle.  There are also Neolithic sites, probably used for burial rituals.  Considering the age of these sites it is remarkable that no one took the stones to use for construction of their homes.

We also saw some Victorian era engineering.  The picture shows you a viaduct that now carries trains across a ravine.  The construction is remarkable.

Tomorrow is our third and final sea day as we make our way to France. 

Edinburgh

Take a look at the early part of our sunset last evening.  Pretty nice for this part of the world at this time of the year.  Edinburgh is a few degrees more north in latitude than Albany.  Our sunsets start about 9:15 and finish around 10:30.  After today the Crown Princess will steer south so our temperatures will begin to increase and the sunsets will drift back into the 8 o’clock hour.

Most of our weather days to date were unusual.  It was warmer than normal in London.  We didn’t see rain in Ireland and up until today we didn’t see it in Scotland either.  A little light rain painted Edinburgh castle for about 2 hours.  The cobblestone gets slippery, but otherwise it was manageable.  Because the grounds are so extensive there are many national monuments and museums inside the castle walls. 

Our lunch stop ended up being a few doors down from The Elephant House.  I know some of you are not Harry Potter fans, but this is the location where the second richest woman in the United Kingdom wrote most of the first book.  There is a sign in the window bragging about it.

In the afternoon we toured one of the Queen’s other palaces.  There’s Buckingham, which you saw earlier in our trip.  There is Balmoral in Scotland’s high country.  That is where Her Majesty is currently vacationing.  There’s Windsor castle, which we will not visit and Holyrood, here in Edinburgh.  Sean Connery became a Knight inside Holyrood.  Mary Queen of Scotts probably didn’t enjoy the palace.  Queen Victoria thought it was too dark and purchased Balmoral.  I’m not entirely certain why there are so many different palaces.  It’s good to be the King (or the Queen). 

We were not able to sample ice cream in Edinburgh.  Jan did enjoy tea and a scone at the palace and I found a strawberry tart to my liking.  It’s beginning to sound a little like a chapter from Alice in Wonderland. 

Kirkwall

The Orkney Islands are ten miles to the north of Scotland and are home to archaeological treasures.  Skara Brae is a Neolithic settlement dating back at least 5,000 years.  Homes in these “neighborhoods” possessed flagstone walls, central heating and even a sewer system.  Some of the homes were the victims of shore erosion but many remain.  While the roofs of most are now missing a replica of a complete structure is on the site so visitors can get a sense of the size and feel of the interior.

The Ring of Brodgar is similar in construction to its more famous cousin, Stonehenge.  Archaeologists believe the original ring consisted of at least 60 stones in a circle surrounded by a large trench carved into solid rock. Today the trench is mostly filled with soil and heather.  About 30 of the original stones remain. 

Maes Howe is another Neolithic site.  It is a vault measuring about 115 feet in diameter and its peak is 23 feet high.  Interior pictures are not permitted, but on December 21^st at about 3PM each year the sun is lined up to shine through the main doorway across the interior chamber to a sacred tomb opposite the door.

St. Magnus Cathedral belongs to the people of Orkney.  It can be used for any public purpose including concerts, but it is also used for services.  Construction dates back to 1137.  There are unusual tombstones along the Cathedral wall that seem to mock death.

As always the lands around the cities and villages are rolling hills populated with sheep and cattle.  Sheering season is nearly over so the lambs look a bit naked at the moment.  Soils are good for growing grains the livestock enjoy eating.  Orkney boasts that their cows produce exceptional cream and therefore delicious ice cream.  Jan and I sampled it once again to verify their claims.

I will pose for pictures and make cream for your confections

Tomorrow we port at Edinburg.  It’s a tender port meaning small craft run us from the cruise ship to shore.  Careful readers may wonder why we didn’t visit the Tattoo at this port stop instead of from our previous one.  It is too difficult logistically for the ship to handle upwards of 1,000 passengers that need to be tendered back to the ship all at once.  Also, the ship leaves Edinburg at 5PM and the Tattoo starts at 9PM. 

Titanic Edition

Since it is a sea day and I am at leisure to do anything I am taking a look back at some of the photos from Belfast.  In particular I am browsing our tour of the Harland and Wolff properties where the centennial memorial is under construction.  For those of you who produced, directed, acted, played or crewed the musical should find these images interesting.

Harland and Wolff Building, Belfast

Entrance to H&W with logo etched in glass

Susie Millar speaking about Titanic to our tour group

Drafting room as it looks today

Drafting room as it looked then with employees working

Titanic on left Olympic on Right in slips, under construction

Propeller shaft of Titanic

Two views of first class cabins from promotional materials at H&W

Captain and Owner inspecting Titanic

Last image of Titanic leaving Belfast Harbor

Greenock (part 2)

This is a sea day, which means the Crown Princess is travelling to a new port, but will not make one today.  It left Greenock on schedule at 2 AM local time.  The seas are a bit rough because it is raining quite hard and there is a strong wind.  That is in marked contrast to our weather so far.  Fortune favored our travels so far with lovely weather.  Rain dampened us only while walking to the Underground or while inside a van.  Somehow the skies managed to clear when we wanted to be out in the elements as part of our fun.

Scotland and Ireland are both know for beautiful terrain.  We enjoyed both without getting wet.  It is colder here than back home.  That is typical.  Temperatures are a good twenty degrees (Fahrenheit) different.  What Mark Twain said about San Francisco could easily apply to Scotland.  The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in Edinburgh. 

The Royal Military Tattoo invites bands, nationally sponsored by connection to a country’s armed services, to perform.  Organizers construct a temporary arena in front of the castle.  This year it boasted brand new seats, apparently a big departure from the uncomfortable seating provided in previous years.  It is a demand ticket.  All the performances sell out.  We brought along additional layers of clothing for warmth and water, but discovered the forecast changed.  No rain gear needed. 

One challenge to date is to tune our ears to the speech patterns of the locals.  Neither of us understands Gaelic or Welsh but even when our hosts speak English (and they do most of the time) our ability to sort it out is a bit “dodgy.”  The Scots tend to run their words together.  Get on now spills out as “getonnow.” 

We are going to take advantage of the leisure in our schedule today anddosomereading.

Scottish country

Lovely scenery

Ideal climate for growing and locals love to garden

Brazilian Naval Band forming an anchor

Greenock

Our port today is Greenock in Scotland.  About 1,000 of our shipmates will be joining us at the Royal Military Tattoo.  Sanctioned by the Queen, it is a musical competition featuring bands from across Europe.  Staged at the castle in Edinburgh, the Tattoo attracts huge crowds and is an all day affair.  You’ll learn more and see more tomorrow.

12:55 PM UK Time:  We just returned from a tour of Greenock.  Very pretty!  After completing our checklist for things we need to bring to the Tattoo (rain gear) it will be time to head to the bus.  Our coach leaves at 1:30 and we do some touring along the way.  The Tattoo is this evening and we return to the ship around midnight UK time.  It leaves port at 2 AM.

1:25 AM UK Time:  We are back from the Tattoo.  It was a wonderful event.   Tomorrow is a sea day so I will have plenty of time to tell you all about it.  To reply to those who asked:  Yes, we are aware of what is happening in London.  It's big news here too.  Bigger!  We are not worried and we are safe.  More later.

Belfast

This is the Ireland that is part of the United Kingdom and not always to everyone’s pleasure.  It is the Ireland where Titanic was built.  Susie Millar, our guide today, told us about her great grandfather, who died on the ship.  A widower, he was excited to move to Harland and Wolf’s U.S. operations.  It meant a pay raise and a new life for his two boys.  He left them in care of his sister and gave them a penny each to hold onto until they were reunited. 

Susie, in front of a poster, which explains her legacy

Susie holds the pennies, never returned by her father and uncle to their dad and will pass them on to her nephews.

The Two Pennies

The sinking of the Titanic took place April 15, 1912.   A memorial is nearing completion on the grounds where the ship was constructed.  The slips which once held Oceania and Titanic are long gone.  Remnants of a parking lot cover the land.  Eventually is will be landscaped.  Organizers hope the site is ready by late 2011 or early 2012.

Titanic lore made up most of our morning, but it was not our entire day.  We also visited the Botanical Gardens, Queens University, City Hall, a castle and West Belfast. 

Incidentally, Susie is producing a documentary about Titanic that will air on the independent television network in the UK.  She’s hoping to find an outlet in the U.S. as well.  If you are interested in reading more about the story of her great grandfather the book is titled:  The Two Pennies.

Dublin

The day began inauspiciously.  Jan spent months working out tour researching, booking, confirming and reconfirming tour arrangements and this morning’s did not show up.  Don’t use Over the Top Tours in Dublin.  I won’t waste time in the blog to give their reasons.  Ask us when we return home.

Any good sports story contains a promise that when the breaks are beating the boys you win one for the Gipper.  After a huddle we reorganized.  Four of our party of 14 hired a local cabbie named Johnny to give us the same tour.  Because the new group was smaller we were able to learn more about Ireland.  We asked lots of questions and Johnny gave us lots of answers and we laughed. 

First stop was a park well outside the city in order to get the full impression of that lush Irish green.  Then over to the Glendalough monastery.  Steeped in history the grounds are full of past lives carefully watched by a round tower.

Keeping religion at the forefront of the tour, because when you come to Ireland you don’t ignore it, we stopped by Saint Patrick’s Cathedral.  If you are a bit rusty on geo-politics, Saint Pat’s is a Protestant Church because we are in Ireland and not Northern Ireland.  This is the independent free country.

From there we drifted back towards the city which requires you pay your respects to Molly Malone.  Molly’s dress is in fashion again.  Finally we sampled true Irish cuisine.  A long day with a few early complications that finished in victory.

That's Johnny, our cabbie over Jan's shoulder