Sunday 23rd January 2011 Salvador da Bahia, Brazil
In a surprisingly impressive geographical setting, this first colonial capital of Brazil had today proved to be
something of a discovery, albeit a dilapidated one.
(left) Now a luxury hotel, the 16th century Carmelite Convent & Church
But after an organised tour which had left me frustrated that we had wasted time at the tourist centre instead of seeing inside
some of the fabulous churches, I was tempted to go ashore again after lunch. However, in the increasing tropical humidity, I fell asleep on the balcony instead!
Lots more photos of Queen Mary 2 and all the places visited on this cruise can be found on my account at Captain Martini >>
Monday 24th January 2011
At Sea en-route to Rio - and confused...
Given our direction of travel, I was confused as to why the clocks went forward again last night but
it seems that Salvador is in the zone covering the north of Brazil while the south of Brazil operates Daylight Saving
in summer (Southern Hemisphere remember, so it was "Summer" here).
Today, I also had to interrupt my 6 laps of the deck in order to get tickets for the second of the special Planetarium
shows, confusingly entitled "The Winter Sky", being given by visiting lecturer Mark Butterworth.
Usually, the "first come, first served" arrangement for tickets works ok but when something special is on,
it can be a bunfight at 8.00am when the tickets are put out!
(right) Internet Photo of QM2's 2nd Theatre and the Dome of the "Planetarium"
But having succeeded in getting the Planetarium tickets I wanted, I then returned to the deck to complete the other 3 laps of my morning exercise routine!
By far my favourite room on Queen Mary 2, the Planetarium is a feature of her 2nd Theatre, Illuminations,
where most of the daily lectures take place.
In a few days' time, we would be in Montevideo and today's fascinating talk, "The Intrigue of the Battle of the River Plate",
was given by historian Richard Cowley, who turned out to be a protege of Eugen Millington-Drake, the charismatic British Minister in Montevideo at the time.
"Illuminations" was packed; they were even sitting in the aisles!
The Battle of the River Plate (Dec 1939)
This was the first naval battle of the Second World War, involving the German Pocket Battleship Admiral Graf Spee and the Royal Navy
cruisers, HMS Exeter, Ajax and Achilles.
Fast and powerful, Admiral Graf Spee had been at sea since the outbreak of war, sinking several merchant ships in the Indian Ocean and South Atlantic.
The Royal Navy had a number of task forces trying to track her down and she was eventually engaged off the Rio de la Plata by
the far inferior guns of the British cruisers. Suffering slight damage, Graf Spee sought refuge in the neutral port of Montevideo, where
the story became one of political intrigue, bluff and counter-bluff, as well as one of human honor and heroism, notably on the part of Captain Hans Langsdorf,
the captain of the Graf Spee who always conducted himself with great dignity and professionalism and who even won the respect of the officers and ships' crews he captured as prisoners.
The British Minister in Montevideo at the time was Eugen Millington-Drake, who spearheaded a duplicitous plan to keep the German ship in port long enough for
Royal Navy reinforcements to arrive, while the world's press was encouraged in its exaggarated claims as to how many British ships were waiting for her to leave port.
But when Graf Spee left Montevideo, it was not to meet the Royal Navy in battle but to be spectacularly scuttled outside the harbour.
Captain Langsdorf meanwhile, was taken to Buenos Aires where he committed suicide 2 days later and was buried with full military honors, attended by a number
of the officers who had been his prisoners.
Burns Night aboard Queen Mary 2
As if 10 Formal Nights out of 23 were not enough on this cruise, tonight was an unscheduled one and another excuse for a cocktail party!
Everyone with a Highland connection was there, suitably kilted of course, and the feature of the evening was a series of witty speeches and
the traditional "Address to a Haggis", one of Robbie Burns' more famous poems. Not being an avid reader of Robbie Burns,
much of it went over my head but it was a highly popular event and quite good fun.
However, I was probably more interested in what was going to be, for me, the climax of this cruise tomorrow morning - our arrival in Rio de Janeiro!
Tuesday 25th January 2011 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
They say there's only one first sailing into Rio, so I was up at 5.45am to see it all! And I was glad I asked for a cabin on the port side of the ship,
because this was the view when I looked out!
The Entry into Rio de Janeiro (Guanabara Bay) at dawn, Sugarloaf Mountain on the left (1,299ft - 396m) and the city to the right,
with Corcovado Peak (2,329ft - 710m) in the centre of the picture, surmounted by the floodlit Statue of Christ the Redeemer
Having passed Sugarloaf Mountain towering 1,299 ft (396m) above the entrance to Guanabara Bay, there was more than 2 hours to
have breakfast and watch as we sailed past the unfolding skyline of
the city, past the 19th century Customs House on Fiscal Island and ships of the Brazilian Navy, including the Aircaft Carrier "Sao Paolo",
originally built as the French Carrier "Foch" in 1963.
As we docked, there was a good view of the 8.25 mile long Rio-Niterio Bridge, opened in
1974 to connect Rio with the municipality of Niteroi on the other side of the bay. It's centre span rises 236ft (72 m) to allow ships underneath.
The Statue of Christ the Redeemer
But here is probably one of the most famous statues in the world; the statue of Christ the Redeemer, Cristo Redentor, built in 1931 and watching over the city
from Corcovado Peak, 2,329ft (710m) above the city.
If I'm honest, I was a little disappointed at how small it seemed from here; it's so far away and high up that it's difficult to realise that it stands 130ft high!
With temperatures predicted to be in the mid-90's, my table-companion Lyn and I teamed-up today for the 9-hour "Best of Rio" excursion and first on the agenda
was the ascent of Corcovado Peak 2,329 ft high (710m) by funicular railway, to see the Statue of Christ the Redeemer.
Top Station of the Funicular Railway
Statue of Christ the Redeemer 130 ft high
View from Corcovado Peak (2,329 ft - 710m) Rio, Guanabara Bay & Sugarloaf Mountain (1,299 ft - 396m)
It's only when you stand underneath it that you realise how big it is (130 ft high including the pedestal and 98 ft between the tips of Christ's fingers) and that it is actually pale green in colour. Covered in
soapstone mosaic, the statue was the creation of local engineer Heitor da Silva Costa and the French sculptor Paul Landowski. It took 9 years
to complete from 1922 to 1931 and was paid for largely by donations from Brazilian Catholics.
But it is it's spectacular position overlooking the city of Rio that makes it so universally recognisable; and the view is, without doubt,
quite breathtaking! In 2007, it was voted one of the "New 7 Wonders of the World".
Needless to say, it was extremely busy, with a lot of queueing but with strictly timed tickets for our 20 minute funicular railway rides
up and down the mountain, our tour was managed very well and once at the top, we were allowed a reasonable amount of time and I did not feel rushed.
Our tour then took us for a fabulous lunch at a traditional Brazilian restaurant, following which, we drove along Ipanema Beach and Copacabana Beach
on the Atlantic.
Copacabana Beach with Sugarloaf Mountain in the distance
Sand Art on Copacabana Beach
The climax of the afternoon was the ascent of Sugarloaf Mountain, which was done by not one but two cable-car rides, the first being
to a half-way station on Urca Mountain at 722 feet (220m).
First Stage: the cable-car to Urca Mountain and the second cable-car to Sugarloaf Mountain beyond
Going up! to the half-way station
Downtown Rio The conical building is the Cathedral (1979)
The cable-cars were first installed in 1912, but thankfully, the present ones were rebuilt in 2008.
There are some great views from the terraces at the half-way station, while shaded by the trees and cooled by the breeze, there's also a shop and cafe.
Here too is the second cable-station, for the cable-car to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain itself, at a height of 1,299 feet (396m).
Me & Sugarloaf Mountain from the half-way station on Urca Mountain
Corcovado Peak & the Statue of Christ
From Sugarloaf Mountain Copacabana Beach, Corcovado Peak and Urca Mountain below
Spectacular though it is, it's quite exposed at the top and the hot afternoon sun does not encourage lingering; in fact, in my view the
half-way station on Urca Mountain is actually a more pleasant place to relax in the shade and enjoy the views.
Looking backwards, I took these two clips of video (right) from each of the two cable-cars as we descended the dizzy heights!
(left) Going Down - the cable-cars seem to hang precariously by a few threads!
Driving back through "Downtown" Rio, our tour pointed-out the major buildings, including the spectacular conical-shaped Cathedral I had seen from the cable-car. It was a shame we couldn't stop but
having left the ship at 9.15am, as it was we returned at 6.45pm; a long day but a noneless satisfying one and one which left me certain that one day, I would be back!
Casual Dining in King's Court - the "Works Canteen"
Having had a tiring day (as well as a large lunch!), Lyn & I decided to try one of the casual dining options in Kings Court, which I had already dubbed
"the Works Canteen".
The menu in "La Piazza", one of the 4 "zones", seemed interesting enough but on delivery, the food disappointed and the atmosphere was little different
from during the day, any opportunity for conversation being interrupted by the noisy clattering of trolleys back and forth.
With multiple opening times for the different zones, each lacking a clear identity, small congested serveries and mediocre food quality, it's a pretty poor substitute for the concept of "Alternative Dining" offered aboard many cruise ships these days.
Wednesday 26th - Thursday 27th January 2011
2 Days at Sea
Next day, amidst temperatures in the 90's and with 91% humidity, I only managed 3 laps of the deck before I had to retreat to the comfort of a bacon sandwich!
But if some "compensation" was required, the answer was a smoked salmon sandwich and a pot of Earl Grey in Sir Samuel's for lunch; the
furniture may be a little austere but it's not too busy during the day and with its view of the sea, it's an ideal spot for a quiet coffee or a dignified light lunch.
(right) "Sir Samuel's", the cafe/wine bar named after Cunard's illustrious founder
My Demented Cabin Stewardess - The Revenge of Kylie? (Arcadia 2007)
While quietly listening to my ipod, there was suddenly a great banging and crashing from next door's balcony and before I knew it, I was "sploshed" with water
over the top of the partition. It was my lovely but slightly demented Cabin Stewardess, the one who arranged my bathroom toiletries like surgical instruments! I soon let her know that
I was there of course and I'm sure she thought that she had "washed away" her gratuity! But she was so apologetic, I just reassured her that "Worse things happen on the Arcadia"! Well, at least her water was warm!
"Afternoon Tea" is held in the Queens Room and I joined some friends there to see if the experience was better
than during Andrew & my Transatlantic voyage last year. In fact, it was; to music from a string trio, white-gloved
stewards serve tea (including "Earl Grey" and coffee!) along with a range of cakes, scones and sandwiches. It was most civilised and really very nice!
With no show after Dinner, Lyn & I "went for a wander" and discovered table-companion Doug in the Veuve Cliquot Champagne Bar,
so we all enjoyed a happy hour of banter, with no less than 4 types of chocolate strawberries, washed down with a glass of champagne!
I slept rather well!
(left) 4 kinds of chocolate strawberries in the Veuve Cliquot Champagne Bar!
Friday 28th January 2011 Montevideo, Uruguay
Captain Wright warned us that the 22-mile channel into Montevideo was dredged to just 11 metres, while QM2's draft was more than 10 metres; so in his words,
"we might have to extend our wheels"! A number of passengers (believe it or not) took him seriously!
He also told us yesterday (rather undiplomatically, I thought) that Celebrity Infinity had reneged on an agreement to allow QM2 to enter port first, in order to make a tricky
180-degree turn; but we still got there first, so either they acquiesced or Captain Wright must have put some speed on!
Queen Mary 2 makes a 180-degree turn
Celebrity Infinity enters the harbour...
...gives us a close shave...
...and berths bow-to-bow
However, no sooner had Queen Mary 2 thrown her lines ashore but Celebrity Infinity came through the narrow inner harbour entrance and made a manoeuvre that
brought her bows awfully close!
The Sinking of the Graf Spee in 1939
At the port entrance, amidst an eclectic collection of "nauticalia" is a memorial containing one of the ship's anchors (see left).
Nearby but easily missed is the ship's range-finder, also salvaged from the wreck see right >>
The Battle of the River Plate (Dec 1939)
This was the first naval battle of the Second World War, involving the German Pocket Battleship Admiral Graf Spee and the Royal Navy
cruisers, HMS Exeter, Ajax and Achilles.
Fast and powerful, Admiral Graf Spee had been at sea since the outbreak of war, sinking several merchant ships in the Indian Ocean and South Atlantic.
The Royal Navy had a number of task forces trying to track her down and she was eventually engaged off the Rio de la Plata by
the far inferior guns of the British cruisers. Suffering slight damage, Graf Spee sought refuge in the neutral port of Montevideo, where
the story became one of political intrigue, bluff and counter-bluff, as well as one of human honor and heroism, notably on the part of Captain Hans Langsdorf,
the captain of the Graf Spee who always conducted himself with great dignity and professionalism and who even won the respect of the officers and ships' crews he captured as prisoners.
The British Minister in Montevideo at the time was Eugen Millington-Drake, who spearheaded a duplicitous plan to keep the German ship in port long enough for
Royal Navy reinforcements to arrive, while the world's press was encouraged in its exaggarated claims as to how many British ships were waiting for her to leave port.
But when Graf Spee left Montevideo, it was not to meet the Royal Navy in battle but to be spectacularly scuttled outside the harbour.
Captain Langsdorf meanwhile, was taken to Buenos Aires where he committed suicide 2 days later and was buried with full military honors, attended by a number
of the officers who had been his prisoners.
Table companion Lyn and I teamed-up again today to do the organised "City Highlights" tour, commencing with Independence Square and its statue
of Jose Artigas, considered to be the father of Uruguaian independence. Fought over and sandwiched between the Spanish in Argentina and the Portuguese
in Brazil, Uruguay eventually achieved independence in 1828, brokered by the British.
Independence Square The statue of Jose Artigas and the City Gate (1740)
Palacio Estevez (1890) The first Presidential Palace Independence Square
Palacio Salvo Independence Square
The square is also the location of the City Gate, all that remains of a colonial fort dating from 1740, while Palacio Estevez is
the private house which became the first Presidential Palace in 1890. Meanwhile, looking like something out of Flash Gordon, the
Palacio Salvo dates from 1925; 100m tall, with a radio mast on the top, it was conceived as a hotel but is largely
apartments and offices, although it stands where Gerardo Rodriguez once wrote the famous Tango "La Cumparsita" in 1918.
Teatro Solis Near Independence Square (built 1856, refurbished 2004)
La Diligencia (1952) (The Stage Coach) in Prado Park
Tacuabe & his family The last of the Charrua Indians massacred in 1831
La Carreta (1919) (The Ox-Cart) in Batlle Park
The sculptures La Diligencia (the Stage Coach) in Prado Park and La Carreta (the Ox-Cart) in Batlle Park have striking
similarities; that's because they were by the same local artist, Jose Belloni.
Another sculpture in Prado Park, at which our guide was unwilling to linger, was that depicting
Tacuabe and his family, the last surviving Charrua Indians, following their massacre in 1831.
Palacio Legislativo The National Congress Building (Internet Photo)
The Honor Hall & National Constitution
The Hall of Lost Steps (52 kinds of marble)
Entrance to the Senate Chamber
The highlight of our tour however, was the visit to the Palacio Legislativo, the National Congress Building, where we were allowed inside and
shown some of its grand rooms.
Completed in 1925, the building houses the National Constitution as well as many historic works of art. The main hall, the Hall of Lost Steps,
is decorated in 52 kinds of local marble, while the Party Room has a carved wood ceiling decorated in 24-carat gold leaf. It's a quite spectacular building and well worth a visit.
"The Sciences" Mosaic by Giovanni Buffa
Sala de Fiestas (the Party Room) The carved wood ceiling is decorated in 24-carat gold leaf
Honor Guard
Instead of taking a siesta (like this fellow!) after lunch, I took advantage of the free shuttle-bus back to Independence Square so that I could do some more exploring on foot.
(left) Siesta in Independence Square and (right) Faded Colonial Grandeur
Local Craft Market in leafy Plaza Constitucion
The Cathedral - La Iglezia Matriz (Mother Church) Stree view of the Tower, the Interior and Baptistry
Port Market & Naval Customs Building
After a spot of shopping in the Port Market, it was back to the ship, past the Graf Spee Memorial and the little open-air nauticalia museum
where you can take your life in your hands crossing the road!
(left) "Cruisers Follow the Green Lane!" and (right) Eclectic Nauticalia in the open-air museum
Celebrity Infinity left before us without much fuss. Then Queen Mary 2 departed to blasts from her booming whistles and I was reminded of the still
great pro-British feeling here when, at the outer breakwater, many well-wishers had come out specially to cheer us off. It was rather a nice moment.
Ships of the Uruguaian Navy
Well-wishers on the Breakwater some even getting quite wet!
The Pilot also gets A Bumpy Ride!
Saturday 29th January - Thursday 3rd February 2011
6 Days at Sea en-route to Cape Town
Leaving Montevideo, we were now sailing eastwards across the South Atlantic and there was suddenly a chill in the air. However, having chosen a sheltered
balcony cabin on the port side, I was still able to sit outside and get the benefit of any Southern Hemisphere sun during the passage.
"Tango'd" in the Queens Room! (left) The bust of Queen Mary looks on, unamused!
So far, I had avoided the dance classes because the teachers were the same Russian couple who had been on Queen Victoria and I had found their teaching method tedious.
However, I was watching the Tango today, wondering if there were any "available" partners, when I spotted the same busty bleached blonde I saw the other day, wearing the same luminous pink top, tight
white "see-thru" trousers and a tan the colour of brown shoe polish! Without her husband today though, she was scanning the room but before she could spot that
I had my dance shoes on, I made a run for it! Aside from the colour-scheme, for Tango you need "full body contact" and in order to dance with her, I would have needed to be a contortionist to maintain that!
The Commodore Club (Deck 9 Fwd) My Bar of Choice
Smaller than its namesake aboard Queen Victoria but more intimate, this room boasts the largest illuminated model of QM2 at sea and it was my "Bar of Choice" for early evening drinks.
Some of the guys I met aboard Queen Victoria were also aboard and with a number of new faces too, there was always a small group would meet
here each day for a chat and a quiet drink.
Sunday 30th January 2011
Settling-in nicely to my second Transatlantic Crossing in a month, today I spent the early afternoon in my favourite room on the ship,
"Illuminations" but this time, in it's other guise as a Cinema. With its large screen and excellent sound and projection systems
matched by comfortable seating and an unobstructed view, the room is also an "Art Deco" tour-de force that is a pleasure to sit in.
The film though, was "Toy Story 3"! Goodness knows why I chose it but this film has won 2 "Oscars" and numerous other awards,
not least being "No.1 Airline Weepie" of 2011!
It was ever so good and I'm not ashamed to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Tonight was "Formal" again though, and the Cunard World Cocktail Party. By this point in the trip, there was no shortage of people
I knew enough to talk to and apart from the usual (slightly) boring speeches and blatant advertising for future cruises, Cunard do not stint
on the drinks and canapes.
Know Your Onions!
One of my dinner favourites, "French Onion Soup", appeared on the menu for the first time last night and having waited two weeks for it to be
available, it proved to be such a disappointment that I had to tell the Assistant Maitre d'. Sure enough, that "put the cat among the pigeons" and it was done again tonight
as a "Special Order". But with more than enough for 6 people,
my table companions were all obliged to try it as well and they were as relieved as I was that it was much better second time around!
Monday 31st January 2011
The BBC News today was of riots in Egypt (where I was on holiday on the Nile just 3 months ago) and the sad loss at 77 of my favourite film-music composer, John Barry,
so I needed cheering-up with a "free lunch" with fellow dining companions Lyn, Doug & Heather in the ship's "Speciality Dining" venue, the Todd English Restaurant.
Situated aft on Deck 8, below the 2-deck Duplex Apartments with views astern, this is a
"Reservations Only" restaurant and there is an additional cover charge of $20 for lunch, or $30 for dinner. However, as Diamond members of the Cunard Club, we were all entitled to one
lunch free.
Todd English Restaurant (Deck 8 aft)
visit toddenglish.com >> The menu was similar to that aboard Queen Victoria a
few weeks ago but the presentation and service were much better, as had been the case when Andrew & I dined here during our transatlantic voyage last year.
Sample Menus:Typical Lunch Menu >>
& Typical Dinner Menu >>
The Restaurant looks out onto the Terrace, a sun-deck containing the main outdoor swimming-pool and jacuzzi; not a particularly pleasant
outlook but with good food and genial company, the view didn't matter! It was nearly 3pm when we left.
(left) Doug, Lyn, Me and Heather, all about to enjoy Lunch in the Todd English Restaurant
It was a pre-dinner Show tonight, and only the 3rd Production Show there had been on this voyage. Called "From The West Side", it was
a modern take on West Side Story, with modern jazz and dance pieces added. While it was a bit shakey in places, at least it was imaginative
and a bit different.
A Waft from the Back Streets!
It was during the Show that this "strange woman" and her friend came and sat down right next to us. Pushing right up close against me to make room for herself
and her ever-growing group of friends who began arriving, I was overwhelmed by her dreadful perfume, which smelled more like "Dettol" and which I later dubbed "Deterrent" by Backstreets of Rio!
"Formal" again tonight and themed as "Big Band Night", the main event was in the Queens Room after dinner, with both the usual dance band and the Theatre Orchestra combined on stage
to play music mostly from the 1940's. Not surprisingly, the event was extremely popular and the room was absolutely packed. All I can say is, "The music was Very Loud!".
Tuesday 1st February 2011
An unscheduled call at Tristan da Cunha
Day 4 at sea and the highlight today was our unofficial call at the most remote inhabited island in the world. With a population of just 264,
the island has no airport and can only be reached by sea; even then, the tiny harbour is incapable of
accommodating anything other than a few fishing boats!
The Upper Observation Deck at Noon & Testing all 4 of Queen Mary 2's loud whistles!
Inaccessible Island
Tristan da Cunha with the supply ship "RMS St Helena" at anchor off the main settlement
Just before we sighted the nearby uninhabited "Inaccessible Island", I was on deck as Queen Mary 2 tested all 4 of her whistles, one of which was actually on the first
Queen Mary of 1936. Then around 1.30pm, we skirted the main island, laying-off about 2 miles from the main settlement.
By good fortune, the island's supply vessel, RMS St Helena was also here and was at anchor; but even she is too large to berth in the tiny fishing harbour of this mountainous
volcanic island, so for us, contact with the shore was made via the island's Fishery Patrol Vessel, Wave Dancer.
Exchanging Gifts by bucket & line via the Island's Fishery Patrol Vessel "Wave Dancer"
We all watched as gifts were exchanged by bucket-and-line in the choppy waters. I don't know what we gave them but it was rumoured that
Captain Wright got some fresh Atlantic Lobsters in return!
The island's highest point is named "Queen Mary's Peak", so it was appropriate that Queen Mary 2 should make a loud ship's whistle salute to the
island and the little RMS St Helena as we departed.
In the afternoon, I rather enjoyed the complimentary "Wine Tasting Event" for Diamond Cunard members, but after dinner, there was
a particularly fine cabaret performance by Dean Martin-impersonator, Mark Adams, who was very good. Then drinks with Lyn, Doug & Heather
and I was fit for bed!
(right) Queen Mary 2's enormous Royal Court Theatre seats an audience of 1,100
Wednesday 2nd February 2011
With the clocks set forward for the 4th time since Montevideo, it was getting more and more difficult to stick to my "schedule" of swimming before breakfast,
not to mention my 6 laps of the deck afterwards!
And if yesterday hadn't been "boozy" enough, there was yet another cocktail party today and this time, it was the Officers' Cocktail Party, for Plantinum and Diamond Cunard members only.
I was getting rather used to this "Diamond" treatment!
The Parade of the Lost Alaskas
This being our last "Formal" night aboard, we were obliged to endure the "Parade of the Chefs" in the middle of our dessert! Waving napkins and looking like they
had all lost their "Baked Alaska", I couldn't help noticing that few of them seemed very happy; in fact, they all looked a bit reluctant!
Thursday 3rd February 2011
With grey skies and a temperature of only 68 degrees outside, I decided to spend the morning doing some of the packing. "End-of-Cruiseitis" was beginning to
set in!
But lured by Fish & Chips and Butternut Squash Soup on the menu, I decided to break my habit of a light lunch in favour of lunch in the Dining Room.
Frankly, it was the best restaurant "Fish & Chips" I had ever experienced and one of the best lunches on board in the whole of the last 4 weeks!
(left) The Britannia Restaurant from the Upper level on Deck 3
In the afternoon, the piano recital in the Theatre by renowned pianist James Sherlock might have been quite pleasant, were it not for the ill-tuned
"Yamaha" and the constant irritation of people coming and going, talking and the banging of doors! So after tea, I sought refuge in my favourite place,
"Illuminations", for another special "Planetarium Show".
Dinner was good too, with Roasted Tomato Soup, Snapper and "B52" Cheesecake, whatever that is!
Friday 4th February 2011
Cape Town, South Africa
It was an inauspicious start to the day. As I was doing my 6 laps of the deck, the temperature
suddenly plummeted and we hit fog banks. The next 25 miles was done through thick fog accompanied by the eerie sound of Queen Mary 2's fog-horn!
(left & right) 25 miles from Cape Town and we enter thick fog banks!
However, dead on cue, we emerged from the fog into brilliant sunshine, blue skies and to the spectacular panorama of Cape Town against the
backdrop of Table Mountain.
Table Mountain towers above Cape Town, with Devil's Peak to the left and Lion's Head and the 2010 World Cup Stadium to the right
The Best Vantage Point!
Table Mountain 3,500ft (1067m)
Green Point Stadium Built for the 2010 World Cup
A Fireboat Welcome
With 2,600 passengers to be cleared by the Authorities, we were all given designated time-slots to attend for on-board passport inspection but everyone wanted to be first in the queue,
so it was organised chaos! It is a credit to the Cape Town guys that I still got through in about 30 minutues!
(left) The bows of Queen Mary 2 with the Table Mountain cable station in the background
Afternoon trip up Table Mountain
With disembarkation not due until tomorrow, I had covered all my options by booking one of the organised tours from the ship. They do say that,
because of the unpreditable weather conditions on the top of Table Mountain, you should always take the trip to the top as soon as you get the chance.
Cape Town from Table Mountain (Highest point 3,558ft - 1,085m)
The exhilarating trip up the mountain was done by cable-car (my third this holiday!) but here it's called the "Rotair" because the entire car rotates
throughout the journey, giving all 65 passengers a fantastic view all round. And unlike in Rio, this one does the whole trip in one go!
Top of the World! From Table Mountain, the view of Cape Town, with Lion's Head below on the left and Devil's Peak over on the right
At 3,497 feet high (1,066m), the upper cable station is more than two-and-a-half times the height of Sugarloaf Mountain
in Rio de Janeiro; once there, it's like you are literally "on top of the World"!
The view south from Table Mountain Cape Peninsula & Cape Point
The Twelve Apostles & the Atlantic coast shrouded in cloud
Queen Mary 2 From Table Mountain
"Table" Mountain isn't entirely flat of course, but there are fabulous views over the city towards Robben Island, as well as south,
where the peaks of the Twelve Apostles face the Atlantic coast, today completely shrouded in low cloud.
Beyond is the Cape Peninsula & Cape Point.
See panorama >>
We were back at the ship at 6.15pm and it was time to dress for dinner and my last night aboard. After being in the company of the same people for such a long time,
it was a rather sad set of goodbyes that had to be made, as I returned to my cabin to finish the last of my packing.
A Final Embarrassment in the Corridor!
It was turned midnight when I finally put out my bags and I thought I was being very careful, throwing the bolt on the door as I put my first suitcase out in the corridor.
What I didn't realise was that just a slight touch on the inside handle released the bolt, so as I put my second suitcase outside, I heard the dreaded sound of the door
clicking shut behind me! There I was, locked-out in the corridor, in bare feet and wearing only my pyjamas!
Fortunately, one of my friends just happened to be coming along the corridor to his cabin and it was he (thanks Chris!) who telephoned for the Housekeeper to
come with her pass-key; otherwise I might have had to go down to Reception in my pyjamas!
But I still had 3 more days in Cape Town yet, so my Winter Adventure continues...... See Page 3 >>
Lots more photos of Queen Mary 2 and all the places visited on this cruise can be found on my account at Captain Martini >>
account at Captain Martini >>
