Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/12/28
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi Seth, I would like to cruise across the Atlantic on a passenger ship like the Queen Mary II someday. However, I would love the opportunity to spend just a day aboard an aircraft carrier like the USS Nimitz. Now that would be fascinating, even though the "chow" might be better on a cruise ship. The down side to an old sea salt (not me) is the new Queen Mary cannot be considered a "lucky ship" given the gangway collapse that killed 15 or 16 people in France last month. I agree with you the new ship looks like a floating box and very much unlike the great liners of the golden age. Regards, Greg Seth Rosner wrote: >A great treat, Gerry, and many thanks. I entered the port of Southampton 25 >years ago in Queen Elizabeth II, the last of the graceful transatlantic >liners, in S.S. France in 1964, in S.S. Statendam in 1960, and in S.S. Nieuw >Amsterdam in 1950. Sailed westbound from le Havre in 1950 on the maiden >voyage of S.S. Liberte (2d maiden of this ship, originally pre-WWII >Hamburg-American ship, I think the Bremen (?) calling at Southampton en >route for New York. Missed a call at Southampton in 1956 on a westbound >sailing in M.S. Andrea Doria. > >One of the great joys of life was a transatlantic sailing, leisure, grace, >elegance, at a level that has disappeared from modern living, helas!, unless >one is truly rich. In the 50's and 60's one did not have to be rich (and I >was not!) to enjoy transatlantic ocean travel: my crossing in Statendam in >an excellent outside first class cabin cost under $300. Even in 1978, my >crossing in QE2 in a superb outside first class cabin that entitled me to >dine (one didn't "eat") in the Queen's Grill cost $1,600. and included a >return flight to New York in economy on British Airways. On my return, for >$400. I was permitted to upgrade to a BA Concorde flight; I did, certain >that unless a client were paying, I would never have another opportunity to >fly the Concorde. I was right. > >QM 2 is an impressive ship; I cannot say she is a lovely ship. She lacks the >graceful lines of the traditional ocean liner, of which the Andrea Doria and >her sisters, Cristoforo Colombo and Leonardo da Vinci were perhaps the most >beautiful. While with QM2 (to my naval eye that looks suspiciously like the >designation of a quartermaster 2d class), there is a serious effort to >create a semblance of that appearance, she much more closely resembles the >modern-day box-like cruising ship that pervades passenger ship-building >today. It is an economic necessity in today's world: pack as many passengers >as reasonably possible into the smallest possible space while still >maintaining the appearance of spaciousness. > >A former sea-farer myself, I share with you the emotions that her port entry >calls forth. Again thanks. > >Seth LaK 9 > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Gerry Walden" <gwpics@lycos.co.uk> >To: "LUG" <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> >Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2003 11:20 AM >Subject: [Leica] OT - Queen Mary 2 > > > > >>If it is of interest to anyone, this weekend the largest cruise liner in >> >> >the > > >>world docked in Southampton ready for her naming ceremony early in >> >> >January. > > >>It was a great moment for the port, and for those of us who live here, to >>see the ship arrive and to know this is her home port. The ship is 150,000 >>tons, about twice as large as the Queen Elizabeth 2. The first four shots >>were taken in atrocious weather conditions with driving rain and heavy >> >> >mist, > > >>not that you would know it thanks to Photoshop! >> >>Unless you have lived your life in a port like Southampton which has been >>home for the transatlantic trade for the last century, and saw the Titanic >>sail, you will never understand the emotions involved. I have posted a >>number of photos of her at >>http://www.leica-gallery.net/gwpics/folder-6016.html for those who want to >>see. I regret that these were not taken with a Leica, but are posted for >>common interest. >> >> >>Regards >> >>Gerry >>Gerry Walden LRPS >>www.gwpics.com >>Tel: 023 8046 3076 >> >>PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF PREFERRED EMAIL ADDRESS! >> >> >> >>-- >>To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html >> >> > >-- >To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > > > - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html