Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/12/28
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 02:57 PM 12/28/03 -0500, 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. To be fair, Seth, the costs for these runs are quite a bit expensive. You trip on SS STATENDAM in 1960 cost, in 2002 dollars, $1780.94. Your QE2 crossing in 1978 cost, in 2002 dollars, $4567.12. The upgrade to the SST Concorde cost, in 2002 dollars, $1141.78. We realize that the Concorde has now been, very foolishly, grounded, but consider whether your trip on the QE2 was three times as nice as that on the STATENDAM. And, given that we can all obtain a jet flight to Europe (yes, I know, eight hours of hell followed by two hours of REAL hell at Heathrow) for $500, why should any sane person ever want to spend this kind of money for transport? And you claim that you are not "rich" but, for most of us on this List, these kind of prices are simply unapproachable. Heavens only knows what a tourist-class passage on the QM2 will cost but it will probably be in the region of $7500 per person. Yes, it is a grand experience but I can do better at any of a number of local resorts (the Homestead, the Greenbrier, or Mountain Lake) for a LOT less money. Enjoy your wealth, Seth. Most of us envy you to a degree. Marc > >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 > msmall@infionline.net FAX: +540/343-7315 Cha robh bąs fir gun ghrąs fir! - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html