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[Roger in France]

BY,

You are so right about the stars in a truly dark sky.

Here in rural France there is not as much "light pollution" as in other places and after midnight, when most street lights go out, it gets very dark here but not as dark as you would have had it at sea. Most of my French compatriots go to bed at or before 22hrs. I then sit in the garden and marvel at the stars. With even quite poor quality binoculars the sky is an amazing spectacle.

One of my favourite French sayings:

"Un repas pas de vin est comme un nuit pas des etoile" or "A meal without wine is like a night without stars".

Roger in France

[peter.dwight]

I agree,it  is a ugly thing. It only remains to appoint a doorkeeper and a floating taxi rank.
PD

[Colin Bishop]

We've done a couple of cruises over the last three years on the Thomson Celebration - ex Holland America Noordam. Not an especially beautiful ship externally but she does have traditional teak decks, a proper promenade deck and tiered decks sloping down to the stern in the traditional manner. You do feel that you are on a "proper" ship and at only 33,000 tons grt she carries just 1,200 passengers.

Re light pollution, yes, this is a tragedy. It is very rare for it to be possible to view the Milky Way in all its glory or see the Andromeda Galaxy in binoculars. That way you really do appreciate your place in creation! Still, there are compensations. Last week on the Greek island of Samos, we were sitting out on our balcony overlooking the harbour after dark with a nice bottle of wine when my wife saw a brilliant shooting star that exploded like a firework. Unfortunately I was looking in a slightly different direction and only caught sight of it out of the corner of my eye although I did see another one the next night.

[farrow]

All I can say guys is if I was twenty years younger with a full master mariners ticket, I would be chuffed to bits to drive her. She is big, comfortable, highly manoeuvrable and just look at the ports of call she has for a varied run a shore.

[Colin Bishop]

and just look at the ports of call she has for a varied run a shore.

Assuming you can get off her before it's time to re embark!

[Ghost in the shell]

to be honest, though the Ventura may not be the best looking cruise ship, I prefer the looks to that one than the QM2, however I DO LIKE the new QV

[Peter Fitness]

however I DO LIKE the new QV

  You must be one of the few, Ghost 

Peter.

[Peter Fitness]

Compare these three photos, the "Classic" QE2, and the "Modern", Liberty of the Seas or Queen Victoria

Give me QE2 any day 

Peter.

[Solitary Sailor]

What does anyone expect when you have ships designed by bean counters   

The nautical Engineer is only there to make sure the bloody thing floats.

[Bryan Young]

When you are inside the thing you can't see the outside. And it's the inside that makes the money. Ugly, yes, but those who are looking at it haven't paid anything....so stuff'em. (As I would say if I was the owner).

[Colin Bishop]

When you are inside the thing you can't see the outside

To me that's one of the problems!

Colin

[farrow]

I can remember similiar comments made about the QE2 when she was built, now she is gone she is seen through rose coloured glasses.

[Colin Bishop]

An interesting design concept for a liner drawn up in the 1930s. Rocket powered lifeboats no less!

http://davidszondy.com/future/Living/futureliner.htm


The guy also designed a "Trans Oceanic Passenger Plane".

http://home.att.net/~dannysoar/BelGeddes.htm

Colin

[Ghost in the shell]

colin, that futureliner is to ships what the flying hamburger was to trains when it comes to styling.  looks like the guy was looking at the hindenburg for cues

[chingdevil]

Peter

Was the QV picture taken at Sydney harbour?

[Peter Fitness]

Brian, yes it was. QE2 was also in Sydney at the same time, February 2008, moored at the Garden Island naval Dockyard. QV was at the overseas Passenger Terminal, at Circular Quay. The 2 liners did a symbolic "handing over the baton" sail past each other, either side of Fort Denison, later the same evening, as QV was leaving port on her way back to England via the east coast of Australia, then west, eventually transiting the Suez Canal into the Med, and home.

We boarded QE2 the next day for the homeward leg of her final world cruise, via the west coast of Australia, south east Asia, Hawaii, LA etc, then through the Panama to New York and home to Southampton.

We went into the city to see the QV, as I'd never seen her before.

Here are some more photos I took on the same day, all taken from, or near, the Opera House.

Peter.

[chingdevil]

I thought it was Sydney, I rode the OZ Jet Boat when I was there in 2005, the other pictures bring back memories perhaps I will get back there next year.

Brian