QE2 Handed Over

Shangri La Hotel, Dubai UAE

Off to the spice Market

Dubai is one of the seven emirates and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula. The city of Dubai is sometimes called "Dubai city" to distinguish it from the emirate.
Written accounts document the existence of the city for at least 150 years prior to the formation of the UAE. Dubai shares legal, political, military and economic functions with the other emirates within a federal framework.

Sad Farewell to QE2

We left QE2 at 11:00 this morning.  She is to be handed off to the new owners today at 2:00.  Ironically, Commodore Warwick will take over command from Captain McNaught, the former having been hired by Dubai until the ship goes into dry-dock for renovations.

The turnout last night was incredible and the Sheik's son boarded with and entourage of 40 to view the fireworks from the port bridge-wing.

Upon arrival at our hotel, we could see QE2 from our 31st floor bedroom:  bittersweet

Royal Welcome

A Royal Dubai welcome.  We were met and escorted by HMS Lancaster at the stern.  The Royal Yacht of the Sheik was on the bow and the A 380 of Emirates flew over.  In the distance the tallest building in the world, which opened last week.  Tonight: fireworks.

Last Crew Show

The crew consists of many talented people and they put on a show at the end of the trip.  It is the only one I ever go to, because it is always better than the entertainment on board.  The show was great and when the captain came out on stage afterwards there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

                                                                                             The ward room is located directly below the captain's quarters which are directly below the bridge.  Day before yesterday I had cocktails in the captain's quarters and that is a rare honor to be invited considering there are almost 2000 people on board.  Last night was the last ever ward room officers party in the ward room.  The senior officers have a lounge and bar to relax in.  This too is an invitation only event, and it was sad as it is the last one ever.  Muriel and I drank our share.

Life boats

These are QE2's lifeboats.  They are open to the elements like those on Titanic.  New ship have fully enclosed boats to shelter the passengers from the elements.  I am surprised that these were never changed.

Royal Mail

RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 stands for Royal Mail Ship.  Samuel received the first ever issued contract to transport the mail from the US to the UK in the mid 1800's.  It  continues to this day on RMS Queen Mary 2. Cunard

Maureen Ryan

Maureen Ryan has worked for Cunard for 40 years.  She started on RMS Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth before going to QE2.  She was named Godmother of Queen Victoria upon the the ship's naming.

Lazy day at sea. Some good shots.

November 21, 2008 Suez Canal Transit

The Suez Canal is a canal in Egypt. Opened in 1869, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without the need of circumnavigating around Africa or carrying goods overland between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. Prior to the canal of 1869 many canals or waterways had previously existed. Evidence of the waterways was found by Napoleon Bonaparte when he conquered Egypt.
In 1854 and 1856 Ferdinand de Lesseps obtained a concession from Said Pasha, the viceroy of Egypt, to create a company to construct a canal open to ships of all nations, according to plans created by Austrian engineer Alois Negrelli. The company was to operate the canal by leasing the relevant land, for 99 years from its opening.
The excavation took nearly 11 years using forced labor of Egyptian workers. Some sources estimate that over 30,000 people were forced to work on the canal.
The canal opened to shipping on 17 November 1869. Although numerous technical, political, and financial problems had been overcome, the final cost was more than double the original estimate.
The canal had an immediate and dramatic effect on world trade. Combined with the American transcontinental railroad completed six months earlier, it allowed the entire world to be circled in record time. It played an important role in increasing European penetration and colonization of Africa.

More Alex shots

Cairo, Eygpt

Cairo , which means "the Vanquisher" or "the Triumphant,” or "the Awesome" is the capital and largest city of Egypt and on the African continent. It is the Arab World's largest and Africa's most populous city.
The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, known commonly as the Egyptian Museum, is home to the most extensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities in the world. It has 136,000 items on display, with many more hundreds of thousands in its basement storerooms
The most famous pyramids in the world are the Egyptian pyramids — huge structures built of brick or stone, some of which are among the largest man-made constructions. Some Egyptologists, notably Mark Lehner, state that the Ancient Egyptian word for pyramid was mer. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest in Egypt and one of the largest in the world. Until Lincoln Cathedral was built in 1300 A.D., it was the tallest building in the world. The base is over 52,600 square meters in area.
It was one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and the only one of the seven to survive into modern times. The Ancient Egyptians capped the peaks of their pyramids with gold and covered their faces with polished white limestone, though many of the stones used for the purpose have fallen or been removed for other structures.

Alexandria, Egypt

Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. Alexandria was intended to supersede Naucratis as a Hellenistic center in Egypt, and to be the link between Greece and the rich Nile Valley. Alexander left Egypt for the East and never returned to his city. After Alexander departed, his viceroy, Cleomenes, continued the expansion. Following a struggle with the other successors of Alexander, his general Ptolemy succeeded in bringing Alexander's body to Alexandria.
Alexandria was not only a center of Hellenism but was also home to the largest Jewish community in the world. The Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, was produced there. The early Ptolemys kept it in order and fostered the development of its museum into the leading Hellenistic center of learning (Library of Alexandria) but were careful to maintain the distinction of its population's three largest ethnicities: Greek, Jewish, and Egyptian.
The city passed formally under Roman jurisdiction in 80 BC, according to the will of Ptolemy Alexander but only after it had been under Roman influence for more than a hundred years. It was captured by Julius Caesar in 47 BC during a roman intervention in the domestic civil war between king Ptolemy XIII and his advisors, and usurper queen Cleopatra VII. It was finally captured by Octavian, future emperor Augustus on August 1, 30 BC, with the name of the month later being changed to august to commemorate his victory.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria is one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.

November 19, 2008 at Sea

There is no satalite footprint until we get closer to Egypt, but a tour of the bridge and sounding QE'2 three whistles at noon was a treat.  The captain said I was 2 seconds late.

More Shots of Malta

Valetta, Malta November 18, 2008

The entire island of Malta was awarded the Victoria Cross due to the constant German bombardment in WWII.  Truly a beautiful Place

Malta , officially the Republic of Malta is a small and densely populated European microstate, comprising an archipelago of seven islands, making it an island nation.
Throughout much of its history, Malta has been considered a crucial strategic location due in large part to its position in the Mediterranean Sea. It was held by several ancient cultures including Sicilians, Romans, Phoenicians, Byzantines and others. The island is commonly associated with the Knights Hospitaller who ruled it. This, along with the historic Biblical shipwreck of St. Paul on the island, ingrained the strong Roman Catholic legacy which is still the official and most practiced religion in Malta today.
The country's official languages are Maltese and English, although there are strong historical ties to the Italian language on the islands. Malta gained independence from Britain in 1964 and is currently a member of the European Union which it joined in 2004, in addition to being part of the Commonwealth of Nations and the UN.

Last Napoli Departure

Two old ladies, except Muriel is a "Lady."

New friends and ship buffs in my cabin

Captain McNaught

Napoli

Naples (Italian: Napoli, Neapolitan: Nàpule) is a historic city in southern Italy, the capital of the Campania region and the province of Naples. The city is known for its rich history, art, culture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,500 years old. Naples is located halfway between two volcanic areas, the volcano Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, sitting on the coast by the Gulf of Naples.

Founded by the Ancient Greeks as (New City), it held an important role in Magna Graecia and then as part of the Roman Republic in the central province of the Empire. Naples was the capital city of a kingdom which bore its name from 1282 until 1816 in the form of the Kingdom of Naples, then in union with Sicily it was the capital of the Two Sicilies until the Italian unification.

A short boat ride takes one to the beautiful isle of Capri, used as a locations for movies and television for years due to the picturesque port.

The Holly See

Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,705,317 residents, an urban area of 3,457,690 as well as a metropolitan area of 4,013,057 inhabitants. It is located in the central-western portion of the Italian peninsula, on the Tiber river.

Rome's history as a city spans over two and a half thousand years, as one of the founding cities of Western Civilization. Even outside of the history of the Roman Empire, Rome has a significant place in the story of Christianity up to the present day, for it endures as the home of the papacy. The worldwide Roman Catholic Church is administered from the Vatican City, run by the Holy See as an independent enclave and the world's smallest sovereign state.

Today, Rome is a modern, cosmopolitan city, and the third most-visited tourist destination in the European Union. Due to its influence in politics, media, the arts and culture, Rome has been described as a global city.

Rome's early history is shrouded in legend. According to Roman tradition, the city was founded by the twins Romulus and Remus on April 21, 753 BC. Archaeological evidence supports the view that Rome grew from pastoral settlements on the Palatine Hill built in the area of the future Roman Forum.

Gib send off

Paying Off Pennant

The QE2 flies her “Paying off” pennant. 41 feet long: representing one foot per year of service. It is the custom in many navies for a ship which is "paying off" to wear an extremely long commissioning pennant, which is normally at least the length of the ship, and the length of which reflects the length of service. This is in contrast to the modern practice of using pennants of not more than one or one-and-a-half metres for convenience.
It is said that the custom of wearing a pennant at the masthead of men-of-war stems from Tromp’s broom and Blake’s whip. In the 1650’s the Dutch Admiral Van Tromp lashed a broom to his masthead as a sign that he had swept the British off the seas. In reply the British Admiral Blake hoisted a whip to the masthead to signify that he would whip the Dutchman into subjection. However, records show that pennants were in use well before this period as the mark of a warship.
In the days of chivalry, knights and their squires carried pennons and penoncels on their lances, just as men-of-war fly pennants from their masts. Records show that pennants were in use in the 13th century, when merchant ships were commandeered during war and placed in command of military officers, who transferred their trail pendants from their lances to the mastheads of the ships they commanded.

November 14, 2008 Gibraltar, UK

I was met by Phil and Jim and taken to, Spain for lunch.  Photos of that tomorrow Marbella

Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. The territory shares a border with Spain to the north. Gibraltar has historically been an important base for the British Armed Forces and is the site of a Royal Navy base.
Over the course of its history, the Rock of Gibraltar has changed hands many times, among Spanish, Moorish, and British hands, although it has been consistently under British control since the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. Before the British takeover, Spanish was widely spoken, but afterwards as most residents left the Rock, the language had a much smaller population (in 1753 there were just 185 Spaniards, and only 134 in 1777.) However, the border with Spain has been opened since 1985, allowing easier travel in and out of Spain, one of the factors which has given Andalusian Spanish considerable presence on The Rock. In 2001, there were 326 people of Spanish nationality in Gibraltar, and a large number of "Frontier Workers" who commute between Spain and Gibraltar for work.
It is also a duty free port, which means that Muriel and I will be buying all of our booze for the rest of the cruise. Much cheaper to cocktail in the cabin before dinner that to buy overpriced and strictly measured dinks in one of the QE2’s many bars.

November 13, 2008 Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon, Portugal

Neolithic era to the Roman Empire
During the Neolithic the region was inhabited by Iberian-related peoples, who also lived in other regions of Atlantic Europe at the time.
The Indo-European Celts invaded after the first millennium BC and intermarried with the Pre-Indo-European population, giving a rise to Celtic-speaking local tribes such as the Cempsi.
Archaeological findings suggest that some Phoenician influence existed in the place since 1200 BC.
The Greeks knew Lisbon as Olissipo and "Olissipona", a name they thought was derived from Ulysses, though this was a folk etymology. According to an Ancient Greek myth, the hero founded the city after he left Troy, and departed to the Atlantic to escape the Greek coalition.
Roman Empire to the Moorish conquest and after
During the Punic wars, after the defeat of Hannibal (whose troops included members of Coni the Romans decided to deprive Carthage in its most valuable possession, Hispania (the name given by the Romans to the whole of the Iberian Peninsula).
In approximately 711 Lisbon was taken by the Moors under whose rule the city flourished. The Moors, who were Muslims from North Africa and the Middle East, built many mosques and houses as well as a new city wall, currently named the Cerca Moura. The city kept a diverse population including Christians, Berbers, Arabs, Jews and Saqalibas.
In 1147, as part of the Reconquista, crusader knights led by Afonso I of Portugal, sieged and reconquered Lisbon. Lisbon was now back in Christian hands. Its inhabitants were around one hundred fifty-four thousand.

Final Departure Festivities

LONDON–Undaunted – and, apparently, undented – the glittering luxury liner Queen Elizabeth II survived a close call with a sandbank yesterday, adding one final treacherous twist to a remarkably storied career as it said goodbye to Britain forever.

Blown off course by heavy winds, the QE2 ran aground on the approach to its home port at Southhampton, where a regal farewell reception awaited before the ship sails onward to its afterlife as a floating hotel in Dubai.

Five tugboats raced to free the stranded vessel, which carried 1,700 passengers returning from the Cunard Line flagship's final Mediterranean cruise. The ship was refloated and sailed into harbour on its own power.

"She didn't want to come in," pensioner Shirley Newcombe, who was on her 10th voyage aboard the QE2, told Agence France Presse. "That's the opinion of quite a few of us on board. She doesn't want to go to Dubai and we don't want her to go."

The bittersweet festivities at Southhampton, led by the Duke of Edinburgh, included the airdrop of one million poppies on the 70,000-tonne liner, in remembrance of the QE2's role as a hospital ship during the 1982 Falklands war.

The next photo is Britain's Prince Philip reacts to a blast from the ship's fog horn, as he is driven away following a visit to the liner Queen Elizabeth 2, in Southampton

The fireworks were one of the best I have seen

Final Departure Festivities

Titanic Engineers Memorial, none survived, which is why an engineer's gold braids are separated by purple, the royal color, on order of the King following the disaster and a tradition which continues to this day.

Armistice Day, November 11, 2008. Off to Southampton

Archaeological finds suggest that the area has been permanently inhabited since the Stone Age. The Romans established a gateway settlement known as Clausentum, shortly after their invasion of Britain in AD 43.

Viking raids from 840 onwards contributed to the decline of Hamwic in the 9th century and by the 10th century, a fortified settlement, which became Medieval Southampton had been established.

Following the Norman Conquest in 1066, Southampton became the major port of transit between the then capital of England, Winchester, and Normandy. Southampton Castle was built in the 12th century and by the 13th century; Southampton had become a leading port.

In 1348, the Black Death reached England via merchant vessels calling at Southampton.

The town was sacked in 1338 by the French, including the pirate Grimaldi, who used the plunder to help found the principality of Monaco, and who are still there.

The port was the point of departure for the Pilgrim Fathers aboard the Mayflower in 1620. In 1912 the RMS Titanic sailed from Southampton. Many of the crew on-board the vessel were Sotonians, with about a third of those who perished in the tragedy hailing from the city. Southampton was subsequently the home port for the transatlantic passenger services operated by Cunard and their Blue Riband liner RMS Queen Mary and her sister ship RMS Queen Elizabeth, and of course QE2.

Dinner with a Royal Marine