Almost there !

  

Last night, we were to have our last dinner at the Brittania.  Tonight we dine at the renowned  Verandah Restaurant. 

Prior to dinner, we had a glass of champagne at the Veuve Clicquot Bar. 

This evening dinner exceeded the excellent standard to date. From the extensive menu, I chose baked escargots, followed by salad, surf and turf (filet mignon and lobster tail), 

Dessert was pancakes with cherries and cherry  sauce: 

Followed by coffee and petit fours. 

After dinner, we had the parade of the 160 chefs, under the Executive chef, a Yorkshire lad, Nicholas Oldroyd,  who, during our voyage, have catered to our every whim 

This morning, those interested have an opportunity to see the kitchen in operation. 

After dinner, we adjourned to the Queens Room for the Roaring Twenties Ball. 

Later,  we repaired to the Royal Court theatre to see the Cunard singers and dancers for the last time. They treated us to a rendition of song and dance from South America. 

A late night snack at the Kings Court completed a perfect day.  

This morning after my usual favourite Eggs Benedict,  

we repaired to the deck for a few rounds  - try as we might to burn off a few calories - it is a hopeless task! The temperature has improved and we have donned summer clothes once again. 

At 1030 hrs, we took the opportunity to visit the kitchen. The Executive Chef was on hand to answer our questions. The kitchen does not use any packet or instant foods All sauces are made from their own stock. The  kitchen is divided into sections. 

 

and one realised the organisation that goes into running a kitchen of this magnitude, serving dinner to 2,000 guests in two sittings - particularly at sea. All food  for the Trans Atlantic crossing must be taken on at port; be it NYC or at Southampton. 

It is quite a feat having fresh food available throughout the voyage. 

After lunch in Britannia, where we had an interesting discussion with a pro Brexit couple and an American who was a member of the Rifle Club of America, I made my way to the Queens Room for the NCA fashion show -

these are the creme de la creme of student fashion designers - there are 100 applications for every place. Below is a sample of their ideas: 

 

     

  What trendy young men will be           

          Wearing in the future

 

        

I'm now sitting on deck, enjoying the sunshine but the wind is whipping up - I hope we don't encounter that hurricane! 

Tonight we saw the last performance of the Cunard Singers and Dancers followed  by Stephani Parkes in another spectacular performance. 

After the performance, we adjourned to the Verandah Restaurant. It is an institution, available only to First Class passengers on QM1 but available to all at a premium  on QM2. 

The food was of Michelin standard - more impressive in that it is cooked on board ship; 8 days out from port.! 

     Goat's Cheese Creme Caramel 

Crab meat with fried broccoli and    

           Cauliflower purée

 

    Cream of Mushroom soup with  

                     truffles

           Turbot with lobster tail

  

                          Sorbet

When I admired the glass, the waiter told me the restaurant was on good relations with the bar and the restaurant reused the broken Martini glasses- I nearly fell for it !!

Poached pear with Valarhone Ice - 

                   cream

Followed by coffee and petit fours - all washed down with a bottle of Côte Roti. 

It was a spectacular meal, the Verandah worthy of its reputation. 

Nearing our destination....

This morning the swell has eased, the ship had increased speed and we're travelling faster. Our destination looms!  

     Breakfast in bed - what a treat!

After breakfast, I attended an interview with Dame Sandra Rhodes. She gave a most interesting account of her career path. She was very honest and appeared  to be eminently down to earth - not what one  would expect of a dress designer. 

Lunch followed. Again we shared a table with some interesting people, including the twin sisters , celebrating  their 70th birthday, one in the 'rag trade' whom we met the other day, (They informed us that they had met another Irish couple - two more accounted for! Where are the other 19?), and we were also joined by two men from California. They both loved Europe and were members of the National Trust! We had great fun discussing the vagaries of the English language as spoken by the English as opposed to the Americans. The two Scottish ladies were plying them with Scottish sayings as they were collecting 'turns of phrase'. I had to leave hurriedly as I was informed that tickets for Zandra's  fashion show were outside my cabin. I had told the American gentleman beside me that I hated when the Americans say 'have a nice day' and as I left he laughingly said just that! 

I was late but I managed to gain entrance but didn't get a great seat. The show began. It was spectacular. Here are a selection of the outfits: 

I had to edit the photographs as a man's head adorned most of them!!

Zandra Rhodes is tiny: 

    Zandra in the company of her     

                      Models!       

          

I went to look for CC.  I had left in such a hurry to get my fashion show tickets that I didn't arrange where to meet and try as I might I could not  find him!! I tried our stateroom (you see I'm learning!) the library, the sun deck, the Queen's Room, where afternoon tea is served - but to no avail. It is impossible to find anyone on this ship!! 

At afternoon tea, I was seated next to a woman. I usually choose to share as it's interesting to meet diverse people. I could not distinguish where she was from? Eventually she told me that she lived in Berlin, was now going to her home in Nebraska yet she is Russian and visits the latter three times a year!! She was an advocate for the Communist system - life was much better then, Stalin had to impose order as he was fighting a war and the cities of the Soviet Union  have disimproved since the fall of Communism. She is a staunch supporter of Mr Putin. I couldn't resist asking her if it were true that all of Russia's resources were in the hands of Putin's friends? She denied it, said it was untrue!! She left at that point - so I had no time to ask her about her background? She knows Ireland well.  Her husband loves Ireland and the Irish. I wonder what her story is? 

I am here in the Pavilion indoor pool. I have enjoyed a swim and a jacuzzi. 

 

I saw a few hardy souls in the outside pools earlier today: 

but by the time I found time for a swim and sauna, it was too nippy to venture out. I had better return to base now - tonight has a 'Roaring Twenties' theme, so I must get dressed. 

En route off Newfoundland

Last night, prior to dinner,  we attended the concert of Kym Purling, a performer,  musical director and conductor for Broadway shows and later imbibed an aperatif at the Commodore,  one of the ship's many bars. The Charter  Bar was full as was the Golden Lion Pub, where you can get draught English ales and fish 'n chips  for lunch! After dinner, we retired to the Queen's Room for jazz. However, it appeared the night club band were playing! It was ear splitting so we debunked to the Charter Bar to hear an indifferent string quartet. 

 

We're making good progress. It appears that the hurricane closed a lot of the beaches on the east coast of the US, last week-end - Labour Day week-end. As I went for my walk on deck this morning, the power of the  wind would almost send one off deck, but the sea was calmer. 

Unlike yesterday the pools were open but it is too cold to swim except in the enclosed  pool on deck 12. 

At 11.00 hrs, the Royal Court Theatre was packed to capacity to hear Jon Sopel lecture on his interview with President Obama and the Presidential election.  

There were questions on American politics particularly on Trump and Clinton. Two members of the audience, one pro Trump and the other pro Clinton, gave their views. Even among this calibre of American a divide exists, which leads one to believe Trump may win. It was interesting that when the pro Trump supporter was asked how he felt about Trump being Commander in Chief, he hesitated but they do buy into the slogan 'to make  America great again'. The Germans are the most numerous but they did not take part in the debate, unlike the British, who expressed resentment at Obama's interference in the Brexit vote. However, speaking to a German couple a few days ago, they expressed the opinion that Britain was too close to America!!  

I was sorry to miss the Royal College of Art's Tomorrow Today fashion show. This  cruise is the first of Cunard's fashion cruises and we sail into NYC on the day NY Fashion Week commences! The organiser Fern Mallis and Zandra Rhodes, an alumni of the RCA are on board. 

Lunch  followed. We shared a table with an American couple, though he was born in Heidelberg, Germany. They had crossed the Atlantic on QM2, had then left the ship and travelled through Germany, Switzerland, Spain and the U.K., reboarding at Southampton on their return to Cinncinatti. The other lady was travelling alone. She was from Texas and we had lunched with her earlier in the week! She has been on board since August 8th. We reach NYC on September 8th !!!

After lunch, I adjourned to The Royal Theatre to hear the fantastic classical pianist Hiroaki Takenouchi play. It was his second concert and I enjoyed it as much as the first.

Afternoon tea followed by a rest before dinner. Afterwards we went to the Queen's Room for a Big Band evening. 

Steady as she goes.....

As you can see we're making progress! 

Last night we formed a line to meet the ship's captain and have our photograph taken with him. We drank champagne and ate canapés, 

as we listened to the captain's witty speech. It was hard to decipher as to whether or not we might hit a hurricane? Was he joking? However, before we left Ireland a hurricane was forecast!! The captain regaled us with tales of turning the ship at Southampton in 3 metres of water  and sailing over the shallowest part of the Atlantic earlier that day.!! 

It appears that the British are the most numerous, over 1,000 followed by the Germans and the Americans. The Irish make up 29!! It gives one an idea of the size of the ship that 4 days into the voyage, with the exception of the 4 people at our table and the politician and his wife, we have not heard another Irish accent!! The crew make up 1,200 so the total on board is almost 4,000!!

Dinner followed the reception and from thence to the Royal Court for the show Impassionata.It was most entertaining and would rival any Broadway or West end show. 

After breakfast this morning, we intended to do our rounds of the deck to clock up our 10,000 steps, but all doors to the deck appeared to be taped off? One of the stewards informed us that the deck was out of bounds as the sea was too rough and we might slip overboard!! We adjourned to the lobby, where I am now listening to a lecture on Stern jewellery with rings containing hidden sapphires for one's delectation! 

At midday, we again adjourned to the Royal Court to hear Jon Supple, BBC  correspondent, speak of his experiences in the Lebanon, Afghanistan, Dubai, Israel to name but a few and to regale us with his amusing anecdotes when travelling with British politicians. As one can see, one gets a broad education on board.  

After lunch, we had intended to see Zandra Rhodes fashion show but the theatre, which must contain 1,000 people, was full. We have a booking for Tuesday next. At lunch we met two Scottish women - one was in the 'rag trade' all her life. She told us that Zandra Rhodes was 74! She certainly doesn't look that age,what with her pink hair! 

My lunch companion told me that Zandra was very big in London in the 1970s but she feels that her designs have disimproved and she did not approve of the fact that her recent collection is made from polyester!!

I realise you all want a review of the food It is haute cuisine. There  is a wide selection on the menu in Britannia,

catering for low carb diet and vegetarians. There is a choice of 6 starters, salad, 6 entrees and desserts / cheese. Below is a sample of a dinner menu;

 

         Starter - salmon mousse 

Entree - Chateaubriand  with mustard and horseradish sauce accompanied by green beans and sauté potatoes. 

Lemon soufflé with pouring custard  

  

Tea and coffee and petit fours

There are sommeliers available to advise on the  extensive world wide wine list. It lists some of the great wines of the world. Our sommelier Monica from Poland is very knowledgeable and was very impressed when I advised that we would be drinking a Cote Roti (one is allowed to bring two bottles of wine on board but there is a corkage fee). She asked me to bring the wine to her at lunchtime and she would open it a few hours before dinner. She did as promised and it was delightful.  Her advice each evening has been invaluable. 

Lunch: 

Appetiser, entree, dessert and coffee 

     Roulade of salmon and prawns

      Spinach and mushroom quiche

  

     Ice cream, sorbet and yoghurt

At lunch there  is also a choice of salad and sandwich if one wishes.   

As I stated earlier, there's is also the option of the Kings Court or the Carinthia, while the former is very casual  the latter is for tasty bites; both excellent in their own way but my preference is for the Britannia. 

Afternoon tea in the Queen"s Room  is de rigeur. We were asked if we'd like to share a table, we agreed and were seated beside a lovely woman from New Jersey. She has been cruising on average 2-3 times a year for the last 3 years . She informed us that her mother and sister always cruised but she had thought she'd hate it.  When her mother died, her sister prevailed on her and now she loves cruising. She and her sister left NYC arrived in Hamburg, left QM2 for the Queen Elizabeth, sailed up the Baltic and into the Atlantic visiting the Norwegian fjords and Iceland before returning to Hamburg to pick up the QM2 as it sailed on its return voyage to NYC!! She is taking another cruise to the Caribbean  in October.! Afternoon tea over, we bade good bye to our new acquaintance remarking that we wouldn't probably meet again, such is the size of the ship. 

We were on our way to the Purser's Office to make a booking for the Verandah, (This restaurant was an institution on the Queen Mary 1, where first class passengers only, were allowed to upgrade and eat in this fine dining French restaurant for the princely sum of 10 shillings).  En route, while admiring the flower arrangement in the Grand Lobby,  I fell into conversation with another 

American woman. She too was a seasoned cruiser. She had just acquired the 2018 brochure and had immediately booked three cruises, to ensure she reserves the same table and stateroom .. (There's no cabins on board - they're all Staterooms!). How the other half lives.!!! 

When we originally booked last October, to our amazement it was almost booked out and our choice of cabin, sorry stateroom, was restricted. Although, we were lucky in that we  have an excellent  stateroom. 

We finally reached the Purser's  Office and booked the Verandah Restaurant. As with QM1, there is a supplement but it is worth the experience ! 

There is a hurricane looming !! At afternoon tea, our company told us that the Captain usually takes Sunday's ecumenical service but the Vice Captain  deputised today. She suspects the Captain is on the Bridge watching the weather! The ship has slowed down and the outside decks have been restricted for most of the day. Our experienced new friend advised that they have been aboard when waves were 80 feet high and everything carried  on as normal. This ship was specifically designed for theTransatlantic  crossing ...