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Persephone

Day 38IconRae

 

Persephone joins the ship overnight. Initially named Percy, it is discovered by an ornithologist, also a passenger, that he is in fact a female bird. Persephone is a young peregrine falcon who has accidently found herself on board after we left Madeira.

Feelings for Persephone change over her time on board from the initial excitement that a land bird is now travelling on a ship to utter disgust that she is catching and eating all the young sea birds who come to rest on the masts.

Persephone1

I must admit it is a little disconcerting to find feathers and carcass remains on the deck during our morning walk.

 

As predicted by ‘The Bird Lady’, as our travelling ornithologist is now named, Persephone is no longer with us when we approach the Caribbean. A soon as she saw land she obviously flew off to a new home on the other side of the Atlantic. Falcons are not sea birds, so she has done well.

Persephone2

Her presence has however, made us all more aware of the bird life around us and it is not long before ‘The Bird Lady’ is asked to give some talks. To her surprise the theatre is full for each talk. Before each port of call, we learn about the bird life to expect to see. Having not been particularly interested in birds, I am surprised to find myself enjoying being able to identify different ones.

 

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Funchal, Madeira

Day 36 IconRae

 

 

This is our first stop since boarding the Astor and the first day we are happy to wear summer clothes again.

FunchalGray

We are finding the poor internet on the ship a bit of a problem, so we head to a coffee shop that advertises free Wifi. Excellent coffee! And we manage to get onto Auckland library and change our eBooks. There is a library on the ship, but it is full of tatty old books that passengers have left behind. Thank goodness for eBooks and our iPads! Gray sends emails home too.

FiunchalIcecream

We enjoy pottering around the town. It is sparkling clean, trees provide welcome shade and people seem very helpful and cheerful. After delicious strawberries and ice-cream and freshly squeezed orange juice we cross the road to purchase some madeira, hoping that it is nothing like the cheap, rough beverage we drank back in our student days. We trust these purchases will be better! We also spot aged port, which we know will be good and add it to our lot.

Funchal1

We meander back to the ship enjoying the sunshine and warm sea breeze and thinking that this is a lovely place to visit again. We have heard about the beautiful gardens, especially orchids, here.

Funchal2

 

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The Bay of Biscay

Day 35IconGray

Some of the fiercest weather conditions of the Atlantic Ocean can be witnessed in the Biscay Bay. The area is home to large storms during the winter months and there have been countless ships wrecks reported from the area as a result of the gruesome weather.

KaranC [https://www.marineinsight.com/life-at-sea/why-the-bay-of-biscay-is-dangerous-for-ships/]

 

The Bay of Biscay has a fearsome reputation. So, being someone who prefers fair-weather sailing whenever possible, I had taken a morbid interest in the area for some time before boarding Astor. I had followed weather reports, wave height charts, wind predictions, specialized information about the Bay of Biscay specifically. I had steeled myself to be ready to cope with whatever the ocean was going to throw at us.

We slipped away form the London Cruise Terminal at Tilbury while passengers were all engaged in their lifeboat drills. Quietly slipping down the Thames, we entered the Channel about tea time. It’s a very busy waterway and I was glad to be confident in our crew’s capabilities, the ship’s navigation facilities and her obvious seaworthiness.

It was a very pleasant evening and we slept well. By morning we were approaching the dreaded Bay. Tilbury to the Bay is not a very long time to get one’s sea legs. During other voyages we had found that we became so used to the ship’s soothing motion that we only noticed the lack of it when we disembarked to go ashore and wobbled like drunken sailors. We were not at that stage as we approached the feared area.

Leaving Brest to port, we proceeded at a steady 18 knots towards Madeira as we arrived at the northern entrance to the Bay. So far, so good. Nothing much had changed. No wall of mountainous seas; no screaming hurricanes. Have we taken a wrong turning??

GreySea

The sky was quite grey and covered in cloud, there was a breeze blowing and the waves were not more than one metre high. It seems we had managed to enter this sea on one of those, relatively rare, occasions when it was relatively calm. Being an optimist, I, of course, couldn’t believe it would last the entire crossing. Surely the worst was just ahead and would be really scary! We sailed on. And on, and on. The caption told us it was one of the calmest crossings he had made and that we were very lucky.

Biscay2

I’m very happy to be lucky!! Madeira here we come!!

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We’re Sailing from Tilbury Docks

Day 32

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It was a rimy morning, and very damp. I had seen the damp lying on the outside of my little window … while it dripped, it seemed to my oppressed conscience like a phantom devoting me to the Hulks.

(C Dickens, Great Expectations)

 

We are heading from Edinburgh down to Tilbury to board the ship home. It sounds simple enough. Maybe it would have been had we taken a taxi to the airport, flown to London airport and taken a taxi to Tilbury. But where’s the fun in that?

Everything starts with coffee. Good coffee. So we visit the Italian coffee shop across the road from our apartment to say Goodbye and receive a friendly “Buon viaggio” from Toni, and then head to Waverley Station.

Trains

When we were arranging our travel to and from Edinburgh we somehow came under the mistaken impression that there was a High Speed Train service and that we were on it. I gather there will be, eventually, maybe by 2020, but we were definitely not on it for this trip. The run up to Edinburgh was quite enjoyable with only 1 stop and arriving on time. Going back to London it turned out that we had to ‘Change at Crewe’ – with some delay. And it turned out that, being Sunday afternoon, the train was packed to the gunnels with returning Londoners heading back for a week’s work.

Euston

But we survived. Intrepid you see! At Euston station we had to pick up the large cases we had left, and then get to Fenchurch for the train to Tilbury. Actually to Chafford Hundred where we were staying the night. It really is a place!

I had discovered that you can book a mini cab for the ride to Fenchurch and that it would be cheaper and avoid queues for a London cab. Unfortunately it turned out to be a dodgy deal. Mini cabs are not allowed to pick up in London stations so you have to get in the mini cab at the ‘taxi drop off point’. We headed there. But you have to be phoned by the cab for them to arrange the ‘swoop-in-and-grab’. Since we were using data Sims in the UK we could not be phoned and the mini cab didn’t use apps like WhatsApp or Skype so we waited a while and then headed to the London Cab rank and got a black cab. Not the cheapest solution considering we had paid the mini cab on-line and didn’t get a refund.

At Fenchurch Station we lugged our large cases to the waiting train and scrambled on. The trip is almost an hour. As we progressed, more and more people got on at each station. The carriages became quite crowded. The prospect of getting all our large cases off at the station looked as though it would be impossible. I shouldn’t have worried. As we scrambled up to attempt the exit, many hands sprang into action helping, passing cases on to the platform; holding back the doors to get us safely and quickly off the train. Such lovely kindness from absolute strangers.

There were 2 taxis at the station. You could tell business wasn’t brisk on a Sunday afternoon at Chafford Hundred. The one at the head had probably been there quite a while. He was a bit incredulous when we gave him our destination since it was a mere couple of hundred yards. However, with our cases and the early evening drizzle we obviously needed help. And he was very good natured in helping us get to our guest house. In fact we booked him then and there to collect us in the morning and take us to the Cruise Centre.

Tilbury

Goodbye England. We’ve had a lovely time and experienced so much that was interesting and fun. Now were about to head off on a Grand Voyage.

 

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Castles

Day 29

IconRaeParanoCastle

It is not surprising that travelling through Europe we’d come across castles and I suppose that having a young granddaughter who loves stories of princesses made us even more aware of them.

When we booked our holiday apartment in Edinburgh it was advertised as being near Edinburgh Castle. I thought that probably many apartments would he advertised as such and would have tiny views of the castle. I gave it no more thought.

EdCastleFromFlat

Imagine our delight as we entered the gated community of our Edinburgh apartment to have the castle looming above us. In the late afternoon autumn sunlight the sight was both surreal and magical.

EdCastle

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Hamleys

Day 25

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We were so excited about being with family in London that we didn’t really give much thought to what we wanted to do and see. We did want a shopping day, to stock up on clothes for the sea voyage home, but nothing else was fixed in our minds.

Hamleys

Gray’s cousin suggested we have a day in the city and we are so glad we did.

BigToys

In Hamleys we were intrigued to observe parents and grandparents with young children who were excitedly and haphazardly searching for their ‘favourite thing’ and remembered over 30 years ago when we’d caught a train into London with 3 enthusiastic lads, pocket money burning holes in their pockets, determined to have a great spend up.

Playing

It was wonderful to see that this great toyshop still allures young spenders.

[wpvideo w4o7xFmU]

 

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Monmatre

Day 20IconRae

Monmartre

No matter how much you plan and prepare before you venture off, there are always surprises. That’s one of the many great things about travelling, revelling in the surprises!

Visiting Montmatre was quite a focus of our visit to Paris; not so much the buildings, but more the people. After taking in the spectacular views of the city, we meandered around the streets intrigued by all the ‘artists’ setting up their easels ready for another day of tourists. We reflected on how this area would have been many years ago when Toulouse Lautrec, Renoir, Picasso and Van Gogh lived and worked here.

MonmatreArtists

In our wanderings we discovered the Dali Exhibition. What a display! Time just flew by as we pondered over the melting clocks and his other works of art.

Dali

We acknowledge that many great creative artists were poor, tortured souls. Anyone who has studied art history, which I confess I have not, will probably tear me to shreds, but I kept thinking that Dali’s work was more circumspect. I think that he was pointing out human foibles and frailties. Whatever is the true explanation, this exhibition is not to be missed. We were so glad that we came across it in our wanderings.

 

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Paris is Always a Good Idea!

Day 19IconGray

EiffelYTower

Sometimes Good Ideas need a little encouragement.

We arrived at Gare de l’est on a Sunday afternoon and got a taxi to the apartment we had arranged to rent. We wanted to be in the 10th and were expecting a slow trip through busy Parisian streets. However, the roads were relatively quiet on a Sunday afternoon and the taxi bustled along and got us to the address quite quickly. And cheaply!

We had been given the address and told the owner’s mother would be there to meet us. Entrance was a narrow door between a delicatessen and a café. We entered. Post boxes for tenants (no names on them), a couple of bicycles but no ‘Mother’. We had been told our apartment was on the 5th floor – with a nice view. We had been assured there was a lift.

There was a lift. A 2 person lift in the corner of the downstairs area. It was out of order.

And it had been such a lovely day so far!

Nothing for it, I would have to climb the stairs in search of mother. Leaving Rae by the 3 large cases, I climbed up 5 floors of the tiny, circular staircase. On the 5th floor were several apartment doors. Which one? No numbers or names were to be seen. I called out. No answer. It was a quiet Sunday afternoon; no one seemed to be home.

Climbing back down was easier than going up, but didn’t result in any solution. We had a phone number for the owner, but were using a data sim in my phone so couldn’t call it. Some people had entered and left through the front door. A couple of young guys came in – saw us looking bewildered and asked if we were OK. They offered to phone the number for us. Unfortunately they got a voice mail message and could only leave a message.

You do feel a bit lost in these situations. However, ‘Travel’ is about being brave – intrepid even! I set off to explore the neighbourhood, leaving Rae with the cases again. She was getting less attached to those cases by the minute! Just up the road I found a hotel. A budget hotel. Yes they had a room, and would hold it for us for a few minutes.

I dashed back to Rae, collected the cases and dragged them to the hotel to check in: very relieved we wouldn’t be sleeping rough this night. The hotel had WiFi, so, as soon as we were in our room, Rae sent an email to the owner asking what had gone wrong!

The owner was now in the USA, having recently moved there, leaving Mother to manage bookings. (And omitting to remember to change the contact phone number to Mother’s). We were Mother’s first clients. She had been waiting in the apartment all afternoon, not realizing we didn’t know which apartment to go to. Frantic emails resulted in Mother arriving at our Hotel, paying our bill and arranging for us to go onto the apartment next day when the lift was to be repaired.

Apartment

All in all quite an adventure. It was fairly scary at times, but in the end everything worked out very well.

All the people we had contact with as we tried to resolve our situation were delightful, helpful and friendly. ‘Mother’ was upset we had been put in a frightening situation and went to extra lengths to make up for it – even calling round on our last day to take us to the station for the next section of our voyage.

Balcony

The apartment was ideal. The views great, the facilities were all you could want. And the neighbourhood was just as we’d hoped.

St-Martin

Even when you are being a little daring and resourceful people will look after you in Paris. Obviously Paris is always a good idea!

 

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Marseilles

Day 17IconRae

Marseilles

In more recent years we have preferred to holiday in small towns or villages and tend to avoid many large cities. I imagine it is because we prefer the contact with the local people that is sometimes not possible to experience in bigger, busy cities.

One exception to this small town preference is Marseilles.

OldPort

We love the hustle and bustle of Saint Charles railway station, with the constant announcements blaring out in ‘melodic’ French, the old port with cafes and restaurants all in a row facing the harbour and the exquisite and quirky shops within the back streets.

Bouillabaisse

Each visit we have lunch along the waterfront. I choose seafood. Bouillabaisse is the top favourite, but a bucket of mussels is equally agreeable. I must confess I have no idea what Gray prefers! After lunch we fossick in shops and usually struggle back to the train laden down with shopping bags.

Mussels

We really do love Marseilles!

 

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Provence Revisited

Day 14IconRae

ProvenceMtn

When we were younger we were quite scornful of folk who holidayed in the same place year after year – where were their imaginations? However, we now enjoy revisiting happy holiday locations. We particularly enjoy being in Provence, either in small towns or little villages.

AuberneHouse

We love buying fresh produce from markets and learning how to prepare traditional Provençal fare from enthusiastic stall- holders. We salivate at the sight of local cheeses, prepared meats and freshly harvested fruits and vegetables. Local eateries and the local wines are also greatly appreciated.

LocalEateries

Being immersed in the culture of a place, travelling on their public transport and observing the people all adds to the richness of the experience. We find that our efforts of speaking French are appreciated so we consciously try to avoid speaking English when we are out and about. It is surprising how much our French improves!

Bus