Wednesday, March 2, 2011

all the way back to the Titanic


Fortune smiled back in April of 2004. A travel writer pal called at the last minute and said “Drop everything, Gregory and grab your camera’s, we’re taking a private tour of the Queen Mary 2.”

Whoa.

The QM2--- still the worlds largest ocean liner--- had just docked in Manhattan back in 2004 as part of her maiden voyage to America. We were to be included in a 20 member travelwriter group that would meet the Captain, tour the entire ship and then have a drink with the (then) CEO of Cunard Lines, Pamela Conover.

And I get to take pictures?? Alrighty, then!
But these photos are from just last October. Future posts will feature our exterior walkabout on the decks and the amazing interiors I shot six years ago. But on this day she was in Brooklyn.

She’s a direct descendent of the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth with a clear lineage all the way back to the Titanic. She’s huge, with more interior volume than even the Empire State Building.

So it was such a nice surprise last Fall to see her again while I was taking the IKEA WaterTaxi to RedHook.

It felt like bumping into an old, good friend after 6 years. This time she was berthed alongside the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Our little watertaxi felt like a bathtub toy as we bounced by!

She looked fantastic.

Happy memories came back from that remarkable Spring day, my first time ever on a world class liner.

The QM2 is an incredible 23 stories high from the bottom of her keel to the top of her smoke funnel.

I shot this photo of her looming over Brooklyn from the IKEA restaurant window. Isn’t it always so great to run into an old friend?

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