Oct 08 2008
God Bless the QE2 and All Who Sleep in Her
I had been going to blog about last night’s debate, but hey it was such a non-event that it’s not worth the blog space! Instead I’ll go with a story that’s close to my heart.
The QE2, one of the most famous cruise ships in the world makes its entrance in my home port today. This is one of those days that I wish I was home because I would of loved to go down to the river to see her dock. I’ve never had the opportunity to travel aboard this vessel, but I’m sad that I’m not there to see her before she disappears out of British waters for the last time.
Unlike other cruise ships that have become museums or worse sent to the wrecking yard, the QE2 is destined to become a floating hotel. It won’t be in the English Channel however. Whilst the US is selling arms to Taiwan, the Brits are selling their sea-faring heritage to Dubai (along with the ownership of their football teams).
What saddens me most about this is that the QE2 wasn’t just a passenger liner for the rich and famous. She was also a troop carrier that saw action during the Falklands War. I remember the news reports of her being refitted first into a military transportation vehicle, and then back again into the beautiful example of British shipbuilding craftsmanship she was when originally launched in 1967. The QE2 has been a great ambassador for the UK.
Perhaps it’s misplaced to have such an emotional attachment to something I’ve never even seen, but there’s so much going on around the world that’s a bad reality. The QE2 offered a dream, an escape, the possibility that one day I would cruise to New York, or even on my larger dream days, around the world. Somehow spending a few nights onboard her in her new capacity as a floating exclusive hotel isn’t quite the same. She was built to sail the world’s oceans, not be permanently anchored off-port as a fancy resort.
When she leaves the River Tyne tonight I wish her well as she sails off into the sunset continuing her farewell tour, and thank her for the good publicity she gave to the UK during her years in service.
3 Responses to “God Bless the QE2 and All Who Sleep in Her”
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Maybe it’s just ’cause I’m still a bit pissed from the drinking game I played during the debate last night (I had to take a drink for every “my friends” and “look”[from Obama]), but I couldn’t help but hear “Rule Brittania” when I read this.
Cheers
Yeah there was a time when Britannia ruled the waves, then the US led the free world, and now who knows who’s in charge and what they’re meant to be doing because those that are supposed to know have lost the plot! You must have quite a hangover based on the drinking criteria!
that is indeed a rough drinking game rule, almost as bad as watching “Big Trouble in Little China” and drinking everytime Kurt Russell does something badass. Not that I’ve done that before… or last night…
-coughs awkwardly-