2019 - Amsterdam

Known for their unique front gables, narrow rowhouses line the canals in Amsterdam - Amsterdam, Netherlands
Copyright Andy Richards 2019 - All Rights Reserved

THIS WAS our first visit to Amsterdam. There would be a couple more that would be more in-depth, but in this case, it was the termination point of the cruise, and we only scheduled the day we arrived (flying out of Amsterdam's Schipol early the next morning). No tours or excursions, but we made the most of it, walking around much of the quite "walkable" city. Originally settled by various germanic tribes, the area that encompasses today's Netherlands didn't really come about until the 1800's following The Reformation. Previously part of the Roman Empire, the combined lands of what are now Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemborg, after the defeat of Napolean in about 1815, became The United Kingdom of the Netherlands. The entire area is heavily influenced by substantial coastal land along the North Sea and down the coast on the English Channel. Many of Central Europe's major rivers (and later canals and waterways) ultimately flow into the ocean there, making the entire geographic region strategically important - particularly for trade. Around 1830, Belgium, which remained primarily Catholic, split away from the region which ultimately became three different sovereign nations: The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemborg.

Amsterdam, Netherlands
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THE NETHERLANDS remained neutral during WWI and tried valiantly to remain so during WWII, but were disingenously invaded by the Nazis, who occupied Rotterdam and Amsterdam during the war. Pre-war, however, the area, and in particular Amsterdam, became one of the world's most important and dominant trade and financial centers. Many of the later "new world" explorations originated out of (privately-owned) Dutch corporations like Dutch East Indies Company (South Africa) and the Dutch West India Company (U.S. and the Caribbean), who in the beginning, dominated these regions. There are still a number of Dutch - controlled, popular Caribbean islands, like St. Maarten, Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. For a time, the Dutch also dominated the seas around the world.

Rijksmuseum - Amsterdam, Netherlands
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AMSTERDAM'S ARCHITECTURE is an interesting mix. The old city center along the canals and the Amstel River are lined with 17th Century "Canal Houses;" narrow houses built in neo-Gothic or Gothic Revival buildings noted for their unique gabled roofs, separating one from another in terms of their looks. Note that most of them have a hook near the top that was used to lift cargo up into the upper stories. These homes were often a combination of residence and commerce. The world famous Rijksmuseum is a wonderful example of Rennaissance Revival/neo-Gothic architectue. As you move out from the city, you start to see more modern touches, including some Art Deco, "Amsterdam School Expressionist," and more modern archictecture. Much of the landscape is - of course - adorned by colorful flowers. Most of us know that the Netherlands (Holland) is especially noted for flowers, and in particular, tulips.

Landscaping around the Rijksmuseum - Amsterdam, Netherlands
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DURING THE Nazi occupation more Jewish persons were sent away to concentration camps than anywhere else in the world (roughly 105,000 of the roughly 140,000 residing there). The majority of them were murdered in concentration camps. In 2022, my wife and I spent several days in Amsterdam prior to our Celebrity Apex Baltic Cruise. We spent one of our days visiting the Anne Frank house and taking a very intense, interesting and heart-rending tour and histsory of Amsterdam's Jewish Quarter.

Amsterdam, Netherlands
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BUT ON this trip, by the time we had disembarked The Reflection and gotten our luggage squared away in hour hotel, we really only had an afternoon. So we mostly walked around. Mostly in the old city around the canals.

DeWallen - Amsterdam, Netherlands
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SEVERAL OF the prominent cities in the Netherlands end with "dam" (e.g., Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Zaandam). I am not sure I ever put that together before our second visit there, a couple years hence, during  one of our walking tours. But there is a (perhaps obvious) reason. Each of them originated at or near the point of a damn on a significant river (in the case of Amsterdam, the Amstel River). Nearby Rotterdam is on the Rotte River. Both the Amstel and The Rotte are relatively major rivers connecting parts of Europe to the North Sea, making them logical points to set up trading centers. By the late 19th Century, a`s commerce and shipping continued to grow and at the same time agricultural growth and population growth contributed to silting up of the rivers, The North Sea Canal was dug from the freshwater sea (IJMeer) immediately east of the Amsterdam Port all the way out to the North Sea - a distance of over 20 miles. Coming in on this cruise was my first time in the Canal, and it was during the dark of night, so I didn't see it. When we sailed out of Amsterdam in 2022, I was able to do better, making a few nice photos along the shore from our high up viewpoint. A year later, we sailed out of Rotterdam where they have built a similar canal, and spent most of the sailaway up on deck with my camera.

DeWallen - Amsterdam, Netherlands
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YOU MAY have noted my near-interchangeable use of the terms "Netherlands," "Holland," and "Dutch." I wondered about that myself. As much as I am chary of using "AI" as a research tool, this explanation from Google's AI search engine seemed pretty apt: "The Netherlands is the official name of the country, consisting of 12 provinces, while Holland refers specifically to two provinces (North and South Holland). "Dutch" refers to the people, language, and culture of the entire country."

"Head Shop" - DeWallen - Amsterdam, Netherlands
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We did get a brief opportunity to walk the famed De Wallen, Red Light District, and the adjacent area streets where the smell of some kind of "incense" was really strong 😇. I was told I could get it at a coffee shop, but it seemed to me like it was coming out of the bars and along the streets. I found it fascinating that "weed" is legal in Amsterdam and freely available - but technically not if you are not a Netherlands resident. I say "technically," because I know of numerous instances where U.S. visitors purchased it and nobody blinked and eye. I doubt it is something that is vigorously enforced.

Amsterdam, Netherlands
Copyright Andy Richards 2019

WE ALSO stopped in for a drink in what is I believe the oldest bar in the Netherlands - and maybe in Europe. The size of the entire bar was only maybe 3 times what you see in the image above.

Bicycle parking - Downtown Amsterdam, Netherlands
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ONE THING that really hit home with me was how much a bicycle-culture there is in Amsterdam. The number of known bikes in Amsterdam exceeds it official population. By maybe 100,000 bicycles!

Bicyles parked in a residential alley - Amsterdam, Netherlands
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HAVING COMMENTED about the "canals" in general in my Bruges post, I should say something about them here. If there is another city in Europe that I personally would compare to Venice, it would be Amsterdam. But a little research tells me that in terms of sheer number of canals, the number of miles of canals, and the number of bridges over them, Venice is actually not at the top of that list. Hamburg, Germany (yet to visit) tops that list. But other cities, like Birmingham, UK, and Amsterdam have more canals and bridges than Venice. I still think Venice trumps them all. It is about the aesthetics, in my view. And the layout and density and variety of the canal. Venice is the only one of these cities that is completely on an isolated "island" and has only foot traffic. In each of the others, there are a few vehicular bridges, and streets and traffic often lining each side of the canal.

Amsterdam Canal - Amsterdam, Netherlands
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NONETHELESS, THE Amsterdam canals are impressive, with their "canal house" lined banks, and the beautiful landscaping that surrounds them. The other phenomena I have noted in virtually all the "other" European Canals is the presence of the private, liveaboard canal boats. I do not recall ever having seen them in Venice. Any that they do have are unusual.

Liveaboard Canal Boats - Amsterdam, Netherlands
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LIKE THEY all do, our cruise had to come to an end at some point. This short, busy day in Amsterdam was it for us for our 2019 cruise. Or so I thought. Stay tuned. It turns out that we decided to book another one just a couple months hence!

2019 - Bruges - Perhaps the Tiniest, but most Charming Stop in the English Channel

Markt - Bruges, Belgium
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OF ALL the cruise stops we have made in Europe, Bruges is probably the tiniest of all. The only other one that might come close is the Swedish town of Visby on the tiny Swedish island of Gottland). But an awful lot of beauty, architecture and history is packed into that little space.

Bruges City Hall  Bruges, Belgium
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LIKE SOME of the other port "stops," Bruges is not on the water. But unlike many of them, it is reasonably close (10 miles) and transportation to and from the cruise port it relatively easy, buy shuttle, taxi or uber. The port is Zeebrugge. In both instances (and in most cases I have seen on itineraries) Bruges was not even a full day stop. Amsterdam, long a primary cruise port for cruise ships and river cruises, is a short hop from there, and I think Bruges is one of those "lets make a quick stop there on the way" destination. But in my view it is every bit worth that stop. It takes 30 minutes to get to the main square (Markt) in Bruges, depending on the mode of travel. We have found it most expedient to go by cab or Uber. Once you enter the Markt, it becomes immediately apparent why Bruges is such an attraction.

Bruges Belfry - Bruges, Belgium
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THIRTEENTH CENTURY Belfort, a gothic Belfry, towers over the Markt at one end of the plaza, dominating Bruges' historic center. Ringing the rest of the plaza are colorful, mostly single story, buildings, all in gothic style. In the middle is an ornate statue. A block away, the very ornate, but again gothic, City Hall stands in front of its own plaza.

The canal behing Belfort - Bruges, Belgium
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BECAUSE IT is so small, Bruges is easily walkable from the Markt Plaza. On this day, our cab driver dropped us off on a small street directly behind one of the entrances to the Markt. Knowing our time frame was tight, we arranged with him to pick us up 4 hours later in the same spot (and thankfully, he was dependably waiting for us right on time).

Back canal - Bruges, Belgium
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I HAVE often read about Bruge being compared to Venice because of its "canals." In reality, there are a couple large canals on the outskirts of the town, and one very picturesque canal that cuts through the middle of the old historic district. It seems to me that whenever we encounter a city that has one or more canals, people want to compare it with Venice. Having spent some time in Venice over the years, I don't find those comparisons particularly apt. But I will say that any of them can be very beautiful for viewing and for picture-taking. One of the salient features of canals are their ability to create and present (often colorful) reflections. For such a small place, I found plenty of opportunity to exercise my picture-taking muscles. Line a canal with gothic architecture, plant some colorful flowers, let the sun create reflections, and you have a ready-made photo-artistic model.

Canal Boat Tour - Bruges, Belgium
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WE WALKED around a bit, stopped at one of the many cafes lining the Markt for a drink, and then boarded one of the canal boats for a leisurely float along the canal, with remarkable views and reflections along the way. The drink? For me it was - of course - one of the local Belgian Lagers!

Church of Our Lady - Bruges, Belgium
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LATER, WE walked along the canal in the middle of the historic district. At the end of the canal is the impressive and equally gothic Church of Our Lady. Also dating back to the 13th century, I was taken in by the old stone bridge spanning the canal in front of the approach to the church.

Canal - Bruges, Belgium
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THE END of our time in Bruges nearing, we headed back to the little Chocolate shop behind the Markt, where we had begun, to meet our driver. Sadly, the shop was not open. The two things most people think about sampling when they visit Belgium are their beer and chocolate. Fortunately, we did find some chocolate in another shop in the town. We re-boarded our ship, knowing it was our last night aboard. Tomorrow, we would terminate in Amsterdam.

Bruges, Belgium
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2019 - Le Havre ("For Paris?") - We Did It Again!

The Eiffel Tower - Paris, France
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I WON'T get this exactly right, but they say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and not learning from your mistakes. Once again, we found ourselves planning a cruise stop  at an inland location. Just like London, there is no seaport in Paris! Far from it. In fact the closest port is probably LeHavre, on the English Channel; well over 100 miles away. Of course, we had made all of our shore plans months before the cruise. And this one was different in a way that actually made sense. I would do it again if the circumstances were repeated.

Paris, France
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THIS CRUISE was different than any I had ever been on (or have been on since), in terms of port and port times. I have griped on here frequently about what I see as disingenuous advertising by the cruise lines about where you are really stopping in a Port. Paris, London, Rome, Florence, and Berlin, among many others are all a sustantial distance from the port stops. Yet it is clearly the plan (and the hype) that cruisers will plan to visit these places in lieu of what are otherwise essentially little know places for tourism. A few months back, I suggested here, that cruise lines approach their port stops differently, planning perhaps a smaller number of stops, but with more time in at least a few more of them than they already do. Perhaps more overnight stops. Perhaps even longer than overnight. I recently read some evidence that some of the Celebrity Cruise itineraries may be leaning that way.

Looking down the block where our Paris Hotel was located - Paris, France
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THE PORT stop here was different because it was the longest overnight stop we have ever had. And it did give us enough time in port to overnight in Paris and see a substantial amount of the city. We arrived quite early in LeHavre the next morning (from Dover). LaHavre was an overnight stop, with the ship docked until midnight the following day, giving us two complete days. I think that is enough time to justify the train rides to and from Paris (unlike the perhaps ill-advised train time for the round trip between Dover and London on the previous stop). We booked (ahead, of course) a motel in the heart of Paris, and a couple tours, including some walking tours. We were originally scheduled to see the Notre Dame Cathedral, among other things. Tragically, just 2 months before our arrival in Paris, fire raged through the old building, destroying many of the wooden parts, of the building and rendering unusable. They were well into the re-building process when we were there in June, but it wouldn't be until July of 2024 that it would be reopened again to the public. It is still on my bucket list to see both a more pristine exterior and surely the interior one day.

Construction and remnants of the April, 2019 Notre Dame Cathedral Fire - Paris, France
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I STILL think you are going to need to stay more than one overnight to really see all a city as huge of Paris. But our 2 days got us an awful lot of it. We arrived at our hotel right around noon (so really, 1 1/2 days). That afternoon, we decided to take advantage of the Hop-on, Hop-off bus to get a kind of "lay of the land." Because it wasn't hugely crowded, we were able to get off and back on a couple times this trip. On of the stops was the Place du Trocadéro (Trocadéro Square), which is probably the most accessible and dramatic view of the Eiffel Tower. I was able to make several nice photographs of the tower from the square.

Eiffel Tower from Place du Trocadero - Paris, France
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WE EVENTUALLY got around to the famed Champs-Elysee. The next day we made our way back over there, walked the avenue, and ended up at the Arc di Triomphe. But for this afternoon, we needed to get back over near the base of the Eiffel Tower, to be ready for our evening appointment. There is an elevator up most of the way. Access to the top requires climbing just a few stairs, and also requires that you pay for some type of "VIP" access. We had done that. Well, in fairness, my wife - the expert tour "arranger," did. For those who may be interested, there is a restaurant at the top of the elevator that is famous and said to be a very romantic dinner experience. We didn't do the restaurant. But we did get to watch a fabulous sunset over the city.

Sunset over Paris from the Top of the Eiffel Tower - Paris, France
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WE HAVE been to some high vantage points in cities around the world. Certainly not the highest, and perhaps not the most dramatic or sweeping views - but Paris - a not-so-small city - from the Eiffel is certainly among the most impressive views that I have (so far) ever seen.

The "Blue Hour" from the top of the Eiffel Tower - Paris, France
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ONCE WE were back at street level, we walked around the grounds and I had an opportunity to make a few pictures of the Tower from a more close-up perspective. When lit at night, the tower glows a beautiful gold. There is also a periodic, sparkling light show. While I made some still images of that, they didn't really do it justice. I rarely do video (and so rarely think about it). But this is one where a video would be more impressive than a still image during that light show. However, be aware. French law (copyright) protects the light show, and it is - technically - illegal to post, publish or otherwise use the images of the show. In reality, this is restricted to commercial use, and the operators have made clear that there is no problem photgraphing or videoing for personal use (including posting on your own social media for non-commercial purposes). I didn't give it a thought while I was walking around the grounds. But it is probably worth a "google" for photographers.

Eiffel Tower - Paris, France
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THE FOLLOWING morning, after breakfast in a charming little streetfront restaurant near (and associated with) our hotel, we headed back over to  The Île de la Cité, the island in the middle of the Seine River in the center of Paris. The island is the historic birthplace of the city. Our tour was actually just across the Seine to the west in the historical district that is known as The Latin Quarter. One of the main treasures there is the early 13th Century St. Severin Catholic Church.

St. Severin Catholic Church - Paris, France
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BUILT IN what Wikipedia terms "flamboyant Gothic Style," the church, including flying buttresses, is a wonder to see, both inside and out.

St. Severin Church - Paris, France
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THE LATIN quarter is quite beauful and peaceful in its own right, with quiet, tree-lined streets and Gothic architecture. As we walked along, I noticed a sign depicting the residence of famous medieval philosopher, Heloise - the place where the tragically ended romance of Abelard and Heloise - for those who are students of European history (and especially the Medieval period and the Enlightenment as the world came out of the so-called "Dark Ages."

Notre Dame Cathedral - Paris, France
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WHEN OUR tour came to an end, we spent some time again over on  Île de la Cité, where we walked around the Notre Dame Cathedral, and eventually ended up in a small, quintessential Parisian sidewalk restaurant, in full view of the bell towers of the Cathedral. Our (very) French waiter who had only a halting command of English, small, skinny, and bald on top and probably well into his 60's, looked and acted (to me) as if he were right out of "central casting." It was a pretty cool experience and the food was decent. As the early image of the Cathedral draped in re-construction and repair scaffolding shows, it was very difficult to get a "beautiful" image of Notre Dame. But by some selective composition, I was able to get the iconic front. The blooming flowers added a little something to the shot.

Entrance Plaza to The Louv're Museum - Paris, France
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WE HAD seen The Louv're, ever so briefly, as we passed it on the Hop-on Hop-off bus earlier in our visit. We would see it again from a different viewpoint this afternoon, taking a riverboat "cruise" up and down the Seine within the City of Paris. Alas these were the closest we got to the Louv're, but it will remain on our "bucket list" to spend at least half a day there on a future visit to Paris. In the meantime, if you do visit I highly recommend that purchase tickets to the sightseeing "waterbus" boats. It is a really great way to see the center of Paris.

The Louv're - viewed from the Seine - Paris, France
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FOLLOWING THE river cruise, we headed back over to the Legendary Champs-Elysees, the showcase street of Paris and the avenue of the rich and famous, which ends at its western terminus at the Arc de Triomphe, yet another preeminent world monument. Called by some the most beautiful avenue in the world (I might disagree, but it is certainly right up there), the just over 1 mile boulevarded avenue is lined on both sides with theatres, restaurants, and luxury shopping stores.

Champs-Elysees - Paris, France
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CIRCLING THE arch, of course is also the world-known roundabout, today called Place Charles de Gaulle ( but formerly Place de l'Étoile). 12 lanes across, the roundabout is famously known for its chaotic flow of traffic and has been used both for comedic and dramatic cinema often in more recent history. I learned while writing this the vehicles entering the roundabout have the right of way. Whatever the rules, it was pretty amazing to watch the essentially collision-free flow of the traffic, moving at speed, in, out and around the circle. I never really go a vantage point where I could photograph it. It is possible to go to the top of the arch, but some event had it closed to the public that day. The arch, itself, though is impressive.

Arc de Triomphe - Paris, France
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NEARING THE end of another day, and the conclusion of our Paris Visit, our group of 4 split up for the afternoon, and were on our own for a late lunch/early supper, before meeting back up at the train station. My wife and I, not particularly hungry (we do a lot of eating on these trips 😋) headed back toward our hotel to collect our bags and make the short walk to the train station. We stopped for a "light" bit, splitting a Monte Cristo sandwich before departing for the station. The Monte Cristo seemed fitting for Paris, somehow.

Cruising the Seine - Paris, France
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WE HAD two more stops in front of us; the lovely Bruges, Belgium and our termination of the cruise at Amsterdam, where we would spend just part of one day. More on those coming up. Since I couldn't be in two places at once, and we were up in the top of the probable "symbol of France" - the Eiffel Tower - I could only image what a sunset might look like from the viewing plaza across the Seine. So I put my imagination to work with Photoshop. It was "goodbye for now," to Paris. As Arnold said (sort of): "we will be back!"

Eiffel Tower Reflection - Paris, France
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2019 - London

London, England
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IF YOU are at all a student of geography, you are probably asking right now: "how do you get to London on a Cruise Ship?" The short answer is: You Don't!

The White Cliffs of Dover, England
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A LONGER, more convoluted answer is that - from a cruise ship - we probably shouldn't have (at least not the way we did it). I think London works best in the context of a cruise if you spend some time there either before or after the cruise (and probably the best cruise point for that is Southampton). But in this case, our port stop was Dover, on the far southeast corner of England on the English Channel. There were a couple days "at sea" between our departure from Cobh and arrival at Dover. There is little doubt that Dover is an important British seaport, both currently and historically. The narrowest point on the English Channel is between Dover and Calais, France. As such, Dover is a major transit hub for travelers coming into England. Historically, the struggle between the two European powers: England and France, was often centered on these two important ports, with control of both cities sometimes trading back and forth.

Staircase at St. Pancras often used as a movie set - London, England
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HAVING NOW been to Dover twice, I have to say there isn't a huge amount of tourist-attracting features there though. It is not one of my favorites, but it is apparently a convenient stop for the cruise lines. It is not that there is absolutely nothing to do. Just not much to "write home about." There are the famous "white [limestone] cliffs." There is Dover Castle, and the tunnels that were used by soldiers in both world wars. And there is a quaint, tiny little town with some fun little pubs and cold beer. That's about it.

St. Pancras Railroad Station and Hotel - London, England
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ON OUR second time in Dover, we stayed local and toured Dover Castle, which really is an interesting and enjoyable spot. Another time, I might venture the 15 miles out of town to Canterbury and indulge in some English history. But generally, stops in Dover are short, on the way to or from one of the more major cruise ports like Southampton, or Amsterdam. For whatever reason, our port time on this cruise was a something like 10 hours. We had never been to London, and thought this might be our opportunity to check it out, so we booked train tickets and took the 60 mile trip to London, where we had booked a guided tour for our time in London. We had nearly 4 hours of travel to and from London. With the time it takes to get off the ship and get to the rail station - and then to get back to the ship from the station, that didn't leave much time to see London. 20/20 hindsight: I wouldn't recommend it.

St. Bartholomew's Church - London, England
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OUR GUIDE met us at the St. Pancras railroad station (a direct train between London and Dover). The Victorian, red brick, Gothic Revival style building is super-impressive. It may be one of the most notable buildings in London - where there are many such sights. It is so immense it is also difficult to photograph.

Tower Bridge - London, England
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OUR TOUR was actually kind of abbreviated, and was a specialty tour (though we didn't realize that is what we had booked until we reviewed the booking later). As such, we were not scheduled to see some of the "must see" stuff in the city, like the Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, and many other notables. Only by us cajoling our guide/driver, did we ultimately get him to make stops at the Tower Bridge and Buckingham Palace (and only very quick ones). I didn't really make any "keeper" images of Buckingham. I did get a few quick shots off of the Tower Bridge, from a perspective it is not usually shot from (so there is that). Given the perspective, even with my widest angle lens, there was a lot of distortion. The image here was made only after hours of work in Photoshop with its perspective correction tool. But I am pretty happy with the result. Tower Bridge is often mistaken for the fabled "London Bridge." The original old London Bridge was a stone arch bridge that lived on the Thames for some 600 years (1209 - 1832). Many old shops stood on the bridge. By the 19th century the bridge was decrepit was replaced by a newer, similar stone arch bridge designed by architect John Rennie ("The Rennie Bridge"), and the original medieval bridge was torn down. But alas, by the 1900s, it was discovered that the Rennie Bridge was sinking about an inch every 8 years and eventually, a newer bridge was built. The Rennie Bridge was purchase and demoed by a private citizen from the U.S. and brought to Lake Havasu, Arizona, where it stands today. The newest "London Bridge" is, I can assure you, very boring (but still the main intercourse across the Thames in London. From its wide pedestrian sidewalks, though, you can get a great view of the much more impressive Tower Bridge.

Britain's Royal Courts of Justice - London, England
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AT SOME point in our tour, our guide discovered that I was an attorney, and being right there on Fleet Street, he insisted on showing us the Royal Courts of Justice. The primarily Gothic building is immense, stylish, and imposing. We were able walk inside, but no photographry is allowed in there, so the best I could do was to try to capture the exterior.

The London Eye - London, England
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OUR FORMAL tour ended shortly after that, but my wife - ever the travel expert - had a surprise for us that she had held off until later. Fortunately our guide dropped us off along the river and we were but a short distance from one of the modern wonders of London: The London Eye, and she had booked us an appointment to ride it. The London Eye is a huge, ferris wheel with large, enclosed pods instead of the typical small, open seats you find at amusement parks. The pods are mostly plexiglass, and the wheel towers high above the city for some amazing views. There are only a couple other places in the city where you can see it from so high above, so this was a treat. Unfortunately, with the impurities, thickness, wear, and the bright reflective sunlight on the plexiglass, it is a challenge to make "keeper" photos. I did shoot a few, and again with the workhorse assistance of Photoshop, have been able to render a few presentable images. The view - photo or not - is simply spectacular. I strongly recommend that you book a time and take advantage of it. The opening image above, looking down on the Elizabeth Tower (often mistakenly referred to as "Big Ben," which is just the clock housed in the tower). The image below is of the Blackfriars Railroad Bridge; one of several bridges that span the Thames in London.

Blackfriars Railroad Bridge across the Thames - London, England
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OUR TIME in London had came to an end all too soon, and we had to hurry to the St. Pancras station, and our train back to Dover. This is, of course, a blog primarily about cruising. I will double down on my comment at the beginning. A cruise stop is simply not a good way to see London. The city is immense and intense. Since this cruise we have spent a week in London two different times and we still feel like we have barely scratched the surface. It is a must see in your lifetime destination. But you really must book a hotel in the city as your "headquarters," and see it from there. That doesn't mean you cannot do it in conjunction with a cruise, however. Many cruises come and go out of the port of Southampton, which is only about an hour plus or minus drive from London by car, and only slightly longer by train. Both of our week long stays in London have preceded cruises out and back from Southampton.

2019 - Cobh, Cork and Blarney Castle

Cobh, Ireland
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COBH WAS established as a seaport for the British Royal Navy in the 1750's and was known as "The Cove of Cork." Renamed Queenstown in 1849 in honor of a visit by Queen Victoria, it remained so-named until 1920, when - during the Irish War of Independence - the town was reverted back to Cobh (a Gaelicisation of the English word: "cove"). It is a pretty little quintessential Irish village, with colorful gothic architecture which remains primarily a seaport.

Cruise Port - Cobh, Ireland
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ST. COLMAN'S Cathedral, the cathedral of the Diocese of Cloyne, sits at the top of the hill overlooking the village and the port, and the steeple, at 300 feet, is said to be one of the tallest buildings - and is the tallest church in Ireland. Built in the late 19th century the neo-Gothic building is imposing and beautiful. Its height makes it a challenge to photograph, but it beckons to the photographer and I sure tried.

St. Colman's Cathedral - Cobh, Ireland
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LOOKING AT most of my photos of Cobh, you can see that the cathedral plays a dominant part in almost all aspects of the town's landscape.

St. Colman's Cathedral - Cobh, Ireland
Copyright Andy Richards 2019 - All Rights Reserved

ON APRIL 2, 1912, The Titanic, the world's largest and to date most extravagant Ocean Liner, left Belfast, Northern Ireland on her first passenger - carrying voyage. She would sail to Southampton, England, where the White Star Line terminal was. From Southampton, she would sail briefly across the English Channel to Cherbourg, France where she would pick up additional passengers and then in just a couple short hours, set sail again, for Queenstown, Ireland. Then on April 11, 1912, she again set sail, this time for her final destination: New York in the U.S. We all know she never made it. Because at one time, Cobh was a major shipbuilding location, and was and remains an important Irish port for transatlantic voyages (primarily cruise ships these days), the town played a major historical part in the Titanic story. Personally, after having visited both the Belfast and the Cobh "Titanic Experience," I prefer the Cobh version. It is much smaller, less "Disney," and in my view - a more moving experience.

The Titanic Experience Exhibit - Cobh, Ireland
Copyright Andy Richards 2019 - All Rights Reserved

THE "DECK of Cards," is another semi-famous view in Cobh. A series of row houses make their way down the hill, with brightly colored paint adorning them. The "classic" view is the row houses with St. Colman's steeple in the close up background. Finding the location to make this shot was a bit of a challenge. I spent a couple hours walking all around it from up hill and down. I made a few other shots, but I ultimately found this one when a lady on a back street stopped to "chat" and I asked her what she knew. She told me about a park directly across the street. I had seen the park entrance, but is had never occured to me that the view would open up from street level in this park. It does!

"Deck of Cards" Row Houses - Cobh, Ireland
Copyright Andy Richards 2019 - All Rights Reserved

THIS VERY walkable little town is as photogenic a place as I can remember anywhere. It is little wonder that most of my memorable photographs were made in Cobh.

Cobh, Ireland
Copyright Andy Richards 2019 - All Rights Reserved

THIS PORT was an overnight stay for us, and on our second day, we found our way with private transportation to the famous Blarney Castle, and then back home by way of Cobh. There is a really cool little train from the Cobh village to Cork, which we took back to the ship. But for the morning, our destination was Blarney Castle, where we had entrances tickets at a set time.

Blarney Castle - County Cork, Ireland

Copyright Andy Richards 2019 - All Rights Reserved

THE BIG deal most people associate with Blarney Castle is the famed "Blarney Stone." The stone has a multi-storied history, depending on which story (if any) you might choose to believe. I won't rehash it all here, but it is probably worth asking your favorite "AI" chatbot these days. What I will say is that it has been widely said over the years that to "kiss the Blarney Stone" will bestow upon you the "gift of gab." The word "blarney," thought to be a term and meaning coined by Cormack McCarthy, lord of the surrounding lands and builder of Blarney Castle, connotes a kind of facetious flattery, often designed to mislead or stall. O.k. Two things:

to "kiss the Blarney Stone" will bestow upon you the "gift of gab."

FIRST, IF you ask anyone who knows me well, I am pretty well bestowed with the "gift of gab," though hopefully lacking the facetious part. 😇 So, as Bill Murray said in Caddyshack: "I have that going for me." Already. Don't need any help.

Waiting to "Kiss the Blarney Stone" - Blarney Castle - County Cork, Ireland
Copyright Andy Richards 2019 - All Rights Reserved

SECOND, AND perhaps the truly decisive reason for me: I am not really high on putting my mouth on a stone built into a medieval castle that has also been kissed (and who knows what else) by millions of other humans. For that very same reason, I enthusiastically abstained from kissing the Basilica Cistern Medusa Heads in Istanbul when we visited back in 2013. 😓 The stone is part of the parapet wall and in order to kiss it, participants must lie on their back and lean way down off the main wall, while being held by the proprietors of the castle. Nope. But it really was astounding how many people stood in line for as long as an hour for the "privilege." As they say these days: "you do you."

Residence - Blarney Castle - County Cork, Ireland
Copyright Andy Richards 2019 - All Rights Reserved

IN SPITE of the Blarney Stone hype, it really is a beautiful site and a majestic castle with some superb architecture both in the castle and some of the outbuildings.

an even more commercially corpulent retail and restaurant area immediately adjacent to the castle

THE GROUNDS were - likewise - beautiful, with flower gardens, woodland paths, and even an apiary. And, of course there is the obligatory commercial shops at the exit. And an even more commercially corpulent retail and restaurant area immediately adjacent to the castle that resembles something of an outlet mall. Want trinkets? Overpriced and underwhelming food. They have it there.

Linehan Confectionery - Cork, Ireland (the linked YouTube  in the narrative below is pretty interesting)
Copyright Andy Richards 2019 - All Rights Reserved

WE TOOK a taxi to Cork, where our driver dropped us off at the reknowned Linehan Confectionery, and introduced us to the owner. Afterward, we walked around for an hour or so, before finding the train back to our cruise port in Cobh. Cork is what, based on my medium sized sampling, I would call a pretty typical city in the Republic of Ireland. Originally the site of a monastery, it was conquered and build by the Vikings near the end of the first century. The second largest city in the Republic, Cork is also the county seat for County Cork. Situated on the River Lee, you can actually take a "ferry" from Cork all the way back to Cobh (though it looks like a fairly long journey). I didn't really make very many memorable photos in Cork. As usual, though, color and shape drew my attention to this shot of the row houses lining the river.

Rowhouses on the River Lee - Cork, Ireland
Copyright Andy Richards 2019 - All Rights Reserved

WE WOULD say good bye to Ireland for now. We would be back by cruise stop again. I have to say I absolutely love Ireland, its people, its culture and its beautiful landscape (both natural and man-made). We spent a full 10 days on the ground there in 2014, seeing - in addition to Dublin - Galway, Limerick, and a few much smaller towns. But probably my single most memorable place in the country is Cobh. I truly hope we have another chance to spend some time in this really great corner of Ireland. It is a true mix of village, seaport, and agricultural lands. My shot of the lighthouse as we sailed into the port in the early morning may best capture the spirit I felt there.

Cobh, Ireland
Copyright Andy Richards 2019 - All Rights Reserved