Wednesday 8 May 2019

The Amsterdam Visits Bantry.

We noticed the massive cruiser: Amsterdam berthed in Bantry harbour yesterday morning.  The launches brought passengers into town.  Some of the tourists carried umbrellas and wore raincoats and held cameras and took photos and went a for a pint of the "black stuff" or a "nice cup of tea".  Others boarded coaches and went on day trips to Beara and no doubt Killarney.  

My mother use to tell me about back in the fifties when the American and British Atlantic liners use to berth in Bantry Bay.  Back in the time when me mum met my dad ("In Baghdad where my mother met my dad") the tourists would flock to see Cork and Kerry.  Then along came the jet planes and they flew into Shannon. 

However or but.  Since Bantry Harbour Commissioners built the new jetty and the ships have returned.  It's just a shame West Cork or Bantry doesn't have an Eden Project.  

Something for the tourists to visit even when its raining!  Perhaps the Euro Millions could donate 36 million for a worthwhile project.  Well they did in Cornwall.  Changing a China clay quarry into a tourist attraction.

The passengers on the Amsterdam have almost completed an 114 cruise voyage leaving Fort Lauredale in Florida and then onto: Panama, Peru, Chile, Pitcairn Island, French Polynesia, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, India ("flipping heck"), Oman, Jordan, Suez Canal, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Scotland, Belfast, Dublin, Cobh and Bantry by the sea.  Then back to Florida.


Here she goes on her way to Florida.  Here's a song for the passengers to use enjoy their supper and voyage and thanks for passing where we live.









We watch that cruise ship programme on Friday nights starring Jane McDonald.  I love her self deprecating northern humour and it was wonderful seeing them sail along the river Duoro in Portugal recently.

Have you ever been on a cruise?  The ship not a missile!  I like to jump on a plane and get to my destination.  Aren't flights boring?  

I usually start imagining one of the air hostesses turning into Britney Spears and singing "Toxic".  The missus reads a book or watches a filum (eighteen years in Ireland) and I look at my watch every five minutes.


17 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. Heavens to Betsy, that's a long voyage. How much does it cost???
    I'd love to go on a Short cruise, one of those 3 or 4 day ones just to see what it's like. Too much food for a start. I'd have to spend free time pacing the deck to walk it all off, in-between taking cocktails on my deckchair and taking photos of sunsets, probably not sunrises.

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  3. It looks expensive LA. One cruise I looked at around the world was 17000 Dollars.

    I think I would soon get bored. Three hours on a plane is enough travelling for me. I just like to get there.

    I suppose you do meet lots of interesting folk with life stories to tell?

    I have heard that you should to try to get a seat at the Captains table. The best of food and wine is there.

    I like to be on terra firma and go for a walk or look after my plants and veg and poly-tunnel. Thanks Linda.

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  4. Do you also supply Ford Capris? I quite like the MK2 Escort.

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  5. My people once went on a round-the-world cruise, and very soon realised that there was nothing to do but EAT. They quit the boat in Oz (I think), and flew home having gained considerable weight!

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    1. Thanks Cro. I think it would be difficult to not be a glutton and eat and drink your self silly. Wonder if the serve English real ales?

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  6. That smoke in your picture. Don't breathe it. They've measured the smoke from these huge ships in Venice. It's very bad for the health.

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    1. Gosh Gwil. I believe people use to say the same about steam locomotives and then they electrified the lines and we all wanted the steam trains back. Thanks!

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    2. I like your Ford Escort joke to the spammer above

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    3. What do you mean liking my joke? What else could they be talking about Gwil? Glad you like my sense of humour.

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  7. Commiserations to Ajax this morning.Your heading "Amsterdam" reminds me. Firstly Liverpool and now Spurs. Football never ceases to surprise does it Dave?

    I have never been on a cruise and it has never appealed. The lady in St Petersburg said I should take the cruise to Moscow. Perhaps I am missing out on something.

    Seeing the liner in Bantry Bay reminds me of seeing liners on the Grand Canal in Venice. I used to watch them coming in and going out and sit and enjoy a knickerbocker glory in one of the many cafés that were there for the cruise ships. It was a great way to pass the time and people watch for a couple of hours.

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    1. Yep. Its a funny old game. Away goals can be a killer. I bet United wish they got Pocho? Hope Spurs win it now in the all English final . I can just picture the Venice scene. You can't beat people watching can you? Thanks Rachel.

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  8. Cruising was a hobby. Joe and I went a couple of times every year, without fail and we often saw others who did the same. Loved it, absolutely.

    I see you have been visited by Neha Mumbai - aren't they a pest!

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  9. Good to read you enjoyed the cruises Valerie. My internet friend Cumbrian often goes on then. There's a rock cruise called: Cruise To The Edge. I would like to go on that next winter.

    Yes the Mumbia follow my blog some times. Its good to get comments.

    Thanks!

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  10. I have sweet memory when I was kids, visit one island to another island by ship.....

    Have a wonderful weekend

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