07 June, 2014

Aboard QM2 in the Fjords

After a short time ashore I find myself back as sea doing a short locum contract aboard the impressive Ocean Liner QUEEN MARY 2 (QM2)



The Medical Centre onboard this ship is by far the largest I have worked in whilst being at sea so the work seems a bit easier as we have more places to put people.  

Our first voyage included a stop in Zeebrugge on the Belguim coast and then onto Hamburg where we spent a day delighting in this lovely river city.  So much has been done to the harbour since my last call there many years ago that I hardly knew where I was.  The old sandbank has been converted into a fabulous HARBOUR CITY area and the old warehouses have been converted into modern apartments and businesses.  There is even a new Opera house being built with fabulous windows that appear as little blobs on the glass but can even turn out to be balconies - very interesting.  

Shop For This Camera

Sail away from Hamburg harbour can take quite a while as the trip down the river Elbe is a long one.  I was delighted to pass HOTEL LOUIS JACOB where they fired 3 'canon' and then played Rule Britannia very loudly as they waved white sheets out the windows - bizzare but delightful!!  :-) Everyone onboard waved back furiously as well.  


Good-Bye Queen Mary - Hotel Louis C. Jacob Hamburg

Then we were off to the fjords.  First stop was ALESUND which was intersting as I haven't been there before and then to Bergen, 2nd largest city in Norway and it used to be the capital.  Lovely place but it was a public holiday so nothing was open.  A walk down to the old harbour revealed a market which was lovely to wander around seeking out the trolls.....

Last stop on this Norwegian journey was Stavanger.  We stopped there on a Sunday - same day as a big cycle race - TOUR DES FJORDS 2014.  Very exciting to see all the speedy cyclists, but I don't think I will be pedaling that one anytime soon.....  
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