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Luxor, Egypt
In October 2021, Alive! designers David and Marie Jamgotchian traveled to Egypt, and were mesmerized by the archeological wonders. At the Luxor Temple, David does his best Prince of Egypt pose, mimicking the figure at left. How do we know he’s a prince? Because he doesn’t have a beard. The central figure is a god (gods have curved beards).
Letter From England, Pt. 2
Capt. Michael Barnes, Retired, Harbor, traveled to the land of his birth, England, post-vaccination.
A Titanic Time in Southampton
With the lifting of the COVID-19 travel restrictions, we decided it was time to take a long overdue trip to our little corner of that fair and pleasant land across the pond.
Season’s greetings from Southampton, UK, the busiest cruise turn-around port in northern Europe (second largest container port in the UK). It’s been a port since the Roman occupation of Britain nearly 2,000 years ago, followed by the Saxons, Vikings and finally the Normans.
In 1620, the Pilgrim Fathers (also known as Pilgrims or English Separatists) departed from Southampton for North America on one of the earliest cruise ships, the Mayflower.
The first full-time modern transatlantic cruise ship from North America to Southampton came two years after the end of the Civil War in1867 when Quaker City, a paddle wheeler with Mark Twain on board, sailed into the port of Southampton.
Years later, on April 10, 1912, the most famous ill-fated voyage, the SS Titanic, left port with 920 passengers and 908 crew members on board, 724 of whom were from Southampton. After the ship’s final stop in Queenstown (Cobh), Ireland, it continued on its way to New York but hit an iceberg and sank. Tragically, 549 passengers never returned to their homes in Southhampton.
There are a number of memorials around Southhampton recognizing the SS Titanic crew, with the largest being a bronze and granite memorial in East (Andrews) Park. That particular memorial is dedicated to the engineers who bravely remained at their posts until the very end. There is also the musician’s memorial, honoring those who continued to play their instruments on the deck of the Titanic as the ship was sinking in an attempt to keep passengers calm.
The Sea City Museum opened to mark the centenary of the Titanic’s voyage, where a large permanent exhibition is on display in the civic center building that was once home to the magistrates’ court and police station. It is very easy to find as there is a clock tower (156 feet tall) nearby, and well worth climbing the 215 steps to the top for a spectacular view of the harbor and cruise ships. You may even see the 4,905-passenger Royal Caribbean 1,142-foot Anthem of the Seas. Southampton Central train station is a short walk, offering quick and convenient access to and from London. Also nearby is the John Lewis Shopping Complex, where visitors can shop for gifts and souvenirs.
If you have time, a visit to the restored Tudor House and Garden Museum is enjoyable. The structure is typical of the era, with timber frames and lead glass windows. This old timber-framed building is from the late 15th century and has a lovely garden and an even older Norman house at the rear, opposite St. Michael Church and close to the Dancing Man Pub. This is where Southampton’s first museum opened in 1912. Along with the Tudor House exhibits, you can enjoy an interesting stroll around the Tudor Knot Garden and explore Norman ruins. The Tudor House and surrounding sites are open every day except Fridays, and only a five-minute walk from Southampton City Cruise Terminal, or a £1 bus ticket from the train station to Town Quay, then a short walk down Bugle Street. The museum staff is well informed and very helpful, taking the time to answer our questions about the museum.
Tip: Get an early start so you can stroll down to the Dancing Man Pub for lunch!
Travel while you can, for who knows when the next pandemic will strike!
