Not the Bayshore, but the Chesapeake is wonderful as well!
Even though we have all that spectacular waterfront beauty, those magnificent rivers and ocean, that nation-founding and before history, and our own historic Sandy Hook and Twin Lights lighthouses, there is something equally special about the Chesapeake Bay. And cruising through a good part of it on American Cruise Lines Independence, even while Covid is still impacting the world, is a magnificent and unforgettable experience. A week-long trip last week meant not only reliving some great parts of history, learning more than I ever need to know about crabs and ‘picking,’ and seeing lighthouses like nowhere else, it also included meeting some great people…with only 56 aboard the 100 passenger Independence, you get the opportunity to enjoy the company of all others on the ship. But this trip was made even more special by meeting…on the first day, no less, a charming couple from Port St. Lucie, Fla, whom I knew, talked about, and yes, wrote about, decades ago when they lived in Tinton Falls, and had many active and successful businesses. Enjoying the cruise with Don and Sue Somers was an added bonus to a wonderful week. Don, who had more businesses than most people have credit cards, at one time owned the Paradise Trailer Park on the waterfront while at the same time running the very successful limo, cab, and other businesses in Red Bank. HE and Sue moved from Tinton Falls, settled in Port St Lucie, found another home there they liked even better there and are now a couple of very happy former Monmouth Countians now Floridians. They flew up from their home at the same time I was Amtrak-ing it down from Metro park, and we all shared the last night before the cruise at the super-luxurious, super expensive Four Seasons Hotel at Baltimore Inner Harbor before boarding the cruise ship. American Cruise Lines had made all the arrangements, at our expense, of course, which included an overnight at the hotel, breakfast in the morning, a fantastic guided tour for a couple of hours of Baltimore, all while ACL crew scooped up our luggage, brought it to the ship and had it neatly placed in our rooms by the time we got there at the end of the tour. Of course there was all manner of liquid and appetizing refreshments in the main room to give us 56 passengers an opportunity meet each other, chat about where we’re from, why we were on this specific cruise, and what we were looking forward to. But let’s just start with the Baltimore tour. The city, at least parts of it, has changed one heck of a lot from the days when it was downright shabby, dirty, not very appealing and certainly with little regard for the huge history that envelops it. I’m sure those areas still exist, but certainly not on the bus tour. Instead, the magnificent Inner Harbor houses history in such ships as the Sloop Constellation, made in part from pieces of the Frigate Constellation which played an earlier role in American history. The sloop on display, however, is the last of its kind built by the United States Navy. Not far from it is the Sub Torsk, the 1944 submarine that housed 80 sailors in spaces so small they had to walk sideways to get through passageways, and the only one of its kind to serve in World War II. Today, it is both a museum and a memorial. The lighthouse in the harbor is an 1856 light, not very high, and not very bright compared to the Fresnel lens in the Twin Lights, but hearty and strong for the Inner Harbor. Baltimore is also so proud of so many of its native sons and others who chose to call it home while making headlines. Edgar Allan Poe’s home is on display, and they like him so much there that every October there’s a huge festival in his honor. Frederick Douglas is another personage highly revered and recalled in a museum, as is the famous Carroll family. They’re also proud to be home to the bakery that provides the rolls for all the McDonald’s restaurants along the east coast and the conversion of its many canneries into modern day office and residential buildings. Churches abound in Baltimore, many of which are pointed out on the tour, but none is as large or magnificent as the Cathedral of the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a mouthful to say or write, and better known these days as the Baltimore Cathedral. It was built soon after the Constitution guaranteeing religious freedom in America was signed, and Catholics wanted it to be large and beautiful as a way of showing they were finally getting the freedom to practice their religion without fear of penalty. It was designed by Thomas Jefferson’s architect, Benjamin Latrobe, the same brilliant mind who designed the US Capitol, and at the time of its construction, rivaled the Capitol in size and design. Built in the neoclassical style, since the church wanted to accent its acceptance in America, it appears more to be a federal building rather than religious, with its clear pane windows rather than the traditional stained glass of churches. The first Cathedral of any religion built in the United States, it took 15 years to construct, had John Carroll, the cousin of the Declaration as its bishop and was considered the most advanced building of its era. There are numerous museums to the many different ethnic groups that call Baltimore home, including black Americans, Irish Americans, Jewish Americans and many more. Baltimore is a city of museums and ethnic pride, together with a healthy respect for all the beer for which it’s famous, and crab houses for the state treasured shellfish. Fort McHenry is a story onto itself. Because of Covid restrictions, while the tour bus stopped and offered brief walks around some of the 42 acres of the national historic site, the museum itself is closed. While that huge American flag that flew over Fort McHenry is now housed in temperature and light controlled exhibition at the Smithsonian in Washington, it’s still stirring to step on the land where the flag flew in all its glory for Francis Scott Key to see from his ship the morning after the British bombed the fort in an unsuccessful attempt to take it over. Inspiring enough for the national anthem words to be written during the War of 1812, it’s still inspiring to be on the site. The tour bus made a final pass past Baltimore’s Washington Monument, the 178 foot high Doric column designed by Robert Mills who later went on to design the nation’s 555 foot tall Washington Monument. It was built on donated land in the heart of Baltimore and if you’re game for the 227 spiral staircase steps, it offers a spectacular view of the city. Back at the Harbor, guests were met at the pier by ACL staff who introduced us all to the ship, our home for the next six nights, and a tour of historic and beautiful Chesapeake Bay. NEXT: The ship, the crew, and Yorktown, Va.
Yorktown
There is a great intimacy, great camaraderie and great opportunity to meet new friends traveling on river cruises in both the United States and Europe. Several US companies have expanded from only offering these golden opportunities on the Mighty Mississippi, American Cruise Lines among them. Their Independence travels the east coast and by comparison, is one of the smallest of cruise liners that whisk people away for six to 14 days or so of pampering, learning, eating, seeing new and exciting cities and towns, and simply relaxing and enjoying the beauty of the surroundings. It’s got almost all the same amenities as the river cruising ships that accommodate 200 passengers, just in a lesser degree. For instance, there’s one dining room on the first deck, at the ship’s stern, offering fantastic views of the scenery along both shores as well as traffic on the Bay. It’s got a lounge, but only one, on the second deck, and that’s where all the evening entertainment and the daytime games are held. It’s also where cocktail hour starts usually at 5:30, but early visitors to the lounge readily found out that the staff sets up the bar a half hour or so earlier, and has no complaints if guests go up and help themselves. All the third deck rooms have their own great private decks, with a table and chairs to enjoy passing scenery and feel up close to the seagulls and terns flying near by. The top deck is open, a great place to see the captain as he comes out of the second floor wheelhouse to guide the ship to a dock, or simply just to sit and enjoy cool breezes and the sounds of the sea. There’s a mini putting range on this deck as well, and a few pieces of exercise equipment for those who feel the need. At most, the Independence holds 100 passengers, and on a cruise earlier this month, there were only 56 aboard because of Covid restrictions. However, a full complement, or so it seemed, of staff catered to the needs and wishes of each of these 56 guests, and certainly worked their hardest to keep them happy from the time they stepped on the boat in Baltimore until disembarking at the same location after stopping at Yorktown, Crisfield, Cambridge, St. Michael’s and Annapolis. Yorktown is clearly a highlight on the Chesapeake cruise and American Cruise Lines did it almost perfectly. Here again, the ship docks right at the edge of the historic town, and it‘s a walk up the hill to see it on your own. Since it is so full of history, a trolley tour with a local expert obviously proud of her town is the best way to see Yorktown. Yorktown was a pretty exciting place to live in the 1700s, when Williamsburg was the capital of Virginia and there were about 2,000 people living and working in the 250 to 300 buildings around town. Once Richmond became capital, the Revolution was over, and people began seeking other shores, Yorktown diminished in size but certainly not in charm. The battle lasted about 20 days, and was the turning point and last great battle of the Revolution. The guide will point out houses where the gunshots are still embedded in the exterior walls and tell the delightful story of how General Cornwallis did everything he could to avoid surrendering to General Washington, including sending out his second in command to surrender his sword. According to the storyteller, Washington retaliated with the same, sending his second in command to accept it. Eventually, however, Cornwallis did sign the surrender, which ultimately led to the end of the war and the signing of the Treaty of Paris. Yorktown is also the battle where young America depended on its French friends to win the battle, and Lafayette, our own General Nathaniel Greene, and Rochambeau are held in high esteem. There’s a great memorial high on the hill overlooking the town that commemorates the brave French and Americans, together with many Germans who fought for the colonies. The Independence also offered a bus trip to Williamsburg, but four hours in this former capital and wonderfully restored city can only give you a hint of the art, music, history, beauty and warmth that surround Williamsburg. With so many buildings to see, but with Covid restrictions limiting the amount, it was only possible to go into the Governor’s House, magnificent in its splendor and size, the court house, where guides in 18th century garb and 21st century masks looked a bit ludicrous, and the armory with its storage of muskets, gun powder and guides knowledgeable on how to load cannon and use ancient weapons. ACL could have done better by scheduling this stop for a weekday, since Bruton Parish Church, historic for the number of Presidents who worshiped there, is closed to the public Sunday to allow for its five or six religious services. The William and Mary Book Store at the perimeter of the restored area has rows and rows of tables devoted to famous Virginians and Yorktown heroes, from Thomas Jefferson to Alexander Hamilton. Enroute to Williamsburg, the bus passed not only the Yorktown Weapons Station, one of the sister bases to Naval Weapons Station Earle, but also the Museum of American Revolution. One wonders why ACL, in this town where Revolutionary War history was made, did not include a visit to this museum among its tours. Once back on the ship, after cocktails, hors oeuvres and friends talking over the facts they had learned during the day, then dinner, yet the best was still yet to come. In the evening, ACL had invited the local teen Drum and Fife Corps to have a contingent come aboard to entertain its passengers. And entertain they did. Two fifers and a drummer, all teens, all dressed in their official Revolutionary era regalia, all playing instruments of the era, delighted the passengers first with their renditions of music played during the war, then with their explanations of why the music was so important and what each piece signaled, and finally explaining and demonstrating in great detail each instrument and how it is played. A rousing rendition of Yankee Doodle Dandy with guests singing along, finished off an unforgettable day of remembering what it took, and the lives it took, to preserve freedom and begin a new country. Next: Crisfield and Cambridge
Crisfield
is not so well known as some of the other Chesapeake towns like Yorktown and Annapolis, but it’s got its own kind of charm. It’s where you get the ferry to Smith Island if you ever want to visit that really out-of-the-way-perfectly wonderful little piece of a century or more ago but with modern facilities and a great clam museum. The Independence docked right up in the heart of town, and guests had the opportunity to either stroll the streets on their own or take a walking exploration with a guide. Since I’ve been there before, I opted to go it alone and stopped in a few of the gift shops and antique stores simply to pass the time of day with shopkeepers who were happy to see visitors. With fewer than 3,000 people, Crisfield in not really on Chesapeake Bay itself, but rather on Tangier Sound, an arm of the Bay. And it’s located in Maryland’s Somerset County. Rachel was one of several speakers American Cruise Lines invites on the ship to give information and historic stories about the different towns and areas the ship is visiting, as well as some ideas on the variety of shops, monuments, or restaurants in the towns where the ship is docking. On Tangier Bay, she gave a talk on the bay itself, pointed out Smith Island, which she said, is slowing disappearing since it’s an island that sits low in the water, and is challenged by rising waters. Founded in the 1600s, the island was founded by the English and kept to itself for centuries, so today’s inhabitants often can still be heard speaking in old English. An environmentalist, Rhode Islander, graduate of the University of Wisconsin, and a captivating speaker who invites the public to join in, ask questions, and give some facts on their own, Rachel is a wealth of knowledge about the western shore of the Chesapeake, and all the little rivers that are fed with the drainage from the mountains, leaving the water brackish before heading into the large bay and more mixture with salt water. Because of Covid, and though it was a Monday, only three stores, in addition to a couple of eating establishments, within walking distance of the Independence were open, but all three were fun to visit. In the first place, Marylanders are folksy, friendly people and they like to brag about their own little piece of heaven and tell you stories from their points of view. There’s always a fisherman or a boater on the dock, so that’s more friendly conversation about what’s going in and how Covid has affected them. And simply watching the boaters or fishermen is relaxing and always an opportunity to learn. Back on the ship in time for cocktails and conversation before the evening meal. Like all meals on most cruise ships, American Cruise Lines provides top of the line menus, and takes advantage of its cruises on the Chesapeake to ensure lots of seafood, predominately crabs, oysters and lobster from local waters. With only 56 seaboard the 100 passenger ship, there were generally only three entrees for each night’s dinner, generally a chicken, beef and always seafood, but also always a variety of soups, salads, and vegetables to supplement any entrée. And this after a broad array of tantalizing hors d’oeuvres served in the lounge during cocktail hour. ACL proves it simply isn’t possible to go hungry on a cruise. A great chef was aboard the Chesapeake cruise with an ability to think out of the box and try something new. His pan seared salmon, for instance, was served with a tomato jam, aside broccoli rabe served in a lemon butter sauce. The mixed salad included grape tomatoes, carrots and cucumber, and the brisket was braised in beer and served with Texas toast and kettle chips. Another night, there was grilled swordfish with a crab salsa, served with a vegetable pilaf, or a Dijon crusted leg of lamb with a red wine and min demi-glaze. The lobster tail was stuffed with shrimp and crab and served, would you believe, with a beef tenderloin. Cambridge was the next docking address for the Independence fourth day into the cruise, one of the large cities along the Chesapeake with its more than 12,000 residents that also makes it the fourth most populous cities on the eastern shore of Maryland, While the Harriet Tubman museum is the main attraction in this town, and the ACL offered a trip and tour of the museum, I opted instead the Choptank River Lighthouse, once again to talk with local residents about why they love their town so much. It was an education in lighthouses so different from our Twin Lights and Sandy Hook historic sites. Chesapeake lighthouses, because of the nature of the area, are “screwpile” types, neither high nor lofty like our New Jersey beacons, but rather shorter since height is not a necessity y in this area. More unusual, its legs are screwed into the riverbed to keep it steady. The Chop Tank River Lighthouse displayed by an enthusiastic volunteer from the organization that maintains it, isn’t the real thing. It’s a replica of the only lighthouse that was in the bay and served the neighboring states of Maryland and Virginia. It’s small, only 42 feet wide at its broadest, and replicates the one built in 1921 to replace the 1870 wooden schooner that had served as a lightship. The lighthouse sat in the Choptank River for only three years; it had been moved by barge from Virginia to replace another lighthouse that had been destroyed by an ice storm a few years earlier. Like many others, the Choptank light was dismantled and replaced by a Coast Guard buoy in the 20th century. The volunteer told of the loneliness of life on a lighthouse accessible only by water, two miles from land and where the term “white glove test” came from. (in his lonely splendor, the keeper nonetheless had to keep everything spic and span, dust free and spotless, always ready for the inspector who might show up for his white glove test for cleanliness.) The light was fueled by kerosene with a Fresnel lens to shine the light, but the keeper also had a fog bell for the times when even that light could not be seen by mariners. That had a mechanical striker the keeper used to hammer the help, warning vessels of nearby hazards, and enabling them to navigate by sound. Authentic and accurate in its replicated beauty, the lighthouse does have modern additions including a fire sprinkling system and a chair lift so even handicapper visitors can get up to view the area from the windows of the lighthouse. Next; St Michael’s and the Maritime Museum
No better way to travel
There is no doubt about it. I’ve been mesmerized by trains by entire married life. Oh, it wasn’t all fun and games, and I didn’t always like it. Growing up in Union County, I didn’t have much interaction with trains. It was easier to hop on a bus to Port Authority in New York or take the Number #8 bus to go to Elizabeth to shop in Goerke’s or visit Humes Music Store. As kids, we never took a train anyplace; family vacations to the White Mountains of New Hampshire were by car, two days of travel, an overnight in Connecticut and arriving at this magical wonderful Burroughs Farm in Twin Mountain, NH early afternoon the second day. It was exciting. But then I married a fireman on the railroad. Jimmy, like his dad, worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad. It was a time when you hired out you hired as a fireman…and yes, there were steam engines, and yes, Jimmy really did shovel coal and sweat by the fire pit even on the coldest days. It would be years until he had the seniority to be ‘promoted’ to engineer. In between, the PRR became the Penn Central Railroad, the government stepped in and Conrail became the ‘freight’ railroad, and firemen and engineers had their choice…did they want to be Conrail engineers or Amtrak engineers, the new government railroad. Jimmy was already an engineer and he chose Amtrak, he liked running passenger trains, liked the trips to Washington, D.C, layovers in Philadelphia where he could visit museums before bringing another train back to New York, and liked the fact we would then have passes to travel wherever Amtrak ran. Even then, we never took many train trips. Jimmy didn’t want to spend his time off as a passenger on a train another engineer was running. Even with passes, we never got to take our children cross country, or even to the nation’s Capital by train. Jimmy believes the train was for work, not for pleasure. And he worked hard for his pay. At the time, there were no sick days, no holidays, no days off. If you didn’t work, you simply didn’t get paid. So he was very healthy all those years we were raising four children and putting them in tuition paid Catholic schools. He called in sick for our daughter’s cheerleading meets, our son’s Pop Warner games. Looking back, I’m so happy he had the option and we both recognized enjoying our kids’ activities beat a bigger paycheck any day. My train trips while Jimmy was alive were glorious when I took them. Often, when Jimmy had a run to Washington, DC, a four or five hour layover there, and another trip back to New York. I could go as a passenger, meet him at Union Station, and we could spend a couple of hours visiting the Smithsonian and having lunch in one of the Capitol’s restaurants before boarding his train for our trip back home. I loved it, and so loved the Smithsonian and visited every building, in addition to the Library of Congress and the Capitol many times. We took several trips after the Auto Train came into being, driving to Lorton, Virginia, boarding the train and watching them board our car, for the overnight trip to Florida, then reclaiming our vehicle and moving on to wherever we were going. Wonderful trips. After Jimmy’s death, both to memorialize him and our happy memories, and to travel….so easy to travel by train when you’re a lone woman traveler…I knew I wanted to take the train across the country! At least once! I ended up doing it more than that. I took one trip to New Orleans since I was also taking a cruise sailing out of there. What better way to start a cruise on the Mississippi than by taking the train to the boat! t was an opportunity to see the beauty and wonder of America through 11 states and Washington, D.C. There simply isn’t anything that can compare! Boarding in New York…Amtrak’s Crescent is one of the few long distance East Coast trains that doesn’t stop at Metro Park…you whiz through New Jersey, Philadelphia, Delaware and Maryland before stopping for a few minutes in Washington, D.C where dozens more board for the trip South through Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and final stop, New Orleans. Rather than the straight line south leaving the nation’s Capital, the Crescent travels west through Virginia, giving riders the opportunity to ride through the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, smack through the middle of towns like Manassas and Culpeper, Jefferson’s Charlottesville, before moving on through High Point and Charlotte in North Carolina, touching on Spartanburg and Clemson in South Carolina, and on to the beautiful city of Atlanta, Georgia. Alabama’s small towns along the route include Anniston, where Anniston Army Depot, a huge Army installation with dozens of tanks lining a perimeter near the railroad, Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, home of the University of Alabama, then on to Meridian, Picayune and more in Mississippi before pulling into the Festival City of the World, New Orleans. The Crescent is the only Amtrak train that makes this route, and timing of the trains going north and south makes it possible to see different towns by night and day. Heading south, you’re just about entering Virginia at dusk, and sleeping your way through the Carolinas, with the sun rising over Georgia and an evening arrival New Orleans. On the return trip, it’s daylight from New Orleans through Georgia, then sleeping once again through the Carolinas, and daylight through the beautiful western side of Virginia and the upper Southern states for a noon-time or so arrival in New York. Accommodations aboard Amtrak are delightful, whether you opt for coach, sleeping cars, or, in between, business class accommodations which mean more space, quiet and comfort than the more popular and less expensive coaches, but still a lower cost and privacy than the private miniature cabins for two. All classes of travel on the Crescent enjoy the same dining room and lounge cars, and seats in both coach and business allow plenty of room for stretching out and lying flat. In recent years, I’ve traveled overnight both ways, in coach and in a private bedroom. Both have distinctive benefits. The coach seats are far less expensive, the seats are wide, big and lay back, and you can bring pillows or blankets for added comfort at night. You have the joy of meeting other travelers, making new friends, and everyone is polite and quite throughout the sleep hours when the lights are dimmed. The private cars of course give you all the privacy you want, two seats and a table for playing games, reading, or holding a glass of wine, and a porter who comes in and converts those two seats to a most comfortable bed at night., You meet your new friends in the dining room where the menu always has a minimum of five entrees and great desserts. It’s elegance on wheels. On the Crescent, it’s in Georgia in the right season, when you first see spring has arrived in the South, with magnolias in bloom, violet and white wisteria blowing gently in the breeze along tree limbs, and dogwood and bulb flowers adding brilliant colors to an already beautiful scenery. As in most large cities, the train stations are right in the heart of things, so it’s always an inexpensive cab ride to hotels of all price ranges, and museums, shops, restaurants and other entertainment you can start enjoying immediately. After all, it was a most relaxing, enjoyable, and scenic trip to get there.
St. Michael’s is a highlight on any Chesapeake cruise.
Clearly, the tourism bureau of St. Michael’s in Maryland knows how to attract visitors. Coupling a visit here with a most unusual discussion and workshop on crabs aboard American Cruise Lines’ Independence are certainly highlights on a six day cruise on the Chesapeake Bay that was altered somewhat by the Covid situation, but nonetheless filled with wonderful people, making new friends, reviving old ones, great meals aboard a 100 passenger ship reduced to 56 because of Covid, and getting a chance to see how unique the Chesapeake Bay area is.
St. Michael’s, which is on Maryland’s Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake, is considered one of the top 10 Best Small Coastal Towns in America and it’s easy to see why, even during a brief stay on a cruise ship. It’s picturesque, filled with history and a harbor and homes that go back more than 500 years. It offers all kinds of festivals and activities throughout the year….upcoming next week is the antique and classic boat festival. There’s the Classic Motor Museum, a weekly Farmer’s Market, a Running Festival in August, a ghost walk, friendly people, and a charming downtown area. Of course there is kayaking, golfing, cycling, canoeing, boating of all kinds, restaurants and bistros, B&Bs and hotels.
But best of all, St. Michael’s is home to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum.
The Independence docks right in the Museum, an incredibly wonderful 18-acre museum with at least ten different exhibit buildings, all within walking distance of each other, and all offering something unique about the Bay area, the people and the lighthouse. There’s even a working boatyard in the museum, the largest in the nation, a building devoted to Native Americans, one to small boats from crab skiffs to log canoes, of course a lighthouse to climb, another building dedicated to history makers from the 18th century, one to duck decoys, and so much more. In one of the buildings devoted to crabbers, there’s even an exhibit and a place of honor for Capt. Ben Dye, who was born in Monmouth County in 1827, but moved with his family to Perryville in Maryland’s Cecil County when he was a boy and where he lived until his death in 1896. Capt. Dye was best known for his decoys, characteristic because they were all hand-chopped and featured ducks with perfectly flat tails and simple or no wing decorations.
My personal favorite is the exhibition building on the very edge of them all, this one devoted to the art of oystering. That exhibit is unique in that the designers of this non-profit educational museum brought a real oyster boat inside, then created life-like models of the boat’s captain and a few working oysterman intent at their craft. The recording doesn’t simply explain what each model is doing; rather it’s a recording of the watermen talking with each other, explaining to a young oysterman the whys and wherefores of every action he takes. It’s realistic and startling when you first walk in, see very lifelike models hard at work and think you’re interrupting an oystering lesson.
The Museum has been around since the mid-1960s, and does an outstanding job of meeting its mission to preserve and explore history, the environment and the culture of the Bay area. Certainly worth a weekend trip for the museum along.
The Independence certainly takes advantage of Maryland’s pride in its crabs, and native Lori Gross came aboard to lead an afternoon discussion in the ship’s lounge on crabs, crabbing, crab habits, how to catch them, cook then, and eat them. Just to be sure all the guests got it down perfectly, she also brought aboard dozens of freshly caught blue crabs, spread newspapers on the lounge tables in true Maryland style, and led the group in how to pick a crab, what to eat, what to discard, and how to protect your pile of crabmeat from a hungry friendly tablemate. Lori, who now spends most of her time in photography and teaching about the Antarctic, convinced Independence guests that picking through the tough shells of crabs is worth the work and the mess. The following day, when the ship was in Annapolis, I chatted with a wholesaler on the dock who went into great detail about the feud between Virginians and Marylanders about crab regulations, where each state’s territory ends in the bay and how Marylanders…he was a native…..are so much more protective of the shellfish than Virginian crabbers.
Another joy of cruising. You meet the finest people in the strangest places who want to share their own pride in their own hometown.
Next Annapolis and how American Cruise Lines fails.
Annapolis & the end of the line for American Cruise Lines
The last town we visited on a six day American Cruise Lines (ACL) cruise on the Chesapeake Bay was Annapolis, the capital of Maryland, the home of the US Naval Academy, and one more elegant, yet charming and historic town amid a handful of elegant, charming and historic towns on the Bay. Yet each has its own personality.
Annapolis was the only port where we anchored offshore and went by small boat into the harbor, the center of town and the naval academy campus both within walking distance. The town is similar to Highlands with its steep hills overlooking the water, but crammed full of 18th century homes, B&Bs, hotels, shops and services for everything from psychics to crab houses. (of course!) Here ACL cruisers had the option of signing up for a guided walking tour of the city, or better yet, doing it on your own, and counting on friendly locals to answer questions and tell you something about their town.
Because of Covid, tours of the Naval Academy were not allowed, but it was still possible to walk onto the campus grounds by way of the Barry Gate, and chat with cadets simply enjoying a bench in the sun, or in uniform, heading out to town for entertainment, amusement, or to meet old friends.
Just inside the Barry Gate is a great statue of the Commodore and founder of the US Navy, thanks to the Irish. The Hibernians wanted their Irish Founding Father to re recognized at the Academy so requested the statue. They got it ten years ago, after a long struggle, but then they also achieved the Barry Gate and Barry Plaza.
The Hibernians originally asked for a memorial; after years of arguing, meeting, being denied, fighting again, they finally were heard and the Barry acknowledgements on one side of the campus were created. The statue and memorial tell the story of the Irish immigrant who served his adopted country and its Navy and was commissioned by President Washington as its first flag officer.
Walking up the hill to St. Mary of the Assumption Church, I wanted to see the home of Charles Carroll of Carrolton, the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence, as well as the richest man in all the colonies and the signer who lived the longest after the Declaration. He was born in the house still standing on the Carroll family estate, just behind St. Mary’s and across from St. Mary’s elementary and high schools. Tours to his house were closed due to Covid, however, high school kids enjoying the grounds at lunch time are full of the history of their local Founding Father and great fun to talk with. Even so, neither they, nor anyone within the church, nor anyone I spoke with in town, knew why he was known as Charles Carroll of Carrolton rather than Carroll of Annapolis, son of Charles Carrol, also born in Annapolis, and grandson of Charles Carroll born in Ireland, but not Carrolton. I never got an answer.
I did, however, learn from a crab marketer sitting at the Harbor and eager to talk about his beloved Maryland, about the feud between the Maryland crabbers and the Virginia crabbers. He, born and raised in Maryland, was happy to point out, of course, the Virginians ruined the industry, crossed over the line in the bay dividing the state, made laws not stringent enough to protect the crabs, and so much more, a great hour or so of friendly conversation.
Back aboard the Independence for our last night at sea, a farewell dinner and exchange of e-mails and addresses with new friends, a short trip to Baltimore, then an early rising the last morning to depart the ship by 8:30 a.m. to give the crew time to refurbish, scrub, clean, wash, and get ready for the next cruise that afternoon.
Was it a great trip! Absolutely! Is the Bay incredibly beautiful and full of history? Undoubtedly. Could American Cruise Lines have done it better! You bet. And they should, before they lose their reputation for excellence. But I have my doubts that they will. It seems that because of Covid, they have simply lowered their standards, and don’t think little things are important despite the high cost of the cruise.
I’ve cruised the Mississippi and a few other rivers on ACL and until now found them to be impeccable in their dedication to excellence, and downright pampering of their passengers. But Covid apparently gave them an excuse to lower their standards. It was understandable some tours would be cancelled, since the on-land museums or points of interest said no to visitors. We knew that before we boarded. But taking on new crew members with little experience, no knowledge of anything about the ship, the company, the towns visited, or even their jobs aboard ship, and expecting high paying customers to be guinea pigs in their initial training aboard ship is a bit much. Having room attendants knock on the door at 7:30 the last day to see if he could come in and “strip your bed” before leaving means he either had the day off as soon as he finished refurbishing the rooms, or there weren’t enough attendants on board to complete the job in the time allowed. Better to intrude on the customer to leave a lasting reminder the next customers are more important than those who are departing.
Having the daily Ship to Shore news sheet that announces events, times, programs, options and so much more be in error on several items, including the date, is one thing. But having the cruise director say what difference does it make, you’re here, makes me wonder why they took the time and money to print it every day in the first place. Saying there were ‘special treats’ for the Eagle Society members, those travelers who have traveled with ACL before, then inviting everyone aboard to join in is a minor insult if the announced special isn’t really special. Having another announcement that the Captain would meet with passengers, but then failing to do so, with no explanation or reason why, is downright insulting.
These were just the little things. It really started with inefficiency and lack of knowledge of staff members while I was booking the trip. Never got responses to those concerns either. But I booked anyway. So when a cabin for a single person, complete with a private balcony costs over $5,000 or approximately $950 a day, am I wrong to expect a company that has class to show that class?
Will I travel ACL again? Well, I filled out all their forms asking for comments on the trip. Didn’t hear anything. Wrote an e-mail outlining my major complaints. Didn’t hear anything. Wrote again. Got an e-mail back saying ‘Upper staff is looking at your complaints.” Never heard anything from “Upper Staff.” Finally wrote the President by certified mail. Haven’t had a response to that yet. But maybe that’s what generated the response to one of my earlier e-mails in the e-mail I just received. It was an email, a standard, corporate, let’s just shut her up response, allegedly from the president of the company, to whom I had written two letters to which he never responded. The e-mail standard response wasn’t signed, nor even with a stamped signature! Just the typewritten name of the ACL president. Sure, it said, we’ve received your complaints and we’ve made changes. But no apology. No explanation of what changes they made. However, the letter said, they did take the time to research the other cruises I’ve looked into and told me if I wanted to book something by the end of summer, they’d give me a couple of thousand dollars off the price. Really? So corporate’s answer is to buy me? For a lesser price, but another investment on my part, I should subject myself to the same problems I complained about without even an apology? I should pay a few thousand dollars once again with no guarantee anything I talked about was being improved? Isn’t this a business that’s supposed to cater to people? Don’t they need the business of a woman who has traveled extensively and who thinks that for $1,000 a day she should receive courtesy, respect, and at least attempts at perfection?
There’s always American Queen which I also know is spectacular from past experience. And there’s Pearl Cruises going to the Great Lakes, which looks exciting. If I wanted to go back to Europe, I know from several past experiences Viking is super spectacular. All of which makes it seem to me that ACL either wants, nor needs my $1,000 a day. They’ve made the choice. I’m so happy I have other choices!
Mi Visita a Cuba
Without addressing the political side of it, the news out of Cuba is particularly distressing and so sad for me because of memories I have, both of a couple of visits I was fortunate to make to Cuban three and four years ago, and also because of a friend several decades ago who had led another revolution when the people thought Castro would be better than Battista.
My Cuba visit was with a wonderful Highlands family who always go above and beyond in helping others, and were accompanying their teenaged daughter, whom they’ve raised to be as generous as they, because she wanted to interact with Cuban teens, show them the warmth, love and friendship of Americans, and make a difference, at least for a week, in the lives of teens who had little in the way of comforts of life. Yet they were happy and smiling, healthy with beautiful teeth and great smiles and truly loved the visit from their new American friends.
Although the entire week was an experience I could never forget, it was one that showed me firsthand that communism controls and cares little for the individual. Yet on the other hand, the Cuban people are resilient, make their own happiness, and certainly love America. The following story is a shortened version of one I wrote the day our Cuban guides…..we did always have Cuban guides……took us to visit a nursing home.
The next chapter will cover a former newspaper reporter from Keansburg, a truly great man who fled Cuba and made a happy life here after realizing Castro wasn’t going to be the leader they had all hoped for.
Visiting a senior day care center in the heart of old Havana was an unforgettable experience. As the oldest in our group of six spending five days in Cuba, and being short of four score in years myself by a couple of months, I was particularly eager to see the health, care, and welfare of senior Cuban citizens.
In spite of the best efforts of caring people, and the inherent happiness of people who have known far better times, it was pathetic.
We walked from our casa along streets lined with the magnificent structures of late 19th and early 20th century architecture, buildings that haven’t seen improvements since the 1950s but are still inhabitable and remarkable, to the building among them that serves as a gathering place for seniors most days. There’s a small courtyard behind the L-shaped hallway where we engaged with some charming oldsters, all properly seated in not-so-comfortable chairs lined up along the walls, fans in hand to ward off the temperatures in the 90s. But lack of shade and insufficient comfortable seating for older bodies puts the outdoor scene kind of off limits during the daylight hours. We learned the residents all live on their own or with their families, walking the streets from their own homes or apartments to the gathering place where they’re given three meals a day, the company of their contemporaries, and on apparently frequent occasions, visits from their family members and local youngsters.
Our friends, of the Proyecto Sociocultural Comunitario BarrioHabana, are as generous with their time and talents with the older citizens as they are with teens. Wrinkled, worn, tired faces literally lit up when Pavel, our soft -spoken ever smiling leader, walked in the door, himself with a broad grin and the announcement he was bringing guests from America. We were also accompanied by a dozen or so of the volley ball teens, all of whom apparently visit the care center quite often.
And what a reception we Americans got! As we walked from one chair to another, reaching out to shake hands and say our best Buenos Dias, gnarled, thin, bony hands reached out to bring us closer for hugs and kisses, words of welcome and joy. Clearly, here were people so happy to see us, not asking for anything, not seeming to want anything but the joy of seeing other people.
When Pavel told the older residents that I among his group was ochenta ( I understood 80 in Spanish!), they clapped, they laughed, they wanted to touch my face. And when Pavel then said I would sing, there was even more laughter.
I didn’t know the reason for it then, but because Pavel asked me to sing, I belted out “You are My Sunshine” in my very best alto, moving among the 30 or so residents as I did, amid much laughter and hand clapping. But the reason for his request was soon evident, as individual residents then stood up, each to present his own song. Pavel had used to me entice the seniors to show us their own talents.
There was the lady with the beautiful soprano voice and hand motions of a movie star; the 92 year old gentleman with the deep baritone and ballad song; the 80-something lady with the high pitched tones. Then came the magic, something Pavel called their Improv.
One woman stood up and began singing, her voice rising and falling with emotion that bordered on anger at times, love at others. She was joined by a man who put his arm around her and carried on his own soliloquy in musical tones. It appeared they were playing roles in a Spanish opera about love and devotion. Soon, a third senior, another woman, stood and joined the duo, vying for the gentleman’s attention and trying to shut out the other woman. We were mesmerized as these three senior citizens told in song a story they were making up as they went along, a story of love, intrigue, perhaps jealousy and ownership, each taking his turn, each singing in strong, forceful, beautiful tones, each telling a story in Spanish we didn’t need to understand to admire and enjoy. It was forceful, beautiful, a show of hidden talent, and a delightful experience. Pavel said many will get up and sing or dance, if someone gets them started. My Sunshine song, even without the singing talent, was able to accomplish that for them.
Guests that day ranged from the 70s to 102; Pavel said most are at least at the start of Alzheimer’s or dementia. He brings students from the local elementary school twice a week to interact with them, either playing chess, coloring, or simply talking with them.
One 92-year old presented us with handmade fans the seniors had fashioned from cut up cardboard boxes and covered with beautiful pictures from magazines; all shared smiles, laughter, hugs, kisses and fond farewells as we took our leave.
A few of us wanted to go back the next day. But we learned the Center was closed. There was no water to quench dry palates that day. Guess communism doesn’t always cover everything.
Ireland…it really is 40 shades of green!
This is the first of a series of articles that I wrote for the Atlantic Highlands Herald, the nation’s first official online-only newspaper back in 2015 after I returned from the rugged, wild, and just magical Ireland
It’s a funny thing. When you tell people you just came back from Ireland, everyone has a particular place they want to know if you’ve visited…Dublin, the Book of Kells, Blarney Castle and kissing the stone, the Cliffs of Moher, the Ring of Kerry…. the list goes on. The fact is, there are so many beautiful and memorable places in the Emerald Isle everyone has something to say about some place there.
Last month, with a group of friends from Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St. Agnes parish, along with other friends from across the state and even Florida, on a Nuovo Tour (they’re simply terrific) and under the guidance, if you will, of The Reverend Monsignor Selemi, we did manage to see all those wonderful places, plus a few more. In a well laid out, carefully planned, and perfectly executed 11 days, we managed to travel more than 1100 miles through 13 counties, including Belfast in Northern Ireland.
Traveling 1100 miles in any other country could be arduous and boring, but not in Ireland. Back in 1959, Johnny Cash had a beautiful song, “40 Shades of Green,” referring to Ireland…they don’t call it the Emerald Isle for nothing … and that’s the first thing you notice. Trees, bushes, grass, flowers, hills, mountains, valleys … they are all abundant in green and all in different shades. Honest. You have to see it to believe it.
Dublin is the largest city, the capital, and pretty much like any other big city, only a lot more fun.
Thanks to Peter from Nuovo, we managed to stay in the Temple Bar Hotel, a great place right smack in the heart of all the activity both inside and out. It was a most enjoyable walk to Trinity College and the Book of Kells, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a magnificent cross-shaped structure standing where a church has stood since the fifth century because allegedly there was a park there where St. Patrick baptized thousands, or to the street corner, where at just about any time of the day…or night…a group of happy go lucky Irishmen were performing in impromptu concerts of voice and guitar, Bodhrán, tin whistle, and accordion. Or just staying in the hotel there’s a great pub with entertainment every night, and folks happy, eager, and so welcoming to a busload of Americans. That’s one more terrific thing about Ireland…. they love us!
Dublin was also where we got to hear our first concert and learned we had brought our own talent right along with us. Steven Denner from Florida and Mick Burke from Atlantic Highlands never met before this trip, but they certainly knew how to make beautiful music together. Late in the evening, after dinner, pub visits and entertainment in the hotel pub, the gracious staff gave us a meeting room of our own where Mick and Steve sat up their own stage… actually, two barstools in front of us … and harmonized with Mick on the guitar and Steve on the harmonica. It was nothing short of spectacular! Mick is a songwriter in addition to a self-taught musician, and his Irish ballads telling both sad and happy stories, were the envy of even the Irish who were peeking in the door to see what all the wonder was about.
The pair entertained us again in Galway, where again, a gracious hotel staff and professional entertainer at the pub gave us carte blanche in setting up another concert for our group, before Mick himself took to the stage and entertained a roomful of folks to great applause.
But that’s another story.
Trinity College is the most renowned college in Ireland, set right in the heart of Dublin, and is the home of the Book of Kells, the centuries old … make that more than ten centuries… book written and designed by monks living in monasteries in the town of Kells in county Meath.
Written in Latin, the book is lavishly decorated and printed, and while it tells the Four Gospels and the life of Christ, the artistry is a fascinating mixture of ornate animals, crosses, curlicues, and patterns.
But that’s not all to see at Trinity.
There’s The Long Room, the main chamber of the Old Library, which houses more than 200,000 of the library’s oldest books. The room itself is more than 200 feet long, hence its name, and the books are shelved to the ceiling, with huge ladders for easier access. There was a great exhibit in the Long Room when we were there, showing children’s stories, legends, and fairy tales over several centuries. Even the wooden harp, the oldest in existence in Ireland and the one which is the model for the harp that is on Irish coins, and the euros minted in Ireland, is in the library. Supposedly, it dates back to Brian Boru when he was king of Ireland in 1014, but there’s no one around to dispute the fact.
On the lighter side, there’s always Jameson’s and Guinness Storehouse, two fine old establishments where everyone is happy and their products flow freely. Guinness, in addition to a tour of the six stories where their beers are made, stored and displayed, also offers a spectacular view of the entire city from its uppermost floor where pints of the golden brew are served. The building itself is designed in the shape of a giant pint, and while the storehouse was at one time a fermentation plant, it’s now a museum to Guinness, displaying everything from their advertising over the years to how to pour the perfect pint.
Jameson, on the other hand, is considerably smaller, but it’s been around since 1780…as every label will tell you….and takes you on a tour that starts with a movie, then goes through the grain store, malting, milling, mashing, fermenting, and distilling, maturing and vatting of the world’s fastest growing whiskey.
The tour includes comparing Scotch, American Jack Daniels and Jameson’s, and while no one in the group opted for the Scotch, only a handful preferred Kentucky’s Jack Daniels to Jameson’s finest.
Still so much to see and do in Dublin itself, but so much more of the island to see, we spent the next day traveling to Belfast, the capital of Northern Island and the home of the Titanic Museum, at the site where the famed ship, as well as the lesser known Olympic and Canberra, were launched. But that’s another story……
The story will continue in the next article about Muriel’s trip to Ireland. Subscribe to be notified, or just keep checking back to read more!
Belfast
This is the second part of a series about my trip to Ireland that I wrote for the Atlantic Highlands Herald, the Nations first Official on-line newspapr!. It appeared in the Herald, in May of 2015 https://www.ahherald.com/
It was great to see Belfast, if only for a day. This largest city and capital of Northern Ireland is a couple of hours bus ride from Dublin and worth the time, if only to see that “the Troubles” are really over and the folks in Northern Ireland and the Republic really do like each other. Furthermore, the Euro used in the Republic goes a lot further than the British pound used in Northern Ireland these days, so it seems you see an awful lot of traffic going south with Northern Ireland license plates.
Still, it’s a very pretty city, partially because of the time, money, energy and love Queen Victoria poured into it, and partially, unfortunately, because outside of London it was the heaviest bombed city in the British Isles during the German’s Blitz in World War II. New construction is modern and efficient, statues, monuments and places named for England’s longest reigning queen are evident everywhere.
To put things in perspective, it was the 1921 agreement that separated Belfast in County Antrim and five other counties from the 26 counties that make up the Republic. And it was “The Trouble’s from the 1960s through the ‘90s that tore these friendly, generally happy people apart. It was great to see that at least on the surface, and in the trades, the Troubles are over.
The ride from Dublin to Belfast is both along a thruway and smaller roads, passing through farmland and hills with sheep everywhere….and plenty of lambs at this time of year! The main road between the two capitals passes through a valley formed by the Divis and Black Mountains, and Cavehill. Cavehill includes one mountain range that looks like a sleeping giant…at least it did enough to convince Jonathan Swift to write Gulliver’s Travels.
Always an industrial city, Belfast is best known for the Harland & Wolff shipyards, the largest and most productive shipyard of all time. That’s where the Titanic was built and launched, and on the site where the ship building took place, there’s a massive museum to the Titanic, as well as two giant cranes stretched up against the skyline and named Samson and Goliath; these are the cranes which helped the finished ship along the way to the river on its way to the ocean and a career at sea.
The Titanic Museum is six stories tall, resembles the ship and includes paintings on the walls at the lowest level showing where the engines were and what they did. Though we didn’t tour the museum…it would have taken several hours, it was great to see from where the ship was launched… we visited a far better and more understandable museum and waterfront a day or so later when we went to Cobh, the last port of call for the Titanic and other transatlantic lines before heading across the pond.
But that’s a story for another day.
The entire waterfront areas by the shipyard is known as the Titanic Quarter, huge renovations and tributes that have made the Quarter the largest tourism attraction in Belfast. In addition to the Titanic, the Olympic and the Canberra were also launched from this area; however, because of the disaster, the emphasis is clearly on the Titanic.
A group of us enjoyed a rather elegant lunch in Belfast at the Café Vaudeville, a wonderful place that up until a few years ago was a bank; the high ceilings and huge skylight from bank days remain but look so much better now with the formal dining tables, magnificent chandeliers, and terrific food.
There’s also a City Hall in the heart of town with large, lush lawns in front that cry out to residents and visitors alike to lie down and soak up sunshine; inside there are numerous mementos to the impact both world wars had on Belfast, together with incredible stained-glass windows showing historic scenes.
By the end of the day, we were happy to be back to Dublin, happy to pick up a few souvenirs, mingle with the crowds listening to the impromptu concerts and entertainment on every corner, and take a horse and carriage ride back to the Temple Bar Hotel.