Goodbyes

Here are some photos from last night's trip down to the waterfront to farewell the Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2). This famous ship made it's final ever journey from Southampton and is headed for the warm waters of Dubai. There, it will be transformed into a floating "palace" of some kind - a luxury hotel, casino or the like. It's engine will be ripped out, and with it many years of British pride and history.

Despite this, the occassion was a joyous one: another milestone, another "once in a lifetime" moment. Thousands of people pushed their way to the seafront to catch a glimpse of this magnificent ship. Din and I somehow made it through the crowd but struggled to get a good position. We waited. At first there was nothing but the dark sea and anticipation. Then the fireworks exploded against a black sky and the crowds cheered as they basked in their glow. The ship slowly approached the shoreline, a mere plume of silver smoke, then a red funnel then a golden raft of lights. She was large, impressive, majestic. There were flashing bulbs, applause and waving hands and union jacks. A real buzz. The BBC reporter interviewed a loyal spectator, a fellow Aussie, who had travelled all the way from back home just to view this special sight. Now that's dedication.

The QE2 rounded the waters off Mayflower Park where we were standing, and slowly headed back past the docks and into the blackness of the night. As the crowds slowly dispersed, we made our way forward to the metal railing and looked out to sea. The air was cool, crisp, refreshing. There was a full moon.

We then had a wander around. There was a funfair in full swing, with music and rides and flashing lights. There were stalls selling funfair food and vendors selling glow sticks, plastic bunny ears, union jack flags and other novelties.

We stopped and watched a group of fire-wielding street performers. They danced with the flames, their confidence and skill protecting them from any fear of getting burnt.

Then it was onwards to the end of the park where there was a stage setup and a band playing. They were a group of Beatles impersonators, and they played some classic Beatles hits. One that stuck out to me was Lady Madonna. It reminded me of a Belgian guy I met in a hostel in Freiburg, Germany. He had brought on his travels with him a "baby" guitar, and was constantly playing it. One song he played repeatedly was Lady Madonna. He was an odd person, slightly dopey and all, but he played the guitar really well. I could have listened to him for hours - and I did. He was the guy I hiked through the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) with. But that's for another post.

Anyway, we listened to a few songs then headed back home. It was a nice night out for a Tuesday.