Tuesday April 18, 2023
Our last day at sea during this stretch as tomorrow we are on land in the Canary Islands off the African Coast.
The first lecture was by the always very eloquent Dr. Stephen Payne OBE, designer of Queen Mary 2. However today he spoke of “Liners in the sky” – airships. Many of us all we know about airships is the “Goodyear Blimp” and perhaps the Hindenburg that caught fire in New Jersey. However, there is actually a long history of travel in dirigibles. There are three types: Non Rigid, Semi Rigid and Rigid. The difference being that the first has no structure just a big shaped balloon; the second some frame; and the third having a full frame and bags of Hydrogen or Helium to make them lighter than air. In principle it is the same as a ship, inasmuch as the shape and propulsion allow the vessel to move in a medium: water or air. The Count Zeppelin created a company and over time produced nearly 120 zeppelins of different sizes and dimensions. One carried some 10,000+ passengers over it’s lifetime. Many had luxurious interiors, dining rooms, sleeping quarters and even running water and even a “smoking room”!! The one issue that always plagued them was that the “canvas” outside was actually made of cow intestines sewn together and that had some leaks. Also as they were filled with Hydrogen, the slightest spark would cause the hydrogen to explode. Some were used effectively in World War 1 and others to see what the enemy was doing behind the lines and to drop bombs. They actually moved at about 100 Miles an hour and could take passengers across the Atlantic in 2 1/2 days vs 5 or 6 by sea! While most of us think this has become an interesting historical time, there are companies in Europe and America that are constructing them today and hope to bring back the safe way of traveling, by using Helium which is an inert gas.
Dave Wright, the historian spoke on Cleopatra. The last of the Egyptian Pharoes. She became ruler of Egypt although her brother and sister were technically on the throne for some time. In one of the many battles her brother drowned in the Nile when attempting to escape. However her sister was captured and held in a sacred temple of Artemis, until she was eventually murdered by order of Mark Anthony. However, Cleopatra, originally of Greek origin, was always attempting to keep Egypt independent while Rome was taking over the “world”, her alliances with Julius Caesar made them the “Power Couple” of their time. Once he was murdered, Mark Anthony became the power and Cleopatra forged a relationship with him. She had both Caesar’s child as well as Mark Anthony’s. However, eventually Octavian, the other ruler of Rome, through a brilliant PR campaign, followed by cunning military victories, he overtook Mark Anthony and Cleopatra and became the ruler of Rome and Egypt.
During the afternoon we were busy with several items and the evening performance was Electra – the Violinists – Theodora and Helena who did a really nice performance.
Roger & Anne Travels 