Monday June 10, 2024 – At sea on route to Barcelona, Spain
We awoke to the “Twin’s” birthday – Anne and my sister Diana were born on the same day, 3 hours apart in the same hospital in Mexico City, shall we leave it at “a few decades ago”!!!! However the routine was basically the same – the first lecture we attended was the BBC presenter and an exceptionally well known personality – Angela Rippon. During her 58 years in Broadcasting (she is 79) she has covered 7 Royal Weddings (including Price Charles & Lady Diana), 2 funerals (Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth) and a coronation (King Charles), as well as many other events and documentaries, programs. She recounted some of the interesting activities and behind the scenes moments that span her career. The theatre was full, standing in the aisles as well as being simulcast in the Pub and in every stateroom given the interest.
Next was a very reduced audience for Vivianne Rowan, an Egyptologist who spoke of the 7 wonders of the Ancient world, initiated by Herodotus in the 5th century BCE – 1) Pyramids of Egypt (only one standing today) (2584 BCE to present), 2) Pharos Lighthouse at Alexandria (280 BCE to 1303 CE); 3) Hanging Gardens of Babylon (600 BCE to 1 CE); 4) Colossus of Rhodes (292 BCE to 654 CE); 5) The Statue of Zeus at Olympia (435 BCE to 450 CE); 6) The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus (550 BCE to 262 CE) and 7) The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (351 BCE to 1150 CE). Note the Archaeological terms BCE (Before the Current Era) equivalent to BC (Before Christ) and CE (Common Era) or AD (Anno Domináis / Year of our Lord / After Christ) are used as the structures and now basically all archaeological sites. She also discussed the “modern” 7 wonders as defined by a vote of many people around the world and announced in Lisbon, Portugal on 07.07.07 (7th July 2007). These are – 1) The Great Wall of China (5,000 Km long built in the 7th century BCE); 2) Petra, Jordan; 3) Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; 4) Machu Pichu, Peru (Inka Empire located 2,400 meters above sea level); 5) Chichen-Itzá, Mexico (Maya Culture); 6) The Roman Colosseum, Italy (completed in 80AD with a seating capacity of 50,000 and remained in use for 500 years); and 7) The Taj Mahal, India (completed around 1653 for the burial of the Emperor’s favorite wife – Mumtaz Mahal). I mention the facts as presented by the speaker and hope that the facts are correct. I say that because, when she spoke of the Maya site at Chichen-Itzá, (and knowing a bit about the culture having studied it for my post-graduate University studies) her facts were not at all accurate, giving rise to question some of the others. I do believe her expertise is in Egyptology, so will rely to her knowledge on that culture in her subsequent talks.
The Captain’s noon day announcement indicated that we have travelled 322 knots since leaving Southampton at an average speed of 18 knots, leaving 766 knots to reach Barcelona, Spain.
We both had Video meetings in the afternoon and at dinner the waiters all gathered and sang Happy birthday to Anne. We enjoyed the show – The Little Opera Company (LOCO) where two English women and 2 Welsh men sang various arias. The women were particularly good sopranos.
Roger & Anne Travels 