Dover, England

Parting is such sweet sorrow. I hate good-byes, especially to people you develop a relationship with. We have gone through this process several times already and now we have to get used to new people all over again. I received a gift from Pamela and Nathan, the sweet couple whom I have mentioned before. They are so charming and nice, and I especially felt protective of them when we were on tours. Michael and I are sad to see them leave.

Our dinner companions were a hoot. One fellow, who sorta looked and sounded like Bill O’Reilly, was a standup comic in New York, so he and Michael had a great time swapping jokes and stories. They both liked Zacherly, a vampire type of guy, from their youth in New York. Another lady at the table looked like a young Joan Rivers and talked as much. It was a lively table, and three of the four couples were Jewish, so we all had a lot to share. Our grand finale last night was napkin folding. After all the dinner dishes were cleared away, we decorated all the coffee cups with napkins folded as roses. Lots of laughter and fun.

Here is some other miscellaneous stuff you might find interesting regarding life on a ship. The crew has a “store” call the Slop Chest that sells booze and sundries. Since we are on the ship for so long, we have privileges to use the Slop Chest as prices are a whole lot cheaper than anywhere else. I bought Colgate toothpaste there and read the label: made in Viet Nam! I hope they don’t put plastic in it. Michael and I also won second place in the bridge tournament and I got a very nice tote bag as my prize.

I am singing, “The White Cliffs of Dover.” What a beautiful sight as we entered the harbor. We did laundry this morning before the new people got on board, and then caught a shuttle to the middle of town.

The one thing to see in Dover is the 2,000 year old medieval castle, and the adjoining fortress built in the 12th century. But first you have to get to it. The castle is perched high on the white cliffs, and we walked up and up and up. It was steep going and there were lots of stairs. We climbed up to the clouds; ok, only about 1,000 feet above sea level. And after our tour, we walked back down. Oh, my poor knees.

King Henry II built it, and along with his wacky family, lived a life full of intrigue. The castle’s interior furnishings have been authentically recreated showing how it may have looked in the 12th century. The castle and all the casements, barracks, church, and secret tunnels have been used continuously since it was built, and as recently as WWII and the Cold War.

But the best part of the fortress was the Secret Wartime Tunnels. Deep in the cliffs, a labyrinth of tunnels was carved out in ancient days. These tunnels were enlarged over the years to keep soldiers safe. The tunnels are famous for Operation Dynamo, the plan Admiral Ramsay masterminded to evacuate British and allied troops from Dunkirk, France during WWII. We toured the tunnels and were amazed at how big a maze this place was. They had barracks, a hospital and wards, dining and kitchen facilities, dorms, telecommunication center, and war rooms all neatly tucked into the rocks on the cliff. It was an underground world unto itself. Much of the original equipment and furniture was still there.

After walking back to town, we ate at a fish and chips restaurant, a little take away joint, and had a splendid fish and chips meal that neither one of us could finish. It was good, but way greasy, and the guy at the counter knew we were Yanks and took the ketchup out when we ordered. After lunch, I went looking for a nail shop. Oh there were plenty, but they were all closed!!! I have had the worst luck getting any personal services done on shore. Either too busy, not enough time, or just closed. I have already given up on my hair. Are the gods against me?