For better or worse, we have become A Thing in Belfast. “The cruise ship people,” they call us. Or sometimes, just “the ship people.” The ship repair yard does not have a street number, so when I first arrived in Belfast, taxi drivers struggled to find it. Now it’s more like: “Are you’se one of them ship people? I know where that is…”
The hotel receptionists always seem to know what’s going on with us: “I hear sea trials are coming up for y’all this week? We’re got our fingers crossed for you!” When I board the public bus I frequently use, the driver asks for a status update. Everyone seems to have a friend of a friend who works at the shipyard, eager to pass along the latest rumor about how ship repair is progressing. (Some turn out to be true, others not so much.)
We’ve been a rich source of material for the local Comedy Club circuit.
Now that we’ve caught the mayor’s eye, who knows where this will lead. Perhaps one of the pubs will name a sandwich after us? Or better yet, erect a statue at the shipyard in our honor, gazing longingly out to sea…
This is a birthday card my sister Eva gave me many years ago, that I’ve always been intrigued by.
Little did she know, that it would be a portrait of me several decades later.
Except for the frilly skirt. I don’t have any of those. The hat, I can borrow from a hat-loving couple on board. (Thanking you in advance, Melody and John!)
21 responses to “On Being a Thing In Belfast”
Cute
Very interesting. It’s not a coincidence. Both are signed in the same way. There is a also a print for sale from which the card was probably produced. He seems to be a contemporary artist( 1934-2013) who painted in the impressionists style. It looks like he also painted a picture called Waiting.
Thanks for sharing
Aah ok, I didn’t notice the signature.
Basia you get a gold medal for keeping memorabilia the longest. I used to keep things then got into a purge mood. Of course, now there are so many things I wish I had kept.
I keep everything! Do you know I still have the postcards you sent us from the 1960s and 1970s? Yeah, I’m a hoarder. A very organized hoarder, but a hoarder nevertheless.
sheesh, Basia, its so hard to fathom that a second ship
has made months long suspense for you! im so sorry!
I think longingly of our Seabourn days, when everything ran like clockwork…
Loved the idea of a local statue. Perhaps your young lady could be sitting on a piece of rolling luggage holding a pint of Guinness, or Daisey’s hot chocolate?
Yes! One in each hand would be appropriate! 🙂
Yes! There needs to be a sandwich memorializing this experience. Have the Lord invoke a contest to determine its name and ingredients. I have some ideas of my own already. Winner gets to sail with you’se ship people on the Villa Vie.
P.S. ❤️ that the card made it on board with you.
I’ve always loved that card. There is something mysterious and melancholy about it. I scanned it before I left because it seemed perfect for this chapter of my life. Can’t wait to hear your ideas about the sandwich!
My suggestion for the name of the sandwiches would be Distant Lands. The ingredients of peanut butter and jam, would be served on a crispy French baguette 🥖. 😁
Ok, Distant Lands I could go with. But peanut butter and jam…is that what is in store for us…?
This is a lovely post and the Retrospective was also amazing. Definitely a poet’s soul here and a novelist’s sensibility. The sandwich is a great idea and Belfast should definitely do that. The contest would not work though as VV wouldn’t fulfill it. They had a contest to give away 3 cabins for 6 months free travel and advertised it on all their channels. After changing the contest dates multiple times (some after the fact), they only gave away 1 cabin and never fulfilled the contest obligation for the remaining 2. A bit disturbing.
I think a red graduation mortar board would be perfect headpiece for you for this picture. You can get one on ebay for 7.99. You can also just photoshop anything you want to cover your head. I tried to get some info on the signature to see if the piece had a name. Is the painting called Oceanview by any chance?
I did try to do an image search and found an oil painting that seemed to be similar, though not identical, called Blue Bicycle by Paul Williams. Not sure if it was done from the painting or just coincidence.
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/paul-a-williams-american-1934-2012-oil-on-canvas–176-c-3b5ec6ee68
So grand that herself is holed up in Ireland! Glorious people, place and conversations! Thanks for the news – always a pleasure. XO
Thanks Chris – it’s always a pleasure to know you are here along for the ride.
So grand that herself is holed up in Ireland! Glorious people, place and conversations! Thanks for the news – always a pleasure. XO
Allow me to say that I tell ABSOLUTELY everyone I come into contact with that I, a mere mortal in the faraway city of CLE personally KNOW of a passenger on this ship! Your celebrity status exists well beyond Belfast, my dear! Holding good thoughts for a thoroughly clean certificate of readiness in the very near future!
Your avid OH fan,
Jane Anne 🤓
Oh my goodness, I’m a celebrity not only in Belfast, but also Cleveland?? I couldn’t ask for anything more…. 🙂 Love you dear friend.