"Out & About"
On completion of Jack's training to become a qualified naval rating, we travelled down to Plymouth for the traditional 'Passing Out' ceremony at HMS Raleigh. Watching this ceremony, I understood why our forces are the envy of the world and why we should all be so proud of these young men ready to do their duty on our behalf. On completion of the official part of the ceremony the class of 2017 performed the Arms Drill to the music 'Standing Ovation from the film Hancock - wonderful. Arms Drill Video
As is the navy custom they threw their hats in the air to signal the end of the Passing Out Ceremony
Together with Nick & Olwen we embarked on an organised coach trip for a few days in Belgium, staying at a beach side hotel in Ostend but with memorable trips out to Bruges and the Menin Gate.
Bruges is probably one of the most beautiful cities in Belgium and my first experience of visiting it.
The Menin Gate or Menenpoort, is well worth the visit and the impressive city and cathedral of Ypres behind it. Every night at 8.00pm the 'Last Post Ceremony' is performed by the people of Ypres who are justifiably proud of this simple, moving tribute to the courage and self-sacrifice of those who fell in defence of the town in World War I.
Jane and her good friend Ann went to Krakow in the summer of 2019 with the main intent to visit the Nazi concentration camp Auswitz-Birkenhaur
As most of our generation know, Auschwitz Birkenau was the principal and most notorious of the six concentration and extermination camps established by Nazi Germany to implement its Final Solution policy which had as its aim the mass murder of the Jewish people in Europe. It's a place everyone should go to (I have not yet!) just to try to comprehend the scale of the horrific murder of not just Jews that took place there and reflect (in light of current affairs, e.g. Gaza/Israel/Ukrane) it could easily happen again - as coined by writer Robert Burns in 1784 - 'mans inhumanity to man'.
We had the cruising bug at this time and took adantage of a short 7 day cruise to Portugal and Spain on the P & O Ventura in April 2017 stopping at Lisbon and Porto.
This cruise was an enjoyable but largely uneventful one.
Just before Christmas '23 we embarked on a cruise with our friends Pete & Shirley on the Marella Discovery 2, starting at Muscat (Oman) with port visits in India, Sri Lanka, Kuala Lumpar and finishing at Singapore.
