Portland... Weymouth, England
Many guests wake up at the crack of dawn to be first off the ship. We are lazy cruisers! Sleeping in until 9am, we took showers and headed down for a Bailey’s and Coffee. Once we were sure most people had disembarked, we strolled through the lobby to the gangway. Empty ships are my favorite… one reason we like to hang out on board during many port stops. But today, we figured we could wander the streets.
Once on land, I took a quick look back and saw the forward of the ship. Our cabin is on the fifteenth deck. The bridge is on the fourteenth, so we are just above the bridge and about 30 cabins from the very front. We are close to the elevators… our favorite location!
Due to Portland being an active, working port, Princess Cruises provided shuttle busses for guests. They made two stops… first at a nearby castle and next in the heart of Weymouth. As we approached the castle, we noticed that was about the only thing in sight. So we stayed on the bus and headed into town.
Departing the bus, we took note of this landmark. Tall enough that we should see it from around the town, surely there would be no getting lost! It’s always a good idea to find something memorable. Getting lost in a foreign country is not my idea of fun… I know, because it’s happened!
As we prepared to leave this morning, a woman bundled up from head to toe, stopped me to warn me of the “frigid cold” outside. I had a turtleneck on and she assured me that it was not enough for the weather. She had on a windbreaker, a turtleneck and and a thick jacket and still claimed to be freezing. Now… I’m a baby when it comes to the cold… so I went back and got my jacket. As it turned out, the day was unbelievably warm! It was gorgeous!
This was an interesting town… at first look, we noticed lots of shops and sidewalk cafes. The streets were lined with people. Definitely more than ship people… this beautiful day, brought out so many tourists and locals. With two things on my “to do” list, we walked the streets of this charming town. We wanted wine glasses… usually, when sailing on Princess, I bring my own. They love to serve nice wine in sippy cups. Bringing my own alleviates the issue of begging for a normal sized wine glass. The second thing on my list… an ornament.
Upon a closer look, we realized we weren’t seeing as many shops as we initially thought. Along this walkway were a number of accommodations… people’s homes. Instead of address numbers, most were named.
Across the street, you can see… we are on the edge of the harbor. Running parallel along the entire walkway we have visited so far, to the left it ran to the sea, to the right farther into the harbor. On the opposite side, almost the entire length was cafes. (On our way back they were packed full!!!
We reached the bridge which led over the water, linking us to the main part of town. As we walked along, we realized there were very few shops of anything other than “repurposing”. Our search for wine glasses was going to be more difficult than expected. Thinking outside the box, I thought we could find what we were looking for in a thrift store (which most of the shops were) but it turns out we would find one glass (at most). After a google search, we came upon a JK Maxx, which I misread as TJ Maxx. They were similar stores but the only decently sized and shaped glassware had butterflies painted on the sides!
Not finding what we were looking for, we decided to head down to the shore. There was a carnival in town (hence the merry-go-round on the cover page). So many rides along the beach!
With the warm weather, we looked for a good spot for a drink. Preferably, water but, of course, we had to have water as the back. We tracked down a little outdoor seating area along the shoreline. Finally, hubby would be able to try “Thatcher’s”…
Settled in our little cubby… sunshining brightly… we enjoyed a little seaside cocktail. I happened to order a raspberry martini which couldn’t be just one (or it could be) because the daytime cocktails are two for one. If you don’t take the second one, you’re basically giving away a free drink!
On the bus ride back (sans glasses or an ornament), we saw this residential area. Another passenger explained that this area was built for athletes during the London Olympics. Obviously, they have been sold to private residents.
Soooo…. I get back the ship and head for the Promenade deck to read my book. No one was there, the view was perfect… warm and sunny. Lining the wall, wicker furniture perfect for an afternoon read. Up walks a couple… with the entire length of railing available to them… they stop RIGHT in front of me. Forever, I have taught my kids to be aware of their surroundings. They would never have been so clueless as to have stood in front of the only person’s view. Sheesh people… come on!
Still light out, it was a late dinner. With the sun not yet set, it was easier to go to an 8:20pm dinner. We had a very kind wine sommelier, who made suggestions for nice wines. The funny part was that they are wines we normally enjoy on a regular basis. We went ahead and had him serve us Prisoner. After a nice dinner, and a little dessert, it was time for bed. Tomorrow… Guernsey. Not quite sure we will get off the ship… but we shall see…
