Wednesday, 21 February 2007

Two Queens in Sydney...



The $1 billion grand lady of the sea made her maiden visit to Sydney on Tuesday, arriving through the heads at 5.45am (AEDT) before docking at the Garden Island naval base.
It was too tall, at 23 storeys high, to sail under the Harbour Bridge and too long to berth at the International Terminal at Circular Quay.

At 7pm (AEDT) Tuesday, the liner was joined by her smaller sister ship, the Queen Elizabeth 2, the two greeting each other with the sound of their foghorns as the QE2 sailed past on her way to Circular Quay.


Tens of thousands of people gathered at vantage points on the foreshore, applauding and cheering the two luxury cruisers.


It was a sight not seen in Sydney since the two ships' predecessors - the Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth - greeted each other in the harbour as troop carriers in 1941.
Passengers and onlookers were also treated to a fireworks display celebrating the pair's visit.



However at 11pm (AEDT), the majestic monster began its departure on its way to Hong Kong.
She leaves behind her smaller sister; the QE2 remains in Sydney until Thursday evening when she departs for Brisbane.

My boy and I went on the Harbour Bridge Climb yesterday afternoon, it was fantastic especially with the Queen Mary 2 in the Harbour, I have a picture coming to my blog very soon, there were three blackhawk helicopters constantly flying in formation around and through the city sky scrapers.

Workers might have feared the worst with them flying past their windows, fortunately they were protecting the airways with a Queen in the water... [Wouldn't it be nice if they would do the same thing at the Mardi Gras Pool Party or the Harbour Party this Weekend]

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