Former HAL liner SS "ROTTERDAM" up for sale

The legendary SS "ROTTERDAM" of 1959 is up for sale, the ship has been opened to the public since 2010 as an Hotel and Restaurant, tours of the ship are also available, despite having received about 500.000 visitors the ship could be sold, please visit www.cruisehotel.nl/booking for information on how to stay on the ship. I wish good luck for this amazing former liner that was once the pride of the Dutch Merchant fleet, after all the work that's been done to preserve and convert the ship it would be demoralizing to say the least to see her facing an uncertain future

FESTIVAL OF THE SEA AT BREST IN 2012

If you like tall ships, the sea, maritime events together with a beautiful part of Brittany with its exquisite food, pencil this event in your diary for next year, publicity apart, BREST is easily reached from ROSCOFF or SAINT-MALO, both places served on daily basis by BRITTANY FERRIES, for all information on the festival please visit www.lestonnerresdebrest2012.fr, or for the ferry crossings BF website on www.brittany-ferries.co.uk

"VAL DE LOIRE" once again remembered

 I was reading the January 2012 issue of the SHIPS MONTHLY, there is a special focus on the DFDS cruise ferry "KING SEAWAYS", all the wonderful memories of the ship as the "VAL DE LOIRE" came to mind once again, I have sailed 57 times on the BF cruise ferry, in the latter years that the ship served BF for me was like going home, I would always get the best table on the restaurant, visit the engine room, bridge and at the end of a 24 hour crossing I used to address the crew with a .... " see you next week " . Never sailed on "KING SEAWAYS" but knowing the reputation and quality of DFDS service, I am absolutely confident that the ship is in very good hands. My photos of the VAL DE LOIRE and a DFDS promoting postcard of the KING SEAWAYS with present livery, to travel on the ship from the UK to Ijmuiden in HOLLAND please visit www.dfds.co.uk and for other posts and photos of the VAL DE LOIRE please visit my BF blog, http://vmf-brittanyferries.blogspot.com

Trafford Centre, highest valued Shopping Centre in the UK

My sea voyages at the moment are on hold due to the holiday period, so at the moment the blog is all about Christmas, one of my favourite periods of the year. Today I went to the Trafford Centre, a remarkable Shopping Centre that attracts 10 percent of the UK population, a very important day on UK's social life, the official beginning of the sales and of course one of the busiest days for trade at the centre with an average of 150.000 people expected per day during the first few days of the sales. Trafford Centre opened in 1998 was developed by the Peel Holding Group and is the highest valued Shopping Centre in the UK at 1.65 bilion. Some statistics for the record, the shopping centre attracts some 35 million visitors per year, it has the largest food court in Europe and the UK's busiest cinema complex. Photos taken today..... Maritime motives never far away from my lenses

Christmas Market at Manchester

Known to be the first industrialised city in the world, Manchester is today a centre for Finance, Higher Education and arts, incorporated in what is commonly known for the Great Manchester County, the region is one of the largest metropolitan areas in Europe with a population of approximately 2.7 million people. It's Christmas time and the author of this blog once again went to the Christmas Market which returns to the city every year and what a treat it is for trade and of course for eating and drinking with stalls from various European places, photos taken on the 18th of December, today is officially the last day of the market, don't worry it will come back next year. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

MSC LIVORNO at sea

Seen here at sea on the English Channel is the massive container ship MSC LIVORNO, this huge ship with 365 metres in lenght was built in South Korea by DAEWOO SHIPBUILDING in 2010, the vessel registered in Germany has 153.000 GRT and a top speed of 24.1 knots, photo taken from PONT-AVEN on the 2sd December 2011

VITAL ALSAR Spanish Explorer, born in Santander

VITAL ALSAR is a Spanish explorer who's life has been dedicated to nature and the sea was born in Santander in 1933 his expeditions took him from Mexico to Spain and back to Mexico and from Ecuador to Australia, photographed on the 1st December 2011 in Santander on the Peninsula de la Magdalena, the galleons and raft used on these expeditions

Cargo ship arriving Santander

Small cargo ship arriving Santander on the 1st December 2011, very late in the evening, photos taken from the Northbound PONT-AVEN

Portsmouth, the place to be for warships

Photos taken at Portsmouth on the 27th November 2011, from "CAP FINISTERE"

HMS BRISTOL moored at Portsmouth

Seen here at Portsmouth on the 27th November is the HMS BRISTOL. The ship was built in the UK by SWAN HUNTER and accepted into service in December 1972, she was commissioned three months later. The vessel was used in 1982 on the Falklands Conflict, she was withdrawn from service in 1991 and is still used as a training ship

tugs at Santander

Mini zoo at the Peninsula de la Magdalena at Santander

Very small but delightful mini zoo, where penguins and grey seals can be seen, also dramatic sea views can be enjoyed in this excellent setting