Blankenberge from Zeebrugge

If you are a regular cruiser, or indeed someone who has tried a mini-cruise, the chances are that you have stopped at the port of Zeebrugge. It's a popular calling point from Southampton and often known as the 'Gateway to Bruges'. Travellers can take an organised coach excursion from the ship to the outskirts of Bruges or do a DIY trip by shuttling into Blankenberge and catching the train.
If, like me, you have been to Bruges several times, then you might want to choose an easier option and simply wander around Blankenberge for a few hours. So here is a taste of what you might find there.
Before I proceed, I have to confess that I've always found myself in Blankenberge in the Winter months, so there are no seafront pictures, but I can tell you that the promenade is lovely, and, if ever I go there on a warm day, I will take some pictures to prove it. Unless you are a lot hardier than me, I would not recommend staying too long on the Blankenberge seafront in the Winter.
You will see from my photos that on our last (November) visit to Blankenburg, the weather was dull and the sky was grey.....ah well, we were on a cruise and so we just had to make the best of it.   
When we woke up in Zeebrugge, this was the view which greeted us.

We had decided not to take an organised trip, so could indulge in a leisurely breakfast, while the early birds were already waiting for their tour buses. 

We left the ship mid-morning and caught the shuttle bus into Blankenberge. If you purchased a P&O select fair, the shuttle buses were included in the fare. They were comfortable, and many had facilities for wheel-chairs. The bus stopped opposite the station in Blankenberge, which was convenient for all passengers wishing to take the train to Bruges. It was also only a five minute walk through the adjacent grassed area to find the centre of town.

We were fascinated by the WC which had popped up on our way into town, but I couldn't persuade my husband to try it out!

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Once past the green we came to a busy road junction, fortunately, with pedestrian friendly traffic lights.

The route into town from there on was obvious, and I noticed that the shopping precinct had been considerably updated since my last visit. Had we wanted a bit of history or a Belgian cafe, there were plenty to choose from in the little side streets which led away from the main pedestrianised walk way.

For those with sufficient fitness levels, the seafront could be accessed via the steep steps at the far end of the central street.

But we chose to wander around the main pedestrian shopping area and spend a few Euros. Although it was a Sunday, there was plenty to tempt us.

There were mouth-watering displays of cakes and sweets.

We entered a local supermarket selling a wide range of cheese, pate and spicy sausage. I bought several gifts of local cheeses for friends (and for me!). But I have to admit we spent most of our time browsing in the Belgian equivalent of a 'cheap' shop. There we purchased Christmas decorations and chocolates, and were tempted by a variety of Blankenberge gadgets.

We walked back to the coach hoping to be in time for a late lunch, but did stop to admire the Meerkat  sculptures outside the civic building.

  

    What did take us by surprise was the fact that we had to change buses at the port gates. They offloaded us all into the cruise terminal building (where usefully there were indoor loos) and sent us onto a red shuttle bus....all still disabled friendly though.

So that's it really....just a little taste of Blakenberge from P&O Ventura on a grey November day. And perhaps the best sight of all was knowing we had missed the queues when the tour busses returned!

Pre-Cruise Hotel for Consideration: Botleigh Grange

I came across the Botleigh Grange Hotel by accident. We were about to celebrate my uncle's 90th birthday at a restaurant in Botley and needed an overnight stay. Botleigh Grange appeared on my search engine results as reasonably priced and close to our destination.  It is an historic, well appointed, country house hotel in its own grounds less than 8 miles by car from the centre of Southampton. The original parts of the building date back to the reign of Charles 1, and Oliver Cromwell not only stayed there, but was great friends with the owner.
To be honest, my expectations of the hotel were not great. The trip advisor reviews were very mixed  and their breakfast inclusive rate for a double room was very inexpensive. We paid £68 for both of us. We were very pleasantly surprised to discover that this was such a great hotel. I then found out that they also offered 21 nights free parking and a taxi to Southampton as part of one of their cruise packages. Alternatively, guests who do not need parking can simply book into the hotel and arrange their own transport.  Obviously their rates vary, according to demand, but, if you are seeking an out of town venue, I would definitely recommend including this hotel in your searches for a pre-cruise stay.
So what can I tell you about this hotel?
The rooms are spacious and well furnished, albeit with older furniture in keeping with the decor. We had a standard double room, and there was plenty of space.

The bed was extremely comfortable, and there was a traditional, but spacious ensuite bathroom.

There was no air-conditioning, but the electric heaters were effective and adjustable. The room was clean and the lighting was good with ample power-points and free wifi. We were delighted to find a hotel where you could actually open a window. Our room overloooked the ramparts, but I resisted the temptation to climb out of the window and role play at Mr Rochester's mad wife!
During our stay, the main restaurant was closed, but there was a bar menu which served a quality menu of freshly cooked food.

The inclusive breakfast consisted of a continental buffet and cooked English. It was freshly prepared and served by friendly and efficient staff. I was particularly impressed with the wide corridors and ample public spaces, although I imagine the hotel would feel much busier when hosting a wedding or conference.

 The lifts appeared large enough for guests with mobility problems, and there was a portable ramp to cover the few steps in the internal porch, if needed. I didn't get a chance to try out the spa, but its use (though not treatments) was included in the cost, and the pool looked very inviting.

  The rear patio contained well lit tables and chairs with heaters.

The hotel campus was accessed from an imposing long drive with fields of horses on either side, and the adjacent business parks were well landscaped and tucked behind hedging and trees. We were delighted  by the two large lakes at the back of the hotel gardens.

So if you are looking for an 'out of town' pre-cruise stay with a bit of historic personality that won't break the bank, then go online and check out the Botleigh Grange Hotel. It definitely exceeded our expectations.

   

Impressions of a Suite on P&O Ventura

In November 2018, my husband Chris and I went on a 3 night mini-cruise on Ventura. Although we have cruised quite a lot over the years we had never travelled in a suite before. This being a short cruise,  we booked a suite for ourselves as a treat. It was a guarantee deal, whereby we did not choose our suite number.  We were allocated R410, otherwise known as the Cathay Suite. This was one of the lower grades of suite on Ventura, situated midships on the Riviera Deck. It had a very convenient position, close to the lifts and within easy reach of most central areas. There was occasional noise of moving furniture from the lido deck above, which might be more intrusive in the Summer, but it did not bother us.
Before I describe the suite in more detail, I would like to make it clear that if we had unlimited funds, we would, of course, always choose a suite, but, like most cruisers, we do have to watch the pennies. In this post, I have tried to give some helpful details for anyone considering the extra expenditure.

So what did we get for our money?
Firstly, and in my opinion, most importantly, we had lots of extra room.....
a large sleeping area, separated from the living space by heavy curtains.

There were two TVs, one in each area, a large dressing table, desk, and an extremely useful extra sink with  glasses and plates stored in an upper cupboard.

     

Storage was generous with ample drawers and a large walk in wardrobe with a full length mirrored door.

There were two double patio doors which led to a well furnished wide (not deep) covered balcony. The cover added extra privacy and considerable protection from the November weather. It would, I am sure, provide shade on sunnier days, but might also cut out a lot of the sun, depending on the position of the ship.

 The bathroom consisted of two rooms, so the sink and toilet were separate from the full size spa bath and shower.

The bathroom was well appointed with all the usual supplies, plus white company toiletries and use of P&O plush towelling dressing gowns.

I soon learnt not to use too much shower gel before turning on the spa!!!

What other extras did we get from our suite status?

• Early embarkation and a buffet lunch with complimentary drinks reserved only for people in suites and top tier loyalty customers. This provided a great start to our cruise, and we felt very privileged.
• Optional breakfast in Epicurean. Breakfast here was lovely, but as the opening times were limited, when the clocks went forward we had to eat rather earlier than we wanted to take advantage of the venue.

 

• Champagne, fruit bowl, chocolates, atlas, binoculars and daily canapes including chocolate dipped strawberries on the formal night.

• And of course the services of a butler in addition to a steward! We did not take advantage of the butler's packing/unpacking services, but it could be useful if perhaps you were elderly with limited mobility. He brought our canapes, visited daily to check if we needed anything, arranged large print menus for my husband, but on such a short cruise we had little need of him. On a longer cruise we might have taken occasional advantage of the in-cabin dining which he would have been happy to arrange.

So would I book a suite again? For a very special occasion or if someone trebled my pension, possibly yes. I would want it to be on a much longer cruise and to choose the location of the suite. Chris's sight is not so good these days, and extra space does help, but for now, we're going back to booking deluxe balcony cabins, which are as large as we can afford. We consider ourselves very fortunate to be able to have any cabin with a balcony on a cruise ship. Having said that, if anyone on P&O is reading this, we would not say 'no' to a complimentary upgrade!
   

Christmas Comes to Ventura

We have been on Ventura since lunchtime yesterday. It was raining earlier, but this afternoon there are glimpses of sunshine on the horizon.

Ours is just a 3 day mini-cruise with friends, so it was great that we could get onboard really early. We arrived at Mayflower Terminal yesterday just after 11.30 am for a 12.30 pm check in and were sent straight to the priority desk. In fact, embarkation was so swift, that by midday we were sitting in the Cinnamon restaurant with a complimentary glass of champagne and a plate of hot food. I didn’t even have time to take my usual photographs.  I’m afraid you will have to imagine the P and O check-in staff all wearing their Santa hats, apparently an obligatory addition to their dress code from yesterday until after Christmas.

Cruise ships look lovely when dressed in their festive finery, and Ventura is no exception.

The main Atrium is twinkling with lights.

A variety of Christmas trees are to be found in all public spaces.

I rather like this one, colour matched to the décor in the Epicurean Restaurant.

Today is a sea day. The sea is remarkably calm, and Ventura has been making a large navigational loop to prevent us reaching Zeebrugge too early.

There has been plenty of time to wander round the ship. This morning there was an onboard festive market in the Atrium. I found nothing remarkable in the Christmas selection, but it seemed to attract a fair few shoppers.

I eventually returned to our cabin empty- handed.

Although we have cruised many times with P and O, and once before on Ventura, this is our first time in a P and O suite, (thus the priority embarkation). We just wanted to try out a suite, and 3 days seemed a good way to do so without breaking the bank, so in my next blog post, I will include some ‘suite’ photos, and a bit more about the 'suite' experience. For today, I leave you with a photo of the last remaining treats from the plate which our butler delivered to our cabin prior to dinner. I think they may have disappeared by tomorrow.....

     

   

For more details about Claire's Writing go to www.clairebaldry.co.uk

Different Genes
A Novel by Claire Baldry


Simply Modern Life
A Poetry Booklet of Amusing Poetry
by Claire Baldry

Delay Repay (Journey from Bexhill to Southampton)

Many great philosophers have asserted that our journeys through life are more important than the destinations. This is a belief which I largely embrace. However, when you strip away the metaphor and examine the day to day practicalities, the philosophy tends to wobble. I am talking, of course, about Southern Rail.

But before I embark on a travel weary rant, I think I should confess that I am an ardent supporter of public transport, especially the railways. This is not only because I think it is good for the planet. I also enjoy travelling by train.......at least I did. It would be great if my status as a train lover somehow conferred travel privileges, but it doesn’t. My hometown of Bexhill sits in an exclusively Southern Railway network. I suffer with the rest of my fellow passengers.     

There are, of course, some positives. The coastal route from Ashford to Southampton is very scenic, something I have blogged about before. And, compared to travel into London, it’s relatively inexpensive.  My Tesco points are quite sufficient to convert into tickets for most of the longer rail journeys I undertake, though perhaps this says more about my shopping habits than it does about my travel needs.

So, clutching our £17-25 railcard reduced off peak returns, yesterday Chris and I set off to Bexhill Station for a trip to Southampton to visit family and take a short cruise with friends.
 As always, the journey was planned for ease as well as speed. With just one change needed at Brighton, we envisaged an enjoyable start to our break, and imagined ourselves enjoying our picnic and two small bottles of wine on the train to Southampton.

Alas, our train to Brighton was cancelled, apparently due to over-running engineering works. Not a big problem, we were told, because we could catch the slightly later train to Eastbourne and still make our connection. In reality this proved impossible because to catch the Brighton connecting train we would need to disembark at Hampden Park and climb the steps of the footbridge to cross the line. This would be difficult enough on a good day, but for Chris, an older passenger with a visual impairment and two suitcases, it would be impossible. Now I come to mention it, why haven’t they installed a lift at Hampden Park? It’s a really busy interchange.

So we travelled on to Eastbourne, by this time beginning to bond with our fellow, long suffering passengers. There is nothing like a common enemy to encourage us Brits out of our usual reticence and into enthusiastic moaning conversation.

“I’m on my way to Manchester” explained a middle aged lady. “My ticket cost over £100.”

 “Well at least you’ll get your money back, or some of it” I replied “if your delay is over 30 mins”. 

“On Southern Rail, the partial refunds start at 15 mins delay” added a young man. And I began to wonder whether anyone on Southern Rail actually travelled without being eligible for a refund. It was then that one of the station staff told us that ice on the line had caused earlier delays. We resisted the temptation to mention that it was November, a time of year when ice might have been anticipated. Finally our train from Eastbourne to Brighton appeared. The tannoy then announced delays between  Lewes and Brighton due to animals on the line. “Probably stick insects” mumbled a fellow passenger with the great British humour which we seem to prefer to formal complaints.

We climbed aboard our train to Brighton. The Onboard Supervisor (formerly known as a guard) proudly announced that the train would arrive in Brighton on schedule….but not of course my schedule. By the time we reached Brighton we had missed our connection and had to wait 40 mins for the next train to Southampton. We ate our picnic in the cold November temperatures on a bench in Brighton Station.

Eventually we found ourselves sitting on the Southampton train. After an announcement about a short delay due to signalling problems we were on our way, finally arriving in Southampton some 62 minutes later than planned ..... but with the anticipation of a £17-25 refund.                   

Delay Repay



To find out more about Claire Baldry visit www.clairebaldry.co.uk

Different Genes
A novel
by Claire Baldry

Simply Modern Life
A lighthearted booklet of poetry
by Claire Baldry