© Corey A. Ford | Dreamstime.com
No doubt the world will focus
attention on all things Titanic. According to The Independent in the UK, you can take a commemorative
cruise where you can follow the route of the
Titanic. You can also shell out $59,000 to
explore the wreckage of the ship up and personal.
Titanic
Belfast , the biggest Titanic visitor attraction in the world, will
open March 31st (experts predict 400,000 people will descend
upon the center during its first year with more than 35,000 tickets already
sold). The city of Cobh (known as
Queenstown in 1912) will observe the
centenary with the Titanic 100 Event series.
Halifax, Nova Scotia has a
special connection to Titanic with the Maritime
Museum of the Atlantic and Titanic sites. Among them
are three cemeteries where the Titanic dead are buried, their gravestones all
cut from the same granite, all with the same date: April 15, 1912.
In Washington D.C. every year, you
can attend the ringing of the bell at the Titanic Memorial to honor the brave
gentlemen who died that night so women and children could be saved.
We can’t forget the Titanic
exhibitions here is the U.S.: Mystic Titanic Aquarium Exhibit in Mystic, Connecticut will feature interaction touch screens
to enhance the visitor’s Titanic experience.
No reason to miss out on all things Titanic. You’d be surprised how you can participate as well as honor Titanic victims this year without leaving home or your computer.
Here are my top 5 Titanic Events for 2012 without leaving home:
1. Not one but two TV mini-series are scheduled for 2012:
“Titanic” from Downton Abbey’s
Julian Fellowes will debut on April 12, 2012 and will air in the U.S. on ABC
and around the world (57 countries) for four nights. The mini-series creator
promises a “fresh approach” as seen through the eyes of different characters
(the cast includes 89 characters) including the oft neglected second class
passengers.
Titanic: “Blood & Steel” is a 12-part
BBC mini-series which focuses on the origin of the Titanic and
the ship’s construction in Belfast, Ireland circa 1907. This emotional story is
seen through the eyes of the wealthy men who backed and designed the ship as
well as the laborers who fit together the nuts and bolts (14,000 workers). As of
this writing, the U.S. network is TBA (keep you posted!).
2. James
Cameron’s 1997 $2 billion-grossing Titanic film hits the IMAX
theaters in 3-D on April 6, 2012 at the cost $18
million.
Mr. Cameron will also host a National Geographic special, Titanic:
Final Word with James Cameron, which will share the spotlight
Dr. Robert Ballard’s Save the Titanic. An amazing duo of
documentaries I can’t wait to see along with Titanic in 3-D.
3. The Titanic First Class Dinner menu included a
thirteen course meal from scallops to cream of barley soup to filet mignon to
mint sorbet. You could travel to a hotel in Southampton or outside Philadelphia to enjoy a sumptuous Titanic
dinner emulating the first class fare hotel.
There’s also a good chance a local
restaurant in your city is planning such an event. Or plan your own Titanic
dinner. This wonderful article by Rachel Cooke in the Guardian in the UK offers excellent information on
Titanic fare. Or check out Last Dinner on the Titanic by Rick
Archbold and Dana McCauley for the delicious details.
4. From the heroism of the Titanic musicians led by Wallace
Hartley to the hymn Nearer, My God, To Thee that Titanic
survivors reported hearing from the lifeboats, music has played
a major part in the Titanic story. In 2012 a four-night concert will be beamed globally
that will tell the story of Titanic.
Also scheduled is an album from
Robin Gibbs (Bee Gees) entitled “The Titanic Requiem” with a
special track about a young girl on one of the lifeboats singing about her
father who died on the liner.
I’m really looking forward to the
concert from The Spirit of Titanic
who will perform music from the movie and the period with the
Titanic Choristers and National Symphony
Orchestra. According to my tweets with Spirit of Titanic, they’re
planning to release a DVD of the concert. Can’t wait.
5. Without the
wireless sending distress signals from the
Titanic, most likely there would have been no survivors. These
chilling messages will be rebroadcast in real time on April 14th and 15th by the Nova Scotia
Museum on Twitter: “…the same wireless messages operators received
in 1912.”
This is a must-do event
for all Titanic enthusiasts. I participated in the event last
year and I can still feel the strong pull of those messages sent out across the
Atlantic on that bitterly cold, starry night.
Seeing the words “It’s CQD, old man” (distress call) pop up on
your computer screen is akin to a time machine putting you back there at that
precise moment.
The ship of dreams.
 |
| Cover Art by Dar Albert |
“Now if you’ll be pointing me in the right direction to the third class deck,” Katie said, showing him her ticket, “I’ll be on me way.”
“And right into the hands of the law.”
She took in a deep breath. So he did know.
He continued, “You have no choice but to allow me to offer you my protection.”
“And who are you, sir?”
He bowed slightly. “Captain Lord Jack Blackthorn, at your service.”
What are you waiting for, girl? Look at the man, will you?
He was tall, muscular and possessed an arrogance that intrigued her. Not to mention a building heat inside her that warmed her down to her toes.
He seemed more alive to her than any man she’d ever seen. A man who knew his charm and savored it.
"And why would you be helping the likes of me?” Katie wanted to know with a proud air.
He smiled at that, continuing to stare at her, his eyes dark and searching. “Come with me and find out.”2012 is going to be a momentous year for all things Titanic. I hope you’ll join me for future posts as we count down to that fateful night.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment