New York - Columbia Graduation

The morning of May 21 was beautiful and sunny on the Upper West side of New York City. The graduates and the proud families of Columbia filled the central quad to bursting (Is it really possible that there were 40,000 people there?) The Jschool grads filled their corner of the bleachers with true newsprint confetti. Alex had his own cheering section far out into the quad -- George and I were joined by Steve and Jan, Sarah and Susan, and RuthAnn. What a classic!

The Journalism School ceremony took place later in the afternoon at Roone Arledge Auditorium. Dean Nicholas Lemann opened the ceremonies with a stirring speech challenging these new graduates to be creative as they take advantage of the new mediums available to the journalists of the 21st century. NPR's Terry Gross gave the commencement address reminding the graduates that to ask the right questions: "you have to do your homework, and you have to remain genuinely curious".

We caught a brief image of Alex as he shook Dean Lemann's hand and also caught up with him after commencement in his "Columbia Blue" cap and gown! Thanks to Sally & Rodg, Becky and Stephen, Sarah and Susan for joining us for the afternoon ceremonies! It was great to have so many family and friends join us in congratulating Alex on a job well done.



The journalism students (all 240+) are pictured below on the steps of the Journalism School building. The group hails from around the world -- an impressive lot. As part of the Jschool awards, Alex was presented with the Robert Harron award, "demonstrating excellence in writing and reporting, as well as exemplary kindness and courtesy to fellow students". At a great school like Columbia, Alex's values and hard work were recognized and rewarded!

Congratulations, Alex! We're so proud of you!

Let the partying begin!

As part of the Sundby graduation tradition, we partied and feasted our way through the festivities! While we were away, our good friend Jan coordinated two wonderful gatherings for all of the assorted friends and family. On Tuesday, our pre-graduation feast was in the private party room at Craft, Top Chef Tom Callichio's flagship restaurant. Everything was just perfect and a good time was had by all!

We enjoyed a fantastic selection of canapes and drinks before dinner, joined here by Ruthann (Dan had to stay at home in San Francisco and work!), Steve and Jan. Many thanks to Ruthann and Dan who lent us their apartment near Lincoln Center for the week!

Our good friends from TransAmerica, Ed & Lucretia, took the train in from White Plains to join us!

Sarah joins the younger set at the bar, with Liz, Katia, Saul and Alex.

At the end of the evening, Pat & Sarah wish Alex a safe trip home. It turned out to be an exciting subway ride back to the apartment -- Thanks Alex for the escort!

The Party's Over

After graduation, we all gathered that evening at the 21 Club to continue the celebration.  It was another wonderful evening, with drinks in Pete's Room and dinner in the Club Room on the 3rd floor.  Again, Jan did a great job of coordinating everything to perfection!

The Snelson family was well represented. Rodg and Sally brought their family, and joined Sarah & Ann in extending Alex their congratulations.

Rodg and Sally's children Stephen and Becky celebrated with Alex and Susan's stepson Brian. 

Susan came down from Boston to celebrate with Brian with Alex.  We had a great week with Susan who visited New York City for the first time!


Brian introduced everyone to his fiance, Michele.  They were engaged just this past weekend after her graduation from Mt. Sinai Hospital.  Michele will be doing her residency at Columbia starting in August and Brian will be finishing up at Mt. Sinai next year.

Pat & Dick were not to be left out. They too partied with us for the entire week!

Liz and Saul joined Steve and Jan in presenting the Pickering Family congratulations!

Finally, the evening was over and all of the younger set departed for other venues.  But Pat and Dick and Ruthann joined Sarah, Susan and Ann and George in just one last drink in the bar.

London

After 108 days, we departed our home onboard Crystal Serenity and have taken up residence in London at The Stafford Hotel for a short four days. We managed to hit London just as spring has arrived in all its wonderful glory!  

On Wednesday night, we took in a musical, Billy Elliot, with some friends from the ship and thoroughly enjoyed it.  The next evening we met up with another couple from the ship and had drinks at Claridge's and a wonderful lebanese dinner at Al Hamra in Shepherd's Market. Friday, we spent shopping - Fortnum and Mason's for lunch, Turnbull and Asser for shirts and ties and then Harrods! 

George and I walked all over London on Saturday. People filled the streets and the parks enjoying the weather.

 Buckingham Palace

The Horse Guards

St. James Park

Big Ben

We caught the clock at Fortnum & Mason striking 6 PM, and the action began!


Here is George at the back courtyard at The Stafford Hotel.  Our room is at the very back corner on the second floor of the mews -- The Stubbs Room. 

We've enjoyed our trip immensely and hate for the  journey to end.  But we are looking forward to seeing friends and family again so soon!

La Coruna

La Coruna port skyline is comprised of numerous city homes with their many-paned galleries looking out to the sea, with the open sidewalk patios where the fishermen used to sell fish fresh from the sea.

Just off the embarcadero along the port is the main square of La Coruna, with this fantastic City Hall building and its streets of shops.  On the other side of town are fantastic beaches for vacationing Spaniards from Madrid!


After an hour long drive through the green spring countryside of Spain, we arrived at an old Roman village of Betanzos ("Brigantium" in Roman time). The town sits on a hill where there used to be a hill-fort, on the mouth of the Betanzos estuary, where sea mixes with the freshwaters of the Mandeo and Mendo rivers. It was one of the seven capitals of the Old Kingdom of Galicia. Remarkable are the "pazos" (Galician country houses) seen here in the main plaza of the old city.


Three Gothic churches are within a few steps of each other.  The churches of Santiago, Santa María do Azogue and San Francisco.   The stone cross of Santa Maria is depicted above looking through to the roofline of the Church of San Francisco with its stone sculpture of a wild boar. In the sanctuary of Santa Maria, the main altar takes your breath away. 


The Church of San Francisco contains fascinating medieval sarcophagi, such as the tomb of Pérez de Andrade, held up by two animals that symbolise his lineage: the wild boar and the bear.

Lisbon & Fatima

Upon our arrival in Lisbon, we took a bus ride to Fatima to do a short pilgrimage.  We arrived the week before the anniversary of Our Lady's first apparition to the 3 children of Fatima during 1917. There were only a couple of thousand people at the plaza, rather than the 250,000 that arrive for the anniversary.  We lit a candle at the small shrine on the actual spot of the apparitions and proceeded to the basilica. 

Jacinta and Francisco Marto, who both died of influenza before they reached the age of 11, were proclaimed blessed in 2000 by Pope John Paul. The third visionary, Sister Lucia dos Santos, a 97-year-old nun, died in 2005. Inside the basilica are the graves of all 3. The decoration above the grave of Jacinta is beautiful in its simplicity.

Back in Lisbon, we proceeded through the stone arch which dominates the waterfront and is the entrance to a large pedestrian mall.  The mall was full of tourists and the people of Lisbon enjoying a wonderful spring Saturday evening.  We had a great meal at one of the local restaurants off the plaza.

 We didn't have time for a cable car ride through the city, but we will need to return to visit this great port city!

Gibraltar

Crystal Serenity docked at Gibraltar for one half day, so that we could take a look at the Straits and see Africa.  We couldn't see more than a shadow of Africa through the overcast skies, but we were there!  Of course there are forts and fortifying walls, embattlements and cannons built to protect such a significant entry to the Mediterranean Sea (even a mosque -- but we've seen enough mosques on this trip), but otherwise  not too much to see.

Inside the Rock though are the most mysterious caves, St. Michael's Caves, with stalagmites and stalagtites.  The caves are big enough for a small theater, for concerts and theatre events!

Also on the Rock are groups of Barbary Apes, brought across the Straits from Morocco.  Of course, now they are a tourist attraction, and anxious to pick our pocket!