The quay at Hafen City was crowded with gawkers as the Queen Mary 2 set sail up the Elbe River toward the North Sea. The banks of the river were lined with curiosity seekers. The beaches were filled with kids and adults waving at us. A certain hotel had guests in the windows waving blankets and towels at us. Yachts and tour boats sailed up to us to take a look. The Queen Mary 2 has always been a favorite in this chief port city in Germany. It’s often greeted by cheers in the wee hours of the morning as the ship ties up. But June 30 was the beginning of Queen Mary 2’s official 175th anniversary cruise, a recreation of the original transatlantic crossing that Samuel Cunard, the founder of the company, made in 1840. The party-like atmosphere sustained itself until we sailed past the Lion King Theater and the striped lighthouses towards the mouth of the Elbe and the sunset.
