On Sunday, May 5, ten AAFSW members got up very early to join a AAA tour bus headed on a wonderful adventure—high tea on board the Queen Mary 2. Described as “the grandest, most magnificent ocean liner ever built…a true heir to the timeless elegance, legacy, and inspiration of the great Cunard liners of legend,” the Queen Mary 2 was docked in Brooklyn for a few hours before departing on a trans-Atlantic trip to the UK.
As we rode on the bus, one of our AAA guides opened a bagful of colorful “fascinators,” which she sold at cost to any passenger who wanted one. Once we arrived at the Brooklyn dock, we were allowed to go aboard and tour the mind-bogglingly large, luxurious ship for over an hour.
Our guides then led us to an elegant room where we were served fine tea as well as traditional tea sandwiches and pastries by white-gloved waiters, while a trio of lady musicians played classical and modern favorites. We all enjoyed receiving such royal treatment!
We were supposed to stop and spend time at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor on the way home, but traffic delays—and rainy weather—convinced us to go straight back to our meeting point at Tyson’s Corner. Thanks to Program Chair Sheila Switzer and AAFSW member (and AAA employee) Annabel Stewart for organizing this high tea adventure!
Barbara Reioux
AAFSW Office Manager