Interiors I

I am going to set out to photograph the ship today. There is so much art, unusual interiors and just plain strange stuff that I think it will be fun. I am sitting in the Library, which is an extension of the “Explorations Café” where the internet is king. We have fawn-colored calf’s leather Eames loungers with ottomans, huge over-stuffed sofas and easy chairs in rich soft red leather. Hell everything is leather. The ship is outfitted in classic modern furniture, most of it very comfortable. There are 8 desktop computers with posh leather desk chairs and a selection of laptops/notebooks for rent. The sad thing is there are only 3 electrical outlets in the entire café/library so it’s wise to charge your laptop overnight in your stateroom. The bookshelves all have bronze cages to keep the books in place. The paneled interior is of a variety of light woods [oak, ash etc] and heavily figured walnut and other burl-like veneers. The far end of the library has gold accented red leather walls with fawn and red leather furniture. In the middle room where I am now there’s a big scrabble table and a large table covered with turquoise baize for making jigsaw puzzles. There are also 4 small DVD players [like on planes] if you wish to watch a movie in the comfort of an Eames chair. Of course you always have the sea to watch.

Just outside the Café is a small lobby with Chinese terra cotta figures including a horse. They are reproductions of the Xian figures. Artistically just about all cultures are represented throughout the ship. There is a large ebonized Italian cabinet with an inlaid wood interior of columns and doors revealing more spaces and scenes. There are two Chinese scrolls of ferocious looking warriors [life size.] In one of the elevator lobbies you will find a small display of small stucco Buddha heads form the 3rd and 4th century. There is a magnificent French tapestry of some royal-types sitting around a table eating or playing a game or deciding the fate of their minions or eating AND playing a game, which decides the fate of their minions.

Throughout the ship are paintings and classical posters of past Rotterdams and other Holland-America subjects. You have all seen the posters that were created from the late 19th through the 20th century. Perhaps the most influential and widely recognized images from the golden age of travel posters are those by Cassandre. These Art-Deco masterpieces are an influence even today.