Titanic lands in Joburg

It may not have been the cleverest idea to visit a Titanic exhibition a mere five months before my Antarctic expedition sets sail in March. We will be crossing the icy Drake Passage by ship after all.

But I am a sucker for anything Titanic so I left my apprehensions behind and joined a fleet of my friends in Rosebank to see artifacts from the legendary ocean liner once more. Presented in South Africa for the very first time, I saw the same exhibition in New York several years ago and ...  

My commemorative  Centenary scarf

 
... my sister, my niece and I happened to be in Belfast for the Titanic Centenary in 2012 ...

King Queen of the World!

 ... when we visited the brand new Titanic Exhibition space in the city where the Titanic was built. See? Sucker!

















Upon entering the exhibit in Rosebank, you are given a boarding pass. And an identity. On the back is a description of who you are, your cabin assignment and what brought you onto the Titanic in the first place. My identity was Mrs. Frank John Goldsmith, née Emily A. Brown. From Stroud, England in Kent, I was traveling with my husband and 9 year old son to Detroit, Michigan where we hoped Frank will find work as a toolmaker. Unfortunately for us, we were traveling in steerage. Bummer.

About halfway through the exhibit, I found out the eventual fate of Frank and Emily. On a wall was listed the ship manifest divided by class. It was also divided by those who died and those who lived. More than twice the amount of passengers that survived were sadly lost at sea. (I won't give it away in case you assume Emily's identity when you go!) 

We weren't allowed to take photographs inside the exhibition space so I can't give you any photographic evidence, but it was well worth the price of admission. There were recreated cabin accommodations, continuous showings of a History Channel documentary about the latest expeditions to Titanic, as well as actual artifacts exhumed from the ocean floor. There were also sample menus served to First, Second and Third Class guests.

It reminded me of the special menus that were recreated in several of the best restaurants in Belfast in honor of the Centenary in 2012.

inside Deanes Restaurant in Belfast

We ate our ten course menu at Deanes.

Unfortunately, we were not offered a First Class menu for luncheon after we toured the Titanic Exhibition in Rosebank but I did have some awesome pizza at Doppio Zero instead.

Th exhibition runs until November 8; see it before it sets sail for its next location, Cape Town.