Page 232 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SUMMER 2024 LIMA

Where’s the other Statue of Liberty?
It seems that Staten Island’s Lady Lib‐
erty has a much smaller, less celebrated
sister, quite a few, in fact, mini-versions of
the gift of friendship from the French peo‐
ple in the 1880s, a towering symbol of
democracy and freedom.
One of those replicas is in Nice, France,
an unlikely four-and-a-half-foot high clone
that’s easily missed, despite its location
along the promenade only steps from the
pebble-strewn beach of the Med.
A six-foot base gives it more promi‐
nence, but few passersby bother to give it
a second look. Erected in 2014, there are
said to be as many as ten such mini-repli‐
cas throughout France, paying tribute to
Europe’s WWI centennial.
Despite its small stature, the gesture of
Franco-American friendship surely doesn’t
go unappreciated by those who value what
it stands for. And I’m not talking about
SpaghettiOs.
Eight months before departure, we fol‐
lowed our travel agent's advice and
booked a higher-end suite (#7004) on the
Quest, one of Azamara's four ships. Being
there was worth whatever extra we paid
and then some.
As an added plus, our pre-assigned 24-
hour butler was a highly trained young
gentleman from India, gracious, and suit‐
ably attired in topcoat and tails and wear‐
ing a smile as he brought forth a daily tray
of freshly sliced fruit, cheese crackers, and
champagne every afternoon around 4.
At times, it seemed as if we had the en‐
tire ship to ourselves, except at meals, of
course, which were decidedly upscale, es‐
pecially in the specialty restaurants. Rarely
were any of the buffet-style dining areas
unduly crowded.
Azamara’s much-touted “White Night,”
a dinner extravaganza where passengers

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