2015-06-18

Paris Mar 19, 2014 - Paris, France

Paris, France

Forty Days in Spring March 18 Day One: We left Guisborough in the rain, by taxi to the Darlington train station - about 45 minutes away. We took the 2 PM train to London - a nice peaceful ride in the "quiet" car and arrived on time at 4:43 into King's Cross Station. After leaving the station we turned right and walked up Euston to our hotel, dragging our suitcases. St. Pancreas Station was next to King's Cross and the Premier Inn was only a few blocks away. It was quite windy but a fun walk past several interesting buildings. We checked into our hotel and dropped our bags. Around 6, we headed to a restaurant, Romana Mediterranean, which was about a block away. We'd found this place on the Internet. It had great reviews. We were not disappointed. The food was delicious and we took advantage of a two-course special with a glass of wine for 20. each. There was a little confusion at first because our waitress had no idea what we meant. But then she left and the owner took over. After dinner we walked back to St. Pancras to see where the Eurostar left. It is an amazing station with a complete shopping mall on the lower level. Back at our hotel, we ended the day with a cup of coffee at the hotel bar. March 19 Day Two: After a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, we walked the 3-4 blocks to St Pancras Station. French Immigration and Security which was based at the station in London was quick and uneventful. We then boarded the Eurostar, after a short wait, and arrived in Paris around 2:45 PM. The train ride was very pleasant. However the food options were severely limited and I had a challenge finding the right food. After disembarking, we headed to the taxi queue and started our drive through the city to the post. What a wonderful drive. The sun was shining brightly, trees starting to bud and the streets were filled with pale green leaves and the colors of spring flowers. As we neared the port, John showed the driver a piece of paper where he had written down the information Viking gave us to find the boat. Very soon we discovered there was no ship where it was supposed to be. Our driver made a few attempts and then just stopped near a building, saying, "I am dropping you here. I'm done. Someone can help you." He then proceeded to unload our suitcases and left us in a parking lot. We looked for someone to ask. No one was there. So we decided to walk until we saw a ship where there was someone to help us. We dragged our suitcases and carry-ons over cobbled-stoned streets, under bridges. Finally, I saw a construction worker and in my newly learned French asked him, "Est ce que vous connaissez ou est le Viking Pride?" He answered in English - "It's just under the bridge, not too far." Sure enough, there was our ship parked at Quai de Greneille not Javel as we were told. We actually passed the ship while we were on the taxi thinking it was another ship. We later learned, they couldn't dock at the one we were told but positioned someone at that pier to redirect passengers. Because our taxi driver didn't listen to John and was unwilling to pass a construction zone, we never saw the representative. We went right to our room and so the fun begins! Because this is the first trip of the season, the dining crew had to work out some kinks. Our food was cold and we didn't finish eating until almost 10PM. March 20 PARIS: Our morning bus tour of the city was excellent. Our guide was very knowledgeable and we got a great overview and were able to locate some of the places we want to visit later on our trip. John and I put a lot of time and effort doing research about Paris and it was well worth it, we would discover. We stopped at the end of our tour at Notre Dame Cathedral and then went back to the boat for lunch. In the afternoon, John and I walked to the Eiffel Tower and then leisurely strolled back to the ship. We tried to locate Village Suisse but couldn't find it. The guidebook we used from the Guisborough library was about 11 years old so maybe it was not longer there. After a delicious dinner, there was a group French lesson on the boat. I found myself falling asleep so I left and went to bed. The boat left Paris while we were eating dinner and sailed until midnight. March 21 When we woke, we were at XXXXXX. We all hopped onto coaches and headed to d"Auver des Oises - the village where Van Gogh spent his last days. The tour guide was extremely good and knowledgeable. It was such a sad and moving story.Van Gogh led a troubled existence and in his life, never sold a painting. He was in and out of mental hospitals, self committing when he could no longer live in the world. His brother was by his side throughout his whole life. We went to Van Gogh's home - just a small room in a lodge, walked through the town, and then ended at the cemetery where he and his brother Theo are buried. The town has placed weatherproof posters of Van Gogh's work next to the place he painted. You see these throughout the village. In the afternoon, we sailed to Vernon. Our walking tour was very pleasant. The town isn't touristy - very old with amazing architecture and a beautiful old church. This evening, we had a lecture about cheese and tasted a delicious cheese called gruyere de conte.. Unfortunately, because it isn't pasteurized, we will not be able to purchase this cheese in either the UK or the US. The US gruyere bears almost no resemblance to what we ate in France. March 22 We had a leisurely morning sailing up the Seine toward Rouen. Mid-morning we had a lecture about Joan of Arc who was burned at the stake in Rouen. Lunch was the first reasonable meal (in the lounge) we've had. Salad fixings, baked potato with toppings. For once, I could choose exactly what I needed. This afternoon we docked in Rouen. We had a good tour guide and really enjoyed walking through the town. The pictures will reflect what we saw. After the tour ended, we went to the ceramics museum - room after room f beautiful pieces. The museum was housed in what must have been a huge mansion. It was easy to picture what it must have been like as a private residence. We took a leisurely walk back to the ship. On the way, we heard some music. As we turned a corner, we saw about a dozen university students playing brass instruments and there was one drummer. They were dressed in crazy outfits and wigs which added to the fun. They were terrific. People gathered around, moving to the beat, clapping their hands and just having a good time. We stayed for about 3 numbers and then headed to the ship. What a nice way to end our stay in Rouen. March 23 Today all the passengers except 5 went to Normandy. John and I were signed up to take the "Commonwealth" tour but last evening I decided not to go. John had been to most of the stops previously so he stayed on the ship with me. One other couple stayed because the woman was sick. Tragically, around 5 AM an older Israeli man died on the ship. His widow was on the ship with us and we talked with her. It was so sad. The crew was very quiet and sad all day. Around 2:30 PM she left to go to Paris with the body. A rabbi from Paris came to help her. It is such a strange feeling to be on the ship all by ourselves. March 24 Les Andelys A morning on board. At 10AM we had our disembarkation lecture. We've been spending a lot of time with a very nice couple from Phoenix_ Joan and Mike Dassile. After lunch we docked at Les Andelys. Our program director was our guide on a fairly steep walk to Chateau Gaillard. He was very knowledgeable and gave us a good picture of the chateau and its significance. We didn't have a lot of time to explore Petit Andelys which was where we landed. However, we did walk down one street and took a few pictures of Saint-Saveur Church. After a quiet rest of the afternoon, we sailed towards Conflans. Tonight was the Captains Farewell Cocktail party and dinner. We sat and visited with our table-mates until almost 10 PM and then went to bed. March 25 Conflans It rained today - a lot - and was quite chilly. We took an hour tour of a couple of sites - a tower and a church and then went back to the ship. About half the passengers went to Versailles and will return in the afternoon to Paris where we will dock. We packed our things this afternoon, had dinner with our new friends, Joanne and Mile, Maggie and Ron. Later we were entertained by 3 opera singers and an excellent pianist. Observations: this was a lovely trip. If this had been our first Viking experience we would have been raving fans. The crew was great, the food was delicious, the ship was very clean. All in all an A-1 experience. March 26 PARIS After a very smooth disembarkation, we took a bus to the Warwock Hotel located right off the Champs-Elysees, not far from the L' Arc de Triomphe. We dropped our bags at the hotel, met the Viking guide who informed us our rooms wouldn't be ready until after 3PM. Because we had done such good planning, John and I headed to the baccarat museum which was located behind a small green square dedicated to Thomas Jefferson. The museum had some amazing pieces of crystal and serving pieces. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photographs. While we were there, a professional photographer was shooting the museum, some models, and a few other people. It was fun watching them. I think they may have been making a commercial or shooting a brochure. We left the museum around 12:30 and found a wonderful Parisian cafe called Le Gallerie, totally soaked up the atmosphere, ate a delicious lunch, and watched people both inside and outside the restaurant. The weather was great all day so being outside was a treat. (Paris really has mastered the art of outdoor eating. You cannot walk a half block anywhere int he city without seeing several cafes, brasseries, or restaurant, all with tables and chairs outside. The chairs face the sun and the street and are usually filled with people,, most of whom smoke. :-() We then headed to the museum of Modern Art. While I have been exposed to this form of art in the past, I thought several of the pieces were eye-opening and even disturbing. John and I decided we liked some and didn't like others. We slowly walked back to our hotel and soon discovered many of the streets were closed. There was a police presence everywhere. Soon the police asked us if we were going to the Champs-Elysees. When we said yes, he told us how to go. One thing we observed was several TV vans and a bus of Asian people formally dressed. We soon learned the President of China was paying a visit and that was why there was so much security. The strangest thing was seeing the Champs-Elysses without any traffic. You could walk on the street anywhere from the Arc de Triomphe half way to the Place de la Concorde. In the evening, we met Joanne and Mile and set out to have dinner. Due to the security, we couldn't get to the restaurant on the other side of the street without crossing the CE a couple of times. As we were doubling back, a businessman and I collided and he hit me in the right ear as he bumped into me. I was really shocked and hurt for a while. The good news is by the next morning, I was better.then We had a good meal in a really quaint place and got back tot he hotel around 10 PM. March 27 After a good breakfast at our hotel , we were supposed to meet our guide at 9:30AM but because of security, some of the metro stops were closed so she was late. Our guide was fabulous, knowledgeable, and very pleasant. We took the Metro to the Marais district and had a walking tour to an old church (SEE BROCHURE) and then to an Place de Vosges, an exclusive square where the king and queen resided. All the apartments on the square are currently owned by the elite. We then strolled to the Carnavalet and then to the Jewish District, ending up at the Shoah memorial. This memorial ad the name of all the French people who saved Jews during the war. Our guide told us some disturbing information about how badly some of the French mistreated the Jews, especailly women and children who were deported to France from Germany. We then ended the tour at Hotel de Ville (Town Hall.) John and I then went up rue de Temple, stopping first at a cafe for lunch. Across the street as a department store where I purchased a new visor and a fun necklace. As we continued up the street toward the Jewish Museum, I discovered several bead shops! So, of course, I had to go in and buy some beads. We spent the rest of the afternoon at the Jewish History Museum. It was housed in an old square that must have belonged to a duke. The interior was very modern and I took a few pictures before a guard told me it wasn't allowed. They had some beautiful pieces, including a Marc Chagal painting. The museum was very well done. It really explained our religion for those who are unfamiliar with it. There were audio boxes for us to use and we learned a lot. We headed back to the Hotel de Ville Metro stop, pausing at a sidewalk cafe for espresso. We took the Metro back to the CE and had a delicious dinner at the hotel. March 28 We spent the day at the Louvre. After taking the Metro, we found ourselves right at the Louvre. We didn't even need to go outside. The stop was in the shopping center called "Carousel." We spent most of the day in the Richelieu building on two levels. After lunch at the cafeteria int he museum, we went to the Sully building to see the Aphrodite sculpture - Venus de Milo." We then went into the Denon building to view the Mona Lisa. In the Richelieu building w viewed two wonderful Franz Hals paintings. One of them was the picture on a deck of playing cards my mother had when I was a child. I discovered Franz had a brother who also painted. The Louvre had one of his paintings also. Around 3:30PM we were supersaturated and stopped at a Starbucks for a coffee. We then went out onto the Tuilleries Gardens for a stroll. The flowers were in bloom, the air was mild, and the sculptures along the way were beautiful. We got back to the hotel around 6:30PM. On the suggestion of our concierge, we went to dinner with Mike and Joanne to the Bistro Miraberg. It was a typical french restaurant with delicious food and reasonable prices. March 29 After a leisurely breakfast, we packed up and took a taxi to the Gare de Lyon. It was a huge station and it took us a while to orient ourselves. Our train was a TGV - rapid transit to Aix de Provence and the trip took 3 hours. John booked upper level seats which afforded us a great view of the countryside. The only drawback was we had to drag our suitcases up a narrow curved staircase. Once we left Paris, the scenery became quite rural. One surprise was the mountain range we saw about an hour from Aix de Provence. There was still snow on the summit of the tallest peak and off in the distance we spotted some ski trails. We arrived at the Aix de Provence station and then took a 15 minute bus ride into Aix proper. We were dropped off in front of the Police station - no cabs in sight. We walked for a while, dragging our suitcases and finally found a taxi stand behind some construction barriers. The ride to the hotel, the hotel Artea, was less than 5 minutes. We probably could have walked. What a contrast from the Warwick! The hotel was very old. You reach reception after climbing two flights of steep curved stairs. The place has no elevator and has an ancient feel to it. Our room was adequate and clean. On the recommendation of the desk clerk, we ate at a restaurant about a block away. Te food was very good. Here in Aix, fewer people speak English so we are challenged to use our French. March 30 A completely free day! After a very disappointing breakfast at the hotel - no oatmeal, no decaf, no decent milk, raw eggs unrefrigerated in a bowl - the list goes on, we went to the tourist information and were handed a map and some ideas for exploring Aix. This is an ancient city with beautiful old buildings, churches, and museums. April 18 I decided to stay on board this morning to rest my voice. John went on the morning excursion into Lyon. He first visited the Fourviere with it's white basilica of Notre Dame which we visited previously with the other Road Scholar group. This time he went to a Roman Amphitheatre and Odeon in the same area as the basilica. Large churches are called basilicas if the Pope has visited and blessed the church. Then, the group went into the old town which is called Vieux Lyon build in medieval times, where they went into two courtyards. There was a staircase in one corner and a well in the opposite corner, and three stories of apartments. One was called Maison Chamarier, named after the original owner who lived there from 1496-1529. We also visited the Traboules which were narrow passages through the residential area houses. The first examples were built in the 4th century to allow people to get from their homes to the river quickly and the silk workers to get quickly form their workshops to the textile merchants. The people who lived in the houses were paid money to allow tourists to use these passageways. He also saw a chicken restaurant sign dated 1708. On the way back to the boat, they stopped to see one of the famous trompe l'oeil painted walls. It was one of the most famous ones called, "La Fresque de Lyonnais which featured over 30 famous Lyon figures, past and present. In the afternoon, John and I ambled into town, walking to a huge square and enjoying the exercise and sunshine. We had to be back on the boat by 5:30 because it was sailing from Lyon down to the confluence of the Rhone and Saone Rivers where we would then turn and head up the Saone. The architecture on the peninsula between the two rivers is extremely bold and ultra-modern, colorful and diverse. It's quite a contrast from the old aquaducts and mdieval structures on the banks of the Rhone. This evening, we were entertained by a French chanteuse named Adele who put on a lovely performance entertaining us with French songs. Her accompanist was very talented playing both piano and guitar. April 19 We are into a routine of morning tours. Today, after a lovely coach ride through Beaujolais country, we stopped for a photo-op at Bangion and then headed to Oignt, pronounced nasally "waaaant." It was an old medieval town whose buildings were mostly ochre, a characteristic of the limestone mined to make the building stones. It's characteristic of this part of the country. The town is very picturesque and we wandered around for an hour. For the first time, the weather was quite windy and cold. It would have been nice to have a hat. Our next stop was to a local vintner, Cave ??????, where we had yet again another wine tasting. When we arrived, there were plates of salami, cheese, and dired pork belly picecs to clear our palates. We sampled 5 different wines; three whites and two reds. The first one was delicious. As much as we would have liked to buy a bottle, it would have been a hassle to get it home to England. Our morning ended with a quick coach ride back to the boat. All aboard was at 1:15PM and we left Belleville and cruised to Vienne. During the afternoon, the boat had a presentation on silk printing by a local producer. Lyon was famous throughout Europe for its silk industry and there was a huge array of silk scarves for sale. Right afterwards, Hedi gave a very interesting lecture describing the history of architecture. It was quite helpful to now be able to identify certain characteristics of the buildings we see and place them within a certain time and movement, such as neo-classicism or Renaissance. This evening, we all had dinner in the Erlebnis Restaurant in the aft of the boat. There is a special chef who prepares the entire 5 course meal in a kitchen surrounded with glass windows so we could watch him. It's quite special since only 24 people can dine there at a time. All guests can take advantage of this dining room once during the cruise. Sunday, April 20 Vienne: we were so pleased to be back in this historic ancient town. Our guide did a fabulous job and what was so nice was there was almost no duplication when we toured this town with Laurence. As you can see from the pictures, there are some amazing artifacts. We left the boat and walked up a Main Street, meandering through the town to a Roamn theatre that is still being used today. IN fact, Stevie Wonder will perform there this summer. It is estimated the amphitheatre is about 2,000 years old and can hold 3,000 spectators. Our next stop was the Temple of Augustus and Livia. Our guide had the keys to the temple and we actually walked up the stairs and could see what was inside - nothing right now. WE were the only group that did this. Emily had a couple of picture books with her that showed both the amphitheater and the temple as it was when it was built. Her illustrations really helped up visualize both structures and the surrounding areas. After that, we were on our own. John and i decided to wander slowly back to the boat, using small streets. Shortly, we were headed to an interesting looking building when we spotted a sign on what looked like an old church. It said, "Musee Lapidaire" and there was a sign on a fence stating it was Saint Pierre Archeological Museum housed in Saint Pierre Church, one of the oldest churches in France (5th-6th centuries.) We could not believe what we saw when we opened the doors and walked inside. It held us enthralled as we walked along the Roman and medieval collections. The pictures we included are only a small sampling of what we found. For some reason, we were both moved to see these artifacts and could easily imagine the artisans spending their lives carving these amazing monuments. This evening, we were entertained by a trio called La Strada who played classical and semi classical music on two violins and a guitar. We were all ready to hear some good music. Sebastien gave a nice introduction; Hedi and Franz told us how good the group was and so they began with their first number which was lovely. All of a sudden, a woman who has difficulty with mobility decided to sit behind the performers and as she walked she tripped over their wires and disengaged their sound system. Heaven only knows what she was thinking. Just before she sat down, one of her cronies also sat in the same area, as did one of the husbands. The two violinists decided to play another number while the guitarist had to reboot their computer which ran their sound system. In the meantime, the husband bent over and started talking to one of the two women behind the performers. It was an amazing distraction. Most of us could not believe what we were seeing. But, there is more to the story. After three or four numbers, these three people got up and left, walking through the stage. Those people, in order to leave, had to do a circumnavigation of the whole room. The group played several more tunes very well and we all enjoyed them when all of a sudden a very drunk woman started dancing to the music (The dance of the bumblebees) in front of the stage,, running through from right to left and then posturing on the side. You could hear the gasps throughout the room. How the group didn't lose their concentration, I'll never know. The lead violinist said,"Hmm, it looks like we have a new member in our group." Sitting next to me was a lady who hummed the whole time, off key, and then she rummaged through her pocketbook several times, as well. I guess we got more entertainment than we expected this evening. April 21, Monday Tournon: The Road Scholar group was asked to join the ship's tour this morning. They were having a wine tasting paired with chocolate. John and I figured wine and chocolate, 9 am in the morning, somehow didn't make sense to us, so we slept in, had a leisurely breakfast and watched the raindrops fall outside the dining room window. As we sat and drank our second cup of coffee, the rain lessened and we decided to go for a walk through the town. It was very interesting to see how the town was built into the hillside. There were still wall remnants which looked very old to us. Outside the mooring spot, stood a statue of Marc Seguin who built the first suspension bridge crossing the Rhone in 18XX . It was only demolished in 1965 in order to allow larger boats to navigate the river. We walked down a couple of streets to the Chateau Musee where the group was having their wine/chocolate tasting and snapped a few pictures of the outside. The museum was closed due to a children's chocolate Easter egg hunt so we couldn't get inside it. We then wandered through the narrow streets, looking at doors and windows. One old door was covered with cobwebs so we knew it hadn't been used in a long time. Our next stop was at the Eglise Saint Julien which was housed in an 11th century building. As we walked in, the organist was practicing and it was so nice to hear the music. We found several things of interest, especially a small alcove where there were remnants of ancient paintings. We continued to wander through the town and then partially crossed the pedestrian bridge to L'Hermitage, the town on the other side of the Rhone. We visited that town on our last Road Scholar trip. Forty Days in Spring \],,[,,,,,,[]' March 18 Day One: We left Guisborough in the rain, by taxi to the Darlington train station - about 45 minutes away. We took the 2 PM train to London - a nice peaceful ride in the "quiet" car and arrived on time at 4:43 into King's Cross Station. After leaving the station we turned right and walked up Euston to our hotel, dragging our suitcases. St. Pancreas Station was next to King's Cross and the Premier Inn was only a few blocks away. It was quite windy but a fun walk past several interesting buildings. We checked into our hotel and dropped our bags. Around 6, we headed to a restaurant, Romana Mediterranean, which was about a block away. We'd found this place on the Internet. It had great reviews. We were not disappointed. The food was delicious and we took advantage of a two-course special with a glass of wine for 20. each. There was a little confusion at first because our waitress had no idea what we meant. But then she left and the owner took over. After dinner we walked back to St. Pancras to see where the Eurostar left. It is an amazing station with a complete shopping mall on the lower level. Back at our hotel, we ended the day with a cup of coffee at the hotel bar. March 19 Day Two: After a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, we walked the 3-4 blocks to St Pancras Station. French Immigration and Security which was based at the station in London was quick and uneventful. We then boarded the Eurostar, after a short wait, and arrived in Paris around 2:45 PM. The train ride was very pleasant. However the food options were severely limited and I had a challenge finding the right food. After disembarking, we headed to the taxi queue and started our drive through the city to the post. What a wonderful drive. The sun was shining brightly, trees starting to bud and the streets were filled with pale green leaves and the colors of spring flowers. As we neared the port, John showed the driver a piece of paper where he had written down the information Viking gave us to find the boat. Very soon we discovered there was no ship where it was supposed to be. Our driver made a few attempts and then just stopped near a building, saying, "I am dropping you here. I'm done. Someone can help you." He then proceeded to unload our suitcases and left us in a parking lot. We looked for someone to ask. No one was there. So we decided to walk until we saw a ship where there was someone to help us. We dragged our suitcases and carry-ons over cobbled-stoned streets, under bridges. Finally, I saw a construction worker and in my newly learned French asked him, "Est ce que vous connaissez ou est le Viking Pride?" He answered in English - "It's just under the bridge, not too far." Sure enough, there was our ship parked at Quai de Greneille not Javel as we were told. We actually passed the ship while we were on the taxi thinking it was another ship. We later learned, they couldn't dock at the one we were told but positioned someone at that pier to redirect passengers. Because our taxi driver didn't listen to John and was unwilling to pass a construction zone, we never saw the representative. We went right to our room and so the fun begins! Because this is the first trip of the season, the dining crew had to work out some kinks. Our food was cold and we didn't finish eating until almost 10PM. March 20 PARIS: Our morning bus tour of the city was excellent. Our guide was very knowledgeable and we got a great overview and were able to locate some of the places we want to visit later on our trip. John and I put a lot of time and effort doing research about Paris and it was well worth it, we would discover. We stopped at the end of our tour at Notre Dame Cathedral and then went back to the boat for lunch. In the afternoon, John and I walked to the Eiffel Tower and then leisurely strolled back to the ship. We tried to locate Village Suisse but couldn't find it. The guidebook we used from the Guisborough library was about 11 years old so maybe it was not longer there. After a delicious dinner, there was a group French lesson on the boat. I found myself falling asleep so I left and went to bed. The boat left Paris while we were eating dinner and sailed until midnight. March 21 When we woke, we were at XXXXXX. We all hopped onto coaches and headed to d"Auver des Oises - the village where Van Gogh spent his last days. The tour guide was extremely good and knowledgeable. It was such a sad and moving story.Van Gogh led a troubled existence and in his life, never sold a painting. He was in and out of mental hospitals, self committing when he could no longer live in the world. His brother was by his side throughout his whole life. We went to Van Gogh's home - just a small room in a lodge, walked through the town, and then ended at the cemetery where he and his brother Theo are buried. The town has placed weatherproof posters of Van Gogh's work next to the place he painted. You see these throughout the village. In the afternoon, we sailed to Vernon. Our walking tour was very pleasant. The town isn't touristy - very old with amazing architecture and a beautiful old church. This evening, we had a lecture about cheese and tasted a delicious cheese called gruyere de conte.. Unfortunately, because it isn't pasteurized, we will not be able to purchase this cheese in either the UK or the US. The US gruyere bears almost no resemblance to what we ate in France. March 22 We had a leisurely morning sailing up the Seine toward Rouen. Mid-morning we had a lecture about Joan of Arc who was burned at the stake in Rouen. Lunch was the first reasonable meal (in the lounge) we've had. Salad fixings, baked potato with toppings. For once, I could choose exactly what I needed. This afternoon we docked in Rouen. We had a good tour guide and really enjoyed walking through the town. The pictures will reflect what we saw. After the tour ended, we went to the ceramics museum - room after room f beautiful pieces. The museum was housed in what must have been a huge mansion. It was easy to picture what it must have been like as a private residence. We took a leisurely walk back to the ship. On the way, we heard some music. As we turned a corner, we saw about a dozen university students playing brass instruments and there was one drummer. They were dressed in crazy outfits and wigs which added to the fun. They were terrific. People gathered around, moving to the beat, clapping their hands and just having a good time. We stayed for about 3 numbers and then headed to the ship. What a nice way to end our stay in Rouen. March 23 Today all the passengers except 5 went to Normandy. John and I were signed up to take the "Commonwealth" tour but last evening I decided not to go. John had been to most of the stops previously so he stayed on the ship with me. One other couple stayed because the woman was sick. Tragically, around 5 AM an older Israeli man died on the ship. His widow was on the ship with us and we talked with her. It was so sad. The crew was very quiet and sad all day. Around 2:30 PM she left to go to Paris with the body. A rabbi from Paris came to help her. It is such a strange feeling to be on the ship all by ourselves. March 24 Les Andelys A morning on board. At 10AM we had our disembarkation lecture. We've been spending a lot of time with a very nice couple from Phoenix_ Joan and Mike Dassile. After lunch we docked at Les Andelys. Our program director was our guide on a fairly steep walk to Chateau Gaillard. He was very knowledgeable and gave us a good picture of the chateau and its significance. We didn't have a lot of time to explore Petit Andelys which was where we landed. However, we did walk down one street and took a few pictures of Saint-Saveur Church. After a quiet rest of the afternoon, we sailed towards Conflans. Tonight was the Captains Farewell Cocktail party and dinner. We sat and visited with our table-mates until almost 10 PM and then went to bed. March 25 Conflans It rained today - a lot - and was quite chilly. We took an hour tour of a couple of sites - a tower and a church and then went back to the ship. About half the passengers went to Versailles and will return in the afternoon to Paris where we will dock. We packed our things this afternoon, had dinner with our new friends, Joanne and Mile, Maggie and Ron. Later we were entertained by 3 opera singers and an excellent pianist. Observations: this was a lovely trip. If this had been our first Viking experience we would have been raving fans. The crew was great, the food was delicious, the ship was very clean. All in all an A-1 experience. March 26 PARIS After a very smooth disembarkation, we took a bus to the Warwock Hotel located right off the Champs-Elysees, not far from the L' Arc de Triomphe. We dropped our bags at the hotel, met the Viking guide who informed us our rooms wouldn't be ready until after 3PM. Because we had done such good planning, John and I headed to the baccarat museum which was located behind a small green square dedicated to Thomas Jefferson. The museum had some amazing pieces of crystal and serving pieces. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photographs. While we were there, a professional photographer was shooting the museum, some models, and a few other people. It was fun watching them. I think they may have been making a commercial or shooting a brochure. We left the museum around 12:30 and found a wonderful Parisian cafe called Le Gallerie, totally soaked up the atmosphere, ate a delicious lunch, and watched people both inside and outside the restaurant. The weather was great all day so being outside was a treat. (Paris really has mastered the art of outdoor eating. You cannot walk a half block anywhere int he city without seeing several cafes, brasseries, or restaurant, all with tables and chairs outside. The chairs face the sun and the street and are usually filled with people,, most of whom smoke. :-() We then headed to the museum of Modern Art. While I have been exposed to this form of art in the past, I thought several of the pieces were eye-opening and even disturbing. John and I decided we liked some and didn't like others. We slowly walked back to our hotel and soon discovered many of the streets were closed. There was a police presence everywhere. Soon the police asked us if we were going to the Champs-Elysees. When we said yes, he told us how to go. One thing we observed was several TV vans and a bus of Asian people formally dressed. We soon learned the President of China was paying a visit and that was why there was so much security. The strangest thing was seeing the Champs-Elysses without any traffic. You could walk on the street anywhere from the Arc de Triomphe half way to the Place de la Concorde. In the evening, we met Joanne and Mile and set out to have dinner. Due to the security, we couldn't get to the restaurant on the other side of the street without crossing the CE a couple of times. As we were doubling back, a businessman and I collided and he hit me in the right ear as he bumped into me. I was really shocked and hurt for a while. The good news is by the next morning, I was better.then We had a good meal in a really quaint place and got back tot he hotel around 10 PM. March 27 After a good breakfast at our hotel , we were supposed to meet our guide at 9:30AM but because of security, some of the metro stops were closed so she was late. Our guide was fabulous, knowledgeable, and very pleasant. We took the Metro to the Marais district and had a walking tour to an old church (SEE BROCHURE) and then to an Place de Vosges, an exclusive square where the king and queen resided. All the apartments on the square are currently owned by the elite. We then strolled to the Carnavalet and then to the Jewish District, ending up at the Shoah memorial. This memorial ad the name of all the French people who saved Jews during the war. Our guide told us some disturbing information about how badly some of the French mistreated the Jews, especailly women and children who were deported to France from Germany. We then ended the tour at Hotel de Ville (Town Hall.) John and I then went up rue de Temple, stopping first at a cafe for lunch. Across the street as a department store where I purchased a new visor and a fun necklace. As we continued up the street toward the Jewish Museum, I discovered several bead shops! So, of course, I had to go in and buy some beads. We spent the rest of the afternoon at the Jewish History Museum. It was housed in an old square that must have belonged to a duke. The interior was very modern and I took a few pictures before a guard told me it wasn't allowed. They had some beautiful pieces, including a Marc Chagal painting. The museum was very well done. It really explained our religion for those who are unfamiliar with it. There were audio boxes for us to use and we learned a lot. We headed back to the Hotel de Ville Metro stop, pausing at a sidewalk cafe for espresso. We took the Metro back to the CE and had a delicious dinner at the hotel. March 28 We spent the day at the Louvre. After taking the Metro, we found ourselves right at the Louvre. We didn't even need to go outside. The stop was in the shopping center called "Carousel." We spent most of the day in the Richelieu building on two levels. After lunch at the cafeteria int he museum, we went to the Sully building to see the Aphrodite sculpture - Venus de Milo." We then went into the Denon building to view the Mona Lisa. In the Richelieu building w viewed two wonderful Franz Hals paintings. One of them was the picture on a deck of playing cards my mother had when I was a child. I discovered Franz had a brother who also painted. The Louvre had one of his paintings also. Around 3:30PM we were supersaturated and stopped at a Starbucks for a coffee. We then went out onto the Tuilleries Gardens for a stroll. The flowers were in bloom, the air was mild, and the sculptures along the way were beautiful. We got back to the hotel around 6:30PM. On the suggestion of our concierge, we went to dinner with Mike and Joanne to the Bistro Miraberg. It was a typical french restaurant with delicious food and reasonable prices. March 29 After a leisurely breakfast, we packed up and took a taxi to the Gare de Lyon. It was a huge station and it took us a while to orient ourselves. Our train was a TGV - rapid transit to Aix de Provence and the trip took 3 hours. John booked upper level seats which afforded us a great view of the countryside. The only drawback was we had to drag our suitcases up a narrow curved staircase. Once we left Paris, the scenery became quite rural. One surprise was the mountain range we saw about an hour from Aix de Provence. There was still snow on the summit of the tallest peak and off in the distance we spotted some ski trails. We arrived at the Aix de Provence station and then took a 15 minute bus ride into Aix proper. We were dropped off in front of the Police station - no cabs in sight. We walked for a while, dragging our suitcases and finally found a taxi stand behind some construction barriers. The ride to the hotel, the hotel Artea, was less than 5 minutes. We probably could have walked. What a contrast from the Warwick! The hotel was very old. You reach reception after climbing two flights of steep curved stairs. The place has no elevator and has an ancient feel to it. Our room was adequate and clean. On the recommendation of the desk clerk, we ate at a restaurant about a block away. Te food was very good. Here in Aix, fewer people speak English so we are challenged to use our French. March 30 A completely free day! After a very disappointing breakfast at the hotel - no oatmeal, no decaf, no decent milk, raw eggs unrefrigerated in a bowl - the list goes on, we went to the tourist information and were handed a map and some ideas for exploring Aix. This is an ancient city with beautiful old buildings, churches, and museums. April 18 I decided to stay on board this morning to rest my voice. John went on the morning excursion into Lyon. He first visited the Fourviere with it's white basilica of Notre Dame which we visited previously with the other Road Scholar group. This time he went to a Roman Amphitheatre and Odeon in the same area as the basilica. Large churches are called basilicas if the Pope has visited and blessed the church. Then, the group went into the old town which is called Vieux Lyon build in medieval times, where they went into two courtyards. There was a staircase in one corner and a well in the opposite corner, and three stories of apartments. One was called Maison Chamarier, named after the original owner who lived there from 1496-1529. We also visited the Traboules which were narrow passages through the residential area houses. The first examples were built in the 4th century to allow people to get from their homes to the river quickly and the silk workers to get quickly form their workshops to the textile merchants. The people who lived in the houses were paid money to allow tourists to use these passageways. He also saw a chicken restaurant sign dated 1708. On the way back to the boat, they stopped to see one of the famous trompe l'oeil painted walls. It was one of the most famous ones called, "La Fresque de Lyonnais which featured over 30 famous Lyon figures, past and present. In the afternoon, John and I ambled into town, walking to a huge square and enjoying the exercise and sunshine. We had to be back on the boat by 5:30 because it was sailing from Lyon down to the confluence of the Rhone and Saone Rivers where we would then turn and head up the Saone. The architecture on the peninsula between the two rivers is extremely bold and ultra-modern, colorful and diverse. It's quite a contrast from the old aquaducts and mdieval structures on the banks of the Rhone. This evening, we were entertained by a French chanteuse named Adele who put on a lovely performance entertaining us with French songs. Her accompanist was very talented playing both piano and guitar. April 19 We are into a routine of morning tours. Today, after a lovely coach ride through Beaujolais country, we stopped for a photo-op at Bangion and then headed to Oignt, pronounced nasally "waaaant." It was an old medieval town whose buildings were mostly ochre, a characteristic of the limestone mined to make the building stones. It's characteristic of this part of the country. The town is very picturesque and we wandered around for an hour. For the first time, the weather was quite windy and cold. It would have been nice to have a hat. Our next stop was to a local vintner, Cave ??????, where we had yet again another wine tasting. When we arrived, there were plates of salami, cheese, and dired pork belly picecs to clear our palates. We sampled 5 different wines; three whites and two reds. The first one was delicious. As much as we would have liked to buy a bottle, it would have been a hassle to get it home to England. Our morning ended with a quick coach ride back to the boat. All aboard was at 1:15PM and we left Belleville and cruised to Vienne. During the afternoon, the boat had a presentation on silk printing by a local producer. Lyon was famous throughout Europe for its silk industry and there was a huge array of silk scarves for sale. Right afterwards, Hedi gave a very interesting lecture describing the history of architecture. It was quite helpful to now be able to identify certain characteristics of the buildings we see and place them within a certain time and movement, such as neo-classicism or Renaissance. This evening, we all had dinner in the Erlebnis Restaurant in the aft of the boat. There is a special chef who prepares the entire 5 course meal in a kitchen surrounded with glass windows so we could watch him. It's quite special since only 24 people can dine there at a time. All guests can take advantage of this dining room once during the cruise. Sunday, April 20 Vienne: we were so pleased to be back in this historic ancient town. Our guide did a fabulous job and what was so nice was there was almost no duplication when we toured this town with Laurence. As you can see from the pictures, there are some amazing artifacts. We left the boat and walked up a Main Street, meandering through the town to a Roamn theatre that is still being used today. IN fact, Stevie Wonder will perform there this summer. It is estimated the amphitheatre is about 2,000 years old and can hold 3,000 spectators. Our next stop was the Temple of Augustus and Livia. Our guide had the keys to the temple and we actually walked up the stairs and could see what was inside - nothing right now. WE were the only group that did this. Emily had a couple of picture books with her that showed both the amphitheater and the temple as it was when it was built. Her illustrations really helped up visualize both structures and the surrounding areas. After that, we were on our own. John and i decided to wander slowly back to the boat, using small streets. Shortly, we were headed to an interesting looking building when we spotted a sign on what looked like an old church. It said, "Musee Lapidaire" and there was a sign on a fence stating it was Saint Pierre Archeological Museum housed in Saint Pierre Church, one of the oldest churches in France (5th-6th centuries.) We could not believe what we saw when we opened the doors and walked inside. It held us enthralled as we walked along the Roman and medieval collections. The pictures we included are only a small sampling of what we found. For some reason, we were both moved to see these artifacts and could easily imagine the artisans spending their lives carving these amazing monuments. This evening, we were entertained by a trio called La Strada who played classical and semi classical music on two violins and a guitar. We were all ready to hear some good music. Sebastien gave a nice introduction; Hedi and Franz told us how good the group was and so they began with their first number which was lovely. All of a sudden, a woman who has difficulty with mobility decided to sit behind the performers and as she walked she tripped over their wires and disengaged their sound system. Heaven only knows what she was thinking. Just before she sat down, one of her cronies also sat in the same area, as did one of the husbands. The two violinists decided to play another number while the guitarist had to reboot their computer which ran their sound system. In the meantime, the husband bent over and started talking to one of the two women behind the performers. It was an amazing distraction. Most of us could not believe what we were seeing. But, there is more to the story. After three or four numbers, these three people got up and left, walking through the stage. Those people, in order to leave, had to do a circumnavigation of the whole room. The group played several more tunes very well and we all enjoyed them when all of a sudden a very drunk woman started dancing to the music (The dance of the bumblebees) in front of the stage,, running through from right to left and then posturing on the side. You could hear the gasps throughout the room. How the group didn't lose their concentration, I'll never know. The lead violinist said,"Hmm, it looks like we have a new member in our group." Sitting next to me was a lady who hummed the whole time, off key, and then she rummaged through her pocketbook several times, as well. I guess we got more entertainment than we expected this evening. April 21, Monday Tournon: The Road Scholar group was asked to join the ship's tour this morning. They were having a wine tasting paired with chocolate. John and I figured wine and chocolate, 9 am in the morning, somehow didn't make sense to us, so we slept in, had a leisurely breakfast and watched the raindrops fall outside the dining room window. As we sat and drank our second cup of coffee, the rain lessened and we decided to go for a walk through the town. It was very interesting to see how the town was built into the hillside. There were still wall remnants which looked very old to us. Outside the mooring spot, stood a statue of Marc Seguin who built the first suspension bridge crossing the Rhone in 18XX . It was only demolished in 1965 in order to allow larger boats to navigate the river. We walked down a couple of streets to the Chateau Musee where the group was having their wine/chocolate tasting and snapped a few pictures of the outside. The museum was closed due to a children's chocolate Easter egg hunt so we couldn't get inside it. We then wandered through the narrow streets, looking at doors and windows. One old door was covered with cobwebs so we knew it hadn't been used in a long time. Our next stop was at the Eglise Saint Julien which was housed in an 11th century building. As we walked in, the organist was practicing and it was so nice to hear the music. We found several things of interest, especially a small alcove where there were remnants of ancient paintings. We continued to wander through the town and then partially crossed the pedestrian bridge to L'Hermitage, the town on the other side of the Rhone. We visited that town on our last Road Scholar trip.

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