Flavors of Burgandy and Provence
The Scenery on the Rhone River
Tom Ogg
Number of Cruises: Many
Sailing Date: August 18th, 2008
My wife
Joanie and I had always wanted to spend some time in the
Provence region of France and when the opportunity
presented itself for us to take a river cruise
throughout the area, we were more than excited. Joanie
had been to Arles, France and loved it and her
enthusiasm sparked my interest
to visit it, as well. While we have traveled
extensively, we normally travel with groups as the
leaders and this was
our first vacation together (without other people along
with us) in years.
The
Ship
We selected Avalon Waterways brand new ship the Scenery
for the itinerary. Joanie and I had cruised on other
river cruises and wanted to try Avalon Waterways to see
what the differences were. It proved to e an excellent
choice. We had booked ourselves into cabin 304 that was
the second highest cabin category on the ship. We were
very pleased. The cabin (as do all cabins on deck 2 and
3) offered a full window that opened like a balcony, but
without the extension outside the ship. It was wonderful
to open the window and experience the weather, scenery
and out-of-doors just like we had a full balcony on the
Scenery. This is a unique feature of the Scenery and
well worth any extra money it may cost to access it.
The Jacuzzi
I
enjoyed the Jacuzzi on several occasions (especially
after our day in Lyon) and found it satisfying and
soothing. While the water temperature ran the gamut of
the spectrum possible, it always felt wonderful to
immerse myself in its water.
The Sun Deck
The sun
deck was always satisfying to lay out on and to take in
the various vista while cruising the rivers. Watching
the crew disable the various elements of the sun deck to
go under a low lying bridge was always entertaining and
interesting.
The Sun Deck Bar
The sun
deck bar was only used during periods of activity when
the entire ship was present. Sail Away parties and the
like were celebrated here.
The Forward Viewing
Area of the Sun Deck
The
forward section of the sun deck is great for watching
the river go by and tons of fun when the ship goes under
a low bridge.
The
main sun deck is huge and we enjoyed it on many days
when the sun was bright and warm. This picture shows the
canopies that cover the lounge chairs down getting ready
to go under a low bridge.
The Stairwell Leading
to the Sun Deck
The
stairwell going up to the sun deck is steep and there is
no elevator that goes to the top. This would be a
consideration for those that have mobility challenges.
The Main Lounge on the
Avalon Scenery
The
main lounge is huge. There is a dance floor and a piano,
as well as piped-in music. This is where the Captain's
parties took place, as well as the daily port talks.
The Main Bar on the
Scenery
The bar
was open from the afternoon until the last person left
late at night. The drink prices were very reasonable and
there was always a "drink of the day" offered at a great
price. The bartenders were wonderful and very service
oriented.
The Sitting Area
Forward of the Main Lounge
There
was an outdoor area to the lounge that Joanie and I
loved. One could sit here and watch the evening unfold
while enjoying a glass of wine and we did just that on
several evenings.
The
Reception Desk was manned 24-hours a day and they were
very friendly and helpful whenever you needed anything.
The ship used a system where you picked up your room
card when leaving the ship and returned it when
returning. This is ow they kept track of the passengers.
The Internet Cafe
The
Internet Cafe was open 24-hours a day, but had limited
access when in port and tended to be somewhat slow when
it did have access. There was no wi-fi on the ship that
passengers could access and Internet Cafes on this
itinerary were few and far between. We were able to keep
in touch, but were not able to work, as we had planned.
The Hallway on Deck 3
There
were three decks of cabins, two of which offered a floor
to ceiling window that opened just like a balcony
sliding door. This let in the fresh air and we found it
delightful.
Our Cabin with Sliding
Glass Door
We left the door open most nights to enjoy
the sounds and cool air and breeze. The cabins were of
ample size and there was plenty of storage. There was a
telephone and also a flat screen television with several
programs to select from including movies (in English)
and the various news channels. The bedding was excellent
and allowed us to sleep like babies. The bathroom was
also of ample size and featured a large shower.
The Beauty Salon
The
ship offered a full service beauty salon that was open
every day. Ladies and men could arrange to have their
haircut and styled.
The Coffee and Snack
Area of the Aft Lounge
Aft on
deck three was the coffee and snack lounge that was open
24-hours a day. One could enjoy coffee and tea, cookies
and fruit whenever the desire struck them.
The Aft Lounge on Deck
Three
The
lounge also offered a small library and several board
games that anyone could use whenever they wanted. It was
a great place to relax and watch the river go by.
The Aft Deck on Deck
Three
On the
very aft end of the ship was a small outside area with
chairs that was the warmest place on the ship when it
cooled off.
The Port Side of the
Dining Room
The
Restaurant is located on the bottom deck all the way
forward. I must say that the dining on the Scenery was
an extremely positive experience. Breakfast every
morning is served buffet style, but there is a chef on
duty to make omelets, eggs to order or just about
anything else you might want. There are hot and cold
dishes and plenty of fruit, s well.
Another Look at the
Dining Room
Lunch
saw another buffet, but the food was excellent! There
were always several hot dishes to select from and a
wonderful soup every day. I particularly enjoyed the
salad bar. Dinner found a sit down dinner served family
style. Dinners on the Scenery were something to rave
about. There were always a fish, meat and vegetarian
dish to select from and wine was poured complimentary
and freely each evening. Dinner started with an
appetizer, then on to soup, then a salad and then on to
the entree. Everyone raved about the desserts and they
looked wonderful.
The Fitness Center
After
dinning on such wonderful cuisine, folks that didn't
burn enough calories during the day walking could visit
the small fitness center on the Scenery.
Just One Reason Why
River Cruising is So Special
The
Cruise
We used
frequent flyer miles to fly from San Diego to Paris on
American Airlines and then on to Nice on Air France.
While the flight on American was uneventful (other than
the usual delays and terrible service) it reminded me
why I had changed from American to Continental Airlines
two-years ago. It amazes me that an airline can be so
lousy in every aspect of its operation. I am not sure
why someone at American doesn't fly on Continental to
see what excellent service would be like if they were
even remotely interested in competing.
Nice as Seen From the
View Point Overlooking the City and Beach
Monday, August 18th, 2008; Nice, France
We had a four hour layover in Paris and then made
our way to Air France for another late, but uneventful
flight to Nice, France. Unfortunately, the container
that our luggage was stored in was stuck inside the A300
Airbus and it took Air France almost an hour to get it
out of the airplane. Since we were being met by a
representative from Globus who was to take us to our
pre-cruise hotel, we were concerned about the time
lapse. There was no need to worry though, as the instant
we cleared the baggage claim area, the Globus lady was
there to whisk us off to our hotel for the night.
Nice's Old Town as Seen
From Above
We
stayed in the Hotel Boscolo Plaza and while the hotel
was basic, it's location was excellent being located
right across the park from Old Town and only a couple of
blocks from the beach and the new light rail system that
serves Nice.
Nice's Old Town
Marketplace
I have
always enjoyed Nice having been there a good number of
times. We spent time walking the pedestrian shopping
streets and found an excellent little restaurant for
dinner.
Nice's
Old Town Pedestrian Streets
It is almost impossible to get a bad meal in
Nice and there are hundreds of restaurants to select
from making dining out exciting and wonderful. We
enjoyed some wine with dinner and then decided to
explore Old Town at night. Walking through Old Town is
one of Nice's most enjoyable things. We went to bed
tired and ready for a good night's sleep.
Tuesday, August 19th, 2008; Nice, France to Arles,
France
We slept great and were up in time to enjoy the
buffet breakfast provided by the hotel. It was excellent
and offered a wide variety of selections. Since we were
to depart Nice at 1:30 pm, Joanie and I decided to
simply explore more of Old Town and the beach areas and
stop for some lunch and wine before boarding the
motor coach to Arles and our river boat.
Some of the Vegetables
in Nice's Market
The market in
Old Town was in full bloom, as we enjoyed the vast
variety of fruits, vegetables, fish and other treats
being sold in the hundreds of stalls manned by local
farmers. We made our way to the southern most part of
Nice Bay and climbed the hundreds of steps to the
circular lookout point to get some pictures of Nice Bay.
This stretch of coastline is world famous and is used by
hundreds of thousands of people daily during the season.
One really captures the full scope of Nice Bay from this
spot and it is well worth the climb to get to it. We
continued on along the beach and finally found just the
right spot for lunch. I enjoyed a dish a shrimp served
on cucumber slices with chopped peppers and avocado. It
was to die for. We also enjoyed some local wine and
sunshine.
Just Some of the
Different Olives Sold in the Market
We made
our way back to the hotel where we met the rest of the
passenger and boarded a motor coach to make our way to
Arles where we were to meet the Avalon Scenery. It took
about 3 1/2 hours to arrive at Arles and once we did, we
were able to gain access to our cabin in short order.
Our luggage followed by two or three minutes and shortly
we were settled into our home for the next seven days.
The Scenery is one of Avalon's newest ships and we
treated ourselves to a wonderful cabin (304) on the
third deck of the boat. There was plenty of room and the
view and open French balcony was a wonderful feature. We
could open our floor to ceiling window with a sliding
door to bring the outside into our room. I would
definitely pay a premium for this feature. The cabin
also had a flat screen television with several channels
of music and news. plenty of storage space, a
refrigerator and a large bathroom. Our two-twins pushed
together bed came with 2 separate duvets and was
extremely comfortable to sleep on.
Arles Terrific Night
Spot Le Tropical
We
attended the Captain's welcome aboard party and port
talk and then went on to dinner in the dining room. The
meal was excellent! Joanie and I were not yet tired, so
we decided to go see if we could find any nightlife in
Arles. After penetrating the walls of Arles we made our
way up into the area around the old Roman theater. There
were several restaurants that were active, but we
settled into a small restaurant and bar named Le
Tropical. Le Tropical is owned and operated by four
women and is a visual delight. About 10pm, or so one of
the ladies broke out a microphone and started singing
French songs. We enjoyed a lot of wine and the
entertainment and ambiance of the bar so much that we
stayed until late into the evening (morning). We had a
great time and would recommend this bar to anyone
looking for some evening entertainment in Arles.
The Roman Amphitheater
in Arles
Wednesday, August 20th, 2008; Arles, France
We slept in missing breakfast and I must admit that I
was a bit fuzzy when I finally got out of bed. After a
cup of coffee, Joanie and I made our way into Arles to
do some more exploring. Arles is one of those spots
where everything comes together and offers one a
wonderful time walking its narrow pedestrian streets
that are laden with fascinating shops and boutiques.
An Arles Shop
The
shopping is great for just about everything French
imaginable. Wines, pastries, cheeses, chocolates, candy, french materials, lace, fashions, clothing, and on and
on. One pedestrian street seemed to have every designer
brand known to man.
Just One of Arles'
Shopping Streets
Arles is large enough to offer
numerous streets to explore, yet small enough to easily
find your way around.
The Arles Open Air
Market
One of
Arles' main attractions is its open market. Located
outside the main gated entrance to Arles, this market
consists of hundreds of vendors selling everything
imaginable. The fruit and produce section if
overwhelming with hundreds of stalls selling fresh
produce grown by local farmers. Unique vegetables beg to
be enjoyed and we saw several varieties that we had
never seen before. Both Joanie and I are vegetable nuts
and grow unique vegetables for our own enjoyment and
thought that we had seen pretty much everything. We
thoroughly enjoyed the market and considered it one of
the highlights of Arles. We stopped for a coffee to
simply enjoy some people watching before returning to
the ship for lunch.
One of the Churches in
Arles
Our
first lunch on board was simply excellent! Fresh cod
fish was offered along with several other dishes, but
for me, the cod and salad bar was some of the best that
I have ever had. After an enjoyable meal we returned to
Arles for more exploring. Both Joanie and I decided that
we could easily return to Arles for a few days to enjoy
its wonderful ambiance. Returning to the ship shortly
before it set sail for Avignon, we enjoyed another
wonderful dinner. A trio of Spanish musicians procided
some music after dinner in the lounge and a dancer also
performed. One does not expect high quality
entertainment on a river cruise, but more local
performers. While these folks were entertaining, their
renditions of Mexican music and culture missed the mark
for me. However, since Joanie and I live in Mexico part
time, I guess I am somewhat jaded. All of the other
passengers seemed to enjoy it quite a bit.
The
passenger mix on this cruise reflected the harsh reality
of the weakness of the dollar. There were folks from
Australia, New Zealand, the U.S. and the U.K.. Americans
were a small minority among the 50, or so passengers. So
far we had seen few Americans in Nice and Arles and I
suspect that the soft dollar is the reason. Since Avalon
Waterways is an American company focused on the U.S.
market, look for tremendous values this fall and winter
months from Avalon.
Avignon's Palace of the
Popes
Thursday, August 21st, 2008; Avignon, France
Ahhh Avignon. The favorite vacation spot in Provence,
Avignon has everything going for it! We arrived in
Avignon late in the evening and I admit that I was still
paying a price for our evening out in Arles, so we
decided to simply stay on the ship to explore Avignon in
the morning.
A Panoramic View of
Avignon
Avignon offers visitors everything from
world class shopping and sights to local culture and
cuisine and everything in between.
Notre Dam in Avignon
We
enjoyed a full breakfast on the ship and then made our
way into Avignon's walled city. Avignon is quite large,
yet easily explored on your own. One of the first things
that you see as you approach Avignon's exterior walls is
the Palace of the Popes (Palais des Papes) In the 1300s
Pope Benoit relocated the home of the Catholic Church
from Vatican City to Avignon and inhabited the palace
and cathedral. The adjacent buildings are overwhelming
in scope and the entire area is viewed from this
location.
Avignon's Pont
d'Avignon
The bridge known as Pont d'Avignon can be seen
from the vantage point almost 100 feet above it in the
surrounding gardens.
Palais des Papes, Well
Worth a Visit
Certainly a visit to the palace and
this area of Avignon is a "must see" but, I find that
Avignon's lower areas far more interesting.
One of the Buildings in
Avignon's Main Square
The
main square of Old Town features an old hotel and the
Theater that date back centuries. A Merry Go Round that
is obviously decades old set the stage for Avignon's
pleasures.
Avignon Tree Lined
Shopping Street
The main square is lined with restaurants
with outdoor seating and enjoying a glass of wine while
watching the throngs of people pass by is very
entertaining.
Avignon Shopping Street
Exploring Avignon's pedestrian shopping
streets and central market is wonderful and one can find
just about anything that they are looking for to
purchase.
Avignon's Walls
We spent the day exploring Avignon and made it
back in time to freshen up for dinner on the ship.
Avignon's Open Air
Market
Dinner
in the main dining room consisted of an appetizer, soup,
salad and a main entree. It seemed that every evening
found a fish dish, pasta or a meat entree.
AnAvignon Fruit Market
There was
also plenty of vegetables served with the entree. While Joanie nor I ever took dessert, those that did said that
they were excellent. One of the most pleasurable aspects
of dining on a river cruise is the sharing of your table
with others on the cruise and getting to know people
from different countries and backgrounds. We had walked
for miles during the day and decided to go to bed
shortly after dinner. We slept like babies during the
early morning transit from Avignon.
The Scenery Docked in
Viviers, France
Friday,
August 22nd, 2008; Viviers, France
By now we had fallen into our daily routine. Up for
breakfast and then getting ready for the day. We were
not to arrive in Viviers until 1:30 PM, so Joanie and I
spent the morning relaxing, reading and generally
enjoying the cruising portion of the day.
Viviers Old Town
Overview
The scenery
was getting more and more interesting the further north
that we cruised on the Rhone River. After a quick lunch,
we arrived in Viviers and the first impression was one
of wondering why we had made this stop.
Just One of Viviers
Pedestrian Streets
Viviers
dates back thousands of years and was first settled over
2,500 years ago. It sustained growth through the
medieval period and was subsequently hit with a poor
economy and slow to no growth. For this reason, the
center of Viviers is one of the best preserved medieval
villages in Southern Fance.
Viviers Ruins and
Cathedral
People are living here just
as they were hundreds of years ago. Untouched by
tourism, Viviers offers its visitors a quaint visit to a
medieval community experience that is completely
interesting.
St. Vincent Cathedral
At the apex of Viviers is the smallest
cathedral in France (St. Vincent) that features a
fabulous pipe organ where we were treated to a concert
of classical music by its master.
Viviers' Medieval Maze
of Pedestrian Streets
Wondering the narrow
and cobbled streets of Viviers reminds one of being in
an ancient community lost in a time warp. While there
were some restaurants and limited shopping, a visit to
Viviers shouldn't be missed. We
returned to the ship after exploring every nook and
cranny of Viviers to enjoy a glass of wine during happy
hour and then another wonderful dinner before retiring
for the evening.
The Entrnace to
Tournon's Pedestrian Streets
Saturday, August 23rd, 2008; Tournon and Vienne, France
Morning found us arriving in the wonderful village of
Tournon, France. We had no idea what to expect from this
port, but were completely dazzled by its wonderful
medieval district and open air market.
Tournon's Public Market
Saturday was
obviously the largest market day in the in Tournon, as
there were many street vendors outside the public market
selling everything imaginable.
More of Tournon's
Public Market
Fruits and vegetables of
all descriptions, live and cooked chickens and other
foul, homemade sausages, coffee beans, flowers and on
and on. It was an excellent market and a reminder of
just how wonderful France is.
Tournon Castle (Now a
Museum)
Tournon also has a
wonderful old church named St.Julian that is not to be
missed. The old castle that graces the riverside has now
been turned into a large museum for those looking for
further history.
Tournon Restaurant
Joanie and I enjoyed a cappuccino
before leaving Tournon hoping to come back one day and
spend more time there. We loved it.
Vienne's Church Near
Old Town
We
cruised most of the afternoon as the topography became
more and more interesting. Passing by several quaint
villages amongst rising foothills laden with vineyards
became the norm. We were enthralled at the beauty that
we were being treated to.
One of the Locks on the
Rhone River
One of
the greatest thrills about river cruising s navigating
the various locks that the ship must climb or descend. In the late afternoon we
arrived at Vienne, France. We were eager to explore
another rare find, but were not as captivated by Vienne
as we had been many of the other stops. Vienne was less
preserved and at the same time more developed with
modern buildings intermixed with the old.
Vienne Roman Ruin
If we had not
been spoiled from our previous spots, I am sure the Vienne would have been a great call. However, we had
limited time and Joanie and I decided to go our own way
and missed the main attraction in Vienne, the view from
the church on top of the mountain.
The Sidewalk Cafes in
Vienne, France
We
walked around Vienne's quaint shops in Old Town and
stopped for a coffee and relaxation. There are several
restaurants and bars along the main street, which would
make for an interesting evening, but we chose to simply
dine on the ship and turn in for an early evening.
Vienne Castle on the
Rhone
One of
the more interesting sights in Vienne was seen as we
sailed up the Rhone River. There was an ancient castle
in disarray as we left the city.
JustOne of the Many
Museums in Lyon, France
Sunday, August 24th, 2008; Lyon, France
Lyon is the second largest city in France (behind Paris)
and this was Joanie's and my first visit. We had
purposely gotten a goodnight's sleep and were ready to
explore the city for the entire day. Both Joanie and I
love to walk and generally try to walk at least 5 miles
a day. During this trip we were averaging about 12 miles
a day according to the pedometer that Joanie wears.
Lyon's Bellecour Square
We
debarked the ship as soon as she was docked and
penetrated the city with our rudimentary map. We found a
pedestrian street and then mad our way to the Placa
Bellecour (Bellecour Square). This huge square is
stunning simply because of how large it is.
One of the Statues in
Bellecour Square
It caught me
by surprise and we spent a few minutes exploring its
statues and fountains. We made our way towards the other
side of the isthmus and ran into a public market that
was simply fantastic.
Lyon's Public Market
Located along the Rhone River, the
market place went on and on and featured everything
French imaginable. Fruits, vegetables, flowers, fish,
meats, knick knacks and so on went on for blocks. Since
it was Sunday, the market was bustling with locals
stocking up for the week.
St. John Cathedral in
Lyon, France
We
heard the church bells calling mass at the Cathedral of
St. John so we decided to explore the cathedral and
watch as mass unfolded. We made our way to the cathedral
and entered its huge interior as people were entering
from all over the village. The cathedral is especially
beautiful and as a working church, also well attended.
We left mass and continued out exploration of the Old
City. Lyon's Old City is huge and also very much intact.
Just One of the Many
Bridges Crossing the Rhone River in Lyon
Its pedestrian streets meander throughout the river area
and beckon one to just keep walking and walking.
Shopping in the Old City is simply fabulous with
numerous designer areas and boutiques offering unusual
and fascinating items. One could spend days wandering
through the area without exhausting the many shopping
opportunities. We ecentually popped out onto the river
and then crossed it to the other side and decided to
start making our way back to the Soane River where the
boat was docked.
Lyon's Riverfront
Scenery
We had
visually marked the four huge towers that identified the
Lyon recreational facility along the Soane River to
locate where the Scenery was docked; they were no where
to be seen. As it turns out the Rhone winds its way
through Lyon and we had inadvertently crossed the Rhone
in a direction that was taking us further from the ship
rather than closer. By the time we had returned to the
Soane, we were miles from the ship. We walked alone the
Soane River through several neighborhoods and markets.
One street market was strictly for books and seemed to
go forever. The side streets were a delight to explore
and we found several interesting areas. We stopped for a
late lunch and then continued our way back to the ship.
When we finally boarded the Scenery we checked Joanie's
pedometer and found that we had walked 27 miles. It was
no wonder that we were tired. That was a record, even
for us. I used the Jacuzzi in front of the bridge and
put it to good use soothing my aching legs from the
day's epic trek and then Joanie and I went to dinner. We
were asleep early and soundly.
Macon's architecture is
Extremely Interesting
Monday, August 25th, 2008; Macon, France and Tournus,
France
We arrived in Macon very early in the morning and after
a quick breakfast, Joanie and I were out exploring. The
ship had scheduled a walking tour of Macon at 10am and
then another tour departing at 1:30pm that would catch
up with the ship in Tournus. We decided to simply do our
own thing and stay with the ship and it proved to be a
great choice.
Macon's Pedestrian
Shopping Streets
Macon is quite charming and Joanie and I
explored every nook and cranny of the medieval section
of the downtown area. We enjoyed a cup of coffee in a
sidewalk cafe (which was becoming our morning habit) as
we watched the locals go about their business. Since
none of the stores were open yet, Joanie was content to
window shop and just take in the sights. We eventually
ran into the group from the ship and followed them to
the public market and open air market in the upper
square of the village. Once again, the public markets
were to die for. Everything one could possibly want
could be found in this market. There was even a live
bird market so that you know that your foul was
completely fresh. We continued to explore until it was
time to return to the ship in time for departure. One
last stop at the flea market along the river for Joanie
to pick up a jacket and we were on our way.
We
spent the afternoon cruising up the Soane River and it
was wonderful. The temperature was perfect for a cruise
in the sunshine and the river offered wonderful views of
villages, countryside, vineyards and farms as we passed
them. I was sad to see the cruising portion of the day
slowly end as we arrived in Tournus. As we pulled up to
the dock we could see that there was a fair in full
progress and that there were thousands of people all
along the river enjoying it.
Since we only had a quick
stop to pick up the passengers that had taken the shore
excursion, Joanie and I immediately debarked the ship as
soon as the gangway was firmly in place. We had a great
time first exploring Tournus' pedestrian streets and
then visiting the fair. It was so much fun that we were
sad to leave when we needed to. Numerous people (and
little kids enjoying the rides at the fair) wave goodbye
to us as we slowly picked up speed for our final
destination of the cruise, Chalon.
We
enjoyed the Captain's farewell cocktail party and dinner
on this last night and enjoyed a wonderful dinner with
some new found friends that we had made during the
cruise. After a couple of cocktails with them in the
lounge, we were off to bed. We were to debark the ship
in Chalon for a day's motor coach ride to Paris for a
two-night stay before returning home.
Tuesday, August 25th, 2008; Chalon, France - End of the
Cruise with a Transfer to Paris, France
We awoke early and decided to try and get a little walk
in before boarding the motor coach to Paris. We walked
around the old city and found Chalon to offer many
attractions that would make it an interesting stop and
wished that we could have spent more time exploring it.
I came time to debark the ship, so after making sure
that our luggage was alongside the motor coach, we
boarded the coach. Avalon brings a
group of cruisers from Paris to board the ship in Chalon
and we ended up rendezvousing with the motor coaches
that turned around and returned to their respective
ports with new passengers. We were to meet in a village
named Beaune.
Beaune, France
WOW!
Who would have thought that a meeting place between
Chalon and Paris would be one of the highlights of the
entire trip?
Just Some of the Wines
Available in the Winery
Beaune is a village in the heart of the
Burgandy district of France and as such, is laden with
wineries, cheese stores, fruiterias, pastry shops, fine
candy shops, boutiques and just about everything else
you can imagine.
Wine Tasting in Beaune
Its old town section is simply to die
for and the restaurants are world class. We first went
wine tasting and then wandered the pedestrian streets.
Inside a Candy Store in
Beaune, France
Joanie, who is not a shopper, ended up purchasing
several one-of-a-kind items as gifts that she could not
pass up.
One of Beaune's
Restaurants
We settled into one of the street side cafes,
ordered a bottle of wine and had one of the best meals
of our entire trip.
Beaune, France Shopping
Street
We leisurely finished the meal and
then made our way back to the meeting point to board our
motor coach for the 4 1/2 hour journey to Paris.
One of the Churches in
Beaune
The
large meal and the wine relaxed us into a semi coma so
that the trip went by quickly.
The Eiffel Tower in
Paris, France
Paris
is one of Joanie's and my favorite cities in the world.
it has everything going for it and we have spent a good
amount of time in Paris and know the city pretty well.
We arrived at our hotel, the Hotel Le Meriden
Montparnasse. This was really the only spot of the
entire trip that was not the best. The hotel is poorly
located in Paris and is not in the best of shape. While
cruise director tried to do a good job of preparing the
group for the hotel, it was simply not up to snuff. It
is understandable though, as Paris is so expensive that
a better hotel would have added several hundred dollars
to the price of the trip, so I guess compromises needed
to be made. Also, the dollar had fallen so far against
the euro, that probably had something to do with it, as
well.
A Fountain in Paris
We
decided to walk to the Eiffel Tower and to stop along
the way for wine and some dinner. While the Eiffel Tower
was a lot further than it looked on a map, we completely
enjoyed ourselves.
The Army Museum
We too0k many wrong turns, found many
cool bars and ended up at some Army museum instead of
the Eiffel Tower. But, we finally made it just in time
for sunset. There were hundreds of people on the lawn in
front of the Eiffel Tower and each couple had a picnic
and some wine. Only in Paris. We continued our trek, now
heading back towards the hotel and finally made it to
the hotel after dark. Rather than dine in a restaurant,
we simply hit a store that was a couple of doors down
from the hotel and purchased some salads and a bottle of
wine. We slept like babies.
Notre Dam in Paris
Wednesday, August 26th, 2008; Paris, France
We dined on the breakfast that was included with our
room at the hotel and it was of the same caliber as the
rest of the hotel. We made a note to ourselves to pass
on it on Thursday. After breakfast we set upon a day's
worth of exploring the eastern side of the River Seine
and the area that our hotel was located in. We had never
spent much time in this area so we thought it would be
fun to explore it.
A Paris Back Street
With Restaurants and Shopping
We
spent the day mostly lost, but having a wonderful time.
I must admit that we must have stopped for a glass of
wine several times and by the time lunch came and went
we were giggling at just about everything. We found
several luxury residential areas, designer shopping
areas, a market that was to die for and a model that
would work quite nicely in San Diego.
Shopping Along the
River Seine
We found several
areas of street cafes and interesting boutiques and
finally we popped out of the maze of streets just a few
blocks from Notre Dame Cathedral.
A Seine River Tour Boat
Full of Tourists
The streets were
crowded with tourists and both Joanie and I wanted to
head in the other direction. So we dove back into the
back streets and started our trek back towards the
hotel.
A Begger Woman Reminds
Us How Good We Have it
We did everything we could to get lost again, but
somehow made it back to the district that out hotel was
located in and eventually, our hotel. We found a
restaurant close to our hotel to enjoy our last dinner
in Paris, some more wine and a good night's sleep.
Thursday, August 27th, 2008; Paris, France to San Diego
Transfers to the airport were included with our package
and we were in the lobby ready to go right on time. We
were picked up in a van and delivered to the American
Airlines terminal in plenty of time to check our luggage
and head for the departure gate. Sorry to leave France,
yet happy to be going home, we reflected on the
wonderful time we had in France's little villages in
Provence and Burgandy district. We boarded American and
eventually made it back to San Diego and our home.
