Viking River cruise 2014 - Day Ten

The weather during this entire trip has been wonderful.  For the past few days, it has been somewhat hot, but not unbearable.  Today, the temperature is cooler with bright sun and wispy clouds.  Our tour this morning was to the ruins of the Benedictine Abbey at Cluny.  What we saw was not what I expected.  The Benedictine Order had become such a force within the church and within France that it had amassed thousands of acres of land.  With such wealth it had built an enormous abbey at Cluny that was the largest church in the world until St. Peter's in Rome was built.

However, the leadership of the order became entwined with the secular leadership of France, so at the French Revolution the abbey suffered the fate of many other institutions: the buildings were defaced, much of the stonework was appropriated for building houses, barns, etc. by the peasants.  Only one tower remains intact, spared because to demolish it might have destroyed a nearby convent, now turned into a school.  But from what is left of the abbey and the models created to show its true size and greatness we were able to appreciate what once was.

Around the abbey is the town of Cluny and on this Saturday, had a full-scale outdoor market in business.  It was also fun to wander through the stalls to view the crafts and smell the spices and foods present.

After lunch was the final tour -- of the wine-growing region of Burgundy and a wine-tasting in the village of Beaune.  Just as the fields of much of the United States are covered with crops of corn, acres on acres of France are covered with grapevines -- neatly in rows, pruned regularly to keep the plants easy to reach when time for gathering the grapes.  Our guide explained how the condition of the various soils and the exposure of the fields to sun and different angles produced subtle differences in the final result, making some more valuable than others.

At the wine-tasting we sampled four varieties -- two whites and two reds plus a creme de cassis -- and of course we were offered the opportunity to purchase the varieties we had tasted.  Some did, making it worthwhile for the merchants who provided the tasting. 

Postscript:

This chapter was not posted because of the poor Internet service where the ship docked in Chalon-sur-Saone.  On Sunday morning we were transported to the Lyon airport for a flight to Paris.  The flight was delayed and we had to dash through the Paris airport, making our flight by minutes.  Our luggage didn't make it.  But we arrived home -- safe, a little tired, and still thrilled at the whole trip.  Next year -- the Baltic Sea region on the Viking Star!

Viking River cruise 2014 - Day Nine

Our Program Director and the ship's Hotel Manager gave a briefing for all the passengers this morning.  The Hotel Manager, a genial Italian name Matthew Martini, noted that a passenger reminded him that today was Friday the thirteenth.  He quipped: "The whole week has felt like Friday the thirteenth!"  But they went on to tell us that the concluding portions of the cruise would be slightly compressed and yet take place.

So this morning we started with a walking tour of the village of Vienne on the Rhone River where the ship had docked earlier.  The significance of the town was that it had been established as a Roman colony in 47 BC (and may have been governed by Pontius Pilate after his term in Jerusalem, according to legend).  As such it had a temple dedicated to Caesar Augustus and his wife Livia, a 13,000 seat Roman theatre, baths and a circular racetrack.  Later, after the decline of the Roman Empire, both Constantine and the Emperor Julian made it a temporary residence.  A large cathedral was also built.

We visited the Roman Temple (fairly well preserved) and the cathedral (much of the exterior defaced during the French Revolution and now only a parish church) and walked through ancient streets lined with cobblestone and river rock.

Our afternoon tour was to the city of Lyon, established as a Roman outpost in 43 BC.  It is located at the confluence of the Rhone River and the Saone River, a strategic location for trade, and became the capital of Gaul.  It is a prosperous city, Europe's foremost publishing center, and the birth of cinema -- invented by the Lumiere brothers, Louis and Auguste.  It was a center of resistance during World War II and in punishment, some 4,000 of its citizens were killed and 7,500 more were deported to Nazi death camps by Klaus Barbie, the "butcher of Lyon".

We visited a magnificent cathedral located high above the city on the site of the first Roman settlement.  Later, our tour walked through the old town (now a UNESCO World Heritage site) to see 16th and 17th century buildings on narrow streets of cobblestone.  Our evening ended with the Captain's Dinner, which we thoroughly enjoyed with new friends we had met during the cruise.

Tomorrow we will tour the ruins of the Benedictine Abbey in Cluny (center of reform that took place in religious orders) and the town of Beaune.  Our wonderful vacation is coming to an end.

Viking River cruise 2014 - Day Eight

The day started early.  We left the Viking Helmod for our tour bus at 8:30 am, heading for the Pont du Gard -- the bridge over the Gard River which was built to span the valley and support the Roman aqueduct bringing water 30 miles from the source to the city of Nimes.  Before actually seeing the bridge, which is a United Nations World Heritage site, we were led through a very well-designed museum.  The museum detailed the building of the bridge and the aqueduct it supported.  The aqueduct was 30 miles in length, the vertical drop from the source to Nimes was 30 feet, which meant a drop of 1 foot each mile.  The Romans were skilled engineers.

Seeing the arches of the bridge up close was amazing.  Even though the span is no longer complete and it no longer carries water, the structure is over 2000 years old and still sound.  The area around it is now an educational center and a park; while we were there, several student groups were making an entrance.

We returned to the ship for lunch, at which time we got the good news that the ship's techinical issue had been resolved.  We would be able to continue the cruise, albeit with a modified schedule.

As had been planned, in the afternoon we took another tour bus to the Ardeche Gorges, the "Grand Canyon" of France.  It was also a spectacular sight, different because the gorge is a work of nature.  Over millennia, after the inland sea which covered the area was gone and mountains were uplifted, water from above wore a channel with walls several thousand feet in places.  Our bus drove along a road which wound along the cliffs above the gorge.  At no time did we see any guard rails -- slightly unnerving for those sitting next to the edge.

Lavender is grown as a crop in this region and our last stop was a Lavender Museum which detailed the process of growing, harvesting, and extracting the lavender oil for commercial purposes.

We met our ship at Viviers, having traveled upstream from St Etienne-des-Sorts.  While it was late because of a river traffic jam at one of the locks, we were glad to see it moving again.  The adventure continues tomorrow.

Viking River cruise 2014 - Day Seven

Sometimes plans go awry and things get more interesting. Last night, the ship came to a stop, ostensibly to resolve a technical issue.  We had noticed that at times the air-conditioning seemed to fail periodically in the lounge and later in the dining room, but since the outside temperature was near 90 degrees, that was the simple explanation.  Today we learned that the issue was that the generators on board, which run everything from the lighting to the air-conditioning to the propulsion system, were not supplying enough electricity to handle everything.  It was a choice between the passenger amenities (lighting, air-conditioning, plumbing) or the propulsion.  Passenger comfort won.

Now we are safely docked near a little French village on the Rhone - St-Etienne-des-Sorts.  Since this was to have been a day of cruising upriver, activities on board such as a mini-course in the French language and a cooking demonstration by the head chef went on as scheduled.  Later in the afternoon, motor coaches were brought to the village to take us on a tour to the village of Viviers.  The bus ride took us through a rich agricultural area with fields growing lavender, cherries, peaches, apricots, almonds, kiwi as well as barley and corn. Viviers is located on a hill with buildings dating back to the Middle Ages.  Winding streets lead up to a cathedral with breathtaking views of the Rhone Valley.  Our guide was an English woman who had lived in Viviers for more than 30 years, had a wonderful sense of humor and was extremely knowledgeable of the plants and trees in the region.

We returned to the ship to learn that the issue had not yet been fixed, but that engineers from the shipyard in Germany where the ship was built were on their way.  Having consulted with the on board engineers, they felt reasonably confident that the problem could be resolved tomorrow.

And this is where it got more interesting (as far as we are concerned).  Because we are not able to keep up the planned itinerary, Viking has arranged two tours which were not included -- one to the Pont du Gard, the ruins of the Roman aqueduct considered to be the best preserved example in Europe, the other to the Ardeche Gorges, the "Grand Canyon" of France.  We had read of both in the guide books, and now we are about to see them!

Viking River cruise 2014 - Day Six

The Viking Hermod returned to last evening to dock once again at Avignon.  This city has a special place in French history as it was, for a time, the center of the Roman Catholic Church.  A Frenchman was elected to be Pope Clement V and did not consider Rome a safe place, so the entire papacy was moved to Avignon starting in 1309.  The so-called "captivity" of the church lasted until 1377.

A papal palace was built in the center of Avignon and a visit to that palace was a part of this morning's tour.  We entered the old part of the town through a gate in the medieval wall which surrounds the city.  Our guide led us through narrow street in which we competed with cars and motorcycles for the right of way. (For the local residents, I think tourists are considered a necessary evil.)  In the main town square was the city hall and a theater both built in Greek classical style.  The papal palace (actually an old and new palace joined) is essentially a museum, but you get a sense of the former granduer.  The papal dining room was at least 90 feet long by 30 feet wide, and the chapel (now an art gallery) was twice as large.

Our tour ended with a visit to the town market, reminiscent of markets in Boston and Philadelphia, chock full of separate stands with endless meats and produce.  Our tour director was there, offering a taste of local olives and garlic.

After lunch on the ship, we walked back into Avignon to find a small gallery named the Musee Angladon which featured some of the works of Toulouse Latrec and other well-known artists which had been gathered by one Jacques Doucet.  We chose it because it was not a huge display -- it was small, interesting and a good thing to do on a hot day in Avignon.

Later we joined other Viking travelers who had been on one or more Viking trips for hors d'oeuvres and a chance to meet the captain and other members of the ship's staff.  The ship begins to sail up the Rhone and tomorrow we will visit local wineries in a village named Tain L'Hermitage.

**Late news: At about 10:00 pm, the ship made an emergency stop to fix some technical issue.  More to come...

Viking River cruise 2014 - Day Five

The new Viking vessels on the European rivers have an open fore-deck, an extension of the lounge, called the Aquavit Terrace.  There we enjoyed a light breakfast.  Shortly after breakfast was held the safety drill where all passengers were to grab their life jackets from their rooms and assemble at a designated location on the sun deck.  Then it was time to board buses to Arles.

Arles was founded by Celts but enlarged by the Romans in the first century.  It was situated on the confluence of several trading routes, especially as a mid-point between the regions of present-day Spain and Italy.  In its heyday the Romans built a 20,000 seat stadium (a scaled-down version of Rome's Colosseum), a theater and a forum, among other public facilities.

We visited the stadium, remarkably intact despite the years and vandalism, which is presently the site of bullfights (unique in France, borrowed from the Spanish) and "bull games" (a modern invention wherein the bull is not killed, and the bullfighters seek to capture ribbons and other adornments woven on the bull's horns. If the bull wins, the owner gets money; if the bullfighter wins, he gets paid.)

Also included in the walking tour was the ruins of the Roman theater, the local cathedral and the hospital in which Vincent Van Gogh was cared for after he cut off his ear lobe.  Van Gogh had lived for several years in Arles and painted many of the local scenes.

After lunch, Jan and I went back in to Arles, hired a taxi and went to the Museum of Antiquities.  It was there that the Roman era boat, a primitive version of a freighter, had been discovered and raised from the bottom of the Rhone River.  The sediment of the river had preserved the boat and it was in amazing condition.  It had been featured in a recent edition of the National Geographic magazine and we wanted to see it.  The rest of the museum was focused on the history of the city going back even earlier than Roman times, and it was worth it.

Tomorrow we do a walking tour of Avignon, one highlight of which is a tour of the palace used by the French popes -- sort of the French Rome of the time.  It's going to be hot, but that surely beats rain.

Viking River cruise 2014 - Day Four

Today's blog entry will be short.  The better part of the day was spent in transit from Cannes to Avignon to connect with the ship.  We are now safely ensconced in the Viking Hermond, one of the new fleet of Viking longships.  After checking in, unpacking and freshening up, we joined the other passengers in a welcome and information session, followed by dinner.

The trip from the Mediterranean to the Rhone Valley in the Provence section of France was one of definite changes in scenery and climate.  We went from lowlands to pre-Alps, with increasing numbers of vineyards and farms as we got closer to Avignon.  The area is hotter and drier than the coast, and the farms depend on irrigation to sustain the crops.

Tomorrow we visit Arles where we will see the ruins of a Roman amphitheater and (if the museum is open) the Roman barge recently unearthed, the story of which was in a recent issue of National Geographic.  Photos tomorrow.

Viking River cruise 2014 - Day Three

For our final day on the Mediterranean we decided to join a full-day tour of the regions east of Cannes.  Two mini-buses set out from the Carlton Hotel at 9 am.  Our driver/guide Pierre, born and raised near Nice, was a veritable font of information as well as a careful driver.  We drove first to Antibes, between Cannes and Nice, where we saw in no particular order the Picasso Museum (we didn't have time to enter it), the Church of the Immaculate Conception (decorated in high Baroque fashion), the world's largest yacht marina and a wonderful outdoor market.  There we saw some of the most perfect vegetables, huge selections of spices, at least a dozen varieties of sea salt, salamis, olives, candies, breads -- all marketed in small stalls by individual venders.

Moving on through Nice, we learned from Pierre that Nice is named from the Greek godess of victory, Nike -- another reminder of the original Greek immigration from the sea which first settled the area.

From Nice we traveled up a winding highway, pausing for the breath-taking view of the Mediterranean from above.  The photo is taken from that vantage. Our next stop was Eze-le-Village, where on the top of a steep hill was built a fortress in ancient times, later destroyed by Louis XIV in 1706. Now there is a hotel and other small shops, but from the top is a spectacular view of the sea.  The visit involved a lot of climbing, but it was worth it.

From there we went on east to the little principality of Monaco, where on the castle grounds we saw the royal homes of the Grimaldi family, the church wherein Grace Kelly was married and where she now is buried.  From the castle walls we could see harbors with huge yachts as well as the Oceanographic Institute which Jacques Cousteau directed for 32 years.  Then Pierre took us down then up to Monte Carlo and delighted in driving us around the course of the famous Grand Prix de Monaco which had been run only two weeks before.  Still visible were the tire marks from the race.  The course passes the famous Monte Carlo Casino, and in front were parked some of the expensie cars one associates with the high rollers.

Our final stop was St-Paul-de-Vence, another former fortress built strategically on a high ridge.  The walls of the fortress remain, but inside is a wonderful collection of art galleries and restaurants.  At one time a painters' colony existed there, hence the continued presence of the arts.  There is also a village church and a cemetary wherein Marc Chagall is buried.

Tomorrow we transfer to the Viking vessel for the start of our cruise on the Rhone River.  The fun continues!

Viking River cruise 2014 - Day Two

Nice, France is a major tourist attraction and for good reason.  Situated on the banks of a crescent bay of the Mediterranean known as the Bay of Angels, it was an early (BC) Greek trading center. Then under Rome, it became a retirement location for Imperial army officers due to its pleasant climate. In the 19th century, again due to the pleasant climate, it became a Winter vacation center for the English, Russians, and other European rulers.  Queen Victoria built a large palace.  The Russians built a major Orthodox church.  During that heyday, much international political business was conducted in and from its many missions.

Today, it is a bustling place, where again due to the pleasant climate, tourists gather to frequent the pebble beaches for some swimming and a lot of sunbathing, to view the many architectural wonders found in churches and other public buildings and the visit its great restaurants and museums.

After a bus tour overview of the city, we were led on a walking tour of the older parts of the city, with a huge outdoor market featuring flowers, fruits and vegetables and fresh fish, and winding streets dotted with restaurants of every kind.  With some new-found friends we enjoyed a lunch of savory crepes, before heading out with them on our own to find the Marc Chagall Museum.  Chagall, the Russian painter, emigrated to Nice to avoid persecution from the Germans and the Russians.  in Nice he created some of his greatest masterpieces - a series of large paintings with his vision of Old Testament stories.  The paintings were donated to France who decided to erect the Nice museam for their display.  The photo is his depiction of Creation.  Adam rises from the primordial waters.

The walk was a long one but worth every step. The display at the museum and especially the audio guide that accompanied the paintings were great.  Chagall included many religious insights in the execution of the series which made the whole presentation come alive.

Tomorrow we take another field trip -- this time of some of the towns and villages that are close by to Nice.  And the weather continues to be great.  For sure there will be more to come.

Viking River Cruise 2014 - Day One

Our adventure with Viking River Cruises this year begins with a pre-cruise extension to Nice, France and the surrounding areas.  After a long flight to Amsterdam we transferred to a smaller plane from Amsterdam to Nice.  The trip was uneventful save the excellent view we had of the French Alps as we flew over them.

We're staying for three nights at the Carleton Intercontinental in Cannes, France, which is situated right across the street from the Mediterranean Sea.  We walked up and down the boardwalk several times just to feel the nice warm sun and the cool breeze coming off the Mediterranean. The photo is of Jan in front of the Carleton.  You will note that she is not wearing a sweater or several layers of clothing -- unlike last year's trip, it is warm here and we are loving it.

We had an early dinner seated outdoors, and our choice for the meal was Salad Nicoise.  Why? Because the concoction of lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, olives, green beans, eggs and tuna was first developed in Nice; hence the name.

Tomorrow we will have an overview tour of Nice with a free afternoon to visit such places as the Marc Chagall museum. We're looking forward to this adventure and hope you will enjoy reading about it.  More tomorrow...

2014 Winter Getaway - Day 5

One of the commercials that runs incessantly says "Find your beach".

We've found two that qualify, Solomon Bay beach and Honeymoon Bay beach, and we returned there today on this, the last full day of our Winter Getaway.  The photo is of Honeymoon Bay beach.

Getting to the beaches is part of the charm.  First we walk down a really steep hill from our Hillcrest Guest House, walk through downtown Cruz Bay to the National Park Service headquarters, and then walk another mile or so on the very rocky Lind Point trail.  You meet all sorts of folks on the trail, even some runners doing what looks like extreme sports on the rocks.

Once at the beach we settle down, unpack the snorkel equipment and wade in to the blessedly warm Caribbean.  Today we started at Solomon Bay beach.  At both beaches the snorkeling is good, with plenty of the colorful tropical fish in their natural environment, coral growing on almost every rock and in many varieties.  We packed a lunch, so after a bit we ate, dried off, and did some reading.  (The ads are true -- the Kindle can be read in direct sunlight!)

This was the first time we went to these beaches in the afternoon and found that about 2 pm, a herd of charter boats (well, maybe three) full of guests move in.  The crowd now in the water is the sign that it is time to head back, retracing our steps and walking up that steep hill.  (We've been averaging about 6 miles a day, which can't be bad for increasing our endurance.)

Tomorrow we leave St. John.  Of the three US Virgin Islands and the two British Virgin Islands we have visited, this is our favorite.  I think we'll be back.

2014 Winter Getaway - Day Four

This day began early.  To join the trip to Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, we had to be at the Westin Resorts dock at 7:30 a.m.  Once there we turned in our passports and immigration papers and boarded a fast boat called "Blast".  At 8 a.m. we were on our way for the two-hour trip up the Drake Passage, passing Tortola on the way.

The excitement of the morning was an unexpected whale sighting.  Apparently these large creatures come south in the winter to calve.  The one we saw surfaced several times for our enjoyment before we sped away.

We docked at the Virgin Gorda Yacht Basin and transferred to a jitney that took us to the famous Baths -- so named because this incredible collection of boulders is a formation known as a batholith.  The huge rocks have risen (and continue to rise at a miniscule rate each year) along the shoreline where the action of the waves has continued the erosion, forming caves.

The way through the Baths was fairly arduous, at times ducking between rocks, wading though pools of sea water, climbing over big stones.  But it was beautiful.

We returned to the Blast for a trip back down the Drake Passage to Cooper Island where we ate a light lunch at a shoreline restaurant.  Then the Blast took us to Norman Island where we were able to go snorkeling at the Caves -- three of them -- of buried treasure fame (and fantasy).  It was fun to see the colorful assortment of tropical fish and to peek timidly into the largest of the caves.

The rest of the trip home was uneventful.  It was a beautiful day and we had a great time.  More tomorrow...

2014 Winter Getaway - Day Three

Today is Sunday.  So what does one do on a vacation Sunday in St. John?  Of course -- go to church, especially since there's one of your brand in town -- in this case, St. Ursula's, Cruz Bay, in the Diocese of the Virgin Islands.

Yesterday we had checked the location and the service time.  The church, in a building built in 1994 and consecrated by Bishop Don Taylor before he was elected Suffragan in New York, seems like a going concern.  It has a rector, a deacon, a choir and air-conditioning.

The congregation, mostly from St. John with a smattering of visitors such as we were, sang with great energy.  Fr. Rymer's sermon was a tad long (not by island standards, I have heard) and focused on love triumphing over law.  And the Peace, inserted between the breaking of the bread and the distribution, was a marathon.

What do you do on a vacation Sunday in St. John after church?  Shopping, of course.  So we headed to a nice jewelry store and found a new bead for Jan's Pandora bracelet -- a silver turtle, in honor of the one we saw while snorkeling yesterday.  Then there's Sunday lunch in a cafe by the harbor where the ferry docks.

We ended our Sunday morning by signing up for a day sail to Virgin Gorda tomorrow.  And we rested.

2014 Winter Getaway - Day Two

One of the charming features of the Virgin Islands is the little flocks of chickens: mother hens shooing chicks across streets or herding them into safe spots while the crazy traffic (open air taxis and rented four-wheelers) whirls around them.  And the roosters, many of them, who feel challenged to greet the approaching dawn more loudly than the other.  It`s a great way to start the day.

Not that we started Day Two with the roosters.  Sleeping in is a good thing to do on vacation, especially since we had stayed up a little later to watch the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

Our B&B has a rudimentary kitchen and a few staples.  Yesterday we added English muffins and bananas from the local mini-mart, so coffee, orange sections with bananas and the muffins got us started.  Then it was time for the big outing.

Starting again at the US Park Service headquarters with string backpacks filled with towels, snorkel gear and electronics, we hiked the lower Lind Point Trail back to Honeymoon Bay.  After a swim to test the water (beautifully warm) and Jan's hip for swimming (no problem), we donned our masks for a go at snorkeling.  The photo is taken at Honeymoon Bay

It's always exciting to see what's underwater, but this outing was better than usual.  First we encountered a turtle, probably 30 inches from nose to tail, munching along in the sea grass, paying no mind to us hovering above.  Then, looming into view just ahead was a good-sized fish, maybe 2 feet long.  (Checking the guide to tropical fish when we got back, we found that we had encountered a Great Barracuda.) Happily, after looking us over, he moved on.

After that excitement, we continued on and saw more of the usual -- brilliantly colored fish, brain coral, sea fans and long-spined urchins.  Then we made the hike back to the Hillcrest Guest House for lunch and a quiet afternoon.

More tomorrow.

2014 Winter Getaway - Day One

Once in a while, plans click into place.  We made plans back in September to travel to St. John, US Virgin Islands in February.  But we had no idea that this year's winter would be so harsh.  With three snowfalls greater than 6 inches in this last week, our getaway could not have been more timely.

The vacation was booked by Jan through Expedia.  The flight to the Virgin Islands was non-stop from Newark to St. Thomas.  For some unknown reason we qualified for the new preferred traveler program TSA has set up; we were ushered to a shorter line, did not have to take off our shoes, and were through in 10 minutes.

The flight on United was uneventful.  After reclaiming our suitcases, we took a very full taxi to the ferry at Red Hook, on the other side of St. Thomas.  The ferry ride was 20 minutes, so we arrived at Cruz Bay on St. John about 4:30 p.m.  Another taxi ride brought us up to the Hillcrest Guest House, our home for the next 5 days.

This morning we walked down to the center of Cruz Bay and over to the National Parks Service headquarters where we got information about the various hiking trails throughout the island.  We decided to try a short one called the Lindt Point Trail, which leads to Solomon Bay, Honeymoon Bay and the Caneel Bay Resort area.  The photo is of Jan at the beach in Honeymoon Bay.

The hike was about a total of three miles in some pretty rocky terrain but Jan and her new hip made it in good shape.  (Considering it is two days short of two months since she had her hip replaced, this is outstanding.  She and her top-notch physical therapists deserve much praise.)

More tomorrow...