Santorini

Santorini

Santorini

>Also known as Thera, Santorini is a small circular archipelago forming the southernmost member of the Cyclades. It is essentially what remains of an enormous volcanic explosion, the largest the planet has ever seen. The eruption's consequent tsunami wiped out the Minoan civilization on Crete. And then there is the legend of Atlantis!!!! The statistics of this blast in 1650 BCE are staggering.

The central lagoon, which is basically the caldera, some 1300 feet deep, is surrounded by 984 ft high cliffs. Th capital, Fira, clings to the top of the cliff. When we approached the island, the white villages along the top of the cliffs looked like snow....or icing on a cake. We hove to in the lagoon; we did not anchor. Tenders delivered us to the tiny port of Skala at the base of the cliffs. We were faced with 3 options to reach the town. The cable car, a zigzag walkway of some 587 steps or a donkey ride. Well, for me there was no choice; these poor pack animals are not well treated in this part of the world...heartbreaking. My knees could not manage all those steps.....so it was the 5-cabin, dry rapid cable car.

Once at the top, I was blinded by the whiteness. Everything is white, whiff, white. arcades, restaurants, shops, And more steps!!! I walked from one end of the town to the other, looking for some of the picturesque churches...but they were closed!!! These buildings were all restored after the 1956 earthquake. I walked as far as the old Frankish quarter which was not restored and looks like a ghost town.

Having seen the entire town, I went back to the ship to relax. We went to the officers cocktail party in the Winter Garden....always the best party....smaller group which makes it easier to talk to everyone.

Tomorrow is a sea day. Also packing day. Also Ross's and Layne's birthdays. We are having a mimosa breakfast in the main dining room and then dinner at Todd English. Then it will be time to say our goodbyes!!!! Wonderful cruise! And we had some of The best table mates all of whom I will see next year during the QM2 cruise. Life is good!

Rhodes

Rhodes

Rhodes

(Thursday was a sea day.)

The largest of the Dodecanese group, off the southwest coast of Turkey, Rhodes is probably best known for the legendary Colossus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. That is long gone, but what remains is the medieval walled city of the Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem who took over Rhodes in the 14th century. Prior to that Rhodes had been inhabited by various groups and then captured by the Romans. When Rome fell, Rhodes be part of the Byzantine Empire. The Knights preyed on Turkish shipping to such an extent that, in 1522, Suleiman the Magnificent arrived with a huge force and defeated the knights after a 6 month siege. The Turks remained until 1912 when the Italians, the the Germans and British occupied the island. In 1948, all the Dodecanese were united with Greece

The city of Rhodes with it's lovely harbor is located on the northern tip of the island Nd has been designated a UNESCO world heritage site, but then so have most of the places I've visited. The first thing one sees upon disembarking are the towers and crenellations of the medieval walls and three old windmills on the jetty. The main harvor around around with a little sandy beach. The formidable walls, moats and drawbridges are emblazoned with the coats of arms of the Knights, Grand Crosses, Bailiffs and Grand Masters of the Order which are basically signatures in stone.

Entering the old town through one of the gates, I came into a square containing the ruins of the Temple of Aphrodite and a delightful allee of shaded trees and restaurants. Delightful squares abound, bordered with cafes and shops, of course. The Street of the Knights is lined with the inns and is virtually unchanged. Each inn or auberge has it's own character, the most beautiful one is the Inn of the Auvergne which has been restored and turned into a cultural center. At the top end of the street is the Palace of the Grand Masters which was restored by Mussolini. The Hospital of the Knights is now an archeological museum. Apparently the patients were laid out in canopied beds and served on silver plate by the Knights themselves.

Met up with Jan and Layne for coffee...always delightful to sit outside and watch the world go by!!! We wandered around and found the lovely old mosque of Suleyman, built in 1522 when the Turks conquered Rhodes.

We split up and they headed for the harbor and I just wandered the streets and ramparts.

We all met back at the ship for a late lunch. None of us had wanted a long day. We were determined to take it easy after the long and intense visit to Istanbul.

Istanbul

I neglected to mention that, last night, we drove around the Taksim area, up on a hill, where there is a huge park and square...where everything happens!!!! When we drove back from the show, we drove down very steep and narrow one way streets... very exciting and interesting.

So today we started at the Topkapi Palace, a sprawling complex in Gulhane Park which occupies most of the headland overlooking the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. The palace was the heart of the Turkish Empire for nearly 400 years, from 1465 to 1856. Sultan Mehmed I starter construction of the complex which insist of four main courtyards, each with a different function leading from the public to the private. The palace, whose population on exceeded 4000 people, functioned as a city within a city where the sultan lived in imperial seclusion, rarely venturing out. Silence was maintained within the inner courtyards and running water in the Divan, or Council chambers, ensured no eavesdropping. The complex grew over the centuries as each sultan added pavilions.

Through the massive Imperial Gate, one enters the first courtyard where the Janissaries, or bodyguards were stationed. Only dignitaries and foreign ambassadors were allowed through the Gate of Salutations into the second courtyard. From here paths radiate in all directions, to kitchens, imperial council chambers, the Tower of Justice, a treasury, an armory and the stables. Beyond the Gage of Felicity is the third courtyard, or the inner palace.....audience and privy chambers, library, schoolrooms, mosque, the imperial treasury and the harem with its warren of rooms and courtyards for the sultan's wives, mother, concubines, children, eunuchs. Here I visited the extraordinary treasury which contains thrones, ceremonial military garb and arms all encrusted with precious stones; magnificent headdresses and pendants; spoils of conquest from several countries; two 47 kilo gold candlesticks; one enormous diamond; bowls of uncut emeralds.....and of course, the so-called Topkapi dagger of film fame with its three enormous uncut emeralds. The entire collection is blinding in its magnificence.....but then so is every royal collection!!!!!

The fourth courtyard is the sanctum sanctorum of the sultan. Known as the Imperial Sofa, it contains various pavilions and kiosks used for prayer, breaking fasts or meditation, and the circumcision room.

(By now you will have figured out that sofas and divans were rooms, not furniture!!!!)

The last visit was the costume exhibit of the sultan's caftans and later, western uniforms.

The off to the Grand Bazaar, dating from the 15th century and which contains some 4000 shops. It is truly impressive....a dazzling array of jewelry, leather, carpets, tiles and much more. We had lunch in a typical restaurant inside the Bazaar...I had the eggplant puree, of course, and some delicious spicy kebab....followed by a Turkish coffee, of course. Turkish and Greek cuisine are very similar, but Turkish food is spicier. I found that I preferred the Turkish kefte and dolmasi....and everything they do with eggplant is divine. I even prefer the Turkish kadayif to the Greek baklava.

Next stop, the spice bazaar with it's wonderful colors and aromas. I bought two boxes of REAL Turkish delight...one for our table and one, shrink- wrapped, to bring home. Yum!

Then the Yerebatan Sarnici or Cistern, an amazing 1400 year old Byzantine underground construction supported by 336 enormous columns, built below one of the main squares for use during siege or drought. The columns and different are all different, having come from all parts of the Byzantine Empire. They were simply building materials, so much so that two Medusa head capitals were used as bases, one upside down, the other on it's side!!!! Now there is only about a foot of water in the cistern where carp await their feeding. It has been recently restored with appropriate lighting and music. Quite an eerily beautiful experience.

Marike treated me to roast chestnuts from a street vendor......more yum! We nibbled them as we walked along to catch the boat for a ride up the Bosphorus. It has been very windy for the past two days and it was cool up on deck, so we sat inside. We went along the Asian side as far as the second suspension bridge and then turned back along the European side. We saw the Dolmabahce Palace, built in 1853 by Sultan Abdul Mecit in what one can only call extravagant opulence. ( Double horseshoe Baccarat crystal staircase!!!!!!!) At the time, the Ottoman Empire was in decline and the building was financed with loans from foreign banks. Across the water, two sultans built two Baroque summer palaces in the 19rh century. What was most interesting was to see the various styles of Yalis, or villas along the shore, particularly on the Asian side. The oldest, a fairly large wooden house, painted a rust red known as Ottoman rose, dates to 1699 and is the oldest building on the shores of the Bosphorus. It looks more Russian than Turkish and the wooden clapboarding reminds me of New England. Since the 17th century, the yalis have become larger and more elaborate. Some of them can rival our mansions. While various building materials are used, some are still painted the traditional red. There are some brightly colored wooden houses in the old part of Istanbul, but they are restorations.

Alongside the dock where the ferry dropped us, by the Galata Bridge, were three unusual vessels bobbing in the water. Gaily decorated with gilt fish designs, they were dispensing fried mackerel and onion sandwiches to patrons at a restaurant on the do k. The cooks had no problem even when he bobbing was at a sharp angle. Fascinating.

And then it was time to sash goodbye to Istanbul. I loved every minute. I'd love to come back....there is so much more to see.

We sailed away at 8 pm and the captain swung the ship around 360 degrees for one last amazing look! The first Bosphorus bridge was playing it's computerized light show. Then we sailed back down the Bosphorus past the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia and the Topkapi, all beautifully illuminated. What a sight!!!!!!

Istanbul

Hagia Sophia

Istanbul

Blue Mosque

I finally got one photo up. Yay!!!!!

Istanbul

We sailed through the Dardanelles, past the war memorials to the Ill-fated battles, and into the Sea of Marmara....and, then, there it was.....Istanbul. Breathtaking, as we passed the Sultanahmet area which juts out where the Golden Horn meets the Bosphorus and in which are located, virtually side by each, the three most beautiful and most important attractions: Haggia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Topkapi Palace.

We sailed farther up the Bosphorus to our temporary anchorage, while awaiting our berth. I was able to get on the first tender around 3:30 and found my guide waiting for me by the Galata Bridge. Melike and Hassan, the driver, whisked me off to see as much as possible in the few hours before dinner.

Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, the second largest metropolitan area in Europe, and the fourth larger city in the world with some 13-16 million people (no one is quite sure!) It is the only metropolis in the world to straddle two continents...Thrace in Europe and Anatolia on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. In its long history, Istanbul has served as the capital city of the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Latin Empire and the Ottoman Empire.
Ankara is the capital of modern Turkey. The original name for the city was Byzantium, the Greek name for the colony established by King Byzas. Emperor Constantine the Great made it his capital in 306 AD and it was renamed Constantinople, the name by which the world knew it until 1930, even though the name Istanbul had also been used over the centuries. Istanbul is also known as the " City on Seven Hills".

Today, Turkey is a thriving secular democracy, thanks to Mustafa Kemal, known as Ataturk, the father of modern Turkey. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire at the end of WWI, he became the national leader, becoming the new republic's first president in 1923. Not only did he abolish the Sultanate, he also abolished the Caliphate, effectively separating state and religion. By law, Turkish men may have no more than one wife. No laws require women to cover themselves with any form of garb. Some women choose to wear hijabs ( and very posh ones, too, i.e. Coach!) and some choose to wear long drab raincoats and hijabs. Very few, mainly older women from more religious families, choose to wear a full burka, but even these are not as all-encompassing as those of Saudi Arabia. It is very common to see a young woman in the latest western fashions arm in arm with a friend wearing a hijab, or a raincoat.....or families wearing all three styles of dress. What predominates, however, is western dress. And.....western customs. Marike is expecting her first child in February and she knows it is a boy. So, when we visited the circumcision room in Topkapi Palace, I asked her about circumcision in Turkey. Traditionally, in Islam, boys are circumcised between the ages of 3 and 10. But modern Turkish families have it done right away, in the hospital, by the doctor. For those who do chose the religions ceremony later, the clothing for the boy is elaborate. We passed several shops selling the outfits....white satin or velvet pants, elaborate traditional Turkish jackets with marabou trim and turbanswith elaborate trimming and feathers. Our visit started in the Hippodrome, once the track for Roman chariot races and capable of holding 100,000 spectators. The actual track is now below street level and covered by a modern square. There is one third of a Karnak obelisk (1500 BCE) resting on a carved block depicting Emperor Theodosius and his family. Also in the square is the Serpent Column from Delphi. Both spoils of conquest. We then visited the Blue Mosque, built in the 17th century. It's real name is the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, but the stunning blue Iznik tiles provide it's familiar name. Islamic tradition does not allow depictions of humans and rarely of animals, so their artists turned to geometric and floral designs, which are incredibly diverse and beautiful. Each Sultan designed his own calligraphic seal; these are works of art in their own right.

Our next stop was the highlight for me. The great Byzantine Hagia Sophia, also known as the Sancta Sophia. This Church of the Holy Wisdom was built by Justinian from 532 to 537 AD. It took 10,000 men to build it with ivory from Asia, marble from Egypt and columns from the ruins of Ephesus. Even though the Turks converted it to a mosque when they conquered Constantinople and they plastered or painted over many of the extraordinary gilt mosaics, much was left untouched, including the magnificent vast dome. The mosque became a museum in 1935. And the mosaics and paintings have been restored to their former glory. In some cases, the layers of plaster have been left in place to show the history. In actual fact, the plaster layers helped to preserve the magnificent mosaics. They are breathtaking. I must admit that I was never really drawn to Byzantine art during Art 11 (!!!!!) in college. The faces seemed expressionless. But, close up, the expressions are varied and intense....the artists conveyed feelings in the eyes. I was so struck by one large wall mosaic of Mary, Jesus and John the Baptist. The face of John in particular is riveting. There is far too much information about this incredible edefice for this blog. Suffice it to say that it is truly awesome.

Marike dropped me off at the ship so that I could freshen up before the evening's activities. We sent to a large nightclub for dinner and a show....the Kervansaray. Yes, definitely touristy, it the only way to see the top belly dancers, which is what I had requested. And it did not disappoint. The food was very good...especially the meze plate (appetizers) and the eggplant puree. The local red wine was very nice. The show consisted of four belly dancers, each one exhibiting a different style, and folk dances from various regions. I was really in luck. The most famous belly dancer in Turkey was the final act. Asina. She is gorgeous and wears very very high heels, something I have not seen before. And she performed part of her dance on one leg....and another part almost on her knees. Unbelievable watching all those amazing moves - the entire torso rippling while on one leg atop 4-5 in heels. Remarkable!

I returned to the ship well after 11 pm with the rest of the tour booked to start at 8:45 am tomorrow...in time the opening of the Topkapi Palace.

Kusadasi/Ephesus

Kusadasi is a lovely resort town on the Aegean coast of Turkey, some 50 odd miles from Izmir. I had booked a private tour of Ephesus and my guide was waiting for me. Tilda, from Izmir. Extremely affable and knowledgeable. We got along like a house on fire. She whisked me off to Ephesus, about 10 miles away, hoping to see the House of Mary before the hordes arrived. Alas, half of Eastern Europe was there! According to tradition, Mary came with St. John, for protection, somewhere between 42 And 50 AD and this was her last home. Only a small part of the house would be original. What is interesting is the prayer wall where people tie prayes to the stones with pieces of ribbon or rags.....or even a scarf.

How to begin to describe the scene when we came down from the mountain!!!!! :). Ephesus spread out before me......and the cruising hordes. if Ghengis Khan had encountered them he surely would have lost!!!! Haha!! What can you do? Well, get a private guide because you can go at your own speed and sit in the shade and wait for a lull in the madness!

Seriously, Ephesus is remarkable. It dates back to pre-Ionion times of Mother Goddess worshipers. The Temple of Artemis (ca.550 BCE), she of the numerous breasts, was one of the wonders of the ancient world. By the 11th century BCE, the Ionians set up a new city which became a prosperous trade and banking center. In the cirst century AD, Ephesus was the largest city of the east after Alexandria. The city fell to various nations over the centuries, and by 133 BCE, Ephesus had become a Roman city. What is visible today are Roman ruins dating from that time to 262 AD when the Goths visited much destruction. Ephesus never recovered it's former glory and had, by the 15th century declined to the status of a village. In addition, the silting up of the river sounded the death knell to maritime commerce and the city lay in ruins under layers of earth until modern excavations and restorations.

Highlights: The Great Theatre which seated 24,000; the extraordinary Library of Celsus, the most beautiful ruin; the Agora; the Odeon; the Temple of Hadrian; the marble street with perfect drainage; the fountains, baths and he public loos, with every mod con!!!! Yes running water....clay pipes lined with lead. Of course, there are columns, statues, pediments, etc. all over the place. Excavations, many of which are sponsored by Austria, are ongoing and one can see just how extensive the city once was.

The most exciting part of the visit for me was the Terrace Houses, the excavation of which is fairly recent. One entire area has been enclosed so that reconstruction work can proceed unhampered by the elements. These were the houses of rich merchants, of varying sizes and designs, joined by common walls.....think condo townhouses!!!!..... and cascading down the hillside.

In addition to the special material which encloses the area under a soaring roof, the floors have been covered with heavy plexiglass so that one can see the restored mosaic floors without walking on them. One proceeds up and up on staircases, past each house until one is about three or four stories high. All the houses are visible and one gets a remarkable idea of the layout. At each house along the way, one can see beautiful mosaic floors, wall paintings and decorations. The working tables of the archaeologists are laid out in some of the larger rooms, but off limits, and one can see the amazing work of piecing fragments of marble or paintings together....it is a jigsaw puzzle. Remarkable work.

Athens/Corinth

Well Athens isn't burning....but there are rumors of a general strike tomorrow! In any case, I had planned to get out of town. So off I went to the Corinth Canal and ancient Corinth on the Peloponnese.

It was another gorgeous day....blue skies and hot. We drove through Piraeus and pas Athens in the distance where one could just make out the acropolis. It didn't take long to reach the canal. We stopped for a coffee and we could walk across one of the bridges and look down into the deep cut into the aquamarine water. Very impressive. We then drove to the Aegean end of the canal and embarked on a boat for our trip to the Ionian Sea.

The idea of a canal through the Isthmus dates to classical times and an abortive effort was made to build it in the 1st century AD. Construction finally got underway in 1881 but was hampered by geological and financial problems that saw the original builders going bankrupt. The idea was to save the 430 mile journey around the Peloponnese and it worked fairly well until the advent of modern ocean freighters. The canal was completed in 1893, but due to the canal's narrowness (70 ft.), navigational problems and periodic closures to repair landslips from its sheer walls, it failed to attract the level of traffic anticipated by its operators. It is now used mainly for tourist traffic. The canal is only 4 miles long and there are no locks since it was dug at sea level.

The round trip was very nice. We were 75 feet down and it was impressive to see the signs of the hand cutting. No explosives were used. In addition to the road and railway bridges, there are two narrow bridges at each end, so at sea level. I have never seen any like them anywhere. Between the banks, the roadway is lowered to the seabed...it literally disappears beneath the water, so that boats can pass. Once the boats have cleared the area, the roadway ascends until it is level with the banks. It is really spooky seeing the road disappear beneath the water.

After our little cruise,we went to a nice resort hotel on the Ionian sea and had a very nice lunch of Greek food: dolma, tzaziki, cous cous etc., all washed down with a Nice dry white wine.

Then it was off to anent Corinth. There are so many permutations of Corinth going back to the 5th millennium BCE: Bacchiadae, Tyrants, Classical, Hellenistic, Roman, Biblical (specifically Paul), Byzantine, Crusader, Ottoman.

The ruins of Ancient Corinth are spread out at the foot of the huge rock of Acrocorinth atop which is found the acropolis. Until it was eclipsed by Athens in the 5th century BCE, Corinth was the biggest and wealthiest classical Greek city-state, with two bustling ports, a famous ceramics industry and distant colonies in Syracuse in Sicily and Kerkyra on Corfu. The town was prosperous until it was razed in 146 BCE by the Roman general, Lucius Mummius. In 44 BCE, Julius Caesar rebuilt Corinth as a Roman colony. Consequently, the remaining monuments are mainly Roman; only a few are Greek. Attaining a population of 750,000 under the patronage of the emperors, the town gained a reputation for licentious living that St. Paul attacked when he came here in 52 CE. Excavations have revealed the vast extent of the city, destroyed in Byzantine times by earthquakes. The ruins constitute the largest Roman township in Greece. We wound our way through the Lechaion way with it's footpaths and gutters, past stoa, or stores, the agora, the bema or judgment seat where another Roman governor refused to pass judgment on religious matters and left Paul's fate to the people. We saw the odeion, the Temple of Apollo and the Temple of Octavia. We learned that it was here- of course - that the Corinthian column was born and we learned why the statues had removable heads.....to recycle the torsoes. Cunning people, the Corinthians!

Corfu

We arrived here at 8 am for half a day. Corfu is the northernmost and second largest of the Ionian islands. It was rued, over the centuries, by the Phoenicians, Romans, Lombards, Arabs, Normans, Sicilians, Genoa and Venice, and, for a short periods France, Russia, Turkey and Britain, ultimately becoming part of Greece in 1864. Venice ruled Corfu for 400 years and left an distinctive architectural legacy in the old town in it's tall houses and narrow streets. The French built the Liston, a beautiful 19th century arcade based on the Rue de Rivoli in Paris. The Liston looks out onto a broad marble esplanade, bordered by cafes under welcoming shade trees, and the Spianada, a lovely park which includes a cricket pitch a relic of British rule.

The Old Fort dominates a peninsula to the east. Most is derelict now, except for some army buildings, a small church and the beautiful Greek chapel of St. George, modeled on a Greek temple. Inside, it is bare except for some lovely chandeliers and many icons, mostly of St. George and the dragon. Prince Philip was christened here, as his birthplace, Mon Repos palace is nearby. The views from the old fort are spectacular, especially of the crystal clear Ionion sea.

There is also the New Fort, a 16th century Venetian structure, hi on a hill, overlooking the old town.

All of this provided a very nice morning visit...in the hot sun...90s!!! As I arrived, I witnessed some lovely Greek folk dancing. The last visit of my little tour was to St. Spiridon, an Italianate Green Orthodox church. The painted ceiling and the silver oil lamps are magnificent. What is most interesting, though, is a side room containing a silver sarcophagus in which lie the mummified remains of the saint himself, a 4th century bishop. Greece is about 90% Orthodox, of which about 60% are practicing Christians. It was, therefore, not surprising to see the locals lined up to present prayers to the saint by placing them in a receptacle at one end of the coffin. A priest presided over the gestures. At the other end of the coffin, under a glass window, the mummified head and shoulders of the saint were visible. Here, some people became very emotional, kneeling and crying, holding the sarcophagus, then kissing the glass.

Outside, another icon was the object of veneration and kissing.

After lunch, we set sail for Athens....at top speed, since it is a long run. We moved our usual venue for drinks to the Chart Room and then had an early dinner in one of the alternative restaurants - Prime where we had some excellent steaks.

Split, Croatia

Another beautiful day found us in the Dalmatian Coast port of Split in Croatia. When I was last in this area, it was part of Yugoslavia and I visited Dubrovnik and Kotor. What a lot has changed since then. Croatia has recovered from the dreadful war and has become, once again, a very popular tourist destination.

I slept in....still trying to catch up on lost sleep here and there. Took the tender ashore and wandered around Diocletian's Palace which forms the old part of town. Although there was a Roman settlement here before Diocletian, it was this emperor who decided to build his retirement home in this spot in the 4th century. The complex was inhabited by regional despots, then fell into disuse and eventually repopulated by refugees who salvaged living quarters and fought off attacks. So over the centuries, many parts of the ancient Roman palace were absorbed in all sorts of ways into a medieval town. Today, 3000 people live within the old precinct in about 250 houses of all kinds. One can see a house with Corinthian columns embedded in the walls here and there, especially along the Riva. I entered the town through one of the four gates, the Bronze gate, which took me through the vaulted halls of the original basement of the central hall of the palace. I emerged into the central square, the Peristyle with it's massive walls adorned with Corinthian columns, arches and cornices. On one side, houses, on the other the 13th to 15th century St Duje's cathedral and the Romesque bell tower. On yet another side, the Temple of Jupiter. All a delightful jumble of Roman, Medieval and modern,all connected by narrow cobblestone streets and some lovely squares with cafes.
And shops, shops, shops...of all kinds, for tourists and locals, but not spilling out into the streets at least. We tourists shopped with the locals. Rather like Carcassonne....but, thankfully, Carcassonne does have have cruise ships!!!!!!!

Met up with Ross and Jan, but quickly lost Ross and Jan and I went shoe shopping. Layne had gone off to the yacht basin to look at boats.....he's a sailor. The walking shoes I brought are killing me and my sandals are about to expire.Well, Split is shoe heaven.....shop after shop..inexpensive and on sale. We both bought sandals....and now I am comfortable.

Then, before returning to the ship, we just sat on a bench on the Riva and enjoyed the beautiful views.

Relaxed for the rest of the day, watched sailaway and then it was time for cocktails and dinner. Our first formal night and the black and white ball. I had hoped to have an early night, but we put the clocks forward!!!!

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Venice

>Jan, Layne and I went back to San Marco on a vaporetto to catch a to Murano. Ross went off to see as much of the Biennale exhibits as possible.

Murano is the island of the famous glassworks of Venice. Initially, the works were on the main islands, but the fear of fire drove the city councillors to move the glassworks to Murano. Apparently this move also helped protect the secrets of the process.

Venice no longer enjoys the monopoly on the industry and the shops are replete with Chinese imitations. However, Murano glass is still prized. We were told that Chihuly leaned his art here. Watching the process is fascinating...it all happens in the blink of an eye. This is necessary because the glass must not cool down as they work it. I kept missing the actual blowing, because I was so focused on the tools being used at the other end of the pipe. Of course, there was the obligatory walk through the showrooms....such beautiful pieces. I love the millefiori....so I treated myself to a small bowl.

After our return, via some canals through the Castello, to San Marco, we found a small cafe for a quick bite and then we headed for the gondolas. OK, OK....touristy, yes, expensive, you bet. Worthwhile, absolutely. ( Unlike Harry's Bar!! ). We went down some lovely mainly deserted canals through quiet areas, and then burst into the Grand Canal for a little while. Amazing how the various craft dodge each other. And the way the gondolieri, and others, steer around each other and around corners in the narrowest of canals and never even graze each other or the buildings. It is an art.

Back to the ship and sail away. I has an amazing view of Venice from my balcony on the port side. It is truly amazing to sail so close to the shores. I sipped my champagne and bid arrivederci to this beautiful city as we sailed out past the Lido and into the Adriatic.

We all met for cocktails in our favorite place....the Commodore Club. Then on to dinner, where we are at a table for eight. A couple from Cape Town, but originally from Pretoria, and whose daughter had one of my cousins as her third grade teacher!!!! The other couple, from the UK consists of one of the Cunard lecturers and his wife. I went to his lectures on maritime history while on the QE2 in 2008. What a small world!!! We had a lovely dinner!

A note....there won't be any photos. The Internet is just too slow for photo files. I've tried and tried. Also, the iPad has self-correcting and sometimes I don't catch some of the weird words it comes up with.

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Venice

Another glorious day. After breakfast on the rooftop terrace again, we set off to explore the shops but did not do any retail damage. At noon, we took a water taxi to the Victoria, checked in, had a bite to eat, unpacked and then I took the shuttle back to the Piazza San Marco and walked over to La Fenice, the opera house, where I had booked to see Mozart's "Don Giovanni". I was early, so I popped into the San Fantin Church across the street to see one of the Biennale exhibits. It was part of a monumental work by Ukrainian artist, Oksans Mas made of over three million painted wooden Ukrainian eggs. It represents works of the Van Eyck brothers and their depictions of the gardens of paradise. It is utterly fascinating....a blend of the old and the new, the eggs resemble pixels, each one, according to the artist, symbolizing the destiny of mankind. And.....a soundtrack of bird calls played all the while.

La Fenice is a gem! It has been rebuilt three times after fires, the last one, in 1996, was deliberately set and the perpetrators were sent to prison. The damage was exacerbated by the fact that the fire services were unable to reach the scene because nearby canals had been drained for cleaning. (cf "City of Fallen Angels", a great read"). La Fenice means "phoenix". The building is neo-classical. Inside, it is a horseshoe shape with several tiers of boxes and an orchestra section. No mezzanine or balconies. The orchestra seats are Louis XV style armchairs upholstered in pinkvelvet....and oh so comfortable! The decor is based on a 19th century style, but it is highly gilded, ornate and colorful, complete with rosy-cheeked putti. When you enter, it just tackeds your breath away.

The opera was delightful. A dark story, to be true, but such glorious music. The scenery a continually rotating series of rooms all decorated in very pale colors And illuminated by candlelight, throwing long shadows, was very unusual. The director's interpretation of both the duel between Don Juan and the Commendatore and the final scene was rather weak, but I was just thrilled to be there. There were many tourists in the audience, but mostly Venetians, who were dressed beautifully for the occasion. ( There is no doubt that the Italians have style,especially the women.). The audience was very discerning were quick to judge the performances. Don Ottavio got far more ovations than Don Juan!!!! What a thrill it was!!!!

I caught the shuttle back to the ship. It had been a long day. No doubt about it, the opera will be one of the highlights of the trip.......maybe THE highlight!

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Venice

We had breakfast on the roof terrace of the hotel....glorious views. And vivid blue clear skies after the rain cleared out the humidity. A perfect day. Ross set off for Murano and the glass factories (which I will see later in the trip) and I met my guide, Daniela. As we left the hotel, we walked straight into Jan and Layne who had just arrived by train from Milan. So now we are all here.

Daniela took me up the campanile for panoramic views of Venice. It was so clear we could see all the way to the snow-capped Dolomites. As I turned toward the east, what do I see but the Queen Victoria coming into the lagoon on a serpentine course....she passed within meters of the Piazza. What a sight!

We then set off to explore the various backs streets and campos (squares) with their wells. Santa Zacaria, Santa Maria Formosa, both in the Castello Sestière are typical of the way Venice e developed. Off the campo Santa Maria Formosa, we went to a mask factory which was fascinating. The real masks are made of papier mâché. I bought a small one to hang on the wall.

We continues toward the Rialto area, passing through part of the Cannareggio to the campo San Zanipolo, a contraction of Giovanni and Polo in local dialect. The 13th basilica of Santi Giovanni and Polo dominates the square. Then on to the 15th century church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli. Churches, basilicas and campaniles dominate the skyline; Venetians were in the habit of building them each time they escaped the plague.

We then crosses the Grand Canal on the Rialto Bridge, which is lined with tourist shops and, unfortunately, marred with graffiti. Watching the bustle of the water traffic in every direction and made up of every sort of boat was fascinating. We walked along the riva to have a close look at some of the extraordinary palazzos, notably the Ca' D'Oro, so-called because it's carvings were once gilded. It is considered the quintessential example of Venetian Gothic architecture. There are, however, many other beautiful palazzos along the Grand Canal.

We arrived at the Rialto market just before it closed. What a visual delight....all the fruit and vegetables, all labeled with their origin. And the fish market, in the Campo della Pescaria, with piles of squid, cuttlefish, octopus, all kinds of shrimp, crab, branzini, sardines.....and on and yummy on.

For lunch, Daniela chose a traditional Venetian restaurant where I could eat cuttlefish in its own ink. Sepia in tecia. Eat your heart out, Montalbano! Served with polenta, it was delicious. I had a glass of Prosecco, the regional specialty, and some "S" cookies, so called after the shape of the Grand Canal.

After lunch, we crossed the Rialto Bridge again and made our way back to San Marco. We stopped at La Fenice the house but could not visit because rehearsal was in progress. "Of what?", I asked. "Don Giovanni". Well, I bought a ticket then and there for the next night.

We devoted the rest of the afternoon to the Doges Palace, the 15th to 16th century Byzantine/Gothic/Renaissance building on the piazza San Marco, which housed various offices. There is very little in the way of furniture in the palace because each doge had to bring his own furniture which was returned to his family upon his death. The various chambers are filled with extraordinary paintings and frescoes, mainly Tintoretto and Veronese, but two beautiful Titians also. And gold, gold, gold!!! The doges loved gold and dressed in gold. All the paintings were framed in ornate gilt frames.

We visited the prisons and crossed the Bridge of Sighs, of course. From the outside, only part of the bridge is visible, since restoration work is In progress....a never-ending process here. I bid Daniela goodbye after 8 wonderful hours in La Serenissima drinking in the glorious sights and the history of this amazing city. There is so much more to tell, but not here!

We all met in the bar at the Daniele, then proceeded to Harrys Bar for more for more drinks. My Bellini was served in a oversize shot glass. What a rip-off! Four drinks......100 €. Another drink episode for a good laugh!!! Yes, we knew it was touristy, but we had to find out!!!! I must say, though, they pour some pretty strong drinks. A vodka on the rocks turned out to be a triple.

After a lovely dinner of gnocchi with prawns and mushrooms, it was time for bed!

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Venice

Arrived in Venice after a stop-over in London. Beautiful views from the plane of the Veneto region all the way to the Dolomites. Runway starts practically in the lagoon so one gets a good feeling for the lay of the land....or the islands!!

The taxi "stands"...slips?....are a few minutes from the terminal. A heady ride of about ten minutes in the water taxi, as the various islands that are Venice hove into view. It is all about water!! A quick turn right down a narrow canal and we burst into the lagoon in front of Piazza San Marco abustle with tourists....and, most unfortunately, several buildings draped in scaffolding. Ah well! Then a right turn down a narrow canal to the side entrance of the Hotel Danieli. Not easy getting on and off the boats! But getting there was certainly half the fun. The main part of the hotel is a 14th century doge's palace. My room is in the 19th century wing. It is beautiful and comfortable. And awash in US and European military personnel here for a conference. 5-star hotel! Our tax dollars at work.!!!!!!

I changed and set off for the Piazza San Marco, just two canals away. It had rained earlier and there had even been some aqua alta which had left some water in front of the basilica. The guards had their wellies on and we had to use the raised wooden walkways to enter. Just like Brunetti! Before I visited the basilica, I needed a bite to eat...it was 3pm by now, so I headed for the old Caffé Florian right on the square for a quick bite. A quick bite that cost 30 euros which included a 6 euro music charge!!!! Well, you don't go to these places for the food, but for the spectacle which unfolds all around you. "The finest drawing room in Europe", according to Napoleon.

Feeling somewhat refreshed, I visited the basilica, which is a Byzantine delight of mosaic work....every wall, dome and ceiling....all covered in mosaics, much of it gilt. It is an extraordinary building. Built from the 11th to the 13th century, it's history is fascinating and far too long to recount here. Every dome depicts a different Biblical story. I climbed up to the gallery overlooking the square, where there are replicas of four equestrian statues, the originals of which are in the museum, behind the gallery. And they are stunning....gilded bronze from the 4th. century B.C., either Greek or Roman booty. From the gallery there is a magnificent close-up view of the ceilings. I also took a detour to see the Pala d'Oro, a 10th century altarpiece of gold and jewels inscribed with stories from the Gospels and the Apocrypha.

There wasn't time to do much more other than admire the campanile, the clock tower and the Procuraties Nuovo and Vecchie. Ross and I were to meet for drinks and dinner at 6, but his plane had to turn back an hour out of Dubai and make an emergency landing. So he did not arrive until 8:30. We had a quick drink and then I called it a night...I was exhausted.

Venice to Rome via Greek Isles and Ancient Wonders

September 18th to October 3rd. Queen Victoria. Stay tuned!

Arles

One of my favorite towns, Arles is located south o the point where the Rhône divides into the Grand Rhône and the Petit Rhône. The two arms enclose the Camargue, a region of marshlands, white horses, bulls and cowboys or gardians extending to the Mediterranean. Arles has impressive Roman remains – the Arènes and the theatre which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Constantine’s baths. We are berthed under the remains of a Roman bridge – two double towers on either bank, topped with lions, and two supports in the river. It is, of course Vincent’s town, as the French call the Dutch post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh, who lived here in 1888-1889 and produced over 300 paintings and drawings during his time here.

The Arènes are used for festivals, concerts and bullfights, the Provençal style where the bull is not killed – men try to remove ribbons from the bull’s horns and the bull is hero – and the Spanish style, using Spanish bulls, where the bull is killed and the matador is hero. The Theatre is used for plays and one opera a year, Gounod’s “Mireille” Arles also elects a Queen of Arles.

The “Espace Van Gogh” is the old “Hôtel Dieu” or hospital where van Gogh spent 15 months after the “ear” incident with Gauguin. It is now a cultural center and is easily recognizable from his painting of the courtyard. The Café van Gogh on the Place du Forum is the one depicted in “Night Café in Arles”. On the other hand, the “Yellow House” has been demolished.

The Town Hall Square is a complex of Provençal architecture including the fountain with its Roman obelisk, the Romanesque St. Trophime Church and the City Hall itself which contains a copy of the Venus of Arles (the original is in the Louvre).

The streets are a delight of color and style – a medieval wall here, a Renaissance statue there. A charming place to stroll and faire de la lèche vitrine (window licking!!!!)

The Ligurians were in this area from about 800 BC. Later Celtic influences have been discovered. The city became an important The Romans took the town in 123 BC and expanded it into an important city, with a canal link to the Mediterranean Sea being constructed in 104 BC. However, it struggled to escape the shadow of Massalia (Marseilles) further along the coast. Its chance came when it sided with Julius Caesar against Pompey, providing military support. Massalia backed Pompey; when Caesar emerged victorious, Massalia was stripped of its possessions, which were transferred to Arelate as a reward. Arelate was a city of considerable importance in the province of Gallia Narbonensis. Ancient Arles was closer to the sea than it is now and served as a major port. It also had (and still has) the southernmost bridge on the Rhone. The city reached a peak of influence during the 4th and 5th centuries, when Roman Emperors frequently used it as their headquarters during military campaigns. In 395 it became the seat of the Praetorian Prefecture of the Gauls, governing the western part of the Western Empire: Gaul proper plus Hispania (Spain) and Armorica (Brittany). Arles became a favorite city of Emperor Constantine I, who built baths there, substantial remains of which are still standing. His son, Constantine II, was born in Arles. Usurper Constantine III declared himself emperor in the West (407–411) and made Arles his capital in 408.

Arles became renowned as a cultural and religious centre during the late Roman Empire and a Christian community was present as of the 4th century.

Arles was badly affected by the invasion of Provence by the Muslim Saracens and the Franks, who took control of the region in the 8th century. In 855 it was made the capital of a Frankish Kingdom of Arles, which included Burgundy and part of Provence. In 933, Hugh of Arles ("Hugues de Provence") gave his kingdom up to Rudolph II, who merged the two kingdoms into a new Kingdom of Arles. Most of the territory of the Kingdom was progressively incorporated into France. During these troubled times, the amphitheatre was converted into a fortress, with watchtowers built at each of the four quadrants and a minuscule walled town being constructed within. The population was by now only a fraction of what it had been in Roman times, with much of old Arles lying in ruins. The town regained political and economic prominence in the 12th century, with the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa traveling there in 1178 for his coronation. In the 12th century, it became a free city governed by an elected podestat (chief magistrate; literally "power"), who appointed the consuls and other magistrates. It retained this status until the F Arles joined the countship of Provence in 1239 but suffered its prominence being eclipsed once more by Marseilles. In 1378, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV ceded the remnants of the Kingdom of Arles to the Dauphin of France (later King Charles VI of France) and the Kingdom ceased to exist even on paper.

Arles remained economically important for many years as a major port on the Rhône. The arrival of the railway in the 19th century eventually killed off much of the river trade, leading to the town becoming something of a backwater.

This is my last post. I am busy packing and will have to leave very early tomorrow morning to get the train for Paris and then transfer to the Eurostar for London. I am meeting relatives for dinner tomorrow night and breakfast on Monday. Then I’ll be homeward bound. Looking forward to seeing you all and cuddling my Bau!!!!! Au revoir from France.

Avignon

We arrived here last night in a rain shower. The temperature has dropped and, for the first time, there are clouds in the sky. Connie and are hunkered down watching the royal wedding. We’ll go out and explore Avignon this afternoon. Can’t miss a royal wedding. Hope you are all enjoying it too.

I actually photographed most of the wedding from the TV – photos are pretty good. We just loved it all. The dress was gorgeous and the service simple. I think they did a great job….and the Abbey is so much nicer than St. Paul’s. We ate our sandwiches in the room and had a carafe of white wine to drink a toast.

Then off we went to do our own walking tour of Avignon. The sky cleared and it is as warm as ever.

The site of Avignon was settled very early on; the rocky outcrop (le Rocher les Doms) at the north end of the town, overlooking the Rhône River, may have been the site of a Celtic oppidum or hill fort.
Avignon, written as Avennio or Avenio in the ancient texts and inscriptions, takes its name from the Avennius clan. Founded by the Gallic tribe of the Cavares or Cavari, it became the centre of an important Phocaean colony from Massilia (present Marseilles).
Under the Romans, Avenio was a flourishing city of Gallia Narbonensis, the first Transalpine province of the Roman Empire, but very little from this period remains (a few fragments of the forum near Rue Molière).
During the inroads of the Goths, it was badly damaged in the fifth century and belonged in turn to the Goths, the kingdoms of Burgundy and of Arles, in the 12th Century. it fell into the hands of the Saracens and was destroyed in 737 by the Franks under Charles Martel for having sided with the Arabs against him. In 1033, Avignon passed to the Holy Roman Empire. With the German rulers at a distance, Avignon set up as a republic with a consular form of government, between 1135 and 1146.
At the end of the twelfth century, Avignon declared itself an independent republic, but was was crushed in 1226 during the crusade against the Albigenses (the dualist Cathar heresy centered in neighboring Albi). After the citizens refused to open the gates of Avignon to King Louis VIII of France and the papal Legate, a three month siege ensued, ending in capitulation by Avignon on 13 September 1226. Following the defeat, they were forced to pull down the ramparts and fill up the moat of the city.
In the 13th century, Avignon passed to the counts Charles of Anjou and Alphonse de Poitiers, brothers of French king Saint Louis IX. In 1271, Avignon and the surrounding countship Comtat-Venaissin were united with the French crown. In 1274, the Comtat became a possession of the popes, with Avignon itself, self-governing, under the overlordship of the Angevin count of Provence (who was also king of "Sicily" [i.e., Naples]). The popes were allowed by the count of Provence (a papal vassal) to settle in Avignon in the early 14th century. The Black Death appeared at Avignon in 1348; killing almost two-thirds of the city's population.
In 1309 the city, still part of the Kingdom of Arles, was chosen by Pope Clement V as his residence, and from 1309 until 1377 was the seat of the Papacy instead of Rome. This caused a schism in the Catholic Church. The popes bought Avignon from the Angevin ruler for 80,000 florins in 1348. From then on until the French Revolution, Avignon and the Comtat were papal possessions, first under the schismatic popes of the Great Schism, then under the popes of Rome ruling via legates and vice-legates. In 1378, Gregory XI moved the papal residence back to Rome, but due to a dispute over the election after his death, a faction of cardinals set up an “anti-pope back in Avignong. This new schism finally ended in 1417. During this period, Avignon became a flourishing cengter of art, under the influence of Italian artists who worked for the popes. Avignon belonged to the Papacy until 1791, when it was reincorporated with France.

The period from 1309–1377 — the Avignon Papacy — was also called the Babylonian Captivity of exile, in reference to the Israelites' enslavement in biblical times.
The walls that were built by the popes in the years immediately after the acquisition of Avignon as papal territory are well preserved. As they were not particularly strong fortifications, the Popes relied instead on the immensely strong fortifications of their palace, the "Palais des Papes". This immense Gothic building, with walls 17–18 feet thick, was built 1335–1364 on a natural spur of rock, rendering it all but impregnable to attack. The building is enormous and dominates the Place du Palais. It is a magnificent example of Gothic architecture, but has been enlarged over the years and is a complex of buildings. Most of the rooms are bare, having been looted over the years. It had been, in the 14th century, a center of luxury and vice. I visited the palace years ago and did not want to go in again – once you are inside, the doors close behind you and there isonly one way out – by going through the entire complex. The old town is surrounded by a three-mile long wall fortified with 39 towers and 8 gates. The walls were built from 1350 to 1368 and restored in the 19th century. We climbed the Rocher des Doms in a beautiful park and found magnificent views of the Rhône, Villeneuve-lez-Avignon and its castle across the river, and the Pont St. Bénézet – the bridge of the children’s song: “Sur le Pont d’Avignon”. In actual fact, people danced “sous” (under) the bridge and not “sur” (on) the bridge. But, over the years, “sous” became “sur”. It was built in the 12th century and was partly washed away by a flood in the 17th century. The Rhône is known for terrible flooding – it was not completely tamed with locks and canalization until fairly recently. It can be a wild and dangerous river.
We then descended from the heights into the Place de l’Horloge, bordered by plane trees, the Hôtel de Ville, the Opéra Theatre and classic mansions. We had a coffee in one of the many open-air cafés and watched the children on the merry-go-round. On the way up to the Rocher des Doms, we were “treated” to rap music, skate-boarders and wannabee break dancers. Youth is the same the world over.
Then it was back to the ship for the captain’s farewell dinner. Another wonderful evening, with champagne to start and a delicious meal which included foie gras!! A local entertainer played ABBA and Lady Gaga and Village People and we all danced ourselves silly.

And now for the cheeses I have eaten over the past 14 days:

Camembert, Pont l’Evêque, Comtat, Bleu d’Auvergne, Cabecou, Comté, Crottin de Chavignol, Morbier, Reblochon, Epoisses, Cantal, Chaource, Livarot, and others Iève forgotten – cheese after lunch and cheese after dinner. How will I survive at home?

Viviers

This morning we are in Viviers and we can see the magnificent church high on the hill. As a point of interest, we always dock upriver and then the boat turns around when we leave to go downriver. Founded in the 5th century in a sheltered canyon, Viviers was called Vivarium by the Romans, a food and supply area…hence the name. Then it was part of the Holy Roman Empire in the 2th and 13th century. In 1307 it was united with the kingdom of France. We walked down the 100-year old alley of Plane trees. The original trees were planted by Napoleon as shade for his troops. On the winding way up to the fortifications and cathedral, we passed houses from all centuries and reflecting all periods. The town is shabby in many areas, as there is little work in the area. Many homes are for sale and restoration work on Renaissance buildings has come to a halt. The government is trying to tempt people from Paris and Lyon, which are overcrowded, and will need to tempt industry and commerce in order to do this. The TGV allows people to live farther and farther from the big cities.

The views from the cathedral square are just spectacular – over the Rhône valley on one side and all the red tiled rooftops of the town – a jumble of all sizes and shapes, all connected to each other at all angles – and the enormous statues of the Virgin on one hill and St. Michael on the other.

We went into the old Cathedral of St. Vincent, a Romanesque construction started in the 12th century. During the religious wars, the roof of the nave was destroyed. The current nave was created in the 18h century. The paintings and tapestries are very beautiful. The vaults of the flamboyant Gothic choir are truly amazing.

We were treated to a wonderful organ concert by ValérY Imberon (Yes, there is a story behind the capital Y). He played pieces by Clérambault, Couperin and Lefébure-Wély. And for an encore – th, bordered by cedars of Lebanon, through the wonderful town…past tiny Medieval alleys whose buildings are held up by very old arches; roses spilling from balconies; crumbling Renaissance façades, towers, turres, tiny statues in unexpected places.

During the afternoon, we chose to cruise rather than go to a truffle farm and taste Châteauneuf du Pape, which I know and love! It was a gorgeous afternoon – we went through all sorts of locks, the deepest of which is 75 ft. deep. We passed the largest nuclear plant in Europe, next to which is a hydroelectric dam and a wind farm. Talk about alternative forms of energy. 80% of France’s electricity comes from nuclear power. We passed Montélimar, home of nougat and the Gorges de l'Ardèche with some amazing arêtes on the mountains. Here and there, we could see ruined castles and picturesque villages. We stopped at Châteauneuf du Pape to pick up the excursion-ers....beautiful castle on the hill.

In the evening, we were invited by Canadian friends to join their table of 10 to celebrate their 43rd wedding anniversary. The ship provided champagne. We felt very honored and it was a delightful evening. The dinner was the Provençale dinner. (All along, we have had regional dinners.) Pissaladière; garlic soup, mullet in bouillabaisse sauce with rouille….and more cheeses! Just magical…there's that word again.

Tournon, Tain l'Hermitage

We awoke at berth in the little town of Tain l’Hermitage. On the opposite bank, we could see Tournon and its wonderful castle from our cabin. Both towns date from the Middle Ages. Tain is at the foot of the Hermitage Hills, on the left bank of the Rhône, where the Hermitage vineyards are located. The red wine is made fro the Syrah grape and the white from the Roussanne and Marsanne grapes. The St. Joseph vineyards are located up steep hills on the right bank, north and south of Tournon. Between 1956 and 1969, all the vineyards of this part of the Côtes du Rhône were awarded local AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée). As some of you know, these are some of my favorite red wines.

We set off after breakfast and crossed the wooden-paved, twisted cable suspension bridge, buildt by Marc Seguin in 1849 and visited Tournon, one of France’s oldest cities. The feudal castle, dating back to the 10th century, overlooks the river and the houses. One of France’s oldest lycées, the Gabriel Faure, founded in the 16t century is located here. Tournon is a pretty little town with tree-lined promenades – pollarded horse chestnuts and plane trees. Adjacent to the castle is the Collégiale St. Julien with a square bell tower and an elaborate Italianate façade. Inside, in the narthex, the walls still bear the original painted walls, ceilings and pillars….to remind us that all Medieval churches were once painted inside, top to bottom.

Then, we crossed the river to Tain and went to the Cellar Chapoutier whose name is written large on the adjacent hillside. We tasted three wines: A Croze L’Hermitage Petite Ruche white 2010, the same, but a 2009 red and then 2009 Deschants Saint-Joseph from the Ardèche side of the river.

I almost forgot that there is a very famous factory in Tain – the Valrhona chocolate factory. We get Valrhona choccies on our pillows every night and the ship’s boutique sells them.

This evening, we had our Epicurean Dinner. We started in the lounge with a special apéritif, Crémant de Bretagne with the peach liqueur we drank two days ago….both from the same vineyards. Then down to the dining room where we were served blond foie gras as an amuse-bouche, then truffle-filled mini ravioli in truffle oil sauce, next cream of celery soup, then we had a choice of fish or veal – I had the veal, a veal medaillon with veal kidneys; then dessert a Napolean garnished with strawberries, and finally the cheeses! I have eaten so many cheeses on this trip – all local. And to accompany all these dishes wonderful Côte du Rhône wines, white and red and dessert wines.

I almost forgot to mention that les Amis de l'Orgue et du Carillon of the little church in Tain rang the bells for us as we left.

Lyon

When we awoke, we had descended the Saône around the point of the presqu’île formed by the confluence of the two rivers, and gone upriver on the Rhône and docked in Lyon.

It was very windy and hence a bit cooler. The Mistral, the famed Provençal wind was blowing….and keeping the rain away! Still, the skies were as blue as ever and the sun was warm.

Lyon is the second largest industrial and commercial city in France, located at the confluence of the mighty Rhône and its main tributary, the Saône. Lyon has long been the principal center of the French textile industry, specifically the production of silk, dating back to the 15th century; the chemical industry; and metallurgy. Many famous people were born here: Rabelais, Ampère, St. Exupéry, Jacquard, the Montgolfier brothers and the Lumière brothers. Lyon is still the world’s leading center for textile design.

Julius Caesar founded the city in 44BC as Lugdunum and there is a wealth of roman antiquities here. Lugdunum was the commercial and military capital of Gaul. This entire area and that to the south is replete with Roman or Gallo-Roman influences. Lyon also has most well-preserved Renaissance buildings after Venice. Much of Lyon dates to the 19th century. The mix of architecture makes it one of the most beautiful cities.

And then there is the cuisine – Lyon is the gastronomical center of France. It makes sense since the city is in the middle of the country, able to draw on so many different culinary traditions: Burgundy, Ardèche, Alpes, Provence.

Our tour took us through the very old parts of the city on the west bank of the Saône, past the Roman theatres, built in 15BC – the Grand Theatre is the oldest in France and can seat 30,000 spectagtors - and to the top of the Fourvières Hill, dominated by Notre Dame de Fourvière, Lyon’s counterpart to the Sacré Coeur in Paris. Both churches are white basilicas, built after the Franco-Prussian War to thank the Virgin Mary for having spared the cities from les Huns our les Boches. In both cases, the work was paid for by donations from the people. Lyon’s basilica is a gaudy mock-Baroque creation. Yikes!!! A riot of turrets and crenellations outside, marble and mosaics of all colors inside. Not at all to my liking….and I don’t like the Sacré Coeur either!!! But the views over Lyon from the top are stunning: The Croix Rousse area of the silk workers; the Quartier St. Jean and the Quartier St. George …..he two rivers merging, the red-tiled roofs…all of Lyon at our feet.

We had a lovely walking tour through the oldest part of town, the St. Jean district, and we went from street to street through the traboules, something typically Lyonnais. They are literally tunnels that link streets, but inside there are houses on courtyards with access to light. People still live there. It is very hard to explain. You could walk right past the big wooden door and not know that there is a traboule there. They were also used by the Résistance during WWII. Lyon was the center of the Résistance. It is here that Jean Moulin was tortured and sent to a camp where he died….and where 20 odd years ago the “butcher of Lyon”, Klaus Barbie was brought to justice, after he was discovered in South America. France no longer has the death penalty so he was sentenced to life.

We stopped to admire a trompe l’oeil painting on the side of a building….exactly the same type as the one in Québec (and painted by the same group). It depicts various floors with windows; at each window is a famous Lyonnais. These paintings are really wonderful.

Next stop, Place Bellecour located on the presqu’île. The largest square in Europe, it is bordered by majestic 19th century buildings. An equestrian statue of Louis XIV stands in the center.

In the afternoon, there was a lecture on silk painting and weaving. I forgot to mention earlier that we have had lectures on Impressionism; river boats and life – the ships, the lock system in France etc.; current French life, politics etc.

Beaune, Tournus and countryside

This morning, we left early for our visit to Beaune and its famous hospices.

Beaune is the wine capital of Burgundy and one of the key wine centers in France. Indeed the annual wine auction of the Hospices de Beaune is the primary wine auction in France. Beaune is surrounded by some of the world's most famous wine villages…Puligny Montrachet, Volnay, Pommard, Chassagne Montrachet, Meursault, for example. It is situated on the route des Grands Crus tourist route among the vineyards. The road runs north from Beaune to Gevrey Chambertin and Nuits-Saint-Georges and south to Nolay, Saisy and Autun.

Beaune is an ancient and historic town on the plain, by the hills of the Côte d'Or. There are features from pre-Roman and Roman times, from the Antiquity, medieval, renaissance and modern times. It is a walled city; about half of the 15th century battlements, ramparts, and the moat, remain in good condition. The central "old town" is extensive. Historically Beaune was the seat of the powerful Dukes of Burgundy until the 16th century when it became part of France.

The most famous landmark in Beaune is the Hospices de Beaune or the Hôtel Dieu. Founded in 1442 by Nicolas Rolin, chancellor of the Duke of Burgundy, and his wife, Guigogne, the Hospices are a medieval jewel. The superb geometric multi-colored tiled roofs are extraordinary. The buildings are arranged around a central courtyard, flanked by a wooden gallery, above which rise high dormer windows topped by weather vanes. The courtyard well is Gothic ironwork.

Rolin had made a small fortune….er, well, by cooking the books most likely. He needed to find a way to ensure his place in heaven after so much sinning!!!! After the Hundred Years’ War, many of Beaune’s inhabitants suffered the effects of poverty and famine. So he and his wife founded the hospice in 1443. The architecture was inspired by Northern French hospitals. The Rolins provided an annual grant, and vines and salt works for income. The hospice was not a hospital for the sick; it was a refuge for the poor. It remained one until 1959! Now the entire building is a museum, but there is still an old-age home on the premises.

The ground floor houses the Great Hall of the Poor (Pôvres in medieval French). It is stunning: 28 four-poster beds, 14 down each side, under a painted, carved roof. Often, each double bed was used by two or more people at a time. Each bed has red curtains and a red blanket, so you can imagine the effect! The linens are both generous and substantial. A corridor running behind each row of beds contains chests, one per bed, against the outer wall, for belongings. Each bed has a small table and chair. Meals were served by the nuns from central tables. The nuns' dormitories were on the upper floor; small windows in the corners of the great hall allowed the nuns to check on the inhabitants, mainly to ensure no mixing of the sexes!!! The rooms are replete with medieval paintings and hangings and a recurring theme in tiles and tapestries of the entwined letters N and G and the world “Seulle” (referring to Rolins’s wife as his “one and only”). There is a priceless polyptych of the Last Judgment by Rogier van der Weyden from the 15th century. Traditionally, as with the van Eyck altarpiece in Ghent, the polptych was opened and closed so that both sides could be seen. In the 19th century, this one was cut in half so that the inner and outer panels could be seen at the same time.

The kitchens are beautifully preserved with a dual-hearth Gothic fireplace and a 17th century mechanical spit, turned by a wooden “robot”. We also visited the Pharmacy, lined with wooden shelves displaying beautiful porcelain pots containing all sorts of unusual potions such as woodlouse powder, shrimps’ eyes and vomit nut powder. The best one of all was Theriaca, which cured all ills – opium!!!!!

The entire hospice is filled with beautiful stained glass windows, statues, tapestries, wooden chests, candelabras – a medieval feast for the eyes.

Beaune is renowned for its annual charity auction in November – Les Trois Glorieuses – three days during which there is the banquet of the Chevaliers du Tastevin at the Clos Vougeot and an auction of wine from vineyards owned by nearby hospitals
After our visit, we stopped at a cave and had a glass of Puligny Montrachet and sat outside staring longingly at the pâtisserie opposite……and NOT going in!

After lunch on the ship, I set off on an optional excursion (Connie was still not quite herself) to Tournus where we visited the church of St Philibert (early 11th century), once belonging to the Benedictine abbey of Tournus, suppressed in 1785. The architecture is in Burgundian Romanesque style which was influenced by Lombardian stonecutters. The façade lacks one of the two flanking towers originally designed for it. The nave is roofed with barrel vaulting, supported on tall cylindrical columns. The style is simple – the pillars are rough cut and the capitals off center. I love the early Medieval architecture and it is all the more fascinating as I get deeper into “The Pillars of the Earth”.

The drive through the Burgundian hills was breathtaking: more Charolais with newborns; horses and tiny colts; forests, meadows, castles, manoirs. In the tiny hamlet of Chapaize we visited the 11th Romanesque church built in the Lombard style. The church is surrounded by stone-built houses with the typical covered galleries of this region and a 16th century watch tower. We passed through Cluny, whose Benedictine abbey had once been the most prestigious monastery in Europe. Only a small part remains since the abbey was sacked during the French Revolution. We passed through Taizé, an evangelical center and Milly-Lamartine, the birthplace of the great romantic poet and député, Alphonse de Lamatine.

Our final destination was the Château de Pierreclos deep in Chardonnay country. A wonderful 11th castle surrounded by horse chestnuts and a magnificent view of the countryside. We visited the kitchens and bakery and then descended deep into the very cool “cave” and sat on stools amid the barrels. We tasted the following wines and liqueurs:

Macon 2009
Saint-Véran 2008
Pouilly-Fuissé 2009
Pinot Noir 2009
Crème de Pêche de Vigne and Crème de Cassis.

The tasting was excellent and very informative. My favorite was, of course, the Pouilly-Fuissé!

Then it was back to Macon where the boat was waiting for us. We had just enough time to change for the Captain’s reception and gala dinner. These gala dinners consist of the following: an amuse-bouche, a starter, a soup, a fish course, a main dish, a trou normand, cheeses and dessert. Formal service! Our new captain is only 28!!! Emmanuelle calls him “the baby”. Everyone is just as nice as on the Baroness.

I have neglected to mention all the famous people born in all the places we visited: Balzac, Maupassant, Greuze...there are just too many, naturellement!

Chalon sur Saône

We drove down the N6 from Paris to Chalon with a nice rest stop. After Auxerre, we started to see the Burgundy countryside. Fields of various crops gave way to rolling hills, pasture land with the white Charolais cows (for beef, not dairy) and then hillsides of vineyards, dotted with lovely old villages. We passed some of the most famous Burgundy vineyards in the Côtes de Beaune and the Cotes Chalonnais: Puligny, Meursault, Chablis, Pommard, Volnay…….this is wine-lover’s heaven.

We arrived in Chalon and embarked on the River Royale in time for lunch. This boat is larger and our cabin is significantly larger and very nicely appointed. The décor is traditional but the decorator has not been heavy-handed…much nicer on the eyes. I wish I could upload photos, but just cannot. Since the same thing happened on Cunard in January, I think that maybe these two companies have poor satellite providers.

After lunch, I walked around the town. It was empty and very quiet, since it is Easter Sunday and Easter holiday for the children, so many families are away on holiday. Chalon-sur-Saône lies in the south of the Burgundy region of France. It was historically a busy port for transporting wine, timber and other goods. Today, it is more of an industrial town with many glass factories – for the wine industry of course. St. Vincent's Cathedral on the Place Saint-Vincent, has some elements dating from the eighth century and a neoclassical nineteenth century façade. There are some old half-timbered houses in this area. The statue of Chalon’s famous son, Nicéphore Niepce, the inventor of photography, stands along the riverside.

This city square also has a number of cafés and a busy market on Fridays and Sundays. I happened onto Town Hall Square where 17th century church of St. Pierre stands. The doors were open and so I climbed the stone steps and ventured in. I thought it would be nice to light a candle on Easter Sunday. I was sitting in a chair, just contemplating, when three girls came in. They asked me if it would bother me if they sang. I said, of course not. They positioned themselves under the dome and treated me to a glorious a cappella rendition of “Gracious Lord”. How is that for serendipity!!! I talked with them and found out that they were students at the local conservatory and they just loved to sing. I told them that their song in the church was a better present than chocolate…….which, by the way, here, are delivered by bells, not bunnies!

Paris

A bit about the ship. The River Baroness is very nice, very elegant, apparently the owner’s wife got involved with the latest – 2 weeks ago – refitting. Er um, how shall I describe her taste: the Hapsburg Archduchess of Castle Niersteindomtalkielwasser von und zu meets Leona Helmsley. But seriously, it is very comfortable, but the décor is a bit over the top. The cabins are, as I said, compact, but we manage. Everything is brand new; the boat has just been refitted and the carpets on the sundeck have not yet been fitted. The bed linens are beautiful quality and the towels are the fluffiest I have seen – only problem is that there is very little space for them to be hung. Shower is larger and nicer than on Cunard – it has two doors, so you can’t fall out! Hahahaha. The service is impeccable. As for the food, it is wonderful. The best I’ve experienced so far. The chefs are very clever. The selection of cheeses is endless. We have not had the same kind of dinner rolls twice; we’ve had different wines every night (included in the cost). The cruise director is my best friend and is going with us on the Rhone! The excursions are wonderful, both the ones that are included and the optional ones. Uniworld has its own buses and drivers – exceptional. And the local guides everywhere – just wonderful. I cannot say enough good things about this line.

Now for Paris. Connie and I took off on our own and headed straight for the Sainte Chapelle which Connie had not seen. For me, it is the most beautiful gothic church in the world – it is breathtaking – red, gold, green, blue statues, ceiling, tiles, frescoes, enamels, arches; the tallest stained glass windows with blue dominating; the rose window has more green than any other rose window I have seen. Built in the 13th century for Louis VII or Saint Louis as a chapel for him (upstairs) and his servants (ground floor) when the royal residence was next door at the Conciergerie. It is an example of gothique flamboyant! It was wonderful to see it again. Then we crossed the Seine over the Pont Neuf and walked the quais – flower stalls, pet stores – ending near the Forum des Halles where we had lunch at the Pied de Cochon where Connie had bee so many times over 45 years ago when the area was still les Halles – the wholesale markets of Paris, which were moved around 1970 to Rungis near Orly airport. The new Forum de Halles is a semi-underground Mall. I think it’s very ugly. It was highly criticized when it was built and they are currently renovating it for the second time. The Pied de Cochon is now an elegant restaurant – but the original zinc bar is still there. Connie had their famous onion soup, which was about all you could there, in addition to alcoholic beverages when it was surrounded by markets, and I had plump juicy escargots. Connie had the escargots as a main and I had stuffed pig’s feet. Yum! At the next table, there was an adorable little girl and her mother and we struck up a conversation. She is 4 years old and she sang for us an English song she had learned in school – “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”. And then we sang “Au Clair de la Lune”. This serendipitous encounter just made the day for us. We parted the best of friends and she kissed us!!!! Just delightful.

After lunch, we walked to the Palais Royal, only to find it was draped in scaffolding cloth, as are so many buildings in the spring. It was very, very warm today, so we called it a day and took a taxi back to the boat.

We’ve had a lot of sick people – probably 75% which would be about 70 people. 24-28 hr. bug it seems, but they are dropping like flies. The ship has been taking all sorts of precautions. Connie and I are trying very hard to pickle ourselves in alcohol so the bug won’t get us! Hahahahahah. One poor gentleman is still in hospital in LeHavre!

Oops! Connie became ill just after dinner tonight. Poor thing...I hope she'll recover in 24 hrs. I the meantime, it's flat coke for her!

Giverny

The boat docked at Vernon, a pretty little town on the river and we took a very short bus ride to Giverny. A walk through a winding tunnel under the main road brought us to Monet’s water garden through which flows a diversion of the river Epte, said diversion created by Monet.

How do I begin to describe the water garden! It is breathtaking. A winding path, bordered by all sorts of plants and trees takes you to the famous lily pond. The nympheas were not in bloom of course, but the pads were there and one could easily recognize them from Monet’s paintings. The weeping willows bent down to the water; the Japanese bridge gleaned green under a canopy of wisteria. Yellow Viburnums; pink dogwoods; bronze Japanese maples,; tulips and pansies of all colors; pink, purple, white, orange, yellow azaleas; perennials of all types; trellised roses ready to bloom, peonies about to burst; clematis……..all absolutely breathtaking. A shrine to impressionism!

We then went under another road into the main gardens in front of Monet’s house. The gardens are laid out in long rows in front of the house. The garden is bordered by trellised roses. Beds of tulips of all colors, pansies of all colors, blue myosotis, white, pink and lavender phlox, deep purple hyacinths, blue centaurea, blue Siberian iris, purple bearded iris (though only a few were in bloom), yellow yarrow and alyssum….and many, many more.

We visited Monet’s house, which he finally bought after renting it for so many years. Every room is painted in a different pastel: greens, blues, yellows. The dining room was stunning in yellow, as was the kitchen with blue and white tiles. I could have moved right into this house! Monet had an amazing collection of Japanese prints, one of the largest in private hands – over 300. Every wall was filled with them.

Monet first discovered Giverny when he saw it in 1883 from a train (yay for the railroads!) and the little town has remained unchanged since then. Monet lived here until his death in 1926. The property was bequeathed to the Académie de Beaux-Arts by Monet’s son Claude. Monet originally bought the “Press House” with an orchard, known as the Clos Normand which he changed into a garden of flowers. Then he began to limit himself to painting his water garden.

I must say that, despite all the beauty of the more formal gardens and the house, the water garden is the most spectacular. I could have spent hours and hours there, watching the light change the reflections in the pond. One could easily understand what was going through Monet’s mind.

In the afternoon, we sailed to Mantes la Jolie. The group going to Versailles left us there and we sailed on to Conflans Ste. Honorine, where we picked up the Versailles crowd. Conflans is pretty little town, where the Oise and the Seine meet, with a church whose roof is made of Burgundy-style colored tiles, such as we will see in Beaune. That evening we had the captain's farewell reception and dinner.

We passed through 6 sets of locks going down and coming back up the Seine. Not quite the Panama Canal, but interesting when we were awake....I slept through a lot of them.

Etretat, LeHavre, Honfleur

Another lovely drive through the countryside to the famous cliffs of Etretat, on the Côte d’Albaâtre or Alabaster Coast,a seaside resort. Painters like Courbet, Monet and Boudin immortalized these beautiful chalk cliffs, standing on both sides of the gray shingle beach. It is strictly forbidden to remove any of the lovely round pebbles. At one end of the cliffs, there is a natural arch, which looks like an elephant trunk, with the cliff representing the body. Maupassant lived here

Next, we drove through LeHavre, which was virtually obliterated during World War II by Allied bombing. The port is strategically positioned on the Sine estuary and was created in 1517 by François premier after the Seine silted up the nearby port of Harfleur, which is now situated several miles inland. Much of the city center was rebuilt in the 1950s to 1960s by the architect August Perret, the father of concrete architecture. Much of the post-war concrete architecture is hideous to my mind, but these buildings, all very similar, were quite appealing. His towering Eglise St. Joseph is a designated UNESCO heritage site. There is a huge industrial zone beside the enormous port. LeHavre is still a yachting center and has two very clean beaches.

After crossing the stunning Normandy bridge, a cable-stay (my favorite) which, was the longest of its kind in the world at the time it was constructed. A short drive brought us to the Calvados region and the Domaine d’Apreval, a family-owned estate surrounded by apple orchards. The owner gave us a tour of the apple presses and the distillery. They produce Normandy cider (hard cider), Pommeau, an aperitif wine, and the famous Calvados, which I love. In fact, I’ve been handy one every night after dinner. When in Normandy!! We had our aperitifs outside on the lawn and then sat down inside to a lunch of duck pâté, roast potatoes, tomato salad, cucumber salad, green salad and Normandy cheeses including my favorite, Pont L’Evêque. And, of course cider and home-made bread. Dessert was gingerbread made with honey and Calvados. I am not a love of gingerbread, but this was divine. The weather was, once again, gorgeous and we sipped our Calvados outside, watching the blond Limousin cows in the orchard. So far, it has been sunny and hot, most unusual, but we are not complaining.

On to Honfleur. What a treat! Honfleur is on the south bank of the Seine. Honfleur and Harfleur once guarded the entrance to the Seine, but now Harfleur, as I mentioned, is inland. It is a beautiful picturesque port with picturesque 17th century tall (6-7 stories) houses on the Vieux Bassin. We walked through the very old part of town called l’Enclos, which made up the fortified heart of the town in the 13th century. We stopped at one of the two remaining (out of 3) salt warehouses, a magnificent stone building with a beautiful beamed roof. If you remember your history of the French Revolution, the onerous salt tax, or la gabelle, was a major cause of anger and resentment among the peasantry. We then emerged onto the Vieux Bassin - an array of yachts, brilliantly colored umbrellas at cafes all round the basin and the amazing tall houses. They are narrow, vary in height, but all attached, mainly shades of grey. I have never seen anything quite like it. At one end of the basin, one can see parts of the old fortifications. A little climb to the street behind the tall houses brought us to the church of
Saint Catherine of Alexandria most of which dates back to the 15th century. The church is most unusual in that is made entirely of wood. The pillars of the nave are beams of wood, some with stone footings. The famous “axe masters” of the naval yards created the buildings without using any saws; this is most evident on the pillars. The design is based on a market hall, but the naval techniques used, make it look like an upside down hull. The bell tower is located across the small square so that parishioners would not be burned in case of fire since the tower drew lightning strikes.

By the 12th century, Honfleur, with its safe harbor and rich hinterland, was already a significant transit point for goods from Rouen to England. Charles V strengthened the town’s defenses during the Hundred Years’ war, but ir fell to the English in 1357 and was occupied again from 1419 to 1450. At the end of this long war(!!), Honfleur benefited from the boom in maritime trader until the end of the 18th century. Several great explorers, including Samuel de Champlain, the founder of the city of Québec, and La Salle, who opened up the Louisiana territory for Louis XIV, set sail from Honfleur Honfleur thrived on trade with Canada, the Antilles, the African coasts and the Azores. It was one of the five principal ports for the slave trade in France. During this time of expansion, the fortifications were demolished on the orders of Colbert, Louis XIV’s famous, or infamous, finance minister.

Honfleur became a center of artistic activity in the 19th century. Eugène Boudin was born here. Sisley, Courbet, Pissarro, Renoir and Cèzanne all painted here.
As we made our way back to the boat which was docked at Caudebec en Caux, we saw thatched roof houses with irises growing along the peak. Some were in bloom and it was quite a site. It is unique to the Auge region. The iris roots protect the thatch during strong winds. Of course, we saw more half-timbered houses.

Rouen

Rouen is the historical capital of Normandy, once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe. It was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages. Originally founded by the Gauls who called it Ratumacos, it was conquered by the Romans who called it Rotomagnus, which in time became Rouen. In the 9th century, it was overrun b. It was one of the capitals of the Anglo-Norman dynasties which ruled both England and large tracts of France from the 11th to the 15th century. In 1204, Philippe August entered Rouen and definitively annexed Normandy to the French Kingdom. In the 12th century, Rouen was the site of a yeshiva; at that time, about 6,000 Jews lived in the town, comprising about 20% of the population. Well-preserved remains of the yeshiva have been found under the Law Courts and are being restored. Today, the Rue aux Juifs, leads past the 15th century Gothic Palais de Justice, once Normandy’s parliament from the Cathedral to the Vieux Marche.

During the Hundred Years’ War, on January 19, 1419, Rouen surrendered to Henry V of England, who, once again, made Normandy part of England. Joan of Arc, the charismatic Maid of Orleans, who had led the French troops, was captured by the Burgundians and sold to the English, who put her on trial as a witch and heretic. One of the main reasons she was deemed to be a witch was that she refused to wear women’s clothes! She was burned at the stake on May 30, 1431 in the main market place, place du Vieux Marché. A stone marker commemorates the place. In addition, a large modern structure whose architecture is loosely based on Norman and Icelandic houses dominates the square – it is the Eglise Jeanne d’Arc. It contains some beautiful stained glass windows, from local churches, which had been removed and hidden, probably in Dordogne caves during the war. Since the churches were destroyed, they were put to good use here.

The French recaptured the town in 1449 and the Dauphin, Charles VII, for whom Jeanne d’Arc had fought so valiantly, was crowned in Rheims.

The city was heavily damaged during World War II and on D-Day its famed cathedral was almost destroyed by Allied bombs.

Rouen is a major port for grain and was known for its wool trade. It remains an important and flourishing cultured maritime city. The old areas around the Eglise Saint Maclou (or Saint Malo), an example of flamboyant gothic architecture, are replete with half-timbered houses dating from the 15th century. They comprise an array of all sizes and heights and are still occupied. They are absolutely charming. Rouen is also known for its faience, or soft-paste porcelain, which was the first porcelain in France, at the end of the 17th century.

After walking through the old areas, we continued to the Cathedral Notre-Dame, well-known from Monet’s 32 paintings in all seasons and light conditions. He took up residence in a house across the street. When you see what his perspective was, you understand why he could not paint the entire height of the cathedral. The square in front of the cathedral is too small….impossible to get a photo or paint a picture of the entire building. The cathedral is gothic and dates from the 11th century. It houses the tomb of Richard Coeur de Lion which contains his heart. The cathedral is framed by two unequal towers and an enormous Neo-Gothic spire, made from cast iron and erected in 1876, rises above the central lantern. The northern and southern 14th century Portails have been restored and contain beautiful sculptures and tracery. After the Wars of Religion, Protestants destroyed made of the niche statues, which have deliberately not been replaced – a piece of history is retained..

From the cathedral, we walked down Rue du Gros Horloge, dominated by just that, a Gros Horloge – beautiful astronomical clock dating to the 16th century, though the movement probably dates from 1389.

Our tour ended in the Place du Vieux Marché, where Connie and I settled into a lovely restaurant with a huge array of fresh seafood. We had local, Blancville, oysters – small and salty – and I had fish (can’t remember which one, but it was good) and then apple crepes with caramel sauce for dessert.

We then went back to a faience store we had seen along the way and we bought some souvenirs, which we are having shipped because they are fragile.

A beautiful city which I would gladly revisit.

Normandy Beaches, Bayeux, American Cemetery

We set out at 8 am for a full day in Normandy. We had a nice view of Rouen as we left the city from our dock just in front of the magnificent cathedral, which we will visit tomorrow, and drove through the Norman countryside – cultivated fields, some green with wheat, barley and flax, some yellow with rapeseed flowers, some recently ploughed.; orchards of blooming apple trees; black and white Norman cows with their “sunglasses”; blond Limousin cows with newborns; half-timbered houses draped in wisteria in full bloom; simple stone Norman style churches with low towers; swans and ducks dibbling in streams.

I am not going to bore you all with an account of Operation Overlord – the D-Day landings. Most of you know all this; and it would take up too many pages. Suffice it to say that Operation Overlord was the code name for the Allied invasion of northwest Europe which began on June 6, 1994 and ended on August 19 (!!!) of the same year whe the allies crossed the Seine. Sixty odd years later, the Normandy invasion remains the largest seaborne invasion in history, involving almost 3 million troop crossing the English Channel from England to Normandy. There was absolutely no precedent for the generals upon which to draw. And they had to hope that the weather, moon and tides would be in their favor – they had a tiny window of opportunity. June 6th was hardly perfect, but it was good enough.

Operation Neptue was the code name for the initial assault phase of Operation Overlord. The primary allied forces in Normandy came from the US, Canada, the UK. After this phase, forces from other countries participated. The invasion was preceded by the overnight parachute and glider landings, massive air attacks and naval bombardments. Then came the invasion which was launched from bases along the south coast of England, mainly Portsmouth.

There are so many wonderful stories of how the Allies fooled the Nazis into thinking they were going to invade from further north, in the Pas de Calais. It is a miracle that all the disinformation worked.

Our first stop along the miles and miles of Normandy beaches, where there were no natural harbors, was Arromaches-les-bains. This is where the first ever pref-fab harbor, or Mulberry Port, was built; it was Churchill’s brainchild and it was named Port Winston. Seventeen old ships crossed the English Channel under their own steam and were sunk by their crews bow to stern. Then 115 football-sized cement blocks, called Mulberries, were towed across the Channel and sunk, creating a four mile-long Dover. Then seven floating steel “pier heads” with extendable legs were set up and linked to shore by four mile-long floating roads made of concrete pontoons. Anti-aircraft guns were set up on the pontoons; within 6 days, 54,000 vehicles, 326,000 troops and 110,000 tons of goods had been delivered. The toehold in Normandy was secured and eleven months later Hitler was dead.

Today, you can still see the ruins of the harbor, especially at low tide – chunks of concrete of all shapes and sizes. There is a memorial to the US liberator of Arromanches, Sir Alexander Stanier. You could also see as far as Omaha Beach, one of the two US beaches.

Arromanches was the UK beach, code-named Gold. Just before arriving, we made a quick stop at Juno Beach, which was the Canadian Beach. Here we saw tanks and German bunkers and a small memorial. Canadian visitors were given the option to be dropped off here and picked up later.

For some reason – probably to do with timing, we visited Bayeux and then went back to the coast to visit Omaha Beach. I am going to continue with the beaches and get to Bayeux later.

Omaha Beach has many memorials to the American troops. A fairly recent one, right on the beach, sometimes submerged in water, is an amazing sculpture, called “Les Braves”, by Anilore Banon, and which consists of “Wings of Hope”, “Wings of Fraternity” and, the tallest, “Wings of Liberty”, made of steel embedded in the beach. There is no doubt that the French are eternally grateful to the US and they do not hesitate to express this in memorials and plaques.

This is the beach where several things went wrong on the 6th: the troops were dropped too far from the shore and, though the area was not heavily fortified, the cliffs here were manned by a crack German regiment. The loss of life was significant. From Omaha beach you can see the impressive cliffs of “Utah Beach”.

When D-Day was over, more than 135,000 med had been brought ashore, with losses of 10,000….far less than Ike had imagined. D-Day was just the beginning, however and it took weeks to advance a few miles. There was also the battle of the hedgerows – the Norman hedgerows very thick and bordered by ditches….perfect hiding places for the Germans!

I found the whole experience very moving. This period of history, despite all the books I’ve read and all the films I’ve seen, extremely emotional.

After leaving the beaches, we drove to Bayeux, the first city to be liberated. It is here that, on June 16th, 1944, de Gaulle made his first major speech, declaring unity with the Allies. Bayeux was the cradle of the Dukes of Normandy, where William the Conqueror, descendant of Rollo, the first Duke of Normandy, was born. This is why the famous tapestry is housed here. The tapestry, commemorating William’s defeat of Harold of England and his subsequent conquest of England, was supposedly woven by Queen Mathilda, William’s wife. Apparently, this is a myth; it was probably commissioned by Bishop Odo on the occasion of the consecration of the original Romanesque church in 1077; it was probably woven by monks. It is basically an action-packed comic strip of weaving and embroidery. It tells the story of the Battles of Hastings and the events leading up to it. But is is done in a very amusing way and the lower order contains all sorts of animals, both real and mythic and, toward the end, decapitated soldiers – arms, heads and legs all over the places. Today the 230-foot long tapestry is displayed in a U-shaped case. It is a marvel of handiwork; the perspective of the horses going into battle is quite extraordinary for its time. The story is told in Latin, with some hints of Early French….if they did not have room to finish a sentence between illustrations, they just put the words under the first sentence….and the sizes varied. The colored wool has faded very little since the 11the century. Amazing! A wonderful work of art and historical document. (Amy, I bought myself the book!!!)

The town of Bayeux is lovely….a nucleus of 15th-19th century buildings. We did not have time to go into the cathedral because a table outside the cathedral in a lovely café called! The siren song of Kirs and croque madames in the full sunshine!!! Yum!

So then it was off to Omaha Beach, which I’ve already described. After Omaha, we went to the American Cemetery in Colleville sur Mer, the final resting place for about 10,000 servicemen who gave their life during the Normandy campaign. Their average age was 22. In addition to the white marble headstones (both crosses and stars of David) in endless rows, facing west toward the US, most of whom were identified, but not all, there is a wall of the missing – 1557 names of US soldiers who were never found. The grounds are beautifully groomed: lush grass; heathers for remembrance, a reflecting pool, a chapel and a colonnade with loggias at each end containing maps and narratives of the Normandy invasion. I the center is a bronze statue of a youth reaching to heaven, called “The Spirit of American Youth”.

Our guides gave us all bouquets of flowers. We went off to find a grave upon which to lay them. Not having found a serviceman from Rhode Island, I laid mine on the headstone of an unknown soldier. Connie laid hers on that of a soldier from Colorado. We walked to the northern edge of the cemetery – Omaha Beach was spread out before us.

It was a very, very emotional day.