Nov 4 & 5 - Cartegena and Malaga, Spain

11-04: Cartegena, Spain. This is a new port for both of us. We had a HO-HO bus planned but due to the rain, we canceled. We relaxed on board and caught up on computer things. We ate à la carte at Izumi. It was delicious. We had plenty to eat and it was much less than the standard $45 per person. After that we went to the casino for a little while. It continues to rain but here on the ship there is no impact. Tonight the show was a production show. It did not disappoint. Costumes, dancers, and singers we a great treat.

11-05: Malaga, Spain. Today we have a cooking class booked through Get Your Guide. We wanted to take an Uber to get to the location. We thought we timed it to make it in plenty of time. At this port we have to shuttle from the ship to the terminal building. One shuttle was loaded up, then it would not work. So, everyone got off that shuttle and merged with the next causing delays and confusion. One we got to the terminal we felt we didn’t have time to wait for an Uber or even know where to wait, so we opted for a taxi. We got to our location just in time. With all the confusion and time pressure of the morning, our backpack was left in the taxi, never to be seen again. At least nothing important was in there. I had an old sweater and scarf, Stuart had his new coat purchased for a high price in Norway, and we both had nice Polaroid sunglasses. But let’s forget that and get back to the cooking class. It was fun. We first made a cold soup that needed to be refrigerated before serving. Then we peeled and cut veggie for a sort of salad, The we started the Paella with chicken in it. The sangria flowed freely, so everyone had a good time. The chef had a lot of stories to tell and he was very interesting. His assistant was a real asset, so well organized! After dinner we skipped the magic show, went to the casino (and won a little), and off to bed.

Nov 2, 3 - Barcelona and Cruising

11-02: Barcelona. Today we board the ship. We don’t have to check out until 12 noon so that works out well with our boarding time of 1:30p. We had coffee and a quick pastry across the street before heading out in an Uber. We got to the ship in plenty of time but sadly we stood in a VERY slow-moving line for over an hour to board the ship. Once we did get on, they did have a nice set up with stations to go to for help with purchases, Wi-Fi, RCCL app, and more. No welcome drink or even a coupon for one. I do have 4 drinks a day on my Diamond status, which of course I cannot drink 4 drinks a day! I’m sure Stuart will help me out. We checked our cabin; it is fine but as far forward as one can go in cabin 9500. Stuart’s luggage was “tagged” and they confiscated his Leatherman. He is not happy about that as he has taken it everywhere and it was accepted before. Tonight, on board we went to Izumi, the Japanese Restaurant. We liked it on Jewel and we like it here on Brillance as well. The line up of shows looks pretty good, except for tonight. We just checked out a few of the venues on the ship, spent a bit of time in the casino, played cards in our cabin, and went to bed early.

11-03: Valencia, Spain. Our first port of call for this cruise. We booked a tuk tuk ride through Get Your Guide. We had a little trouble finding the pickup location but thankfully the guy called my phone to clarify. We found him right away with instructions. The GPS walking route was not accurate at all. We were ready to leave but the other couple booked with us did not show. A third couple showed up and he was going to use them to take their place and off we would go. Once they got in and we started, the original couple arrived. So now we waited for them to switch and off we go. Anyway, after that we had a nice, albeit chilly, ride through the city. Valencia is a lovely city with a lot of green. I enjoyed seeing orange trees planted along the streets. These are sour oranges and not grown for eating. You see this in Brazil as well. We stopped at a huge museum complex, the most impressive I have ever seen. It is called the City of Arts and Sciences. It is hard to describe but it is huge and overall built to look like a fish swimming in the water. Back to the ship to warm up before dinner in the Minstrel dining room. I had some delicious chicken korma. The show was The Three Jenny’s. This is a Celtic group singing Irish songs, they were pretty good. A brief stop at the casino, cards in our cabin, and we called it a day.

Oct 30, 31 Nov 1 - Canet-en-Rousillon

10-30: Just a quiet day today. Laundry, cards, packing… 

10-31: Perpignan to Barcelona. Delivered our rental car back to Perpignan train station and took the train to Barcelona. Nothing unexpected from this portion of the trip. Checked into HCCHotels. We walked to a nearby café for dinner. Our starter was deep fried anchovies, what a delicious treat. They tasted like the surf fish we got when I was a kid. Stuart was brave to try them but he thought they were ok. I will say he liked the tacos a lot better! Lots of walking today and we are tired.

11-01: Barcelona. We slept in and then walked to a different café for lunch. It was very good. Stuart had the traditional breakfast but I opted for lasagna. It has sauce that tasted like my mom’s, so that was a treat! We walked around a little bit and then found a café in the sun for some afternoon drinks. It felt so good to sit in the sun. We have had colder weather than we imagined. 

Oct 27, 28, 29 - Canet-en-Roussillon

10-27: It is an overcast day but not really cold. Stuart went to the store and on the way, he discovered a market today. After he was back we both went down the promenade to the market area and several restaurants we open and available there. We picked La Plaza as it showed some good-looking pizzas on their menu. We ordered that and I ordered an appetizer of mussels. I was surprised when they arrived with no shells! There we at least a dozen, maybe more. They were very good but filling for sure. The pizza was delicious as well. We topped off the meal with a delicious crêpe with sucre, citron and, a coffee. We were so full we took a nap when we got back! We played cards and had baguette and cheese for dinner. The moon is 1 day off being full but it is beautiful over the sea tonight.

10-28: Today was especially quiet. We both still have sniffles, not worse but not better either! Refreshing walk on the promenade and lunch at La Table. It was so good last time we ate here but today was not the case. Stuart ordered the steak and it was tough. I ordered the prawns and they didn’t have much flavor. The prawns showed up in their natural state but grilled. Heads and all were my job before they could even be tasted, then flat. Oh well, it was still a good day.

10-29: Today was the day to venture out to see the cousins. I tried to call in the morning but Odette answered and thought it was a spam call. We just drove there and they really welcomed us nicely but since Rene did not reply to my email, I wasn’t sure. We talked about family. Rene’s English is still very good. It was a short but nice visit. He said they only stay home, mainly because Odette doesn’t want to leave the house. He said it makes her anxious to go places. She likes to only take care of the home and work in her garden. They tried to call Annie but the was not home. We took a wrong turn back to the apartment but it was a nice view of agriculture. There are a lot of new olive orchards and we saw them pulling out some sort of root vegetable. Maybe it was carrots but I’m not sure. After we got back, we went to the little snack place near us and had a coffee and pastry. We walked on to the end of the Promenade to a tapas bar. That sounded good so we stopped for a drink and a tapas, but they were not serving tapas yet. We had a drink and watched the sun fade. Back to the apartment and cards. Tomorrow, we need to pack!

Oct 25 & 26 - Collioure & Banyuls

10-25: Didn’t leave the apartment today. Stuart has more sniffles and feels pretty punky. I worked on the trip album, which I haven’t done in a while. It was a pretty day outside and a little bit warmer. There we lots of people on the promenade, on the beach, and in the water. The water depth goes out very slowly. There are groups of people who apparently exercise by walking waist deep or so in the water. We ate baked potatoes with chili for dinner, and a pizza and a salad for lunch. Hoping to do some exploring tomorrow.

10-26: Stuart walked to a nearby shop and got us pastry for breakfast. We did laundry and then headed out for adventure. The weather is supposed to lovely today in the lower 70’s. We drove to Collioure, which is a lovely city on the sea. It was very crowded there. We drove around trying to find a parking place but we finally gave up and went on to Banyuls. The drive was lovely through the rolling hills and terraced vineyards. We did find a spot to park in Banyuls. We walked around a bit and had lunch there. It seems to have changed a lot since 2000, no surprise. On the drive back we stopped at a little shack for a wine tasting. I bought some aperitif wine for the cousins and a bottle of rosemary vinegar. We just had cheese and crackers for dinner because we were still full from lunch. The full moon tonight is amazing.

Oct 23 & 24 - Canet-en-Roussillon

10-23: Canet-en-Roussillon. I contacted the cousins by email this afternoon and we will wait to hear back from them. Stuart walked to the nearby Carrefour for a few things and noted many restaurants and cafes along the way. Since we have a washing machine it is time to do laundry. The wind wass really blowing and even blew over our drying rack. Yes, a drying rack – dryers as we know them are not common items and homes, but luxury items. Sand is blowing and the water is rough this morning. While we saw many boat yesterday, there are none today. It was windy and cold all day. By evening we have very dark clouds but no rain ever came.

10-24: Canet-en-Roussillon. Temperature is 60˚ today and the wind continues. We do see a few people out in the water walking for exercise. The water is 67˚so maybe it feels warm to them? We also ventured out for a nice lunch. We love sitting outside but it was just too windy. Stuart opted for the hamburger but I had cannellonis de joue boeuf confita, bechamel a la tomme catalane, (which translated to confit beef cheek cannelloni Catalan tomato bechamel), It was superb. The rest of the day we spent inside playing cards and Rummikub. We both have a bit of sniffles, which we hope will go away.  

Oct 22 - Arles to Perpignan

10-22: Today is a day in need of a lot of flexibility! Right at bedtime last night Stuart got an email saying our train will not be running today due to weather. We know the rain has been a bit brutal but we did not know it was to the point of stopping trains! Things are in turmoil on the ship. People heading to the airport or the extension trip are eagerly waiting to go but their busses are not getting through either. Cruise host Clare said we should go to the train station ASSP in hopes that things will rapidly change and we will get a train out today. That was not the case. In fact, the announcement on the board stated things are hoped to be running on those tracks by 10-27. We had a coffee and croissant but figured nothing would move here so we began searching alternatives for the 2.5-hour drive. No rental cars are available. Most taxis need a 24-hour window to secure the reservation. We opted for Uber and lucked out with a great driver. All along the drive we saw nothing that would make you think that things were not operating as usual. We arrived to the Perpignan train station in plenty of time to get our reserved car – Oh wait, they don’t have our car! We can wait an hour or so and maybe they would have the car OR take a larger vehicle, that of course, costs more. That’s not how it works in the US, but wait, we are not in the US! We will try to claim that on our insurance along with the cost of the train tickets, which are now useless, and the cost of the Uber! We’ll see how that works out. Anyway, we secured the car and headed on the 20-minute drive to our Airbnb in Canet en Roussillon. The place was easy to find but the parking took time. There was a designated spot, but instead of being unlocked, it was locked. We finally got that resolved with the host via phone. We’re inside but we can’t seem to figure out how to turn on heat or the stove. We’ve been doing this for awhile and most hosts leave a bit of instructions for the guest. It is a nice enough place. We are on the 3^rd floor (2^nd in the US) with a great view. The beach is right across the street and it is a lovely shoreline. If weather ever gets above 65˚ and windy, we will walk on the beach. Anyway, we had a lovely sunset, we are safely to our destination, and we are thankful for that.

Oct 20 & 21 - Arles

10-20: And even MORE rain! Some of the excursions were canceled both yesterday and today. We sailed through the rain until after lunch to reach our next port of Viviers. It would have been fun to do the Truffle Farm tour if it wasn’t so wet. People came back soaked through every layer and pretty uncomfortable. Neither of us has been in Europe this time of year and we decided we will want to travel in spring or just the month of September before it gets too cold. We are both feeling ready to go home. However, next week will be the south of France and visiting cousins, then 2 weeks on a TA cruise to sail into Florida. So, we do have quite a bit of time left. We are hoping for a little bit of sunshine, but not sure that will happen! Tonight we went to the Chef’s Table for the fancy dinner. There is no extra charge but one does need to get a reservation. It was outstanding for the most part. The only thing under par was the beef dish, the meat was a bit tough. We ate with 2 other couples that were fun and interesting. A very nice day considering the ongoing rain.

10-21: We took the self-guided tour and saw as much as we wanted to see. About Arles: This is an ancient city in southeastern France, with a history spanning over 2,500 years.  Roman Golden Age (1st Century BCE – 5th Century CE): Conquered by Rome around 123 BCE and made a Roman colony by Julius Caesar in 46 BCE, Arles became a major political, economic, and religious center—often called the "Little Rome of Gaul". Its grand monuments—including the Roman Amphitheatre (Les Arènes), the Ancient Theatre, and the Alyscamps necropolis—earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 1981. Van Gogh spent time here and did over 200 paintings and over 100 sketches and water colors. There are plaques with some of his paintings on them. They are placed where he did the exact painting. As much history as Van Gogh has in Arles, not 1 original painting of his is in this town! It is chilly and windy. It was about 6p and we wanted to eat dinner in town. However, typically restaurants do not open for dinner until 7p. That was the case today. We went back to the ship and had dinner. Time to pack also! We did most of that before bed. We have a few last minute things to put in tomorrow morning.

Oct 17, 18, 19 - AmaCello

10-17: Today the rain arrived. We decided to skip our scheduled wine tasting tour and stay onboard. We passed through at least one lock today. We played cards, caught up on our laptops, and generally relaxed. Some active cruisers still went on the scheduled bike rides! At 5:30p they had a little welcome back party for those who have cruised on Ama before. They served bubbles with a sprinkle of gold dust in the glasses. We’ve talked to a lot of people, but we have not hit it off with anyone. In the evening we had an accordionist again! I was actually wondering if it would be the same guy that we saw on Riviera? It was not, but he was good too.

10-18: Today the rain continues. Again, we stayed on board along with a lot of other people. We did at least 3 locks today. It is surprising how many are on these rivers! We spent most of the rainy day in the lounge playing cards, as did a good portion of the people on board. There was an afternoon scarf presentation from a person who still makes scarves by hand. They were all silk scarves, rather colorful, and quite expensive. I don’t usually spend €200 on a scarf and today was no different. Stuart did go outside on deck to take a few photos. It is 58˚ and not welcoming at all. There was a trivia game show in the evening, we won the prize for the LEAST correct answers!

10-19: And MORE rain! More people are staying onboard in the lounge to enjoy hot drinks and playing games or reading, etc. I even saw a couple ladies doing needle point. We had a singer and guitarist tonight with 50’s 60’s and 70’s music. They were very good!

Oct 16 - Wiine Tasing in Burgundy

10-16: Here is the description of our tour today: Chȃlonnaise Wine Tasting. Today we discover the wine region renowned for its outstanding Burgundy Cote Chȃlonnaise appellations including Rully, Mercurey, Givry, and Montagne among others. En route enjoy the Burgundy scenery, the world-famous vineyards such as Chamirey, Puligny-Montrachet or Meursault. You will visit one of the magnificent wine makers of the region and take part in a commented wine tasting. Bus ride approximately 30 minutes out and 45 minutes back to the AmaCello, docked in Tournus. We did have a nice time and saw many lovely vineyards along the way. Château de Garnerot was the name of the winery we visited. We spent quite a bit of time standing and listening to the wine making process from the vineyards and into the barrel room. One interesting thing we learned is 60% of the wine made in Burgundy is white and 30% is red, 10% sparkling. It was a nice place, but lots of stairs. Finally, we sat for the upstairs wine tasting. The 3 wines we had were very good, even though the tastes were tiny. They also served a plate of 3 cheeses to go with the wine; one was Comté, one was Mombier, and one was goat cheese. We bought 2 bottles of wine to take back onboard. One can bring on as much liquor or wine as you wish.

Oct 15 - Avignon to Dijon by train. AmaCello river cruise.

10-15: As we left Avignon this morning it was quite foggy, a very misty fog as well. We fixed a couple little sandwiches from our leftovers, along with some fruit and away we go. We got to the train station in plenty of time, only to find out our train was an hour late! It shouldn't matter at the other end because when we get off in Dijon, we have plenty of time to get to the ship. Our River cruise is on the Saone and Rhone rivers. The boarding location is about 45 minutes from Dijon train station. We decided we would take an Uber because we can’t seem to figure out the train situation on our phones. Uber was the easiest option. Heading north today we have seen the tree leaves changing to beautiful colors along way. We passed a variety of little cities some were more modern looking than others but most still have an ancient Church steeple there somewhere! We arrived to our ship, AmaCello. As usual our bags are instantly to our cabin, even before we were! We are tired, as usual on travel days. The dinner was nice, we played a few cards, then off to bed. 

Oct 14 - Avignon

10-14: Today is our last full day here in Avignon. We did sleep in and do some laundry. We ate lunch at the apartment and then we headed out for the day. We started out by visiting the Pont d’Avignon. We walked all along the remaining bridge and Stuart walked along part of the city wall as well. More about the bridge is outlined below. After we did the bridge, we walked back into the center of town. Yes, I could not resist purchasing a couple more tea towels. I really cannot tell you where we walked and what we saw but before we knew it, the sun was going down! We aren’t too hungry but we did stop along the way and had wine and a cheese and meat platter before heading back. It was a very full day. 10K steps for the day is really a lot for me with my mobility issues. It was a great day!  

The Pont d'Avignon, officially known as the Pont Saint-Bénézet, is a medieval bridge built between 1177 and 1185 to cross the Rhône River in France. History and Facts:

• The Legend: According to local tradition, a young shepherd named Bénézet arrived in Avignon in 1177 and claimed that angels told him to build a bridge across the river.

• Original Construction: The bridge originally spanned about 900 to 920 meters, featured 22 stone arches, and was roughly 4 meters wide.

• Strategic Role: It served as a vital border crossing and toll station between the Papal states/Holy Roman Empire and the Kingdom of France, boosting local trade and pilgrimage traffic.

• Destruction by Floods: The powerful Rhône River frequently flooded, repeatedly destroying or damaging the stone arches. After a devastating flood in 1660 destroyed a large portion, the city abandoned efforts to rebuild it.

• Current Status: Only 4 of the original 22 arches remain standing today. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.

• The Famous Song: The bridge gained worldwide fame through the traditional French children’s song "Sur le pont d'Avignon".

Oct 11, 12, 13 - Avignon

10-11: Today is a day of rest for the most part. We did do laundry and Stuart walked to both the grocery store and the towel shop today. He wanted to get a few little things for Christmas gifts from the shop we went to yesterday.

10-12: Today we walked back to the center of town because Stuart saw a taco shop and we were hungry for tacos! We saw several interesting sites along the way. It is quite amazing to use Google Lens and the get all the information about what you are looking at. We have enjoyed that feature identifying several ancient sites in Avignon. I am not saying I will remember much of it but it is fun to use for some old buildings to know their origin. In addition, we made a brief stop at Carrefour and a lovely little cheese shop.

10-13: Today we took the tourist train in Avignon. It was a fun 45-minute ride. Cost is €6 each and I think worth the small price. The audio is recorded but it has a lot of fun information. It begins and ends right in front of the Palace of the Popes.

Oct 10 - Avignon

10-10: Our first full day in Avignon, and it was a full and fun day. First, we slept in, which was very nice after a travel day. Before noon we headed out to our Michelin Star lunch, at La Mirande. It is in a hotel of the same name. It is an 18th-century historic mansion and former cardinal's residence located right at the foot of the Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes). Lunch at La Mirande in Avignon offers a Michelin-starred gourmet experience featuring modern, creative cuisine with Provençal and Italian influences led by chef Michele Donvito. It certainly was impressive and delicious. We had 6 courses; each consisted of 2-4 dishes each. Yes, of course, these are small in size or one could never eat it all. However, each course is served with a different wine and the lunch took 3 hours! The 4 tastes of the appetizer were not even considered part of the 6 courses. Yes, we were satisfied and enjoyed it very much.

Now we are ready to search out a linen shop. For me, a crucial point of coming to Avignon was to secure tea towels for the kitchen. I could remember the look of the store I went to and a general location, but we walked quite some time to no avail. Stuart even went down extra side streets to look for possible shops. I was getting tired and ready to give up. We were by the merry go round near the center of the city and ready to try one more street. Well, Stuart went to look and then texted me that he found the place! I was thrilled. We shopped and I especially enjoyed looking at all the kitchen linens. We left ecstatic with a new array of tea towels! I need a rest, so we stopped at a café for drink. I must add, it is a lovely day in the 70’s with sunshine. We stayed there for some time. Then we decided to walk back toward a restaurant we passed and have a light dinner before heading back to our apartment. It was a very tasty Italian place and we both had pasta, which we could not finish. It was an Uber back after that.

About taking an Uber. It is much faster to walk around Avignon if you have no mobility issues. The GPS says it is so many minutes to drive and so many minutes to walk. It typically takes 3 times as long to ride than walk! The streets are almost all one-way and very narrow. They twist and turn around the city center like a maze. One really needs a good GPS for walking directions. Our phones have worked just fine. This walled city is one of the most beautiful cities to take a walk and see historic structures. Almost everything is made of stone and beautifully unique.

• Avignon is a historic city in southeastern France located on the left bank of the Rhône River in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, famous as the "City of the Popes" and more.
• City of the Popes: From 1309 to 1377 (and continuing with antipopes later), seven successive popes resided in Avignon rather than Rome, making it the capital of Christendom.
• UNESCO World Heritage Site: Designated in 1995 for its well-preserved medieval architecture, historic center, and ramparts.
• Pont d'Avignon (Pont Saint-Bénézet): The famous 12th-century bridge over the Rhône River, immortalized in song, with four remaining arches.
• Rocher des Doms: An elevated public park and garden offering panoramic views of the city, the river, and Mont Ventoux.

I’ll end with saying it was an exceptional day. I love Avignon!

Oct 8 & 9 - Paris, Paris to Avignon

10-08: Paris. We arrived to Paris in the middle of the night. I think it was 4:30a when I heard us docking. It is cold outside, 58˚ with clouds. Our plan was to go to Rue Cler and enjoy one more café lunch sitting outside. We opted to stay in. Tomorrow we will leave for Avignon where the weather prediction is in the 70’s. I sure hope so. We did have an accordion player for entertainment tonight. He was actually pretty good. Happy Birthday toast to Debra! 

10-09: We were up early, got everything packed, and had it outside our door before 8:00. 8:45 was the latest to put it out. We went up to breakfast they had a nice array of food some of it was actually hot. We sat in the lounge for a while after that. Then we braved the cold to get an Uber to the Gare de Lyon train station. Brr it's 57° earlier it was 54˚predicted high is only 60˚ so it is cold in Paris today. We had a very strange Uber driver who kept talking to himself and using multiple squirts of hand sanitizer, at least he got us to our destination. The traffic was horrible. We have heard of riots and different things something to do with schools but we haven't seen any indication of any problems. Once we got to the train station, we looked for a few shops and found one that had some coats so now I have a new jacket! I will be warmer, at least on the ship on the way home too! After purchasing the coat we found a restaurant that had inside seating (warmer and quieter) inside at the train station. We have a long wait for our train. We weren't very hungry so we split a hamburger. Our train is not leaving until 3:15p. It was going to be at 1:15p but when we were unsure of our ending location in Paris, so we moved it up. We will have plenty of time to get to Avignon. We've communicated with our host and we have the lock box information. Finally on the train from Paris to Avignon. Everything was uneventful, all the people are so super friendly and helpful. The weather is quite cool, but we did have sun when we arrived to Avignon. As we are getting off the train the first thing we see is a fruit stand setup about 20 feet long with all kinds of fruit and vegetables and even some wine! We bought two pieces of quiche in Gare de Lyon so that, with the tomatoes and fruit - plus the wine, we have dinner!

Oct 6 & 7 - Caudebec-en-Caux and Vernon

10-06: Caudebec-en-Caux. We stayed overnight in this port. We thought we were cruising to Honfleur but it was a coach ride there. We didn't do much of anything today. My mobility issues are catching up with me for sure. Stuart walked around the area. They had an elaborated 4p Tea Time. This is just one table of the offerings. They do not have tea everyday as they used to. Anyway, who can eat that much and have dinner in 3 hours?

10-07: We are in Vernon today this is the port for Giverny and Monet's home and gardens. However, we decided not to go because of rain. It was very discouraging to hear that it would be very crowded despite our easy entry tickets. I was a little disappointed, but he people who went said you couldn't even get into Monet's home. There was a long queue that our tour did not have time to wait for. There wasn't much blooming just a lot of yellow tall flowers and they didn't even mention the Japanese bridge. It is definitely a place I want Stuart to see. I think in springtime, maybe April might be a good time for Paris and to find Monet’s gardens in full bloom and also have the opportunity to go through the house. I wonder if it will always be crowded like that? Tonight was the Chef’s dinner. It was very nice. The place settings were formal and nicely done. You sat down to tapenade already at your table. Everyone was served 3 appetizers; one was salmon, one was soup, and one was a delicious ravioli. The main course was Beef Wellington with a variety of vegetables that were very good. The beef was well done but I guess that is expected with a big crowd to feed. Service was, and has been, excellent on this cruise.

Oct 5 - Caudebec-en-Caux

10-05: Normandy Beaches. Our stop today is Caudebec-en-Caux. This is the day that most of the passengers went to the Normandy beaches Stuart has been there before and I have no desire to go there. I think it would just be a very depressing and sad. They did serve lunch on board in the lounge for the people who stayed back on the ship. I should mention it was a 10-hour excursion to go do this tour. I would say 15 to 20 people stayed on board. Now remember this cruise is described as a gastronomic cruise of the Seine serving French cuisine. Most of the food has been fine even if it isn't French. However, today's lunch was interestingly different. There were all the fixings for the salad bar but no lettuce to put it on and then I guess you're supposed to just take the different items and put dressing on them and eat it that way it is a different way to do it. Then for the main courses they had pork schnitzel with fried potatoes both serve lukewarm in chafing dishes with no heat below them, same as all the other dishes. They also had some sort of fish and mix vegetables it looked like peas and carrots from a freezer. The last was spaghetti with tomato basil sauce. The noodles were quite dry as they barely put any sauce on them. No extra sauce is provided or offered at the side either. They did serve that with cheese to add to it. The dessert was one type of cake that was pretty. There was also some beautifully sliced fruit and a cheese selection. So far, I would not call this a gastronomy cruise as described. We did have the tastings at the orchard a couple days ago, which was nice. They do serve little appetizers that happy hour but that is typical of river cruises anyway. Are the appetizers French? Well, one was a spring roll so I don't think so. We have been playing a lot of cards. The weather is cool for sure, but not too cold so far. There is fog on the river every morning. We ate in the Brasserie for dinner and that was nice enough with a very simple menu of 2 hot dishes and a huge array of meats and cheeses. The sunset was amazing tonight.

Oct 3-4 - Les Andelys and Rouen

10-03: Today our stop is Les Andelys. We will see the Château Gaillard, visit a cathedral and the cider farm. We took the optional “gentle” tour as we did not want to walk the 25 minutes up and down hill to visit the Chateau up close. The photos and views are fantastic enough. We are visiting one of the most beautiful spots I have seen along the Seine. The river twists and turns as it winds its way along the valley here. Beautiful white cliffs edge the river and swans glide long the water’s edge. The bus took us to the view point but actually you had great views of it from the town below. Next stop was the Collégiatle Notre-Dame Les Andelys. The final stop was the cider farm. We were met by the gracious owner of the farm. His daughter usually does these tours but today she is having a baby! I think that is a good reason not to show up for work. The guide said she would interpret but he did an excellent job in English. Some of the cider was tasty and some was not. It all depends on your taste, I am sure. With the cider we were served meats and cheeses from the area, of course with baguette to go with them. All foods were from this area and quite tasty. This was a part of the gastronomy tour we expected. The cider farm also has horses and is one of the oldest equestrian places in this area. I guess they do lessons and training of all sorts. 

10-04: Today we visit Rouen Normandy’s capital. We skipped the tour because it is a walking tour and I am not up to it. I guess the tarte tatin demonstration must have been on the tour as it was not on the ship, nor was there any announcement about it happening. During the day we cruised along some lovely areas. I was surprised that the homes are mostly all Tudor styled. It seems more like the English countryside than the French countryside. Leaving Rouen there are factories and tons of silos producing and shipping grain and other cargo such as scrap metal to other countries. Dinner was nice. There are French dishes scattered here and there on the menu, but it is not a French menu by any means. Tonight was supposed to be French musicians for the entertainment. I would not call them musicians but a great group of female singers called the Popcorn Girls. They did a lovely show singing the hits made popular around the period of time of WWII. Some were quite moving to me because my mother sang many of these songs just from memory. It made me cry I missed her so much. The singers were dressed as WACs so it was a nice performance for this point in time. Everyone seems to be turning in early tonight for their 8:15a departure tomorrow morning.

Oct 2 - Boarding the River Cruise, Paris

10-02: Embarkation Day! We left our hotel at noon and went to a nearby cafe the Le Nimrod to have a very long lunch. The hotel held After the long lunch we took an uber to the river cruise ship and called Jane Austen. Our luggage was efficiently whisked on board and we were taken to our cabin with a luggage delivery almost instantly. We acquainted ourselves with the ship and the paperwork for each upcoming day. We played some cards this afternoon. Soon it was time for dinner. We sat with Peter and Sheila from Manchester it was their first river cruise they were fun and interesting to chat with. I would say ¾ of the people on this cruise are from the UK. Not sure Riveria will ever make it well in the US market. Not much change for that in the last 5 years that I have seen. This evening after dinner we had the safety drill. Following that we left port and went toward the Eiffel Tower as it did its little twinkling show at 10 o'clock. Now it is time for a U turn and heading north out of Paris.

Here is the write up about the cruise. Will it meet our expectations? We will know soon enough.

Taste your way through the heart of Normandy on a river cruise along the majestic Seine, stopping to visit historic sites that have shaped the course of history. Known for its apples and dairy, we’ll voyage through Normandy along the Seine, tasting everything this delicious region has to offer. Sample the sweetest apple products at a local farm and the perfect snacks - crêpes in Honfleur, Norman cider and cheese at Bizy Castle, and mouthwatering macarons in Paris – and the fun doesn't stop when we leave dry land! Our on-board restaurant serves a fully French menu, and you can enjoy a tarte tatin cooking demonstration and French brunch as we sail, as well as a Champagne reception looking out onto Caudebec.

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival at Paris: Travel to our ship, your home away from home for the next 7 nights.

Day 2 Château Gaillard & cider farm: Discover the history of Château Gaillard and visit a traditional cider farm.

Day 3 Rouen: Explore Rouen, Normandy’s capital, and enjoy a tarte tatin cooking demonstration, plus Champagne reception with French musician.

Day 4 Normandy Beaches: Explore the D-Day landings, see Gold Beach and visit the British Normandy Memorial.

Day 5 Honfleur: Take a guided tour of Honfleur and taste another French specialty at a historic crêperie.

Day 6 Giverny & Bizy Castle: Visit Monet’s house and garden, then visit Bizy Castle, with Norman cider and cheese tasting.

Day 7 Paris: Choose your own Parisian adventure – a panoramic tour or a walking tour of the Latin Quarter, and taste macarons.

Day 8 Paris: Return home. After breakfast, disembark and begin your journey home.

Oct 1 - Bourg to Paris

10-01: Today is departure day. We wonder if we will ever come back to this area? Never say never, we shall see. The drive to Bordeaux was uneventful. We returned the car as planned and we were sitting in our assigned seat on the train in plenty of time. We arrived in Paris with no delays and made our way to our hotel by Uber. We will be here just one night before boarding our Riveria Seine River Cruise. After our long and filling lunch we weren’t very hungry so we just walked to a nearby café for what we thought would be pizza. It was really focaccia bread with a variety of toppings, so it was fine. Back to the hotel and we played cards in the lobby area and had a glass of wine. The Hotel de Sévres is a decent hotel; clean, friendly, local vibes, and a good price. Yes, the rooms are small but that is what you get in Paris.