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".