August 7 - Arcachon

Cloudy in the morning, likely around 28 degrees for a high.

About a 90 minute drive gets us to a bay off of the Atlantic Ocean called Arcachon Bay. Here we take a boat ride to learn about oyster farming and taste some right out of the ocean.

These oysters are tastier than any I have ever eaten. I’m not an expert, but I’ve eaten a few and these are not remotely close to the same. The texture is similar, but they are much sweeter. I’ve never seen a group of

squid

lemon tart

people descend on food quite in the same way as those on this tour with us did. Chris and I ate one each in the time it took others to plow through at least 5! Later when they heard we didn’t get a second, they told us we should have been more aggressive…right…we were supposed to throw elbows at all the old people around us! Although I’ve always liked o

ysters I’ve never really gotten what all the fuss was about them…now I know. I think we’ll have to start ordering oysters a bit more often at home…although not being fresh out of the sea I suspect they won’t be as tasty.

 

We saw how small the oysters still are after a year which was pretty interesting. Apparently the ones people eat are about 3 years old.

Next are sail around the bay before heading for lunch. This bay is lined with pretty huge ‘villas’ that are perched above the water. Each has stairs that zig-zag back and forth down to the bay.

Lunch is in town of Arcachon. This town is bustling with tourists. Passenger ferries come in constantly.Lunch is grilled squid, cod and a lemon meringue tart – accompanied of course by wine. The squid was some of best I’ve eaten…tender, sweet and grilled so that some parts are crispy.

Today is our last day on the boat. The last week has flown by. I’m not sad to be off to England tomorrow for a vacation at a slower pace. Our flight tomorrow isn’t until 4:30, so we can t

ake the morning at a relaxed pace. We have to be out of our room on the boat by 9:00, but we can stay on board as long as we want. We have a taxi ordered for 1:30, so we plan on having breakfast at 9:00, stroll around town, lunch on board and off to the airport.

Oh and about the sardines…I liked them, but that’s about it – just like any flaky, white fish.

Another thing...it seems as though there was a mal-function at the junction with a post from July when we were in Paris. Evidently I wrote but didn't actually post.

July 27 - Paris

Pompidou

Pompidou

Cool and partly cloudy, great for touring, no rain.

Matisse

Matisse

Visiting the Pompidou Centre was our number 1 task for the day. It is quite a distance from our hotel so we take the Metro. We decide to get a museum pass, so pick up a couple of those first. The museum pass is a 2 day (there are more day ones avail) pass that allows unlimited entry to many museums and monuments. It also allows you to skip the queue. Today being Monday has most of the museums closed, but we only really have today and tomorrow to hit museums, so we decide we can make it worth our while even if we start today when most places are closed. Plus, the Pompidou is pretty much #1 on my hit list for Paris, so today is a good day for that.

The Pompidou is a museum in Paris dedicated to modern art – art from 1920 until now. The building itself is something to see. It’s described as a building ‘inside-out’. The escalator and heating and cooling mechanics are all on the outside of it. There is no queue to skip, which means inside isn’t too crowded. Our visit takes about 2 hours.

Taking the Metro always gives me a sense of accomplishment and of ‘hanging with the locals’. A Metro ticket was €1.80 – about $3.00.

After the museum we wander around the Marais area a bit and have lunch. A chicken, tomato, avocado, mango and papaya salad. I’m reminded that I DO NOT like papaya. Chris has roast chicken with rice. Of course this is washed down with a bottle of wine and an espresso. We notice after sitting for a while that we are in what seems like ‘little-Africa’. We’ve noticed that the areas of Paris we’ve travelled doesn’t have many visible minorities until now.

We make an effort to get to another museum at the end of the day, but this one doesn’t let the museum pass holders jump the queue and the line is LONG – we skip it and go for a pint. I find a new Irish cider I haven’t tried before that is quite tasty.

Dinner today of meat, cheese, bread and wine is provided courtesy of a visit to the grocery store conveniently

located in the basement of the shopping mall across from our hotel. While it seems pricy at first – I think I’d pay more for the same at home and we certainly wouldn’t get wine from a piggly-wiggly.

August 6 - Pauillac

Bon Matin!

Cloudy in the morning, likely around 20 degrees, later in the 30s.

No alarm this morning was delightful. Our morning is spent sailing and relaxing. As can be the case with cruises (especially river cruises) they are very activity intensive. Of course we are not obligated to do every excursion, but we do. We participate in very few on-board activities so it could be even more active. This is our second last day and just when we are getting the groove of the boat.

The river(s) we are sailing on merge from one to the other without us noticing so usually we aren’t exactly sure which we are on, but today’s itinerary says we are on the Gironde.

All of the water here looks like chocolate milk. Evidently it is due to the tide and accompanying salt water from the Atlantic Ocean. The salt water is heavier than the fresh which doesn’t allow the sediment from the fresh water river to settle out – apparently it’s like a 3 layer thing going on with salt water on the bottom, then a layer of silt and the fresh water on top with the tide always stirring things up.

The river here being close to the Atlantic Ocean is affected by the tides. This means there are times of low and high tide. There is also a tidal bore called a mascaret. The front edge of an incoming ocean tide forms a wave of water that travels up the river against the direction of the river’s current. We experienced this yesterday. It was pretty cool. We were docked at the time and had to move into the middle of the river to ride out the wave – apparently it’s a law. We could see it coming and then felt it. It goes back as well, but we didn’t feel that. There is a part of the river that this causes good surfing conditions for. There’s also supposed to be a sound associated with this wave, but we didn’t hear anything.

We arrive at Pauillac after lunch for an afternoon of wine tasting.  

so many choices 

Dinner tonight is off the boat at Château Kirwan. The ship’s staff cook here and serve which I find a bit odd, but the meal is good. The requisite cheese course ‘assiette du fromage’ is served back at the boat. Although we relaxed all morning, the afternoon and evening excursions still make for a long day.

In the afternoon we drove through the countryside and vineyards stopping at some of the fancy-shmancy châteaux where we learn more about Bordeaux wines.  We did a tasting and tour at Château Prieur-Lichine.

Diner tonight was off the boat at Château Kirwan. It was a nice change of pace from the boat’s dining room.  

August 5 - Bourg & Blaye

citadel

We are back to hot today…clear and hot, 33-35 degrees

Today we are docked in a town named Bourg, but begin our day in Blaye. Blaye is about a 20 min drive from Bourg. Blaye’s attraction is the a 17^th century citadel. There are also ruins from a medieval castle within the walls of the citadel. The plans of this citadel were copied for the Quebec City citadel.

citadel

During the standard-issue free time we wander around the Blaye market. I’m coming to realize that every day the same market is in a different town. We see the same basket, olive and oyster sellers. This dulls the charm of the markets for us a bit. It’s not that all of the stalls are exactly the same. There are what seem to be some more permanent ones that are different, but many of the ‘moveable’ ones are the same.

In the PM we joint a walking tour of Bourg – population 3000! I’m pretty sure we didn’t see any of those inhabitants…a very sleepy place. It’s a good thing the walking tour was quick because it was very hot. I’d say more than 35, but who knows. There wasn’t much to see and we didn’t even stop for a drink!

Today’s stop is a bit of a dud for me. Chris was a bit more interested this morning, but me…no so much. Not bad, but just not that interesting.

random citadel garden

The most exciting thing that happened to me today was trying sardines for the first time. Each day for lunch there are 2 options for where to eat on the boat – the dining room and an outdoor buffet. We’ve always chosen the buffet. Each day in addition to the buffet selections a waiter brings by something to start with…one day it was steamed mussels and today it was sardines. Sardines are a first for me. I didn’t know what to do with them…I’ve heard to just pop them into your mouth, but these suckers were a bit more than one bite. I got a quick lesson and I was on the go.

Tonight we had dinner at the casual restaurant on the boat. While not as gourmet, it is more relaxing and low-key. I have a steak and salad. I was a bit worried that I would break my cheese every-day streak, but no worries…there was still the cheese course after dinner.

Speaking of dinner…Chris sent a few shirts and a pair of pants to be cleaned before dinner. I came back half way through dinner and they were done! WOW.

medieval ruins 

The evening ended with an en-suite glass of bubbly. This is the bottle that cost us 1.69 euros…it’s not half bad…see the plastic cork…haven’t seen one of those in a while.

The waterway we’re sailing (hard to say exactly which we’re on as we move between the 4 rivers. However, we are on the Bordeaux right bank versus the Bordeaux left bank which is basically the significant differentiation. 

sunken ship - low tide

sunken ship - high tide

sardines anyone?

daily streak maintained

yum

€1.69

August 4 - Libourne and Saint-Émilion

Tuesday is market day in Libourne so of course we had to visit and were not disappointed. Once again cheese was plentiful as were vegetables, bakeries and fish. There were also butcher stalls selling meats of many parts of many types of animals. I would not know the first thing to do with many of the meats and fish I saw and would love to spend some time here toma, learning and cooking. This market

tomatoes anyone?

is set in a square lined with 16^th century buildings. We learn that apparently a sign of French hospitality when having a dinner party is to cook the meal yourself, but to get dessert from the best ‘patisserie’ (bakery) in town…interesting.

don't think we're bring too many 1945s home

Château Siaurac is where today’s wine lesson and tasting occurs. Beyond tasting and learning we explore the château’s English garden, the château itself, the perfect rows of vines and actually where they make the wine. Lunch was at this château and it was quite as the French like to say ‘gastronomique’. In other words…Chis didn’t over-indulge.

Saint-Émilion, is a medieval tiny town perched on a limestone plateau overlooking vineyards. This was out last stop of the day. We had a formal tour of the church, other landmarks and monuments and were on our own. We shopped a bit and drank wine. The owner’s little boy who was about 5 years old welcomed us with a hearty ‘bon jour

August 3 - Bordeaux

A lay-about  morning was due so we took ours today. We slept until we woke up and read in bed for about an hour. Once we did get mobile, we got to the grocery store, this time while it was actually open. Wine, beer and snacks were on the shopping list. One of the bottles of sparkling wine we got was less than $3.00!!! Who knows how it will taste, but I suspect we’ll finish it and will be perfectly happy about it. Of course I had to check out the cheese, and although it wasn’t in a market stall and was in a tiny roadside grocery, it looked great and again was very economical!! For example…a log of goat cheese that I’d guess we’d pay 10.00 for at home was about 3.00…I’m still amazed.

The star of lunch today was a bowl of steamed mussels…tiny and delicious.

After a safety drill it was on to a nap as we were pooped from the morning’s activity.

By 4:00 we were finally sailing. During dinner we sailed thought a pretty big electrical storm.

storm.

August 2 - Bordeaux & Cadillac

Finally the heat has found us. 32 degrees, but dry. I have to say this lack of humidity is surprising. It might not be as dry as Calgary, but not far off.

This morning we did more touring of Bordeaux, but this time basically by bus. We initially drive around the town stopping at Place des Quinconces, one of the largest squares in Europe to focus on a huge monument. This monument (we are told) is dedicated to all things the French hold dear. However there is nothing about cheese or wine. I’m not so sure about the accuracy of this monument or what we are told.

Next we visit the Musée d’Acquitaine which basically highlights Bordeaux`s trading history. Most of the trade in the Bordeaux area has always centred on wine, but there is a significant amount of this museum dedicated to the French slave-trade. The part on slavery is the most interesting to me and made me realize I haven’t really considered slavery outside of North America. I found this part of the morning quite moving.

Lunch is back on the boat. There are 2 venues for lunch, a dining room where you order off of a daily menu and a more informal option that is buffet style. We opt for the buffet and also are able to sit outside. Wine and beer on the Viking cruise line during meal times is included. If last night’s dinner and today’s lunch are any indication plenty of wine will be consumed. In fact, after dinner last night we each took a full glass back to our room, stashed them in the room’s fridge and had them for when we returned from last night’s walking tour.

After lunch we try to hit a grocery store nearby for some wine, beer and snacks for the room, but no luck…by the time we get there, they are closed – 1:00.

For some reason (we missed the explanation yesterday busily chatting) the river is too high or too low for us to sail today. We were supposed to sail to the town of Cadillac, but instead we drive about an hour there. Once in Cadillac we do a short walking tour of the town. This town is TINY. There is little going on, especially for a Sunday. We of course are able to find a place for a glass of wine and a toilet stop – 2 glasses of wine was about 4.50…for both!

Next we are on to visit winery for a Sauterne workshop and tasting. This very sweet wine is not exactly my cup of tea but drinking it is this environment almost converted me. Part of this is done in the vineyard where there is no shade – it is very hot, but without the humidity it is not too bad.

We get back for little more than a shower and then it is time for dinner. We met a few new people then a wine tasting followed by a bottle of wine and a discussion on American politics. We've decided to blow off tomorrow morning's tour (that we've pretty much done already) for a sleep in!!.

August 1 - Tours, Poitiers & Bordeaux

 Not as cool this morning as yesterday, overcast for most of the day. Temperatures in the low 20s.

I was in for a huge shock today when we reached the motorway outside of Tours – TRAFFIC. WOW, is all I had to say. Apparently the beginning of August is a popular time for the French to take vacation (although July was too.) Some take the month, while some take less. Apparently the French get 5 weeks of vacation. Doesn’t actually seem like a lot compared to my perception. On the first day of this land tour the guide indicated that the traffic would be bad on the last day, so we altered the schedule a bit to account for it, but I had NO IDEA. It was like rush hour on Deerfoot Trail. 3 lanes in each direction (only our direction busy), bumper to bumper with frequent stops. This was solid for about 2.5 hours and then intermittently throughout the whole day. The road is great – there are just a ton of vehicles.

snacks

My second WOW of the day came next. Our first ‘technical’ stop, as our guide describes them, was as crowded as the motorway. It seemed as though one of the bus loads of travellers was on an overnight journey as they were in the gas station bathroom changing clothes, brushing teeth and taking showers. This was where we learned too, that truck drivers in France can’t drive on the weekend and they have to take a 15 min break every hour. The trucks’ steering wheels have gizmos that track this information and will shut down when the driver hasn’t taken a break. The trucks also log this information to be given to police on demand – interesting.

Bordeaux by night

The bus situation for these last 3 day has been wonderful. There are only 22 people on this land tour, so there is plenty of room to spread out. The journey from our hotel in Paris to our boat in Bordeaux has involved a significant amount of bus time, the extra space has made this much more tolerable. Today alone we are in the bus for about 6 hours. This would be much less without this insane traffic. This mount of travel before or after a cruise is very unusual in our experience. In fact, if we hadn’t decided to do this optional land tour, we would have flown right to Bordeaux.

Part of the altered schedule was to do the walking tour of Tours yesterday instead of today when it is typically scheduled – GOOD PLAN! Because of this our first real stop is the town of Poitiers. This is really just a very short walking tour to see the Saturday market and a 1000 year old Romanesque church.

It’s too bad I have no reason to buy cheese or meat or fish or vegetables, because this market is the place. Actually I suspect this is just one of many, mind-blowing markets all over France. The thing that most blows my mind are the cheese stalls. In one market, there are at least 3 cheese stalls with more cheese in one place than I have ever seen. And it is cheap. I figure at least half if not less than what we pay in Calgary. Their regional speciality is apparently goat cheese and that is by far the biggest price difference – not surprising considering it is made right here.

A quick lunch here is a panini of regional goat cheese and beer.

We finally reached the river boat around 5:00 after leaving Tours at 8:30. That’s the progress we made on not-so-modern infrastructure of Sri Lanka and India!!

During one of our technical stops we got a couple of snacks…Bolognaise chips and a Magnum ‘Black’ ice-cream. The ice cream is vanilla laced with espresso covered in a chocolate shell – OK, but I expected more coffee flavour and the chips are just crazy. In Paris we had the Compté cheese flavour and now these. I think roast chicken flavour is next.