Guilin and the Li River

I had trouble sleeping last night and around 2:00am I decided to edit some photos. So I worked on that for a while and then wrote some blog posts. Even though I was tired and couldn’t sleep it turned out good because I got caught up on all my photo editing and journaling. Finally, around 4:15am I went back to sleep and slept until 6:30am. Thomas and I both got up and got ready for the day. We showered and dressed and got what we needed for our excursion. Then we went down to the Li Café for breakfast. It was a buffet with a lot to choose from. When we finished eating we waited for about ten minutes in the lobby for the group and our local tour guide.

At 8:15am we left the hotel and drove about an hour to our excursion which started at the MoPan Hill Wharf. We got our tickets and made our way through security to boat 168 for our cruise down the Li River. The cruise covered 83km and took about 4hrs. Along the way we saw some beautiful scenery and some special formations. The highlight was seeing the view that is on the back of the ¥20. XingPing Scenery - it is a stunning location. We also saw the following things . . . Bat Hill, YangDi, Crown Cave, the Painted Hill of Nine Horses, Snail Hill and YangShuo County. At YangShuo we got off the boat and walked through a local market. From there we took golf carts to another market – West Street. Here our local tour guide took us to two stores for shopping. I am assuming she get a kick back from taking us there. Thomas and I didn’t shop – we just looked around and hoped this wouldn’t take long. After about 40 minutes we made our way to the bus and started our drive back to Guilin which was to take about an hour and forty-five minutes. Along the way the traffic stopped, we found out that the police had blocked the road for a VIP (don’t know who). Luckily, our local tour guide went and told the police we needed to get to our hotel to get our luggage and then get to the airport so they let us through.

Around 4:30pm we arrived in downtown Guilin and went to Candoing Health Club for foot massages and reflexology. We were there for an hour. First, they soaked our feet in a hot tea bath and massaged our shoulders and upper back at the same time. Then they did massages on our feet and calves. It was incredible and a perfect way to end the day. After the massages we returned to the hotel. Thomas and I went to our room to drop off our things and then at 6:30pm we went down to dinner. It was a buffet dinner and was just okay. Once we were done with dinner we took a walk along the Li River out in back of our hotel. Then we returned to our room and took showers. I thought I might get some photos edited from today but my eyes were closing and I decided just to go to sleep. Tomorrow we head to Hong Kong.

Chongqing, Pandas and Tibet

Our alarm went off at 5:00am, we had to shower, dress, finish packing and get some breakfast before 6:30am. We got our things and met our group in the lobby at 6:45am and then we disembarked the Viking Emerld in Chongqing. A bus then took us to the Chongqing Zoo so we could see some pandas. The zoo opens early and people come to do exercises there. They had people playing badmitton, doing TaiChi and walking. We were lucky and there were about five pandas out. We got to take pictures and watch them eat and play. After about 40 minutes at the zoo we had to leave and make our way to the airport which was about an hours drive.

Once we were in the airport Arnold gave us our passports and boarding passes. Then as a group we headed to security. We are flying to Lhasa, Tibet this morning and you have to have an entry pass. So Arnold had a list of our names and passport numbers which was attached to an entry permit, so we all had to be together. Going through security was pretty easy and didn’t take that long. We are on flight CZ3463 on China Southern [Thomas was in seat 40B and I was in seat 39C]. By the time we reached Gate G16 we only had a ten minute wait before they started boarding. The flight was about three hours and I spent most of it reading. They did serve us a lunch of rice and pork with some vegetables. It wa pretty good. When we landed in Tibet we made our way to the baggage claim and picked up our bags. We then had to wait until everyone had their luggage and then we had to give our passports to Arnold so he could get us through customs. They scanned our passports and then we were free to leave the airport. We loaded onto our bus and our local tour guide welcomed us to Tibet with a white scarf that he tied around our necks. It was a special way to start our visit in Tibet. 

From the airport we drove about fifteen minutes to visit a typical Tibetan home. We didn’t meet the family but we got to see the different living areas and learn about how they live. It was an interesting visit but very quick and a little strange walking around someone’s home when they weren’t there. After the visit we were back on the bus for a one hour ride to Lhasa and our hotel. Arnold has been preparing us for the altitude so that we don’t have any problems and the local tour guide did the same during our bus ride. Lhasa is at 3600 meters or 11,800 feet so they strongly encouraged all of us to follow some simple rules. Drink plenty of water, cut back on alcohol, move slowly and avoid strenuous exercise. So far Thomas isn’t having any problems but I have felt a little light headed. Hopefully we will be okay – our tour guide is slowing everything down while we are in Tibet.

We arrived at our hotel – The St. Regis Lhasa Resort – and we got our room keys and we were free to do what we wanted until dinner at 7:00pm. After settling in the room Thomas did some reading and I walked around the hotel taking pictures. I also spent some time editing photos and journaling until it was time for dinner. At dinner we found that four of our group were already having dizziness and nausea and one didn’t even come down for dinner because she was feeling too bad. We are hopeful that everyone will be okay tomorrow when we go out to explore the city.

Dinner was a buffet in the restaurant and they had quite a large variety of food. We all found things we liked and had a great meal. Back in the room after dinner I showered, edited pictures, did my blog post and journaled. It was long day and I need some sleep for tomorrow so I can enjoy Lhasa.

Shibaozhai Pagoda and Getting Ready for Disembarkation

We woke up this morning around 5:00am so we decided to start getting things packed and organized for disembarkation tomorrow. Then we took showers, got dressed and went down to breakfast at 6:30am. We had a pretty quick breakfast and some coffee and then headed back to the cabin. Once back in the cabin we got things ready for our excursion this morning. At 8:30am we left the ship and met our local tour guide on shore near some people selling all kinds of things. They kept saying ‘hallo’ and trying to pull us to their tables. Finally, we left that area and walked up the street to an intersection and then turned left passing under an elaborate arch. This turn had us entering into a local market area. The gauntlet of merchants was even worse here – they were relentless. But we trudged on making our way to the end of the street and another elaborate arch. Our local tour guide pulled us to the side and talked to us about where we were headed. Our destination was across a hanging, swaying bridge on an small island a little ways off shore. After giving us some history and information about Shibaozhai Temple.

 Then we walked across the bridge and made it to the island. Then we walked around the edge of the island to the front of the temple. Our tour guide talked to us as we walked and then she lead us into the temple and up the 99 steps to the top. Here we had some incredible views and learned a lot about the temple. The tour guide finished her talk and then we had about a half hour of free time to walk around before we needed to head back to the ship. We left the island and traversed the gauntlet of the market to make our way back to the ship. We made it just in time because about ten minutes after we were back on board the ship left the dock to complete our sailing of the Yangtze and dock in Chongqing.

Back on board Thomas and I decided to get as much packed as we could since our check in luggage has to be outside our cabin by 11:00pm. We did really good and only had the necessities left. By this time it was noon so we headed to the dining room for lunch. Today was a special lunch which include some Chinese delicacies. They had lotus root, chicken feet, pig’s ears and tails. I opted not to try these. We had a nice meal of other more normal Chinese dishes and we had a great time visiting with the others at our table. After about an hour we returned to our cabin.

We filled out surveys about the cruise and then I went to the front desk and turned them in. I also purchased some vouchers that we can use for future trips (they cost $100 but are worth $200). The rest of the afternoon was relaxing – we read, watched a movie, did some journaling and edited some pictures. Then we got ready for dinner. We headed for the dining room at 7:00pm and when we arrived we found Justin and Abby (they have been our servers for the entire cruise) and took a picture with them. The meal was okay – Thomas had the beef tenderloin and I had the cod. We ended up sitting with two couples we hadn’t met before. By 8:30pm we were ready to head back to the cabin. We still had a few things to get packed.

It took us about fifteen minutes to finish our packing and then we put the luggage outside our door. I ended up journaling while Thomas read. Now it is time to get some sleep – we have an early morning and a busy day tomorrow.

The Wu Gorge and the Goddess Stream

This morning we woke up at 6:00am and found that we were cruising through the Wu Gorge. Around 7:00am we docked at Wushan where we will have an excursion this morning. We went to the dining room around 7:30am for some breakfast and coffee and then returned to our cabin around 8:00am. I worked on some journaling until 9:30am when we left the ship for our sampan ride along the Goddess Stream. We had to walk for a while to get to the sampans. Once on board (there were 17 of us on our sampan) we started our tour of the gorge with a local guide. We spent an hour and a half floating along. The area was beautiful and full of history. We saw one of the hanging coffins that is high up on the cliffs. I really enjoyed the ride – it was peaceful and relaxing. After our ride we walked back to the ship and returned to the cabin. I edited more photos and then got a few uploaded to Facebook.

At noon we headed to the dining room and had some lunch. The choices today were better than yesterday. Thomas had soup & pasta and I had fish & chips. We didn’t linger in the dining room, we both wanted to get away from everyone and relax a bit. Thomas decided to hang out in the room and read and I decided to go up to Deck 6 and sit in the computer room. I edited all my pictures and then posted some of them onto Facebook. Once all of that was done I returned to the cabin where I worked on some journaling and did some blog post.

Around 5:30pm Thomas and I decided to head up to the Observation Lounge on Deck 5 for a drink. Then at 6:30pm there was a talk about the disembarkation process for day after tomorrow. Then after the talk we sat with our group and talked a little more about our flight and visit to Tibet. Our group ended up staying a little longer than the other groups and by the time we left the lounge and got to the dining room the tables were mostly full. But we found a table with only one couple so six of sat with them.

The meal was pretty good. It was more of a Chinese menu. I had the spring rolls and seabass. Thomas decided he didn’t want the Chinese meal so he opted for chicken. We had a pleasant visit with everyone at our table and one of the guys was celebrating his birthday – so they came out and sang happy birthday to him and we all got a piece of birthday cake.

After dinner we went straight back to the room. Thomas brushed his teeth and went straight to bed. I decided I wanted a shower and then I worked on finishing my blog post for the day. Tomorrow we have one excursion in the morning but then we need to spend the rest of the day packing because our bags have to be in the hallway tomorrow night. Now it is time to get some sleep – I need my rest since we still have two more weeks on this trip.

Headed to the Three Gorges

We were up early again this morning. Not sure why we keep waking up early but I guess our bodies are good with the amount of sleep we are getting. I ended up editing pictures and organizing the room a bit. Then we showered and dressed and were in the dining room for breakfast by 7:30am. We spent about an hour in the dining room visiting and relaxing then returned to our cabin. When we arrive they were cleaning our room so I grabbed my laptop and journal and we went to the lobby to wait for them to finish. While in the lobby I was able to connect to the internet and get some pictures and a blog post uploaded. Thomas ended up returning to the cabin but I decided to stay in the lobby since I had a good connection. After a little time in the lobby the ship stopped. We were getting ready to enter a lock so I went to the cabin and got my camera and Thomas and I went up to Deck 5 and watched as we entered the lock. We ended up staying and watching it fill up and then us exit at the end.

Afterwards, we returned to our cabin and Thomas sat and decided to read for a while. I got my things and went back in to the lobby. The internet works better there.

By going through the locks we were entering the first of three gorges. We are now in the Xiling Gorge. The landscape has changed dramatically and is beautiful with all its hills and greenery. Unfortunately, we are still having overcast skies, with fog and a light drizzle. So our visibility is limited but it is still a bit magical.

At noon we went to the dining room for a little bit of lunch before we headed out for our afternoon excursion. Lunch was just so-so and neither Thomas nor I ate very much. We left the ship around 2:00pm and made our way to the bus for the excursion to the Three Gorges Dam. We had a local guide who joined us on the bus and she told us about the dam as we drove to the entrance and security checkpoint. We stopped at a couple of areas and we learned about how the dam operates and the power it supplies. It is an amazing structure and does an amazing job of helping to control the Yangtze River. We spent around two and a half hours at the dam before returning back to the ship. It was close to 5:00pm when we returned and shortly thereafter the ship left the dock so we could make our way to the dam to begin going through the five stage locks. The process takes about four hours to go from one level to the next. We enter the locks on the Xiling Gorge side and then exit into the Wu Gorge. I spent the time before dinner editing photos and doing a little journaling. There was a cocktail party at 6:00pm but we didn’t feel like going. So we just relaxed in our cabin until dinner.

 Dinner started at 7:00pm and it was not the best dinner we have had. Thomas ended up ordering the beef tenderloin and then I had the chicken. Neither of us ordered from the special menu for the night. We did enjoy the company and had a good time visiting with the people at our table. After dinner we went up to the lounge on Deck 6 and listened to some music and visited some more. We lasted until 11:00pm and then we headed back to the cabin to get some rest. I didn’t have nay energy to work on anything at that time of night so I just went to bed. Tomorrow we have a morning excursion and then we are cruising for the rest of the day.

Visiting Jingzhou

Had a really good sleep last night and woke up around 4:30am. Did some reading and played a little on my iPad. At 6:30am I took a shower and got dressed and ready for the day. At 7:00am the ship docked in Jingzhou and a little after that Thomas and I went and had a quick breakfast and some coffee. Once we were done eating we went back to the cabin to brush our teeth and get our things ready for our day in Jingzhou. We had about an hour before we needed to meet our group so I worked on some journaling.

At 8:45am we left the ship and made our way to the bus for our first excursion of the day. We were on our way to visit a school that Viking sponsors – Genhe Primary School. When we arrived we went to an outdoor stage and the students put on a show for us. After the show we went to visit one of the classrooms. As we walked in the students started grabbing our hands and taking us to their desk. They had us sit in their seats and they were showing us different things. Our group had a class of second graders. They only speak Chinese, they haven’t learned English yet. They will start learning English in third grade. The little guy that I was with was energetic, he was always moving. They recited a poem from the Tang Dynasty and then sang us a song. Then we sang three songs for them – Old MacDonald; Row, Row, Row Your Boat and Hokey Pokey. When we got to the Hokey Pokey I used my hands to guide his arms and legs as we went through the song. I was trying to harness his energy. He was showing me how he writes some of the Chinese characters and then I wrote my name for him and he copied it. This turned out to be more fun than I could have imagined. The kids were so happy and energetic and it was contagious. Finally, around 11:00am we left the school and returned to the ship.

Once back on the ship we had a little time to relax before lunch. So we did a few things in our cabin and then headed to the dining room to get something to eat. It was a pretty standard lunch but it was good. Then after eating we returned to our cabin and I worked on editing pictures and journaling until it was time for our afternoon excursion.

Then at 1:30pm we made our way back to the bus and we headed for the Jingzhou Museum. When we arrived at the museum and the first thing we did was attend a bronze bell musical performance. They performed four songs for us. They used the bronze bells, tiles, the zither, pan flutes and drums. It was actually a wonderful concert. After the concert we had about an hour to wander around the museum and see the exhibits. They had exhibits on bamboo slips, pottery, jade and bronze. We all met back at the bus at 4:00pm and we traveled to a park so that we could see the ancient wall that surrounds the city. We also were able to climb to the top and walk along the top of the wall and see some views of the city. So Thomas and I took a little walk along the top of the wall and I was able to take a few pictures. The views weren’t all that great because the entire day has been overcast, foggy and drizzly.

It was around 5:30pm when we returned to the ship. We went to our cabin and got cleaned up for dinner. We had a little time before dinner so I edited some photos. At 7:00pm we headed for dinner and we had a Western menu to choose from. Thomas had minestrone soup and beef tenderloin and I had scallops and cashew shrimp. It was all very good. We ended up sitting with George and Mario and then two other couples – one from New Jersey and one from Chicago. We had a great time laughing and talking – it was one of the more enjoyable evenings. One of the women was also a physical therapist (and I had met another woman who is a physical therapist). At 9:00pm Thomas and I left the dining room and returned to our cabin. It had been a long day and we both wanted to get some sleep.

Flight to Wuhan & Boarding the Viking Emerald

This morning we woke at 6:00am to get showered and dressed and to have our checked baggage outside our hotel room for the porters. We are flying to Wuhan where we will board the Viking Emerald. Once we had our bags outside the room we got a few other things organized and then we went down to the restaurant for breakfast. I really loved the breakfast buffet – lots of choices and all delicious. After eating breakfast we returned to our room to get any last minute things done. Once our carry on bags were packed, Thomas read and I worked on editing photos and writing blogs.

At 8:00am we went down to the lobby to meet our group. At 8:30am we left the hotel and headed to Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA). Viking handled all of our flight details and Arnold handed out our boarding passes. Once we had our boarding passes we had to go through security and then make our way to Gate 63. Going through security was quick and easy. First, they checked your boarding pass and passport, then, you went through the metal detector. You didn’t have to take off shoes or belts but you did have to empty pockets and put any electronic devices in a basket. It was so easy! Then we made our way to the gate. We only had a 20 minute wait before we started boarding flight MU2506 on China Eastern Airlines [We were in seats 51AB]. The flight was to be one hour and fifteen minutes. It was a short flight but they still served us a light meal consisting of fried rice, some vegetables and a cookie. I read during most of the flight and Thomas ended up visiting with the woman sitting next to him. We landed in Wuhan at their new airport [Wuhan Tianhe International Airport (WUH)] – it was enormous, clean and beautiful. We made our way to baggage claim but we didn’t have to handle our bags, Viking did that for us. Once all the bags had been collected we made our way to the bus. We couldn’t board the ship until 4:00pm so we had a little outing before heading to the ship.

When we left the airport it was drizzling a bit but it wasn’t bad. We were taken to Qingchuan Pavilion Scenic Area. We learned a little history about Wuhan and the park and then we had free time to explore the area. We spent about an hour at the park and then headed back to the bus so we could make our way to the port.

The line to board the Viking Emerald was short and it didn’t take long to get through security. On our way to board the ship we were greeted by drummers and a dancing dragon - a wonderful way to start the cruise. After security we checked in at the front desk (where they took our passports) and got our room keys. We were escorted to our cabin [212] and give a quick orientation. We then unpacked and organized the room and relaxed for a bit before heading out to explore the ship. At 6:15pm we left the cabin and made our way to Deck 6. We walked around checking out the areas and we went out on deck to marvel at the light display on the buildings of Wuhan. While we were doing this the ship left port and we began our cruise on the Yangtze River (the longest river in China and the third longest river in the world). We slowly made our way down to each deck, checking our the area on each one before continuing down to the next. When we reached Deck 2 we found a place to sit and relax while we waited for the dining room to open for dinner. When they open the doors we waited for the small line to clear and then we entered and found a table. It is open seating at round tables that seat eight people. We found an empty table and eventually it filled with six other people. We had a Western menu to choose from and Thomas had a beef tenderloin with vegetables and I had roasted pork. The meal was delicious and the company was enjoyable – we all raved about how Viking has everything organized and ready and all you have to do is sit back and enjoy. Around 9:00pm Thomas and I left the dining room and returned to our cabin – it had been a long day and we needed some rest. Tomorrow it is a full day of cruising as we make our way to Jingzhou.

A Day in Albany

We didn't have any major plans for this morning so we didn't set an alarm and when we did wake up we stayed in bed and read for a while before getting up and ready for the day.

When we finally left the hotel we headed a little north of Albany to Cohoes Falls. The Falls are located on the Mohawk River in the town of Cohoes. There is a small park that sits up above the river with great views of the Falls. And there is a walkway that leads down to the river. We didn't quite make it to the river because there is a gate and they lock it if the trail is too wet or not passable. But we still enjoyed visiting the Cohoes Falls and after a little time and some pictures we headed back to Albany.

Our first stop in Albany was the Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center on Broadway. We stopped in and talked with two very nice women and got lots of information. There was free parking behind the building for the weekend. So we decided to leave the car here and walk around.

We walked along Broadway to Maiden Lane. Here we stopped in at Stacks Espresso Bar for some coffee and a snack. We spent about 40 minutes here just relaxing and then continued our walk. We walked up Maiden Lane and then merged onto the Mohawk Hudson Hike Bike Trail. This is an elevated walkway that took us over Interstate 787 and to Jennings Landing. From here the Trail continues in both directions following the Hudson River. We headed south on the trail, taking our time and enjoying the views along the way.

We walked for a while going under the Dunn Memorial Bridge, passing the USS Slater and eventually ended at Dutch Apple Cruises & Tours. We had reservations for a Hudson River Boat Cruise at 1:00pm. We arrived about an hour early so we found a spot to sit and relax while we waited to board for the cruise. Around 12:40pm they opened the gate and we were able to board the boat. We went up to the second level and found a table with two chairs and picked that as our spot to enjoy our tour of the Hudson River. Our tour took us south on the river but I am not sure how far we went. I do know that the tour laste an hour and 45 minutes. It was interesting and informative. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and funny. We saw wonderful areas of nature and beautiful homes as well as deer, herons and an eagle. I really enjoyed the relaxing boat ride, the history and the scenery. I really recommend Dutch Apple Cruises & Tours.

    

Once we were off the boat and back on solid land we started our walk back to downtown Albany. We followed the Mohawk Hudson Hike Bike Trail for only a short distance again going under the Dunn Memorial Bridge until we came to a stop light and crosswalk that took us across Quay Ave. and through an underpass to Broadway. Since it is Saturday and all the office and government agencies were closed the downtown area was quiet and peaceful.

We walked along Broadway enjoying the beautiful afternoon and stopped along the way to take pictures or sit and relax on a bench. One of the first stops we made was at SUNY (State University of New York) Administration Building. The building was stunning. After taking pictures and sitting and relaxing we decided we were hungry. We saw a sign for Jack's Oyster House and headed there. It was still early for dinner but we hadn't had anything today except for our coffee and snack before our cruise. So we needed a good meal. The restaurant was a little expensive but the food was incredible. Thomas had a Filet Mignon and I had the Crabcakes with Mango Chipolte Herb Aioli. Both meals came with a salad and fresh steamed vegetables. Absolutely delicious! From the restaurant we continued along Broadway and stopped and relaxed on a bench in Tricentennial Square. After a short rest we finished our walk back at the Visitors Center and our car.

 We had a great relaxing day and decided we were ready to return to the hotel and do some more relaxing and some reading. I also did a little research to see what we could do in the area tomorrow. I found something for us to do but will require a drive. Now that I have this post complete it is time for some sleep.

It Comes to an End - We Are Home

This morning we left Le Pecq, Paris and France to make our way home to Santa Fe. It all started very early. We got a wake up call at 5:00am and we got showered, dressed and finished packing. We put our bags in the hallway at 5:30am and then headed to the restaurant for breakfast. We met Deanne and Dave for a last breakfast on the ship and then went back to the room to get our carry-on bags.

Paris Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport

At 6:30am we headed to the bus for the trip to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport. Before we got on the bus we had to identify our bags and then they loaded them onto the bus and then we were able to climb aboard. The bus left the dock in Le Pecq at 6:45am  and dropped us off at the airport where we met a representative from Viking River Cruises. She walked us to the terminal and then checked us in at a kiosk. We got our boarding passes and luggage markers. Then she directed us to the counter where we needed to turn in our bags and then head to security. At this point, we said our goodbyes to Deanne and Dave and a few other people we had met on the cruise and then headed off to begin our day in airports and airplanes. We checked in at the counter and then walked toward the gates. We turned a corner and went through an archway and encountered a snaking line to customs. We zig-zagged our way through the line and 40 minutes later we were at the customs window. This part was quick and then onto security. Security went faster, it only took us 20 minutes to get through. After getting our shoes back on and computers put away we headed for our gate. We had a few euros left so we stopped and got snacks and water for the trip. We arrived at our gate approximately two hours after arriving at the airport. So glad the Viking shuttled us early from the ship. At the gate, we only had to wait about a half hour before we started boarding. Thirty minutes later we were settled in our seats and the plane was heading down the runway.

The flight from Paris to Salt Lake City was to be about nine and a half hours.

So we relaxed and started reading. I finished reading The Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel. We watched movies and TV shows, read some more, ate, tried to sleep, journaled, ate, filled out the declaration form, read and ate some more. They fed us a snack, lunch, another snack and then dinner. By the time we reached Salt Lake City we were both restless and ready to get out of the plane. In Salt Lake City we got in line and scanned our passports and got our receipts. Then went to the customs window and turned the receipts in and got through with ease. Then we picked up our luggage and then turned it back in just twenty feet away. I have to say that coming back to the States has never been easier. Usually, the TSA and Customs Agents are rude and grumpy. Today, though we had very friendly and helpful agents. The whole process took only 20 minutes and before we knew it we were at our gate for our flight to Albuquerque. I was glad about that because we only had an hour and fifteen minutes between flights and we made it to our gate with about 15 minutes to spare. On the flight from Salt Lake City, I read a little but mostly leaned my head back, closed my eyes and rested. We landed in Albuquerque about 30 minutes earlier than expected and thankfully our bags were one of the firsts ones out.

Once we had our bags we went out to the shuttle area for the bus to Airport Parking to get the car. We loaded the car, paid our tab and then headed home. It was 5:30pm when we got to the house. We unloaded the car, unpacked, took showers, ate a small meal and now we are headed to bed. It has been a long day and a great trip but we are tired and happy to be home. I really enjoyed Viking River Cruises. The cruise we took was Paris and the Heart of Normandy. Everything about the company was excellent. From the informational calls I made to the company to signing up and scheduling to them arranging the flights to the comfort and beauty of the ship to the excursions to the friendly and helpful staff, everything was perfection. We definitely will be using them again.

Château de Malmaison and Paris - Our Final Day in France

Our ship is still docked in Mantes-la-Jolie but today is our last day in France so at some point, the ship will leave here and return to Le Pecq. Tomorrow we start the day early to get to the airport for our flight back to the States. This morning our alarm went off at 7:00am. We got up, showered, dressed and got things ready for the day. We still had a little time before breakfast so we took out our luggage and started to pack some things. At 8:00am we met with Deanne and Dave in the dining room for breakfast. After a relaxing breakfast, we returned to the cabin and continued with the packing. We received some luggage tags last night so we went ahead and attached those. Then we took a little time to fill out surveys.
At 9:30am we stopped at the reception desk and turned in our surveys and got our cards.

Château de Malmaison

Then we headed out to the dock for an excursion to Château de Malmaison. This was the home of Napoleon and Josephine Bonaparte. I am not sure how long it took us to get there but time seemed to go by quickly. Our tour guide took us around the Château and gave us history and obscure facts.

Napoleon's Library

The Château is not a castle or anything like that, it is more of a large mansion. And I thought it was extraordinary and beautiful. The place was filled with beautiful furniture (most of which was not the Bonaparte's but was of the time period) and paintings. I was hoping we would have time to walk around in the gardens but by the time our tour guide finished we had to get back to the bus for our ride back to the ship.

It was close to 1:00pm when we arrived back at the ship. We went to the cabin and reorganized for an afternoon in Paris. Once we were ready we all met in the Aquavit Terrace for a quick lunch buffet. Dave decided to stay on the ship and just relax while Deanne, Thomas and I took the shuttle into Paris. The shuttle left at 2:00pm for Paris and the ship left Mantes-la-Jolie for Le Pecq as our bus pulled out of the parking lot.

The shuttle dropped us off in front of Petit Palais and this is where we needed to return at 5:00pm for our ride back to the ship.

Walking the Champs Elysees

We had two things to do in Paris and then the rest of the time we could do whatever. Deanne needed a shirt for her god daughter and I needed some safety pins (my suitcase was ripped at one of the seams on the flight over). So we walked from Petit Palais up Avenue Winston Churchill to the Avenue des Champs Elysees. We turned left and headed toward the Arc de Triomphe. Near the Arc we were able to find stores that had what we needed.

Petit Palais

Once we had purchased our items we headed back toward Petit Palais. We ended up going into the building and walking around a bit and had some coffee and relaxed. Then we headed out and walked along the Alexander III Bridge. All of this took up our time and we returned to the bus at 5:50pm. As we got back to the dock in Le Pecq and exited the bus we watched as our ship pulled up and docked. We had to wait about 15 minutes until we could get on the ship. Thomas and I went to the cabin and got cleaned up for dinner. At 7:30 we headed to the dining room for dinner. We sat with a couple from San Antonio (Jim and Patty) and head a great time.

Tonight we had an excursion back into Paris - Paris by Night Tour. So at 9:15pm we got on the bus and headed into Paris.

Eiffel Tower

For most of the tour we were just on the bus as we drove around to see all the major sites. It was beautiful and magical - the city is perfection at night. Glittery and romantic, peaceful and shining. I took quite a few pictures but I don't think they came out all that well (we will see when I upload them to the computer) since I was shooting through glass. I did learn on this trip that my camera does have a setting for taking pictures through glass and I did use it, so we will see what happens. When we arrived at the Eiffel Tower, the driver parked the bus and we were able to get out and get some good pictures. We also were at the Tower at 11:00pm, which the tour guide had arranged so that we could see the Eiffel Tower sparkle. The Tower flashes for a few minutes at certain times and I am glad we got to experience it. It was amazing. After about a 20 minute stop we were all back on the bus headed back to the ship.

Once we arrived at the ship Thomas and I took showers and then finished packing. Tomorrow we have to have our luggage in the hall at 5:45am. So we have a wake up call for 5:00am. It is now 1:00am and I think I need the four hours of sleep before our long day of flying home.

D-Day: June 6, 1944 [A Visit to the Beaches of Normandy]

Today we are taking a bus from the ship docked in Rouen to the Normandy D-Day Invasion area. It was about a two hour drive. When we signed up for our cruise we learned that Viking River Cruises has a recommended reading list which also includes a list of films. This list is related to the area that you will be cruising. So I ended up reading D-Day June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II by Stephen Ambrose before we left for our cruise. After reading the book I was really excited about this part of our trip and I was really looking forward to our trip today.

We were up at 5:45am and met Deanne and Dave in the dining room for breakfast at 6:30am. After breakfast we stopped by the cabin got our things and then stopped by the reception desk for our cards before heading out to the dock and our buses for the drive to the beaches of Normandy.

Looking toward Juno Beach

At 7:45am the buses left Rouen and we started our journey. During the drive I read a little, journaled and took pictures. I thought we were stopping Caen and at Juno Beach but all we did was drive through Caen and then past Juno Beach. I was a little disappointed about not stopping but it turned out to be okay. Our tour guide gave us a little history about the area and the bus driver drove slowly so we could take a few pictures.

Gold Beach Breakers

Eventually we made our way to Arromanches and Gold Beach. Juno Beach was invaded by Canada and Gold Beach was invaded by the British. In Arromanches we visited a D-Day Museum and watched a short film. After that we had a short period of time to walk around the town and visit the beach.

German Bunker

Then we walked a short distance to a restaurant for lunch. We didn't have a choice in what we ate, they just brought us a meal. It was a quick lunch and then we had a little more time to shop and tour the town. Then we met back at the bus and continued on to the American Cemetery. Before getting to the cemetery we made a quick stop at some German bunkers. These are located west of Arromanches at Longues-sur-Mer. Here there are four 150mm navy guns. From the batteries the soldiers couldn't see the beach but there was a lookout where someone would related coordinates of the enemy to the battery. These were impressive structures and it was obvious why these survived the bombings.

The American Cemetery is located Colleville-sur-Mer, France and sits overlooking Omaha Beach.We arrived at the cemetery and our guide gave us some history and then we had some time to walk amidst the immaculate and orderly grave markers.

Entrance to the American Cemetery

At 2:30pm they asked us to meet at the Spirit of American Youth. They held a small ceremony for us - they first asked any Veterans in the group to step forward, then they played the National Anthem, then they played Taps and finally we had a moment of silence. Being in the cemetery was emotional enough but with the ceremony I don't think there was a dry eye in the area. Once the ceremony was complete we had some free time. Deanne and I went in search of a letterbox. You can read about the letterboxing part of our visit at D-Day Letterboxing. After a little letterboxing we did some more walking around and looking at the markers.

The American Cemetery is a perfect memorial to our Veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. It is in a beautiful location and is tended with respect and dignity.

Wall of the Missing

There are two buildings at the edge of the parking area. One is the visitor center and the other is restrooms. From the parking area and buildings there are three walkways that lead into the cemetery. There are two outer walkways that lead to the edges of the cemetery. One of which leads to an overlook for Omaha Beach. The center walkway leads into the Memorial. You first enter into The Garden of the Missing. It has a arced wall with a list of soldiers that were missing. They updated the wall at some point and added some bronze rosettes next to names whose remains were later recovered. From the garden you ascend either stairs or a ramp into the the Memorial. There is another arced wall with columns at the front where you enter and on either side are covered areas with maps of the D-Day invasions. In the center of the Memorial is a statue called The Spirit of American Youth. It is positioned to overlook the graves of the soldiers. In front of the Memorial is a reflecting pool and gardens and then the graves are set out in ten sections. There is a center aisle containing a chapel and some statues. What I can't describe here is the emotion and pride that is present all around. I felt that the choice of markers was especially well done. The crosses have softer curves and flares and aren't so rigid. Then there is the diversity where soldiers were honored with stars of David. I was also moved to see markes for unknown soldiers. They had the most wonderful sentiment on them . . .

HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY

A COMRADE IN ARMS

KNOWN BUT TO GOD

When we left the cemetery we traveled to Omaha Beach. Here we got to walk on the beach and see a couple of memorials and the flags of the Allies.

D-Day Memorial on Omaha Beach

After reading the D-Day book and seeing images from the invasion it was odd walking along such a beautiful beach and enjoying the most incredible view. It made the information and images I had in my mind all that more emotional. I think we had about a half hour to contemplate things before we had to return to the bus.

I think the day tired us all and the bus ride back to the ship was very quiet. I did get a little journaling done during the drive. Once back at the ship we showered and got ready for dinner. We skipped the happy hour and daily briefing today. Dinner was fantastic and relaxing. After dinner I spent some time in the library editing pictures. I did this because I felt Thomas deserved to have the cabin dark and quiet to get some sleep. But now it is time to get to bed, it has been an emotional and busy day.

The Ally Flags (From Left to Right) - United States, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Great Britain, Canada, Norway and France