11/14/2022

Twin Towns: Tain L’Hermitage & Tournon on the Rhône River in Provence

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All blog posts are based on our personal travels around Europe, penned by J. Christina.

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Luxury river cruising offers the best of what seasoned travelers want; stress-free, all-inclusive travel, dining, and daily guided excursions, all onboard a 5-star boutique river ship, while slowly plying Europe’s beautiful waterways.


On a very hot day in August, embarking on a European river cruise ship for an 8-day cruise on the Rhône River in Provence is a real pleasure.   It is a distinct way of traveling to see Europe’s postcard-perfect destinations.  From visiting Van Gogh’s sun-drenched Provençal town of Arles to Avignon and its UNESCO World Heritage sites, and the culinary capital of the world, Lyon, France.


Van Gogh Lounge - S.S. Catherine

What is European River cruising?  The correct term for this river vessel is Boutique River Cruise Ship.   The S.S. Catherine is an elegantly designed boutique river ship offering luxury hotel-style accommodations, amenities, food, and wine from the region.  The interior greets you with a stunning two-story lobby with a Murano glass chandelier and a life-size glass horse. River cruising allows travelers to embark on a one-of-a-kind itinerary, designed to see historic towns and landmarks just steps from the ship. And you arrive in the heart of great European cities and towns with ease and anticipation.

10/13/2022

The Heart of Provence | Rhône River Cruise

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  Day Three:  Avignon| Ver-Pont-du-Gard | Viviers |Tournon |Tain L’Hermitage 

Provence is one of the most beautiful regions of France, stretching from the lower Rhône River in the west, to the Italian border in the east, all bound by the Mediterranean Sea to the south. The Rhône River occupies some of France’s most picturesque scenery and it is the only major river in Europe that flows into the Mediterranean Sea.

Our European River ship, the S.S. Catherine is moored for the night in Avignon within steps of the timeless rampart walls, and near the ruins of Pont Saint Bénézet bridge, made famous by the children’s French song Sur le Pont d’Avignon, commemorating the bridge.  At the end of a perfect day of sightseeing, the river cruisers settle in for a beautiful sunset cocktail hour, overlooking the Rhône, accompanied by a gourmet meal, paired with local wines.

Pont Saint Bénézet bridge Rhône River |Palais des Papes

Join us today on our 8-day European river cruise with Uniworld and savor the historical towns and villages along the banks of the Rhône, where we begin day three in Avignon, the heart of Provence.

9/19/2022

Dispatch from Avignon | Cruising the Rhône and Saône Rivers

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Welcome aboard the S.S. Catherine where we will sail the Rhône and Saône rivers through Burgundy and Provence. 

Dispatch from Avignon

This eight-day holiday begins by embarking on the Catherine, a Uniworld European river ship, on the Rhône River in Avignon. Where we will travel approximately 400 km from Avignon to Lyon, France. The S. S. Catherine is 443’ long, and lean, 37'.5 to navigate the narrow lock and dam operations in Europe. The locks are no more than 39'.3 wide, where great skill is key to navigating the locks on the sometimes-unpredictable rivers. Most European River ships have an astonishingly low draft and can sail with only two meters (6'.6) of water.

9/07/2022

Luberon | Alpilles | Provençal Road trip

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All blog posts are based on our personal travels and experiences around Europe, penned by J. Christina.

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Provence is one of the most beautiful regions of France, stretching from the lower Rhône River in the west, to the Italian border in the east, all bound by the azure Mediterranean Sea to the south, known as the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.   


This solo trip is dedicated to a look back at hilltop villages that I visited many years ago and making new discoveries in the Luberon, department of the Vaucluse. Some villages are classified as the Plus Beaux Villages de France and others are notable for historical efforts, artists, and markets. Many of the villages are close together and never far from my home base in Avignon.  Provence is famous around the world for its postcard-worthy villages and breathtaking vistas. Where each village has its unique personality and a special allure; it’s love at first sight.  

Canal de l'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

Today my driver is Veronica from ProVans she is very knowledgeable of the area and speaks, Italian, French, English, German and Russian. She is very skilled for all her international clients. 


We drive east of Avignon approximately 25km to the edge of the Luberon region where we stop at L’lsle Sur la Sorgue. It’s a beautiful drive into the countryside with Mont Ventoux  high and proud in the distance. It's a quaint village where it's surrounded with canals fed by the Sorgue river.  This picturesque town is a discovery for me.  

8/23/2022

Traveling Solo | Burgundy & Provence | Avignon to Lyon

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Travel is like many other things in life – we get what we put into it. So much of the pleasure of travel is the dreamy anticipation: plotting the route, learning the history and culture, imagining the sights, and stumbling upon new discoveries. But what about travel life after a global pandemic?

Our world was shut down for 2.5 years, when a mysterious global coronavirus altered our lives in ways we never imagined. Our personal and travel lives abruptly retooled, realigned, and were put on hold indefinitely. For months we could only connect with friends and business associates over Zoom, WhatsApp, and Facetime; and certainly, travel was restricted, and international borders were closed.  Our life was reimagined into something we didn’t choose. There was plenty of angst; the who, what, when, and where with the pandemic crisis looming for months and thought years to come.

The countdown app on my iPhone reads 883 days since my last international travel adventure.  Today in 2022, things are looking brighter and hopeful, and the anticipation of travel has returned to this solo traveler, and she is off to revisit the south of France. Where I will travel by plane, train, or foot, and eventually join a European River Cruise on the Rhône River.

As borders reopen and the method we exchange travel documents, check-in at airports, and border control has been changed forever; packing one’s patience is essential. Forging ahead into this journey is exciting once again. Travel lifestyles are changing, and we will adapt.

My travel adventure begins by arriving in Lyon, France, where I board the TGV inOui going south to Avignon. It has been thirteen years since I’ve been in the South of France, so renewing my memories and solo travel is top of mind. The train makes three station stops en route; Valence considered the gateway to the South of France and the capital of Drome in the Rhone valley, and Montélimar, where Chateau des Adhemar reigns over the city, and the third station stop at Orange, where it is famous for its Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines.

It's a pleasant ride with all the amenities one would need for a 90-minute train ride, a first-class assigned seat, free Wi-Fi, charging plugs, electrical outlets at each seat, and a window view into the French countryside.            

Opéra Théâtre d'Avignon     
This image and many others are my portfolio tab.

4/11/2022

Traveling Untethered | Bordeaux, France

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All blog posts are based on our personal travels around Europe, penned by J. Christina.

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Our last international trip was more than 750 days ago before the global pandemic shutdown the world.  Join us as we recap the essence of European river cruising from sophisticated cities to quaint villages.

We began at the southern tip of Dubrovnik, Croatia, and ended in Venice, Italy. Driving overland 1400-miles, zigzagging through six great nations in central and southeast Europe. All the while navigating the most magnificent stretch of coastline in the world, the Dalmatian Coast. 
Miroir d'eau - Bordeaux, France
Water Mirror
Dubrovnik, Croatia

We completed this passage with a smooth transition into Venice, Italy, the Queen of the Adriatic; notably the most beautiful and unique city in the world – a jewel of European Culture.  After nearly a month on the road, we are weary, and ready to embrace our restful and well-appointed European river cruise ship waiting in Bordeaux, France.  Uniworld's River Royale is our home for the next week and is a welcome sight (this ship has since transitioned to S.S. Bon Voyage river ship).

Over the years, we had the pleasure of many bespoke European river cruises. Sailing through Europe’s picturesque riverscapes is simply dazzling. Traveling the waterways offers an enchanting way to see Europe’s charming villages and sophisticated cities, while effortlessly integrating from country to country. Water travel offers guests the unique ability to step off into the soul of these great historic destinations, with ease, grace, and anticipation. 

10/29/2021

Venice, Italy | Floating in her Beautiful Shabbiness

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All blog posts are based on our personal travels around Europe, penned by J. Christina.

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Venice, Italy, the Queen of the Adriatic; notably the most beautiful and unique city in the world- a jewel of European culture.

We arrived in Venice where it connects to the mainland by the road causeway, Ponte Della Liberta, Bridge of Freedom; traveling from Croatia, Slovenia, and the Gulf of Trieste, Italy.  It’s good to be back in Venice after a few years away. What better way to end this month of travel than spending our birthdays and wedding anniversary in this romantic city?

This extraordinary city floats in her beautiful shabbiness and embraces you with her incredible beauty; beckoning you forward to discover its hidden nuances, curlicue alleyways, and winding canals.  It’s a magical atmosphere and a perfect postcard treasure that will linger in your memory forever.

Rialto bridge was built to provide access to the Rialto market and connect the San Marco and San Polo sestieri (districts), the Rialto is the oldest bridge across the Grand Canal  image@pixabay

It was a pleasure to reorient ourselves with the most famous and touristy St. Marco Square, St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace, and the ornate Rialto Bridge, the most photographed spot in the world. We took a quiet break to explore a few other neighborhoods in Venice. Where each sestieri has its distinct personality and allure; taking a slow walk to catch our breath and relax.  We strolled the behind-the-scenes areas to enjoy the authentic beauty of Venice, exploring the labyrinth of back streets, rambling passageways, on foot, far away from the charming chaos. Yes, there are romantic gondolas rides and vaporettos to take you around this treasured city; but exploring the off-the-beaten-path, laid-back, lived-in, neighborhoods on foot for an up-close and personal experience of everyday life in Venice is memorable.

10/13/2021

Trieste, Italy | A City by the Sea

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All blog posts are based on our personal travels around Europe, penned by J. Christina.

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We are enjoying our slow travel through Central Europe, where we are weaving back-and-forth, crisscrossing the final borders in Slovenia, Croatia, and Italy; and we hope you are too.  On this trek, we have discovered a melting pot of cultures, dialects, and Art Nouveau elegance, and all in one stop, as we arrive at the heart-shaped Istria peninsula at the Gulf of Trieste, Italy. (tree-estItalian tree-es-te)

Today the largest part of the Istrian territory belongs to Croatia, small slivers belong to Slovenia, and minuscule parts to Italy. It blends the cultures of Austria and Italy with the culture and heritage of Croatia seamlessly. Most people are bilingual, so road signs and places are shown in Italian and Croatian. Istria is a premier holiday destination in Croatia.

Istria is Croatia’s largest peninsula and has hundreds of kilometers of stunning coastline, allowing us to cross into the Gulf of Trieste, Italy easily.  Some say Trieste is Italy’s most cosmopolitan city where it reminisces of the glory days of the Habsburg influence dubbing it “the little Vienna on the Sea”.  That’s the perfect portrayal, since Trieste belonged to the Habsburg Monarchy for 400 years, and became one of the greatest powers of Europe with its international seaport in the Mediterranean. 

Trieste, Italy  @google image
Trieste is often overlooked by tourists who are making their way to more well-known Italian cities like Venice, sitting a meager 100 miles to the west.  But Trieste is a bustling city with cultural attractions, museums, and refined Viennese-style coffee houses. Most famously, Trieste is headquarters to the Italian coffee brand illy, created by Francisco Illy in 1933. The city is intimately aligned as the world center of coffee, and nowadays with the Università del Caffè, offering an International Master’s degree in Coffee Science and Economics. Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world.