Showing posts with label Medoc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Medoc. Show all posts

11/07/2023

Bourg: Perched Atop A Quiet Secret in Dordogne

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All blog posts are based on our personal travels and opinions around Europe, penned by J. Christina.
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Bourg, France, is a hidden gem on the right bank of the Dordogne River, nestled in the heart of the wine appellation of Côtes de Bourg, in southwest France. In the 16th century, Bourg was a fortified community that secured a prominent position at the confluence of the Dordogne and Garonne Rivers.  In medieval times, this tiny hamlet was invaded by Visigoths, ravaged by the Normans, fortified by the English, and hosted more royalty than anyone ever expected, having been visited by four kings. 
Scribbles and Smiles by J Christina
Nowadays, Bourg sits discreetly among three prominent UNESCO Heritage sites:  Blaye, Saint Émilion, and Bordeaux. This tiny ancient village, once named Bourg-sur-Gironde, built in Roman times, tells a tumultuous 2000-year-old history. 


4/11/2022

Traveling Untethered | Bordeaux, France


 Travel is not to be taken lightly - it is a privilege.

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.

In 2018 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. 

Having sailed on the blue Danube, the mighty Rhine, and river Rhône, and the ever-romantic Seine while marveling at the mirrored waters of Portugal’s Douro River. Each voyage leaves us with an indelible memory with vivid recollections from Austria to Romania and overland to Istanbul, Turkey. Or where we tasted the terroir of Côtes du Rhône, while tracing the footsteps of Vincent van Gogh.  All the while, we reminisce about gliding untethered on the Garonne, Dordogne, and Gironde rivers while enjoying world-renowned wines from the Bordeaux and the Médoc region. 

Most river cruises are inclusive, it becomes your floating 5-star boutique hotel, complete with regional tours, gourmet meals, and prestigious wines. Sailings and itineraries run the gamut from romantic and stunning, to awe-inspiring.  What we enjoy most is the variety of itineraries available for river cruisers i.e., active, educational, and leisurely.

One of our most memorable and educational experiences was in Aljmas, Croatia, located along the right bank of the Danube, and looking across the river to Serbia. Where we were transported into the countryside, accompanied by our translator, Paul. Our destination was a pre-arranged, private, in-home lunch at a classified Sobe (so-bays), owned by a multi-generational family offering farm-to-table meals for a nominal fee. Giving tourists a chance to see a more rural side of Croatia and hear their history from locals.

 

    In 2006 the Assumption of Mary Church was rebuilt in an unusual shape and facade -           Aljmas, Croatia. The original Madonna and Child statute was found in the rubble after the Homeland wars.

This family was left with meager means due to the Homeland War, but exuded ambition, determination, and pride in growing and harvesting their food from a small parcel. Our delightful lunch was homegrown and handmade, fresh from the garden. All accented by lively Croatian vs English conversation and remembrances of their strife and struggles during the Croatian War of Independence. There are many educational and enduring stories to be discovered while cruising on Europe’s diverse waterways and beyond.  

 Travel is not to be taken lightly - it is a privilege.

     

 J. Christina is the author and owner of Scribbles and Smiles. Through our blog, we share stories of the wonderful discoveries we have made on our European travels. Christina (Christie) is married to John, a.k.a. Mr. Christie. Where Mr. Christie is right on board with their travel jaunts around the world sharing in their blogging endeavor - hence, their bespoke pen name, J. Christina.

 

 



3/30/2020

Discovering Croatia's Dalmatian Coast

Welcome!  Join our journey to postcard -perfect destinations. 

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

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And we're off! Join our 2018 bespoke journey across six nations, kicking off in handsome Amsterdam, affectionally referred to as the Venice of the North, where we will step into the world of Vincent van Gogh's art and cruise on 400-year-old historical canals, once again.


Amsterdam 2017

Travel along with J.Christina by plane, tram, on foot, by private transport, and European river cruise ship, all-the-while discovering postcard perfect destinations that will linger in your memory forever.

As our adventures unfold, wing on with us, as we hopscotch down to Croatia's Dalmatian Coast, including stops in Montenegro and Slovenia where we will explore the length of this majestic Adriatic Sea coastline. 

 

Old Town Dubrovnik

Following the mid-segment of this sojourn as we overland along the Pearl of the Adriatic, traveling south to north, where we will cross the finish line into Venice, Italy.  It's a quick stop to regroup, reminisce about Croatia's sights and sounds, while admiring the glories of Venetian architecture while strolling along the Grand Canal.  Sadly, we will say arrivederci to Venice all too soon - pushing-on, making our segue on to Bordeaux, France. 

 Join the finale! Come on along and explore with J.Christina in  Bordeaux, France, a city with a 2000-year-old history, often referred to as the "Port of the Moon."  We will celebrate our birthdays and toast our 25th wedding anniversary, while plying the waters of the Dordogne and Garonne rivers, onboard a European river ship.

Arm-in-arm let's complete this final bookend of our month-long journey immersing ourselves in southwest France - one ancient wine village at-a-time. Here we will stroll through picturesque hamlets, admire beautiful medieval villages, taste the terroir, and lunch in historic châteaux. Come on along, travel vicariously  from the luxury of your armchair to places some only glimpse on a postcard.   

Together we will create, capture and record countless shareable moments to last a lifetime. 

J.Christina is the author and owner of Scribbles and Smiles. Through our blog, we share stories of the wonderful discoveries we have made on our European travels. Christina (Christie) is married to John, a.k.a. Mr. Christie. Where Mr. Christie is right on board with their travel jaunts around the world sharing in their blogging endeavor - hence, their bespoke pen name, J. Christina.

 You can read their most recent dispatches from aboard an elegant European river ship, sharing the allure of Europe’s great rivers and their capital cities. Or, follow them through serendipitous discoveries in the Cote d’Azur, where J. Christina captures the essence of a  perched medieval village. J. Christina’s work has been featured on France TodayBonjour ParisThe Good Life France, and Perfectly Provence.

 

 

 





 








































4/24/2017

Saint Émilion: A Postcard-Perfect Hilltop Town in Dordogne


post appeared December 7, 2016 by J. Christina on  France Today


Sitting perched on a limestone hilltop like a graceful balcony above the Dordogne ValleySaint-Émilion is a town in the Gironde department in southwest France. In 1999, Saint-Émilion became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, honored for its cultural landscape and historical vineyards. This medieval, fairy-tale town is a maze of curlicue ballast stone streets– strewn with charming storefronts, squares, and flower-laden terraces– all ready for the one million tourists who visit annually.

Scribbles and Smiles by J Christina