Showing posts with label Uniworld. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Uniworld. Show all posts

11/14/2022

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


Subscribe to receive the latest blog post!  

Travel dates: July 26- August 8, 2022

L’Hermitage. Tournon

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 onto 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.
Read more »
Posted by - No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , ,

8/23/2022

Traveling Solo | Burgundy & Provence | Avignon to Lyon

Subscribe to receive the latest blog post  

Travel dates: July 26- August 8, 2022

 Solo train ride from Lyon to Avignon, July 26.

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 were abruptly retooled, realigned, and 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 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     
 portfolio tab.
Read more »
Posted by - 1 comment:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,

6/20/2017

Speyer Cathedral, Helmut Kohl: Speyer, Germany

Speyer is a 2027-year-old city, along the banks of the Rhine river in southwest Germany, in the Rhineland-Palatinate state. The town is dominated by the Speyer Cathedral, which is named Imperial Cathedral of Speyer.  It is dedicated to St. Mary, patron saint of Speyer, and to St. Stephen.  In 1925, the cathedral was raised to a minor basilica of the Roman Catholic Church and became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 198l.
This is day nine of our European river cruise. Our Uniworld river ship arrived in Speyer on Wednesday, June 21, 2017 at 8:30a.m. Where we are met by Herman the German, our tour guide, for our half-day walking tour.  Herman shares historic information about his city. Telling us the city of Speyer was liberated by the Americans during WWII, and then became part of the French zone from 1944 to 1989.  Herman is old enough to recall seeing Charles De Gaulle lead the French troops through the city at the end of the World War II.


Read more »
Posted by - No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

6/19/2017

Charismatic Bernkastel-Kues, Germany

Bernkastel-Kues is an attractive little twin town in the Moselle Valley, halfway between Cochem and Trier, Germany.  In the early 20th century, Bernkastel on the right bank was merged with Kues on the left bank along the Moselle River.

Our river ship, the River Queen set sail from Trier, on Sunday June 18, 2017, at 1:00p.m. and arrived in Bernkastel, Germany at 9:00p.m. and will remain in port overnight. We began Monday, June 19, 2017, with a village walking tour. Our guide, Marita is the daughter of a winemaker and she lives in the town of Kues, which is directly across the Moselle River from Bernkastel.
Scribbles and Smiles by J Christina
Looking across to Kues, Germany


Read more »
Posted by - No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , ,

6/16/2017

The Grand Duchy: Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

The River Queen arrives in Trier, Germany at 1:00p.m. on Saturday, June 17, 2017 and will remain in dock overnight. Where we will visit Luxembourg American Cemetery and also a walking tour of Trier, Germany - birthplace of Karl Marx.

Luxembourg is officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and is a landlocked country in western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France to the south. Its capital, Luxembourg City, is together with Brussels and Strasbourg one of the three official capitals of the European Union and the seat of the European Court of Justice, the highest juridical authority in the EU.

Scribbles and Smiles by J Christina
A grand duchy is a country or territory whose official head of state or ruler is a monarch bearing the title of grand duke or grand duchess.


Read more »
Posted by - No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)