Rouen - the Historic Capital of Normandy

 After a good night's sleep and another hearty breakfast, we were refreshed and ready to go ashore in Rouen.  A short walk along the quai and across the bridge over the Seine and we were in the Old City.

Founded by the Romans on the right bank of the Seine, Rouen was made the capital of Normandy by the Viking leader, Rollo, in the 10th century.   Rollo was baptized into the Christian faith with the name of Robert and began a lineage that extended from William the Conqueror to Queen Elizabeth II.

Rouen  eventually expanded to both sides of the Seine. During WWII the modern section of the city was heavily bombed and later rebuilt.  Fortunately, much of the old city was spared.

Walking through the historic section, we passed superb half-timbered houses.  One the top of a gate over the busiest street in the old city is Rouen's striking astrological clock built in 1527-29.  It has one hand showing the hours plus a small window beneath the dial with symbols representing days of the week and a silver spherical shape indicating the phases of the moon.

Built between the 12th and 16 centuries the Cathedral Notre-Dame is an excellent example of Flamboyant Gothic architecture.  The blue stained-glass windows were stunning and indicative of older glass.  Fortunately, they were moved to safety early in the war and later restored to the church.  

The Viking leader Rollo's bronze effigy lies atop his empty tomb in the Cathedral.

Our next stop was at the very modern church of St. Joan of Arc.  The church has stunning 16th century stained-glass windows which were removed from the church of Saint-Vincent in 1939 and hidden during WWII .  A very wise move, as Saint-Vincent was totally destroyed.

Right beside the church of St. Joan of Arc is  the Place du Vieux Marche which was the scene of public executions in the Middle Ages.

It was at this site that Joan of Arc was burnt alive in 1431 after being falsely accused of heresy.  She was later 'rehabilitated' and eventually canonized as a saint in the Church.

By now we were becoming aware of hunger pains and found Paul's Brasserie opposite the cathedral where we enjoyed a delicious lunch.  The rest of the afternoon was spent seeing other sites in the city including one of the Jewish synagogues.

More tomorrow from Les Andelys.  I'm hoping to go on a bicycle expedition.
Linda

D-Day!

The day we'd been anticipating since signing up for this cruise was finally here.  We were going to the Normandy Beaches!  We'd been cautioned to be ready to leave by 8am, and no one was late.  This would be our  'Longest Day'!  One of the guests on board is a meteorologist who gives me daily weather reports at no charge.  He assured me that the sun would come out -- and he was correct, at least by noon.

All our local guides have been outstanding, and Ann Marie was no exception.  During our drive she gave us a wonderful explanation of what had led up to WWII, which actually was a result of WWI events.  I think we all had a better understanding of how complicated Europe's political situation was in 1914 and why WWII began 21 years later.

Our focus today was to be in the Omaha Beach area, and our first stop was at the American

Cemetery.  I have very special memories of this place.  In 1998 I took a group to Normandy on a day tour from Paris.  In our group was a WWII veteran of the Normandy landing.  He is since deceased.  We happened to arrive at the cemetery at dusk and as we walked among the crosses and stars of David, the American flag was lowered and taps began to play.  I can still see the  tears streaming down his face.

Several years later, while staying in the home of an acquaintance in a small village nearby, we had dinner with the Superintendent of the Cemetery.  Again, we just happened to arrive the next day at the Cemetery and were met by this gentlemen.  He invited us to participate in the flag lowering ceremony.  This time I was the one crying as the flag was slowly lowered.

Although most Americans have seen pictures of the cemetery, no photo can portray the beauty of this sacred place.  More than 9000 white crosses and stars of David are laid out in perfect symmetry on a cliff overlooking Omaha Beach.  Exact records are kept enabling family and friends to locate their loved ones.  Those who could not be identified have the inscription "Known only to God."  The Visitor Center is another 'must visit" with it's excellent photos and videos of the actual landings.

Next stop was Omaha Beach.  How peaceful and filled-with-children-playing was the beach today -- a far cry from the videos of the carnage of D-Day we'd just seen.

The Les Braves sculpture stands at water's edge to commemorate those brave soldiers who died 6 June 1944, and symbolizes
              Hope - Freedom - Fraternity.

The last stop on today's itinerary was the D-Day Museum at Arromanches.  The Allies knew they would need a port to keep the forces adequately supplied, but the disaster of the Dieppe raid in 1942 proved the German defenses were to strong for the Allies to capture an established port.  They decided, instead, to build two prefabricated harbors from sections they would tow across the Channel.  A storm destroyed Mulberry A, the first harbor, at Omaha Beach, but Mulberry B was successfully put into operation at Arromanches.  This port played a vital role in the successful advance of Allied troops In Normandy.

D-Day at the Normandy Beaches had, indeed, been our 'Longest Day," but a very special day for all of us.  Tonight we will cruise southeast toward Paris,our final destination.

More tomorrow from Rouen.
Linda




     

Honfleur -- A Quaint Fishing Village

We awakened this morning to views of the Seine River banks passing by as we cruised  to Caudebec-en-Caux, our port for the next 2 nights.  From here we will explore Honfleur and the Normandy beaches.

After the morning briefing on today's activities, we had time to explore the town. We were docked right by the town making it easy to go ashore.


It was Saturday morning and the nearby market was in full swing.  The sun came out making the market produce very appealing.

Although I've been to France many times, somehow I never made it to the ancient port of Honfleur with its picturesque history.  I was certainly looking forward to seeing it on this trip.  I definitely wasn't disappointed.

Our drive of about 1 1/2 hrs was lovely -- with happy Normandy cows with unique black circled eyes. In addition to the happy cows, there were the numerous thatched roofed house, reminiscent of the middle ages.  I had definitely taken for granted the simplicity of these roofs.  The initial construction requires careful application of reeds in row upon row with iris rhizomes planted on the top of the roofs to absorb the water from the thatch.  The roof requires continual maintenance of removing the moss that begins to grow among the thatch.  Skilled workman that can repair and replace the roofs have a waiting list of 2-3 years.



Honfleur was everything I had imagined and more.  A fortification during the Middle Ages, it became the embarkation site for expeditions to the New World.  I was expecting the lovely port with yachts and fishing boats but was totally surprised by the abundance of quaint half-timbered buildings.  Walking through the Old City transformed a trip back to the Medieval era.

Located in a lively market in the center of the Old City, the 15th century Church of Sainte-Catherine was made entirely of wood by local ship builders.  There were no stone masons or quarries in the area, thus wood was the obvious choice.

Leaving the church we strolled along the Quai Sainte-Catherine (waterfront) with its cluster of slate-covered houses dating from the 17th and 18th centuries.  We stopped at a small restaurant along the Quai and enjoyed a yummy smack of oysters and Crepes Normandy topped with apples soaked in the local Calvados apple brandy.

When we arrived back aboard the AmaLegro, we had a few minutes before our special evening at the Chef's Table.  A former lounge at the back of the ship had been converted to a small glass-enclosed restaurant which our group had to ourselves to enjoy a delicious dinner.

Giverny - Home of Claude Monet

Today was our first morning on the river, and, although the sun wasn't shining brightly, it also wasn't

raining.  Always a plus in Normandy!  There's a reason the fields are always lush green and the cows are very happy!  I love waking up and watching the river banks and towns as we cruise by.

Breakfast was very tasty and even included crisp bacon -- virtually unheard of outside the US.  AMA's chefs, however, have learned how to cook bacon the way we like it!  Next on the agenda was

a talk by Elise, our cruise manager, who each day would explain what our options for the day were.  Besides the main shore excursion, she described alternatives for passengers who had previously been in this area.

Before lunch we had time to explore the town of Vernon where our ship docked.  The timbered houses were lovely.

Today's primary excursion was an afternoon to the home and gardens of  Monet in nearby Giverny -- places I've wanted to see for years but haver never seemed to get to, despite many trips to France.  Only five passengers elected to go on an alternative tour, so I guess most of the ship agreed with me.

After a rather substantial lunch (I'm going to need a seat belt expander on the flight home),  the next pre-departure activity was to test our individual audio boxes.  These allow us to hear our local guides even when a considerable distance from the guice.  Even though our group of 20 could easily hear when standing around her, the personal audio systems enabled us to linger at a site while the rest of the group moves on.

Born in 1840 in Paris, Claude Monet, one of the most famous of the Impressionist artists,  fell in love with a house outside of Vernon, France, while returning from the coast on a train.  He purchased the

property and lived there until his death in 1926.

The home is interesting and large enough to accommodate his large family of 6 children, but the real attraction is the flower-filled Clos Normand  and the Japanese-style garden he designed.

Numerous nympheas (water-lilies) paintings were inspired by these

gardens.   I was in awe of the beauty of the gardens and only wish we could have such at home, but sadly, our Texas climate prefers cactus!

At dinner tonight we had a birthday celebration for Suzanne McFarland and a Honeymoon? celebration for Jerry and me.  We both were presented with cakes and special songs.  My agent at AmaWaterways had told the cruise line that we were a honeymoon couple.  Guess it didn't matter that we were married last January!

Tonight we sail to Caudebec-en-Caux which will be our base for exploring Honfleur and the Normandy Beaches and Cemetaries for the next 2 days.

More from Normandy....
Linda

Arrival in Paris -- Oops, Les Andelys

Riding the Atlanta airport train from domestic to international terminals proved interesting.  Just as the last lady in our group raced to the train, the doors closed before she could jump on.  Jerry managed to thrust his arm out and blocked the door from closing.  The conductor blared a command to quit blocking the door, but our hero Jerry held on until she climbed aboard the crowded train.  As we gripped poles on the speeding train, another lady in our group declared, “This ride is just like pole dancing!”  I knew at that moment this would be a fun group! 

Flying overnight from Atlanta, with the help of an Ambien, a glass of wine and a  very exhausting week, I slept well (in economy!) awoke refreshed and anxious  to see one of my favorite cities—Paris!  An AmaWaterways rep met us in the Arrivals Hall of Charles de Gaulle Airport with a slight change of plans.  One of the locks on the Seine River west of Paris had broken and the AmaLegro could not cruise back to Paris until repairs were made.  We were, instead,  driven to Les Andelys, about 80km west of Paris, where our  ship awaited us. 

A lovely arrival greeted us as we boarded the ship – the lounge area had snacks, drinks and comfortable sofas for those who were tired and wanted to just curl up and rest.  The rest of us decided to explore this charming Normandy village of Les Andelys.  The village had a gothic church not quote as impressive as some in Paris but  a lovely structure with works by several well-known artists.

from several well-known artists.  Les Andelys was filled with lovely old buildings, many of them half-timbered structures. 

The highlight of our explorations, however, was a steep climb up the hill to the 13^th century Chateau Gailiard.  Richard

the Lionheart’s masterpiece of military architecture resembled forts built by the Crusaders.  We were definitely breathless as we reached the top but were rewarded with breathtaking views of Les Andelys and the Seine valley below.

Tonight Jerry and I have been invited to join the captain for dinner.  Looking forward to a fun evening.

Tomorrow morning we sail to Vernon and from there visit Giverny, the home of Claude Monet.  I love his paintings and am looking forward to touring that region.

Follow us tomorrow as we cruise along the Seine River enroute to the coast.

Linda 

Paris and Normandy

Jerry Dykstra  and I (we were married in January) will depart tomorrow, October 14th, for Paris with a group of 20 passengers on AmaWaterways AmaLegro Paris & Normandy cruise.  I had to  book it  almost 2 years ago due to the  popularity of river cruises in Europe.  I can remember my first river cruise group back in 2004 when only 2 companies were operating river boats on the Rhine.

I love Paris and have been there numerous times, but, for the majority of our group, this will be

their first visit.  Upon arrival in Paris we'll find the AmaLegro docked and waiting for us on the Seine close to the Eiffel Tower.
Paris is known as "The City of Light" because of its major role in the Age of Enlightenment and its initiative to be one of the first cities to install gas lamps on street corners.

The next day we will begin our cruise down the Seine to become immersed in the Normandy region.  This area of France houses many works by Impressionist painters such as Monet, Cezanne, Pissarro and  others.  I am anxious to see the actual places they painted.

As we near the Normandy coast a few days later, our ship will dock near Honfleur.  This charming fishing village was  again the inspiration for many impressionist works.  The following day  we will drive to the infamous Normandy beaches, where American, British and Canadian soldiers fought so valiantly to liberate Europe from Nazi occupation.

There will be more stops and wonderful sites to explore before we return to Paris for our last 2 days.  Stay tuned as we travel through regions rich not only in French history but also in American history.

More from Paris.
Linda

Moscow --What a Surprise!

Moscow was our final destination, and, to be perfectly honest, we did not arrive with high expectations, having already seen so much beautiful scenery and incredible sites.  But after  1 ½ days (not nearly enough) our impressions of the Russian capital had definitely changed.  

We docked on the Volga in the suburbs of the city and took about an hour to get in

to the city center.  First surprise was not only the traffic (only a few Russian-made cars were on the roads when I was there in 1972) but also the amount of  late model luxury cars.  Many Lexus and Mercedes, Cadillac Escalades, as well as Toyotas, GM cars, etc.  Definitely more upscale automobile taste than found in a typical US city.  The newly renovated Bolshoi Ballet Theater is in the background.

Our first stop in Moscow was the Kremlin.  The word literally means fortress or

walled town, and Moscow’s is definitely one of the largest and most famous in the world   One side of the red brick wall faces the Volga while the other side borders Red Square.

Within the walls are government buildings (Putin’s office was in one of them but time didn’t allow a personal visit), gold-domed cathedrals and palaces. 

Every Tsar since the 15^th century has been crowned in the Kremlin.

The 2,000 ton Tsar’s Bell  cracked in a fire before it could ever be rung. The piece that fell off still stands by the bell.  Continuing our walking tour we passed the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where 2 guards stand watch at the end of the lovely Alexander Garden.

Although we toured several of the cathedrals, the most memorable experience was in the Armoury which contained the original coronation gowns of Empresses such as Elizabeth and Catherine the Great.  There is no way to describe the jewels that adorned these gowns and crowns or even imagine how the royalty were even able to stand in them.  Sadly, no photos were allowed.

The hall displaying the royal carriages was equally awe-inspiring.  I don’t think there is another collection in the world to equal the Kremlin’s Armoury.  It’s easier to understand the Bolshevik revolution after realizing the wealth the Tsars spent on their gowns, jewels, carriages and palaces

while their serfs were condemned to lives of hopeless poverty.

Our second day in Moscow was an absolutely beautiful day, making it hard to resist photo after photo.  Even Russia isn’t immune to Starbucks!

First stop was Red Square and the famous St. Basil’s

Cathedral.  Forty years ago I stood in front of it and found it just as amazing this morning.

Red Square is the 3^rd largest square in the world behind Tiananmen Square and the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg.

I had visited Lenin’s Tomb previously so didn’t take the time to stand in line for this popular site.  Did enjoy walking through GUM’s Department Store.  In the 1970’s, I remember long queues, shabby goods and empty shelves in tiny stalls.  Today, the shops within GUM’s contain top designer wares. 

A Hermes belt was over $2000 USD (and no, I didn’t purchase it!)!

Leaving Red Square we were treated to lunch and a cruise down the Volga.  What a perfect way to see the famous buildings.  The Kremlin Wall has 20 individual towers each showing the quirks of their various architects.

Financed by a private donor this huge statue was originally built for the US with a statue of Christopher Columbus.  
   

When the US declined the gift, the sculptor chopped off Christopher’s head and replaced it with Peter the Great’s!

Continuing with our land tour of Moscow, we stopped at one of my favorite sites –- a lovely park with a view of a beautiful convent set on a lake and resembling a scene from a Russian fairy tale. 

In the same park were structures based on Make Way for Ducklings, in honor of Barbara Bush’s visit as this was

one of her favorite books.

Our final activity in Moscow was a ride on their world-famous metro system.  After very careful instructions and with some trepidation we entered a station via the longest escalator I have ever ridden.  It seemed to take several minutes, but that could be a slight exaggeration.

More like palaces or museums, each spotlessly clean station (we saw three) was decorated in a different style.  

One designed by Khrushchev depicted various scenes of ordinary people fro Kiev, his hometown while another had statutes of was heroes in each alcove.

The third station had alternating arches of pink and light grey marble   

All had mosaic scenes at the end of the station

Our drive back to the boat through heavy traffic took about 1 1/2hrs but time passed quickly as our young guide  encouraged us to ask her questions about life in Russia today.  

Perhaps, the best memory we will take with us will not be the lovely souvenirs we purchased, the breathtaking palaces or the vast expanse of this country but our impressions of the Russian people.  We found them to be so much like our own families and friends back home with the same interests and challenges.

I hope to return again to this nation emerging from long years of Soviet oppression and see what changes have taken place.
Linda