Otherwise, our trip is off to a great start! Here are some notes and pictures from our adventure so far...
Sunday, July 22, 2012 – Departure from the US
We flew out on Sunday, July 22nd with a connection through NYC. It really is amazing the difference between traveling by air in the US and traveling internationally. My flight from Indianapolis to New York was awful as it always is. I was on a regional jet with a miserable flight attendant and virtually no air conditioning as the primary coolant system was out. However, the flight from New York to Nice was fantastic. We were on Delta and we had elected upgrade our tickets to "Economy Comfort" a while back for this segment. It was well worth it. We received a complimentary glass of wine, a great selection of movies to watch on our in-seat devices, and our seats were exceptionally spacious and comfortable. The flight crew was very professional and friendly and the passengers were all very pleasant.
Monday, July 23, 2012 – Monte Carlo, Monaco
We arrived in Nice on Monday around 10:30am and picked up our transfer to Monte Carlo('ish), Monaco that was provided by Avalon Waterways. The drive was very nice aside from some apparently typical traffic as we approach Monte Carlo. When we arrived at our mysterious hotel in Monte Carlo, we learned that we would not be staying where we originally expected. We were supposed to be staying at the beautiful Fairmont Monte Carlo just behind the famed Casino Monte Carlo (think James Bond - Casino Royale). However, due to some unfortunate situation with an overcrowding of Olympic athletes, the Fairmont had to re-accommodate our group at the Columbus Hotel which is actually located in Fontvielle, Monaco a good 20 minute walk each way from the heart of the action (the Casino Monte Carlo). Despite the disappointment, we very much enjoyed the Columbus Hotel for the short period of our stay. The rooms were comfortable and we had a balcony overlooking a nice garden with a good view of the Mediterranean Sea. As our arrival at the hotel was before the check-in time, we were not able to get into our room yet. We decided to explore the Fontvielle area for a bit. We saw some amazing yachts in the Port de Fontvielle and had a simple lunch at an Asian themed fast food restaurant. That evening we had a welcome presentation from our Cruise Director Jean Loup and then a champagne reception. Afterward we took the local bus up to the main square in Monte Carlo and saw the Casino Monte Carlo, the Hotel de Paris and some amazing luxury cars. We then had a great dinner of French pizza and Dutch beer at a café along the main marina. This is where we also got to see some of the monster yachts. Afterward we endured the walk back to our hotel and got a good night of rest for our upcoming travel day.
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| Me overlooking Monte Carlo |
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| Musee Oceanographique - Monte Carlo |
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| Casino Monte Carlo |
Tuesday, July 24, 2012 – Monte Carlo & Cruise Embarkation
This morning we had a nice continental breakfast at the hotel and then relaxed until we had to be out of the room. We had some time to waste before our bus ride to board our cruise ship so we walked back up to Monte Carlo and explored the Palais Princier and the surrounding area of Monaco-ville with its narrow cobblestone streets and sidewalk cafes. Here we also saw some beautiful structures including the Musee Oceanographique et Aquarium and the Cathedrale. Afterward we walked back to the hotel and joined our group for the 3 ½ hour bus ride to Port St. Louis where we met up with our river cruise ship, the Avalon Scenery.
After an extraordinarily smooth boarding process with immediate access to our staterooms, we cleaned up and met with Jean Loup for a quick rundown of the following days activities and then moved on to dinner. We had a wonderful meal and met some quirky ladies from the UK. At the same time we began to sail north on the Rhone, through the Camargue region (no, we unfortunately did not catch site of the famed white horses). We arrived into Arles just a few hours later, though it was long after the town had gone to sleep.
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| Avalon Scenery |
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| Avalon Scenery |
Wednesday, July 25, 2012 – Arles, France
We woke up very early today as we had selected the night before to participate in an early morning optional excursion. Our excursion took us out of the city of Arles by bus to the nearby area of La Vallee Des Baux where we visited an Olive Oil farm. We learned about the process of producing olive oil and had a quick tasting. We then took the bus for a short drive north to the wonderful medieval town of Les Baux de Provence. The town is perched high on the hillside with the medieval Chateau des Baux at its peak. It is a quaint town with narrow roads, unique shops, and beautiful views of the countryside.
In the afternoon, we took the walking city tour of Arles and visited many sites, including Les Arenes and Theatre Antique (Roman Arena and Amphitheater), the Church of St. Trophine and other Roman remains. Also, as Arles was one of the painter Vincent van Gogh’s favorite French towns, we saw many recognizable spots from his works including the locations of The Sidewalk Café at Night, Starry Night Over the Rhone and Garden of the Hospital in Arles.
After our day in town, we returned to the ship and had a special tasting of the most famous aperifit of the South of France called Pastis. It is a liquor made primarily using anise so it is like drinking a glass of black jelly beans.
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| Roman Arena in Arles, France |
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| Chateau des Baux |
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| Vincent Van Gogh Painting Site |
Thursday, July 26, 2012 – Avignon, France
Today was another early day with tours in both the morning and afternoon. In the morning, we joined in on the included walking tour of Avignon. The historic center in Avignon is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is a fortified city, with walls completely surrounding the old town. It was once the residence of a number of Popes during the 14th century while it was unsafe for them to stay in Rome. Our walking tour included a visit to the Palace of the Popes and the Cathedral of Our Lady. Afterward we walked up the river on our own to see the Bridge of St. Benezet, a medieval bridge on the Rhone that now only covers about half of the river.
In the afternoon, we took an excursion out of Avignon to the site of Pont du Gard, a Roman aqueduct and another UNESCO World Heritage site. This was the only excursion that I selected prior to the beginning of our trip and it did not disappoint. It is an amazing site to behold at approximately 50km long, 50m high and has three levels measuring up to 275m on the highest level. A note for next time or others who may visit, the river running underneath the aqueduct is an excellent place for a refreshing swim (especially if it’s July). Next time I will certainly have to plan for some swimming and sunbathing. After finishing up at Pont du Gard, we then visited the nearby town of Uzes which supplied the water being transported by the aqueduct to the nearby town of Nimes. Uzes is an ancient town with a modern sensibility.
This evening we enjoyed a performance by some local “gypsies” onboard the ship.
Next up are Viviers, Tournon and Vienne. I will be posting information on pictures on these stops soon and will eventually post more pics from the trip overall on Facebook and/or Shutterfly.
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| Cathedral of Our Lady |
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| Palace of the Popes |
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| Pont du Gard |
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| Uzes - The Duke is home! |
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